 
## The Last Praetorian

### Book One of The Redemption Trilogy

### By Mike Smith

### Copyright 2013 Mike Smith

### Smashwords Edition

### May 2013 Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Cover image copyright © 2013 AiTuDou

For Mum and Dad

Thanks for picking me up and dusting me off whenever I was down.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue
Prologue

An extract from "Pax Imperia"

First published 2762, Marcus Aurelius II

The Imperium, more commonly referred to as "The Empire", was founded circa 542 (New Confederation calendar)/2312AD (Old Earth calendar). It was arguably the most powerful and enduring geo-political structure since the Roman Empire's repressive form of government, almost two thousand years earlier. It was undisputedly the largest Empire in history, at its greatest extent spanning almost one-hundred, seventy-five star systems, with a size in excess of thirty-five light years. In comparison, the Roman Empire only extended four million square kilometres, and there is no historical evidence it extended beyond a single star system.

The Imperium was formed by necessity soon after the discovery of Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel early in the 23rd Century. With massive overpopulation problems on Earth and in the Sol system, FTL was offered as a way to escape the overcrowding and presented huge opportunities. These were confirmed with the early discovery of many hundreds of habitable worlds within a dozen light years of the Sol system. Hence the second exodus of mankind commenced. The first wave was led by the massive, system-wide conglomerates that had formed on Earth and led to the initial colonisation of the Sol system. With access to the large colony ships and FTL engines, they led the first wave of settlers, intent on profit. These were realised beyond their wildest dreams!

With abundant natural resources, and no need for expensive environmental habitats or terraforming, these early corporations could undercut all. As the cost of FTL travel fell, the next waves were the religious and persecuted political groups. By pooling funds they could afford the massive costs charged by the conglomerates—which found a lucrative secondary source of income for the now mothballed FTL colony ships. Within a decade humanity had spread to a dozen star systems; within a century, over a hundred different star systems had become colonised. However, then came the Great Schism...

With the most easily colonisable systems already established, and huge profits at stake, conflict quickly spread. Initially this was between the conglomerates over newly discovered systems but soon spread to recently established colonies, where the conglomerates fought over who had ownership. With no legal framework that could be agreed upon beyond the Sol system, it became a free-for–all, with the side having the most ships often winning the disputes. It was during the peak of these conflicts that the separatist movement first appeared.

Abundant in natural raw materials, the early colonies had become rich, but this wealth was being shipped back to the Sol system to line the coffers of the conglomerates. Incensed that others were becoming rich off the backs of the early colonists, and long since having become self-sufficient, they declared their independence and rebelled. War spread across colonised space like wildfire, leaving no colony untouched.

It is impossible to measure the loss of life, but historians estimate it was in the hundreds of millions, and interstellar trade all but collapsed. It was in the forge of war that the coalition of worlds, precursor to the Imperium, was founded.

An enigmatic leader of one of the earliest colonies, Edward Aurelius, proposed a mutual defence pact with a number of the nearest smaller colonies. This was based on the idea of mutual defence; if one member were attacked, all would come to its defence. After a few initial victories, the idea was an unqualified success. Peace finally spread between the founding colonies and they were able to rebuild their shattered industries and economies. Initially these colonies ran separate patrols of their systems but soon these were being combined to form joint patrols. Finally the fleets of the various systems were combined into one overall organisation, the forbearer of the modern day Imperial Navy.

The other colonies were still frequented by attacks and, with almost all trade halted, requested entry to this newly formed coalition. However, the early founding colonies had used their rebuilt industries and economies to become rich and powerful. They were distrustful of the other colonies, viewing them with suspicion. Led by the powerful Edward Aurelius, the cost of entry to the coalition was set high. Tribute was demanded in terms of ships, people, resources and raw materials, while in return they offered security and stability. Staring into the abyss of destruction, most colonies accepted the arduous terms of entry. The initial founding colonies of the coalition became the core worlds, the latter entrants the rim worlds. Over time the coalition evolved into the Imperium, where the threat of expulsion and withdrawal of protection from the fleet was enough to keep all but the most fool-hardly colonies in line. Eventually Edward Aurelius passed into the history books and, with his power base secured within the Imperium, succession was passed onto his eldest son James.

For five-hundred years the Empire ensured the peace via the threat of expulsion and withdrawal of the protection from the Imperial Navy. As generations passed, the Aurelius family tightened their hold on power, until they become synonymous with the Empire. With the backing of the Imperial Navy and his elite Praetorian Guards, the Emperor's grip over the Imperium was absolute.

Chapter One

Five Years Previously

The "Imperial Star", Flagship of the Imperial Navy, Epsilon Indi System

The sporadic flash from the ships' navigation lights were the only indication of the passage of the massive Imperial taskforce as it glided effortlessly through space. Occasionally a ray of light from a distant star would briefly illuminate a section of hull, which bristled with gun batteries or flight decks. The flotilla of ships was a huge force to be reckoned with, one few enemies would confront directly.

Being late at night ship time, the corridors of the _Imperial Star,_ flagship of the Imperial Navy, were mostly deserted as Jonathan Radec made his way purposefully towards his destination. Almost six feet in height, with dark hair and grey eyes, dressed in the white uniform of the Imperial Navy. With the crossed-swords insignia of his squadron on his lapel, the 58th, the Emperor's elite Praetorian Guard. At twenty-five he was the youngest Commander in the fleet. Resting at his hip was his ceremonial sword, one of which was worn by all Praetorians to reflect their sworn duty to defend the Emperor.

With the combined roles of personal bodyguards for the Emperor and his immediate family, as well as being his aides-de-camp within the Imperial Navy, the Praetorians represented the Emperor and the combined might of the far-flung star-systems that made up the human Imperium. Answerable only to the Emperor and permitted access everywhere, their insignia represented the full power and authority of the Empire.

It was therefore with some surprise Jon noticed the doors to the Emperor's personal chambers were barred to his approach.

"State your business here," insisted one of the two imposing guards who were barring the door with weapons crossed. Towering over the Commander, they must have been over six-and-a-half feet in height, and Jon guessed they weighed almost two-hundred and fifty pounds each. They both stared down at him dismissively, much as one might observe a bothersome insect.

Not the slightest bit intimidated, Jon paused for a second or so to draw the guard's full attention. The guard who had demanded his purpose flinched on meeting his gaze. Jon's eyes had darkened to an ice-cold grey that conveyed the peril they placed themselves in by blocking his path.

"Jonathan Radec, Commander of the 58th squadron, the Praetorian Guards. My business with the Emperor is my own, as is the decision to let you live if you _ever_ bar my entrance again." Jon said in a chilling tone, a fanatical fire burning in his eyes. To emphasis the point he wrapped his hand around the hilt of the weapon resting at his waist.

The name did not register with the guards for a moment, until the officer's title and squadron slowly percolated through their thought processes. _The Praetorian Commander!_ The two guards quickly stumbled back a few steps to clear his path.

The Commander's reputation preceded him, especially his often-captious nature. Rumours around the fleet suggested he had summarily executed the last officer who had refused a direct order, along with two others who had subsequently intervened. The Commander was a man that nobody crossed twice—few lived past the first encounter!

Jon stared first at one guard and then the other for a few heartbeats longer before striding forward. The doors silently slid open to permit his entry.

Once past the guards, the doors having slid shut behind him, Jon allowed a frown of concern to touch his expression. For the past few weeks a sense of unease had crept up on him, much like the one he felt now after the encounter that had just taken place. Unfamiliar faces, unexpected confrontations and a general sense of distrust and resentment that suffused the ship. Over time Jon had come to recognise fewer and fewer friendly faces, and trying to maintain a constant level of alertness was beginning to take its toll. Jon often found himself considering taking his concerns to Commodore Harkov, who was in charge of the task force the _Imperial Star_ was currently attached to and had final say in all fleet-wide decisions.

Jon had quickly discounted this for several reasons. After all, what was he going to say to express his concerns—that he felt uneasy about the atmosphere on the ship? He would be laughed off the Commodore's bridge. It didn't help matters that Jon and the Commodore had...history. Several months earlier, during an ambush by separatist rebels, Jon had refused the order to withdraw given by then Admiral Harkov. Jon's decision had saved the taskforce from complete annihilation but also resulted in Harkov's demotion and caused bad blood between them. Hence, instead, Jon made a mental note to bring up his concerns with his master.

The Emperor's spacious apartments were luxuriously decorated. Not for the first time Jon felt uncomfortable crossing the threshold from the spartanly decorated interior of the _Imperial Star._ The thick carpet now underfoot, and rich tapestries and paintings hanging from the walls, made him feel as though he had stepped into another world. The normally bright apartments were currently dimly lit, not surprising due to the lateness of the hour. Not finding anybody in the reception anti-chamber that made up the main entrance, Jon proceeded through the apartments towards the main observation lounge. The Emperor usually used this larger space for entertaining guests and Jon often found him there.

Upon entering the larger room, Jon's gaze was drawn to the large observation window that ran one full-length width of the room. The Emperor liked to use this room for meetings, as the star-scape reminded his guests of the size and power of the Empire...and the Emperor. Having little interest in staring out of windows, Jon looked intently around and finally spotted the Emperor in the far corner, observing the rest of the task force from the window. Unsure if the Emperor had noticed his appearance, Jon fell to one knee making sure to keep a close grip on the hilt of his sword so as not to impale himself.

Casting his gaze downwards to the floor, Jon stated, "My lord, you requested my presence." His voice echoed around the still room before all was silent again. After a few seconds, still without any response, Jon started to question if he had been heard.

However a faint disturbance of air indicated movement and a few moments later the Emperor's rich baritone voice responded. "Rise Commander and approach. I require enlightenment regarding events that have recently transpired."

Jon winced, having a strong inkling of the topic of conversation ahead and not looking forward to it. Approaching the Emperor, a man he had faced daily since being given command of the Praetorian Guard, Jon was struck by how much older the other man looked. His bright, emerald-green eyes, a trait of the Aurelius family line, seemed to have faded and his dark hair had increasing streaks of grey. However, his face still bore the vitality of youth and the confidence that had been his trademark since Jon had first been introduced to him years ago.

The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius inquired, "I understand there was a confrontation yesterday evening, involving my daughter and one of the senators' sons. Explain to me what took place." Recognising that Marcus had no interest in excuses or justifications, Jon recounted the events of the previous evening...

*****

The officers' lounge on the _Imperial Star_ was packed, as usual. With second shift having recently ended, the senior officers and their respective partners had congregated for a meal and drink before dispersing to their various quarters. With recreation facilities on board the star carrier severely restricted it was a popular social scene, especially with the children of the senior officers and other VIPs presently on the ship. Unfortunately this also included Sofia Aurelius, only daughter of the Emperor, the crown jewel of the combined star systems. As far as Jon was concerned she was a rich, spoiled, conceited, arrogant and far too used to getting her own way. Yet there was something about her that constantly attracted Jon's gaze.

Unfortunately, as the Emperor's daughter, she also fell under the protection of the Praetorians. It was considered an unfortunate assignment to babysit _the princess_ , as she was referred to within the squadron. Therefore Jon insisted it only fair that everybody takes turns. Unfortunately tonight was his turn.

Surrounded by the constant chatter, occasional clinking of wine glasses and clatter of cutlery, Jon struggled to push through the thick crowd to locate the princess. Finally making it through into the dining area, Jon spotted her. Sofia was surrounded by her usual group of followers, mostly the younger and easily impressed daughters of some of the senior officers and politicians. There was also a straggle of male admirers following the group at a distance, and Jon noticed with deep irritation a couple had swords belted at their waist. This was the result of one of the princess's earlier, off-the-cuff comments, that it was "so romantic to be surrounded by officers armed with swords, like my very own white knights in waiting." While there were strict regulations regarding navy personnel bearing swords outside official occasions, there were no such rules for civilians, much to Jon's constant irritation.

The princess obviously observed his arrival, as she rolled her eyes in his direction. Leaning towards one of the younger women at her side, she motioned in his direction, whispering something that Jon could not overhear. The quick glances in his direction and snickers from the young woman did little to improve Jon's already foul mood.

Biting back a scowl, he looked around for somewhere to sit out the evening. However, as usual, the officers' lounge was packed and there were no free tables in sight. This was quickly remedied by a vicious glare at one of the younger officers and his partner, who quickly decided they had an important appointment elsewhere. Resigning himself to a long evening, as was evident coming from the occasional giggles from the group. Jon wondered who he was going to have to kill to obtain a drink.

It was sometime later in the evening when a shadow crossed his table. Wondering who would dare to interrupt him, Jon was quite taken aback upon looking up to be staring into the emerald-green eyes of Sofia Aurelius. The princess was wearing an ivory colour evening dress that matched her pale, white skin, which was offset by her bright red hair, obviously inherited from her mother's side of the family. Taking a moment to let his gaze linger on her, he noted the dress showed off enough leg to be completely unseemly and the only thing hiding the tiny straps was a gauzy white shawl she had wrapped around her shoulders. No matter how exasperating Jon found Sofia, he would have to confess, but only under torture, she was stunningly beautiful.

Jon was once again reminded of the intimate dinner they had shared a few weeks earlier, when for the first time he questioned if her spoilt-rich-princess act was not just that, an act...

******

"Commander, would you care to join my daughter and me for dinner tonight?"

The question came absolutely out of the blue. Jon had been standing stoically at the Emperor's side all afternoon, monitoring the assortment of foreign dignitaries, senators and VIPs for any possible threat. The negotiations had just concluded when the Emperor's question seemed to pop out of thin air.

Jon's mind went completely blank, and hence he said the first thing that came to mind. "I was not aware of any formal dinners scheduled for tonight on your agenda, sir."

"Nothing formal, just a personal family dinner with my daughter and me," the Emperor responded.

_Then why the hell am I being invited?_ However, one did not turn down dinner invitations from the ruler of almost thirty billion people.

"Of course, sir. I'd be honoured."

"Excellent. Dinner is served at twenty-hundred hours. Don't be late." The Emperor disappeared though the door into his private quarters, leaving the hint of a threat lingering in the air.

"Just fantastic," Jon said aloud, sighing. What does one wear to a personal family dinner with the Emperor and his only daughter—Princess Aurelius.

*****

Steeling himself, Jon pressed the announcer exactly three hours later, twenty-hundred hours and...no seconds. He had absolutely no interest in finding out what happened to an officer that turned up late for a private dinner with the Emperor.

He had absolutely no idea what to expect when the door slid open, and he was most definitely not expecting to be staring into the sparkling green eyes of an Imperial Princess. A subconscious part of his mind noted that they both stood at equal height. Knowing for a fact that he stood a couple of inches taller than her, he could only hazard a guess that she was wearing a pair of shoes that made up for the height difference. It was only through force of will he kept his eyes focused on her face and didn't glance down to confirm this observation. The eyes of a lowly Commander in the Imperial Navy did not unabashedly rove over an Imperial Princess.

Instead he bowed his head slightly in greeting and, knowing full well that he was exactly on time, inquired, "I hope I am not late princess?"

"Not at all, Jon. Although my father apologises and says he will join us in a few minutes. He is just finishing up a conference call with Admiral Sterling on Eden Prime." The princess obviously had no aversion to inspecting him, as Jon could feel her gaze roving over him before her lips curled up in a slight smile.

Slightly self-conscious about his dress, Jon had in the end decided to wear what he usually wore to dinner alone—his white navy dress uniform, with sword. His only other choice of wardrobe, an academy T-shirt and shorts he wore to bed, he had already rejected out of hand.

"Anyway, as you are joining father and me for dinner, why don't we drop the formal titles? You are welcome to address me by my name."

"My thanks... Princess," Jon replied, with a smirk. Knowing fully well that the princess often used his given name to tease him about his overbearing attitude and lack of any kind of social life.

He was about to continue when the Emperor swept into the room. Immediately dropping to one knee, Jon bowed his head and uttered, "My Emperor."

"Commander," the Emperor responded, striding past him towards the imposing dining room table.

Jon did his best to suppress the grin on his face, upon hearing the princess laughing behind him. He could well imagine what she was thinking, after just mentioning dropping formal titles and all.

"You can arise now, Sir Knight!" The Princess giggled into his ear as she glided past, her father already having taken his seat.

All-in-all dinner was not the complete disaster Jon had imagined. The conversation flowed easily around the table. Jon was amazed at how quickly conversation between father and daughter could easily move between topics, one minute discussing progress on the negotiations earlier in the day, the next progress of the princess's studies. Jon was relieved to be, in the most part, excluded from the conversation, although the two did occasionally ask for his opinion. While Jon was not well versed in the intricacies of politics he was fully aware of the strategic and tactical implications of the negotiations, and talked both father and daughter through some of the possible military repercussions.

Mostly Jon just focused on the food, amazed at the number and variety of the dishes. Most he did not even recognise and tasted with a certain amount of trepidation.

For a small, family dinner Jon was certain they ate better than ninety-nine percent of the populace of the Empire. A simple meal with his family usually consisted of some vegetables, freshly picked from his mother's small vegetable plot, mixed with carbohydrate and protein supplements. Filling, but hardly tasty.

Jon's inspection of the last dish was interrupted by an aide reminding the Emperor of another conference call where his participation was required. Jon was half out of his seat, planning to head in the direction of the exit, before the Emperor's voice called a halt to his departure.

"Commander, stay and finish your meal," the Emperor insisted, before turning to Sofia. "My apologies, I forgot about this call. Please, you and the Commander finish your meal together." With that the Emperor swept from the room with the aide fast on his heels. Two pairs of eyes followed his exit until the door slid firmly shut behind him.

Jon momentarily considered making his own apologies, then he noticed the princess's despondent expression. Having intimate knowledge of her father's agenda, he knew these meals with her father must be few and far between. Looking at the miserable young woman, something stirring inside him he hadn't felt in a long time. Glancing around at the opulent, and empty, surroundings he couldn't help feel some sympathy for her.

Therefore, he retook the seat that only moments before he was more than happy to vacate, and gazed thoughtfully at the young princess, who was staring dejectedly at the remains of her meal.

"Your father's a great man," Jon insisted softly. "He is only gone so often because he cares about the people. I cannot say that about many politicians that I know of."

"But does he have to go every time? After my mother..."

Jon sighed sadly. He knew her mother had died when she was young. Sometimes, late at night, when her father was working with Jon accompanying him, he talked about her. Jon had no doubt the emperor had loved his late wife, her loss leaving a huge void in his life.

"I know," Jon replied. "I know how much you must miss her—" He tried to explain, but was interrupted by her angry outburst.

"You don't know anything! You have never lost a parent." She angrily pushed her chair away from the table. Turning her back on Jon, she moved over to the viewport, tightly clutching something around her neck, misery lying like a cloak around her shoulders.

Sighing, Jon once again rose from his seat and glanced wistfully at the door. It would be so easy, only a couple of steps and he could be through the door, back into the real world. A cold, hard, unforgiving world, as the young woman that was staring miserably out of the window could so easily testify to. However the Commander was never one to take the easy paths in life, so he turned his back to the door and slowly approached the princess.

With the Emperor long since departed and the princess with her back turned, he took a moment to observe the young woman. Noticing the strappy sandals with the high heels she wore, he suppressed a triumphant smile at his earlier observation having indeed been correct. Stopping a few feet from the princess he ran his gaze up from the sandals to her ankles, her thighs, then observed her narrow waist elegantly wrapped in an evening dress of sapphire blue. His eyes next lingered on the pale skin below her neck, peeking out from beneath her fiery red mane. Raising his eyes farther he stared into her eyes, which were reflected in the pane of the window.

Noticing his hands had risen unconsciously to embrace her, he carefully lowered them to his sides. Nobody touched a member of the Imperial family, not even the Praetorian Commander. _Must be hell on a date_ , wondering why the idea of Sofia on a date bothered him so much.

"You are correct. I have never lost a parent," Jon replied softly, holding her reflected gaze with his own. "But that does not mean I have never lost anybody close to me. My younger sister died when I was not much older than you were, when you lost your mother." Jon allowed some of the pain, which he kept well hidden inside, to escape through his expression. "So I _do_ understand how you feel, I miss her. Every day."

Turning around to face him, Sofia averted her gaze and said, "I'm sorry I did not know..."

Jon once again had to suppress the urge to reach forward and enfold her in a comforting embrace. Instead he simply quirked his lips up and replied, "That's because I never told anyone before."

Following a lull in the conversation, Jon's gaze fell on the object that the princess had tightly enclosed in her grasp. "May I see?" he inquired politely, motioning towards the object.

Releasing it from her grasp, Sofia raised her head to allow Jon a better view of the object hanging from a delicate chain around her neck. Reaching forward he gently touched it, taking care not to brush her warm, soft skin. It was a simple, but elegant, gold wedding ring.

"It belonged to my mother," Sofia explained, a hint of embarrassment in her tone. "It's all that I have left of her."

"It's beautiful," he said honestly, releasing it gently.

"If I am lucky, my future husband will allow me to wear it on my hand when we marry."

Jon knew enough about the Imperial court to realise her father would arrange any marriage for her. It would be a political union, as much as a marriage, to expand the Emperor's influence further over the Imperium. It occurred to him that since Sofia was the Emperor's only child, if he were lucky enough to live long enough he would eventually kneel before this woman's husband as the new Emperor. In many ways their fate was already inexplicitly bound.

"You know, it was my sister who encouraged me to join the Navy." Jon decided he did not want to consider the future, not when the present looked so dazzling.

"Really?" Sofia asked, giving a weak smile and looking up into his eyes.

"Really," Jon confirmed. "She told me I would one day become a famous navy pilot and marry a princess."

"Really?" Sofia's smile broadened.

"Really!" Jon insisted. "Although she was only six at the time, she thought I was a prince and told me I really needed to get a horse."

Sofia giggled and took one of his hands, pulling him back towards the table and their now discarded meal. "Tell me more about her. Please?" she asked, her eyes warm and understanding.

"I don't know." Jon teased her, liking the feel of her hand in his and assuming he would be spared the usual penalty of death. After all, she touched him, not the other way around! "What's in it for me?" he asked curiously.

Sofia tilted her head to one side and eyed him thoughtfully. With a grin, she finally settled on, "I'll buy you a coffee."

Jon made a face. "Garr coffee. I cannot stand the stuff, it tastes like engine oil!"

Sofia laughed at his expression. "That's the synthetic stuff you navy types all drink, I am talking about the real stuff. Freshly brewed from _real_ coffee beans, Commander."

Jon pretended to think it over, before nodding. "Okay, I'll give it a try."

At the end of the evening, Jon admitted to the princess she was right. Real coffee was far superior to the stuff served in the ship's canteen. He did not admit to the princess that her company was far superior to the coffee.

******

Now, realising he had been staring a second or two longer than was proper, Jon averted his gaze and politely inquired, "Princess, is there some way that I can be of assistance?" The odd giggles coming from behind her did not bode well for the response.

In an imperious tone, the princess ordered, "A number of my close friends have never seen a Valerian sword. Show them."

"You want me to do what?" Jon demanded incredulously. On second thoughts his original opinion of the princess was completely accurate—she was rich, spoiled, conceited and arrogant.

However, the princess simply lifted her chin and repeated, "Your sword. Some of the girls want to see it. Draw it and show them."

"I am a Praetorian, a Commander in the Imperial Navy, sworn to give my life to defend you, your father and the Empire. I am not here to entertain or put on a show for your amusement, or that of your guests. I would suggest you go find some other poor creature to intimidate." With that Jon turned his back on the princess and her entourage. Then he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.

In any normal situation the owner of the hand would have lost it, quickly followed by his life. But, aware of his surroundings, instead Jon's gaze followed the hand back to its owner—one of the princess's young admirers, who obviously felt the urge to intercede.

With a scowl of indignation the young man announced in a loud tone, full of righteous anger, "You will treat the princess with the respect that is due to her station. As she is my guest this evening and fulfil her request."

Unfortunately, in that very instant, a couple in the next table knocked over a glass. As often happens in these situations all conversation stopped, and hence the young man's words rang clearly across the room. All became deathly still and the young man paled slightly when he realised that all eyes were now firmly rested on him.

Jon internally cursed his bad luck. What had just been a testosterone-fuelled moment to impress the princess had now swollen completely out of proportion. No civilian, enlisted person or officer of the fleet would _ever_ dare demonstrate such disrespect to a member of the Praetorian Guard. Observing the young man was one who wore a sword at his side Jon, already in a foul mood, made a snap decision to make an object lesson of this foolish young idiot, and hope her royal pain-in-the-ass learned from it.

Turning his smouldering gaze from the young man back toward the princess, Jon gave a nasty sneer and stated, "It would seem you will, indeed, have an opportunity to see a Valerian sword." With a firm movement of his shoulder, Jon shook the hand resting there loose and stood up, forcing the young man to take a few steps back.

Within a few seconds a space had formed around the two opponents. Licking his lips in nervousness, the young man's eyes darted to the sword resting on Jon's hip.

"I see that you have your own sword, boy," Jon stated in a scornful tone. "Why don't you draw it and show your pretty toy to the girls?"

The young man glanced around desperately for someone to assist him, but finding nobody would meet his gaze, he finally turned beseechingly to the princess. She took a step forward to intervene but froze when Jon turned his angry stare on her.

"This is none of your business, princess. Stay out of it."

Turning back to the young man, who was caught like a deer in his headlights, Jon once again commanded. "Draw your sword, boy. At least then you can die like a man."

Now completely terrified, the young man finally drew his sword. The sword was a piece of art. Made of bright silver, with flakes of gold, it glittered in the lights of the room. Seeing the point of the sword rest on the floor in front of him, Jon took a few steps forward until his feet were almost touched it.

"Higher," Jon insisted, motioning to the sword in front of him, his hands still at his side, his own sword still firmly encased in its sheath at his waist. With a nervous twitch the young man lifted the sword until it was a few feet off the floor, hovering around Jon's waist.

"Higher!" Jon growled, until the sword now hovered between them, around chest height. Grasping the sword with his left hand, Jon pressed it against his clavicle, before staring into the eyes of the petrified youth in front of him.

"Now strike!" Jon demanded. At this the youth almost dropped the sword in shock. "So help me," Jon barked. "Use your sword or I'll use it to butcher you over the head!" Terrified beyond belief the young man desperately thrust with all his might, and the sword slid smoothly forward.

Though empty space.

While the young man had desperately been trying to find the courage to lift the sword Jon had carefully tested the end of the blade with his thumb. While the sword could indeed have decapitated him, it would have taken a good few minutes of hacking. The sword was just like the youth, all show and no substance. Even if Jon had drawn his own blade one good swing from his sword would have shattered the other.

Instead, as the young man thrust the blade forward towards his chest, Jon had calmly brushed the sword aside with his left hand, which had been resting on the blade, waiting for the blow.

Totally off balance from the thrust, having expected the sword to penetrate flesh instead of air, the young man stumbled forward straight into Jon. With a resounding _crack_ , Jon slammed his forehead into the young man's nose, the sharp sound reverberated around the room. The youngster dropped his sword and fell to his knees, hands grasping his broken nose. Kicking the useless weapon aside Jon stepped alongside the youth and drew his own weapon. The Valerian-steel sword did not shine or glow like the youth's. Instead it seemed to glisten with a blue fire along the edges. Valerian steel was impossibly sharp and considered to be unbreakable. In the years he had owned this weapon, Jon had never had any cause to question this.

As the edge was deadly sharp, Jon held the blade a few inches above the young man's neck and, cast his gaze around the room. No one had uttered a word and every eye in the room was fixed on the blade; the sword of Damocles ready to fall. Finally Jon's gaze fell upon Princess Aurelius, gazing unflinching at the scene in front of her. He was suddenly consumed by an all-encompassing fury that this foolish young man had to die because of the princess's impetuous actions. Glancing down at the youth, who was still on his knees, not having uttered a word even though Jon knew he must be in excruciating pain, he ultimately decided on a different course of action.

Stepping around the youth, sword still in hand, Jon approached the princess and raised the sword toward her throat. For a brief moment Jon allowed himself to be completely immersed by her gaze. Although she had a sword hovering inches from her throat she showed no trace of fear. Trying to read her gaze, Jon finally settled on the emotion of regret. She seemed disappointed in him and the course of action that he had decided upon, but not in the least bit unnerved by the sword. Tearing his gaze away from Sofia he glanced at the youth still holding his hands to his profusely bleeding nose.

With a slash of the sword he neatly cut the shawl draped across her shoulders. Using the point of the sword he picked up the severed shawl from the ground and hovered it in front of the young man's bowed face.

In a clear voice Jon exclaimed to the room, "I understand that in the past, on Old Earth, princesses used to offer their knights a token of gratitude for defending their honour. I think, in this case, you justify the reward."

Surprised, the young man raised his head to look at the scrap of fine cloth draped across the sword. Glancing up at the Commander in disbelief, and with a spark of hope, he gently reached out, taking the offering.

Sheathing his sword the Commander offered his hand to the younger man. "You showed an uncommon amount of courage, boy, something that seems to be lacking in the fleet these days." Jon looked around the room, but nobody would meet his eyes. "Those qualities would make you a fine officer, one day."

With that as way of an explanation, Jon helped pull the younger man to his feet and started towards the exit. "Let's get you to medical so the doctor can have a look at that nose. We can work on a story of how you shed blood defending the honour of the fair princess. We will just be a little vague on whose blood was shed. I am sure the doctor will find the whole business extremely entertaining."

Just before the doors to the officers' lounge slid shut, Jon glanced back at Princess Aurelius, standing alone in the space left by their exit, a faint smile on her face.

*****

Having dropped the young man off at the medical bay and being assured he would make a full recovery, Jon was peering into a mirror, observing the bruise starting to form on his forehead.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Jon cursed aloud. "You can never walk away from a fight. And damn the princess for, for..." Jon was not entirely sure what to blame the princess for, but was sure that there was equal blame, somewhere. A chime from the door interrupted his self-flagellation, as somebody requested permission to enter.

Glancing at the chronometer in his quarters Jon muttered, "It's three in the morning, this had better be very important. Come!" He called in a louder voice. As the door slid open a figure quickly glided into the room and the door slid smoothly shut behind. The visitor was shorter than Jon and wearing a white cloak that masked their features. However, a glance of red hair and green eyes peering out from under the hood started to give Jon a horrible premonition.

"Do you always greet your guests shirtless?" Princess Aurelius inquired, pushing away the hood from her face. Jon could only stare in mute shock at the sight of the Imperial Princess sneaking into his personal quarters at three o'clock in the morning.

Finally recovering his wits, he gasped. "Have you taken complete leave of your senses? You cannot be here! If anybody saw you and word reached your father, he would, he would..." Actually Jon was not entirely sure what the Emperor would do, but he was very much attached to his head and would prefer that it remain well attached.

"Stop fussing, nobody saw me. I've spent most of my life on this ship and know how to get to places without being observed." Jon did not want to even contemplate the implications of that statement. "Please put on a shirt, I don't want to give people the wrong impression."

Jon had a sudden vision of somebody walking in on this meeting with her royal highness, Princess Aurelius, jewel of the empire, in his presence and him being half naked. He made a grab for the nearest shirt and quickly put it on, buttoning it up to make himself somewhat presentable.

Fixing the princess with another angry stare, Jon re-iterated his earlier question. "What are you doing here in my quarters at three in the morning?"

"Why Commander," Sofia replied coquettishly. "Would you have preferred to meet me in my quarters? I could always ask my father..."

Once again Sofia had got the better of him, and Jon started to realise that along with beauty the princess had also inherited her father's razor-sharp intellect. Realising that this was not the way to spar with the princess, he instead fell back on his formal bearing. "Not at all princess. I am always ready to serve you and your father. I was simply inquiring how I could be of assistance."

Sofia at first frowned at his formal response and then, with an impish smile, replied, "I think I preferred you without the shirt. Anyway, as to why I am here. I wanted to understand your decision earlier this evening."

Thinking back to the events in the officer lounge Jon tried to figure out which particular event she was referring to. Remembering his anger directed toward her, that it was through her actions that young man had to suffer, and his slashing the sword toward her, "Princess Aurelius, I would never have harmed...if my actions frightened you..." Jon stuttered.

Sofia's eyes clouded in confusion for a moment before she understood what Jon was referring to. Her expression softening, she moved forward to lay a delicate hand on his chest. Jon could feel the heat of her palm pressing though the thin shirt and, for a brief moment, regretted having put the garment on.

"You never harmed me and I was never frightened by what you did. Ever since father made you head of the Praetorians I have always felt safe with you around, knowing no one could harm me, as they would have to go through you—my own white knight, with his magical sword." Sofia explained wistfully, with a hint of sadness.

Jon took a few moments to consider what her life must have been like, growing up without a mother, surrounded by her father's court. Deciding this topic of conversation was getting too personal, Jon instead asked, "You want to know why I spared the boy's life?" Sofia made a small nod to acknowledge that this is indeed what she had been asking about.

"I have seen too much senseless death and destruction over the years." Jon tried to explain, haltingly. "From the unification wars, through to the separatist struggles and pirate attacks. I just did not want another senseless death on my conscience tonight. Anyway—" With a grin, Jon continued, "I am not so old I can't clearly remember doing stupid things to try and impress the most beautiful girl at the party."

Sofia seemed to mull his answer over in her head for a few moments before smiling softly and leaning forward kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Well," She blushed slightly at her obviously impulsive action. "Thank you for not hurting him. I had better get back before father starts to wonder where I am." Nodding in understanding Jon removed his arm, which seemed to have moved around her waist of its own volition when she kissed him.

As she stepped through the door, Sofia looked back and, with a smirk, commented, "So you thought I was the most beautiful girl at the party?"

However, the door slid shut before Jon had a chance to reply. Shaking his head at the entire surreal encounter, Jon decided that it was time that he got some rest.

*****

"...I left the young man in the care of the senior flight surgeon," Jon said. "He assured me the young man would make a full recovery."

The room was completely silent for a few moments, as Jon finished recounting the events that transpired in the senior officer's lounge the previous evening. Jon had come to the decision several hours earlier to leave out what had transpired in his quarters after the fight in the officer's lounge. That would have raised more questions than answers.

Eventually the Emperor seemed to rouse himself from his contemplation and gazed at the Commander, unblinking, for a moment. Meeting the Emperors gaze unflinchingly, inside Jon idly wondered if the Emperor already knew about his daughter's late night visitation. It was not as if the Emperor was lacking spies within the Imperial Fleet.

Breaking the silence, the Emperor suddenly announced, "Shortly after the incident I had a visit from the foolish boy's mother. You might know her...Senator Rione of the Callas Republic?" Jon visibly winced. The Callas Republic was one of the larger factions within the Imperial Senate, very old and very powerful.

"She requested your head, followed by your corpse," the Emperor explained. "I forgot to inquire which she wanted first," he added drolly. Jon was about to reply, but a raised hand from the Emperor forestalled any response. "Some time later I had a visit from the young gentleman, who stridently defended your actions. I couldn't fully understand all his arguments, as his nose was heavily swollen and he had to keep stopping mid-sentence to get his breath, but I think I understood the essence of what he was trying to saying."

Jon had to forcibly close his mouth, which had opened in shock. "The senator's son defended my actions?" Jon inquired incredulously.

"Indeed." The Emperor let a small smirk appear on his face. "You seemed to have made quite an impact on the young man, if you will pardon the pun. He was strident in his desire to join the fleet as an officer."

"He is certainly brave enough," Jon muttered under his breath. He must be, having the nerve to first draw a weapon on a Praetorian Guard and then demand an audience with the Emperor himself. "This was why you required my presence?" Jon inquired, surprised.

"No," replied the Emperor. "Although I must confess to a certain amount of curiosity about what transpired, as it is the talk of the fleet. About how you tried to kill my daughter and were only stopped by the valiant efforts of one of her friends, or how you saved my daughter's life from a determined assassin, depending on which set of stories you want to believe." He said with a glint in his eyes.

Jon could only roll his eyes at the fleet scuttlebutt. By the end of the week the story would only have grown more absurd.

"I have a task for the Praetorians," the Emperor continued, to explain his real reason for the audience. "I have an important cargo I want delivered to Eden Prime. This cargo is priceless and I want it delivered unharmed." Jon raised an eyebrow at these unusual orders, since it was not the Praetorians usual duty to act as cargo-haulers—not even for extremely valuable cargo. There was something that he was missing. "Due to the nature of the cargo you will be carrying I expect you to personally deliver this piloting the _Eternal Light_."

This was an even greater shock to Jon. While he had flown the _Eternal Light_ on numerous occasions it was the twin ship of the _Endless Light_ , the emperor's personal shuttle. As far as he was aware only the Emperor and his family ever travelled on those ships, which raised the interesting question of who, or what, the cargo was. Jon had a terrible premonition...

"The cargo that I will be transporting is?" He inquired hesitantly.

"Is my daughter Sofia," the Emperor responded, confirming Jon's worst fear. "You have some concerns regarding this assignment?" He inquired, noticing the frown on Jon's face.

"Not at all!" Jon hurriedly tried to reassure his master. "Your daughter is certainly a lovely person...." The sudden silence that appeared after that statement seemed like a black hole that was completely engulfing him. "And she has a great personality," Jon was quick to add. "And I find her company to be very..." he faltered.

"Yes?" The Emperor prompted.

_Demoralising. Uncomfortable. Maddening. Painful._ "Delightful," Jon muttered, and somehow managed not to choke on the word. Jon clamped his mouth shut before he could do any more damage. The Emperor just pinned him with another one of his searing gazes, and Jon once again wondered just how much he knew about their relationship.

"My daughter is to finish her education on Eden Prime before commencing work at the Imperial Senate." Jon knew that the Senate had been based on Eden Prime for the past two decades. With a sigh the Emperor motioned around the darkened room, with just the two occupants. "This is not the environment that I wanted to raise my family, however, with the death of her mother I could not take the risk of being separated from her. Now my little girl is growing up and she deserves her own life, to be able to stand on firm ground, to look up at the sky and feel the sun on her face."

"Who knows?" The Emperor continued after a brief pause, giving Jon a knowing look, "She might meet somebody on Eden Prime and decide to settle down and start a family." Jon kept his face impassive but inside was debating what action he would take if any such suitor materialised. Thoughts of choking such a suitor to death felt very appealing.

"I will protect your daughter with my life if necessary," Jon reassured the Emperor. "No harm will come to her on Eden Prime while she is under the protection of the Praetorians."

_And I'll be making damn sure that no one comes within ten meters of her!_ Jon did not voice that thought aloud.

The Emperor frowned for an instant, as if he had been expecting a different response, finally acknowledging, "The _Eternal Light_ is being refuelled on my orders as we speak. I expect you to be departing within the hour." The Emperor's order was a clear sign of dismissal.

Jon was taken aback for an instant at the abrupt departure, but promptly dropped to one knee and bowed his head in acknowledgement of his orders. Quickly striding from the room, grasping the sword at his side tightly to avoid tripping over it in his haste, his thoughts were ablaze with preparations to be made for their early departure.

*****

Jon was distinctly annoyed when, upon exiting the Emperor's apartments, he came face-to-face with the last person that he wanted to meet—Commodore Harkov.

Harkov was a thin man whom, upon first seeing him, Jon thought look sleep-deprived and erratic. He had taken an instant dislike to the man. He maintained a high level of security and ran his ship very strictly, discouraging his subordinates from acting outside of their orders or asking unnecessary questions, all of which led to low morale on board. One incident, which Jon had been present to observe, occurred when Captain Thrace made a joke during a briefing by Harkov and the Commodore had struck him. Jon considered Harkov overbearing, inflexible more interested in personal gain than the ideals under which the Empire had been incorporated, embodying everything wrong with the Imperial Fleet.

"Commander, a word," Harkov demanded, with a strong voice that carried his authority as a senior Imperial officer.

"I'm busy," Jon replied brusquely without even breaking stride, forcing the Commodore to hurry to keep up.

"That was not a request," Harkov called. "Need I remind you that I am your superior?"

Stopping, Jon let out a hiss of frustration as he slowly counted to ten in his head before turning to face Harkov, his frustration plain for all to see. "No, you are simply a higher ranking officer, in no way superior, Commodore." Jon placed just enough emphasis on his rank to remind him of his recent demotion by the Emperor.

It was obvious that Harkov was struggling to maintain his composure at the obvious insult. "I want to know what you were just discussing with Marcus," he demanded.

"It was a private conversation," Jon retorted. "I am sure if the Emperor," Jon emphasised the title, "Wishes you to be aware of the meeting, he will inform you himself. Now if you will excuse me." Jon made it clear that he did not give a damn if he was excused or not, turning his back on the Commodore and continuing toward the flight deck.

"Screw you Radec!" Harkov shouted at his retreating form. "You son-of-a-bitch, you think you are somebody just because you are Aurelius' latest lap-dog! I'll have your head on a platter one day! You mark my words! You'll get what's coming to you. You'll see, sooner, rather than later."

Stopping in the corridor and pivoting around once more to face the Commodore, Jon put his hand on the hilt of his sword and, in a biting tone of voice, replied, "On second thoughts Commodore I can probably spare a few minutes now."

Harkov blanched before hurrying off in the opposite direction. With eyes as cold as the depth of winter Jon watched until Harkov had rounded a corner out of sight. On the way back towards the flight deck Jon could not shake the feeling that Harkov was going to haunt him for many years to come.

*****

Arriving at the flight deck Jon was aghast to find dozens of cases piled high, all slowly being loaded onto the _Eternal Light_. As they were all marked with the Aurelius family crest Jon was willing to place good money that they belong to the princess. Already in a torrid mood following his run in with the Commodore, Jon was in no mood to cater to the whims of her royal pain-in-the-ass.

"Chief!" Jon bellowed towards the deck chief who was busy supervising the final pre-flight checks for the ' _Light_.

"Commander?" He queried, hurrying over.

"What the hell is this?" He demanded, motioning towards the cases some, piled three, four high.

"Princess Aurelius' personal luggage," the chief replied. "She ordered it should all be loaded prior to your departure." He explained apologetically, correctly deducing that the Commander was less than impressed with the unwanted additional cargo.

"Dispose of it!" Jon snapped at the chief. His expression would have been comical had Jon been paying attention and not staring a hole into the small mountain of cargo, as if by sheer force of will he could make it disappear.

"Excuse me, sir?" The chief stuttered in disbelief, not believing what the Commander just ordered.

Turning his gaze back towards the deck chief, realising just how his previous instructions could have been interpreted he clarified. "Have the Princess' cargo transferred back to her personal quarters on my orders," he insisted.

Wondering why the deck chief seemed to be rooted to the spot and had not acknowledged his instructions, Jon followed his gaze across the bay to the sight of the rapidly approaching, afore-mentioned Princess. As the two officers watched her approach, Jon had time to appreciate the much more appropriate attire over the previous evening. With her red hair pinned up, just a strand falling against her neck, which Jon had to suppress the urge to brush back, and a long, red, flowing gown that matched her hair, she looked every inch an Imperial Princess.

Upon reaching the duo she pinned the chief with her imposing stare and demanded, "Chief, why is my luggage not loaded? I've been informed—" she huffed at the word "—we will be departing immediately."

The Chief looked beseechingly toward Jon and, taking pity on the deck chief, who was only following his orders, responded.

"Your luggage will be following you at a later date," Jon replied, in the most patronising tone of voice that he could muster. "Capacity constraints I'm afraid, your highness," Jon's voice ringed with sincerity that was mocked by the gaping cargo hold that was open behind him that could easily contain twice the cargo that Sofia had ordered loaded.

Her eyes narrowed in fury at the obvious barefaced lie and she was obviously about to let rip when a sly smirk came to her lips and, instead, she replied in a voice dripping with honey. "Well I leave these sort of considerations to fleet personnel, as I am sure that you will have no objection to me being undressed during the trip...Commander." She breathed softly against Jon's cheek as she glided past. Picking up a smaller case from the top of the pile she turned to the two speechless officers and explained. "My face-paints. After all, if I am not going to have a thing to wear, a girl needs to look her best." She offered both men a stunning smile before following the boarding ramp up into the shuttle.

It was only with her back turned Jon realised what he originally thought was a very demure gown, possessed no back. Bare skin showed from her neck, though miles of expansive back and ending just above her derrière.

Once she disappeared into the ' _Light_ both men let out an audible gulp.

The chief was well connected with the fleet scuttlebutt and, like most, had heard the rumours whirling around about Commander Radec and the Emperor's daughter. Like most he had dismissed them as fantasy but, well, you could power a reactor with the sort of sparks those two were emitting. He cleared his throat—which suddenly felt very dry.

"Not a word, chief" Jon ordered. "Not. A. Word." He then followed the Princess into the _Eternal Light_ to prepare the shuttle for departure.

*****

With the shuttle pre-flight checks complete, Jon eased the _Eternal Light_ smoothly out of the flight deck into deep space. Barely a few kilometres from the _Imperial Star_ the 58th Squadron fell into an escort formation around the lone shuttle, as Jon lay in a course for the nearest FTL jump point for Eden Prime. With the course laid in, a communication window superimposed on the cockpit lit up to display the face of Lieutenant Elizabeth Zhang; Jon's second-in-command of the 58th Squadron.

"Morning Commander!" Elsie cheerfully exclaimed. "So I understand that we have extended babysitting duty for her royal-highness-pain-in-the-ass?" Jon frowned, glad that the princess was back in the VIP quarters and not in the cockpit to hear that less-than-flattering description.

Elsie had always been one of the most vocal members of the squadron in terms of disparaging remarks against Sofia and Jon knew, for a fact, she was not Sofia's favourite either. He had long been varying the Praetorian's schedule to ensure the two of them were not alone together, after having to separate the pair after their last fight. Shaking his head in despair that he would never understand the inner workings of the female mind, he focused his thoughts back on the task at hand.

"A simple escort mission, nothing more Lieutenant," Jon clarified. "We escort Princess Aurelius to Eden Prime, hand her over to Senate security to take over her security detail then high-tail it back to the fleet. A cake-walk," Jon exclaimed confidently.

"Will you be returning with the squadron or remaining on Eden Prime with the princess?" Elsie inquired uncomfortably, refusing to meet his gaze.

"My place is at the head of the Praetorian's, at the side of the Emperor," Jon announced firmly. "I'll be leading the 58th back from Eden Prime," Jon insisted, wondering at the strange question. Jon was not sure if he imagined it or not but he thought he detected a slight blush on his second-in-command's cheeks, as she nodded in understanding.

"Understood Commander," she acknowledged. "The Praetorian's will hold escort position until we reach safe FTL distance. ETA twenty minutes."

Jon acknowledged the response and cut the communications link. Leaning back in his chair, as the ship was now under computer guidance, he thought back to the unusual conversation with Elsie. Jon had known for some time that Elsie was developing a crush on him, however, being her direct superior, he refused to acknowledge it. Thinking back over the past few months Jon realised Elsie's bad attitude to Sofia coincided with the increasing amount of time that he had been forced into spending with the princess. Eyes narrowing in sudden suspicion, Jon came to the conclusion Elsie was jealous of Sofia. What with the increasing rumours spreading through the fleet about the princess and himself, Jon realised it would be good to have some separation from Sofia.

Jon had been, for a while, unfairly holding Elsie back from promotion for his own selfish reasons. Elsie was long overdue her own squadron and, at that point, chain of command would no longer be an issue. Perhaps Elsie would help him overcome this emptiness Jon had discovered within himself when he was around Sofia. Decision made, Jon leant back to relax, waiting for them to reach minimum FTL safe distance from the star the fleet had been orbiting.

*****

Jon was roused from his thoughts by a chime from the communication system. The fleet had suddenly started to broadcast on the emergency channel before going dead. Mystified, Jon checked the ship's sensors, which confirmed all was fine. The fleet, now many hundreds of kilometres astern, was continuing to orbit the distant star, with no other ships or objects detected on the scanner. So why the sudden broadcast on the emergency channel? Assuming it was just an accident, Jon opened a communication to the flagship the _Imperial Star_ but there was no response. Even more confused now, the Commander instructed the ship to run a self-diagnostic of the communication systems. All of which was working fine.

Another communication channel opened up from Elsie. "Commander, we have lost contact with the fleet," she reported, in an equally bewildered tone.

"Hold position here until we can re-establish communication," Jon ordered, as the door to the flight deck slid-open to reveal Sofia. Jon noticed Elsie's gaze flicker to Sofia, for an instant, before darting back to Jon's.

"Acknowledged sir, squadron will hold formation at this position until we re-establish fleet communication." Turning away from the communication channel Jon noticed Sofia's gaze fixed stonily on the now blank communication monitor.

_For God's sake, get over it you two!_ Jon thought to himself before inquiring of Sofia. "Something I can do for you princess?"

"I've lost our data link with the _Imperial Star_ ," she explained. "I was reviewing the current makeup of the Senate when the data-link dropped out and I cannot re-establish it." Jon checked the communication system again, which still reported that all data-links with the fleet were still down. Bringing Sofia up-to-speed on the current situation, he explained if they could not re-establish communication they would return to the fleet to determine the cause of the communication failure. However, the explanation was suddenly cut short by a communication from the _Imperial Star_.

"Finally!" Jon exclaimed stabbing the control to open the channel, ready to demand an explanation for the inexplicable communication loss. However, Jon's demand for an explanation died in his throat when the grim face of Commodore Harkov appeared.

"Commander," he started without any preamble. "We have a situation here. There has been an unsuccessful coup attempt on the _Imperial Star_ , we have now regained control of the ship but there have been casualties." Shifting his focus to Sofia, he continued, "Princess Aurelius, I have to regrettably inform you that your father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius was killed by the traitors during the attempted coup."

Jon's blood ran cold upon hearing this news. He had failed his master in the most grievous way possible. The sudden, short gasp next to him reminded Jon that Sofia was far more affected, a daughter who had just lost her father. Glancing up at Sofia he noticed that her face had turned ashen and she wavered on her feet for an instant. Grabbing her arm in a firm grip he helped lower her towards the empty co-pilot seat next to him. Jon's thoughts meanwhile were in a whirl... When? What? How? However, his thoughts were interrupted by the Commodore's next instructions, which made the hair on the nape of his neck rise in alarm. "Commander, I am ordering you and your squadron to escort Princess Aurelius back to the _Imperial Star_ until we have a better handle on the situation."

You cannot be serious!

To return Sofia to the ship where her father had just been murdered? The security around the Emperor was impenetrable. Jon should know, having spent most of the past few years as head of the Praetorians, personally overseeing his personal security. Multiple layers of security ringed the Emperor; it would take somebody with extremely high rank to be able to have penetrated all of them.

Suddenly Jon's heart froze, as though somebody had clamped a fist around it. Staring into the face of the Commodore, who was unsuccessfully trying to supress a smirk, the face of somebody extremely self-satisfied. Jon knew with absolute certainty the Commodore was behind this plot. Jon had always known the man was a liar and cheat who hungered for power, but to move against the Emperor himself! _Treason!_ Jon gripped the hilt of his sword until his hand turned white. He should have cut off this serpent's head when he had the opportunity. Glancing at Sofia's dazed face, he knew he was too late, and she now had to live with the consequences of his mistake.

Knowing that he would never give Sofia up into the hands of this lunatic, Jon replied firmly. "The Emperor's final command to me was that Princess Aurelius was to be escorted safely to Eden Prime. As nobody now has the authority to override that command, I will continue to carry out my duty."

The smirk on the face of Harkov's face slipped slightly into a snarl, as he once again ordered. "Commander, I now have ultimate authority for this fleet and I am ordering you to turn your squadron around and proceed at best possible speed to the _Imperial Star_ and hand Princess Aurelius over into my personal protection."

Jon almost had to laugh at the order. Hand Sofia over into the arms of this traitor? He would sooner fall on his own sword. Instead he simply replied, "The Emperor's final order stands. Princess Aurelius will be escorted to Eden Prime where she will be placed under the protection of the Imperial Senate." Jon was expecting the Commodore to bluster and threaten as usual but instead he just sneered.

"So noted Commander. I'll enter it into the fleet log that at this time you refused a direct command from the Fleet Commander to return your squadron to the flagship." With that the communication was once again cut off.

Jon simply slammed his fist against the console in frustration. However, his attention was quickly diverted by a quiet sob coming from the seat opposite. With one final curse at the Commodore under his breath, Jon turned to face the grieving princess. Jon had never been confident around women; especially teary-eyed ones. What to say? "Princess," he uttered softly, desperately trying to think of something to say. When she did not respond, he uttered a soft, "Sofia."

Surprised at hearing her name uttered, she had never heard Jon refer to her by her first name before. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. His gaze was filled with such sympathy and understanding that she desperately launched herself into his embrace. Having even less idea what to say, Jon just made little reassuring sounds and gently rubbed her back in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. Of course, as Jon ran his fingertips across warm, silky soft skin he was abruptly reminded about her indecent dress. A gentle sigh of breath against his chest caused such thoughts to flee from his mind and he just held her in his arms until her tremors began to subside.

The tender moment was abruptly interrupted by a chime from the communication system. Glancing towards the view screen Jon observed Elsie closely observing the scene in the cockpit. For once her expression was not disdainful, but sympathetic toward the younger woman. Like many of the Praetorians she had lost loved ones close to her before.

"Commander, we monitored the communication from Harkov and we are waiting for your orders." Jon experienced a brief rush of affection, realising that they all risked court-martial together for disobeying the direct order. He quickly described his suspicions regarding the Commodore, Elsie's expression cooling then hardening during the telling. By the time Jon had summarised his concerns, Elsie's face was wearing a similar snarl to that of the Commodore.

Turning her attention to Princess Aurelius she swore. "Princess, I swear to you that while a single Praetorian still draws breath, your father's death will be avenged."

Sofia, who had been embracing Jon ever more tightly during the retelling, simply offered a tear-filled smile and nodding her head in thanks.

Confirming his original intent, Jon insisted. "Lieutenant, our original orders still stand. We are to escort Princess Aurelius to Eden Prime and ensure she is under the protection of the Senate. At that point we will confirm the chain-of-command with the Imperial Fleet."

"Understood Commander," Elsie confirmed. "We will continue to hold position until you are ready to resume course." She saluted and the communication channel closed.

Jon was momentarily puzzled, as he did not stick with strict fleet discipline within the squadron. It was only when he noticed Sofia glancing at the view-screen he understood the salute had not been directed at him, but the Princess—no, Empress Aurelius. Realising their situation had now changed Jon gently eased himself from her embrace and, tilting her head up so he could look her in the eyes, asked in a gentle voice, "You okay?"

Sofia just nodded her head slightly in answer to the question, before she asked what Jon had been dreading. "What...what is going to happen to me? What do I do now?" While Jon had a fairly good idea, he did not think it wise to worry Sofia yet. Anyway they had more immediate problems at hand, like making it to Eden Prime alive.

Instead Jon just replied, "For the moment let's just concentrate on getting you to Eden Prime safely. We can worry about what happens next after we arrive."

"You won't leave me?" Sofia asked in a small voice.

"Not unless you wish me to." Jon replied truthfully, but inside a little piece of his heart died. Upon her arrival Sofia would be crowned Empress and Jon would continue to serve her, just as he had her father, but never again would he hold her in his arms. Tearing his gaze from her, he shifted his sight to the flight controls and, after ensuring Sofia was seated comfortably in the co-pilot seat, confirmed the correct course was laid in and prepared to resume their journey.

But as his fingers hovered over the controls something stopped him. Ever since the communication from the Commodore, something had been nagging at the back of his subconscious. Initially he just thought it the shock of the Emperor's death, or anger at the Commodore's betrayal, but over time the feeling had just become stronger and stronger until he could no longer ignore it.

His fingers continued to hover over the engine restart key.

As the squadron continued to hang, motionless in space, between the stars, it finally occurred to Jon what had been bothering him for so long. It was quiet. Too quiet. Stabbing the control on his pilot's seat to broadcast on the Praetorian's tactical frequency he demanded.

"Squadron, find me the fleet CAP!" At a confused look from Sofia, Jon explained. "The CAP stands for Combat Air Patrol. It's a fleet term from Old Earth, when they first introduced fleet aircraft carriers. When in unknown territory they would always have at least a few planes in the air continuously, able to quickly respond to any threat – the Combat Air Patrol or CAP. This tradition has continued and, when the fleet is deployed, there will always be a CAP present."

However, in this instance it seemed not, as the calls from the squadron replied, nobody could detect the CAP. "That does not make sense," Jon uttered confused. No fleet would ever be deployed to the outer rim without a CAP, not if the fleet commander wished to keep his rank, or his head if the Emperor had ever discovered the transgression.

"Well maybe they were needed elsewhere," Sofia innocently suggested.

Jon immediately dismissed the suggestion. After all, what could be more important than protecting the fleet? Then slowly, ever so slowly, a terrifying thought began to creep across Jon's consciousness. What if Sofia was correct? A mission that success was paramount, where every single available fighter was to be utilised to maximise the chances of a successful outcome? The Praetorians were fanatically loyal to the Emperor and his family, no person or group was going to succeed in replacing him until both were gone. The entire squadron was assembled here, protecting the last of the Aurelius bloodline with no witnesses present.

But how?

Checking the scanners carefully there were no threats within sensor range, only a few hundred kilometres would take them to the FTL jump and safety. Nothing could stop them in time. But still he could not force himself to restart the engines, gazing helplessly out of the cockpit windows, with the stars twinkling innocently, Jon desperately searched for an answer.

With a brief flicker of light, a star illuminated directly ahead before vanishing just as quickly. But there were no stars ahead. The squadron was following a parabolic course away from the nearest gas giant to escape the gravity field and jump into FTL. Ahead was just the asteroid field where dust had accumulated over the millennia, accumulating into asteroids in places, due to gravitational instability, but certainly no stars.

Then all at once everything made perfect sense. How do you ambush a squadron in deep space? You wait for them to come to you. The navigational computer confirmed that, at current heading, the squadron would pass within ten kilometres of the asteroid belt—in astronomical units, barely a hair's width. Jon knew with absolute certainty that would be where the ambush was waiting.

The Praetorians were trapped. With a fighter-ambush ahead and a hostile fleet behind, they had run out of options.

Chapter Two

The "Imperial Star"—Flagship of the Imperial Navy, Epsilon Indi System

On the bridge of the _Imperial Star_ Commodore Harkov tapped his fingers irritably against the armrest of the captain's chair. The owner of such chair was hovering just as impatiently behind, but for much different reasons.

"What is taking them so long?" Harkov demanded loudly.

"I assume your informing them of Emperor Aurelius' death has thrown them into a certain amount of disarray," Captain Pendleton responded, with more than a hint of his irritation showing. The Commodore had appeared only moments before and summarily demanded his seat. _The nerve of the man!_ Obviously the Commodore had no concept of bridge etiquette, or he just did not care.

"Sirs!" The ships tactical officer called out. "They are moving again!"

"Finally!" Harkov exclaimed.

_Finally!_ Pendleton thought. _I can have my seat back!_

*****

Faced with such poor options—either to continue forward into an ambush or to reverse course back towards a now hostile fleet—Jon elected for the latter, on the assumption, if nothing else, it would take the fleet by surprise.

The element of surprise is a formidable advantage in combat.

The voice of Jon's flight instructor came to mind as he rolled the shuttle back around, on a reverse course, and rapidly accelerated. The remaining ships of the 58th Squadron, caught by surprise by the abrupt manoeuvre, took a few moments to reorientation themselves before accelerating once again into escort formation around the shuttle.

"Combat Formation! Arm Weapons!" Jon ordered over the squadron's encrypted tactical channel, as he continued to accelerate, far beyond the possible speed of a standard shuttle, still pointing directly towards the now-oncoming fleet.

"What's going on Commander?" Elsie demanded to know. "Why are we returning to the fleet?"

"It's an ambush, Elsie." Jon explained. "The fighter complement from the fleet is waiting for us in the edge of the asteroid belt."

Elsie's expression just tightened on hearing the news. It was a testament to their faith in their Commanding Officer none questioned his explanation. Their CO had saved their lives more than once with his insight and none were going to question him now. "But how to get through the fleet?" Elsie queried. "We will be cut to pieces by their guns."

Jon glanced at the navigation computer, which indeed confirmed the route to the next nearest FTL point would take them directly through the fleet. Jon dared not risk a more indirect route, as he knew at any moment they would lose the element of surprise and the fighters ahead would be recalled.

"Arm your missiles!" he ordered.

*****

"Sirs!" The ships tactical officer called out once again. "They have changed course!"

"What?" Harkov demanded, darting to his feet and moving towards the tactical officer. "How? Why? What is their new course?" he demanded, spitting out the questions in rapid fire.

The officer checked the ship's sensors once again before replying, in a confused tone. "They have reversed course. They are on an intercept course with the fleet."

The Commodore was confused for a moment before relaxing. "So...Radec decided to follow orders for once in his life, they are returning to the fleet." Harkov allowed himself a moment to envisage having Radec within chains, kneeling at _his_ feet once and for all.

_What fun that we will have together,_ Harkov thought, already picturing Jon's face contorted with pain, and his screams, begging him to stop...

"Sir," the tactical officer interrupted his imaginings. "The squadron is continuing to accelerate towards the fleet. They are not slowing down. Time to intercept five minutes and decreasing. They have just armed their weapon systems! They are going to attack!" The office exclaimed in alarm, throwing a worried look at the senior officers.

"What?" Harkov roared, whirling to face Captain Pendleton. "Launch fighters to intercept them!"

Suddenly all thoughts of his chair flew from Pendleton's mind as, bathed in cold sweat, he replied, "We don't have any fighters to launch Commodore. You ordered all available fighters for the ambush. Hail the fighter-group in the asteroid belt and order their immediate recall! They are to make best speed and intercept the Praetorian squadron." Even as he said the words he knew their fighter cover would arrive too late, far too late. However, their fleet was not defenceless. "Order missile batteries one through three to target the incoming squadron and fire as soon as they have a lock!" Captain Pendleton ordered, at last feeling as though he was starting to get a handle on a situation that had started to spiral out of control.

"Sir!" The tactical officer cried out. "All missile batteries report negative missile lock. Sir, the missiles will not lock onto our own fighters!"

Shocked, Pendleton fell back into his chair in disbelief. The missile targeting computers had specific blocks to avoid hitting a friendly ship by accident. Each missile would take hours to reprogram and they did not even have minutes before the fighters would be on top of them. Closing his eyes he wondered, what else could possibly go wrong?

"Missile Launch!" The tactical offer yelled out in fear. "Incoming fighters have launched missiles!"

_Spoke to soon,_ Captain Pendleton thought to himself despairingly...

*****

As Jon nervously watched the minutes count down on the navigation computer before they intersected with the fleet he began to plan their next steps. Right about now the fleet would discover their missiles would be useless against the incoming fighters. However the ships' gun batteries were a different matter. They would be cut to shreds as they navigated through the fleet unless...

"Arm your missiles," he ordered. "Let's give the fleet something else to shoot at." While Jon knew perfectly well he could not shoot at the fleet, nothing was stopping him shooting at where the fleet would be. The navigational computer plotted the intercept coordinates, based on the fleet's current speed and heading. Uploading the target coordinates to the rest of the squadron, Jon waited until they were less than fifty kilometres from the fleet before ordering, "Fire!"

The squadron was momentarily blinded as, one after another, wave after wave; the squadron released their missiles in the direction of the oncoming fleet. Upon launch the missiles accelerated away from the squadron until no missiles remained. Within the space of a few moments one-hundred and twenty high explosive missiles were racing toward their target.

Then suddenly, the strangest thing started to happen. Almost as if the missiles started to run out of energy, they began to slow, first one, then another, until all the missiles' velocity had dramatically decreased. Inch by inch, meter by meter the squadron started to catch up to the missiles.

Reviewing the ships sensors carefully, Jon confirmed all the missiles were following the correct flight profile. Soon they would be within range of the fleet's guns so the squadron began to disperse, to avoid bunching up and giving the fleet an easy target.

*****

"God damn it!" Harkov raged, pacing up and down the command deck like a caged tiger. Turning on the tactical officer he demanded. "So we cannot launch missiles at them, but they can at us? Would you like to explain this?"

The tactical officer just shrugged helplessly and uttered, "They're Praetorians." Having only recently graduated from the fleet naval academy, the young officer had been surrounded by the rumours of the enigmatic and mysterious Praetorians.

Praetorians swords can slice through anything...

Praetorians can tell when you were lying...

Praetorians are invincible...

Pretty much everybody in his graduation class was in awe of the Praetorians, and he could not believe his luck when he was assigned to the _Imperial Star_ , the flagship of the Imperial Fleet, home to the Praetorians. However, reality has a bad habit of setting you down with a bump. The first Praetorian he encountered was cold and arrogant. The second, worse. Within the span of a week his dreams of meeting and becoming one of these mythical warriors was dashed on the rocks of reality.

The Commodore made a lot of sense when he explained how the Empire had become rotten at the core. The Emperor, surrounded by his Praetorians, had become decadent and corrupt, leading the Imperium to ruin! They had to be replaced, so that the Empire could still be saved.

However, Commodore Harkov's speech seemed a world away now, and the stories of the legendary Praetorians suddenly became far more frightening when facing them. Having just watched them miraculously avoid the ambush cleverly devised for them, how they were immune to the fleet's weapons but could impossibly use their own. For a moment he wondered what the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach was before finally recognising— it was fear. Fear of these invulnerable warriors who had never been beaten. Fear he had made a dreadful mistake siding with Harkov...

"Guns!" The word filtered through the young officer's thought process, interrupting his contemplation of the Praetorians.

"Excuse me, sir?" The young tactical officer stammered, glancing in the direction of Pendleton, who was still collapsed into his chair deep in thought and where the exclamation had originated.

"The ship's guns are tied into our own targeting system, is that not correct?" Pendleton insisted.

"Yes, sir," the tactical officer confirmed. "All the ship's guns are tied into the ship's central targeting system..." his voice trailed off as he finally got what his commanding officer was thinking. "...And we can reprogram our system to mark the fighters as hostile," he confirmed excitedly.

So much easier to reprogram one system, than hundreds of smaller ones spread throughout the missiles in the fleet

"We would have to rely upon the smaller, point defence weapons. They have less range but would be able to better target the incoming fighters," he exclaimed confidently.

Pendleton just nodded in agreement, before snapping his fingers. "Quickly, reprogram the targeting computer and bring the guns online, before the fighters get within range." With a quick flourish of his fingers the tactical officer made the changes and held his breath.

"Guns are online and tracking the incoming targets, sir," he exclaimed in relief. It was only when he double-checked the tracking sensors he realised the guns were tracking all the incoming targets—both missiles and fighters.

Uh Oh.

*****

As the squadron came within range of the fleet's guns they continued to disperse and started jinking up, down, left, right, all in random patterns to help confound the fleet's aim. However, as they got closer and closer to the fleet, the gunfire became more and more accurate until first one missile then another started to explode in a huge pyrotechnic display.

The missiles launched from the squadron minutes before were weapons designed to target fighters. These targets were small, agile and quick to escape, hence these weapons were designed to fragment prior to exploding, scattering dozens of deadly bomblets throughout the area. The original squadron of twelve fighters had grown to over one-hundred and thirty targets for the fleet computers to track following the launch of the missiles. As each missile began to explode, showering the area with smaller bombs, the number of targets the ship's gun began to track increased exponentially, first two-hundred targets, then four-hundred, then eight-hundred. As the Praetorians blasted through the Fleet, sensors were tracking over a thousand individual targets. Unable to track so many, finally the guns just fell silent, their targeting computers stuck in an infinite loop, and then the squadron was through the fleet and escaping towards the FTL entry point.

Jon breathed a sigh of relief as the squadron finally escaped from the far side of the fleet. However, checking the sensors, their squadron had not come out unscathed. They had lost two fighters to gunfire from the fleet before their guns had fallen silent. Jon allowed himself a momentary pang of grief, for he knew all the Praetorians personally. Both of them had loved ones and family back at home. Knowing it was his actions, his decisions, that had resulted in their loss made it no easier. He had to push the guilt and blame aside for a short while, to focus on the problem at hand. Meanwhile Jon noticed that the speed of the _Eternal Light_ had suddenly started to fall dramatically.

Instantly he ran a full diagnostic of the shuttle and cursed vehemently upon seeing the results. Slower and bigger than the surrounding fighters, the shuttle had taken a beating passing through the fleet. Jon had hoped that the heavier armour surrounding the shuttle would protect them, but it had not. The flight computer reported catastrophic damage to the port engine, which the computer had shut down, the shuttle was continuing to limp forward on the remaining engine but their velocity had fallen by half. Jon had no need to check the aft sensors to know that the fleet's fighters were now gaining rapidly on the Praetorians.

*****

Commodore Harkov subconsciously ducked as the Praetorian fighters scattered around the _Imperial Star_ , at times seeming to pass mere feet from the command deck. And then, in a blink, they were gone.

"Report!" Harkov roared across the command deck.

"Two targets destroyed, Commodore!" The tactical officer reported. He felt he was, unfairly, on the receiving end of most of the Commodore's short temper. "Remaining squadron is setting a straight course for the FTL jump point," he said in a calmer voice. At least the Praetorians were no longer heading in their direction. Suddenly the tactical computer updated with the latest squadron heading and velocity, and the young tactical officer had to blink a couple of times to ensure he was not imagining things. "Sir," the officer reported cautiously. "The shuttle is losing speed. I think we managed to damage it. The squadron is now also reducing velocity to keep in escort formation."

In a flash the Commodore was at his side. "How close are our fighters?" he asked hurriedly. Running both trajectories through the computer, it seemed an eternity before the computer spat out the numbers. The fleet's recalled fighters would intercept the Praetorians in a little over two minutes at present velocity. Five minutes before the Praetorians could escape into FTL.

"I've got you now, you bastard!" Harkov gloated in glee.

*****

At almost the same instant as the computer on the _Imperial Star_ , the flight computer on the _Eternal Light_ was reporting exactly the same result. They were all going to die. Three minutes and a little less than one-hundred seventy kilometres from escape.

The communication from Elsie was not unexpected but for the first time in his life Jon felt the weight of command bearing down on him.

"Lieutenant... Elsie." He acknowledged his second-in-command reluctantly.

"What is your situation?" she inquired brusquely, avoiding his gaze.

"Damage control computer reports the port engine is damaged beyond repair and it has been shut down."

"Tactical computer reports the fleet's fighters will intercept us in a little less than two minutes," Elsie reported, matter-of-factly.

Jon had no response. The squadron continued to fly onwards in tandem, in silence for a few moments more until Elsie shifted her gaze to Sofia and uttered the words that Jon had been expecting, but dreading to hear.

"We all swore an oath."

Jon closed his eyes in despair. They had all sworn the same oath. To protect the Emperor and his family, at all costs, at any cost. Jon was not a man to take such an oath lightly, and neither were his squadron, his friends...his family. Refusing to open his eyes and stare into the face of his second-in-command, refusing to order their deaths, he just whispered. "I cannot order you to do this." Finally opening his eyes, he stared at Elsie, who offered him a soft smile.

"I would never ask you to make such an order, Jon." Finally looking across at Sofia, who seemed frozen in shock. She added, "Princess, it's been...fun." Sofia looked up, surprised at the kind words from the Praetorian.

"Sofia. You can call me Sofia...anytime," she replied.

"Sofia," Elsie replied, seeming to try out the name before she nodded in thanks. For a moment it seemed to Jon that an unspoken communication passed between the two women, then after a small nod from Sofia, Elsie once again turned her gaze towards Jon.

"Good Luck, Commander! I think it's time that the Praetorians taught this bunch of idiots how to fly. I'm amazed that they haven't collided into each other by now." She laughed as the communication ended and Jon watched on the sensors as one by one the Praetorians flipped their fighters and accelerated back towards the incoming fighters; leaving the _Eternal Light_ to finish her journey.

Alone.

*****

As a young boy the tactical officer on the _Imperial Star_ remembered sitting on his grandfather's knee, being told endless stories of acts of great heroism and bravery. Of soldiers refusing to surrender, fighting to the last man and woman because they knew their cause was just and right. Of parents standing between their children and those who would harm them, of many selfless acts of heroism and courage. Never in his life did he think he would observe such an act until he watched on the sensors as, one-by-one, the Praetorian fighters reversed course to engage the oncoming fighters. Sacrificing their lives to allow the lone shuttle to escape.

"The 58th squadron is reversing course to intercept the approaching fighters. The _Eternal Light_ is remaining on a direct course for the FTL jump point," the officer reported humbly. If the Praetorians were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the occupants of the shuttle, the tactical officer was going to damn well show them some respect for their decision. The announcement stunned everybody on the command deck, which fell silent for a moment, as if also in respect for their sacrifice.

"That's suicide," Pendleton uttered in disbelief. "They are outnumbered at least nine-to-one."

"They lost two fighters passing through the fleet," the tactical officer reminded the Captain. "The odds are closer to twelve-to-one. They are going to sacrifice themselves to buy enough time to allow the shuttle to reach the FTL jump point."

Nobody on the command deck had a response to that statement.

*****

Most fleet engagements for the past few hundred years had been determined in the first minutes of battle with the opposing forces still many hundreds of kilometres apart. Modern engagements were usually determine by who had the initiative, the most missiles and the best positioning. However, for the first time in most of the pilot's memories this engagement was going to be determined ship-to-ship, pilot-vs-pilot.

The Praetorians had long since expended all their missiles and the missiles carried by the fleet fighters were useless as they would not lock onto what the missiles considered friendly fighters. Hence this engagement was going to be determined by pilot skill. The Praetorian pilots were each considered an ace on his or her own merit. Veterans of dozens of combat engagements, they had never been beaten. Therefore, as the Praetorian squadron dived into the flank of the approaching fighters, it was like a hot knife sliding through butter and, within an instant, the fleet's formation descended into complete chaos and a free-for-all ensued.

*****

The atmosphere on the command deck of the _Imperial Star_ was thick enough with tension to cut with a knife, as the two groups of fighters, one much smaller than the other, collided into a melee of ships and gunfire.

"One down," called out the tactical officer.

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Five." It was only when he realised that all eyes on the command deck where focused on him that he added belatedly. "Those are our losses."

Indeed the Praetorian fighters were cutting a swathe through the Imperial fighters, outmanoeuvring them, outshooting them, simply out-flying them. However, ultimately, the numbers were on the side of the Imperial fleet when first one of the Praetorian's fell, followed rapidly by another and another.

Suddenly another voice, almost forgotten, cut across the room, "They're letting them get away, the idiots!" Commodore Harkov yelled across the room, gesturing at the lone shuttle continuing on its heading towards the FTL jump point. "Get me the Commander of the fighter-group on communications, right now!" He was practically screaming.

The communications officer pressed a few keys then nodded to the Commodore the channel was open.

"CAG here," came the terse response. It was obvious from his voice that he was under significant strain.

"Break off your engagement with the fighters. I want you to intercept and engage the escaping shuttle," the Commodore ordered matter-of-factly.

The channel went silent for a moment. The commander of the air-group watched in disbelief as the Praetorian fighter in front of him executed a roll the Commander did not think physically possible for that craft and promptly reduced one of his wingmen to dust. Fortunately the CAG managed to get off a lucky shot, pulverising one of the rear control surfaces of the fighter. He watched speechlessly as the fighter dipped, seemed to lose control for a moment before recovering and diving straight into his remaining wingman. Both ships disappeared into a raging fireball.

"Commander!" The impatient Commodore insisted. "I gave you a direct order!"

"Yeah, well you grab a fighter and come up and fly against these guys," the Commander complained. "Anybody flying in a straight line for more than an instant is going to be flotsam!" With that he cut the channel and got back to trying to stay alive, shaking his head at the stupidity of fleet officers.

Pounding his fists against the console at the complete incompetence of those surrounding him, Harkov once again ordered the communications officer to open a channel, this time to the fleeing shuttle.

*****

The flight computer reported that they were only moments away from the FTL jump point. Jon gave one final glance at the aft sensors, which reported that only a few of his squadron remained alive. However, they had done what duty demanded of them and bought the _Eternal Light_ the few minutes it needed to escape. Just as he was about to bring the FTL engines on-line, the Commander recognised an incoming communication from the _Imperial Star,_ tempted to just ignore it, he instead activated the channel.

The Commodore was no longer smiling and the smirk had long since left his expression. Instead Harkov was complete enraged his careful planning and preparation had come to nothing.

"There is nowhere for you to run to Radec, nobody to help you. Give up and I promise to kill you quickly. I'll even promise not to harm Marcus's daughter, as you seem to have a soft spot for her," the Commodore shrugged. "I had plans for her, She was to become the first Empress in five generations, a symbol of a new Empire, a better Empire."

"Your Empire?" Jon added scornfully, "I think not!"

"You run Radec and I will hunt you down, I'll hunt you both down like dogs and I'll collect your head, Radec!" Harkov bellowed.

Radec just observed the contemptible officer for a moment, before making a vow to himself. Remembering the promise Elsie made before her death, he vowed to find this disgusting excuse of a man, hunt for him for the rest of his days if necessary, and he would kill him.

With a final glance towards the view screen, Jon simply replied, "I'll be waiting for you." As he engaged the FTL engines Jon gave one final long glance at the aft scanner. It reported the 58th was no more. Jon was all that remained of the squadron.

The Last Praetorian.

*****

As the _Eternal Light_ disappeared into FTL a hush fell across the command deck of the _Imperial Star_. Every eye was on the Commodore to see what his reaction would be, but all he did was to swivel around and walk toward the exit of the command deck. Half way across the deck he stopped and turned back to Captain Pendleton.

"Captain," he ordered softly but firmly. "I want them found. I'm not interested in how many resources it takes, or the cost. I want them found and I want them dead." Pausing for a moment, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he added, "And I want Radec's head. He once threatened to behead me personally, so I will repay the favour. Bring me his head!"

With that the Commodore left the command deck, leaving only silence in his wake.

Chapter Three

_Present Day (_ _Five_ _Years later)_

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

The stars shone brightly, with a pure, cleansing, white light that seemed to banish the dark and cold of the vastness of space. Sometimes Jon could close his eyes and almost feel the stars reaching out to him, bidding him to join them. With just one small step his worries could vanish, forever. If only he could reach out, if only for a brief moment, and to be able to grasp that light in the palm of his hands, to bring it into his body, to let the light cleanse him, maybe he could escape this reality.

_Should a person be forgiven for mistakes made in the past?_ Jon mused to himself. _Do I even deserve forgiveness?_

A polite cough interrupted his reverie, reminding him he had a guest and that guest was still waiting for his answer. Jon sighed to himself, once again wishing that the light could reach out to him and take him back, back to when he had a purpose and a family.

Wrenching his thoughts back to the here and now, Jon turned his back to the stars he spent so much time lost in and viewed his guest. The Magistratus sitting across his desk had not moved in the intervening time. Long past his middling years—his grey hair was showing just a hint of white—he was leaning heavily on his cane. An ugly scar marred the right side of his face and the pronounced limp in his right leg was noticeable, as he had shuffled into the room.

_I wonder what happened to you? I doubt that you got those falling out of bed one morning,_ Jon had thought to himself when the Magistratus from the 'Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping' had made his entrance a short while ago.

Observing the scarred man it occurred to Jon he embodied everything that was wrong since the collapse of the Empire. A figurehead for an organisation profiting from human misery. With the death of the Emperor, the Empire soon disintegrated, the once mighty Imperial Fleet disbanded, until it reached the point, this far out on the rim, the fleet had mostly abandoned this sector. As was often the case, when there was no strong rule of law it attracted a certain stain of humanity, ones with few morals or scruples.

Trying to keep the distaste from reaching his expression, and probably only succeeding slightly, he answered the question put to him. "I am sorry, but I must decline the offer, although I do agree it sounds extremely generous." It was obvious from the surprised expression that flashed across his guests face, it was not the answer he had been expecting.

"Could I inquire why you have decided to reject the Chamber's extremely generous offer?" Mallart asked in his silky-smooth tone of voice. The tone had been irritating Jon ever since the meeting had commenced. He had continually fought the urge to look over his shoulder to check the representative wasn't trying to stick a knife in his back.

"Well," Jon replied. "We could discuss the various growth potentials for the business, my loyal customer base, etc. but what it really comes down to is a cultural clash, I am afraid."

"A cultural clash?" the representative replied in a bewildered tone. "What sort of cultural clash?"

"It mostly has to do with the differing ways we conduct business, really," Jon explained. "For example, we believe in fair business negotiations, honest contracts and punctual delivery. We do not threaten to kill, enslave or otherwise kidnap our customers if they do not agree to our terms of business. We most certainly do not transport slaves, smuggle weaponry or any other contraband goods, and we most definitely don't steal back the aforementioned goods if there is a greater potential for profit and then murder the client. As I mentioned, a culture clash I am afraid."

Jon spoke concisely, with a straight face, not letting any of the malice he felt show. "Furthermore," he went on. "I question how long I would actually live to be able to spend that very generous offer, seeing that I have heard, of the three previous companies you have acquired, two of the owners are now dead, with the third missing."

Jon finally let a hint of malice into his tone. "Let's be honest," he continued. "The Chamber comprises the worst scum-sucking, murderous, thieving, raping bastards in this entire sector. You can take their offer back to them and shove it up their arses. And if one more of my ships are attacked, one more member of my crew hurt, there will be nowhere in this system or the next to hide from me. I will hunt you down, one-by-one, turn your ships into a pile of radioactive dust and cut you into so many pieces it would require a micro-singularity scanner to find a trace of you. Now get off my station!" Jon yelled. "Before I stick you in an airlock and blow you out of it myself."

The Magistratus from the Chamber blinked once in surprise then with a resigned expression replied. "Well as you have decided to turn down the chamber's generous offer it would seem there is nothing else that I can say. I doubt they will be coming back with another offer. Good day, Mr Radec." With that he shuffled to the door, which slid open smoothly to permit his exit.

Jon confirmed that the door was fully closed before turning back to the stars once again. He would not have put it past the crafty old bastard to shoot him in the back to save his employers the effort of hiring somebody else to do it.

Jon pounded his desk in frustration, hard enough to dislodge the mountain of paperwork, sending it spilling across the floor. He was not bothered in the slightest at the thought of somebody else trying to kill him. They would have to get in line. Instead it was the knowledge his ships and people would be at additional risk. And why? Because he was a stubborn fool who had always refused to back down in the face of threats. He had seen the Syndicate grow more and more powerful in this system, threatening, blackmailing or just eliminating all rivals, until only he remained.

Jon recognised a reckoning with the Syndicate was fast approaching, as it seemed they had delivered their final warning. Shrugging to himself, Jon was satisfied he had given them fair warning of his own. If the Syndicate moved against Vanguard, they would quickly discover that they had awoken a slumbering dragon. One that would destroy them, utterly.

Jon tensed as he heard the door quietly slide open again but relaxed when he felt the presence of Paul Harrington—his chief of operations. When they first met, years previously, while both had been serving in the Imperial Navy, the blond hair and bright, cerulean eyes had taken Jon aback. While the man was ten years his senior, he looked as though he belonged on the front cover of some surfing magazine, instead of leading an Imperial Special Forces task group. However, time and time again Paul had surprised him, as behind the good looks and bright blue eyes was a tactical mind second to none. Between the two of them, they had achieved victories for the Empire that seemed so fantastic, many of them had just been dismissed as fanciful rumours. When Paul had offered him the position of Chief Executive of Vanguard he had not hesitated in accepting.

"Well the Magistratus from the Chamber just shuffled past me on the way out. He did not look happy. I take it you turned down his offer?" he asked, with a hint of a smirk.

"Damn right I did!" Jon said. "Hell will freeze over before I turn Vanguard over to that bunch of thieves," he replied with venom. "Anyway what the hell is it with the name? Who came up with the name 'Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping' anyway?"

Paul just shrugged. "I hear the Syndicate got together and declared a cease-fire between themselves. It seems they realised they could make more money by stopping killing each other and focus on stealing, murdering and extorting their way through the rest of the system. I guess they felt the new name gave them a veneer of respectability. After all, _The Syndicate_ has such negative connotations." Meanwhile Paul approached the large viewing port in the office and gently ran his fingers across the surface, causing energy ripples in their wake.

"You know," he mused. "Everybody else on the station is perfectly happy with Tri-Aluminium Silica windows, but not you. What is it with you and empty space?"

Unlike the other windows on the station an energy field, much like the one on the flight deck, which could be easily raised and lowered to allow ships to dock, protected one full length of his office.

Jon turned back to his desk, picking up the paperwork now littering the floor. The paperwork that running a sizable company entailed. "As I have told you before, I prefer the view. Anyway I would get claustrophobic, shackled to this desk, without it," Jon explained.

Paul had known Jon a long time and had some idea of the ghosts in his past and hence let the matter drop. Almost.

"Hey! It's no problem to me," Paul responded with a grin. "I just want to know who is going to be signing my paycheque if we ever have a power failure in this section of the station."

"And here I thought you were gunning for the Chief Executive position."

"No way!" said Paul holding up his hands in defence, "The paperwork would kill me."

"Anyway," Jon continued. "I like not having a window in my office, and I find it helps keep the meetings shorter." He had noticed the representative from the Syndicate frequently glancing at the missing window in irritation. While the energy barrier retained atmosphere and deflected the harmful rays from the system's star just as well as a window, the gaping emptiness did cause a subconscious chill in most visitors and they had no inclination to hang around to see just how reliable the station's energy distribution grid was.

Meanwhile, Paul had been scanning Jon's remaining schedule for the day, when an item caught his eye and he frowned in consternation. "You are actually planning on going ahead and attending this meeting?" he said, spinning the datapad around and pointing at one of the few remaining items. Jon glanced at the item, confirming his old friend was indeed referring to the meeting on _Transcendence_ Station, a couple of astronomical units (AUs) from the station.

"Why not?" Jon replied. "It looks like a good prospect. They insisted on a face-to-face meeting to agree on some final details before they signed the contract."

"A prospect we have never heard of before, that is offering us a huge sum of money and insists the contract can only go ahead after a face-to-face meeting with you, personally? This straight after you have told the Syndicate they can go to hell?" Paul replied with increasing tones of disbelief.

"Well I will agree it is a little unusual," Jon replied with an easy smile. "However, you cannot expect me to remain in my office, hiding under the desk waiting, for the Syndicate to send somebody to kill me." Jon tossed the datapad back to Paul with a grin. "Anyway," Jon went on, pointing his thumb in the direction of the missing wall. "We could have a power failure in this section."

"Funny," Paul replied, with a resigned sigh.

"Oh you worry too much," Jon replied, as Paul strode towards the exit. "Anyway I'll be in the _'Light_ , so I'll be perfectly fine. Paul?" Jon said, just before Paul reached the door.

"Yes?"

"Do you think a person should be forgiven for the mistakes they made in the past?"

"I guess that depends on the mistake, doesn't it?"

Jon nodded, as he watched the door slide open then close behind his chief of operations. It didn't matter what others thought, he decided. He was never going to forgive himself anyway.

*****

Miranda's gaze was drawn away from the sparkling, white ship by the sound of the shuffling footsteps and crack of the cane, as Magistratus Mallart made his way down the corridor to her and their waiting ship. He dropped into a seat next to the window with an audible sigh of relief.

"By the Creator, will I be glad to get off this hellish place. I can only hope this dilapidated rust bucket has a power failure in Radec's office and hurries him on to meet his maker!" He cursed, trying to get his breath back.

Miranda remained silent, correctly assuming the meeting had not gone well. Not that she was particularly surprised, as she doubted she and her ship would have been sent with the Magistratus if the Syndicate had thought that Jon Radec would have accepted their offer. She had already read the limited file the Syndicate had on the CEO of Vanguard and, privately, she would have been disappointed if he had capitulated so easily. It would seem for once their intelligence on the man had been correct, identifying him as overconfident, arrogant and a risk-taker. He did seem to have an excellent taste in ships however, Miranda thought, as she turned her gaze back toward the ship floating in space only a couple of meters from the viewing port.

"What is that...?" Miranda breathed, unable to keep the full sense of awe from her voice, even though she knew Mallart would disapprove. Glancing out the window Mallart squinted at the ship then looked away with distaste, obviously not sharing Miranda's opinion of the aesthetic beauty of the ship floating outside.

"Old, long-range Imperial courier shuttle," her superior groused. "Not many of them still functional since the disintegration of the Imperium. Too expensive. Not much demand for a hyperspace-capable shuttle that can also enter atmosphere these days." He pointed at a number of points on the bow and body of the shuttle where the additional shielding was obviously designed to cope with the extreme heats of atmospheric re-entry. "All a waste of money, if you ask me, carrying around all the extra shielding. Why not just dock at one of the orbiting stations and get the damn shuttle down like everybody else?" he stated with distaste.

"You mean the ship can land, like on a planet?" Miranda asked incredulity. While she had observed a number of planets that existed within the system, she had always done so from one of the docking stations in orbit. Having been born in space she had never actually stepped foot on a planet. Too dangerous, she had always been warned, with her having been born and lived in the lower gravity of the various ships and stations of the system, as the additional gravity could put too much strain on her heart. Some people had literally dropped dead on stepping out of a shuttle onto a planet's surface for the first time.

"Where did he acquire such a ship?"

A hint of a frown crossed Mallart's face when he replied. "We are not too sure. Intelligence could not find much on his past beyond a couple of years ago. He seemed to have suddenly appeared in the system with the ship, enough money to establish his company and acquire this relic left over from the war. We did manage to find out from docking manifests the name of the ship. He calls it the _Eternal Light._ "

Privately Miranda thought it was a fitting name for this beautiful ship, as the ship seemed to glow silvery-white as it was bathed in light from the stars and the small amount of light produced by this system's distant star. The ship had a sharp pointed bow and, smoothly elongated body, which flared out into a pair of tapered wings, obviously required for atmospheric flight, before ending in a pair of elevated aft tails. The entire ship reminded Miranda of a picture from Old Earth of a hawk in flight. A flight it was Miranda's job to end, permanently. It seemed sad to her that it was her responsibility to destroy such a thing of beauty. The pilot she did not give a second thought to. If he was stupid and arrogant enough to turn down her employers' offer then he got what he deserved. Miranda did spare a brief thought to what it would be like to fly such a magnificent ship, but quickly turned back to her job at hand.

"Is she armed?" She inquired, focusing again after being briefly distracted by the beauty of the ship.

"Armed?" Mallart replied with a short bark of laughter. "It's an old and very expensive courier ship. Its job was to transfer VIPs comfortably and quickly from one system to another, nothing more. It's not a warship, my dear," he concluded, putting heavy emphasis on the last word.

Miranda glanced at him with obvious distaste. He had spent the whole journey making unwanted advances towards her. Frequently suggesting that her advancement would be far more rapid if she was 'accommodating' to him. Miranda found the whole idea he would use his position to try and urge her to sleep with him repulsive. Not the least that he was old enough to be her father! She was rather looking forward to the solitary journey home, in her own ship, away from the lecherous old bastard.

In her late twenties, with a slim, willowy body, long, dark, flowing hair and exotic features, her face was definitely oriental, with high cheekbones, full lips and a straight nose. Combined with her almond-shaped, brown eyes Miranda had long garnered a lot of attention from the opposite sex. She had been in a number of relationships, but they had all lasted only a short time and most had ended acrimoniously, including one who was still nursing a broken arm. She had long since given up on the hope she would ever meet somebody who would view her for who she was, who would treat her as an equal and not some plaything to be used and then later discarded.

"Fine!" Miranda snapped angrily. "Then it will just make this job quicker and easier for me." With that she turned her back on the _Eternal Light_ and stalked off toward their waiting freighter and her much smaller, but deadlier, ship concealed in the aft cargo hold.

A few hours later the freighter carrying the Magistratus from the Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping slowly pulled away from the station. Unnoticed by the station's sensors a small patch of darkness quietly separated from the departing ship and slipped under the shadow cast by the station to await its prey.

*****

Having finally concluded the remaining business for the day Jon slipped into the comfortable and familiar cockpit of the _Eternal Light_ or _'Light_ as he had long since referred to her. He smiled briefly as the thought crossed his mind of why ships were always female and he tried to envisage the _'Light_ as male. The _'Light_ had sheltered, protected and offered him a home since his own had been lost years before. Anyway the _'Light_ was the most beautiful ship in this system or any other. No the _'Light_ was definitely a lady. With that final thought he eased the power to the engines and slowly pulled away from the station. As the station slowly receded in the aft scanner he gave some thought to the first time that he had laid eyes on the station.

He had still been a lowly Lieutenant back in the Imperial Navy, having only recently gained his commission, when his squadron had been dispatched to the outer rim to investigate a growing spate of pirate attacks on the commercial shipping in this sector.

_Even back then the Syndicate was busy in this system,_ Jon mused to himself. The squadron had been based out of this station for several months, back when it was just a remote repair and re-supply station designated, _Terra Nova_. Even then the station had seemed ancient. During that posting Jon remembered detesting it, viewing this assignment a fool's errand in the middle of nowhere, with no opportunity for recognition or promotion. It seemed a different life, being that young, eager Lieutenant, always looking for the next opportunity to demonstrate his flying prowess and eager for promotion to newer and better things. Thinking back, he would have given that brash youth some advice, _be careful what you wish for... otherwise you might just get it._

Far enough from the station, Jon punched in the co-ordinates to _Transcendence_ Station into the autopilot and pushed the sub-light engines up to full thrust. Reclining into his pilot seat, he settled down for the three-hour journey to his destination.

As the _Eternal Light_ moved away from the station, rapidly picking up speed as it departed, the shadow that had attached itself to the station detached and orientating itself in the same direction as the departing ship. Slowly following, at a distance, so as to ensure that it was not picked up on any of the watching sensors.

*****

Barely halfway into the journey the aft scanner once again pinged as it picked up a faint contact that, once again, faded away. Jon glanced at it with a faint frown. It was the third time during the flight it had detected something, the contact had then disappeared, too weak for identification.

The _'Light_ was travelling at 0.1C, almost a tenth the speed of light, rapidly heading away from the main sequence dwarf star that made up one of the three stars in the Zeta Aquilae system.

Their home station, _Terra Nova_ , meant "new land" or "new earth" in Latin, a long dead language from Old Earth. Zeta Aquilae was unique as it was the only triple star system within the Confederation. Zeta Aquilae had already been recognised as a place of immense interest back on Old Earth where it had been given the Mandarin names Woo and Yuë, representing the state Wu, an old state in China, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, and Yue an old state in Zhejiang province.

The main sequence star, a dwarf star, was mostly composed of electron-generating matter. The star was incredibly dense, the mass comparable to that of the Sun in the Sol system but the volume only comparable to that of Old Earth itself. The huge amount of electrons and other particles being given off from the star generated the "Solar Wind" that was particularly dense in this system. It was this soup of high-energy particles giving the rear sensors so much trouble.

Adjusting the aft sensors to reduce their sensitivity and avoid any more 'phantom' contacts Jon reviewed the remaining time and course to _Transcendence_. Studying the display carefully for a few minutes he made some minor course corrections that would take the _'Light_ on a slightly more elliptical course. This would add another twenty minutes to the journey time but the ship would also pass within a few hundred kilometres of an asteroid belt that existed at the edge of the Heliopause; the technical edge of the system before the depths of interstellar space. While the phantom sensor contact was more than likely caused by the particles given off by the system's main sequence star Jon had not managed to stay alive this long without taking some precautions. The asteroid belt would make excellent cover if it became necessary.

*****

Miranda was roused from her internal contemplation by the chime of the targeting scanner to notify her the target had altered course slightly. Bringing up the navigational computer she input the new heading and speed and reviewed their projected course. Their destination was still _Transcendence_ Station but the new course would take them on a longer orbital insertion, adding another twenty minutes to the journey time. For the twelfth time during this mission she silently asked herself if the ship she was covertly following had detected her.

However, as usual, the sensors could detect no change in energy emissions, speed or any communications that might indicate her target had detected her and was trying to evade or call for assistance.

_Perhaps he is just early for his meeting and wanted to take a more scenic route?_ Miranda mused to herself, with a smirk. Anyway it was going to be the last decision he ever made. Double-checking the navigational computer and ship's sensors, she confirmed they were far enough away from _Terra Nova_ not to be detected and there were no other ships in the vicinity to observe this execution. And Miranda was under no illusion that was what this was going to be. With her flying a heavily armed _Hawk_ fighter, equipped with multiple and highly illegal weapon systems and missiles, the unarmed shuttle a few dozen kilometres ahead was a sitting duck. Her employers had insisted, however, this was to be done immediately and with no witnesses. They did not want any evidence left behind. Cursing one final time that she would have to destroy such a beautiful ship, she tightened the straps securing her into the cockpit and triggered the engines to full thrust so as to bring her weapon systems quickly into range.

*****

The wail from the aft sensors was the only split second warning Jon had about the imminent threat before the weapons from the enemy craft cut across his view. The split second was more than enough time for Jon and, with quick reflexes, he sharply banked the _'Light_ to starboard and kicked full power to the engines. In an instant he was pushed back hard into his seat from the sudden acceleration of the ship.

Miranda blinked her eyes in disbelief, as the attack run she had done dozens of times previously, which had always resulted in the destruction or at least heavy damage to the target ship, cleanly passed through the area of space the shuttle should have been in. Instead the shuttle was banking hard and diving away from her with an incredible level of acceleration, one that should not have been possible for a ship of that size. She had never seen such manoeuvrability and acceleration outside of a dedicated fighter craft, yet here was an old shuttle easily matching her acceleration.

"An old and expensive courier ship, nothing more, my ass!" exclaimed Miranda, cursing Mallart as she pushed her engines to maximum, and beyond, simply to try and gain on the shuttle, which had quickly accelerated to what Miranda hoped was its maximum speed. She cursed again when she glanced at her navigational computer and saw that they were both now rapidly approaching the asteroid field. If she managed to let her target get among the asteroids this simple assignment was going to get a lot more complicated. While still at the maximum range of her guns she sighted on the shuttle ahead and let loose another volley of weaponry.

*****

While continuing to manoeuvre the _'Light_ in what he hoped was a pattern that was going to upset his attacker's aim, Jon was still somewhat constrained by the need to keep the _'Light_ on a course to get among the asteroids as quickly as possible. Hence, while he was able to avoid most of the incoming fire he still winced as a number of bolts hit the thick external armour. Luckily the weapons fire was at its maximum range, therefore most of the energy from the bolts had dissipated before they impacted on the _'Light_ , still the damage was significant enough that a few more well placed shots was going to cause severe damage. Jon glanced down to check the distance to the asteroid field. Still thirty seconds away at this velocity.

_Too long!_ Swinging the _'Light_ back around to put the ship on a collision course with the enemy fighter.

Due to the tremendous velocities the two ships were travelling at, Miranda only had an instant to realise the shuttle had now changed course and was coming directly at her. Wrenching the flight controls sharply, she managed to dodge out of the way of the incoming shuttle with only an instant to spare. However, she only had a moment to catch her breath before the aft sensors reported that the shuttle was dropping into a pursuit course behind her.

"This is nuts!" Miranda exclaimed, "I am dogfighting with a shuttle!"

She quickly executed a hard bank to the right and pushed the fighter into a steep dive. Sparing a quick glance behind, she noticed the shuttle adjusted course to match the manoeuvre a few seconds later, but the shuttle went slightly wide of her turn before adjusting to compensate. The manoeuvre demonstrated two things to Miranda. First, her initial impression of Jon Radec based on his file was incorrect. He was indeed an arrogant, overconfident, bastard, but damn was he a superb pilot. Second, while the shuttle had amazing, indeed, unbelievable acceleration, its manoeuvrability could not match her smaller, more agile fighter.

Armed with this knowledge Miranda put her small fighter into a number of gut-wrenching turns she knew the shuttle behind would be unable to match. With a confident smile she checked her aft sensors and indeed confirmed the shuttle was no longer on her tail. She had managed to shake him loose. Her confident smile, however, quickly turned to snarl of anger when her sensors finally picked up the shuttle. Her 'prey' had not even attempted to match her dramatic manoeuvres but, instead, had used the time to dash for the cover of the asteroid field.

"Shit!" Miranda cursed, when her navigational and targeting display confirmed she would be unable to get within range of her guns before the shuttle made it to cover. Sighing, as her superiors would be extremely angry at what they viewed as the unnecessary additional expense, she flicked her weapons systems from guns to missiles. Within a fraction of a second the solid tone from her weapons systems reported the missiles had a firm lock on the shuttle. With two quick presses on her firing stud she launched two missiles at the retreating shuttle.

*****

"Fuck!" Jon swore as his threat display system lit up like the sky at night. Detecting the launch of the two missiles, the targeting scanner highlighted the two incoming projectiles, bracketing them in red and flashing warnings, as if Jon was not already aware of the extreme danger they posed to the _Eternal Light_.

Leaning forward Jon switched the ships ECM system from 'Passive' to 'Active'. In passive mode the Electronic Counter Measures listened for all electronic systems, communications or sensors in surrounding space and displayed them. However, in active mode the system broadcast a huge deluge of electronic 'noise' on all bandwidths into surrounding space. This was designed to interfere and disrupt any electronics in ships, or missiles, near the _Eternal Light_.

With space surrounding the _Eternal Light_ now blanketed by 'noise' on the entire electromagnetic spectrum, the two missiles targeting the ship suddenly found it far harder to 'see' the shuttle though all the interference. The missile that was furthest away lost its target completely and went harmlessly spinning off into space on completely the wrong trajectory. However, the second missile, which was closer and had a stronger lock on the target, managed to continue aiming for the rapidly closing shuttle.

Quickly calculating the distance to the asteroid field and the estimated impact time of the missile Jon was disappointed to determine the missile was going to impact the _Eternal Light_ several seconds before he reached the cover of the asteroid field. With a hiss of frustration, and a quick prayer to whichever God might be listening, he brought the ship's limited point defence systems on-line.

Point defence systems, or PDS, as they are commonly referred to, had not changed significantly over the six-hundred years since they had been first invented. They all worked on the simple principle of targeting the incoming object—be it missile, torpedo or ship—and keep shooting at it as quickly and as long as possible. One of two things would then happen. Either the PDS would destroy the incoming object, or it would get blown to hell along with the rest of the ship when the target hit. The PDS system on the _Eternal Light_ was much smaller and less capable than those found on larger warships but worked on exactly the same principle. Two small hatches near the aft of the ship, one on the dorsal the other on the ventral to give a 360-degree field of fire, smoothly slid open to reveal the concealed guns. Both guns slid forward on their mounts into their armed positions and smoothly spun around to target the incoming missile. Having achieved a lock they simultaneously opened fire.

Scientists and engineers had been working on the concept of space-based weaponry since the early days of spaceflight. Human initiative works on the principle of, 'How do I travel through space?' Closely followed by the thought of 'How do I shoot somebody else who is trying to travel through _my_ part of space?' Guns would not work in space, as the propellant would require oxygen to combust and hence push the shell down the barrel. Therefore the earliest space base weaponry was based on the concept of a Rail Gun. This simple weapon, invented late in the twentieth century, used electro-magnets to accelerate and propel a projectile out of the barrel. The two point defence guns on the _Eternal Light_ worked in much the same way as these early weapons, but approximately a hundred times quicker. While the first space-based Rail Guns could fire one round, usually solid, depleted uranium, per second, the guns on the _Eternal Light_ could fire almost one hundred rounds per second. As these were propelled by electro-magnets and fired from space, where heat dissipation was really, really good, it could keep firing until it ran out of ammunition.

Which the guns promptly did 4.8 seconds later.

*****

Miranda watched in open mouth disbelief as the shuttle sent the first missile spinning uselessly out into the void, followed a few seconds later by the complete destruction of her second missile. "No way! No fucking way!" She cursed, as she watched the shuttle slip into the quickly approaching asteroid field ahead. With a roar of anger she kicked the fighter into full thrust and followed the shuttle into the asteroid field, at far too high a speed for any sort of safe navigation of the field.

*****

What followed for the next ten minutes was a dangerous game of cat and mouse among the asteroid belt. The _Eternal Light_ used the space debris for cover to the best of its ability, while Miranda constantly cursed when she was unable to get a good shot or target the other ship long enough for her remaining missiles to get a lock.

Meanwhile Jon had long since come to the conclusion he had a problem, a serious problem. The pilot in the pursuit craft was good, very good. Not as good as him, but almost. His slight advantage in piloting skills, however, was completely offset by their respective ships. While the _Eternal Light_ had been heavily upgraded and no shuttle, not even the old navy heavy assault craft, could match her, she was still a shuttle, while behind was a heavily armed fighter designed for speed and manoeuvrability. The only reason that he and the _Eternal Light_ were still in one piece was the cover given by the asteroids. While he had to be lucky every single time, it was only going to take one lucky shot or missile, since his point defence guns were now out of ammunition, and he was going to be smeared across one of these asteroids. He needed a plan and he needed one quickly.

Deciding he only had one shot at this, Jon slowly started to reduce velocity to close the gap between himself and the fighter already close on his tail. He then activated his own weapon systems on the _Eternal Light_. A small part of him had hoped his opponent would just decide to call it a day and retreat. However, as time went by and the shots got closer, and the armour more and more damaged, he came to the conclusion the other ship was not going to withdraw and it was going to be his life or the other pilot's. Therefore it was with no regret Jon armed the concealed missile and waited for confirmation from the targeting computer for a lock. Once the computer confirmed a solid lock Jon reduced velocity even further, praying that the armour would hold up just a few seconds longer. Finally when the enemy ship was almost on top of the _'Light_ Jon hit the launch control to release the missile and put the ship in a steep dive.

*****

Miranda completely froze when she heard the scream of the threat-warning panel announce the launch of a missile from the shuttle.

_Impossible,_ she thought. _Why would he have waited so long if his ship was armed?_

Even stranger was that her targeting computer was reporting the missile racing _away_ from her ship, on the same heading as the shuttle and her fighter, still in close pursuit. Glancing back up at her target, she was just in time to see the shuttle drop into a deep dive before the missile exploded. Temporarily blinding her. Trying to blink away the stars that had appeared in her sight from the explosion, she desperately tried to determine what he had hit. It was only a few seconds later, when her sight finally cleared enough, she realised the horrifying truth, and made a desperate grab for the emergency ejector.

*****

Pulling up from the steep dive and ensuring the engines were at full thrust Jon watched the ensuring spectacle on the aft scanners with a degree of regret, although he recognised, in the end, he had no choice.

The missile had hit, exactly on target, one of the larger asteroids in the field and caused it to disintegrate into thousands of fist-sized chunks, which spread out in all directions at hundreds of kilometres per hour. The effect was similar to a dozen shotguns blasting in multiple directions. With the _Eternal Light_ and her heavy armour travelling away from the explosion the effects were minimal, with a few of the smaller, faster fragments impacting on the hull. For the much smaller, lightly armoured fighter, still travelling into the explosion, the effect was much the same as being hit by multiple shotgun blasts at point-blank range.

Catastrophic.

Jon watched quietly as the aft sensor reported the fighter disintegrating in the hail of rocks before disappearing completely from the sensors. With a deep sigh, and determining that the _'Light_ was at a safe enough distance from the destroyed asteroid, Jon brought the ship to a halt to catch his breath and wait for the field to stabilise before he could safely leave the belt.

Jon had no desire to cause additional deaths. He had seen enough death and destruction to last a person a lifetime during the war. His issue had not been with that ship or its pilot but those who had sent them to kill him. He was sure the fighter and pilot had been sent by the Syndicate to kill him so they could take over the last independent in the system without a fight. It made him even more determined to put an end to this group and their killing spree before it cost any more lives.

Finally deciding the field was stable enough to attempt to exit, he was preparing to power up the engines when the sensors detected a faint energy signature within the field. Deciding to check out the signal first, Jon tentatively navigated the _'Light_ among the still unstable asteroids until he came to the source—the escape pod of the enemy fighter seemed to have survived the explosion. The ship's sensors were designed to detect energy signatures, not life signs, so he had no idea if the pilot was still alive or, if so, how badly injured he might be. Based on the weak energy signature it was obviously not going to be detected by any other ships passing this remote portion of the system.

Jon was no murderer and already regretted the necessary destruction of the other ship. Hence, opening the starboard cargo hold, he gently navigated the _Eternal Light_ to capture the escape pod before setting a course back to _Transcendence_ ; he was late for his appointment. The pod could wait until he got back to _Terra Nova_ , where the medics could open the pod in case the pilot required medical attention. Jon engaged the main engines and the battered, but still proud, _Eternal Light_ pulled away from the asteroid belt, bow pointing once again towards _Transcendence_.

_Let's hope that this trip goes better than the last time,_ Jon thought to himself, recollecting those memories he had buried years before.

Chapter Four

_Five_ _Years Previously_

Transcendence Station, Zeta Aquilae System

With the jump into FTL the silence in the cockpit of the _Eternal Light_ was deafening, both occupants lost among their own thoughts. The insistent beeping of the flight computer roused Jon from his contemplation of their fate. The ship's self-diagnostic was reporting a minor power fluctuation in the ship's port energy distribution grid. While the fluctuation was still within the ship's tolerances it was continuing to grow and would soon overload the power-grid, dumping them out of FTL in the middle of nowhere. It was obvious they were not going to be travelling directly to Eden Prime.

Bringing up the star-charts of the adjoining star systems, Jon reviewed their options. Frowning he looked over the short list for a second time. While there was a number of Imperial bases, outposts and repair and resupply stations dotted across the near star systems, how many were safe? How many had joined Harkov in his insurrection? They could have just escaped one trap to fly directly into another. No. Jon eliminated all the Imperial military facilities and instead focused on the purely civilian operations. This far out on the rim their options were severely limited. Most were of dubious origin and an Imperial ship was more likely to encounter a hail of weapons' fire than open arms.

Finally Jon was forced to settle for one of the larger civilian stations. According to the flight computer it was a large port with hundreds of docking births, a major trade hub in this sector called _Transcendence_. Hoping he was not taking them out of the frying pan into the fire, Jon uploaded the new destination into the navigation computer.

*****

The abrupt change from FTL, an empty endless grey void back into "real" space, awoke Sofia from her stupor. "Have we arrived?" she asked, disorientated.

"No, we took some damage to our power systems during the escape. We need to stop here to make repairs."

"Where is here?" Sofia inquired curiously, looking at the fast-approaching station.

"According to the navigational computer a civilian station called _Transcendence_ , a regional hub for the Zeta Aquilae System."

"Have you been here before?"

"No," Jon replied. "I was posted to an Imperial outpost in this system when I was a young Lieutenant, but never visited this station."

Sofia tried to imagine a younger Jon Radec, only having recently joined the fleet, only having just received his wings. Eventually she gave up, only able to picture Jon with his stormy grey eyes, in his white navy uniform with his sword at his side. "Why here and not one of my father's military facilities?" As soon as she uttered the words she fell still, having for a brief moment forgotten about her father.

"It's too risky," Jon insisted. "I have no idea how far ranging this plot of Harkov's is. Better to disappear here among the crowd." Letting his eyes linger on Sofia, he briefly wondered how they would disappear into the crowd with her at his side. She stood out like a beacon of light in a thunderstorm. Her complexion was still too pale, but understandable considering what she had just been through. He also recognised the signs of shock slowly starting to wear off. He needed to find somewhere to let her crash while he saw to the repairs of the _'Light_.

After what seemed an inordinate amount of time, but in reality was probably only a few minutes, they got authorisation from docking control to go ahead and dock on one of the outer-docking rings. After ensuring all the docking clamps were security attached, Jon powered down the _'Light_ before, with a concerned expression, glancing at Sofia. She had once again 'spaced-out'

"Sofia," Jon said softly, giving her arm a gentle shake. He realised he was getting far too comfortable using her name, but what was the alternative? He could not walk around the station continually referring to her as 'Princess.' Once he noticed her expression had focused on him again, he suggested, "Let's find somewhere for you to rest while I oversee the repairs to the _'Light_." Noticing she still seemed a little unsteady on her feet, he gently slipped his arm under hers and the two of them exited the ship.

Having requested a remote docking bay, Jon was relieved to see few people during their journey through the station. Those they did come across paid the couple little attention, obviously used to seeing fleet officers with opulently dressed escorts hanging off their arms. Jon thought it probably best to not inform Sofia how most of the stations occupants were viewing her, lust showing from the male admirers, jealously from their female companions. Arriving at one of the guest quarters he had chosen at random from the station computer, he faced their first challenge, as the clerk looked up, his eyes lingering on Sofia for a few moments longer than necessary.

An abrupt cough from Jon brought his eyes away from Sofia, and he focused on him. "You have a reservation for Captain Smyth...and companion," Jon put just the right amount of arrogance and leer into his voice to distract the clerk from asking any more questions. Jon knew for a fact there was no reservation, seeing as he had just invented the name and only chosen this location a few minutes earlier. Hence, as the minutes dragged on and the clerk's tapping on his computer became more frantic, Jon started an impatient rapping on the desk.

Trying to time the exact moment, Jon finally interjected. "Blast it man! Find the damn booking on your own time, I have more important things to be getting on with." Directing a lascivious look at Sofia, he knew from her inquiring look back she was going to demand an explanation at a later date.

"Yes sir, sorry sir," the poor clerk mumbled, still frantically tapping on his computer.

Deciding to give the man a final push, Jon responded in his best command voice. "Captain. You address a fleet officer by his rank. The key. Now." He demanded.

The clerk gave the Commander an excellent impression of a deer trapped in the headlights that was about to hit by an oncoming shuttle, then he nodded and quickly handed over an entry-card. Jon simply shot the man a disgusted glare and spun around in the direction of the rooms, with Sofia still on his arm.

Finally entering their assigned room, Jon slumped in relief into the nearest chair. While it had been less than a day since their departure from the _Imperial Star;_ Jon felt as though it had been a lifetime. Recognising the inquisitive look from Sofia regarding his strange actions in front of the clerk, and having no energy to come up with a plausible lie, he interjected before she could ask. "Why don't you go and freshen up. You can then stay here and rest while I oversee the repairs to the _'Light_."

Sofia seemed disappointed at the clear dismissal but nodded her head and disappeared into the adjoining washroom.

Jon was dead-tired and wanted to just let his eyes close and rest, right up until he heard the sound of running water for the shower. At which point his imagination went into overdrive with vivid impressions of a naked princess, separated from him only by a thin wall. With a groan of anguish he let his head fall back against the chair.

Sometime later, after the shower had shut off, the door to the washroom re-opened and Sofia glided out. Jon noticed that the colour had returned slightly to her cheeks. It looked as though the shower had gone some way to restoring her natural beauty. Giving the large bed a quick glance she moved across the room and sat next to Jon in the large, well, let's be honest, 'Loveseat'. Letting her head rest lightly against his shoulder, she let out a gentle yawn, before seemingly to bury herself in his arm to get more comfortable.

Jon inhaled a whiff of what he assumed was her shampoo or soap, some fruity citrus scent that seemed to set all his synapses firing at the same time.

"So what was all that about, in front of the clerk?" She asked sleepily.

"Hmm" Jon responded, distracted by her smell.

"Me strong warrior... you weak female," Sofia replied, with a giggle.

"Oh that," Jon replied, desperately trying to engage his brain to come up with a suitable response. Suddenly inspired, he replied, "I wanted to distract him from who you were, so I implied you were my consort."

Sofia seemed to mull that one over for a few moments before replying. "You mean in the same way Senator Rione's son asked me to accompany him to lunch last week?"

This was the first that Jon had heard about the incident and suddenly just breaking the boys nose did not seem good enough. He knew he should have followed his first instinct and run the boy through with his sword.

However, instead he simply replied, "Something like that."

"Thank God," Sofia replied, almost asleep. "For a moment there I thought you were trying to prostitute the daughter of the Emperor."

Jon just shook his head slightly in amusement. He knew he needed to move and get repairs started on the _Eternal Light_.

_A few more minutes will not hurt_ , letting his eyes drift closed.

*****

When Sofia opened her eyes some time later, it was dark. Blinking repeatedly, she tried to focus but could only make out some vague, indistinct shapes.

"Lights!" She called out, but the light did not appear. Instead she could only hear her voice echoing into the distance. She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off a sudden chill. Desperately looking around, she tried to recognise something, anything, but the darkness was all-consuming.

"Commander," she called out frantically. "Jon?" She called more softly, fear starting to encroach upon her. Where was she? Why could she not see anything? Wrapping her arms more tightly around herself, she started to stamp on the floor to generate some heat to ward off the increasing cold. Then she heard the sound, halfway between a sigh and a breath of wind. At first she thought she had imagined it, then she heard it again, closer this time. A sound. A flap of wings, or a low growl, she was not sure which. Suddenly something brushed against her ankle and she jerked her foot away in fright, then another brush, against her cheek.

Sofia let out a squeal of fright and quickly started to back away. But the sounds were getting closer now. More of them! Still Sofia could not make anything out, except maybe a quick flash of a dark shadow darting across her vision, or a flash of light from the corner of her eye.

Trembling in fear, Sofia continued to back away, but where were they? For all she knew she was walking closer towards them! The sudden thought froze her like a statue on the spot. Still the shapes continued to brush against her—her arm, cheek, and stomach.

"Jon, Jon, where are you? I need you." Sofia cried out in terror.

A light appeared, dimly in the distance. Very weak at first, so she thought she was imagining it. She tried to move toward it, but she was immobilised. She willed her muscles to respond, but they were frozen in terror. Slowly the light seemed to drift in her direction, getting stronger, brighter, but still pitifully weak.

"Please," Sofia begged in terror. "Help me."

Suddenly, as though a match had suddenly been struck and dropped into a pool of gasoline, a bright blue spark appeared. Small at first, it quickly spread in length, forming the edge of a blade. From the light of the flame Sofia could now make out the sight of a sword, glowing brightly. Sofia almost cried in relief, recognising the Praetorian sword.

The blade suddenly swung to the right, then to the left in great arcs, dripping blue fire. The sounds around her began to change, becoming squeals and then shrill screams of pain and fear. Still the blade grew brighter and brighter, pushing back the darkness until all that filled her vision was the bright blue light from the flame.

With a sudden gasp of breath, she opened her eyes.

She realised she was back in the small apartment where she had fallen asleep on the seat lying against Jon. She was now lying on the bed; obviously Jon had moved her while she slept. The next thing she noticed was the pair of eyes glinting at her, barely inches from her face, blocking the rest of her sight. Still shaken from the nightmare that awoke her and the sleep that dulled her mind, she could not focus on what was wrong with the scene. Suddenly her mind cleared and she stared into the dark brown eyes of a face she did not recognise. Not the misty grey eyes of the person that filled her thoughts and dreams.

Opening her mouth to utter a scream, a rough, coarse hand clamped over her mouth. Suffocating her.

*****

Jon was tired. The bone-weary tiredness that seeped into one's bones. With barely enough energy to put one step in front of the other, Jon finally arrived at his destination. Trying to supress a yawn, he hit the announcer on the door. The last thing he wanted to do was to walk in on Sofia at an inopportune time.

_Then again..._ Jon thought to himself, with a grin. The door slid open and, just as Jon was about to open his mouth with a greeting, he noticed it was not the princess who stood inside the door. His brain too sluggish from the lack of sleep to respond, the last thing he saw was a fist descending in his direction. Pain exploded from his jaw and all he could see was stars, before darkness engulfed him.

*****

The first thing that assailed Jon upon waking was the never-ending pain streaming from his face. Whoever hit him had sure done a number on him. Trying to reach up and rub his jaw Jon quickly discovered he could not move his hands. Trying to focus, the next thing he noticed was his hands were tied together by some sort of rigid metallic bar. Flexing his hands, he found he still had movement with his fingers but his two hands were tightly bound. Realising he was lying on the floor Jon next tried to get to his feet, but soon found his feet were bound in a similar fashion.

Finally managing to balance on his knees, with his hands in front of his chest, Jon reviewed his surroundings. His eyes were first drawn to the bed, which was empty. Obviously they had moved Sofia, either before his arrival or while he was unconscious. However, on a closer look the sheets were pristine and glancing around the room other items were subtly out of place. So a different room, Jon determined, the same style as their apartment so obviously close by, but not the same room.

Noticing a pair of legs in front of him, Jon craned his neck back to look into the eyes of the person facing him. The man was short, stocky, with powerful muscles bulging underneath the tan tunic that he was wearing, he had shoulder-length, greasy brown hair and dull brown eyes. However, it was none of these things that drew Jon's attention. Instead it was the blade resting in the other man's hands, a sword that glistened with a blue fire along the edges—his Valerian sword.

Turning the blade in one direction then another, the stocky man observed the light playing along the blade. Noticing his captive was now conscious at his feet, he whistled. "This is a real nice piece of work. Bet I could get more than a few credits for this down below." Jon remained silent, but inside he seethed at the thought of anybody touching his blade. Nobody, absolutely nobody else held that weapon but him.

"I have heard stories about these," the man said. "They are meant to be able to cut through anything. Convenient I have you here so I can give it a try." With this he gave Jon a meaningful look before continuing. "Then I can see how much coin I can get for this beauty."

Deciding now would be a good time to intervene, before the final act, Jon demanded. "Where is the princess?"

"She is being entertained," with this he gave a disgusting leer. "Or should I say she is entertaining the rest of the crew. You both have a large amount of money on your heads, dead. But shame to waste such an opportunity. The men and I have never had a real princess before. We plan on rectifying that, repeatedly, before handing you both back. They only want your head though, so looks like I get to try out this sword to see just how well it cuts," the mercenary said, running his hands along the length of the blade.

Jon had never known such absolute heart-stopping fear in his life before. Sure, he had faced certain death before, many times, but he had never feared death. Everybody died, sooner or later, and the life expectancy of a fleet Commander was poor, a Praetorian's far shorter. Therefore Jon had long before resigned himself to a short life and a violent demise. However, now he could feel terror racing along his nerve endings, before clamping down around his heart. He forced himself to breathe deeply, so as to be able to continue to focus. He had to keep calm to get to Sofia and, for the first time in his life, he prayed, prayed to any God who would listen, he could get to her in time. Thinking desperately for something he could say to anger his captor, he finally threw the man's own words back at him.

"So that's why you are here? Instead of entertaining the princess with the rest?" Jon spat. "The rest of the men worried you were not enough of a man to entertain her? You might embarrass the rest of them, so they sent just you to do the dirty work while they took their turns." Jon could see that his words were getting to the mercenary, as his hand had stilled on the blade and his gaze turned angry. Deciding he needed to push harder, Jon continued. "What are they worried about? That your dick is too small and would not satisfy a real princess?"

With a roar of rage the mercenary swung the blade back in the air in preparation to strike and spat out. "I'll show you I can satisfy any woman, she'll be screaming my name, begging me to stop before I have finished with her. As for you I was going to make this quick and painless but I've changed my mind." With that explanation the mercenary slashed the blade in a downward arc towards the Commanders unprotected head.

As if time had slowed, Jon watched the blade descend towards him but he felt no fear, not of this weapon. The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, had presented the sword to him personally a few years before on his promotion to Commander of the Praetorian Guards. The minute he felt the blade touch him for the first time it was as if a bolt of energy had been transferred from the blade into him. Something seemed to have clicked inside of him, as if part of his soul that had been missing his entire life was re-joined. From that day onwards the deadly weapon had never left his side, as if they were now one, a right hand to his left. Idly, for a moment, Jon considered doing nothing, wondering if the blade would simply bounce off him or even just pass through him. Instead Jon did the only thing he could. He lifted his hands, which, still bound, had been resting on the floor in front of him, high into the air, blocking the incoming blow.

The action was automatic, instinctive, to try and ward off the blow. To be honest Jon had no idea what the result would be. It was therefore hard to tell who was more stunned when, with a shower of sparks, the blade cut cleanly through the thick metallic bar immobilising his hands. Fortunately the blow also mostly cancelled the momentum behind the swing and the blade harmlessly struck the floor in front of Jon's knees. The mercenary just stared in disbelief, flabbergasted the blade had cleanly cut through almost three inches of solid metallic restraint.

Jon meanwhile had no time to contemplate the truly miraculous event. Instead, he struck out at the nearest vulnerable spot on the mercenary, slamming his clenched fist into the man's groin. The mercenary collapsed to the floor with barely a whimper, stunned senseless at the pain. Quickly, before he lost the initiative, although still bound at the feet, Jon wrapped himself around the fallen man like a python ensnaring its prey. Gripping him around the throat, Jon squeezed tighter and tighter. The mercenary, suddenly realising the danger, reached up to try and pull the arm from his throat, but Jon's grip was like a vice. After a minute of frantic struggling the mercenary stopped and fell still, but Jon continued applying pressure to his throat for a few minutes longer, until completely certain he was dead.

Praying he would strike lucky, Jon quickly searched the body for the keys to the restraints. For once it seemed that luck was on his side, as he found the keys in one of the mercenary's pockets. Quickly releasing himself from the restraints, Jon reached down and picked up the sword from the floor, where it had fallen from the mercenary's grip. Examining the blade carefully, Jon could see no sign of the slightest bit of damage, nothing to indicate only a few minutes before the blade had effortlessly sliced through inches of metal. Taking a few moments to prepare himself for what he was likely to find, Jon took a deep breath. Ensuring he had a firm grip on his weapon, he steeled himself for what was about to come next.

*****

With a loud _crack_ , the back of one of the mercenary's hands cracked against Sofia's cheek, the blow stunning her and propelled her back onto the bed. With her head spinning from the blow, and only able to see stars, she felt the filthy, slimy hand starting to claw painfully at one of her breasts. The part of her mind that could still process rational thought felt detached, as though it were separate from her body, watching events from a distance. Sofia had heard of this happening to others, where, under extreme stress, the mind detached itself from its surroundings to help protect the consciousness. However Sofia had never thought it would happen to her.

From what seemed like a great distance away she could hear the chime of the door and heard one of the men growl. "It must be Marcel finished with Radec. Somebody get the door, I'm busy!"

Something inside Sofia died.

All she had been hoping, praying, for during the last half hour was for Jon to appear and save her. She remembered her nightmare. When everything had seemed lost, his sword had appeared in the darkness and had driven away all that could harm her, pushing back the dark to let in the light. However that was only a dream. Reality was far harsher and this time Sofia knew no sword was going to appear and save her. Wishing for escape from reality into blissful unconsciousness, Sofia managed to open her one good eye, the other being swollen shut, and tried to focus on the door and possible escape.

However, her exit was blocked by the bulk of one of her captors and she was too far away to hear what words were spoken. A small part of her wondered if there was a life after death, and if she would get the chance to see Jon one last time...

As if a ghost, recently resurrected from the dead or summoned by her final thought, she saw Jon slip into the room past the man blocking the door. A small part of her wondered why the person at the door did not react. Perhaps Jon was a ghost, or a figment of her imagination? A wraith brought back from the dead to avenge her, even in death sworn to protect her... It was so hard to focus, her thoughts continually slipping away...

The captor at the door suddenly collapsed, like a deflated balloon he just folded to the floor. Sofia could see a pool of blood start to spread over the floor, from a red line bisecting his throat.

The room erupted into complete pandemonium—her captors suddenly shouting in alarm, reaching for weapons, knives, anything within reach they could use to defend themselves, but all to no avail.

Jon flew through them like an apparition, a wraith, slashing and thrusting. One mercenary, quicker than the rest, managed to draw his pistol and fire but Jon had long since twisted away and, like the others, that man fell to the floor, lifeless. The whole sequence of events seemed to be over within a heartbeat. Where initially had stood her captors, her abusers, ready to inflict the ultimate horror upon her, now stood Jon, back from the dead, one side of his face covered in splatters of blood. His or one of her captors', Sofia had no way to know. Sofia could not utter a word, terrified that if she said anything, that if she even blinked, it would shatter the illusion and her guardian angel would disappear forever.

Exhausted beyond imagination, only fear and adrenaline fuelling him, Jon dispassionately stared at the scene before him. He had no sympathy for those lying dead at his feet. They would not have spared any sympathy for him, or Sofia.

Sofia!

His thoughts, so focused on the battle, he had not spared an instant to consider her or her condition. Reluctantly he let his gaze fall upon her, where she lay spread over the bed on her back. His sight took in her torn dress, exposed breasts, but he did not let his gaze linger, instead focusing his entire being on her face, her eyes. Keeping his sword firmly in the grasp of his hand, he swiftly crossed the room to the side of her bed, continuing to stare into her terrified eyes.

Gently sitting on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch her, he continued to hold her gaze, never once glancing at her exposed body. As he touched her pale cheek with his fingertips he said in a soft, gentle voice. "Sofia, it's me, Jon. I won't hurt you. I won't let anybody else hurt you."

"Jon. Are you real or a ghost?" Sofia asked, in a dazed, confused voice.

Jon was confused by her response, guessing she was in shock. He tried to remove his fingers from her cold flesh, but one of her hands shot out to grasp his hand, keeping it resting on her cheek. "I'm real and I won't let anybody, or anything, hurt you again." He tried to reassure her. Sofia tried to turn her head to look at the bodies, dead on the floor, but Jon would not permit it. Tightening his grip, he instead forced her to focus on him. "They cannot hurt you ever again," he repeated.

Suddenly reaching out to embrace him tightly, seemingly afraid that if she let him go he would disappear, Sofia broke down in tears. In between great, heaving breaths she tried to explain, "They, they were going to...Oh God."

Jon just continued to hold her tightly. Once her tears had subsided slightly, Jon leaned back to look her in the eye before asking the question he had been dreading, but desperate to know the answer to.

"Sofia, did they, did..." Jon was trying to utter the word rape, but he just could not bring himself to ask the question. So, instead, he simply inquired, "Did they hurt you in any way?"

Sofia just shook her head in response to the question, unable to reply verbally. Jon just held her tighter, wishing that he could protect her from all the ills in the universe, forever.

However, eventually they did have to move, not knowing who else knew they were there. Their captors could have called in reinforcements. Wrapping Sofia in his flight jacket, he quickly bundled her out of the room and through the station. When arriving at the station, Jon had received many envious looks from the men and Sofia jealous looks from their partners. However, this time the stares came for very different reasons. Jon's spotless white navy uniform was covered in blood and his face splattered with it. He had Sofia in one tight embrace, his other hand tightly clutching his prized sword. Meanwhile Sofia was wrapped in his flight jacket, also smeared in blood, bleeding from a number of scratches on her face, with one eye swollen shut. The two made a visible impression, stumbling their way back to the shuttle.

Jon had never been so overjoyed as he was upon reaching the ' _Light_. Helping Sofia up the entry ramp, Jon ensured the entrance was firmly sealed once they were back on board. Lowering Sofia into the co-pilot seat in the cockpit, as he had no intention of ever letting her out of his sight again, he half collapsed, half fell into the pilot seat. Activating the emergency start-up sequence for the engines, as soon as they reached sufficient power he reoriented the nose of the _'Light_ out of the docking bay into deep space before throwing full power into the engines.

It was only when outside the station, pulling away at best possible speed, Jon noticed the communication system light up. In his exhaustion and haste he had completely forgotten to request clearance from docking control to depart. He didn't really care, since even if they had denied him permission to depart he would have left anyway. Once they were a safe distance from the station Jon engaged the FTL engines, not really caring what destination was programmed in. Anywhere else was better than here. Jon did not allow himself to relax until the ship was safely cocooned in the grey shapeless void of FTL.

Only then did he allow himself to breath easily once again. Turning to face Sofia, he observed her with concerned eyes. She had said nothing since departing the station and, wrapped up within his much larger jacket, staring aimlessly out into space, reminded him of how small and delicate she was. Touching her gently on the shoulder to try and rouse her, he suggested, "Why don't you go and get cleaned up?"

It seemed to take an age for her eyes to slowly focus on him, but eventually she nodded her head in agreement. Jon followed behind her, keeping a close eye on her until she finally disappeared into the small washing facilities on the _'Light._ Sighing worriedly Jon used the time to strip off his own filthy uniform, making sure to throw it into the trash disposal system. The last thing he wanted was Sofia to see the blood-soaked clothes as another reminder of her terrifying encounter. Changing into a clean flight-suit, and using some cloth to wipe the blood from his face and sword, he sat back in one of the large cushioned seats to contemplate their next steps.

It seemed like a lifetime later, and Jon was starting to seriously contemplate entering the washroom to check on Sofia, when the door slid open and she stood before him. Like him she had changed into a simple flight-suit, but the black suit did nothing to hide her pale skin, the scratches and bruises that dotted her face and neck. Sofia had seemly aged ten years in the span of a few days. Her luscious red hair seemed to have lost its shine and was now a rusty colour, and her once sparking green eyes now seemed dull and lifeless. Taking a seat next to Jon for a moment they remained as if frozen in space and time, neither moving, neither speaking, until the silence was broken when Sofia asked quietly.

"What are we going to do now?"

Jon was silent for a few moments. He had been giving the problem serious contemplation while waiting for Sofia and had come up with nothing. All the Imperial facilities were still out of the question and, as their experience on _Transcendence_ demonstrated, civilian facilities were just as dangerous. Tired, exhausted, with no idea or plan, Jon just wished to go home and leave all these problems behind him.

"Home! _"_ Jon said aloud, sitting up straighter.

Sofia viewed him with alarm. "We cannot go back to the _Imperial Star_ ," she said, "they have already tried to kill us once..." She let the statement tail off, not wishing to finish it.

"Not your home, my home."

"You have a home?" Sofia exclaimed, and then blushed slightly, realising how that question sounded.

Jon simply smiled at her, glad to see a bit of colour returning to her face. "Where do you think I came from? Manufactured at the nearest Imperial Praetorian cloning facility?" Jon replied feigning indignation.

"So where do you come from?" Sofia inquired curiously, as she had never given any thought to Jon's history or family. A clump of something cold and unpleasant landed in the pit of her stomach when it suddenly occurred to her maybe Jon had somebody waiting for him at home.

"You are going to find out very shortly," Jon replied with a grin, striding towards the cockpit to change their destination.

Chapter Five

Present Day

Transcendence Station, Zeta Aquilae System

Looking out of the cockpit window, it seemed Transcendence Station had changed little since their last desperate flight here, almost half-a-decade ago. The port was still a bustling hub of activity, with hundreds of ships of all sizes arriving and departing, some from within the system but also many others from other systems that made up the constellation of Aquila. The station acted as the main trade hub for this entire sector and hence anything could be bought or sold.

Powering down the ship's engines, Jon took his time to make sure everything was secure, including drawing a powerful pistol and other items he felt he might need from the ship's well-stocked armoury. Jon was never going to forget the last disastrous trip to this station. Before disembarking, he went to check on the ship's newest addition, in the starboard cargo hold. While he was no technician, the pod seemed to be intact and had come out of the collision relatively unscathed, with ample power remaining. Trying to peer inside the pod to catch a glimpse of the occupant turned out to be a futile gesture because of the heavy condensation from being in space. Once again deciding to leave the pod sealed. Better-trained personnel back at Terra Nova could open it.

Disembarking from the ship, Jon found the dock master at the bottom of the boarding ramp. He stopped briefly to confirm the docking fee and requested they refuel the ship for the return journey, stating he did not plan to stay long. It was also obviously a sign of how far security had degenerated in the system that the dock master did not even blink when asked for replacement ammunition for the guns, instead confirming that the ammunition would be loaded and the cost added to the bill by the time he returned. With that accomplished Jon strode out of the hangar, hopefully in the direction of the club where he was supposed to be meeting the customer.

*****

Finally arriving at the club, Ecstasy, a pun on the station name Jon was sure was completely missed by 99% of the clientele. Jon was already twenty minutes late for the meeting, having become completely lost in the labyrinth of the station. Jon hated asking directions. You would think being able to plot a pinpoint course across the Galaxy he would be able to find one club on the station!

Jon could feel the bass from the speakers when he was still fifty meters from the club. By the time that he reached it the noise had become a living creature. Rattling his teeth and sending vibrations up his spine, by the time it reached his ears it felt like he was being whacked over the head by a mallet. Stepping inside the club, Jon was nearly thrown back out by the wall of sound crashing over him. The customer had chosen this place for a meeting? They would have to negotiate contract details by passing notes backwards and forwards, as it was impossible to hear anything.

Casting his gaze around, Jon peered through the dark, smoke filled room, which had strobe laser lights piercing the gloom, moving in erratic directions. Jon was surprised to note the club seemed to be separated into two distinct sections. On one side a dance floor with a raised stage, on the other well-spaced tables with a small scattering of customers, mostly engrossed by the current occupant of the stage. Jon shuddered to a halt as he observed the blonde-haired beauty, with short-cropped hair and baby blue eyes, gyrating to the music around a pole on the centre of the stage. However, Jon only spared a glance at her eyes, instead raking his gaze along her sleek athletic body, with the short cut-off jeans and white bikini top. Jon had observed women dressed only in underwear who revealed less flesh. As their eyes met briefly across the room, the dancer flashed Jon a sexy grin before turning her back to him, offering Jon a stunning view of her rear.

Biting back a flush, Jon cursed himself. He had been far too long without female companionship. To distract himself he scanned the room for his customer. He was finally able to locate his client via his white hair. The profile he had been supplied with put him at a little under forty years of age, so Jon assumed it was caused by a genetic condition and not simply by number of years. Unless of course he had a similar lifestyle to him. Having spent most of his life avoiding people violently trying to kill him, he certainly felt his hair was becoming white prematurely.

Sliding into the table opposite his client Jon eyed the man carefully and his dismay grew. Beneath the mop of white hair was a pale face with dark eyes that showed too many sleepless nights and too much stress. The worn and torn jumpsuit he wore seemed to hang from his emaciated frame. It all seemed to indicate a person going through a low ebb in his life. Jon's attention was also drawn to the weapon hanging from a belt at his waist. While there was nothing illegal about carrying personal weaponry it was unusual enough on a civilian station like Transcendence to draw more than one raised eyebrow. At least it being still attached to his belt and not in his hand was a good sign at the start of a meeting.

"You know, you do not look like one of our usual clients." Jon yelled to be heard above the noise, voicing his suspicion, keeping one hand close to his pistol.

"Oh? What does your usual client look like?" The stranger replied, leaning forward so as to be heard too, his eyes twinkling with hidden laughter. It was obvious he was much younger than his worn, craggy features seemed to indicate.

"Oh, I don't know," Jon replied. "Rich? Our usual clientele don't look starved, as though they haven't slept in a couple of days and just escaped from a gunfight." He motioned to the customer's weapon, now mostly hidden under the table. "In addition," Jon continued. "Our clients usually have money. Which is something I am going to hazard a guess you do not have much of?"

"I must apologise for the subterfuge," the other man said, reaching across the table to offer his hand. Jon assumed the other was still resting on his weapon. "My name is Snow." He made a faint wave of his hand towards his hair.

"Your mother gave you that name? Or did you grow into it?" Jon asked suspiciously.

Snow was taken aback for a moment before he let out a roar of laughter. "That's very good!" He replied. "I have never heard that one before and no, Snow is not my original name but it's one that is convenient at the moment."

"So what can I do for you, Mr Snow?" Jon got back down to business. "I assume you are not interested in the logistics side of my business?" he asked resignedly. It was obviously not going to be one of his better days, what with the threats from the Syndicate, the attempt on his life and now this.

Snow looked around fugitively to make sure that nobody could overhear their conversation. Jon was fairly sure that was guaranteed, as he was sitting only a few feet away and the two of them had to shout at the top of their voices simply to be heard over the music. Jon strained to hear, as Snow leaned forward and, in a quiet whisper, stated, "I bring a warning to you, a warning you need to pass on to the very highest echelon of the Confederation. A warning of a dire threat to the future of the entire Confederation!"

Glancing around to ensure that nobody could overhear his response, Jon leant closer and, in an even quieter voice, replied. "I think you have the wrong table. Are you sure you don't want the man in the corner? He definitely looks like the conspiracy type to me!" With a laugh Jon pushed back his seat and prepared to head home after his wasted trip.

With surprising speed Snow caught his wrist in a firm grip and hissed, "I know who you really are Commander Radec. I know how you took command of the 37th during the retreat at Lalande. How the Emperor personally promoted you to command the 58th Squadron, making you the youngest Commander in the history of the fleet."

Jon froze in shock. The events Snow described seemed like another life—the life of a younger, more ambitious man whose entire world hadn't come crushing down, leaving almost nothing.

"I am sorry," Jon replied continuing to push away. "I don't know whom you are talking about."

Snow however, would not be quietened and continued. "I know your past and, more importantly, I know you are respected in the Confederation. You can take this warning to the Senate and they must listen, more importantly she will listen—"

However, whatever he was going to say next was lost in the sound of weapons fire. A bolt from a pulse rifle went flying past with a crackle, missing Jon by inches. Snow however, was not so fortunate, as the bolt of energy hit him on the shoulder, spinning him around and against the table. Fortunately, the fall probably saved his life, as three more beams of energy intersected where he had been sitting, moments earlier.

Having been on a knife-edge ever since the ambush at the asteroid belt, Jon did not pause for an instant but used his momentum to shove the table over and dive behind it, pulling Snow with him. This was helped by the fact Snow was already on the floor cradling his shoulder. Once he was sure they both were behind cover, Jon reached for his pistol, flipped the safety off and peered around the edge of the table to try and locate their attackers.

However, in the smoke-filled gloom Jon could see little. It would seem their attackers had a much better idea of their location, as he quickly had to duck back behind the table when half–a-dozen more shots impacted the table only inches from his head.

Looking over at Snow, he noticed although the damage to the other man's shoulder had obviously incapacitated his right arm, he'd had managed to get his weapon free with his left hand. Meanwhile, Jon observed, the other occupants of the club were hurriedly diving for cover, trying to take shelter from the energy bolts filling the air, all except one. The blonde dancer he'd locked gazes with earlier was frozen, motionless on the stage a couple of feet away.

Cursing, Jon rolled out from behind the cover offered by the upturned table until he was lying next to the raised stage. Moving quickly, he caught the young woman's wrist in a firm grip. With a sharp yank, and a startled cry from her, he pulled her off the stage into his arms. Three quick strides would have brought him back behind the table with the scantily clad woman. Unfortunately, they were still one stride short when two lucky shots caught Jon in the side, sending both him and the woman spinning to the floor. Fortunately momentum continued to propel them back behind the temporary safety of the upturned table. A quick glance in her direction confirmed she was unhurt. Jon inspected the two holes in his flight jacket with disbelief. This was his favourite jacket!

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to duck and cover when the shooting starts?" Jon growled at the woman. However, the confused expression on her face and the cupping of her ear demonstrated she could not hear what he had said over the music and weapon fire.

Growling in frustration, Jon raised the heavy pistol he was carrying and quickly sighting down the long barrel, squeezing the trigger twice in quick succession. Two men carrying pulse rifles who had obviously been trying to outflank their position, flew backwards. Twisting the pistol in the direction of the source of the endless music Jon squeezed the trigger once again, this sending a volley of gunfire in the direction of the speakers, which mercifully fell silent a moment later.

"Thank the Maker," Jon exclaimed. "I can finally hear myself think. Friends of yours?" he shouted at Snow above the sounds of weapon fire.

"Could be," Snow replied. "Unless it is anybody you recognise?" In response Jon stuck his pistol around the edge of the table and loosed off half–a-dozen shots, in what he could only hope was the general direction of their attackers.

"Could be," Jon responded, throwing Snow's own words back at him. He would not put it past the Syndicate to have another team on the station in case their first attempt at the asteroid belt failed. Peering around the table, Jon noticed movement from the other side of the room towards their position. Quickly pulling the trigger, his heavy pistol thundered twice and a shadow dropped to the floor, motionless.

"Friend of yours?" Snow inquired, gesturing with his pistol at the young, scantily-clad woman Jon had been trying to shield with the bulk of his body and who was lying half underneath him.

"We've only just met," Jon replied drolly. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to duck and cover when the shooting starts?" He repeated the question he'd asked earlier, which she could not hear due to the music and shooting.

Looking up at Jon with wide, innocent doe-eyes she cooed, "No, but my mother always told me to look out for tall, dark, handsome strangers. I'm Felicity. What's your name, stranger?" she asked, running her hand suggestively down Jon's chest.

"Duck," Jon insisted.

"Duck?"

"Yes, duck!" Jon pushed her back down, his pistol blasting away at the indistinct shape trying to manoeuvre around for a better shot.

Snow glanced at the bulky pistol before checking for any further motion on the other side of the table. "You often carry an antique around for protection?" he asked conversationally, motioning towards the much more compact and sleek energy pistol in his own hand.

"I have a particular fondness for this one," Jon replied in an equal tone. Switching the firing selector on the pistol from single shot to automatic, he reached over their barricade, sighted in the direction of the source of the incoming fire and depressed the trigger.

The rolling thunder of gunfire was loud enough to deafen the attackers by itself without the additional carnage of the heavy calibre bullets shredding tables, chairs and bodies. After the clip ran dry, for a brief moment there was complete silence in the bar, aside from the sound of the empty shell casings hitting the floor. The gunfire soon resumed however, but with much less intensity.

"Impressive," Snow commented, glancing once again at the pistol.

"Indeed," Jon agreed. "The disadvantage being this is my last clip. I think it is time for us to leave." He ejected the empty clip and inserted a fresh magazine. Snow raised an eyebrow at this comment and pointed to the other side of the barricade.

"I could not agree with you more. However, after your last impressive volley I do not think they are in the mood for a by-your-leave." A particularly heavy volley of laser fire hitting their rapidly diminishing barricade punctuated his last point.

"Agreed," Jon said, pulling out a round grenade from his coat pocket. "I thought we would give them a parting present."

Snow eyed the grenade carefully before replying. "We are not that far from the outer hull, if that causes a hull breach we are all going to end up floating in space."

"That's why this is not an explosive," Jon explained. "A friend designed these babies based on an old concept called a "Flash Bang", it makes a bright light and incapacitating noise but no explosion. Perfect for use on ships and stations."

"Eyes closed." Jon directed this instruction at Felicity, prizing one of her hands, which had been drifting lower, away from his body. "Cover your ears."

"I don't think I have thanked you properly for saving my life earlier," she instead replied, and before Jon could assure her it was no problem she aggressively leaned forward to press her lips firmly against his. Taken aback by the brazen move, Jon was stunned into immobility, as he felt her soft lips press against his. His arms unconsciously went around her, enjoying the feel of her warm, endless flesh, forgetting about their current, precarious situation for a moment. Jon was brought back to reality with a bump by a cough from Snow, next to him.

"Sorry, am I interrupting, a moment?" Snow asked sardonically.

Prising his lips from hers, gently, but firmly, he disentangled himself from Felicity's grasp. "Stay here, you'll be safe, and by the Maker keep your head down this time," Jon whispered to her. He allowed himself a moment longer to gaze into her eyes, once again reminding himself how long he had been alone. However, it was not Felicity that he so desperately desired. He wondered what it was about being human that made you always desire most the one thing you could never have.

Pulling the pin on the grenade, Jon rolled it in the direction of the remaining attackers before ducking back behind their makeshift barricade. A few seconds later a blinding light and deafening roar signalled the detonation of the device. Grabbing Snow by his good shoulder Jon pulled him towards the exit, trying to keep low to avoid the, now seemingly random, weapons fire.

Managing to make it out of the club relatively unscathed, Jon directed them down a side corridor, quickly shoving their weapons inside the deep pockets of his coat. Snow seemed to be in a bad way. With a quick glance at his shoulder, Jon could tell it was a severe wound. The pale face and glazed look in his eyes and the slowly increasing weight was a clear indication Snow was starting to lose consciousness.

Lying Snow down as gently as possible, Jon leaned him against the bulkhead of the corridor and checked for a pulse. It was intermittent and weak. Slowly reaching into his pocket Snow took out a small data chip and dropped it into Jon's hand.

"Get this to the Confederation," Snow wheezed weakly. "They must be warned of the threat. You must tell the..." however before he could finish, his eyes closed for the last time and Jon was unable to find a pulse.

Looking from the data chip in his hand to the body of Snow lying in the corridor Jon shook his head in disbelief at how badly this day had gone. Carefully slipping the data chip into his pocket Jon set off quickly for the hangar containing the 'Light.

*****

In double quick time Jon arrived back at the 'Light. The dock master was already approaching, as Jon stepped carefully into the hangar, eyes darting around looking for anything or anyone out of place.

"I hope that sir had a profitable stay at Transcendence?" The dock master inquired, with the sort of artificially upbeat tone of voice that was just begging for a significant tip.

Not noticing anything out of the ordinary, Jon distractedly replied. "Could have gone better. By the way, has anybody been asking around for me?"

"I don't believe so, sir," he replied, handing Jon the datapad detailing the docking fee and any repair and re-supply costs. "If I could also recommend our premium VIP membership plan that includes a free service—"

He was abruptly cut off, as Jon shoved the datapad back with his authorisation for payment and a ridiculously astronomical tip, which made the dock master's eyes widen in shock.

"Why don't you go and have a chat with departure control?" Jon suggested. "While I start the pre-flight checks. Explain to them how I urgently need to be about my business and absolutely need to have a departure slot immediately." The dock master nodded his head in understanding and quickly scurried out of the hangar before Jon changed his mind.

Heading straight to the cockpit of the 'Light Jon sealed the ship and immediately triggered the hangar decompression cycle. He then carried out a rapidly reduced pre-flight checklist, which mostly involved getting the engines started as quickly as possible and the hell off of this station.

It would seem his second ever visit to Transcendence was going to fair little better than the first.

With a new record for departure clearance authorisation, Jon pushed the engines to full power and quickly exited the station to shouts of anger across the communications system from departure control, reminding him he should only engage main engines when at least three kilometres from the station. However by then the station was a rapidly dwindling dot on the aft sensors. With the way his last two visits had concluded, Jon was in no rush to return for a third.

After at least half-a-dozen random course corrections, to throw off any possible pursuit, Jon finally set in a course for Terra Nova at maximum possible speed. He spent the majority of the trip considering the possible contents of the data chip in his pocket.

*****

With a slight hiss of air the pressure equalised between the 'Light and Terra Nova and the airlock slid open to reveal Paul's concerned face.

"You're long overdue. Were there any problems with the client?" Paul asked anxiously, giving Jon a careful once over to ensure that he was uninjured.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Jon replied noncommittally. "Can you get a team down to the starboard cargo bay? There is a pod there I brought on board. Check it out to make sure it's secure before transporting it to medical and defrosting the occupant." Jon continued, while making his way to his quarters. He was in desperate need for a shower.

"A pod?" Paul asked in confusion. "Where did you find that?"

"Out near the outer asteroid belt, midway to Transcendence."

"What was it doing all the way out there? How long had it been out there?" Paul asked, confused.

"Not long. I would say only about ten minutes after I blew up the owner's fighter," Jon concluded, as he stepped into his apartment and the door slid shut on Paul's astonished face. A moment later the door reopened, so Jon could stick his head out. "Oh, almost forgot," he said, tossing the data-chip from his pocket to his startled operations chief. "Ask one of our computer geeks from engineering to have a look at that will you?"

Paul looked at the data chip curiously. "What is on it?" he inquired.

"No idea," Jon replied, with a smirk. "The guy who gave it to me was shot before he had a chance to explain. Said something about a conspiracy to overthrow the Confederation, end of civilisation as we know it. You know, the usual." With that the door slid shut on his now completely aghast operations chief.

"So all around a productive trip," Paul commented aloud, to the now empty corridor, before heading off to the command centre to find somebody to defrost the station's newest occupant and somebody else to decode the data on the chip.

*****

With a sudden gasp Miranda came to full consciousness, blinking away the bright, white light. The last thing she remembered was the asteroid exploding into a million fragments and reaching for the ejection handle, beyond that was nothing but darkness.

Slowly her eyes adjusted to the bright light and she noticed a face peering down at her with an impish smile.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, miss. I am sure you must be somewhat disoriented but I will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Excuse my manners, I am Doctor Richardson, chief flight surgeon, but you can just call me Neil." At this he seemed to chuckle at his own joke. "You are currently on Terra Nova. You were brought here after ejecting from your ship in the outer asteroid belt of the system." Richardson concluded his brief, congratulations-on-still-being-alive speech.

Slowly awareness started to come back to Miranda, along with her short-term memory of the incident in the belt. Abruptly sitting up, she glanced around, observing the medical bay. She seemed to be the only patient at the moment, as the rest of the beds were empty. The Doctor and a few medical technicians were the only others present. She noticed in the corner of the room her now empty escape pod and winced internally. Mallart was not going to react well at the destruction of her incredibly expensive ship.

She was back where she started, Miranda realised she had better make good her escape. Now she was conscious, and before any more guards arrived. As she was preparing to make a flying leap towards the exit, Miranda suddenly stopped and quickly checked beneath the sheet she had been lying under. She was naked. She looked at the doctor with an outraged expression.

Noticing her expression the doctor explained. "We had to cut you out of the flight suit before we could resuscitate you. Not to mention fixing the numerous stress fractures in your wrist and shoulder," the Doctor punctuated the words with a jab of his finger at each area. Miranda felt slightly sheepish at her response. Of course they would have had to undress her to revive her.

Meanwhile the doctor continued softly, "I'll go and see if I can find you some clothes that fit. My daughter is about your size." It was only then Miranda noticed the greying hair, with white at the edges, and the wrinkles on his hands and face. While the Doctor seemed very fit and energetic he was far older than he appeared at first glance. With an embarrassed blush Miranda could only nod her head in thanks and wrap the white sheet closer around herself.

Her internal musings were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Two gentlemen entered, engaged in a heated conversation, which stopped abruptly when the younger of the two swung his gaze around to focus on Miranda. His mouth dropped open in shock.

Having been woken from a light sleep by the intercom informing him the pilot had regained consciousness, Jon and Paul were discussing how best to interrogate the pilot to find out the latest intelligence on the activities of the Syndicate in the system. While not advocating torture, Jon had been actively proposing making the pilot's life incredibly uncomfortable during his stay on the station. After all, the pilot had been doing his very best to abruptly cut short Jon's life only hours before.

Having the preconceived notion of a dangerous, cutthroat pirate who would happily kill for money, Jon was completely speechless on seeing the young, beautiful, raven-haired woman, wrapped in nothing but a white sheet. After all Jon could see a fair amount of flesh protruding from the blanket. Meanwhile the young pilot was blushing slightly, obviously from something the doctor had said. Jon was very curious to observe the blush spreading from her cheeks, along the length of her neck and down underneath the thin sheet.

He gave Paul a disbelieving look, who was trying hard, but failing miserably, to suppress his laughter. He knew. While Jon had been plotting days of sleep deprivation, minimal rations and hard labour, his operations chief had known all along who the pilot was.

Bastard! Jon thought, peeved. He made a note to find some highly demeaning chore for his friend in the near future, before turning back to the raven-haired beauty sitting, draped in a sheet, inquisitively eying the two of them.

Putting on what he hoped was a sincere smile Jon introduced himself. "Hi, my name is Jonathan Radec, but my friends just call me Jon. This is my chief of operations, Paul Harrington. Welcome to Terra Nova. How are you feeling?"

Having recognised the face from the intelligence file supplied by the Syndicate, Miranda took a moment to study the person in the flesh in more detail. She had never expected to meet him in person. He was just a mission, another threat to the Syndicate who had to be removed. However, the first thing she noticed when observing him in person, remembering according to his file he was in his mid-thirties, was he looked younger. He obviously stayed active and his athletic frame, dark hair and stormy grey eyes made him appear much younger.

Realising she had been staring for too long, she motioned towards the doctor, commenting, "The Doctor was just telling me that aside from a few bumps and bruises I am perfectly fine and was free to leave."

Jon glanced at the doctor to confirm what she was saying.

"Indeed," the Doctor confirmed. "She should make a full recovery. However, any dizziness or any other symptoms and I want you to report straight back to medical. Your body has been through an incredible strain and it needs time to fully recover. No physical exertion, hear me? Take it easy for the next few days." With that firm warning the Doctor departed to find her a spare pair of clothes.

Turning back to the two men, Miranda inquired, "When will I be able to leave?" Jon glanced towards Paul inquiringly, however he just replied with a non-committal shrug.

"Well..." Jon replied. "We have been trying to get in contact with the Magistratus from the Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping, but so far they have not acknowledged any missing pilot's. They did agree to make further inquiries and get back to us when they can."

Miranda groaned under her breath, it was obviously too much to hope for that the Syndicate were just going to send somebody to pick her up.

"So you are just going to keep me here, as a prisoner?" Miranda demanded angrily. Jon tried hard to supress a smile; it seemed this girl had some fire in her.

"Well there is the small matter of you trying to destroy my ship, kill me..." Jon continued with a twinkle in his eye, knowing this was likely to enflame the young woman further.

"Destroy your ship!" Miranda retorted, angrier still. "You destroyed my ship with that crazy asteroid stunt of yours," she shouted, almost losing her grip on the sheet, much to Jon's delight.

"Anyway," Jon continued. "You are free to leave the station anytime you wish, however I believe that the next scheduled freighter to Transcendence, where you could find on-going passage is..." Jon glanced at Paul inquiringly.

"About six weeks," Paul responded with a completely straight face.

Miranda just cursed with rage.

"I'll leave you to get dressed. See you around." Jon concluded the conversation with a huge smile. With that he left, with Paul following close behind.

Miranda was left cursing the day she had ever heard his name.

*****

The moment the door to medical slid shut, Paul leaned against the corridor laughing his ass off. "Oh, to see the look on your face when you walked in," Paul crooned. "If I only had a camera so I could store that look for future prosperity... and blackmail." Paul laughed.

Jon only shot Paul a dirty look before replying, "I'm fairly sure it says somewhere I am in charge, doesn't that mean I can fire your ass?"

Paul only laughed louder. "So I assume we are going to forgo the rack and thumbscrews?" Paul inquired. "Perhaps a dozen red roses and a box of chocolates instead?" Paul asked with another laugh.

Jon just scowled and marched off in a huff, with the parting order. "When she is ready send her to my office."

"Is that before or after we find her some clothes?" Paul called after his departing boss with a laugh. Jon only scowled deeper and lengthened his stride, disappearing round the corner.

"Ah to be a fly on the wall during that meeting," Paul commented aloud before turning back to the medical bay to check the Doctor had managed to rustle up some clothes. Upon re-entering medical Paul was surprised to note the young pilot had disappeared from the bed, sheet included. Glancing around frantically, worried he had already lost her, he was about to call for security when he noticed the Doctor tilt his head towards one of the small offices branching off from the main treatment area. He assumed she was getting changed into something more appropriate, and hopefully less revealing. Even Paul had not failed to notice the beautiful pilot. He approached the Doctor to inquire about her state, again trying to supress a laugh at the memory of the expression on Jon's face.

The Doctor, upon noticing the smile inquired. "Some joke I am missing out on?"

"Oh," Paul replied. "I was just remembering the expression on Jon's face when he noticed our latest addition." Paul waved a hand in the direction of the office where Miranda was getting dressed.

"Ah," the Doctor replied with a smile of his own. "I assume you did not inform our enigmatic leader in advance that my latest patient is of the young, female and very attractive persuasion?"

"Are you joking?" Paul exclaimed. "And miss that opportunity. No way! Anyway Jon was discussing all the ways that he was planning on getting his revenge against the pilot who dared scratch his baby. He would not let me get in a word edgeways."

"Yes, I heard from some of my staff about the Commander's adventure to Transcendence. Honestly he seems to spend so much time in here that I am considering allocating him a bed on a permanent basis." With the Doctor's reference to Jon's continual close brushes with death a lot of the good humour left Paul's expression and he turned thoughtful.

"You have known Jon longer than anybody. It seems sometimes he carries the fate of the world on his shoulders."

"I assume you are referring to our dear leader's single-handed mission to save the Galaxy from itself?" the Doctor inquired in a cynical tone.

"It's more than that." Paul tried to explain. "He is an outstanding leader, probably the best pilot I have ever seen and I think the crew would follow him into the mouth of hell and back without question, but the responsibility of command seems to sit on his shoulders like the weight of the world. Every ship we lose to these pirates, every crewmember who does not come back, he takes it as a personal loss, that he failed to do a good enough job. To be honest, Doc, I was rather hoping our latest additional to the station might help distract him."

"I see," the Doctor replied. "Well I must confess to having quite a shock myself upon opening that pod. Reminded me of that Old Earth story I used to read to my daughter, Sleeping Beauty. Unconscious there in the pod she looked like she was waiting for a prince to wake her up. Perhaps I should have waited for Jon to revive her," the Doctor said, with a laugh.

"Seriously Doc, how is she?" Paul asked, in a more serious tone. The Doctor turned back to the datapad and brought up the results of her previous scan.

"Generally she is in pretty good health. She had a number of stress cracks, probably caused by the huge acceleration of the ejection, not unusual in cases like this. I have repaired this damage and her bone density should now be as good as new. In addition she had a few other poorly healed factures, which I also repaired, along with being a little malnourished. I have given her an injection of trace vitamins and minerals. She could do with a few good meals." Checking to ensure the young woman was still getting changed he added, with a grin, "Perhaps the Commander could assist with that. Following that she should be back to perfect health. It would seem she has not had an easy life." The Doctor frowned. "A number of poorly healed fractures, cuts, scars and being malnourished seems to suggest wherever she has been has not been easy."

"They should make a perfect couple then considering all the scrapes Jon manages to get into," Paul quipped, but was interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open. Miranda eyed the two of then warily.

"What was that about the Commander?" Miranda asked suspiciously.

"I was just referring to Jon," Paul replied easily. "As the chief executive of the company and the owner of Terra Nova everyone just refers to him as the Commander, it's easier," he explained. "Speaking of which, he asked me to escort you to his office when you had finished getting dressed." Observing she had now changed into a dark pair of formfitting slacks and matching shirt, he motioned her towards the exit of sickbay. Following behind her as they departed sickbay Paul let his gaze slowly drift lower.

What a great posterior, Paul thought to himself. If I were a couple of years younger and not already married...

*****

On the way towards Jon's office Miranda slowed down to be able to walk abreast of Paul in a clear indication she wanted to discuss something with him. Realising he still did not know her name Paul introduced himself.

"By the way I am Paul Harrington, operations chief for Vanguard and second in command of Terra Nova." Glancing at Miranda, who remained stubbornly silent, Paul rolled his eyes and enquired, "And you are...?"

"Miranda," she replied succinctly.

With a grin Paul replied, "Well, nice to meet you Miss Miranda." She gave him an angry glare, which made Paul grin even more. Grinding her teeth in frustration, Miranda remained silent. Having been married for over ten years Paul had a feeling she wanted to ask something so he remained silent and started counting in his head.

One.

Two.

Three.

"So where did the Commander get his ship?"

Paul smirked, Works every time.

"Which ship?" he inquired, deciding to try and keep the conversation going and see if he could get Miranda to open up a little. "Vanguard owns quite a number."

"The one he was flying when I...I mean the one he picked me up in," Miranda corrected her oversight quickly. Probably not a good idea going around admitting to everybody she had been trying her hardest to kill the boss, Miranda considered.

"You mean the Eternal Light?" Paul replied. "That is a long story but I suppose you could say he kind of stole it."

Miranda looked up in shock, it obviously was not the sort of answer she had been expecting. "He stole it!" she exclaimed.

"Well..." Paul backtracked a little. "You need to ask Jon for all the details but basically the ship belonged to the Imperial Navy. It was assigned to Jon so he could transport some very important... cargo." It was obvious that Paul was choosing his words carefully. "The Navy decided soon after they wanted the cargo back to dispose of. Anyway, Jon had no intention of returning the cargo, knowing full well what they had in mind for it. Hence he kept the ship and the cargo. Well, at least Jon managed to keep hold of the ship but not the cargo." He laughed at his obviously personal joke.

"You have known the Commander long?" Miranda inquired getting caught up in Paul's retelling of the story. When she had first seen the ship she had detested its owner, Radec, assuming that, unlike her, he had been born with money and given every privilege in life. She had assumed, wrongly obviously, that he had paid a small fortune to either have the ship built or to buy it from its previous owner. However, with Paul's retelling of the story she realised maybe they were not so different after all, both put in impossible situations with few options to choose from. Paul had also piqued her interest regarding the cargo. What could have been so important to Jon that he would have refused to return it? It was obvious Paul was not going to elaborate, so she made a mental note to ask Jon about it later.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Miranda realised she was already subconsciously referring to the enigmatic Commander by his first name. She had been trying to kill him barely twenty-four hours before, however, the more she found out about him the more of a mystery he seemed to become. How wrong the Syndicate intelligence had been!

She was so caught up in her internal deliberations regarding the Commander she almost walked into Paul's back. He had stopped in front of a door Miranda assumed was an office. Taking a deep breath, she prepared for her next encounter with the puzzling station Commander.

*****

A chime interrupted Jon's concentration, as he was reviewing the latest company shipping manifests, notifying him of the arrival of Paul and the woman. It suddenly occurred to him he did not even know the young pilot's name and he made a note to ask, before calling out, "Enter!"

The door smoothly slid open to reveal Paul with the young pilot following closely behind.

Ushering her into Jon's office, Paul stated, with a smirk. "Miss Miranda, as requested."

Looking up in puzzlement Jon was about to inquire if that was her first, last, middle name or just a nickname when Miranda interjected with obvious frustration.

"My name is Miranda. Just Miranda."

Paul responded, with a quick grin, "Well nice talking with you just Miranda," before disappearing back though the door, which slid shut behind him.

Glancing around the room curiously, Miranda's sight was quickly drawn to the large expanse of endless space on the left side of the office. It was difficult to miss a gaping hole in the hull of a space station. Jon watched curiously to see how she would react. Generally people reacted in one of two ways, either to note the expanse then ignore it and try to put it out of their mind for the rest of the meeting, or to react violently and take a number of steps away. Jon was curious to see how she would react.

Taking a few steps closer to the void, Miranda reached out her hand tentatively, until she touched the surface of the energy barrier. Then, much as Paul had done the day before, she ran her fingers across the field, fascinatedly watching the play of ripples in the energy field. Jon suppressed a smile, as though she had passed some secret test.

"You have an aversion to windows?" Miranda inquired, continuing to run her fingers across the barrier, bewitched. "I hope you don't have any fluctuations in your power grid," she commented.

"Not recently," Jon replied with a grin, before motioning her to take a seat across the desk from him. Leaning back in his chair, Jon took a moment to just unabashedly stare at her. She was certainly an enigma and the very last thing he was expecting when he brought the pod aboard the 'Light.

Meanwhile Miranda was becoming very uncomfortable with his steady gaze and, breaking eye contact, asked, "Well now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?"

Tapping his fingers on the desk for a few moments Jon replied, "It is less what I want with you and more what I should do with you. I need to know you are not a risk to this station or any of my crew."

Miranda noted he did not include himself in the list.

"My head of security wants me to throw you in the brig and leave you there until somebody from the Syndicate decides to come and get you. It could be a long wait," Jon pointed out.

Miranda held her breath, not saying anything, but internally she was in agreement. It was possible the Syndicate would never acknowledge her, especially as she had failed and lost their ship in the process. The Syndicate did not regard failure lightly.

"However, to be frank, we do not have the personnel or the resources to confine anybody for a long period of time. Hence the more extreme suggestion from my head of security." Jon dipped his head in the direction of the gaping void and the infinity of space beyond, letting the last statement hang in the air for a moment before proceeding. "However, I am not a merciless killer, so I come back to my original question of what I should do with you. My earlier offer still stands and you are welcome to leave the station at any time. Unfortunately it is several weeks before the next freighter leaves for Transcendence. Which still leaves me with the question, are you a risk to this station or any of its crew?" Staring at Miranda for a few moments longer, Jon reached into a drawer behind his desk and withdrew a pulse pistol he kept there for emergencies.

Miranda noticed the pistol immediately and tensed. Jon was too far away for her to make a grab for the weapon, and the exit was several meters away. She would be killed outright, long before she reached it. Always having known it was possible her life would end in such a manner, Miranda sat waiting for the fatal shot.

She almost died anyway.

The shock of the pistol being casually tossed onto her lap almost giving her a heart attack. She looked up in disbelief from the pistol to her antagonist, still sitting casually behind his desk. Delicately, as if handling a venomous snake, Miranda carefully picked up the pistol. A quick glance confirmed it seemed fully charged and ready to fire its deadly load with one quick squeeze of the trigger. Casting an inquiring look across the desk, she uttered the first word that came to her mind. "Why?"

Leaning back slightly in his chair, Jon replied, "I need to know I can trust you with the safety of my crew and my station. Therefore I'm giving you the opportunity to complete the task I know you were sent to do. Better to put just one life, my life, in your hands than to risk the lives of my crew or security of my station. So here is your opportunity to finish what you started." Jon gestured to the weapon in her hands.

Miranda was speechless, for the first time having no idea what to do or say. Instead she just stared, uncomprehendingly, at the deadly weapon in her hands. True she had been tasked, only days before, with his destruction and that of his ship, a mission she had tried her very best to fulfil. That was one thing—impersonal—but to sit in front of that person, to kill him in cold blood, to murder him? Miranda had always considered herself a pilot first and foremost. Sure, she had destroyed other ships, often with little or no warning. She had done what she was tasked with. But a murder? No. Miranda had never thought of herself as that before.

Recognising her indecision Jon leaned forward and, with an intense stare, explained. "I have faced death many times, in many different situations. I have stared down the barrel of a gun on countless occasions and have observed the person holding that weapon. Some were scared, terrified of having to pull the trigger. Others were seasoned killers, merciless, who would not give a second thought to pulling the trigger, and when facing those I knew my death was certain. However, I look at you and I do not see the face of a merciless killer. I recognise you have had to do some unpleasant things in the past. You had few choices. But a killer? A murderer? No. When I look at you I do not see that in your eyes. I don't think you could pick up that weapon and shoot me in cold blood any more than I could have shot you..." Jon let his voice fade away quietly and remained still, waiting to see what her reaction would be, if he had misjudged her.

With a last, uncomprehending look at the weapon in her hand, Miranda delicately put it back on the table and pushed it a short distance away, a clear indication she wanted nothing to do with it. Purposefully averting her gaze, she once again stared out the window. Recognising a faint object docked to the station and remembering her earlier question, she asked, "Tell me about your ship."

Recognising the change in topic for what it was, Jon relaxed slightly. Leaning back in his chair he replied. "The Eternal Light? She is my life. Or probably better to say she is all that remains of my old life."

"You were in the Imperial Navy?" Miranda inquired. "Paul told me you stole the ship, was that true?" A part of her desperately wanted to believe what Paul had told her to be the truth, to be able to relate to another person, to understand that somewhere else, someone who had achieved so much more than her had once been in the same situation, with few choices, none good.

"Stole the Eternal Light?" Jon replied with a grin. Miranda's heart sank. "I would describe it more as a loan, but they sure wanted her back. They sent seven squadrons, over eighty fighters, the full fighter complement of an Imperial Task Force to ensure we returned, or at the very least ensure we could not escape."

"How did you manage to escape?" Miranda asked in disbelief. While she had never seen an Imperial task force in real life—such a fleet would never be dispatched to a fringe system in the Confederation—she had seen a holovideo of one as a child and had been in awe.

"My squadron managed to hold them off long enough for the Eternal Light and I to escape into FTL," Jon replied, lost deep in the past. "It was a suicide mission, as they were each out gunned many times over, but they managed to hold off the other fighters long enough for the Eternal Light to escape the planetary gravity well and make it into FTL," Jon explained, full of pride, his voice tinged with the sadness of the loss of so many friends and colleagues. However, Jon knew if the situation had been reversed, if he had been flying as he would normally have, as leader of the squadron, he would have done nothing different and died proud, knowing his death bought enough time for the Eternal Light to have escaped.

"I did not realise you were a pilot in the Imperial Navy," Miranda replied, subdued at the story Jon had recited, of so many pilots sacrificing their lives so the man across from her could be here today.

"I resigned my commission soon after," Jon replied, still lost in his past life. "The Imperial Navy was disbanded soon after the announcement of the supposed death of Emperor Aurelius and the establishment of the Confederation. I had few ties and little regard for the Confederation, hence decided to go into business for myself." Jon waved at the office around them. "This used to be an old Imperial Navy repair & resupply station, it was mothballed by the Confederation and transferred to me upon my request, as thanks for service rendered."

Miranda almost choked at that. What could this man possibly have done to be given an entire space station as thanks for 'service rendered'? Miranda could not even contemplate the worth of such a facility, easily running into the hundreds of millions of credits. Suddenly something Jon said leapt out at her. "What do you mean the announcement of the supposed death of the Emperor?"

Jon considered the young woman in front of him thoughtfully for a few minutes; he had never given voice to these thoughts before, not even to Paul who he considered almost family.

"Emperor Aurelius, Marcus..." it had been many years since he had referred to him by his first name and it felt strange on his tongue. "He knew something was coming, he confided in me only a short while before the announcement of his death and the start of the Separatist Civil War. I cannot believe he did not have some plan or strategy already in place. He had secrets even I was not privy to. There was never any body produced. I cannot believe he is dead until I see his body with my own eyes."

Miranda meanwhile was spellbound, feeling like the character from her favourite children's book Alice in Wonderland. She was beginning to understand how Alice must have felt after falling down the hole. She had managed to read some books and see a few holovideos that had described the Imperium before the death of the Emperor. She had also seen pictures of his beautiful daughter. Miranda had thought the whole thing was like some beautiful fairy-tale and, as a young girl, had run around the stations pretending she was an Imperial Princess. Here was a man however, sitting across the table from her, who had been there! Describing events he had been part of.

"You knew the Emperor?" Miranda asked breathlessly.

Jon could only nod his head in confirmation, while Miranda was just rendered speechless. Wrenching his thoughts back to the present, and trying to get the conversation back on track, Jon stated, "Anyway, I do not think you pose a threat to any of my crew or this station." Jon motioned towards the gun still resting on his desk. "The problem still stands with what to do with you. As I do not have the resources to guard you in the brig or confine you to your quarters I have decided to put you to work."

Miranda tensed upon hearing this, with visions of hard labour or cleaning washrooms leaping to mind.

Jon however, put her mind at rest as he explained, "As you seem to have some proficiency with ships, I will assign you to our flight deck. Report to Reynolds tomorrow at 0900 ship-time sharp, where you will follow all tasks assigned by him, do you understand?"

Slightly taken aback by the change of tone, as Miranda felt only moments before she was starting to finally understand the Commander, she nodded in agreement.

"Please see Paul in C&C and he will assign you some quarters," Jon added in clear dismissal. Again with a nod of her head, she quickly departed his office. Staring out once again at the stars clearly shining though the space in the wall of the office, Jon did not fail to notice the pistol was now missing from his desk.

Smart girl, Jon thought with a smile. Once again turning back to the stars and memories of his past.

Chapter Six

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

The alert arrived at C&C while Jon was reviewing the latest crew rotation with Paul. It was common for Paul and Jon to frequently rotate the crew roster so as to avoid some crew always being stuck on the un-sociable shifts and hence not having the opportunity to spend time with their families. It was also an opportunity to give some of the new shift leaders command experience, which was always valuable in Jon's opinion.

The duty officer caught Jon's attention. "It seems that there is some sort of disturbance on the flight deck," he reported.

"Disturbance?" Jon inquired, surprised, before exchanging glances with Paul. Jon could not remember the last time there had been a 'disturbance' on the station. Possibly a few years ago, back when the annual station party got a little out of hand...

"You don't think it has anything to do with Miranda?" Paul proposed. "She has only been assigned to Gunny for a couple of days. How much trouble could she get into in that short amount of time?"

Master Sergeant Patrick "Gunny" Reynolds was arguably one of the most capable crew chiefs on _Terra Nova_. At over six feet in height and weighing almost two-hundred pounds, rumour had it Gunny had once single-handily led a marine boarding action against a pirate cutter, to have the pirates immediately abandon ship when faced by him.

Once again exchanging concerned glances with Paul, Jon stated. "Paul, you have the C&C I'll be down on the flight deck investigating the disturbance."

Paul nodded in agreement, and added, "Let me know if you need a security detail down there?" Jon nodded his head in agreement before heading for the lift to take him to the flight deck.

*****

Arriving at the flight deck several minutes later Jon was surprised to find one end of the deck deserted and followed the sound of the shouting and jeering to the other end, where he found a large crowd gathered. With some difficulty, a lot of pointed shoving and angry stares Jon managed to push somewhat to the front and was disheartened, but not really surprised by the scene facing him.

Surrounded by a large crowd of flight crew and deck hands, Reynolds was facing off against Miranda. It was obvious this argument had been going on for some time, as Gunny was already red-faced. Almost miniscule compared to the bulk of the marine, Jon was surprised to see Miranda standing her ground and even repeatedly jabbing her finger into the chest of the marine sergeant.

The crowd quickly quietened down upon catching sight of the Commander, with what could only be described as a thundercloud hanging over him. Meanwhile the antagonists had not seemed to notice his arrival. Miranda continuing to determinedly jab her fingers into Gunny's chest, despite it having much the same impact as trying to jab a pencil through a sheet of steel.

"I don't give a rat's ass what you used to do in the Imperial Navy. No wonder the entire thing was disbanded." Upon hearing her words, Jon observed Gunny go an interesting shade of purple. "I keep telling you. By running the loading process in parallel you will be able to increase productivity by at least twenty percent. Whoever heard of the absurd idea of loading ships one after the other?"

Jon had known Gunny for over five years and knew him to be honourable, if not more than a little blunt-spoken. However Jon could see, for the first time, Gunny contemplating murder and decided he had better intervene before events spiralled out of control.

"Attention on deck!" snapped Jon. While none of the crew actually saluted he did observe a general stiffing in posture. More importantly, he noticed Reynolds and Miranda had backed off somewhat.

_Guess it's true that you cannot fully take the Navy out of the person,_ Jon mused to himself. Deciding to quickly get to the bottom of the situation, Jon rounded on his deck Chief and demanded. "Gunny! What the hell is going on here?"

Still red-faced and obviously trying to control his temper he jabbed his finger in Miranda's direction, obviously not even prepared to refer to her by name, and replied. "She accused me of running an out-dated, inept, incompetent and poorly organised loading operation." Jon winced internally, glad that he had arrived before things had gotten further out-of-hand.

Rounding on Miranda he glared at her and stated. "I assigned you here under the direct supervision of Gunny with explicit orders to follow his every instruction, not for you to insult him." Jon snapped angrily.

"I don't care what you think either." Miranda snapped back. "I refuse to be a part of an operation that is so inefficiently run. Where I come from we haven't loaded ships sequentially in years. You could increase productivity by at least twenty percent by implementing my recommendations!" By this point even Jon felt his ire increasing and was just about to let rip when Miranda turned her back on him and stalked towards Gunny, jabbing him in the chest once again and insisting.

"I'll arm wrestle you over it! You win, I never step foot on this flight deck again. I win, you will at least try my recommendations!"

The flight deck suddenly went very still and every eyeball in the room swivelled towards Gunny to see how he would respond to such an absurd proposition. He towered over the much smaller woman, weighing at least seventy-five pounds more than her. Meanwhile the Chief's jaw had dropped open in disbelief. He was obviously about to dismiss the challenge when he realised every eye was upon him. He turned to face Jon with an inquisitive gaze.

"Don't look at me chief," Jon raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "This is your flight deck, it's your call."

Thinking for a few short moments the Chief motioned to one of the heavy workbenches not far from them and hollered, "Clear a space. Clear a space!"

With a loud whoop and cheer the crowd made a space around the large workbench and the two antagonists moved to either side, facing off warily.

Slamming his powerful elbow onto the surface, the chief offered, with a leer, "You want to make it the best of three sweetheart?"

Meanwhile Miranda glided around to the other side of the table, completely serene, as though she were taking a walk in the park, before laying her arm down, offering her hand delicately to the huge Chief.

"No, just once is perfectly fine with me," she replied softly with a sweet smile directed towards Reynolds.

Her sudden shift in mood obviously threw the Chief off balance, as he licked his lips, glancing around at all of the intent observers. He suddenly realised emphatically beating a woman who was barely half his weight was not going to be a resounding victory to echo down the ages. He relaxed his posture slightly and took her offered hand in his.

Again offering the Chief a sweet smile, she asked, "On three?"

The Chief nodded his agreement and started the count.

"One" he began.

"Two..."

"Three!" he shouted.

His hand did not move so much as an inch, although he could feel her increased pressure. Glancing up into her face he was distracted for an instant when, instead of the look of strain he had been expecting, she was still looking serenely into his eyes and wearing a slight smile. The Chief had a sudden premonition that this was going to be bad, really bad, when Miranda suddenly made her move.

Not in the direction of his hand, as everybody observing expected, but in the direction of his face. Suddenly leaning forward, Miranda kissed the stunned deck Chief on the lips. Not a chaste kiss, like a brother and sister might exchange, but a full-on kiss, with tongue. The Chief's eyes went as wide as saucers. The instant he felt her tongue enter his mouth all thoughts of the competition and his hand fled his mind. As soon as Miranda felt his muscles relax she pushed with all her strength and the Chief's arm hit the table.

Miranda gave the completely astonished Chief an impish smile followed by a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Chief!" she smiled. "Looks like I won, would you like any help implementing my recommendations?" Miranda's voice could barely be heard above all of the cheers and whistles coming from the assembled crowd.

Taking pity on his deck Chief, and trying to fight down his own surge of jealousy at the Chief being the recipient of such a kiss, Jon called out, "Okay people. Back to work. The show is over."

With some good-humoured pats on the back and congratulations to Miranda the crowd finally dispersed back to their jobs.

"Chief, I look forward to seeing your progress report regarding these new procedures," Jon offered as a parting comment to Chief Reynolds. Gently reminding him he expected the deck chief to uphold his part of the agreement.

Arriving back in C&C Paul looked up in some consternation, inquiring, "How are things down on the flight deck?"

Biting back a laugh, Jon replied, "They are fine. Miranda has everything under control down there, although I will be looking forward to the next few reports from Gunny." Jon laughed.

*****

It was several days later, after the incident on the flight deck, that Paul & Jon finally had a chance to put their feet up and relax. They usually alternated shift patterns so one of the experienced command staff was always on hand in case of an emergency. However, this evening there were no inbound or outbound ships scheduled, so one of the more junior members of the command staff was in charge of the C&C, with instructions to call if there were any problems.

They had finally managed to put Paul's kids to sleep, which had involved complex negotiations, followed by a round of 'Good Cop, Bad Cop.' With Jon, as the more senior, threatening the kids that if they did not go to sleep he was going to space their teddy bear, they had quickly agreed and settled down to sleep.

"So where is Carol tonight?" Jon inquired, leaning back in the Harrington's living room with a beer. Carol was Paul's long-suffering wife of over ten years and was usually in charge of putting the kids to sleep.

"She mentioned something about Miranda having been here over a week and nobody having shown her a good time," Paul replied, opening his own beer. "So she and a couple of the other women have taken her out for a 'Girls Night Out'," Paul added, putting particular emphasis on the last three words. The story of Miranda's run-in with Reynolds had spread like wildfire throughout the station, dispelling any resentment that might have been harboured by some crewmembers when the story had also got around of how she came to be aboard the station.

"Perhaps we should forewarn security now," Jon murmured. "Sounds like a group that should be identified as 'dangerous, handle with extreme caution'. Speaking of which, how are Reynolds and Miranda getting on?" He asked with some concern, worrying that Gunny might harbour some resentment about the way Miranda had bested him.

"Last I heard, fantastically," Paul replied brushing off any concern. "Productivity seems to have increased by at least forty percent following Miranda's recommendations. I heard that upon seeing the results Reynolds picked the girl up, straight off the ground, and some of the crew had to rescue her before the Chief suffocated her by accident. Ever since then the Chief has been putty in her hands. I hear they are discussing ways to improve productivity further," Paul added.

"Glad she is fitting in with the rest of the crew," Jon replied. "I have moved her across to work with security during the next crew rotation," Jon added, reclining in his chair, relaxing after the busy day. "I didn't want to assign her there initially, as you know how McNeill felt when we first revived her. A clear threat to my personal safety and the station," Jon parroted, trying his best to imitate the British accent of their security chief.

Paul smiled at the poor impression, before frowning and commenting, "You sure that is a good idea? She will have access to the station armoury," Paul said with some concern. With a laugh Jon recounted the face-to-face meeting in his office several days earlier. Paul just listened in growing disbelief and his face grew pale when Jon reached the point about tossing her the live weapon.

"What the hell were you playing at?" Paul demanded, keeping his voice down so as not to wake the kids. "She could have just as easily shot you and made for the nearest ship!" Paul exclaimed.

Jon acknowledged the point with a short nod of the head, but insisted, "It was my judgement call. No way could we confine her to the brig or her quarters for any length of time. We could not spare the people and I assume you did not support McNeill's less than subtle suggestion of just sticking her out the nearest airlock?" Jon inquired mildly.

"Of course not!"

"So, instead, you would have some unknown, loose cannon running around the station?" Jon continued. "Perhaps we catch her tampering with the magnetic shielding around the fusion reactor," Jon suggested, with a slight nod of his head towards the children's bedroom. Paul went as white as a sheet, obviously not having thought through the damage a person loose on the station with malicious intent could cause.

"Better I just put one life at risk, than risk the lives of everybody on the station," Jon insisted, making it clear the topic of conversation was now closed.

Looking to change the topic, Paul inquired, "So when are you planning to put Miranda on rotation in the C&C?"

Relaxed in the comfortable chair with the beer, Jon replied without thinking, "I was planning on waiting a few more crew rotations before I put her on duty in the C&C. She needs some more experience with the various departments and to become familiar with the department heads before she is ready," Jon explained. Suddenly realising what he had just admitted to he opened his eyes to focus on his second-in-command, who was wearing a smirk on his face.

"You knew!" Jon insisted, realising that he had just been set-up.

"Yep." Paul replied with a grin. "It has been a long time, but I still recognise an Imperial Navy fast-tracked command training program when I see one." Paul confirmed.

Anxious to reassure his old friend, Jon explained, "I have no plans to replace you."

"Glad to hear it. So when do you plan on informing Miranda of this?" Paul inquired curiously.

"Hell, not for a while yet!" Jon insisted, settling back down. "She would probably laugh in my face if I suggested the idea to her now, but she has so much potential." He said. "Look at the way she has got Gunny wrapped around her finger, and the rest of the command staff are already warming to her. She is smart, clever, and intuitive and has natural leadership ability."

"As long as you have thought this through," Paul suggested carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," choosing his words delicately, Paul explained. "We still don't know much about her, beyond what you have already told me, that she is an outstanding pilot. Now you have started her on a fast track training program for command. We could be handing her right back to the Syndicate, not just as an ace pilot but with the sort of command skills that would help mould them into a far more effective threat to this system." Having voiced his concerns Paul fell quiet. He decided not to also voice his concerns that Jon was becoming infatuated with her and was losing his perspective. Paul had been surprised Jon viewed the talented young pilot much more as his protégée than potential romantic interest. Paul had observed the young woman catch the eye of more than one male member of the crew, however Jon had not seemed to make any advances.

"So what time does Carol get back tonight?" Jon asked, leaning back in his chair after deciding to give Paul's concerns further thought, but not tonight.

"She warned me she could be back quite late. Seems she and the other women are going to try and set Miranda up with that young communications offer from third shift. According to the women he is eye-candy." Paul watched with a smirk as Jon spat beer everywhere.

_Yep maybe not totally disinterested,_ Paul thought with a grin.

*****

A few weeks later Jon was reviewing the latest company shipping reports, noting the worrying rise in the number and severity of the attacks on Vanguard ships, when a chime interrupted his reading, notifying him of somebody requesting permission to enter.

"Come!" Jon called out and the door slid open to reveal the not unexpected face of Jason Edgar, Vanguard's 'Company Man' as Jason jokingly referred to himself. The rest of the crew simply thought of him as their Intelligence Officer or 'Chief Spy'.

"Take a seat, I was expecting you after reviewing your latest report," Jon commented, with another glance at the disturbing report sitting on his desk. "Do we have any more information explaining the increasing number of attacks on our ships?" Jon inquired.

Shaking his head Jason replied. "Nothing concrete at the moment, just conjecture. We assume that the failed attempt on your life some weeks ago has thrown a spanner in the Syndicate plans for Vanguard. Hence we assume the increasing number of attacks is an attempt to push you to reconsider their initial proposal."

"When hell freezes over!" Jon replied grimly. "Any idea what they might attempt next?"

"Intelligence are guessing they will continue to ramp up their attacks on our ships to increase the pressure on Vanguard and our customers. If that fails to work, we assume either another attempt on your life or some sort of direct assault on Vanguard. As we have little presence off the station we assume this will take the form of some sort of sabotage or assault on _Terra Nova_ directly."

Thinking for a moment, Jon replied. "Okay please let David know about the possible threat to station security and ask him to increase internal security. I will discuss the possible outside threat with Paul and come up with a suitable response. Is there anything else?"

"Just one other thing, sir," Jason continued. "You asked me to investigate the background of Miss Miranda." So far nobody had managed to get her to divulge her last name. Hence the crew had simply become use to referring to her as Miranda or Miss Miranda.

"Has intelligence had any success determining her last name yet?" Jon replied in a rather ironic tone of voice.

Ignoring the perceived insult to his intelligence team, Jason continued. "Perhaps. With your permission we requested a sample of her DNA from the Doctor. It took us a long time but we finally found an exact match in some old records from one of the adjoining systems." Jason handed a copy of the data to Jon who pursued the results with interest.

"I notice that this is a very old record," Jon commented, checking the last update, which was dated almost twenty years earlier.

"That was why it took us so long to find the match," Jason explained. "The record had long since been archived to long-term storage, hence it took a lot of time to retrieve. I also draw your attention to the last update." Jon flicked to the last update of the record, which detailed the person had been legally declared dead for almost twenty years.

"I must confess I find Miranda in remarkably good health for a person who was declared dead twenty years ago," Jon commented sarcastically.

"According to the information from the records, her parents were part of a crew of an inter-system deep space freighter. The freighter disappeared on a routine trip in the Aquila constellation. The ship was declared lost, with all hands a few years later. According to the records Miranda would have been approximately six years old when the ship was declared lost."

"So," Jon mused, "we have the mystery of a ship that has been missing for over twenty years, lost with all hands, or at least so was assumed and now we find one of the crew, who would have only been six at the time, alive and well, twenty years later, working for the Syndicate. Would intelligence like to draw any conclusions from these facts?" Jon asked dryly.

"No sir," Jason replied, realising it would not be a good idea to speculate any further.

"Thank you for the information. It will be put to good use. Please pass on my thanks to the rest of your team." Hearing the dismissal in Jon's voice, Jason nodded his head in thanks and made quickly for the exit.

Meanwhile Jon turned back to the datapad intelligence had supplied and started to review the information carefully.

*****

Sometime later Jon stepped into Security looking for Miranda. He had decided it was time to have a face-to-face with their newest crewmember, to discuss the past. Hence, with datapad in hand, Jon decided to go hunting. Miranda had recently been assigned to Security during the last crew rotation and Jon had been carefully monitoring the security reports to try and guess whom Miranda was going to shoot, or kiss, next. Noticing security was almost empty except for McNeill, the station head of security, who was reviewing a tactical map of the station with a frown.

"David, any idea where I can find Miranda?" Jon inquired. David looked up, obviously irritated by the interruption before he realised who the question originated from.

"No Sir!" David responded quickly, straightening his posture, as though he were preparing for a parade ground inspection. Jon was tempted to joke with the younger man that he could remain at ease but guessed this would make him even more uncomfortable. Some of the crew had made the transition from military life to civilian easily. Others, McNeill a case in point, had been less comfortable in civilian life and kept inadvertently reverting to a formal Navy mode of address. Privately Jon felt that he intimidated the younger officer, hence his nervousness kept causing him to leap to attention whenever he was around. For the twelfth time that day, and every day since the Imperial Navy had been disbanded by the newly formed Confederation, Jon cursed them for purging so many outstanding officers, people who had dedicated their lives to the service.

One of the motivations for establishing Vanguard had been to give these people a new purpose in life. Jon could give a first-hand account of the shock of going from a highly structured command environment with a clear mission to a civilian life with no clear objective, mission or goal. Of course it did not hurt Vanguard in the slightest to be staffed, almost entirely, by highly trained, extremely motivated, ex-Imperial Navy who viewed every task as a military objective to be surmounted.

Meanwhile David realised that a slightly more informative answer might be helpful, hence added. "Her shift ended over an hour ago. Possibly she might be in the mess hall having dinner. It is getting fairly late for second shift," David added diplomatically, politely reminding his boss it was getting fairly late in the evening, station time.

"Thanks David," Jon replied distractedly, before focusing on what his head of security was looking at. The large holoscreen in the office was currently displaying the tactical map of the station where a number of points had been highlighted.

"How is the security review going?" Jon inquired, remembering he had asked for this several days earlier, after being briefed on the escalating threat from the Syndicate Organisation.

"Not too badly," David replied. "We have identified a number of weak spots within the station that could allow any boarding party to establish a bridgehead. The biggest issue we have is lack of tactical intelligence. Are we looking at a lone saboteur, limited boarding party or all-out invasion of the station by a heavily armed Syndicate division?"

Jon's eyes widened in shock before he responded sarcastically, "Well let's hope that your security team do not need to repel an entire division. Could be a struggle for your team to repel a couple of thousand assailants," Jon replied, with a straight face. David could not tell if his boss was being sarcastic or not. Hence wisely decided not to reply to that comment.

"Well carry on," Jon continued. "Let me have a copy of your report when you have identified all the weak spots for the station and how you plan to deploy your security teams," he said, as he departed to continue his search for Miranda in the mess hall.

*****

It was quite late for second shift; hence the mess hall was fairly empty by the time Jon arrived. Just a few stragglers were finishing a late dinner before heading to their quarters for the 'night'. However, there were a couple of small groups relaxing with drinks after dinner.

_Terra Nova_ had originally been designed as a remote resupply & repair outpost where crews would have normally been rotated every six months. Therefore social areas were limited in number and size. With Jon's permission, Paul had converted one of the smaller repair shops into a small cinema and some of the observation decks had been converted into lounges where couples could relax when off-shift. However the mess hall was still the place to congregate for food or to relax with some friends over a drink.

Upon entering the mess hall Jon's gaze darted around the room and quickly came to settle on Miranda. She was sharing a drink with a small group of the other young women on the station. Jon recognised a few from the flight deck and security, along with a couple from various other departments. Miranda was laughing at something that one of her companions had said and was obviously enjoying herself. Jon was glad to see she seemed to have integrated herself well into the crew and a small part of him was glad the table seemed to consist of female crew only and a certain young officer from communications was nowhere in sight. Jon quickly supressed that line of thought.

Reluctant to interrupt the group, Jon decided to have a drink and wait for the group to disperse before approaching her. He had a delicate subject to bring up and would prefer to have the discussion without a crowd of onlookers. Collecting a coffee, Jon slipped into one of the comfortable seats next to the window and gazed out, thoughtfully taking the odd sip from his glass, trying to think how best to bring up the difficult topic ahead.

*****

"Don't look now," Sarah from Operations whispered quietly to the group. "But eye-candy has just walked in."

As was always the case, everybody ignored the edict and all eyes swivelled towards the entrance to the mess hall, observing the Commander as he poured himself a drink and took a seat by the window, alone.

"I wonder what crises took place to draw him out of his office? The guy practically lives there," one of the girls from security, whose name Miranda had forgotten, commented.

"I'm not complaining," another chimed in. "He can just sit there and I can admire the view. Hey Cassie, I thought you said that you were going to ask him out for dinner?" She left the question hanging in the air.

"I did, but he politely declined, said he was too busy," Cassie sighed deeply. "According to station scuttlebutt some girl broke his heart many years ago, and he still carries a flame for her."

Miranda, who had never had many female friends, looked around the table in astonishment on hearing all the dreamy sighs that followed that statement.

"So the Commander is not married? Paul mentioned he has a family so I just assumed...?"

"Have you ever seen him with anyone?" Sarah responded. "No that man is single, and such a waste. If I ever find the woman who broke his heart, I'll, I'll..."

"You'll have to get in line..."

Miranda looked around, surprised at the fierce expressions that had appeared on the faces of the women around the table. "Isn't it the Commanders choice?" she asked, confused.

"But it's such a waste! He is so good-looking," Cassie wailed.

"And good with kids. Don't you remember how he took Castle's daughter out for a ride in his shuttle on her last birthday?"

"I overheard the senior officers talking once. It seemed as though the Imperial Princess broke his heart. Or was it the other way around? I cannot remember."

"You mean the Emperor's daughter?" Miranda interjected.

"Yeah, it seems like the Commander and her were close before the Emperor's death. You all know the story about how he helped her to escape the fleet and flee to Eden Prime." Another chorus of sighs echoed around the table.

"Typical," Cassie muttered. "It's always the princesses that get the good-looking guys. Hopefully she will grow old and die a spinster," she added spitefully.

*****

It was sometime later the sound of Miranda's group breaking up for the night roused him from his thoughts. Glancing at the chronometer in the mess hall he was surprised at how late it was. Noticing Miranda was almost at the exit to the mess hall Jon quickly lengthened his stride to catch up with the young woman before he lost her.

Walking abreast of her, he caught her eye and politely inquired, "I know that it is late but can you spare a few minutes of your time to discuss something?"

Obviously surprised at the encounter, and curious why she had not just been called to his office, Miranda nodded her head in agreement.

Jon cast his gaze around the corridor, really not wanting to have this conversation in such a public place. Noticing the entrance to one of the observation lounges, which was sure to be unoccupied at such a late hour, he motioned towards the entrance and with a polite wave of his hand allowed her to enter first.

Upon entering the observation lounge Jon had a quick glance to make sure that they were alone for this conversation. Confirming they were the only ones present, Jon approached Miranda, who was staring at the stunning view. Being situated above the docking ring it gave a spectacular view of the station and the main docking ring and Jon could just make out the light from the drive engines of one or two arriving or departing ships.

"I must imagine you find this room quite claustrophobic?" Miranda broke the silence with a smile. Slightly confused, as the lounge was fairly large and they were the only occupants, Jon raised his eyebrows in question. Miranda tapped her nail against the window to clarify her meaning.

Quickly catching on that Miranda was referring to the energy field in his office he replied. "I'll get over it. I have come to realise not many people appreciate being separated from the cold vacuum of space by only a thin layer of photons." Deciding upon a somewhat oblique angle to start this conversation Jon said. "I have been meaning to congratulate you on your skills as a pilot. They are truly exceptional."

Miranda frowned for a moment before replying. "Obviously not good enough, seeing as you escaped without a scratch and I managed to collide with an asteroid completely destroying my ship and only just managing to escape with my life. No thanks to you," Miranda added bitterly.

Realising too late that this was probably not the best opening topic, but now being committed, Jon continued, "Well, I had the element of surprise on my side. The _'Light_ is not your average ship," Jon responded in a light tone, hoping to erase some of the bitterness from the younger woman.

"The _'Light_?"

"My nickname for the _Eternal Light_."

"The ' _Light_ ," Miranda replied, rolling the name on her tongue. "I like it, and it seems a good name for such an amazing ship."

"Maybe I'll let you fly her one day," Jon replied, then quickly bit his tongue, unsure where that last comment came from. He never let anyone else pilot his ship, going as far to pilot her himself when just changing docking ports at the station. Miranda however, did not seem to notice.

"So how did you learn to fly like that?" Jon pressed, continually trying to steer the conversation back in the direction of the real topic that he wanted to address.

Miranda just shrugged at the question. "I have been living on ships or stations of one kind or another ever since I can remember. I expect I was crawling around cockpits before I could walk," she exclaimed with a laugh. "Anyway, I was always asking what this button did, or that button. I guess before I knew it I understood all the functions and procedures on the ship. Therefore, sometimes they let me co-pilot the ships. After a few years of that I was piloting the ship part time, then full time. I guess I was just a natural. I love flying," Miranda explained wistfully. "The only time I ever feel free is when I am flying."

"Do you remember much of your childhood?" Jon asked softly, trying to bring up the topic he wanted to discuss.

"Not much," Miranda said. "I was told that my parents died in a freighter accident when I was very little. Luckily they managed to rescue me in time."

"You do not remember anything about your parents? You never tried to find out if you had any other family?"

"No, I was told that I was an only child and that I had no other family. Why all these questions?" Miranda finally asked, starting to get suspicious of Jon continuing to press her regarding her family and past.

"I just find it strange," Jon chose his words carefully. "You seem to have no family, no past. You said you were rescued from a freighter, but we can find no records of a freighter being found and especially no mention of a survivor. Space is a huge place Miranda. When ships are lost they are almost never found. A failure during FTL will at best drop you deep into interstellar space between systems. The area is so vast no ship would ever be found, any distress signal would take years to reach the nearest habited system. At worst a ship would be crushed by the gravity of the collapsing wormhole leaving nothing. The likelihood of a catastrophic accident that killed your family, while sparing you, with rescuers close enough to save you is improbable at best," Jon explained gently. "The only way for such an event to have occurred is for your rescuers to have already been there, before the accident that killed your parents. It is just as unlikely an accident would occur just as your rescuers happened to arrive. Your ship was attacked Miranda, your parents more than likely killed in the attack," Jon concluded sorrowfully.

Miranda started to back away from Jon, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I don't believe you," she retorted. "You're making this up. You are just trying to turn me against the only family I have. They rescued me, raised me and gave me everything I have!"

"No," Jon replied urgently, trying desperately to make her see the truth. "They have used you and now discarded you after you failed them. The same way they use everybody else to get what they want. All they care about is power, domination and wealth. You do not have to take my word for it. You have full access to the communications and computer resources of the station. You can conduct your own search. However, you will find the same that my team did. In the past thirty years the computer only found a few dozen cases of shipboard accidents where one or more crew survived. All these took place in close orbit or proximity to one of the populated systems or stations where rescue teams were quickly scrambled. All of those accidents were widely reported and none mention a young girl being rescued from the ship. Widening the search parameters to all reported missing ships for the past thirty years that had a young girl aboard only returned one result."

Jon offered Miranda the datapad he had been holding, which contained the information Jason found, before summarising it. "The ship was a long range inter-system freighter called the _Keplar_ , reported missing twenty years ago, a crew complement of twenty-nine, with one beautiful six-year-old, with dark hair and brown eyes, called Miranda. She was the daughter of the pilot and one of the flight engineers. We could only find one picture..."

Jon touched the symbol to access the photo library on the device and brought up a picture of a young couple holding a small girl in their hands. The girl had short dark hair, sparkling brown eyes and an impish smile.

"It's you," Jon insisted. "We compared the DNA linked to your record with the scan the Doctor took when he revived you. It's a perfect match."

Miranda just stared at the picture with tears running down her cheek.

"But why?" She finally asked. "Why spare me when nobody else survived?"

"We will probably never know," Jon replied sadly. "Perhaps you were fortunate to have survived the attack when the rest of the crew did not. Traditionally pirate attacks leave no survivors, since they do not want to risk anybody identifying them later. A small part of me hopes when they boarded the ship and found you alive, some grain of their humanity remained, which let them spare you and rescue you from the freighter."

Realising Miranda probably felt very alone at the moment, having the only life she knew suddenly pulled out from under her, Jon pulled her into an embrace. Miranda resisted for a moment before resting her head gently against his chest. Jon decided he would just ignore his shirt getting damp from the tears still running down her face.

Jon was about to reassure her that things would get better when the door to the observation lounge suddenly slid open and a giggling couple, who were also entwined stumbled in. Quickly noticing the couple next to the observation window, there was a moment of shocked silence, followed by a hasty apology before they ducked out of the room and the door slid shut once again.

Letting his chin rest on Miranda's head for a brief moment, with his arms still wrapped around her, Jon closed his eyes and cursed softly to himself at their inopportune timing. Living in such a small, tightly-knit environment, the crew did nothing better than gossip. Jon was certain the entire station would think that they were a couple by the start of the next shift. Realising Miranda had enough to deal with at the moment without this additional concern, Jon decided to wisely keep quiet. Perhaps he could issue a station wide bulletin at the start of next shift informing the crew they were not romantically involved.

Chapter Seven

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

A couple of days later the station's senior staff gathered in one of the large briefing rooms to discuss a recent breakthrough by Jason and his team in decoding the information contained on the data chip obtained by Jon on _Transcendence_. Jon, meanwhile, had been in a foul mood ever since the encounter with Miranda in the observation lounge. As he had expected, the next morning the entire crew was aware of the blossoming romance between the station commander and the newest addition to their crew. Jon had decided he was going to shoot the next person to congratulate him! It did not help his mood that, ever since their talk in the observation lounge, Miranda had obviously been avoiding him, most likely troubled by the revelations regarding her past. He was desperate to get this meeting concluded, not the least due to the late addition of Miranda into the group for her 'independent insight' as Paul referred to it.

As head of the team tasked with decoding the information on the chip, Jason kicked off the briefing. "As I am sure you are all aware, over the past few years there have been a number of uprisings on various colonies throughout the Confederation. While this is not unusual, as there will always be grievances and, or, local issues that incite the populace, this general level of discontent is notable in its increase." With a tap on the display controls to the holoprojector a chart appeared, hovering just above the conference room table, showing a steady but noticeable increase in colonies in open revolt during the past eighteen months.

"Again," Jason continued. "There is nothing alarming regarding this. Historical precedence shows these uprisings tend to be cyclic, with an increased period of discontent, followed by a similar period of contentment when these uprisings die down, usually after the local issues have been addressed." Again Jason clicked on the controls and the chart was replaced with another but on a much larger timescale, again you could see the peaks where the number of colonies in revolt peaked, but also troughs as these fizzled out and died. "However, the data recently obtained by the Commander sheds a worrying new light on the recent uprisings, as these seem to have been well planned and organised in advance."

Leaning forward in interest, his recent foul mood forgotten, Jon inquired. "But surely this is normal? While I appreciate that occasional uprisings are fairly spontaneous and caused by some particular flashpoint, surely other rebellions are planned? General discontent causes a small group of individuals to band together and incite the general mass. Again history seems to support this scenario."

Jason nodded his head in agreement at the Commander's insight, but added, "The difference this time is the data chip you obtained indicates the planning and organisation for multiple uprisings comes from a single person, or more likely organisation, located outside the systems in revolt."

The room went deathly silent following this startling announcement.

Once again leaning forward, Jon insisted. "You are referring to a conspiracy? A conspiracy by one or more people to insight revolt and uprising through the Confederation?"

Jason nodded his head in agreement at Jon's conclusion before continuing. "Currently there are eighteen systems in open revolt, which are actively pushing to secede from the Confederation. There are a further five systems that are actively leaning in this direction. Of the approximate one-hundred, sixty-six systems that currently make up the Confederation, my intelligence team predict it would only take a further dozen or so systems to declare they want to break away from the Confederation to result in outright civil war. As you know, the Confederation Charter stipulates that each individual system contribute to the Confederation Navy. The outcome of almost twenty percent of the Confederation trying to break away would cause a complete disintegration of the navy, resulting in a general civil war, especially if the remaining systems refuse to allow the breakaway colonies to secede and utilise the navy to retain these systems."

The room was speechless after the dire predictions laid forth by Jason.

"Why does the Confederation not recognise this threat? Why is it not being actively debated and discussed by the Senate?" Paul inquired curiously.

"I can only assume they do not have the same intel we do," Jason responded. "The current situation is no worse than it has been in the past." He motioned towards the chart that displayed the historical data for the past twenty years. "We have the advantage of knowing from the data that these uprisings have been incited and we know additional uprisings are being actively planned. Additionally, from reading the after-action report from the Commander, it was obviously the intention of this informant that we pass this information onto the Confederation."

Leaning back in his chair for a moment, Jon added thoughtfully. "Thinking back about the encounter it was that aspect that most stood out for me. The informant 'Snow' was insistent I pass on this information. However, I got the impression he had a particular person in mind and not just the Confederation as a whole. He seemed to suggest this person would pay particular attention to this information if it came from me directly, unlike if he approached the Senate or this person directly."

Nodding his head in agreement, Jason agreed. "Intelligence noted the same thing from your report and we think we know the person he was referring to. Has anybody been following recent developments in the Confederation Senate?" Jason inquired of the room, as a whole.

There was a general shaking of heads, and Paul commented, "I prefer the sports channel. The political broadcasts put me to sleep."

Jason rolled his eyes and updated the senior staff on recent events. "Following political infighting and corruption charges levelled at the previous Senate President, the Senate voted in a new President last month—Sofia Aurelius," Jason announced, purposefully averting his eyes from Jon.

Meanwhile Jon, who had been leaning back in his chair, with his feet propped up on the table, fell to the floor in complete shock. Desperately grabbing an arm of his chair to drag himself off the floor Jon asked, in a strangled voice, "Sofia...my, our Sofia is now President?"

" _The President_ of the Confederation Senate," Jason replied succinctly, just in case there had been some misunderstanding with regards to which presidency she had recently been elevated to. There was a general clearing of throats and averted gazes as Jon hauled himself back into his seat and slumped in his chair.

"I cannot believe it," Jon stated in disbelief. "She mentioned she was thinking of going into politics the last time that I saw her." he said, thinking aloud.

"Would that have been the time that she was clinging to you like a barnacle in tears?" Paul commented with a wide smirk. "Or the other time when she was throwing things at you and threatening bodily harm if you ever set foot within her sight again?" Paul was trying to suppress a laugh.

"I do not understand," Miranda interjected, obviously confused. "Who is this Sofia Aurelius?"

Taking pity on Jon, who was still trying to get over the shock, Paul replied. "Sofia Aurelius was, is, the only daughter of the last Imperial Emperor Marcus Aurelius," Paul explained. "She and Jon had a 'thing' going on a while back." Paul smirked.

"Old Flame," Doctor Richardson added, also grinning.

"Ex-Flame," Jon interjected, giving the occupants of the room an evil stare. "We had some history a while back, but we are both long over that." Jon tried to dismiss the matter as unimportant.

"Sure was some history," Paul quipped. "I remember walking into your quarters that morning when we could not find her, and found you in bed with..."

"Thanks Paul," Jon interrupted before he could continue, starting to turn an interesting shade of red and noticing the poorly suppressed laughter coming from many of the occupants of the room. It seemed to be his week to be the centre of the station's attention regarding his love life, or lack thereof.

"Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand," Jon insisted, trying to deflect the attention away from Sofia and himself. "Jason, did your team manage to retrieve anything else from the data chip?"

"Only some ship registers, cargo manifests, intercepted communication fragments, nothing concrete, certainly nothing we can use. However we did come across an interesting correlation. With the on-going threat to our ships and crew we have been paying a lot more attention to Syndicate activity in this system, in particular their ships, routes, cargos etc. The computer found an extremely strong correlation between the Syndicate activity we have been tracking and the data contained on the chip."

"Interesting," Jon thought aloud. "How strong is the data correlation that you have found?"

"Approximately eighty-eight percent so far," Jason said. "We are still trying to track down the registration of the other ships detailed in the data chip, but so far almost everyone is either a Syndicate ship or one that is registered to one of their innumerable shell companies."

Jon raised an eyebrow at such a high correlation in the data and inquired, "What is the possibility this is just a coincidence?"

Tapping a couple of controls, Jason replaced the image on the holoscreen with a shipping manifest for the " _Eagle Star_ " an interstellar freighter.

"This freighter is owned by Carnival Logistics, which through various financial transactions and shell companies we have confirmed is actually one-hundred percent owned and run by the Syndicate. This freighter was at the Lalande system approximately four weeks before the revolt started in that system. The cargo manifest lists it as carrying 120,000 kilograms of food-stuffs."

"That's a pile of crap," Paul interjected. "I know the Lalande system. Their primary export is agricultural foodstuff. The entire system is one big farm. It's the biggest exporter of food in the entire sector."

"Correct," Jason agreed. "This is just one example out of dozens of others. Coincidence? Perhaps, but it's strange to have such a high data correlation of what we know for a fact are smugglers visiting systems that are soon after in open revolt, often with well-armed insurgents, excellent intelligence, who quickly overthrow local planetary authorities. The question is, what are we going to do with this intelligence?" Jason asked the room.

Jon reviewed the shipping manifest still projected in the air and thought about the other intelligence that had been highlighted. "It's not enough," he concluded. "What we have so far is all conjecture, speculation and a lot of coincidences. We need hard facts and more importantly we need proof. I am not going to approach the Confederation Council or Sofia—" Jon winced at the thought of how that conversation would pan out. "Without some hard facts, people." Jon did not think it would be helpful to add he had risked his life and cost the lives of a large number of close friends to rescue Sofia the last time. He had no intention of telling her anything that was going to put her life at risk—the Confederation be damned.

"Suggestions? Proposals?" Jon addressed the question to his senior staff.

After a moment of silence, Gunny offered, "I have discussed an idea with David, and got his full support," he said, referring to their head of security. "However, as the original idea came from Miranda, I think she should be the one to present it." Patrick gestured to her to continue.

Surprised, as it was obvious she was not expecting to be asked to contribute to the meeting, Miranda took a deep breath and explained. "If we need hard facts and information then we need to get our hands on a Syndicate computer core, high level personnel, or both. As we can safely assume they will not volunteer this information, I propose we go ahead and take it." The room became very still following this announcement.

Leaning forward and staring at Miranda intensely, Jon commented. "You are suggesting we raid one of the Syndicate bases?" Jon scoffed. "Based on our intelligence," Jon cast his gaze towards Jason before continuing. "Such a raid would be a disaster, as all the Syndicate outposts are too heavily defended with space-based energy, projectile and missile emplacements. Any assault team would get cut to pieces before we could get within a ten kilometres radius of any of their stations."

"Most of their bases of operations in this system are significant in size and therefore heavily protected," Miranda conceded. "However I often shuttled high-ranking members of the organisation to a smaller outpost. They used this for more confidential high-level briefings and discussions. By its very nature this was smaller, highly concealed and lightly defended. Ideally I could sneak a small shuttle onto the station with my access codes, assuming they have not been changed. Thereafter we should be able to neutralise any defences and send a boarding team to capture their computer core."

"I assume this is where you two come in?" Jon interjected, dryly pointing his finger at Gunny and David.

"A number of my marines have been training with security for the past few weeks," Patrick replied confidently. "While it will take a little longer to make marines out of them, we can assemble an assault team consisting of a dozen Special Forces and Marines backed up by David and his security team. We can punch through whatever defences they have, grab the computer core and be out of there in less than ten minutes, long before any reinforcements could arrive."

"And you agreed to this crazy scheme?" Jon directed this question to his head of security.

"The plan is tactically sound, sir," David responded stiffly. "We have a fairly good idea of the internal layout of the station from Miranda. We will have the element of surprise on our side. Patrick and his team will assault the computer core while my team and I secure the dock and cover the exit."

Jon just shook his head in disbelief at the sheer audacity of the plan his senior staff was proposing. Just to waltz onto a Syndicate station, no matter how lightly defended, poke around until they had located the computer core, steal it right under the noses of the Syndicate and waltz back out. Sighing, as there seemed to be no better ideas, Jon concluded the meeting. "I want to see a full tactical plan on my desk in forty-eight hours... and it had better be damn good. Dismissed!"

As his senior command staff filed out of the conference room, Jon's thoughts turned back to Sofia. It had been at least eight hours since he had last thought about her. Jon idly wondered if he was going to spend the rest of his life thinking about her.

Lashing out in frustration, Jon threw the datapad that had been resting on the table in front of him, taking some satisfaction in the sharp _crack_ as it shattered against the wall. Stalking across the room he stared out of the window at the stars, the only way he seemed to find any peace and solitude these days.

Jon had spent years crisscrossing the Confederation, hunting down Harkov after ensuring Sofia's safe arrival on Eden Prime. In those years he had seen sights and sounds most citizens could only dream of, but with his desperate quest for vengeance always driving him onwards. As each rumour, each possible sighting was meticulously followed up on—always with no success— another piece of Jon's soul seemed to die.

In his quest for vengeance he had discarded everyone and all he still held dear. Finally, coming to the very edge of explored space, gazing upon the billions and billions of unexplored stars ahead, he finally surrendered to his despair. With loneliness as his only companion he turned his ship around. All the things he had seen, experienced—

But what's the point of life, if you have nobody to share it with!

On his return Jon had spent restless nights tossing and turning, his dreams plagued by Sofia, her smile, her scent and her gentle touch. Now he spent his days aimlessly wandering the station, alone, in this ivory tower, his own self-imposed exile. Hiding from the mistakes he had made in the past.

Jon had failed so many people in his life, first his younger sister then, when he had joined the navy, his colleagues, finally concluding with the Emperor, his fellow Praetorians and eventually even Sofia. Everything that he touched, he destroyed. Jon felt in his heart this meaningless existence was the cost he had to bear for a lifetime of mistakes.

Glancing down at the conference table, Jon observed the small data chip innocently resting in front of him. Jason had put it there prior to his departure from the room. Delicately picking up the chip he observed it thoughtfully, resting in the palm of his hand.

He had no regard for the Confederation. The Confederation had been Sofia's dream, not his. Everything he had done for the Confederation in the past was for her—not them. He had dragged Sofia through hell to get her to Eden Prime. By some miracle, bloodied and bruised they had finally made it alive, just. He had no intention of dragging Sofia through such events again. She had seen too much death and destruction in those few short months.

Jon slammed the chip against the table's surface, and its delicate membrane shattering, leaving a thin coating of fragments littering the table's surface.

Chapter Eight

_Five_ _Years Previously_

Altair V, Altair System

Jon brought the _'Light_ down in a gentle descent along the terminator of the planet Altair V. Following their disastrous visit to _Transcendence_ , Jon had made the conscious decision to avoid any populated areas and had decided to land the _'Light_ some distance from Carrington city, the main settlement on Altair. The plan, discussed during the short FTL jump from _Transcendence_ , was to put the shuttle down just beyond the city, to conceal it and then make their way using ground-based transportation to his family's home.

Jon had purposefully chosen this time to begin the descent, as hopefully the setting sun along the terminator would help shield the shuttles re-entry from any observant eyes. Jon knew for a fact that sensors from the ancient orbiting docking control would be unable to track the descending shuttle.

Outside of the core-worlds, Altair had been one of the first worlds settled. Located sixteen-point-seven light-years from the Sol system, it was one of the most visible stars from the birthplace of humanity. Unfortunately it had also been one of the most disappointing. As a type-A main sequence star with approximately one-point-eight times the mass of the Sol star, it was also eleven times its luminosity. Combined with an extremely rapid rate of rotation it resulted in an extremely narrow 'Goldilocks zone', the zone where water could exist in a liquid form on the planetary surface and a breathable atmosphere could develop. Unfortunately only one planet in the system fell into this zone—just. With a wide day-night temperature variation of between -40oC during the night and up to 50oC during the day, life was difficult for the early colonists. Crops often failed due to the temperature range and the infrequent rains, and there were little mineral resources discovered on the planet. Was it not for the close proximity to the core-systems it was entirely possible the system would have been completely abandoned. Instead the system managed to eke out a meagre existence from the frequent trade ships travelling between the core and rim worlds, combined with some heavy industry and weak agriculture. With high unemployment, rampant crime, and little prospects, the rest of the Imperium looked down upon the inhabitants of Altair.

Jon had not been born into a well-to-do family. The eldest of two, he had spent most of his youth scrabbling in the streets, doing anything he could to earn some credits to help his family. His father worked as a mechanic in the small spaceport and his mother had balanced two jobs along with bringing up two kids. The likely outcome for the young Radec would have been a short education followed by longer hours in the factories, were it not for his parents. Desperate for their son to aspire to greater things, they pooled all their hard-earned wages and sent Jon to the Imperial Military College, the select school on Altair, where Jon's situation only grew worse.

The buffeting of atmospheric re-entry awoke Jon from his internal contemplation. It had been many years since he had last been to Altair. Reducing power to the shuttle's main engines and bringing the shuttle's nose up slightly to reduce the air turbulence, Jon looked up to observe Sofia had gone an even whiter shade of pale. Not having said much since their frantic escape from _Transcendence_ , Jon was hoping to have an opportunity to talk, in private, at his home. Jon had been in enough combat to recognise the symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Hopefully Sofia would confide in him and he could help her, as Jon knew from personal experience just keeping the feelings and emotions bottled up inside would only make the situation worse.

Turning back to the flight instruments, Jon confirmed the shuttle was in atmospheric flight mode. Glancing out of the cockpit windows he could make out the lights of Carrington City ahead. Banking slightly to port, Jon angled the shuttle towards the southern tip of the city, as this was where his family lived. Activating the shuttle's sensors he began to look for a good, concealed landing spot. A dry riverbed thirty kilometres ahead seemed like the ideal location, and so Jon began the ship's landing cycle.

*****

Being only a few hours after sunset, Altair time, Jon suggested to Sofia they could walk the few kilometres to the city's public transport system. From there they could obtain transport to his family's modest residence on the outskirts of the city. After taking a few moments to conceal the shuttle, the young couple setoff towards the bright lights of the city.

Initially the journey was easy going, as this close to the city the terrain was relatively flat, mostly consisting of well-marked hiking trails for the more adventurous inhabitants. Soon, however, the sky started to cloud over, followed by a light rain, then a deluge. Jon had forgotten how changeable the weather could be on Altair and within moments they both were completely soaked.

Cursing, Jon raised his eyes skywards, wondering what he could possibly have done in an earlier life to deserve such a continuous streak of bad luck. Allowing his gaze to wander, observing a gap in the cloud cover, he took in the magnificent, star-filled vista above them. With little heavy industry on the planet, and still being a distance from Carrington City, the sky seemed to be alive with stars. Jon could easy pick-out the major constellations. He had forgotten what had drawn him to space in the first instance. Sitting outside the city, on a path much like this one, staring into the night-sky, wishing on a star, wondering what adventures awaited, what princesses he would meet. With a soft smile his gaze fell from the dark sky to focus on the soaked and weary woman walking at his side.

Noticing the way her hair was plastered to the side of her face, rivulets of water ran down her face and her drenched flight-suit hugging her curves closely, Jon was mesmerised by the sight, wondering how he had spent so many years in her company but only recently recognising how astonishingly beautiful that she was.

_Looks like both of my wishes came true_.

It was only a short distance further, trudging through the thick mud the path had become, until they came to the edge of the city proper and Jon quickly found a public communication terminal to call for transport to his home. When the transport arrived it was only a brief journey to their destination and, before they knew it, they were disembarking from the taxi in a small up-market suburb of the city. While the houses were built close together, it was obvious from the street the owners took pride in their homes, with all being neat and well maintained.

Assuming this was where Jon grew up, Sofia looked around curiously and, with a hint of nervousness, following him towards one of the well-maintained homes.

Recognising the nerves in her expression, Jon caught Sofia by the hand and, in a reassuring tone, whispered. "Don't worry; I am sure my family will love you!" It was only after he had uttered the words that he noticed the Freudian slip. Fortunately Sofia seemed not to notice as her attention was solely focused on the approaching door. Activating the announcer, Jon waited patiently for somebody to open the door; the thought suddenly crossed his mind.

I hope they're at home!

Fortunately he needn't have worried, as only moments later the door was opened by his mother. Her puzzled expression rapidly changed to delight upon recognising her son. "Jon?" she asked, confused for a moment as she had not been expecting him. "Jon!" she exclaimed again in delight, enfolding him in a rib-crushing hug. "Ryan!" she called back into the house. "You get out here right this instant."

The sounds of doors opening and closing could be heard, along with some grumbling when Jon's father rounded the corner and froze at the sight of his long-absent son. His expression of shocked disbelief suddenly changed to delight and he enfolded both of them in a huge hug, not even giving his mother the chance to release her hold on him.

It was only while enfolded in their loving embrace that Jon truly allowed himself to relax. The last week had been a nightmare of battles, dramatic escapes and running for their lives. Continually looking over their shoulder to see who might be chasing them. Suddenly, Jon remembered Sofia. Looking over his shoulder at her, he watched her observing the scene closely, with such yearning in her eyes. Remembering the recent loss of her father, and losing her mother when she was only a small child, Jon suddenly felt very awkward surrounded by the love of his family. Gently detaching himself from their embrace he reached behind him and slowly dragged Sofia into the light, both parents stilled at the sudden sight of Sofia and Jon awkwardly introduced her.

"Mum, Dad, I would like you to meet... Sofia," Jon explained with difficulty, only at the last minute deciding to not mention her full title and family name. He knew he would need to give a full explanation later but thought it was better not to have that conversation on their front doorstep. "Sofia, my father Ryan," Jon introduced. "And my mother Irene." Both pairs of eyes swivelled to focus on Sofia before turning back to him with inquiring expressions. Internally Jon sighed to himself. This was far too close to an introduce-the-girlfriend-to-the-parents-for-the-first-time situation than he was entirely comfortable with and he knew his parents were leaping to some wild assumptions, but now was not the time to have this discussion.

His mother was quick off the mark, and invited Sofia into the house before he could get one more word in edgeways, leaving Jon on the doorstep facing his very bemused father.

Recognising the weary expression on Jon's face and his soaked clothes, his father sympathetically asked, "Why don't we get a drink while the ladies get acquainted?" Jon could only nod in agreement before entering their home.

*****

Seated, Jon gratefully accepted a towel to dry himself and a glass of Scotch from his father, and was momentarily warmed by the smoky drink easily sliding down his throat. His father was briefly taken off balance, when Jon motioned towards the bottle for a refill. Jon had never been a heavy drinker.

"You want to tell your old man what is going on?" His father asked perceptively, recognising the weary expression on his son's face was not just a result of the long journey.

Trying to think where to start, Jon simply stated. "The Emperor is dead."

Recognising the bleak expression on his son's face, his father inquired. "I assume he did not pass away quietly in his sleep?" Jon simply shook his head and started to recount the story from the beginning.

It was sometime later when Jon concluded the narrative with their arrival at his parent's home. His father just stood silently for a moment before peering down at his own empty glass.

"I think I'll join you in another drink," he stated, pouring himself a generous helping and refilling his son's glass, which was also now empty. "So after almost five-hundred years, the rule of the Aurelius family has finally come to an end," his father murmured aloud.

"Maybe, maybe not," Jon replied, peering thoughtfully into his glass, swirling the smoky drink around.

"I forgot, Marcus has, or had, a daughter."

Jon could never get his head around his father referring to the Emperor by his first name. "Has." Jon corrected his father's earlier statement.

"So where is she now?" His father inquired innocently, as Jon had only mentioned Sofia in passing while recounting their escape from the _Imperial Star_. Unfortunately his father noticed Jon's eyes flicker towards the sound of his mother and Sofia in the adjoining room.

His father's eyes went as wide as saucers. "You cannot be serious!" he exclaimed. "You brought her here? An Imperial Princess? Daughter of the Emperor?"

"What the _hell_ was I meant to do?" Jon hissed in frustration, almost spilling his drink. "We have the entire Imperial Navy chasing us. Half seem to be intent on killing us, and the other half, who knows? The Praetorians are no more and, on top of that, we seem to have a bounty on our head, so every bounty hunter and mercenary in the Imperium is out to get us. I didn't know where else to go." Jon exclaimed in a despairing tone.

Ryan peered down at his son, ashamed. He had just been taken by surprise and had not meant the harsh words spoken. Patting him reassuringly on the shoulder, he said, "You know you always have a place here, and whomever else you want to invite. After all, you did buy the house for us, so it's yours just as much as it is ours." His father exclaimed with a warm chuckle.

With the reassuring touch and warm words, Jon looked up in thanks, before asking softly. "What do I do now?"

"Well the first thing we are not going to do is tell your mother about the princess," his father stated firmly. "Hell, your mother spends days cleaning the house whenever we have guests from the 'old neighbourhood', if she found out we had an Imperial Princess here she would be cleaning into the next decade." Jon smiled at his father's humour, deciding urgent decisions about what to do next could wait until the morning.

"Do you have anything to eat?" Jon inquired desperately. "We have been living off emergency rations from the shuttle for the past week. I'm famished!"

With a hearty laugh his father clapped his hand on his shoulder and stated. "Let's go and see what your mother has planned for dinner."

*****

Sofia looked around curiously, not sure what to expect from Jon's family. She was still embarrassed at not having given them a thought in the past. Sofia remembered, uncomfortably, more than once mocking Jon about having no life when, lonely and roaming the _Imperial Star,_ she came across him. Whenever she encountered him, he was always busy with reports, eating alone or checking on their security. She repeatedly urged him to get a hobby, or _get a life_ she remembered was her favourite term. Now, walking through his childhood home, she wondered if he had also been very much alone. She could never remember seeing him with anyone, aside from fellow officers, issuing orders. Looking back on the time, Sofia remembered he had always made time for her, while the other officers and Praetorians seemed to go out of their way to avoid her. She wondered if it was this, back so long ago, which had drawn her interest to the young Commander.

Picking up a photo that was resting on a shelf, she noticed the young boy with the grey eyes and dark hair, wearing an instantly recognisable, serious expression. It was another thing she associated with the Commander. He almost never laughed or smiled, and she wondered what happened to cause him to permanently wear such a grim expression. Her sight was instead drawn to a young girl at Jon's side. She guessed she was a few years younger than Jon; his sister she assumed, as both children had almost identical features, except the girl had a wide smile, as though she had just trounced her older, more serious brother.

Remembering Jon's mother, she turned to face her, the picture still in her hand. "Jon's sister?" she asked motioning towards the picture. Sofia was taken aback when instead of the proud smile that she was expecting, Irene's expression slipped and a sliver of sorrow crept into her expression.

Taking the picture gently from the younger woman, she looked at it for an instant before explaining. "Yes, our younger child Catherine. She passed away when she was still young. This was the last photo that we have of the two children. They were always close and Jon was never quite the same after she passed away. We think he blamed himself." Irene continued to look at the picture fondly before putting it back safely on the shelf.

"Jon was involved in her death?" Sofia asked shocked.

"Of course not!" Irene replied firmly. "Catherine died from a genetic disorder, Tay-Sachs disease. There was nothing Jon could do."

Surprised, by this news, Sofia replied confused, "I thought we could cure all genetic defects now by gene regeneration therapy."

"Yes, dear," Irene replied patiently. "But such a treatment is hugely expensive and is only available on the core words. The medical centre on Altair does not offer treatments and we...we could not afford to send Catherine for treatment."

Sofia looked around at the neat and tidy house, with the plush furnishings, remembering the pretty neighbourhood and asked confused, "But how can you afford...?"

"We did not buy this house, dear," Jon's mother explained. "Jon purchased this for us a few years ago. Our old home, was..." Irene paused for a moment. "Let's just say it was not such a safe neighbourhood and Jon worried about us."

Sofia was just astounded, looking at her surroundings in a new light. Jon had purchased this for them? But how? Remembering her earlier recollections of Jon on the _Imperial Star_. Always alone, never leaving the fleet, never spending anything. Suddenly Jon's past began to make more sense, but still it did not explain everything. While this home was certainly no palace, it was still a substantial purchase and while Sofia had no idea what a Commander in the Imperial Fleet earned, she doubted that it was enough to buy this in just a few years. So where had Jon got the money for this? Borrowed it? Looking at the proud woman in front of her and having known Jon for a few years, she doubted it. They would have been too proud to ask. Ashamed, Sofia realised a few years ago she would have just laughed in Jon's face if he had asked her for money, although the money to purchase such a house was a drop in the ocean for her.

So how had he done it? Sofia hated not knowing things and would not let the thought go. Stole it? Blackmail? Threats? Sofia rejected each one out of hand, unable to picture the scene of some darkened corridor with Jon shaking down somebody for money. She _knew_ Jon, knew he would never lower himself to that, that his personal honour and integrity would not allow it. Her mind kept going back to the phrase _a few years ago_. Why did that sentence keep sticking in her mind? Well that was an easy question to answer, since it was when she first met Jon, at the award ceremony... And suddenly everything slotted into place and she knew with absolute certainty what Jon had used to purchase a new home for his family.

*****

Imperial Princess Sofia Aurelius, daughter of the Emperor, crown jewel of the Empire, stifled a yawn. As an Imperial Princess tradition dictated she had to be present, at her father's side, at the fleet award ceremony. Held twice per year, it was to recognise Imperial Navy personnel, the backbone of the Empire, for outstanding contributions and recognition for heroism and bravery. Peering down the line of immaculate naval officers Sofia was quick to form the opinion there certainly were a large number of Captains, Commodores and Admirals to be recognised.

_Is nobody else in the fleet above Captain capable of bravery and heroism_? Sofia wondered ironically. _Perhaps the rest of the navy have more common sense._

Finally her eyes came to rest on one of the officers at the end of the parade line. Considering her earlier thought she noticed he was much younger than the rest, nearer her own age. He was also a lot junior, no Captain or Admiral but simply a young Lieutenant. By chance he was also standing directly opposite from her and, while the other officers seemed to be staring into outer space, _probably trying to stay awake too,_ Sofia thought, this officer was staring straight ahead, at her. Subtly glancing to either side she confirmed nobody else was standing near her. Noticing her puzzled expression, the young officer's stoic expression shifted to a knowing grin for an instant, and then was gone. Sofia was incensed! But what was she going to do? Interrupt proceedings and berate the young officer, in front of all, for _smiling_ at her? Everyone in the room would think her silly. Hence, with a firm shake of her head, she intently focused on the Admiral currently being awarded the fleet cross for bravery.

Yawn.

Quickly glancing back at the officer to check he was not still staring at her and finding he was, she averted her gaze again. Damn it! She could feel herself start to blush and it was only though extreme self-control and thinking about other topics, aside from young fleet officers, with deep grey eyes and gentle smiles, she was able to control it.

Finally, much to her relief, the ceremony came to the young fleet officer, the last recipient for the day.

"Lieutenant Jonathan Radec," the herald called out. The young officer smartly stepped forward. "In recognition for outstanding heroism and bravery, in the face of impossible odds and at significant risk to yourself and your squadron, the Emperor awards you the Fleet Medal. The Aurelius Star Cluster."

Sofia could not help it, her mouth dropped open in disbelief. This young man, this lowly Lieutenant, surrounded by Captains, Commodores and Admirals was to receive the Fleet Medal, the Aurelius Star Cluster, the highest military award in the fleet, in the Imperium? No way!

However, the young officer ignored the stunned silence in the room, ignored the fact every eye in the room, and probably those of the fleet, as this ceremony was broadcast live, was on him. Instead he confidently marched forward to stand in front of the Emperor, her father, to receive the award.

He fell to one knee, with a flourish, in front of the Emperor. Her father laid the medal around his neck and then, in a complete break with tradition and to an audible gasp from the audience, offered the young man his hand to stand. For a brief moment Sofia thought he was going to refuse her father's hand. After all, it was death for anybody daring to touch the Emperor, and she wondered why her father offered his hand, perhaps some test? However, the young officer smoothly grasped the proffered hand and rose once again to his feet. Slowly, but with increasing volume, clapping began from the legion of assembled officers, which quickly grew in volume until it was deafening.

Sofia was expecting the young officer to return to his position in the parade when, instead, he turned the other direction to face her. Sofia watched, speechlessly, as the young officer took her hand with a gentle smile and, bringing her hand to his mouth, kissed her softly on its back.

With a small bow and his eyes sparkling, he simply uttered the word, "Princess," half in greeting and half in farewell. He then departed to re-join his fellow officers. Sofia could not help herself and blushed furiously. _Bastard!_

*****

Several hours later, late in the evening on the _Imperial Star_ , Sofia found her father alone in his study.

"He must have been very brave, or very heroic." _Or very crazy_ , Sofia added silently.

"Who, dear?" her father inquired.

"That young officer you awarded the fleet medal to today."

"Oh, him," her father replied with a grin. "I noticed he made quite an impression on you at the ceremony. Although I did not like how he touched you," the Emperor continued. Sofia just waved away her father's overzealous, protective streak. "And yes, he was very brave, and heroic," her father added.

Sitting down across from her father, she asked, "So what did he do to achieve such an award?" She was just curious about what he did to achieve such a medal and was in no way personally interested in the man himself...

Her father was silent for a moment then began to explain, choosing his words carefully. "Different people have different beliefs," his father explained to her. "Sometimes these different groups of people do not get along. When this happens, sometimes, we relocate these people to other systems to avoid conflict. We were moving one such group of people, twenty-five thousand of them in fact, many women and children, when slavers attacked."

Sofia had studied enough political science to know that while slavery had been illegal for centuries, it was still a very profitable enterprise, especially on some of the rim worlds, which had extreme climates but were rich in minerals.

"The slavers attacked in a surprisingly large force and took the Imperial escorts by surprise. Most were destroyed, and the Commander ordered the remaining task force to withdraw." Her father made it patently clear what he felt regarding that, and Sofia could well understand his disappointment at the fleet abandoning twenty-five thousand people to slavers. "What remained of the task force escaped," her father explained, "except for the Lieutenant and his squadron of fighters. He refused the order to abandon the families to the slavers."

"He ordered his squadron to stay and fight?" Sofia asked, amazed his fellow pilots did not just ignore the order and escape.

"No, he asked them," came the astonishing response. "According to the communication transcripts he told them he would prefer to die with honour protecting women and children from slavery, than live for the rest of his life with the guilt of abandoning them. It seemed his squadron agreed with him, as none of them left. They held off the slavers for almost an hour, until Imperial reinforcements could arrive, by which time he was the only one left alive."

Sofia gasped in grief. "He was the only pilot in the squadron to survive?" she asked. Her father just nodded sadly. "So what is he going to do now?" she asked concerned.

"I have not thought about that yet. He will probably be re-assigned to another squadron," her father replied distractedly.

"You should assign him here," the young Sofia insisted brightly. "He must be an excellent pilot and, as you said, he is certainly very brave, and heroic," Sofia added, responding with her father's own description. "And anyway I thought he was kind of cute," Sofia added.

Her father looked up thoughtfully for a moment before replying, "I might just do that."

*****

Looking at her surroundings in an entirely new light, Sofia was completely astonished. She knew with absolute certainty Jon had sold the medal, the Aurelius Star Cluster, a medal that had been awarded exactly sixteen times since the founding of the Empire by her great, great, great grandfather Edward. She had checked and knew the number of recipients was accurate. She could picture Jon in his cramped quarters on board the _Imperial Star_ , gazing at the medal. Rewarded for leading his squadron to their deaths, only to be spared the same fate, by, well, fate. Then picturing has family back on Altair, in some small decrepit apartment, in some horrific neighbourhood, and realising the medal could have a purpose, could be put to good use to help somebody. The thought brought tears to her eyes.

The next minute she was engulfed in a similar rib-breaking hug, similar to that which had been inflicted upon Jon only a few minutes earlier.

"There is no need to be upset, dear," Jon's mother explained hurriedly. "Ryan and I are perfectly fine here now. We've gotten over the loss of our daughter, although we still both worry about Jon a lot."

Sofia considered for a moment explaining it was not that had brought tears to her eyes, but instead what Jon had sacrificed for his family. However, it was obvious he had not chosen to tell them how he managed to afford their new home and she did not feel that it was her place to explain. Anyway, Sofia could not remember the last time someone had embraced her in such an affectionate manner. Her father had been loving, but not a demonstrative man. Thoughts of her father brought back memories of her own recent loss and before she knew it, she was spilling the story of her own loss to Jon's mother.

Coming to the point in the story about the attack on her on _Transcendence_ Sofia's words ground to a halt. Not knowing how to put into words the paralysing fear and loathing. However, a soft touch on her chin lifted her gaze to look into Irene's eyes. Her eyes were so sympathetic and understanding the words just came out in a tumble, the thought of being forced down and their disgusting hands pawing all over her body.

"They cannot hurt you anymore, dear," Irene reassured her softly. "Jon and Ryan won't let anything happen to you while you are here. Nobody can hurt you."

"I know they cannot hurt me anymore," Sofia tried to explain, recounting Jon's rescue and her captor's violent deaths.

"Good," Irene stated in a vehement tone that shocked the younger woman. "Then as well as you, they cannot hurt anybody else." Sofia had never considered that before, still reeling from the attack and the violence Jon had seemed to display so effortlessly.

However, any further discussion was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Ryan and Jon stomping into the room. Both froze like statues at the sight of the two women standing in the middle of the room in a tight embrace with tears running down their cheeks.

Eyes darting between the two women, Jon asked cautiously, "Mum, Sofia, is everything okay?"

"Yes dear," his mother hurriedly reassured him, brushing away the tears from her cheeks. "Sofia and I were just catching up. Have you and Ryan finished your discussion?" She quickly deflected the question back.

"Yes, I don't suppose you have anything to eat? Sofia and I have not had a proper meal in days and we are famished."

"Of course, dear. Sorry, I should have thought of it earlier. Ryan, while I am heating up some dinner for us could you prepare the guest bedroom for Sofia. Unless you are staying with Jon tonight?" She blissfully threw the question out to the room. Surprised by the sudden silence she looked up to find the three of them rooted to the spot, all with eyes as wide as saucers!

"Uh no, if you could make-up the spare bedroom...that would be... great," Jon replied hesitantly, refusing to make eye contact with anybody else in the room.

"Okay, sure," Irene replied, confused by the reaction to her innocent question from the other occupants of the room. "Ryan, could you see to it while I go and start dinner?" She asked her husband.

"Sure, love, I'll get onto it right away. I expect after their long journey they will want to retire early tonight."

"Sofia, would you like to give me a hand?" Irene asked casually. For the second time in the space of a minute you could hear a pin drop.

_Ryan Radec, you are going to have some serious explaining to do later_ , Irene thought to herself, fuming. It seemed everybody knew what was going on except her.

"I'm not very good at food preparation, Mrs. Radec," Sofia explained softly. "But I would be happy to help you any way I can," she added confidently, purposefully ignoring the two men who were staring at her, open–mouthed, in disbelief.

Gently pulling her by the elbow in the direction of the kitchen, Irene exclaimed loudly before the door closed, "Please dear, call me Irene."

Jon stared at his father intently. This was entirely his fault, as he had planned to make detailed introductions before now.

"Not a word son, not a word." His father exclaimed, wagging his finger at his eldest son before heading towards the bedrooms to prepare the guest room.

"So what am I meant to do?" Jon asked the empty room rhetorically.

*****

Dinner consisted of a meat stew with some carbohydrate supplements and fresh vegetables, recently picked from his parents' garden. Having been living on fleet rations for the better part of a week, both Jon and Sofia were famished and hence both asked for second helpings. The topic of conversation at dinner was purposefully kept light, with Ryan and Irene updating the young couple on the latest news on Altair. Jon asked a few casual questions about some of the old neighbours and the new, along with inquiring about what they thought of the new house. The only important topic discussed over the meal was regarding repairs to their ship. Ryan assured his son that, while he had long since retired from working at the spaceport, he still knew a number of colleagues working there who would be happy to help.

Jon had not been away from Altair long enough to have forgotten how things worked. As nobody had much to spare, everything worked on an informal barter system, where you helped out your neighbour and colleagues and they returned the favour when you need it.

By then it was already starting to get late, Jon was exhausted and looking forward to getting some sleep. Sofia's expression was also starting to sag, so she quickly agreed when Jon proposed that they both retire for the night. Showing Sofia to the guest room and making sure that she had everything she needed, Jon wearily made for his own room. Only just having time to strip off his flight-suit before falling dreamlessly asleep, draped across his bed.

*****

Jon's eyes suddenly snapped open a couple of hours later, all his senses suddenly flaring to life. His hand had instinctively reached for his sword by the side of his bed, before he realised that he was not in his quarters on the _Imperial Star._ Jon stayed silent for a moment, reaching out with all his senses, trying to determine why he had woken so suddenly.

Suddenly he heard the noise again, which had woken him moments earlier. A muffled cry coming from the next room—Sofia's room. Grabbing the nearest pair of pants, which Jon ironically noticed were a pair of sweatpants emblazoned with the tag, 'Property of Imperial Military College, Altair' Jon hurried towards Sofia's room. Not noticing anything out of the ordinary, Jon decided discretion was the best approach, and hence knocked softly on the door. As there was no response, but still the occasional muffled cry coming from inside the room, Jon slowly opened the door and entered the room.

As his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, he could make out Sofia lying across the bed. She had obviously found one of his old sweatshirts to wear, as it was about five sizes too big and reached almost to her knees. Tossing and turning on the bed, her face covered in sweat, it was obvious she was having a terrible nightmare. Being able to guess the contents of the dream, Jon hurried to her side and, taking care not to restrain her, gently touching her on the shoulder. "Sofia, wake up. It's just a bad dream," he whispered quietly trying to rouse her gently from the nightmare in which she seemed trapped.

Sofia, however, was caught up in the dream, muttering, "No, no, no... help me! Somebody help me...Jon!"

His heart almost breaking from the gut wrenching fear in her voice, Jon shook her more urgently. "Sofia." he whispered. "Wake up it's just a dream." Suddenly her body froze solid and her eyes snapped open. It was only Jon's quick reflexes that saved him from a vicious blackeye when her fist came flying out of nowhere towards his face. Ducking the blow, he was prepared to fend off another when he noticed her body had relaxed a little and her eyes were focused on him.

Confused, Sofia asked. "Jon? What are you doing here? On my bed?" Looking down Jon realised, embarrassedly, he was lying on her bed, having fallen onto it ducking her earlier, vicious left hook.

Quickly rising off her bed he looked her in the eye and explained. "You were having a bad nightmare. I was trying to wake you."

Sofia averted her gaze and, drawing up her knees to her chest, hugged herself tightly. In a small tone of voice she apologised. "I am sorry for waking you. This is the third time I've woken up tonight. I don't sleep very well. I'm sorry."

Jon's heart went out to the younger woman, remembering the first time that he had been in combat, remembering how he was unable to sleep for days. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly, deciding that it was probably now safe to sit down on the bed next to her.

"There is not really much to tell," Sofia explained. "It's dark and cold and I cannot seem to move. There are... things. I cannot see them. I just know they are out there in the darkness, coming closer and then they start to touch me. I try calling for help, begging them to stop but they keep coming."

Jon could immediately see the parallels between her attack and the nightmares but did not think it would help Sofia to bring up the obvious similarities. Thinking furiously, it occurred to him a big source of the problem seemed to be that Sofia felt she could not defend herself, hence being unable to move in the dream. Never in his life had Jon ever contemplated combat training for an Imperial Princess, but considering their current situation, some self-defence training was probably going to be far more useful than her political science classes.

Gently broaching the subject, Jon hesitantly proposed, "Perhaps I could help you."

Looking at him quizzically Sofia asked, "You can help me to sleep better?" Suddenly realising how that sounded she blushed furiously.

Jon was fascinated to notice it spread all the way down her cheek, neck and under the sweatshirt. Jon idly wondered if she was wearing anything underneath the shirt, before bringing his thoughts sharply back on-topic. The last thing she needed was some mooning, lovesick admirer, like the ones that surrounded her on the _Imperial Star._ Ignoring her reaction he cautiously explained how he could teach her to protect herself, so that if she was ever in a similar situation she could defend herself.

"Perhaps that would also help you with these nightmares?" Jon concluded. "At the very least you will be so worn out from the exercises you should sleep..." Jon was going to say like the dead, "...better," he proposed.

"Well I cannot see how it can hurt."

"Good. We can start tomorrow," Jon concluded. "Do you want to try and get back to sleep?"

"No," Sofia replied, shaking her head violently. "I could not get back to sleep after that last nightmare."

"Okay," Jon replied, getting up to leave, but Sofia's hand closed around his arm and she asked.

"Please, stay with me a while and talk," she pleaded, looking at him beseechingly.

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know, anything. Tell me about your early days in the Navy?" Sofia asked, remembering, like earlier, about when he had been awarded the fleet medal.

So Jon told her some stories about his basic training, some of which made her laugh, some that made her gasp. Then he told her about his first few deployments, all the while watching her beautiful green eyes as they got heavier and heavier, before they closed completely and she was lying against his arm, snoring gently.

Pulling the blanket over her, to avoid her getting cold during the night, he was tempted to give her a goodnight kiss but at the last minute thought better of it. However, when he tried to rise from the bed he found that he couldn't, as Sofia still had a firm grasp of his arm. Not wanting to wake her after finally getting her to sleep, he just shrugged, switched the light off and let his own eyes drift shut.

*****

The light shining through the bedroom window awakened Jon early. The intense luminosity of the Altair sun and its extremely rapid rate of rotation meant that sunrise was very early. Glancing next to him, Jon was pleased to see that Sofia was still sleeping soundly. She had no more nightmares during the night, whether that was because of his presence, or his promise Jon had no idea, but he was pleased to see that her skin seemed to have regained some of its colour. Sometime during the night she had shifted position and her head now lay resting across his bare chest. Jon allowed himself the small pleasure of a further few minutes of rest, running his hand gently through her lustrous red hair. Wondering what life would be like if he could wake up every morning with her at his side. With a gentle sigh, he slid his body out from underneath hers to start his day, fully aware if he did not move soon he would find further excuses never to leave her bed.

Quietly creeping out of her room, praying she would remain asleep to avoid another difficult conversation, he finally let out a relieved breath when her bedroom door was finally closed...only to turn around to come face-to-face with his father.

_Of all the goddamn timings,_ Jon cursed to himself on observing his father's shocked expression. He could guess at the wild assumptions that were currently taking root.

"Let's get a coffee and talk," his father announced, tersely. "While we let the women sleep."

*****

With it still being very early in the morning, with the sun only just up, the temperature outside was very pleasant. Jon knew it would climb quickly, until by midday everybody would have to take cover inside from the sweltering temperatures of the midday sun.

Looking over the rim of his cup of coffee at his father's brusque expression, Jon decided to go for the pre-emptive strike and try and to head off the looming argument.

"I am not sleeping with Sofia—Princess Aurelius," Jon hurriedly corrected himself, he had been spending far too much time recently with Sofia, the Princess, and had started to stop thinking of her as that and now simply thought of her as—Sofia. The incredulous look from his father, made him stop and review his previous statement. "Okay, I _am_ sleeping with the Princess, but this was the first and only time."

The incredulous look from his father changed to one of complete disbelief. "You are _sleeping_ with the Imperial Princess Sofia Aurelius, daughter of the Emperor? Are you _insane_!" His father hissed angrily trying to keep his voice quiet so not to wake anybody else in the house. "Good grief boy, I thought we at least raised you with some common sense. What is the penalty for sleeping with an Imperial Princess anyway?" He went on rhetorically, "Seeing as it is the death penalty for even _touching_ one of the Imperial family I would assume at the very least it is a _more painful_ death."

"Have you finished yet?" Jon interjected angrily. "While I did sleep with her, once, just once, I'm not _sleeping_ with her if you know what I mean?"

"No," his father replied just staring at him, perplexed.

"Look dad, we are both adults here, let me put this simply. I am not having sex with her!" Jon exclaimed loudly.

"Keep it down son," his father replied nervously, looking around the small garden. "We don't want the neighbours to hear, what would they think?"

Jon just rolled his eyes in disbelief and replied. "I don't know dad, hopefully they won't think I am sleeping with Sofia, agh," Jon cried, banging his head against the wall. "With Princess Aurelius," Jon replied, completely exasperated.

Ryan just continued to look at his son with a concerned expression before stating stoically. "I think you are getting too emotionally involved here, son." And he went off to look for more coffee.

_You think?_ Jon thought unkindly, watching his father disappear into the house.

*****

It was late in the afternoon, the sun had begun its descent from the sky and the outside temperate had fallen sufficiently for Jon and Sofia to practice outside. As it was still extremely hot, Jon had elected to forgo a T-shirt and just wore a pair of sweatpants. Sofia, meanwhile, had managed to find a better fitting shirt and wore a pair of jeans. Both antagonists faced off, a few meters apart, on some old exercise mats that Jon had found.

Blinking away the sweat from his eyebrows, Jon was having second thoughts about this whole escapade. What had seemed like a perfectly good idea late last night was quickly giving way to the light of reason during the day. Jon was having trouble focusing on the task at hand, as his attention was continually drawn to her figure. In the casual workout clothes she seemed far younger than her age, and her clothes were clinging to her in all the right places, accentuating her stunning figure.

Meanwhile Sofia could not take her eyes off Jon. Standing there bare chested, like some Greek god. Her eyes followed one particular rivulet of sweat as it ran down his chest. Subconsciously she licked her lips and only when she looked up into Jon's eyes did she recognise the desire that was burning brightly in them, most likely mirroring her own expression.

"So what do we do first?" She asked nervously, trying to distract herself from his body and his searing gaze.

"As most of the time you will be fighting men that are bigger and stronger than yourself, I will teach you to fight with a knife. A gun would be far more effective for you, and we will get to that, but you will find yourself in a situation one day when you don't have a gun or have lost it. It will be easy for you to conceal a small knife somewhere, and most men won't be expecting it. So you will have the benefit of surprise."

With that he drew a small combat knife he kept in the secure armoury he maintained at his parents' house. Carefully handing it to Sofia, hilt first, he encouraged her to get used to the weight and feel of the small blade. "From now on you will carry it with you, always," Jon said seriously. "Now let's start with a basic thrust. Attack me with the knife."

Noticing her hesitation, Jon called out in frustration. "Haven't we already been over this?" Reminding her of the time in the officer lounge of the _Imperial Star,_ when he faced, unarmed, the senator's son who had his sword drawn.

Jon at least had to give her a little credit. She did not need to be told twice and at least made an attempt to stab him with the knife, even if it was completely pitiful.

Sighing in frustration, unsure if the heat caused it, the close pull of Sofia's body or the task at hand, Jon desperately tried to think how best to proceed. In basic training it was easy. The sergeant gave you the knife, ordered you to defend yourself with it and then proceeded to kick seven bells of crap out of you until you succeeded. Carefully eyeing Sofia in front of him, with her hair tied back in a braid, the swell of a breast tapering down to her narrow waist—Jon tore his gaze away.

The frontal assault approach was not going to work, no way was he seriously going to attack her, even if Sofia ever contemplated he would physically hurt her. That left the current approach, encouraging her to seriously attack him. Not the current half-hearted approach she showed, but with the full-on intent to cause as much harm to him as possible. Well, if the physical approach was not an option, time to try the psychological option, Jon reluctantly decided.

Moving far closer, to use his slight height advantage, as a psychological weapon to intimidate, he swore at her. "That was pathetic." He noticed the ripple of surprise in her expression. Jon had never addressed her in such a coarse manner before, having always treated her politely and with respect. Steeling his heart for what he was about to say, he continued in the same manner. "No wonder your father admitted to me he was ashamed of you. How many times he cursed the day he had a daughter, and not a son."

Now the surprise was giving way to shock and hurt, Jon knew he would need to go even further to ignite her anger and hatred, those emotions he could use, could mould, teach her to harness and use to protect herself. Thinking what he could use to truly hurt her, he remembered stumbling into the room yesterday, shocked at seeing Sofia and his mother in such a loving embrace, something that she had never been able to have with her own mother.

Her Mother!

"You're useless! Marcus was better off without you. He told me he wished it was you that had died and not your mother!" Now he could see the flames coming into her eyes, her grip unconsciously tightening on the knife, her muscles stretching, ready to strike. _Just a little more_!

"I don't know why he was so bothered personally," Jon commented, off-hand. "She was just another concubine to the Emperor, I know he had dozens of them since."

With a wordless cry Sofia sprang forward like a cat, slashing at Jon's face with the knife, which he blocked at the last second, taken by surprise at her speed. But already she was twisting around to try and stab him in the chest. Again Jon parried and again, with each block just fuelling her ire. However, Sofia was quickly tiring and finally, in tears, she threw the knife aside and swung with the palm of her hand at his cheek. While Jon recognised the blow, this one he allowed through his guard, as personally he felt he deserved far worse for his earlier lies.

It was a surprisingly hard smack that snapped Jon's head back from the force of the blow, the sound bringing Sofia back to her senses. Staring in disbelief at the person she thought she knew, that perhaps she had even begun to fall in love with...

Turning away, in tears, she ran back inside the house. Even from outside Jon could hear the force of her bedroom door slamming shut. Rubbing his face, in pain, reminding himself to watch out since she had a vicious right hook, Jon left to find his father.

Training was over for the day and Jon needed to get repairs started on the _'Light._

*****

It was a sombre pair who made their way towards the shuttle later that day after sunset. Jon had insisted on waiting until the cover of night to avoid anybody following them and discovering the shuttle.

"Do you want to talk about what is bothering you?" His father inquired, breaking the silence.

"No."

"How did the training go? I saw you teaching her earlier."

"Okay," Jon replied.

Finally giving up in disgust—obviously Jon had learnt that particular trait from his mother—Ryan turned back to the trail, following the directions sporadically supplied by Jon. Having made good time, as Jon had made careful note of their journey from the shuttle, they soon arrived.

"Wow, she's a beauty!" His father commented running his fingers along the bow. "We never used to get anything like this at the spaceport. Usually we just got beaten up shuttles and the odd decrepit freighter."

"But can you fix her?" Jon inquired frustratedly, interrupting his father's little jaunt down memory lane.

"Now don't get your knickers in a twist, son," Ryan replied and added with an evil grin. "And come to think of it, you stay away from your Princess's knickers."

Jon just rolled his eyes and replied, "She's not _my_ Princess, dad."

"Could have fooled me, the way you two were drooling over each other earlier."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jon replied, desperately trying to change the topic. Jon had already had one cold shower. Trying to get the way Sofia had looked, standing there in a thin shirt and form-fitting jeans, sweat glistening on her brow out of his mind. Jon could already feel himself getting warm again so, instead, he focused on the expression on her face as he lied about her mother and the tears she had shed. Jon felt his blood run cold and his heart turn to stone. _Yep, that will do it_ , Jon thought to himself, ashamed, and turned his gaze back to his father, who had crawled under the port engine.

"Give us some light, can you son?" His father's muffled voice came from underneath the shuttle. Switching on the flashlight they carried for this very purpose, he shone the light underneath the shuttle where his father was pointing. A few minutes of banging and a couple of muffled curses later his father slid out from underneath the engine.

"The port engine is fine, I could not see any damage at all. Looks like the problem is with the energy distribution matrix, the good news is that we can fix it. The bad news—it will take some time, my colleagues and I will need to test each connection individually to find the bad one."

"How long?" Jon inquired in a apprehensive tone.

"Working out here, only after dark?" Ryan directed the question towards his son, who nodded in confirmation. "I would guess four, maybe five nights tops," he replied. "Perhaps shorter if we strike lucky and find the damaged connection earlier."

Jon just stared into the night sky, wondering who else out there might be looking for them and how soon they would arrive. However, if his father said it would take a week that's how long it would take. Nodding his head in understanding, Jon offered his hand to his father and helped him up.

Noticing the despondent look on his son's face, Ryan clapped his hand on his shoulder and said positively. "Look on the bright side, son. You can look forward to a week of your mother's cooking and a week of getting hot and sweaty with your Princess."

"Fantastic," Jon replied sourly.

*****

It was very late or, more precisely, very early when they arrived back. The women had already retired to bed for the night. After sharing a late-night snack with his father, the two of them also quickly retired to their beds, knowing they both had a long week ahead to get the shuttle repaired quickly. Jon paused briefly outside Sofia's closed bedroom door, straining to hear anything but, unable to do so, quickly carried on into his own room. Tired from the long day and longer night Jon quickly fell into a restless sleep, with dreams of faceless people chasing them and Sofia's desperate cries for help.

He arose early, once again woken by the bright light streaming through the blinds. Having slept terribly through the night, waking up several times, unsure if the cries of help were from his own dreams or the occupant of the next room. Deciding he desperately needed some coffee, Jon switched the machine on and sat in his parents' kitchen watching the sun rise quickly into the clear sky. It looked as though it was going to be another scorcher of a day. The kitchen was bright and airy and Jon recognised several of his mother's small touches throughout the room, but for Jon it never felt like home.

Jon had spent his childhood in a small, dingy, mouldy apartment in one of the many slums in Carrington City. The kitchen was barely big enough for one, let alone a table and chairs. The combined living/dining room was just about big enough to fit the family around a table and the view—well it offered a superb view of the dank, grey, opposing apartment block. The hollow centre of the tower block had long filled up with trash, completely blocking the windows of some of the lower apartments. As for the smell. It was unbelievable. However, Jon remembered a happy childhood with Catherine still alive and healthy. His parents were not around as much, always working hard to earn enough money for the two of them, but it was still a family.

He was interrupted by the sound of movement behind him and instinctively knew it was Sofia. Jon wondered how and when he had become so in tune with her that he could feel her presence. Remembering the harsh words stated the previous day, Jon did not turn around but he knew she had seen him by the sound of her sudden indrawn breath. He heard the clinking of cups and the sound of coffee being poured, followed soon after by the sound of the kitchen door being quietly closed. Jon wondered if the echo left in the kitchen was actually the sound of his heart breaking.

Naturally an active person, Jon found the inactivity during the day particularly frustrating and continually found himself staring at the clock, waiting for the sun to set so they could resume work on the shuttle. It was therefore a shock when he noticed Sofia had changed into her workout clothes and was following some of the simpler warm-up exercises he had taught her the day before. Frankly Jon was surprised that Sofia had any desire to continue with the training but, as was often the case, he found himself underestimating her. He hurried to change into his exercise clothes, this time deciding to wear a shirt, as he had no plans to torture himself demonstrating the various holds and throws by holding her against his bare chest.

Sofia did not meet his gaze when he arrived, instead simply held the knife firmly in her hand and cocked her head at an angle as if to say, 'now what'?"

"Strike at me with the knife, like you did yesterday," Jon ordered, wincing at the reminder of why she used the knife yesterday. "But this time slowly, and I will help you correct your posture."

Sofia nodded her head in understanding and reached out to strike him with the knife once again, but this time slower, as if time had been slowed down to a crawl. Jon stopped her, when the knife was barely inches from his throat and helped her correct her centre of balance and lock her shoulder, so her full weight was behind the thrust. Jon and Sofia went through the motion half a dozen times, with him patiently explaining what she was doing wrong and each time correcting her. Sofia refused to meet his gaze or respond, just nodding her head in understanding. After several more tries Jon was satisfied with her posture and they ran through several more forms, from different thrusts to slashes and blocks. They then reversed positions, with Jon being the attacker with the knife, and he taught her the very same blocks he had used on her the day before.

Unused to the punishing physical exercise and the heat from the late afternoon sun, Jon offered Sofia several opportunities to rest but she refused each time. Impressed with her determination, Jon ran through several more forms of unarmed combat, demonstrating the vulnerable areas of the body and where best to strike to incapacitate or disable an opponent. Sofia was a quick learner and often only needed one or two demonstrations of a technique before she mastered it and they moved onto the next.

Jon was stunned by her progress, while Sofia lacked the physical strength necessary to excel at combat, she more than made up for it with her speed and exquisite balance. He assumed she had spent many years learning dance and gymnastics to have such perfect posture. When the sun started to disappear beneath the horizon he called an end to the training session. Once again Sofia failed to respond, just nodding her head in acknowledgement, before pivoting around and heading back inside the house.

Sighing wearily, Jon collected the practice mats before heading indoors for a change of clothes and a shower before dinner. Unlike their first night together, dinner was a strained event, as the tension in the air between the two was easily noticeable to both parents. The two refused to make eye contact and all conversation went via one or the other parents. Finally the entire table lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Jon was not the only one relieved when dinner was finished and cleared away. Eventually the time came to depart, with Jon waiting for his father, who was in a deep discussion with his mother. With a nod of understanding, the couple broke apart and Jon followed his father out of the house.

By mutual agreement they met his father's ex-colleagues several kilometres from the house. Jon initially had some concerns about having to trust several unknown strangers. However, his father reassured him that he had known them all for many years and trusted them implicitly. Additionally, without their help the repairs would take weeks, if not months. They agreed his father would only explain the bare minimum, that the ship was damaged in an attack, required repairs and they wished to avoid the taxes and commission charged at the spaceport. After a brief introduction the small group made their way to the shuttle and within a few hours the landing site was a hive of activity, as panels were removed for easier access and detailed diagnostics initiated.

Having only basic engineering knowledge, Jon was little help beyond instructing the ships computer to power-up the individual systems as his father and the engineering team monitored the power distribution to try and locate the damaged connector.

The next thing he knew was a brief shake of his shoulder as his father woke him up. "I've been calling for the last few minutes," he explained. "We need you to initialise the secondary actuator."

"Sorry I must have nodded off for a moment," Jon explained, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it; you've had a hard time of it recently. Look why don't you give this a miss tomorrow and get some sleep?"

"I'd love to," Jon replied. "But you need me to power up the systems. The shuttle is genetically coded to me, it won't respond to any of your commands." At his father's dubious expression, Jon motioned towards the flight controls. "Try it yourself. The secondary actuator is the one on the top left."

His father tentatively reached out to activate the control but, besides an indignant beep from the ship's computer, nothing happened. Smoothly reaching out, Jon gently touched the control, which immediately activated.

"And only you can fly this ship?"

"This ship and its sister ship the _Endless Light_ are, _were_ the personal shuttles for the Emperor and his family, only they have permission to fly them."

"So how come you have permission for this one?" Jon's father asked the obvious question.

Jon was about to reply the Emperor had ordered him to use this ship to take Sofia, hence must have added him personally as an authorised pilot, when he stopped. Jon clearly remembered that night, after receiving the orders he had gone straight to the flight deck to check on the ship. He had already been given access to the ship by the time he had arrived. So exactly when had he been authorised to pilot the ' _Light?_ Suddenly curious, Jon accessed the security log for the ship and scrolled back in time until he found the record detailing his access. It was dated several months earlier. But that did not make sense—how could the Emperor have possibly known that he would need access to the ship so long before? He remembered the conversation with the Emperor clearly. He had made it expressly clear the two ships belonged to the Aurelius family—they were private property and could _only be flown by members of the family._ Confused at why he then had been given the necessary access, Jon turned back to testing the next component on the power-up list.

*****

Life slowly settled into a routine, with Jon rising early, wondering aimlessly around the house until the temperature cooled later in the day to spend a few hours training Sofia, before working on the shuttle repairs late into the night.

Jon was exhausted, tired and irritable. While Sofia's progress in their afternoon training sessions had been astounding, she still refused to even look him in the eye, let alone talk to him and the atmosphere in the house was unpleasant. The little sleep Jon had been getting was restless, intermittent and plagued by bad dreams. Sofia fared little better, as she had retreated back into the same shell that she had after the attack on _Transcendence_ and showed little appetite at meals, content to just push the food around her plate and actually eat very little. Her sparking, emerald-green eyes had faded to a dull green, and her skin appeared pale and washed out.

Having put up with this for almost a week, and having been unable to get a word out of his stubborn son, Ryan decided to approach the princess directly. Ryan did not have much experience dealing with Imperial Princesses, but having been married for over thirty years he felt he had some experience with women.

That afternoon, when Sofia had once again retired to her room and Jon had fallen asleep in the kitchen, Ryan felt it was as good as any opportunity to try. Knocking gently on her door, hoping that she was not also asleep, he was relieved to hear her voice, giving him permission to enter. Upon entering Ryan found Sofia sitting up on the bed, with her head resting on her knees, which were folded against her chest. Ryan's heart went out to the younger woman, as she seemed so alone and miserable. It occurred to Ryan that if Catherine were still alive, she would be around the same age as this woman. While there was nothing he could do for his long-dead daughter, perhaps he could help this troubled young woman.

"Excuse me Princess, I hope I am not disturbing you," he apologised, suppressing a grin at the flash of surprise that crossed Sofia's face. _You didn't know that I knew your secret, let's see what else you don't know_ , Ryan thought to himself, smugly.

"I didn't know you knew who I was," Sofia explained embarrassedly. "When Jon didn't say anything I thought it best to keep quiet about it."

"Jon told me, the night you arrived. However, I would probably have guessed eventually. Anyway I don't have much experience prostrating myself in front of royalty," Ryan explained matter-of-factly.

"It's not necessary, to be honest. Having spent my life as an Imperial Princess, it was nice just to be a Sofia for a while. Anyway it was fun helping Irene with the dinner, I've never cooked before," Sofia explained, with a giggle.

For a brief instant, Ryan could understand his son's attraction to the princess, as when she laughed her entire face lit up. Taking a seat next to her on the bed, Ryan cast his eye around the room, trying to think how he could bring up the topic of her and Jon's sudden coldness. "Did Jon tell you that he bought this house for us?" he finally asked.

"Yes, Irene mentioned it."

"When I asked Jon where he got the money, he just told us that he sold some silly trinket that he had been given. Must have been some expensive charm."

"The fleet medal, the Aurelius Star Cluster." Sofia decided to confide in Jon's father. It bothered her a little Jon's parents did not seem to be aware of the sacrifice their son made for them.

Ryan's eyes went wide at the news. "Sounds important," he whistled. "I hope Jon does not get into any trouble if anyone ever finds out."

"I'm sure that daddy would have been furious if he discovered that Jon had sold the award," Sofia explained. "But I think secretly he would have approved, if he knew what Jon had done with the money."

"Jon talked about your father a lot when he was last home," Ryan replied thoughtfully. "At the time we did not know who he was, and Jon was not forthcoming, but I knew that Jon respected him a great deal. Jon referred to him as one of the greatest men he'd ever known and I know Jon is devastated about his death. He blames himself for not doing enough, not being able to protect him." Deciding to change the topic slightly, Ryan added. "I remember one of Jon's biggest regrets was not being able to meet your mother. He often told us how he would have loved to meet the person who could have captured your father's heart so completely. I think Jon thought your mother must have been a pretty special woman."

"Yes, she was," Sofia replied. Remembering the times as a child when her mother would comb her hair and sing softly to her until she fell asleep. "I think my mother would have enjoyed meeting Jon too. Aside from her, Jon was the only person who could never be intimidated by my father.

"I remember one time when I was caught sneaking around the ship, I liked to do that a lot—" Sofia added with an impish grin. "Father threw an almighty tantrum, furious I had sneaked out without an escort and was proposing all sorts of terrible repercussions. Jon calmly placed himself between my father and me and simply stated the blame should lie with him, as he was in charge of seeing to my safety. For almost an hour my father belittled him, blamed him, cursed him, threatened every punishment under the sun, from demotion through to treason and death. He just stood there not saying a word! Finally my father collapsed into a chair, exhausted and just dismissed him, but still he stood there impassively and inquired about _my_ punishment. Faced with possible death and he was concerned about my sentence. I don't think father knew what to say. He just dismissed us both. Aside from my mother, Jon is the only other person to stand up to my father, on my behalf. I think everybody was secretly terrified of him, but not Jon."

Sofia remembered that incident clearly, she had never seen her father so angry and was terrified of the consequences, but Jon had deflected his anger away from her. Ever since then she had seen him in a new light, as somebody she could trust, somebody she knew she could rely upon to protect her. She had never felt so safe as she did when she was with him.

Ryan smiled at the story, finding it incredible to believe his son had stood up to Marcus Aurelius, the Emperor, all to protect this young girl from his temper. "Jon never spoke much about himself and his exploits in the navy," Ryan explained slowly. "I got the impression that his life was very dangerous and he did not want us to worry. His mother, Irene, was constantly asking him if he had met anybody, I think she was hoping he would meet some girl, settle down and start a family of his own. I remember there was this one time—" Ryan explained, giving Sofia a knowing look, as she was captivated by what he was saying. "Irene pestered Jon endlessly about whether he had met somebody. Finally Jon capitulated and confessed that he had met someone."

Suddenly Sofia realised she was no longer having fun. She had been spellbound hearing about her family from Jon's own words to his father, but she did not want to know about some fling, or even worse, a relationship Jon was involved in. She could feel a growing knot in her stomach, as Ryan repeated Jon's words, describing this beautiful woman, with flawless skin, beautiful eyes and the grace and manner of a princess. Sofia could hear the words as if coming from Jon himself, conveying the love and affection he held for this woman.

As a lump of something cold and unpleasant landed in the pit of Sofia's stomach, she hesitantly asked, "Did Jon ever tell you her name?" While she did not know all the women on board the _Imperial Star,_ she knew many of them, and counted a significant number as her friends. Thinking back she lost count of the number of times her female friends commented about the fetching Commander, and knew more than one of them had approached him, but each one being politely rebuffed. At the time she had felt relieved, jealous of any other women sharing the Commander's attention, but unsure why. Now she knew most likely at least one of them had caught his eye.

Surprised at the question, as Ryan was preparing to leave the princess to her thoughts, he shook his head in a negative. At the disappointed look from the princess he did add. "The only other thing that he mentioned was that she had flaming red hair, and eyes like the brightest emeralds." With a smile in her direction, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

_He was talking about me! He meant those beautiful words for me!_ The thought sang through her mind. As an Imperial Princess of the Empire, Sofia had very little say in her own life. Her time was strictly scheduled for study and official ceremonies, for her to appear next to her father. Therefore she had never had to make an important decision on her own before. She sat down and thought long and hard for many hours about what _she_ _wanted_.

*****

Jon had been waiting for some time at their usual place for their training sessions, having laid out the practice mats some time earlier. However, now the sun was starting to hang low in the sky and still Sofia had not appeared. Sighing, Jon prepared to put the mats away and call it quits for the evening. Jon was surprised to regret that their training sessions together were coming to an end. While Sofia had said almost nothing after their first day, he missed at least being able to spend some time with her, being able to touch her. Blinking back the sweat from his eyes, Jon was surprised to see her approaching in the late afternoon light. Dressed in her usual workout clothes of a T-Shirt and jeans, with her hair tied back in a braid, Jon tried to work out what seemed different about her.

Finally he realised she was looking him in the eye, not diverting her gaze like she had for the past few days, and her smile—her smile lit up her entire face, reaching into her eyes, which seemed to glow with inner warmth. Jon swallowed deeply. Forget repairing the energy grid for the shuttle, Sofia was emitting enough energy to fly the _'Light_ halfway across the galaxy by herself. As she approached, Jon took a self-conscious step backwards, unsure of the reason for the dramatic change.

"Sorry I am late," Sofia uttered, as she arrived at the practice mat, shooting Jon a smile that rooted him to the spot.

"What do you want to practice today?" He asked, reluctant to bring up the reason for her good mood and jinx it. God, how he had missed her smile.

"Let's practice hand-to-hand, you know, physical contact," she stated giving Jon a look, which was almost predatory, if he had not imagined it.

"Uh, sure," he replied. Totally off-balance by her sudden about-turn in mood, wondering suspiciously if this was a ploy to get him off balance for their practice session, in which case, Jon admitted to himself, it was working terrifically well.

Both antagonists dropped into a basic combat stance, which Jon had painstakingly taught to Sofia, and observed each other closely. Which was to say Jon was observing her sparking eyes and warm smile, when Sofia darted a quick blow to his torso, which Jon frantically only just managed to block in time. After that Jon decided it was safer to focus on her hands and feet than other more alluring parts of her body. As they fought within the tight confines of the training mat, Jon came to some quick conclusions.

First that she was an outstandingly, able student and had been paying close attention, as he fought to defect blows to his face, torso, groin and legs in rapid succession. Second that Sofia was toying with him. Sure, she was an outstanding student, but she was not following through with her blows and, instead of identifying a weak-spot in his defence and focusing on it, she was playing. Suddenly it struck Jon that Sofia was not intent on actually hurting him, but was enjoying herself.

With that realisation for the first time in many days, Jon allowed his posture and body to relax and he found himself returning her smile. Deciding she was not the only one allowed to enjoy herself, on the next jab, which had ever-so-slightly too much weight behind it, he caught her wrist and spun her around, sliding her body into his chest, regretting once again he had decided to wear a shirt, as he enjoyed the feel of her against his bare chest.

Twisting her head around to meet his gaze, eyes sparking, she exclaimed, "You never taught me that move."

Jon just laughed and replied. "I cannot give away all my secrets, now can I?"

However, it was obvious Sofia was not beyond improvising a little herself, as while Jon's attention was once again solely on her face, she jabbed a sharp elbow into his chest. Not enough to hurt, but enough for him to loosen his grip on her so she could slide out of his grasp. Taking a step back, the two opponents allowed themselves to catch their breath.

"How about we make this more interesting, with a bet on who wins the next round?" Sofia challenged, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"I don't know," Jon hedged, "What are we going to bet on?"

"Whatever you want," she shot back.

Jon, who had already worked up a heavy sweat, felt his body temperature shoot up by a further ten degrees upon her response. A thousand thoughts, all lustful, poured forth from his imagination into his mind and he had to fight to control his body's response. Taking a deep breath to calm his overactive imagination, Jon thought quickly. While Sofia was an outstanding student, even with her slight advantage in terms of speed she was never going to best him. He had spent almost all the past ten years in combat of one form or another, continually honing his fighting skills. Hence he would put on a good show, perhaps even let Sofia think she had the edge, before making it seem like he only just won.

And the wager?

Pushing to the back of his mind all the delirious thoughts of what he wanted, especially when she stood there in front of him, hot, sweaty and glowing. Well, he would just make some silly requirement that she never cut her hair, or something. Decision made, he nodded his head in agreement and stepped back into his combat stance.

Sofia once again attacked, harder and faster than before. Jon had to focus a great deal of his concentration into blocking her attacks. Occasionally, when he saw an opening, he quickly counter attacked to make it seem like he was at least trying. Finally after a good few minutes of sparring and both opponents starting to get tired, he finally started to look for an opportunity to finish the match. However, before he could, he saw Sofia take a step off the practice mat, instantly slipping. He saw her startled expression and tried to lunge to catch her. Unfortunately he was just too far away and off balance. With a startled cry she fell heavily onto the mat, her ankle at a bad angle, and lay still. Worried Sofia could have badly hurt her ankle with the fall, he hurried over to make sure that she was unhurt.

Before Jon knew what was happening, his legs went out from underneath him and, completely unprepared, he hit the mat, hard. All the air fled from his lungs and Jon desperately tried to catch his breath, but before he could a soft but heavy weight landed on his chest and a vicious elbow was shoved into his throat. Lifting his head off the ground, Jon stared into a pair of triumphant green eyes.

"I win," she exclaimed victoriously.

"You _cheated_!" Jon replied, experimentally trying to move his body to see if he could dislodge her. However, the moment she felt him starting to move she jabbed her elbow deeper into his throat. Anyway Jon quickly discovered that movement was a bad idea, as most of Sofia's weight was spread across his lower chest and groin. Her weight combined with his movement was causing other parts of his body to become excited. Laying his head back on the ground in defeat, he sighed deeply before realising the implications of losing. He had never seriously considered losing the wager and had not given any thought to what she might demand, after all she had insisted on _anything_...

"Okay, you win." Jon admitted. "So you win the bet, what do you want?" Jon asked curious to know what she was going to demand.

"A night out, dinner, followed by dancing." Sofia exclaimed excitedly. "You _do_ know how to dance don't you?" She asked suspiciously, she had never actually seen Jon dance.

As a matter of a fact, Jon did know how to dance. As an officer in the Imperial Navy he was also expected to represent the Empire on formal occasions of state, hence dancing lessons had been mandatory at the Military Academy. Desperately Jon tried to think of some excuse, before suddenly hitting on the perfect one. "I would love to, but we don't have anything to wear," Jon motioned towards their sweats and T-shirts. "Unfortunately seeing as I just disobeyed direct orders, stole a shuttle, including taking hostage the Imperial Princess on the afore-mentioned shuttle I think pay-day is unlikely this month." Jon smiled triumphantly, with the perfect excuse.

Sofia just gave him another predatory smile, before breathing into his ear and whispering, "Jon, dear, honey, snookums, do you remember what I am?"

Staring into her bright green eyes that were dancing in merriment, with her breasts firmly pressed against his chest and their groins joined, all Jon could manage in his strangled voice was " _Very hot..._ "

Surprised, as that had not been the response she was expecting, Sofia released her elbow from the poor boys neck in case he was starting to suffer from oxygen deprivation, before explaining. "I am an Imperial Princess, daughter of the Emperor and very, very, extremely, fabulously, _rich._ Could I interest you in a new ship, as I understand that our current one has some problems, or a planet perhaps, maybe just a small moon... _"_

Jon just lay back on the ground, staring into the darkened sky.

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that. Damn. Looks like dinner and dancing it is.

*****

Jon yanked at his collar once again, while waiting for Sofia to get ready for dinner and dancing. Jon had strenuously refused to use the 'date' word.

"Stop pulling at it or you'll end up twisting it," his father complained.

"It's not my fault, the damn thing is too tight, it's like a noose!" However, his father just gave him an amused look.

"Now don't forget, I want you both home by midnight, and no necking in the cab," his father warned him seriously, which was rather spoilt by the grin that was threatening to split his face in half.

"You are having far too much fun with this," Jon warned his father.

His father gave the accusation careful consideration before he replied, "Yep."

Sighing at his unrepentant father, Jon had to confess—only privately though—that the suit that he wore was not that bad. While very similar to his usual navy uniform this was a charcoal grey, unlike his usual navy whites. Jon idly wondered if it was this similarity that prompted Sofia to purchase it earlier in the day, when Sofia and his mother went out for some shopping. The fact they were gone most of the day did not faze Jon in the slightest, and if he continually checked the chronometer every five minutes, well, that was just because he was _really_ interested in the time. He had been waiting for over thirty minutes for Sofia to get ready, and for the thirtieth time wondered what _she_ would be wearing. A sharply indrawn breath from his father, who was standing by his side, seemed to answer that question and, steeling himself, Jon turned around.

The breath caught in his own throat.

He had seen Sofia dressed up for many formal occasions, wearing many different dresses but at that moment in time Jon could not for the life of him ever remember Sofia look so beautiful. With her stunning red hair, combed back to almost reach her shoulders, deeply offset by a lacy emerald green blouse that matched her eye colour perfectly, she was wearing a maroon skirt that barely reached her knees. It showed off her perfect, and endless, legs, which concluded in a pair of strappy wraparound sandals. Jon knew he should say something but could only gape, with his mouth open, as she descended down the stairs.

"Close your mouth Commander," she uttered on the way past. "Otherwise you will catch flies."

With a pat on the back from his father and best wishes from his mother he followed the princess out of the house to the waiting cab. The cab had also been waiting for the past thirty minutes and only the promise of a truly astronomical tip had mollified the driver. After all, it was Sofia's money, and Jon had heard the Aurelius ship-yards had been doing good business for the past, oh, five centuries.

They arrived soon after at the restaurant Jon had chosen. He did not actually know any expensive restaurants on Altair, and was fairly sure the phrase 'an expensive restaurant on Altair' was an oxymoron. Yet a quick search on the planetary data-net confirmed they did exist, and booking a table had not been a problem, as Jon doubted there were more than a dozen potential customers on the entire planet who could afford the astronomical prices.

Offering his hand to the princess, after all, anyone looking so stunning could hardly have been anything but, he escorted her into the restaurant. The maître d' scanned the list of names in front of him and, after confirming their reservation, escorted them to a table next to the windows, open to allow in the still warm evening air, with a view of the stars glistening beautifully outside. Seated, completely enamoured, Jon found he could not tear his gaze away from her.

Finally Sofia glanced down at the menu and broke the silence. "Shall we order?" She proposed.

Tentatively, Jon reached for the menu, handling it much like one would a poisonous snake. With a certain degree of dread he read down the list of items, not recognising any of them. Slightly more urgently he flipped to the next page, with the same result. Jon glanced at some of the prices listed next to the items and then adverted his eyes. Possibly he could afford some of the smaller items on his navy salary. For example, the Tartare Salad was priced at just under his monthly salary.

As he slowly closed the menu Sofia looked up in surprise and inquired, "You have decided, already? That was quick." Jon nodded in acknowledgement and watched as she motioned for their server to come over to take their order. When their server arrived, with real pen and paper in hand, Sofia motioned to Jon to go first. "I'm still trying to decide, darling," she explained. As Jon observed Sofia peering over the top of the menu, paying absolutely no attention to its contents, he knew he was being set up.

The Witch!

"I'll have the lobster Newberry, arugula and goat cheese salad," Jon ordered promptly, gazing deeply into Sofia's eyes, not for an instant missing the flash of surprise in hers.

"And what about madam?" The server inquired after jotting down the order, turning to Sofia.

"Uh," she replied with a slight flush, having been far more interested in what Jon was ordering than in actually reading the menu. "I'll have the same," she finally stated.

"Excellent," the server responded, completely missing the non-verbal byplay taking place across the table. "Can I get sir or madam a drink? We have an excellent wine selection." He motioned towards the menu lying on the table.

"Why don't you order, dear," Sofia suggested with an enigmatic smile. "You know me, no idea about wines."

The server shifted his gaze to Jon expectantly.

"A bottle of 2712 Haut-Brion Blanc," Jon did not even glance at the menu, keeping his gaze intently focused on Sofia.

"A particularly inspired choice, sir," the server said approvingly. "I'll be back with your wine in just a moment."

As the server disappeared, probably into the deepest, darkest depths of the wine cellar to look for a seventy-five-year-old bottle of wine, Sofia's gaze fell to the tablecloth. What had initially started off as a little light teasing had quickly lost its allure when it became obvious that Jon was exceptionally familiar with the menu. Sofia, wondered how many other women Jon had wined and dined at this restaurant, perhaps this very table.

Noticing Sofia's sad gaze fall to the tablecloth Jon cursed himself, as she started to draw random shapes on the table. After the terrible lies he had told about her family, Jon swore to himself he would never hurt this woman again, that she had already gone through enough pain in her life. Now here he was, barely thirty minutes into their date, and already he had hurt her again. This time it was different though, whatever he had done to hurt her, he was going to correct it. Jon had already spent a week living with the painful distance between them and he would not, could not, go through that again. Hence he did something that even a few weeks ago he would never have contemplated. Without permission he reached across the table, enfolding the finger drawing shapes on the table with one hand, and with the other deftly lifted her chin until she was looking him in the eyes.

"Please tell me what I said or did to upset you?" He asked softly, continuing to hold her hand and touch her cheek delicately.

"I guess you must come here often?" She commented. Noticing the surprised look on Jon's face she hurriedly added. "As you seem to know the menu so well. Do you bring many women here for dinner?"

Jon continued to gaze into Sofia's eyes fondly, without responding. Only when finally, waiting for a response, did she look him in the eye, he replied. "I've never been to this restaurant before. I found it on the data-net while you were out shopping. As for other women, there have been terribly few, ever since I found myself keeping company with a real life Princess."

Sofia just blushed at his gentle words, but that did not explain how come he knew the menu so intimately. "So how did you know what to order?" Sofia asked puzzled.

Leaning forward so only Sofia could hear his whispered response he replied. "I have absolutely no idea what I just ordered. I simply chose the most expensive item on each page." The sound of Sofia's crystal-clear laugh turned more than one male head in the restaurant.

*****

All in all, Jon enjoyed dinner far more than he was expecting. The food was interesting, after Sofia had explained to him what he had actually ordered. The wine was crisp and clear, surprisingly seeing it was almost seventy-five years old. And the bill? Well Jon just decided not to even think about that. It was still fairly early when they left the restaurant, and the evening still pleasantly warm after the daytime heat.

"So what would you like to do now Princess?" Jon inquired, sliding a strand of her hair that had escaped back behind her ear.

"I believe that you still owe me a dance, Commander," Sofia replied archly.

"So I do," Jon replied, looking around, taking his bearings. He remembered a club not far from here, which he frequented occasionally when attending the Academy on Altair. Unlike most of the clubs he knew, this one was more of an open-air patio, hence was not stifling and deafening.

Taking her hand in his, the couple walked hand-in-hand in the direction of the club. Frequently Jon pointed out sights, scenes and buildings from his childhood on Altair. There was a short queue already forming outside the club, and they had to wait several minutes for the queue to disperse. Idly Jon wondered if Sofia had ever had to queue for anything in her life, but quickly dismissed the question, as she seemed to be taking it in good humour.

In actual fact Sofia spent most of her time observing the other patrons in the queue waiting to enter the club. Jon felt a stab of jealously for a moment before he realised she was just naturally curious. Sofia had grown up on the _Imperial Star_ , surrounded either by Imperial Navy personnel or the politicians and their families on rotation. She had never seen the riot of colours, styles, tattoos, and piercings that were on show by the youths queuing for the club.

Jon _did_ observe a number of the youths eying Sofia lustfully, and he met each of their gazes for a few moments before they averted their eyes. Most of the young men also got a sharp elbow in the stomach from their partners, encouraging them to pay attention. Jon noticed one or two envious glances from the partners as well. Sighing to himself he realised this was probably not a good idea, but it was too late now, as Sofia would never agree to leave. Jon promised himself to keep very, very close to her when inside.

Sofia, meanwhile, was drowning in a sea of colours and cultures and loving every minute of it. She had not realised how sterile her life aboard the _Imperial Star_ had been until so many different people surrounded her. She stared in amazement at the different people, some with green and orange hair, others covered in tattoos—and the clothes the women wore! Some of them hid almost nothing. She quickly glanced at Jon to make sure that he was not ogling any of them. Instead, one of the young men ahead of them in the queue was staring openly at them and Jon was giving him an angry stare. A few moments later the young man looked away.

Jon just seemed to ooze menace, even dressed in a charcoal grey suit, which now matched his darkened eye colour, without his immaculate white uniform, Praetorian insignia and sword. The suit did nothing to hide the broad shoulders and strong biceps and the frown he wore was enough to scare anybody. While she had always noticed Jon was very handsome, this was a new side to him she had never seen before. Far from being repelled, Sofia found the dark, heated look extremely attractive, knowing it was Jon's way of warning any potential suitors away. Taking a page from Jon's book she reached up and touched his cheek, drawing his gaze to her. As Jon's eyes focused on her once again they lightened to their usual misty grey and his face relaxed.

As they reached the front of the queue, Sofia turned around and reminded Jon. "Don't forget you owe me a dance."

Jon only smiled, he had not forgotten.

*****

The club was absolutely packed when they finally made it inside. Finding a table was out of the question and with the deafening noise and stifling heat it would have been pointless anyway. Instead, Jon slid an arm around Sofia's waist, much to her delight, and shouted loudly into her ear, to be heard over the music, the directions to the open-air patio. Once they finally managed to push through the crowds and out into the open, Sofia gasped in delight. The view was as spectacular as he had remembered it, with Carrington City spread across to the right, but the bay spreading out in a panorama directly in front of them.

By the time they had managed to reach the outside patio the music had transitioned into something softer and slower and much more suited to the hot night. As she felt Jon hesitating behind her, she spun around to look at him.

Playfully tugging his arm, Sofia pulled him forward, until his body brushed up and down hers. "Not so fast," she said. "You promised you'd dance with me."

Jon gazed down at Sofia and tried to pinpoint the exact moment when he felt out of his depth. He was thinking he had things under control. Now, suddenly, he found himself looping his arms loosely around Sofia's waist, and what a fantastic waist it was, too, as she danced him backward into the middle of the patio.

_Dammit, she would want more than one dance_ , Jon thought to himself resignedly.

Then again, seeing as he suddenly had no idea what he was doing, maybe he should just surrender to her. The thought of surrendering to Sofia took on a way too erotic connotation then, so he set the thought aside and tried to concentrate on something else. Unfortunately, his concentration seemed to be intent on erotic thoughts this evening, and they kept zeroing in on things they had no business targeting. Like how warm and silky the bare flesh above Sofia's skirt was when he settled his hands on her hips and his fingertips encountered it. Like how good she smelled, sweet and decadent and tempting, up close this way. Like how fluid and natural her movements were when she propelled her body forward into his again. Like how unspeakably lovely her eyes were when she glanced up to see how he was doing.

Like how he wondered what she would do if he kissed her?

"Getting the hang of things, Jon?" she asked as she executed a stunning twirl that offered him quite a nice view of her back.

"Oh, yeah," he replied, the words coming out a bit rougher than he intended. "I'm getting the hang of things really well."

She laughed with genuine delight, oblivious to the fact the two of them were talking about entirely different things.

"I knew you'd be a good dancer," she said, spinning closer still.

"How did you know that?"

"I notice more than you think, Jon."

"I don't doubt that for a moment. Something tells me you miss very little."

"And you don't miss a thing," she responded, reeling and darting around Jon with the grace of a summer breeze, chuckling good-naturedly at his obvious and total confusion.

Before he realised his own intentions, he snaked an arm out to halt her, pulling her to him until her body was flush against his.

Then the strangest thing happened. Although the music kept playing, faster and faster, and the dancers surrounding them still pranced and staggered merrily about, the world enclosing them gradually slowed down to a halt. So Jon slowed down with it, spinning Sofia in a gradually tighter circle, pulling her closer with every turn, until the two of them stood utterly still at the centre of the dance floor.

And then, although he never planned to do it, he leaned forward to kiss her—only to be abruptly swung around by a firm hand on his shoulder.

His mind still full of her scent and the feel of her pressed up against his hard body, he was slow to respond to the abrupt change of events. Trying to blink away the fog surrounding his mind, he came face to face with a very angry pair of cerulean eyes.

"You have some nerve to come back here, Radec, after the stunt you pulled last time."

He recognised a hard chiselled face, and the powerful body of somebody used to hard labour. Eyes blinking against the darkness, he noticed a number of other indistinct shapes hovering behind. The realisation hit him like a thunderbolt.

"Jack Stanton," he exclaimed, "with family." Recognising the other brothers as they stepped forward. "For crying out loud, it's been over ten years. Have you not gotten over this yet?"

"You broke little Becky's heart," Jack exclaimed angrily.

"You sure this is not more about your wounded pride, when I took exception to you and your brothers using me for a punching bag? By the way are you not missing one? I only count four, I hope you didn't lose James on the way over."

"Excuse me!" an angry voice exclaimed, interrupting their little jaunt down memory lane. Sofia stared in complete bewilderment at the group that had just interrupted their dance. _And we were just about to get to the best part!_ Sofia wailed internally, stamping her foot in frustration. "Who are you?" she demanded turning her displeasure on Jack, "and more importantly who is Becky?" she demanded, giving Jon a furious gaze. _Seriously, before this night is out I am going to get a full list of all Jon's previous relationships. Chronologically._ Sofia decided angrily.

Jon had completely forgotten about Sofia, so caught up in the surprise of seeing Jack and his brothers again. "Becky was..." at an angry gaze from Jack, Jon corrected, "...is Jack's younger sister, we dated, briefly, during college," Jon explained.

"You broke her heart!"

"Oh come off it," Jon scoffed. "Becky had her heart broken once a week, but it must have repaired itself just as quickly, as usually, by the next week, she had hooked up with whoever the new guy was. Jack and his brothers took exception to this and decided to use me as a punching bag. Well I don't like being a punching bag," Jon insisted with a dark look. "Anyway, it looks like most of the bones healed fine in the end." Jon grinned.

Sofia was about to propose they take up this discussion at a later date, as she was much more interested in continuing on from where they had just been interrupted. However, before she could intervene, a massive forearm encircled her waist, pulling her back against an equally massive chest.

"Hey little lady, why don't you find yourself a _real man_ , instead with hanging out with this piece-of-crap," an equally massive voice boomed out from above Sofia.

Sofia was more surprised than frightened and while Jon had an extremely pissed off expression, it was more anger about somebody man-handling her than the cold hard, _I am about to kill everybody in the room_ expression she had come to recognise on his face when he was _deadly_ serious about something. "This is their youngest brother?" Sofia exclaimed in surprise, encased by the massive body.

"Yeah well, Bill Stanton was a monster himself. Not that I would be surprised if a couple here are half-brothers, as I understand his wife must have lain with half of Carrington City. The male half that is—" Jon added with a smirk, purposefully ignoring the fact Jack had gone completely red-faced at the comment and was cursing a mean streak at him.

Sofia just sighed to herself, wondering what it was about Jon that meant he always had to have the last word. Anyway Jon was a big boy and could look after himself. After giving him a reassuring look that she was fine, she turned back towards the monster who had her surrounded. Stroking him softly on the chest, she looked up into his eyes and cooed, "You mean a real man, like you... _James_?"

Staring down, wide-eyed, at the stunning woman who was pressed softly against his hard chest, he was just able to make out the slight swell of a breast, encased in a silky emerald blouse. James could hardly believe his luck. He was still staring at her in complete rapture, when she added. "And who do you think you are calling _little_?" she demanded, slamming her knee straight into his groin. James's eyes just rolled up into his head and he collapsed onto the floor like a house of cards, hands to his groin, whimpering like a baby. Satisfied he would not be going anywhere in the near future, Sofia turned around to see if Jon required any assistance.

Jon meanwhile had everything under control, ducking under the ridiculously telegraphed swing from Jack and hammering his own fist into the other man's stomach. The wind rushed from Jack's lungs and, with a wheeze, he collapsed onto the floor. Jon, however, was not standing idle but already sidestepping a vicious punch from one of the other brothers and aiming a powerful kick, targeted at the brother's thigh. There was a loud crack as bone snapped and that man too fell to the floor with a howl of pain. Ducking under a haymaker that would have taken his head off, Jon quickly glanced around to see Sofia had disabled her own opponent.

Momentarily glad their days of training had paid off he caught her by the hand and quickly stated. "Sorry. I think we will have to leave dancing for another time. Back the way we came, left of the bar there is a backdoor." He pushed her back indoors, ahead of him, into the packed crowd.

"You seem to know _this_ club particularly well."

"Well I must confess, this is not the first time I have been here."

"I see, and did you need to make a quick exit, out the backdoor, during those visits too?" Sofia inquired, pushing her way through the crowd.

"Not every time," Jon replied, noticing the other brothers were gaining on them by simply shoving other patrons out of their way.

Deciding he needed to buy the two of them a little more time, he grabbed the two nearest clubbers, shoved them in the direction of the brothers and screamed over the music. "Fight!"

As is often the case, every head turned in the direction of the yell. The brothers pushed the two clubbers out of their way and, of course, everybody else saw it as a challenge and piled in. Before they knew what was happening, the brothers were buried under a mountain of bodies, with fists flying everywhere. Out of the corner of his eye Jon noticed security descending onto the dance floor to break up the fight.

Resuming pushing Sofia in the direction of the backdoor, he instructed her, "Wait for me outside, I won't be long. I just want to make sure that the gang of five—" he motioned over his shoulder, "—don't have any plans for chasing us across Carrington City tonight."

Nodding her head in understanding, Sofia pushed open the backdoor, hurrying out into the night. She was amazed at how undeveloped everything on Altair was, from the old manual swing doors, to public transportation that still ran on combustion engines with fossil fuels. She shook her head in disbelief that, having come from this planet, Jon could even recognise a computer, let alone use one.

Glancing around, realising she was in some sort of enclosed yard, noticing the bins in a corner overflowing with trash, she just rolled her eyes in disbelief. She wondered for a brief instant if they still buried trash on Altair; everywhere else _everything_ was recycled or re-used.

Realising that it was not the best idea to be standing directly in front of the exit, Sofia noticed a gap in the wall next to the trash, and hurried through, glancing left and right when she found herself in a narrow alley running alongside the club. After a further few meters, she found another alley intersecting that one and ducked down this side alley. Finally out of sight, Sofia leaned against the wall to catch her breath, trying to suppress a laugh.

That was _fun!_

Giggling, trying to remember the last time she had such fun, she decided the time she sneaked into Jon's apartment and caught him bare-chested had been almost as fun. However, her introspection was suddenly cut short when she heard footsteps hurrying down the alley after her. Tensing her body, she waited for exactly the right moment. As the body flashed past, she caught him by the wrist, using his own momentum to slam him up against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. To be doubly sure she also kicked him in the groin, hard. Only to look up into Jon's misty grey eyes, wide with complete astonishment.

"Whoops, sorry!" she giggled out, high on excitement and adrenaline. Jon did not say a word, just slid slowly down the wall, whimpering as pain radiated out of every pore of his body.

It was quite some time later when Sofia helped Jon back to his feet, after profusely apologising for hitting him so hard and assuring him she thought he was one of the brothers chasing after her.

Finally being able to see straight, breath, and not being totally incapacitated by the pain radiating from his groin, he looked up into Sofia's eyes and his breath caught in his throat. She was absolutely glowing; her hair a crimson red, her eyes sparking like the brightest jewels, and her skin, while covered in sweat, was gleaming in the starlight. She was like an angel, descended from the heavens; Jon had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

As if via a magnet, he was drawn to her bright-red, soft lips. He dipped his head forward, Sofia tipped hers back and oh, so slowly, he covered her mouth with his. Her lips opened easily beneath his, and the taste of her filled him, nourished him, intoxicated him. But it didn't quite satisfy him. Instead, the kiss only inflamed his appetite, making him hunger for more of her than he could ever hope to have. Despite that he deepened the kiss, cupping her face in his hands, tilting her head back further, plundering her mouth at will. Sofia was not passive through all of it. Instead, she curled one hand around his neck, running the fingers of her other through his hair greedily. She returned his kisses with equal fervour, equal finesse, and equal fire. For the life of him, he simply could not let her go.

Even many years later, when thinking back on their first shared kiss, he wasn't sure how long they stood there so entwined—perhaps seconds, perhaps centuries, perhaps forever.

Chapter Nine

Present Day

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

Several days after the senior staff meeting, Jon was overseeing the final loading of the nondescript freighter they had decided to use for the assault on the Syndicate outpost. David and Gunny had submitted a comprehensive tactical plan, including schematics and detailed timings. Paul and Jon had spent many hours, late into the night, reviewing the plan, discussing what could and might go wrong, refining it and preparing for various contingencies. Finally agreeing any more planning would be pointless, they signed off on the plan, distributing it to the various department heads to update their respective teams.

Now, the final stages of the plan were coming together, with the ship being prepared and the assault teams boarding. A loud clanking distracted Jon from reviewing the final checklist and, looking up, he was stunned at the sight of the marine boarding party approaching. All of the assault team had been fitted out in marine assault armour. With the modern space marine being expected to fight in all possible environments, from the cold vacuum of space to the varied environments of the different Confederation planets, marine armour had been adapted to the point of becoming a completely all-encompassing environmental suit. Totally sealed, heavily armoured with integrated sensors, communications and weapon attachments, it had more in common with a modern starship than the armour worn by the marines of old. The effect was to make the approaching marines look like a troupe of darkly armoured beetles with multiple appendages. All of this made the armour highly restricted, permitted only for active military personnel and totally illegal to be in the possession of anybody else, such as themselves.

"Interesting equipment, Gunny," Jon commented dryly, recognising his bulky shape as he shuffled past. What marine combat armour lost in terms of speed over the years, was more than compensated for by the sheer firepower and protection it provided. "You must let me know where you came across a dozen of those suits." After a moment's thought Jon added. "Come to think of it, I would prefer that I didn't know."

"You would be amazed at what you find working as a cargo hauler," Gunny's voice boomed out of the concealed speakers within the suit, forcing Jon to take a step back from the blast of noise. Trying to get rid of the ringing from his ears Jon wondered what it was about marines that they had to do everything in the loudest way possible.

"Well carry on, Gunny," Jon replied, stepping aside so the huge suits could squeeze through the airlock into the waiting freighter. Jon was glad he would be up on the flight deck as the hold was going to be _very_ tightly packed indeed.

Ensuring all the marines and supplies were loaded and secure, Jon closed the airlock and sealed it before making his way to the small bridge on the freighter. On arriving Jon slid into the co-pilot seat next to Miranda, who was going to be piloting the outbound leg of the journey.

"Is everybody secure in the back?" Paul inquired, as he took the remaining seat on the small bridge.

"Sure are," Jon replied calmly, glancing over the fight instruments to ensure the ship was ready for departure. "If the Syndicate station personnel react in a similar fashion to me when faced with those marines they are going to be in for a big surprise. Have you finished the pre-flight?" Jon directed the question towards Miranda.

"Yes we're ready," Miranda replied. "The pre-flight check shows all systems are green and we are ready to depart."

"Very well, let's get this show on the road," Jon replied with a grin. Flicking a switch to activate the communications system. " _Terra Nova_ this is UCF1 requesting permission to depart," Jon requested.

" _UCF1?"_ Miranda mouthed silently to Paul.

"Under-Cover-Freighter 1," Paul replied, laughing. "What can I say? We have an outstanding tactical officer who is completely useless at thinking up codenames."

Having received permission from C&C that they could depart, Jon nodded towards Miranda who, after ensuring the docking clamps had been disengaged, slowly eased power to the engines and the lumbering freighter moved away from the docking ring.

With some surprise Miranda realised this was the first time she had left the station in a couple of months, ever since her last disastrous flight. She hoped this trip would not end as badly as the last.

"What's our flight time, Miranda?" Jon inquired, recognising the flash of nerves that had crossed her face for a brief second.

"Approximately four-and-a-half hours," she replied, confused at his simple question when a quick glance at the flight console would have answered his question. It was not until she looked up from her console that her jaw dropped open in shock. Instead of closely monitoring the flight controls, which, as co-pilot he should be doing, Jon had his feet up on the control panel and was leaning back in his chair.

"Great," Jon said. "Lots of time then. So Paul, how are the family?" Jon directed the question at his operations officer who had also resting comfortably in his chair.

"Good thanks. We are thinking about trying for another."

"Be good to have another addition to the crew," Jon replied with a grin. "You will need to be quick if you want to be first though," he added. "Station scuttlebutt has our lovely pilot here getting very friendly with a certain young communications officer."

Jon sent a wink towards Paul, throwing back at him his comment from a few weeks ago.

"I'm what?" Miranda replied, gob-smacked. "I will have you know that Lieutenant Anders and I have shared a few meals to discuss..."

Miranda was so caught up in her indignant response she failed to notice the smiles on the faces of the two other occupants of the bridge. Both were experienced combat veterans, familiar with pre-mission nerves, and were satisfied they had managed to distract Miranda from her concerns.

*****

Almost exactly four-and-a-half hours later, the external sensors on the freighter picked up the mass of the small Syndicate station, directly ahead. As a well-oiled team that had frequently been in similar positions, Jon and Paul turned back to their consoles to carefully monitor the situation.

"We've been picked up by the station," Paul calmly informed the two pilots. "They are powering up their weapon systems and locking onto the ship." Miranda visibly tensed at this piece of news, waiting for the first shots to be fired that would result in their demise.

Jon reached over to put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "It's nothing to be concerned about. They are just playing it safe. I expect them to be contacting us right about now." Jon pointed at the flashing light on the communication console that registered an incoming message. "Now, just like we rehearsed. Play it cool," Jon said smoothly, before opening a two-way communication channel.

The voice of the Syndicate station operator filled the bridge. "Unidentified ship, this is restricted space. Identify yourself immediately or we will be forced to open fire on you." With a reassuring grin Jon motioned Miranda to respond.

"What do you mean, unidentified?" Miranda responded, putting just the right amount of outrage in her voice. "This is a scheduled cargo transfer. Who screwed up over there and missed this off the logs?" Miranda demanded.

The voice from the station suddenly fell silent, as this obviously was not the usual response of an unidentified ship.

A few moments later another voice came on the channel, inquiring in a calm voice. "Please identify yourself and purpose."

"It's me, Miranda," she replied, praying to whichever god this person recognised her. She had only been to this station infrequently, shuttling whichever senior level executive was to join one of their high level meetings, and fending off their unwanted advances throughout the trip.

"The ship is the _Eden_ carrying replacement power transformers. I was just told to pilot this hunk of junk here. I was told this shipment was expected. Seems like somebody screwed up over there." Miranda had remembered the last time she was here the crew were constantly bitching about the failed power transformers. Hopefully this would make the shipment seem more believable.

It felt like the response took an eternity coming, but in actual fact it could not have been more than a couple of seconds before the voice replied. "Very well _Eden_ , docking permission granted, please use docking bay three." Then the communication abruptly terminated.

"They are powering down weapons," Paul said after a few moments checking the sensors. "Looks like they fell for it."

Confirming the same readings from his console, Jon nodded in agreement before turning to Miranda.

"Take us in nice and slow and establish a hard-seal at the docking port they described. I assume you know which one that is?" Jon asked hopefully. Miranda nodded in acknowledgement and started to move the ship towards the station.

Hitting the intercom to the cargo hold Jon ordered. "Gunny, David, prepare your teams. We will be docking in five minutes."

*****

It was difficult to know what the crew of the Syndicate station had been expecting upon opening the airlock from their side. Certainly one of the last things they were expecting was a dozen heavily armed marines to burst out, shouting though their amplified speakers for nobody to move. The maintenance crew was stunned by the sudden appearance of the marines. They were quickly rounded up and restrained. Once the marines had ensured the docking port was secure and safely in the hands of the security team they moved out into the station to secure the computer core.

Monitoring the on-going operation from the flight deck of the freighter, Jon, Paul and Miranda were unable to hear the gunfire from the station, but were able to monitor the progress of the assault team via their internal communications system. Hence the first indication they received that the assault team had been detected was the shout of "Incoming!" via the communications followed by the clatter of heavy automatic weaponry in the background.

There had been a long discussion prior to the operation about the weaponry carried by the team. Standard tactics for a marine boarding party was to be issued with energy based weaponry, which worked in all possible environments. Gunny had promptly discarded this with the comment that the only good use for an energy weapon was to cook your dinner. In his experience energy weapons were heavy, bulky and had a notoriously slow rate of fire. They were however the preferred weapon for ship (or station) based combat as they worked in the vacuum of space.

"If we end up losing atmosphere on the station, they are screwed anyway," Gunny commented with his usual bluntness. "The crew is going to have bigger worries than dealing with my marines!" Hence Gunny had issued all the team with projectile-based assault weapons. These could not be used in the vacuum of space but were deadly in the close confines of the station.

That decision turned out to be the correct one. As the defenders quickly found themselves pinned down by the heavy automatic gunfire from the attacking marines. Their own pulse based laser weapons, with their slow rate of fire, proved very ineffective against the heavily armoured marines.

"How are we doing Gunny?" Jon asked conversationally.

"We're making good progress Commander; we are nearly at the computer core. However, it would seem the station security personnel have fallen back to a last line of defence around the core, and they are dug in pretty deep. It could take some time."

"One minute Gunny," the frantic waving from Paul interrupted Jon.

"Looks like the station has started broadcasting some sort of distress signal. It's heavily encrypted and the computer cannot break the encryption but the fact that the signal is duplicated every thirty seconds indicates some sort of automated or repeated message," Paul explained.

"Gunny, it would seem that the station has started broadcasting a distress signal. Can you terminate the signal from your position?"

Ducking back under cover for a brief moment, Gunny reviewed the positioning of his party and called out over their tactical frequency. "Jonas, Jackson get up to communications and lay some demolition charges up there. We need to stop that signal before somebody comes to investigate." With a nod of understanding the two marines bringing up the rear of the assault team checked their suits computer for the location of the communication equipment and, after identifying the quickest path, fell back from the rest of the group.

"Jonas and Jackson are on the way Commander!" Gunny shouted over the communication link. Noting that once again the station security personnel were falling back under the withering gunfire he motioned for his team to advance...

*****

Several minutes later the freighter was shaken violently by a string of explosions surrounding one of the station's central hubs.

"The transmission has now ceased," Paul said, matter-of-factly, giving a cat-like smile, as he peered out of the cockpit window with a whistle. "Wow! Those marines sure did a number on that station." He added noticing the deep rents along the station where the explosives had detonated together with a growing field of hull debris being jettisoned away from the station.

"Good job guys. Transmission has terminated," Jon updated the marines via the communication link. "We need to pick up the schedule, as we have no idea if anybody received that transmission and how long it will take for them to respond." Unfortunately the ships sensors, picking up several gravimetric distortions, quickly answered Jon's rhetorical question.

"We've got incoming!" Paul called out urgently.

"What have you got?"

"Sensors are picking up several gravimetric distortions thirty kilometres from our starboard bow."

"Any idea regarding numbers?"

"Not yet," Paul said. "They are coming in close formation so I cannot isolate the distortions any more accurately."

At the confused look from Miranda, Jon quickly explained. "We cannot track ships while they are in FTL, but we can detect when ships are about to enter or exit FTL by the massive amounts of gravity waves caused by their FTL engines generating worm-holes in our space-time. It would seem we are about to receive company," Jon replied tensely.

"How did they arrive so quickly?" Miranda asked reasonably. "We only detected the transmission several minutes ago and quickly shut it down."

"No idea, with any luck it is just another ship on a scheduled arrival." Behind the two pilots Paul just snorted in disbelief.

"Yeah, like we ever get a lucky break. Here they come!" He exclaimed as the gravity distortion finally abated to leave several ships, fast approaching the station. "Sensors are detecting two assault shuttles with five, no make that six fighters in close escort," Paul cursed.

A communication from the approaching group broke the sudden silence on the bridge with the curt orders. "Unidentified ship, this station is private property, you are ordered to power down all systems and surrender, otherwise you will be destroyed."

"Well, there goes the neighbourhood," Jon quipped. "Paul, how long until they arrive at the station?" Jon asked.

"If they remain at this approach velocity a little under three minutes."

Tapping open a secure communication channel with the crew on the station Jon ordered. "David, Patrick we have incoming reinforcements estimated arrival time is a little less than three minutes, fall back to the ship and prepare to depart."

"Commander," Gunny objected. "We are at the computer core now, they have secured the doors and we are cutting through now. We need more time."

Glancing at the tactical screen showing the real-time unfolding situation Jon thought for a moment, before replying. "Understood, we are moving to the backup plan," Jon said.

"Acknowledged, we will try and speed things up this side," Reynolds replied before turning to the marines who were currently using a laser cutter on the heavy blast doors. "We're out of time, pull your men back, we'll blow the doors."

Meanwhile Jon was busy removing his restraining harness, while ordering Paul. "Make sure David and the security team are secure then make all possible speed to the nearest FTL jump-point."

"But what about the marines on the station?" Miranda interjected in a worried tone.

"They're marines," Jon replied sardonically. "They are used to being abandoned by the fleet. Don't worry they will be making plans to make their own way home. Paul you have the bridge," Jon ordered over his shoulder, as he hurried towards the exit.

"And where the hell is he going?" Miranda demanded as the door of the bridge slid shut leaving Paul and her alone to deal with the unfolding disaster.

"He's gone to take care of that bunch," Paul thumbed his finger out of the starboard window in the approximate direction of the incoming ships. A few moments later a hard knock was felt causing the freighter to shudder as something detached from the underside. Miranda was stunned to see the _Eternal Light_ drifting away. Once at a safe distance, the main engines for the smaller ship powered up and it shot off in the direction of the oncoming ships.

"He's going to take them on by himself? _Is he nuts?_ " Miranda demanded in complete disbelief.

"I would worry less about him and the _'Light_ ," Paul insisted. "And more about ourselves, unless we get moving," Paul replied tersely. Rapidly flicking switches to bring the freighters engines up from a cold start. "Anyway he is the best pilot that I have ever seen," Paul added matter-of-factly.

"I almost had him," Miranda replied smugly.

Affording a quick glance at the younger woman Paul replied delicately "I understand Jon was going easy on you. According to him he was hoping that you would lose interest. Anyway, he was very grateful you survived the destruction of your ship. He said he would have been mortified if he killed anyone with such a great posterior," Paul added glibly frantically trying to nurse the engines into life.

"He said _what_?" Miranda exclaimed in disbelief, completely forgetting about the approaching threat and turning her full attention to Paul.

"Uh..." Paul said, frantically trying to change the topic of conversation. "I probably shouldn't have mentioned that, should I? Anyway it was after quite a few drinks in my apartment and we got talking about you and that young communications officer that you were dating." Not realising that he was digging a hole for himself.

"And...?" Miranda insisted, her eyes narrowing at Paul.

"Well," Paul hedged. "I might have mentioned something about you and the afore mentioned communications officer and obviously commenting about your radiant beauty." Paul had recognised the cliff that was looming ahead and was frantically trying to start bridge building.

"Let's get to the part you were discussing my ass." Miranda insisted, venomously.

"Well, Jon made some sort of comment about how he was grateful that you were unharmed in the incident as otherwise he would never have gotten the opportunity to know you better." Paul hedged.

"He said that?" Miranda replied thoughtfully, her expression softening slightly.

" _Then_ he mentioned about observing your fantastic ass," Paul added helpfully.

"He had better make it through this alive," Miranda insisted in response. "Then I can kill him." she growled.

"Finally!" Paul cheered in celebration as the engines reached full power from the cold start-up. Flicking the communication channel open. "David, are you and the rest of your security team secured?" he inquired.

"We have just secured the airlock this side and we are ready to depart," David responded.

"Let's go then!" Paul insisted hurriedly, motioning towards Miranda to pilot the freighter away from the station.

"I cannot." Miranda motioned towards the flight console and specifically the docking lights showing they were still firmly docked to the station. "We need to wait for the station to release the docking clamps before we can depart." Miranda explained calmly to Paul's increasing incredulous face.

"In this instance we are going to skip a few items from the pilot's standard pre-departure checklist," Paul commented derisively. "I'll introduce you to a term in the navy my old squadron commander called 'ex-fil', or what Jon commonly refers to as 'getting the hell out of Dodge'." With that, he leaned forward, slamming the throttles to both engines straight to full thrust.

The slight shudder through the freighter as the _Eternal Light_ decoupled was nothing compared to the terrifying screaming of metal as the powerful engines of the freighter fought against the clamps securing the ship to the station. It seemed for a terrible instance the powerful clamps would be victorious but, with a final terrible roar of stressed metal, the supporting clamps and a good portion of the station were torn free as the engines of the freighter propelled it away.

"Don't worry," Paul added reassuringly. "I am sure they will not be billing us for the damage."

*****

"Fire in the hole!" Gunny's voice echoed out across the team's tactical channel followed a moment later by the heavy bulkhead doors protecting the computer core being enveloped in a blistering explosion. Before the explosion had even dissipated Gunny was through the hole gouged in the door, throwing stun grenades to immobilise any defenders. The marines had no particular care if the defenders survived the encounter or not but, instead, had settled on these to avoid any possible damage to the computer core, their main objective.

As it turned out the use of the stun grenades was fairly superfluous, as the defenders were already totally disorientated from the earlier heavy explosion. The marines quickly disarmed the defenders and restrained them, while two marines started the delicate job of dismantling the computer core.

"How long will this take?" Gunny demanded as the two techs quickly started pulling off deck panelling.

"Should only take a few minutes, sir," one of the techs replied. "These cores are designed to be portable for easy replacement and repair." A few moments later the deck under the marines started to vibrate rapidly then, with a noted sudden drop in air-pressure, sirens started to wail in the background and emergency blast doors started to close.

"That could be a few minutes too long," Gunny muttered aloud, "I think that was our ride that just departed..."

*****

Approximately ten kilometres away from the Syndicate station, and still accelerating hard towards the incoming enemy ships, Jon noted on the scanner as the freighter slowly started to pull away from the station. However, according to the ship's tactical computer, the enemy ships were still going to overtake the fleeing freighter several minutes before it could make its escape into FTL.

"Looks like I need to buy Miranda and Paul some time," Jon said to himself, in the _Eternal Light_ , instructing the ship's on-board computer to deploy the internal missile pods. Having expected trouble on this expedition the _Eternal Light_ had additional weapon systems installed, as it was the closest the company had to a dedicated assault shuttle.

Arming missiles and targeting the nearest ship, the tactical computer bleeped to inform him the weapon pods were now deployed and on-line. Confirming the missiles had a strong lock on the lead fighter, Jon launched the first salvo at maximum range.

The missiles sped out of their launch tubes and, with a glaring light as their main engines fired rapidly, accelerated towards the on-coming ships. Jon continued to fire the remaining dozen alternating between the oncoming ships, until the launchers were empty. For a few brief seconds, the _Eternal Light_ was true to its name as deadly missiles, one after the other, sped away from the ship in a brilliant pyrotechnic display. Watching them on his tactical computer he remembered the words of his earliest flight instructor.

" _When you have missiles, use them! Keep using them until you have no more! You cannot take them with you into the next life."_

Watching the approaching ships carefully, Jon noted as soon as they detected the incoming missiles. Obviously treating the _Eternal Light_ with contempt, the approaching ships had remained in their close formation, but as soon as they detected the missiles every ship broke formation and began a desperate series of violent manoeuvres to avoid them. In addition it quickly became obvious that the approaching shuttles had some sort of point defence weaponry as the missiles targeting these ships disintegrated half a kilometre from the target. The remaining fighters fared less well, with over half being destroyed by the incoming missiles. With the enemy ships' formation now completely disintegrated, the _Eternal Light_ sped through the gap left by the destroyed ships and slid onto the tail of one of the approaching shuttles. Carefully targeting the engines and flight control surfaces, which Jon knew to be the weak point on these shuttles, he opened fire with the ships forward guns. The battle was well and truly joined.

*****

Miranda watched in open-mouthed amazement, as the ships sensors tracked the battle now less than ten kilometres from their fleeing ship. What had initially started off as a total one-sided fight, with eight enemy ships facing-off against the _Eternal Light_ , had now disintegrated into a free-for-all with three enemy fighters being destroyed in the first missile salvo and what appeared to be a now heavily damaged Syndicate assault shuttle. The enemy ships had been thrown into complete disarray by the ferocity of the attack and, while Jon in the _'Light_ had the freedom to manoeuvre and fire at will, the remaining ships had to show restraint to ensure that they did not collide or accidently fire on their own ships.

"I've never seen anything like that!" Miranda whispered in wonder. Paul spared a look from the engine controls where he had been trying to nurse every spare ounce of thrust out of them and glanced at the unfolding battle on the tactical computer.

"He was the Commander of the 58th Squadron, the _Praetorian Guards_ ," Paul explained tenderly. "They were an elite fighter squadron in the Imperial Navy, personal bodyguards to the Emperor himself and he was the best. His squadron were all destroyed escaping with the emperor's daughter, Sofia, right under the nose of a rogue navy Commodore. The rest of his squadron gave their lives to buy enough time for the two of them to escape. I think Jon lost more than his squadron that day; he lost the closest thing he had to a family. He has been looking for a purpose in life ever since then."

Miranda was shocked by the story Paul told, realising she had misjudged Jon badly. She had always assumed he was some cocky, golden boy who had everything in life handed to him. She was about to respond when she glanced at the scanner again. "Uh-oh," she said. "We seem to have company."

The scanner clearly showed the one remaining Syndicate shuttle had broken from the battle and was now racing at full speed towards the station. Two fighters had broken off the engagement with Jon's shuttle and, once clear, had changed their heading towards the escaping freighter, approaching at full speed. Jon was still busy with the remaining fighter and damaged syndicate shuttle and was unable to give chase.

"Yes we definitely have company," she said, with a newfound confidence in herself. She was determined they all were going to survive this and she promised herself Jon and her were going to have a long talk when they got back home. "Those two fighters are going to be on us in less than thirty seconds, have you got any ideas?" Miranda directed the question to Paul.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do," Paul replied cryptically, reaching above the flight controls for a concealed panel. Miranda had noticed the unusual panel during her pre-flight inspection prior to leaving _Terra Nova_. Her curiosity having been piqued by a yellow flag attached to the panel where somebody had scribbled.

Use only in the case of extreme emergency!

At the time she had just discarded it as part of the ships emergency systems, probably a fire suppressant system, she had assumed. Paul discarded the yellow flag with a shake of his head and a quick smile of amusement, before flicking open the panel. A small row of switches resided within it and Paul started flipping these one by one. Slowly, but quickly building in momentum, Miranda noticed vibrations starting to run through the length of the freighter, starting towards the stern of the ship and moving towards the bow. As the vibrations moved towards the flight deck Miranda started to feel the shudder as explosive charges detonated along the length of the ship. In conjunction with the detonation of the charges Miranda started to notice new systems coming on-line as part of the flight control system.

Throughout the length of the ship explosive charges detonated, separating superfluous hull plating from the ship to reveal dozens of weapon ports. As previously-hidden weapon systems started to power up, heavy rail guns and multiple missile batteries smoothly slid out from the hull into their deployed positions.

"You didn't think this was just any freighter did you?" Paul asked rhetorically, with a smirk, as the tactical computer reported dozens of weapon systems and point defence systems along the length of the ship were now in their fully deployed and active positions.

"With the dramatic increase in attacks over the past few weeks on our ships we decided that it was time to refit a number of our ships to better protect them. I present to you the first fully refitted ship, the _Eagle One_." Paul waved his hands in the dramatic impression of a magician who had just pulled off his greatest trick. "The _Eagle One_ is equipped with half a dozen heavy rail guns, bow and stern missile batteries and overlapping point defence weapons. She can go toe-to-toe with any ship in the system up to a Confederation Destroyer, and we could give one of those a run for its money." Paul winked at Miranda.

"Now let's give these guys an object lesson in why not to mess with us." Paul activated the weapons systems, targeting the approaching two fighters before passing total control of the now fully active weapons systems over to the ship's computer.

*****

Having seen the destruction of three of their fellow ships and the heavy damage inflicted to one of their assault shuttles, the Syndicate pilots were in no mood to leave any survivors alive on the fleeing freighter. Anticipating no resistance they approached at almost full speed, the pilots waiting until they were within point blank range before opening fire. Hence it was already far too late when they recognised the multiple weapons ports on the ship. The lead fighter, already well into his attack run continued, strafing the port side of the ship.

The computer on the _Eagle One_ prioritised the lead fighter and within milliseconds had calculated the approach vector and speed. Determining the ship was too close for an accurate missile lock, the computer activated the port side rail guns. Sighting the approaching fighter, all three portside weapons opened fire with massively dense, depleted uranium rounds. These super dense shells had no explosive component, instead relying upon the kinetic energy of the shell impacting the target at a fraction of the speed of light. With all three-rail guns firing at over a hundred rounds per minute, the approaching fighter disappeared in the barrage of gunfire.

The second fighter, on seeing his lead wingman disappear in a flash of energy frantically let loose a missile before he peeled away from the deadly warship.

While the incoming missile was launched only a few hundred meters from the _Eagle One_ , with a transit time measured in seconds, for the ship's computer this was an eternity. Simultaneously directing the ship's point defence guns, similar to the rail guns but much smaller and with a far higher rate of fire, at the incoming missile, the ship armed multiple missiles of its own in the aft launch tubes.

The incoming missile was shredded by the multiple point defence guns spread across the hull more than a hundred meters away from the fleeing freighter, just as the responding missiles left their launch tubes. Unfortunately, the now fleeing fighter did not possess the multitude of defensive guns the _Eagle One_ had. Hence, while the fighter desperately tried to escape, it was hit first by one missile, followed by another a fraction of a second later.

The engagement between the _Eagle One_ and the attacking fighters had only lasted a few seconds but was being monitored closely by Miranda and Paul on the bridge. Both breathed a deep sigh of relief when the second fighter disintegrated after being hit by the missiles.

"We are thirty seconds to the nearest FTL jump point," Paul confirmed, checking the navigational computer. "We only suffered minor damage to the hull from those fighters," he exclaimed, relieved.

"What about Jon and the marines still left on the station?" Miranda demanded looking back in the direction of the station and still on-going battle. "We cannot just leave them."

"We have no choice," Paul insisted. "We do not know who else might have picked up that distress call and what sort of reinforcements might be on their way. We have used up our element of surprise with this ship; they are not going to fall for the same ruse again. In addition we have almost a dozen crew in the hold that are depending upon us to get them home safely. It's just too risky for us to remain here," Paul sighed. "One of the hardest decisions of command is when to leave people behind."

With that he started the power-up sequence for the ships FTL engine now they were finally away from the gravity field of the nearest moon. Paul did not think it constructive to mention Miranda and Jon were similar in their regard to never leave people behind. It had always been Jon's belief that nobody got left behind.

Glancing back at the sensors, which showed the still on-going clash around the station with the _Eternal Light_ , Miranda whispered. "Jon, bring them all back home safely." With that the _Eagle One_ slipped into FTL.

*****

Jon was relieved to observe from the corner of his eye the _Eagle One_ had escaped into FTL.

"At least they made it out safely," Jon, thought aloud, darting the ship out of the way of another stream of incoming weapons fire. Having quickly destroyed the initial fighters with the _'Light_ s missile complement and badly damaging one of the shuttles, the fight had quickly degenerated into a free-for-all melee. Unfortunately, at this point, Jon was at a significant disadvantage. No matter how heavily armed the _'Light_ was, she was still a shuttle and not designed for such close-in combat. The only advantage Jon had, of the opposing ships having to watch their fire to avoid hitting each other, disappeared when two of the fighters and the undamaged shuttle peeled away and set a course directly for the station. The _Eternal Light_ was still stuck fending off the remaining fighter and the occasional shot from the immobilised shuttle. While the two fighters had been dispatched prior to the _Eagle One_ escaping into FTL, the undamaged shuttle had started to dock at the sole remaining undamaged docking port of the station. Jon, meanwhile, was too far away to render assistance to the marines still on board the station. Activating a communication channel to the marines Jon inquired. "Gunny, what is the situation over there?" The response was weak due to the distance from the station but intelligible.

"We have secured the computer core and our making our way to the backup docking port for extraction."

"Heads up that you have incoming un-friendly's."

"Any idea of numbers?"

"Not a clue," Jon said. "You have one syndicate shuttle docking now. I do not have any information on numbers, but safe to assume that they do not want to meet-and-greet."

"Understood, looks like we have just been handed our ticket off the station," Gunny responded. Jon did not think it worthwhile pointing out it was unlikely they were just going to hand over the shuttle to the marines.

"Acknowledged, I'll be there shortly," Jon said, jerking the _Eternal Light_ out of the path of another stream of gunfire. "I hope," he added.

*****

Having extracted the computer core several minutes before, the heavily armed marines had been making for one of the stations hangar decks in the hope of finding a functioning ship when they received Jon's warning. Having decided that a fully powered up and docked shuttle made a far more inviting target, the Marines changed direction and hurried towards the secondary docking ring.

"Okay, fan out and take up defensive positions," Gunny ordered, as they neared the shuttle docking ring. The hastily prepared plan was to ambush the attacking force and then capture their shuttle before the crew realised what was happening. The tricky part of the plan was where to stage the ambush; too close to the docking ring could result in damage to the shuttle, which they planned to capture intact. Too far away and the shuttle could depart before they could board it. Finally Gunny settled on the conjunction of the docking ring with the main habitat ring. This was a natural choke point but far enough away from the shuttle to avoid any damage.

Having ensured the rest of the team were behind suitable cover, Gunny ducked behind a bulkhead and checked the magazine on his assault rifle, finding it still almost full. Quickly ejecting the magazine, he slid in a fresh one and checked there was a round in the chamber. Gunny had seen enough combat to know that those extra few rounds could make the difference between life and death. Satisfied his weapon was ready and the rest of his team were behind cover, he readied himself for the appearance of the Syndicate troops and did not have long to wait.

With a pounding of heavy boots the Syndicate troops rounded the airlock into the line of fire of the marines. Dressed in the dark, tactical armour frequently used by corporate security and police teams throughout the sector, and armed with a variety of weaponry, they were obviously not expecting a battle-hardened, and well positioned opposition. While Gunny had not specifically discounted the possibility of surrender it was still an option available to the opposing troops. Unfortunately, that option quickly vanished when the lead soldier, upon sighting the marines, raised his pulse rifle and let loose a volley of gunfire. That was enough for Gunny, who sighted down his rifle and depressed the trigger, sending a salvo of bullets in response.

The rest of the marines opened fire at the same time.

Over time armour had evolved to face the different multitudes of weaponry, from ancient times when heavy armour was first introduced to combat the threat from archers and lancers, through to the lighter and more flexible armour designed to combat propellant based weaponry. With the advent and wide-spread use of energy-based weaponry, armour was suitably adapted. Modern combat armour consisted of multiple layers of alloys and synthetic composites, all designed to spread and dissipate the focused beam from an energy weapon. Unfortunately this armour was far less resistant to the heavy slugs fired from the marine's automatic weapons. As a result, the lead Syndicate soldier was flung back by several rounds, from different directions, piercing his tactical armour. This had the result of halting the Syndicate advance, as the troopers following close behind all disappeared into a tangle of limbs onto the floor. This probably resulted in saving many of their lives, as the subsequent volley of automatic gunfire from the marines mostly went high. Having overcome their surprise at the sudden onslaught, the Syndicate solders started to pull back to the nearest cover, their responding weapons firing sporadically, at best.

Recognising the marines needed to keep the initiative and could not afford to allow the Syndicate troops to regroup and take-up their own defensive positions, Gunny motioned for the marines to advance. The advantage now switched to the attacking force, as without the element of surprise and with the loss of the marine's cover, the Syndicate weapons' fire became more frequent and accurate. However, the heavy armour and high rate-of-fire from the automatic weaponry of the marines managed to keep the Syndicate soldiers behind their limited cover.

Gunny had taken point at the front of the marines and was almost at the corridor intersection where the Syndicate troops had taken cover when one of the soldiers appeared, grenade in hand. Being only inches apart, the soldier was too close for the marine sergeant to bring his weapon to bear and at any moment the soldier was going to overcome his shock and release the grenade.

In desperation, Gunny did the first thing that came to mind, releasing his own weapon and grasping the enemy soldier's hand in a vice-like grip, totally encompassing the grenade. Having overcome the shock of appearing face-to-face with one of the marines and realising he could not throw the grenade, the soldier brought up his energy pulse pistol and depressed the trigger. At point blank range the weapon couldn't miss.

Almost immediately Gunny could feel the excruciating pain spreading from his abdomen region, along his veins, like fire spreading across dry kindling. With alarms blaring in his encompassing suit of armour and realising he was only seconds away from blacking out, Gunny took the only option left to him. With the powerful actuators built into the suit, Gunny picked the soldier up like one might lift a small child and, with a massive heave, threw the stunned soldier back down the intersection. Moments later a blinding light and massive explosion threw the marine back against the wall and he finally blacked out.

Sometime later Gunny slowly came back to consciousness. The first thing that hit him was the pain of a massive headache, caused when he hit his head due to the force of the explosion. The burning in his abdomen where the pulse pistol had hit quickly followed.

"Hey Gunny, you okay?" The voice came from above him and, finally managing to focus, he recognised Jonas, one of his fellow marines, peering down at him with a concerned expression on his face.

"Have we secured the shuttle yet?" Reynolds demanded, with a hiss of pain as he breathed in.

"Not yet Gunny, we are just about to assault it now. You did a real number on that Syndicate squad with that grenade. Well it's their own fault, what ass waves around a primed grenade!" Jonas snorted in professional incredulity. "You need some help?" He asked, noticing the chief still on the ground and obviously in some pain.

"I want that shuttle so we can get off this piece of shit! So get moving marine! I'll bring up the rear," Gunny insisted stifling another groan. Jonas just grinned at Gunny before ordering the other marines.

"Let's move out marines!" He called, "we have a shuttle to secure!" Biting back another groan and trying to keep his movement slow to avoid slipping back into unconsciousness Gunny pulled himself to his feet. Reaching down, he picked up his rifle from the floor and slung it across his shoulder, as no veteran marine would ever abandon his weapon. Using the corridor to support his weight he slowly followed the other marines towards the docked shuttle.

Fortunately there was only a token amount of resistance left to protect the shuttle, as the main body of the Syndicate security forces had already been overpowered, restrained or incapacitated by the marines. Hence, having quickly secured the shuttle bay, the marines were just waiting for Jon to give them the all clear to depart. It would look damn silly to have come all this way, secure the computer core, and fight though the syndicate reinforcements simply to be blown to bits by a syndicate fighter while departing the station.

"Gunny, I think you had better come and have a look at this," one of the marines reported, grim faced.

Gunny looked up in surprise, anything to turn a marine's stomach was not good. The shuttle bay broke out into several storage rooms, where cargo both coming onto the station and departing could be temporarily stored. Following the marine to one of the larger storage rooms, Patrick almost gagged at the sight before him. Crammed into the room, shoulder-to-shoulder, gaunt faced, half starved to death, were rows upon rows of people. Predominantly women and children, but some men, they all wore the expression of one resigned to their fate. Gunny did not need to take a second look to recognise people sold into the misery of slavery.

Conducting a quick head-count Gunny found over fifty people packed into the room. Far too many people to fit into the small assault shuttle, even if the marines discarded their bulky assault armour. As a soldier Gunny had faced difficult battlefield decisions before and he considered, briefly, leaving them behind to the Syndicate. A quick glance into the eyes of one of the terrified children, cowering behind its mother, quickly dispelled that option. He or she was little older than Lieutenant Castle's daughter, whom Gunny often read bedtime stories to. He would not condemn any child into a life of such purgatory. Additionally, the sergeant did not even want to consider what Jon would say when he reported abandoning so many families to the Syndicate.

"Commander, Reynolds here," Gunny called Jon who was on the _Eternal Light_. "We have a problem here. We need a bigger ship."

*****

Jon listened in growing disbelief to the report Gunny made regarding their gruesome discovery on the Syndicate station. Cursing the Syndicate for being involved in almost every illegal and underhand deal in the sector, slavery was a new low even for them. Jon swore he would put an end to this dreadful trade in human misery. However, putting aside his personal feelings Jon focused on the significant tactical problem at hand. With the _Eagle One_ out of communication range in FTL and neither of the ships in their possession possessing the capacity to transfer so many people, they had a significant logistics problem. Waiting for assistance was out of the question, who knows who else had picked up the distresses signal, for all Jon knew further reinforcements were already on the way, they needed a new ship—and fast.

Checking the sensors, Jon was relieved to detect another freighter, already docked at the station, a few bays away from Gunny and his marine team. He had no way to know the status of the freighter, as the ship's sensors reported all of its systems were powered down.

"Gunny, I am detecting a docked freighter approximately five-hundred meters from your position, outer docking ring, three bays counter-clockwise. Status unknown, it is currently powered down. Can you fly that thing?

"I can fly it," was the confident response from Gunny.

"Then double time-it Gunny. I think we can expect further reinforcements, of the unfriendly variety, very shortly. I'll give you cover."

"Acknowledged, Reynolds out."

Taking off his headpiece so the already frightened people could hear him without the suits amplifying speakers he called out. "Everybody listen carefully, my name is Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Reynolds, with the Imperial, uh...Confederation, _damn_ ... we're the _Marines_ and we are here to rescue you. There's a ship big enough to take us all not far from here. I need you all to keep together and follow me. I repeat we are here to rescue you and take you to safety." The group of people just stood motionless, just staring at him in disbelief.

"MOVE IT PEOPLE! NOW!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, in his best marine sergeant tone of voice. The terrified people fled out of the room, in the direction of the shuttle bay, escorted by the other marines who had fallen into formation around the civilians. Patrick momentarily felt bad about shouting at the obviously deeply-shocked prisoners, but unless they moved quickly none of them were going to be making it off the station alive.

Fortunately, having incapacitated most of the station security following their assault on the computer core, and then the Syndicate reinforcements on their way back to the shuttle, the remaining resistance was extremely light. Arriving at the freighter docking port, Gunny was relieved to see the freighter still firmly docked. He had nightmares on the journey of the freighter departing, and the marines being stranded on the station with the rescued prisoners.

Instead all that awaited them was a small maintenance team, frozen in disbelief at the sight of armoured marines, shepherding dozens of terrified victims into the docking bay.

"Everybody that does not need to be here, out. Now!" shouted Gunny at the immobilised engineers. After all, there was no point wasting time and resources restraining the engineers when the entire station, _hell probably the entire system_ , knew they were there. Grabbing one of the engineering crew as they scurried past, Gunny lifted the poor man a couple of feet of the ground, with the powerful actuators built into the armour. "What is the status of the freighter?" Gunny demanded of the terrified engineer. Eyes wide with terror he could not, or would not answer. Pointing his assault rifle at the engineer, he repeated. "I won't ask the question three times, what is the status of the freighter?" Gunny enunciated each syllable individually.

"It's fine, its fine," the engineer babbled, falling over his own words to answer the question. "We were just told to secure it and power it down until its next run." Gunny tossed the poor tech aside and strode powerfully towards the freighter. The docking port had been sealed and required a passkey to enter; fortunately this was not an armoured airlock, just a standard security door. Hence Gunny's powered fist punched straight through the door on the first attempt. Actuators straining from the effort, Gunny pulled the door wide open. Looking through the docking port, Gunny was relieved to see both the station airlock and the freighter airlock open. Both being thick and heavily armoured Gunny knew they would have taken considerable effort to prise open.

"Jonas, inform me when everybody is aboard and strapped in. Seal the exit behind you, I'll be on the bridge."

"Sure thing Gunny. You sure you can fly this?"

"They've yet to build a ship that I cannot fly, at least in a straight line, marine."

"Aye, aye, Gunny."

Leaving Jonas to get the civilians on board, Gunny boarded the freighter, and soon found the bridge.

"Let's see now," Gunny stated aloud. "We need main-engine start." Flicking a switch at random, a claxon sounded throughout the bridge. Hurriedly flicking that one off, Gunny tried the one underneath it. _Ahhh-ha!_

*****

Jon watched as the freighter's engines powered up and it slowly pulled away from the station.

"Glad to see that you made it Gunny," Jon called over the ship's communication system.

"Yet to find a ship that I cannot fly, Commander. Now can I have a heading to the nearest FTL jump point? I just need some time to find where they have hidden the goddamn FTL controls. Why do they keep insist on moving these things around!"

Jon just laughed at the grumbling from the older man. "Heading 64.8 to starboard."

"We clear yet?"

"Almost Gunny, I still have one more fighter to shake off then I will follow you out. Stay on that heading until I contact you again."

Running low on ammunition, Jon had been playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the last fighter. Having seen all his fellow ships destroyed, this last fighter was playing it safe, hanging back on the more cumbersome shuttle's tail and taking the odd pot-shot. Deciding to put an end to this game, now that the freighter was slowly lumbering towards the FTL jump point, as he did with Miranda many months before he slowly started to reduce thrust, ever so slowly reeling the other fighter in closer.

Unfortunately, this time the _Eternal Light_ did not have the benefit of any asteroids close by, or missiles, Jon thought disappointedly. Well, the heavily armoured shuttle had already taken a beating; one more hit was not going to matter. With that thought, Jon powered the thrusters to full reverse. From an external viewpoint it seemed like the shuttle stopped dead in space. The trailing fighter, caught completely unawares, suddenly shot forward, clipping the shuttle with its portside engine. This had the unfortunate side effect of tearing the portside engine off, along with a good portion of the stabiliser, resulting in the fighter going into an uncontrollable spin.

Reversing thrust once again, the _Eternal Light_ resumed a parallel course with the freighter, and moments later both disappeared into FTL with a brief flash of light.

All that remained behind was a badly damaged station and a dozen floating carcasses, the remnants of the Syndicate reinforcements; buffeted by the solar wind from the distant star.

Chapter Ten

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

Several weeks later the ripples from their raid on the Syndicate station were still being felt throughout the Confederation.

The first order of business on their arrival back at _Terra Nova_ was to see to the health of the rescued prisoners. In a scene of well-organised chaos, families disembarking from the captured freighter were all given a cursory examination from one of the trained medical corps. Those deemed at high risk were immediately moved to the medical bay for a more through medical examination and treatment. Those deemed weak, but otherwise healthy, were moved to the nearest cargo bay, which had been hastily converted into a triage centre.

The moment all had disembarked from the freighter, Lieutenant Edgar and his intelligence team descended on it like a pack of vultures. Starting with the ship's computer, followed by the bridge, cargo hold and engineering, Edgar and his team completed a complete forensic examination.

Having only just docked and powered down the _Eternal Light_ , Jon was bone tired, but wanted to ensure all was proceeding smoothly before he retired for a well-deserved shower and hot meal. However, that plan had to be put on hold when, moving swiftly through the crowd, Paul and Jason approached the Commander.

"Can we have a word, in private?" Paul inquired, motioning towards one of the free observation lounges.

Jon raised one eyebrow inquisitively, wondering why both officers were grinning as if they had just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Jason in particular looked like he was about to start walking on air in a cloud of self-congratulation. Curious to hear what his two senior officers wanted to discuss, Jon nodded his head in agreement, joined them in the lounge and ensured the door was firmly closed behind them.

"Lieutenant Edgar approached me a few minutes ago, with a very intriguing proposition. Timing is critical for us to pull this off, hence I wanted you to hear this immediately, Jason?" Paul said.

"Without realising it sir, the Syndicate have just handed us the keys to their own demise," Jason started off without any preamble. He then went on to describe the most ingenious plan of disinformation since the Allies fooled the Axis into believing the completely wrong location and date for the D-Day landings. It was without a doubt the craftiest plan devised in over eight-hundred years of information warfare. It was ingenious. It became simply known as _The Plan_ , or its full name _The Plan to Discredit the Syndicate Organisation Resulting in its Downfall_ (THDSORID-1).

Jon was fairly certain David had somehow been involved in the naming.

The first step was already underway, with the medical attention being given to the families; Jason surreptitiously issued some of his officers with portable holo-recorders to record the scenes. Meanwhile the rest of his team, who had been busy disassembling the freighter, frantically reversed direction and started to put everything back, with subtle modifications. For example, originally the freighter had belonged to some long defunct shipping company, bought at a knock-down price at auction. However, a few minor tweaks to the ship's registry resulted in it becoming a real freighter, owned by one of the Syndicate's, shell, shell, shell companies, which was last reported lost somewhere in the Orion nebula. Similarly a few boxes of unused machine parts suddenly became a significant haul of contraband. The aft cargo bay became full with enough weaponry and explosives to start a small war, all with their serial numbers and anything else that could be used to track them removed. Except for the odd missed number here and there, which tied it back to another Syndicate shell company. The ship's computer meanwhile was packed full of every piece of intelligence about the Syndicate, their facilities, ships, operations and accounts Jason and his team had managed to gleam over the past six months. All nicely encrypted so that it would not appear too obvious.

In all, within the space of twenty-four hours, the nondescript freighter was turned into an intelligence treasure trove pointing a 'come-and-get-me' arrow straight back to the Syndicate. It was simple, straightforward and would have been blatantly obvious as such to the first person that came across the ship.

Then, after the medical team had given a clean bill of health to all the prisoners, they were all helped back onto the ship, with assurances they would be returned home. The ship's navigational computer was wiped of any information about its point of origin. The destination was programed into the autopilot for _Transcendence_ , a bare five minutes in FTL from _Terra Nova_. Once all systems and been checked, and then checked again, the ship was allowed to depart and stage two of _The Plan_ was put into operation.

Not having a high degree of confidence in _Transcendence_ docking control, and less in the Confederation military to bother to actually investigate a nondescript freighter just floating off the station, Jason made a few calls, anonymously. He called every media outlet on the station and casually suggested to them that the story of the decade, no the century, was going to drop out of FTL on their lap in, oh, twenty minutes, and they would have to be quick off the mark to get an exclusive.

_Transcendence_ station had never seen a stampede like it, nor were they ever likely to again, as hundreds of reporters, correspondents, cameramen and news anchors made a beeline for the docking port. A large proportion of the station population followed them, on the assumption that if a few hundred people were making a mad dash off the station, perhaps they knew something they didn't and should be followed, just in case.

Hence there was quite a welcoming committee at the ready when the freighter dropped out of FTL, almost on top of the station, before powering down the engines. Finally station security, with the backing of confederation navy personnel, towed the freighter into dock and popped the hatch. Of course, by then it was far too late to cover up the contents of the freighter, as dozens of families, dehydrated, hungry and bewildered stumbled off the ship, into the arms of the waiting media. It only took a few innocent questions to discover they were recently rescued slaves, which set off an all-out media scrum.

As one news anchor summed it up on the nightly news. "Ships frequently go missing, but how often does a ship, full of recently freed slaves, just appear?" Meanwhile Confederation Navy officers started to debrief the victims and search the ship with a fine toothcomb.

With information scarce about the origins of the ship, rumours became rampant, speculation rose to a fevered pitch. One enterprising reporter, pretending to be family, managed to conduct a brief interview with one of the prisoners before he was hauled out by station security. During the interview it was claimed they had been rescued by a group of marines. Navy switchboards throughout the Confederation lit up as a million and one people called to find out if it were true. The Navy refused to confirm 'unsubstantiated rumours'.

With the ship becoming the lead news item on every network, Jason and his team leaked the first scrap of information, that the ship's owner and registration had been identified. Hordes of investigative journalists were quick to investigate the company, which did not exist. The shell company was owned by a parent company, which did not exist. However, this had a shared ownership model, with a company that did not exist. They kept digging.

The next day further leaks were reported. Jason and his team supplied all of these, anonymously, once again. It was reported illegal weapons had also been found on the ship, speculated to belong to the same slavers who had taken the victims captive. A few serial numbers had been found, belonging to a company that did not exist... The Confederation Navy was incredulous, as it seemed the leaks were occurring _before_ the investigative team had even found any evidence.

The Galaxy News Network (GNN) were the first to report a breakthrough in the story, when one of its investigative reporters had tied together the parent company of both the ship and the company that had purchased the arms found in the freighter. The 'Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping,' was an inter-system, logistics conglomerate, with offices in most major systems. Their data-net crashed when it received three-point-two million hits within the space of twenty minutes after the broadcast. They refuted all knowledge of the ship, weapons or captives.

Finally a small regional news syndicate announced the icing on the cake when it managed to obtain actual footage of the rescue. As their data-net did not even last ten minutes before it crashed, it was jointly agreed all the major news networks would broadcast the recording simultaneously (although GNN did start the broadcast a few minutes early, claiming their chronometer was fast). Viewing figures for the footage set a new record, at its peak it was claimed that one-point-two billion confederation citizens tuned into the live data-net feed.

The cinema on _Terra Nova_ was reconfigured to show the live broadcast. However, as this was unable to contain the entire crew complement, the engineering team piped the feed through all the stations holoprojectors. Pride of place at the front row was reserved for Gunny's marines and David's security team who had carried out the operation.

The broadcast commenced with the _Eagle One_ docking at the Syndicate Station and the marines restraining the stunned maintenance team. Gunny and the marines rushing into the prisoner's gaol, with Gunny shouting, "We're the Marines, here to rescue you!" closely followed this. Jon thought the background music swelling to a crescendo at this point was a particularly good touch.

Gunny, meanwhile, had gone an interesting shade of pink. Leaning forward in his seat, Jon patted the embarrassed marine sergeant on the back. "You and your team did good Gunny, real good." Meanwhile the marines, always a riotous bunch, yelled out "Hu-Ra!"

The scene then cut to a wide-angle shot of the marines escorting the rescued families through the station, frequently encountering heavy resistance designed to stop the attempted rescue. All in all Jon thought it was an inspired piece of editing by Jason and his team. He would have been first to nominate them for a New Hollywood award for editing and post-production. After all, the entire recording was complete fiction, having been edited to turn the entire order of events on its head to make it appear a rescue, when in actual fact it been a darling raid to obtain the computer core.

Meanwhile the marines had finally made it to the freighter and, after ensuring all the rescued families were aboard, departed the station, only to be warned by the recently arrived Syndicate reinforcements.

"Unidentified ship – this station is private property belonging to the Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping. You are ordered to power down all systems and surrender, otherwise you will be destroyed." Jon thought that bit of editing was a particularly good touch.

What followed was a horrific attack on a vulnerable, defenceless freighter, full of starving families, women and children, that just so happened to appear invulnerable and perchance was able to completely obliterate any attackers.

Straight after the broadcast of the recording it cut to a press conference that had been hastily convened on _Transcendence_ by the Confederation Navy. The young, baby-faced navy spokesperson was categorically denying any Navy involvement in the incident. This was having the opposite effect of making the Navy seem even guiltier, as while the marines had not worn any identifying insignia, they obviously were marines. Hell, they had even announced themselves as such. Even the Navy spokesperson seemed uncertain. After reading the prepared announcement, the spokesperson inquired if there were any questions and seemed to be dreading the response.

One particularly proactive reporter was straight out the chair, inquiring, "Can the Confederation Navy confirm which active unit these marines belong to?"

The response from the spokesperson was automatic. "All active military deployments are classified and I cannot comment."

Jon almost fell out of his chair with laughter; the spokesperson had practically contradicted his earlier statement. You could see onscreen the spokesperson hesitate for a moment, then with a fish out of water expression think, _Doh!_ No further questions were permitted and the spokesperson made a hurried exit.

Unable to think up excuses for incarcerating the freed captives for any longer, since the excuse to the Judge that they needed to remain secluded to aid in their recovery was only going to last a few days at best, the Confederation Navy released the freed prisoners into the open arms of the awaiting media. Having lost everything in the Syndicate attacks that took them captive, Jon certainly hoped one or two of the families at least managed to negotiate a richly paid media exclusive.

In any case, it had an even more electrifying impact than Jason and his team could have wished and prayed for. The media coverage was wall-to-wall, of terrified families, fearing for their lives, after having already lost their livelihoods, in tears describing their rescue by the marines. One pretty, dark haired little girl held up the teddy bear she had been given by one of the marines when she was frightened by the medical check-up. Jon made inquiries around the station, but none of the marines recollected giving away a teddy bear, or at least was willing to admit to doing so. Personally, Jon had his own suspicions.

Sufficed to say that calls to the marine's recruitment office, which were already up by two-hundred percent, skyrocketed by a further six-hundred percent. In counterpoint, the stock price for Chamber of Commerce, Business and Shipping (CCBS), already trading down twenty percent, fell a further sixty percent.

Another switchboard that also quickly became overloaded was for the Senate Office on Eden Prime, flooded by calls from indignant citizens demanding to know what action was to be taken by their government against CCBS. Senators, a fickle species on a good day, always quick to detect the changing winds of public perception, were lining up to sign up for the newest senate sub-committee to investigate the activities of CCBS. Of the two-hundred-eighty senators, representing each world in the Confederation, two-hundred-seventy voted in favour, nine against, with one vote uncast (he was in the wash-room and missed the vote). It did not make much difference to the voting citizens as he, along with the other nine senators, was not put forward for re-election the following year.

Jason and team, worried the yawn-inducing political sessions of the Senate might turn off the now agog public, issued their next clip. On the assumption that nothing sells better than sex, they released a short clip of Miranda disembarking from the _Eagle One_ , releasing the tight zipper from her figure-hugging flight-suit, with her dark, raven hair unravelling. She was every teenager's wet dream (and quite a few of the afore mentioned teenagers' fathers'). Sufficed to say, applications to the navy pilot program quadrupled overnight. Frankly, at this rate, Jon felt the Confederation Navy could do far worse than turn over the keys to their recruitment program to Jason and his team.

The Senate sub-committee officially sat for their first session the following day, the quickest session organised in the brief history of the Confederation Senate, despite none of the senators having any idea what the hell was going on, as the Navy was being, as usual, tight-lipped. The Navy, in fact, was busy investigating multiple breaches of security around the on-going investigation, still troubled by the fact the leaks seemed to be occurring prior to the investigation actually _uncovering any evidence_. Therefore, when in doubt and in urgent need to be seen to be proactive, the sub-committee subpoenaed the board of directors for CCBS, along with the entire executive management team. The lawyer representing CCBS uncomfortably informed the senate sub-committee nobody was able to attend, citing prior commitments.

The sub-committee mulled over this response for a full half-day. Then ordered the Navy to send in the marines, the real ones this time, to seize...well...everything. Jon organised another cinema night on _Terra Nova_ and, with the usual popcorn and peanuts flying back and forth, the marines and station security cheered as the (real) navy marines boarded and seized all Syndicate facilities throughout the systems. According to Gunny they didn't make too much of a half-assed job doing it.

Not surprisingly they mostly found abandoned facilities, wiped computer cores and lots of foot-troops, the senior Syndicate personnel even quicker to see the oncoming storm and long since hotfooted it out of the system. However, at least they did so with only the clothes they wore on their backs, as the Senate had already frozen all Syndicate accounts, with the supplied details from Jason and his team, via Navy Intelligence, a more obvious oxymoron yet to be discovered.

However, for Jon, the crowning moment of the entire affair was the (brief) statement from the Confederation President, Sofia Aurelius. Biting on the inside of her cheek, which Jon knew for a fact that she did only when worried about something (doubtful) or royally pissed about something (much more likely) she announced the senate investigation would be thorough and leave no stone unturned.

Jon had a fairly strong hunch Sofia knew exactly who or what was behind the incident and planned for pretty much all of it to remain untouched. After all how could she not? If she did not recognise the equipment and tactics deployed, then she most certainly recognised some of the faces in the short video clips supplied. Doctor Richardson had delivered Sofia at her birth, and had been the personal physician for her father and her for over ten years.

Finally, with her prepared statement coming to an end, she resignedly asking if there were any questions.

The enterprising journalist from _Transcendence_ , obviously having been promoted, was straight out his chair once again with the same question.

"Can the Confederation Navy confirm which active unit the marines in the holoclip belong to?"

Sofia however was not some young, naive Navy spokesperson. Giving the reporter a withering glare, with eyes burning furiously and a voice like a whip she demanded, "Are you deaf, as well as being an idiot? Did you even listen to what I was saying? The Navy has no knowledge of these actions. Now sit-down before you make yourself look even more idiotic. Does any other idiot have a stupid question?"

The more astute reporters quickly lowered their hands, realising that the President was not in the mood to take any further questions. However, some people were slower than others, and one reporter shouted out a question from the back of the room.

"I'm sorry; I did not get your name and who you worked for?" Sofia called back sweetly.

_Uh Oh_.

"After all, we would not want some editor firing the wrong, poor, innocent reporter by mistake for your inept question would we?" The aforementioned reporter sunk, deflated, back into his seat along with the remaining questions.

You Go, Girl!

"In closing remarks," Sofia said. "I would like to remind _all_ confederation citizens the government will not allow vigilante justice and any such action in the future will result in the full force of the Confederation government and her military forces being deployed."

Jon raised his bottle of beer in mock salute to the holoprojector and stated out aloud to the empty office, "Message received and understood, Princess."

As the broadcast concluded, Jon wondered at what point their relationship hit a new low that they now had to use the Confederation media to talk to each other. It had been some years since Jon last saw Sofia and was surprised at how much she had aged even while still looking as beautiful as ever, still possessing the spark that had so drawn Jon to her.

However, he could not fail to notice the dark rings under her eyes, eyes that seemed to have lost the sparkle Jon could so clearly remember. Frankly, Jon thought she looked tired and weary, a thought that left him in a melancholy mood for many days thereafter.

Chapter Eleven

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

Jon was not the only one on the station anxiously waiting to see what the Syndicate's response might be. While Jason and his team might have fooled the entire Confederation, with the possible exception of the office of the President, they had no such illusions about the Syndicate. The Syndicate had ample time to review the logs from the station before having to abandon it. This included the voice communication of Miranda requesting docking clearance, and possibly sensor recordings of the _Eternal Light_ and _Eagle One._ No—the Syndicate knew exactly who was behind the attack, and while they had underestimated Jon and his crew once, he doubted that they would do so again.

Late at night station time, almost eight weeks after the attack on the Syndicate facility, Jon was working in his office, reviewing the last status reports. It was therefore, with only little surprise, Jon noticed his office lights dim for a moment, before returning to their original brightness. A few moments later they flickered again, before extinguishing completely. The office suddenly plunged into darkness, the only illumination coming from the viewport and the energy screen holding back the depths of space. Jon's gaze was immediately drawn to the screen as it wavered for a heartbeat before it too vanished, no longer holding back the deep emptiness of space.

Jon's breath froze, waiting for the chill of vacuum to consume him, his eyes frozen wide in expectation. But it did not happen. Moving slowly, Jon hit the communication key in his desk to but put through to C&C.

"Lieutenant Patterson here," came the crisp response.

"Chris, it's Jon. I have just lost power in my office. What is the status of the energy distribution grid?"

"We're detecting random power fluctuations throughout the Station, Commander." Patterson responded.

There had never been a power issue, not in the two-and-a-half years that Vanguard had been occupying the station, never. One of their first tasks on arrival was a complete inspection and overhaul of all the stations systems, particularly life support and energy distribution. Jon was not a big believer in coincidences and he thought he detected a slight hesitation in the lieutenant's voice, as if he were going to add something else, but was unsure if he should mention it.

"Have any ships docked recently?" The long pause before any answer was forthcoming demonstrated to Jon that he had correctly identified the cause for Patterson's hesitation.

"Yes Commander, the _Santa Maria_ docked only half-an-hour ago."

"She was a scheduled arrival?"

"Yes sir, but she was running slightly behind schedule, approximately thirty minutes late..."

Again Jon detected the note of hesitation in the lieutenant's voice. "Just spit it out, Chris. What was unusual about the _Santa Maria's_ arrival?" Jon could hear the intake of breath over the communication link and rolled his eyes in disbelief. Jon was aware he had a certain 'reputation' among the more junior officers, he guessed at that moment they were adding telepathy to his list of skills.

"Captain Anderson was not on the bridge at arrival, sir. His crew reported there had been an accident en-route and they requested immediate docking and a medical team on arrival. As they were not forthcoming about the nature of the accident, damage to the ship and any possible risk to the station I assigned then to docking bay fifteen, and dispatched a medical team. I was still deciding whether to contact you or the Captain when we just picked up the energy fluctuations and you called sir. "

Jon thought quickly for a moment, bay fifteen was the most remote external docking bay they possessed, far on the outer docking ring away from the main station habitat ring, for this reason it was seldom used except for dangerous or volatile cargos.

"Very well Lieutenant, have the medical team arrived at bay fifteen yet?"

There was a pause for a few moments as he was trying to ascertain the location of the medical team. "No sir, at this time there was only a skeleton medical staff on duty, so they were waiting for the off-duty team to arrive. They have only just been dispatched."

"Then withdraw the medical team and seal off the bay." Jon thought for a further moment, alone in the dark office with only the starlight shining through the gaping viewport. If they were interfering with the energy distribution grid they could be anywhere on the station by now. "Sound general quarters," Jon ordered crisply. "Intruder alert."

"Sir?" Patterson queried, dumfounded. He could not remember _Terra Nova_ , ever going to general quarters before.

"That was an order Lieutenant," Jon insisted resolutely.

"Yes sir."

In the background Jon could already start to hear the wail of the alarms, signifying that the station was now on an alert status.

"I'll be in C&C shortly," Jon concluded shutting the communications channel. Shifting his gaze away from the viewport to his desk Jon touched a latch at the side, only for a section of desk to slide open, revealing a Valerian sword, his sword, the sword given to him by the now long-dead emperor.

In the darkened office, the only illumination coming from the stars and the occasional emergency light, the sword seemed to glow with an inner blue flame. Either reflecting the little light from the stars, or coming from somewhere inside the blade, Jon had no idea. He hesitated before reaching for the sword. He had not wielded this weapon since abandoning his oath to the Emperor, since he betrayed Sofia, since he turned his back on his old life. He did not feel worthy to possess such a weapon, but at the same time he could not part with it. The blade was part of him, part of his soul, and he could no more abandon it than cut off his right hand. So instead he had kept it close, but never touching it.

However, now with possible intruders on his station, in his home, threatening people, families that he loved... Shoving aside his own fears and inadequacies he reached out and grasped the hilt of the sword, pulling the blade free from the desk. As always when holding this blade, his blood seemed to sing with the song of battle. Casting one more glance over his shoulder, outside the viewport, still dark with the inkiness of space, Jon departed for C&C. With his blade still wrapped firmly in his hand, the office door slid shut and sealed itself behind him.

*****

"Status report," Jon demanded stepping into C&C, seeing it a hive of activity, fully staffed even through it was still late at night.

"All departments confirm general quarters, Commander," Lieutenant Patterson promptly responded. "As designated by the new internal security plan, reinforced security teams have been deployed around main engineering and all civilians have been sequestered in medical, again with a reinforced security team deployed. The rest of the station is now on lock-down."

Jon was secretly impressed, for a station of over three-hundred souls including families to go into complete lock-down in the time that it had taken him to get to C&C; Jon doubted that they could have done better in the Imperial Navy. Once again he was proud of his crew.

At that moment the doors slid open to C&C, and with half a dozen officers simultaneously reaching for their side arms, Miranda stepped in.

"You're meant to be in your quarters," Jon interjected angrily, as the officers in the C&C re-holstered their weapons.

Miranda just shrugged nonchalantly. "Nobody ever told me where I was supposed to be during an emergency. Anyway I thought that I could help?" Motioning her over, towards the two most senior officers on duty, Jon told Patterson to continue with his status report.

"With engineering and medical secure and the rest of the station on lock-down, the next stage of the plan involves deploying reinforced sweeper teams to secure the station, section by section."

Jon nodded his head in approval at the plan he had signed off on a few weeks before. "I want the teams sweeping the station, from medical and engineering towards docking bay fifteen. We are almost certain one of those will be their target, if not both. Ensure that, as each section is cleared, it is secured to ensure no force can out-flank the sweeper teams," Jon ordered.

"I'll let the sweeper teams know sir."

"Tell them I'll meet them en-route."

"Sir?" Patterson exclaimed, aghast. "Would it not be better for you to remain in C&C, or at least wait here for one of the sweeper teams?"

"I'm not having anyone wasting precious resources and time, better spent searching the station, babysitting me," Jon said angrily. "Let them know I am on my way."

"Yes sir," Patterson replied in a resigned tone. Their commanding officer's habit of placing himself in the firing line was well known throughout the station. The crew respected him for it, knowing he would never order them into a situation he, himself, would not lead from the front.

As Jon was heading towards the exit he noticed Miranda still following close behind. "Where do you think you are going?" he inquired crossly, frustrated with his crew's habit of trying to wrap him in cotton wool, to ensure he was not hurt.

"I said that I wanted to help," Miranda replied calmly. "It might be a waste of precious resources and time, better spent searching the station, babysitting you—for the sweeper teams," Miranda replied, throwing his earlier words back in his face. "However, as I am not part of any of the sweeper teams it won't hurt for me to watch your back."

Growling in frustration, unable to refute her logic, Jon opening the small-arms locker in C&C, passing her a heavy pistol, barrel first, and followed by a few spare clips. "You know how to use this?"

"David put me through a quick training course," Miranda replied, checking whether there was a round chambered and the weapon's safety was firmly on. "You are not taking a second gun?" Miranda asked in surprise, noticing Jon's hands were empty, as he was striding quickly from C&C.

"I've got the only weapon I need," Jon replied, patting the blade Miranda only now noticed strapped at his waist.

"You're taking an overgrown knife to a gun-fight?" she asked incredulously.

"It's called a sword. In this case a Valerian sword," Jon exclaimed, rolling his eyes. "Look it up in the ship's computer later."

"Sure," Miranda groused. "Probably filed under _Ancient Historical Weapons_."

Jon could only grin, she was probably right.

*****

"So how many of them do you think there are?" Miranda asked nervously, peering around a corridor, checking in both directions before motioning Jon forward.

Trying desperately to suppress a smile at the younger woman's antics, obviously she had never been in combat outside of a ship before, he thought carefully about the question before replying. "Well only one freighter docked, prior to the energy grid problems. I doubt they could fit more than, oh, fifty people onto that ship," he replied, trying not to laugh as Miranda came to an abrupt halt.

"Fifty?" she replied with an ashen face, picturing turning a corner and facing fifty armed men all with the intent to kill her.

"Well, that's the worst case scenario. On the bright side, there might be none."

"None?" Miranda echoed, a terrible thought suddenly occurring to her. "You don't actually know if there are any intruders on the station do you? It could have just been a ship-board accident like the crew reported?"

Jon nodded his head in agreement, that it was an equally plausible scenario. Thinking intently, Jon finally shook his head. He was not wrong. The intruders had made a fundamental mistake when cutting the power to his office, as they had lost their element of surprise.

Meanwhile, shaking her head in disbelief over skulking around the darkened station in the early morning when she could instead be in her quarters fast asleep, she was so engrossed in the injustice of the entire event, she stepped out into the next corridor without checking first.

It was only Jon's quick action, drawing her back against his chest, that saved her life. The energy bolts whipped through the air where she had been standing only seconds before.

"Looks like I was right," Jon whispered into her ear, before glancing around the corner for barely a second. However, even that was long enough for a few more bolts to strike the corridor dangerously close to his head.

Backing up a few meters to the nearest communication console, Jon put in the call to C&C. "Intruders spotted, level three, corridor thirty-two," he reported concisely. "Looks like half a dozen, armed with energy pulse rifles and tactical combat armour."

"Understood Commander," C&C replied. "I'll have reinforcements converge on your location."

"Negative, we don't know if there are any other teams on the station; continue the sweep as originally planned."

"Acknowledged."

"Come on, let's see if we can cut them off at the next intersection," Jon proposed.

"We?" she replied in a doubtful voice. "But there is only two of us and six of them," she pointed out.

"Yes, but isn't that so much better odds than two of us and fifty of them."

Backtracking, Jon led Miranda through a number of winding corridors and rooms, until finally they arrived at a connecting door. Careful to stand far enough back not to activate the door sensor, Jon motioned for Miranda to keep quiet.

Whispering to her, Jon explained the plan. "The syndicate forces will probably pass along this corridor, as it's the main throughway to engineering. We will wait for them to pass and, when they do, we'll ambush them. We will have the element of surprise on our side. I'll go first and distract them, and then you come."

"Perhaps we should wait," Miranda suggested nervously. "From what you describe it sounds like these are Syndicate Enforcers. I have never met any but they have a reputation for being the Syndicate shock troops of choice when they need a mess cleared up, quickly. They have a fearsome reputation, even in the Syndicate."

Jon looked at the nervous young woman sympathetically, remembering his own first time into combat. The two were already standing very close so as to be heard so, impulsively, he learned forward slightly and kissed her gently, softly on her lips.

"You'll be fine," he whispered reassuringly. "Just follow my lead." Then he took a stride forward, sliding through the door before it was half open, straight into the middle of the Syndicate shock troops.

There was a moment of stunned disbelief from the Syndicate troops, as if this ghost in white had suddenly risen from the dead and appeared in their midst. However, that instant was a heartbeat too long for two of the troopers as, in a blink of an eye, Jon had his sword in hand. And within a thin mist of blood one of the troopers was dying with his throat slit open, the other staring in disbelief at the stump where his wrist ended, where only moments before his hand had been.

The group disintegrated into complete chaos. With screams of pain, cries of anger and fright, the group tried to bring their weapons to bear on the threat that had suddenly appeared in their midst. However, in the close confines of the corridor it was a futile task, as they all held long barrelled weapons. The few who managed to get their weapons to bear in time held off firing in fear of hitting colleagues. Most did not even have the chance to get their weapons raised, as again and again the sword rose and fell. Each time another Syndicate soldier fell, never to rise again.

In desperation one of the troopers depressed the firing stud on his weapon in the hope of hitting anything. However, with a deft touch from his free hand Jon casually brushed the weapon aside, meanwhile sliding his own blade through the tactical armour, like a hot knife through butter, the blade barely meeting any resistance passing into the still beating heart.

The sergeant, upon seeing his squad being cut to pieces made the most rational decision of all. Dropping his rifle and reaching for his combat knife, he took advantage of their attacker's turned back to snake a powerful arm around his throat.

The only remaining syndicate soldier, seeing a lull in the attack took a step back and brought his rifle to bear on the now immobilised enemy. However, before he could depress the firing stud, a loud _crack_ resounded along the corridor, first one, then two more in quick succession. The soldier's face disappeared in a cloud of red mist as the heavy shells tore into his head, with two more shells hitting him squarely in the chest, throwing him back down the corridor.

The sergeant, seeing the only remaining member of his squad die, took advantage of what few seconds he had left, as the swordsman was unable to bring his own weapon to bear. As he raised his knife in preparation for the deadly blow he was astonished to simultaneously see the blade leave the swordsman's hand and rise up into the air. In a flash the swordsman caught the blade in his other hand, reversing the grip, and suddenly the tip of the blade was pointing back down, accelerating back towards him.

In desperation he shoved the razor sharp knife between the swordsman's ribs angling up towards his heart. The impact of the sword hitting his chest, and a further three shells simultaneously piercing his back stopped the knife barely centimetres from its final destination.

"Jon!" screamed Miranda, desperately trying to push the heavy body of the syndicate soldier off of him. Staring in horror at the hilt of the knife sticking out from his back, with a quickly spreading red patch radiating out, consuming Jon's immaculate white uniform. Gently rolling him over, trying not to jar the knife, but fearing to remove it she looked into his eyes.

"Told you that everything would be fine," Jon quipped. The effect only slightly spoilt by the blood beginning to froth from his mouth. Jon could feel the weight on his chest, knowing that the knife had pierced one of his lungs, and he was slowly drowning in his own blood.

"I'll get help," Miranda said frantically but by then Jon's eyes had already drifted shut.

*****

Sometime later Miranda reappeared in C&C, having little idea where else to go. The thought of being alone, in her dark quarters, was too terrifying to contemplate.

Paul looked up in concern at the sight of Miranda, her hands still covered in blood, Jon's he assumed, as looking over the younger woman carefully he could not see any other injuries.

"How is Jon?" he asked worriedly. He had just arrived in the C&C when Miranda's frantic call for help had arrived.

"He's still in surgery," Miranda replied listlessly. "The doctor said he would call when he had any news."

"Jon's a fighter, he will pull through," Paul reassured her confidently. Who he was reassuring, Miranda or himself, he was not sure.

"Did we get all of them?"

"It looks like they split into two groups. You intercepted one; the other made it to engineering but was cut down by Gunny with a squad of security and marines. They were a tough bunch, all fought to the death, although we offered them plenty of opportunities to surrender."

"Sir," a voice from operations interrupted him. "The _Santa Maria_ is pulling away from the station."

"Damn," Paul replied. He had completely forgotten about the freighter between consolidating reports from the various sweeper teams, Gunny and David's security team. "Bring the station weapons on-line," he ordered, it was time to finish this.

"What if they have hostages on board?" the weapons officer made the good point.

"Unlikely," Miranda interjected. "That was a Syndicate Enforcer squad, they don't take any prisoners. They don't want anybody left alive to identify them."

"Station weapons on-line, sir," the weapons officer replied.

"I know Captain Anderson from the war; he would die before he would allow anybody to take his ship. Fire!" Paul ordered.

Surrounding Terra Nova was a small asteroid belt, not unusual for similar sized stations. It was far cheaper to accelerate asteroids towards the location of any new installation, and then mine and refine the alloys from the asteroids than to ship the refined materials across the system. Hence there was nothing unusual about the size or positioning of the asteroids around _Terra Nova_ , except for their contents. After extracting all the materials from the cores several small fusion reactors were placed in certain asteroids. These fed powerful particle lasers than had been installed at the same time. Combined with the manoeuvring jets from redundant shuttles, this allowed the station to re-orientate the lasers on the asteroids, at will.

Hence, as the _Santa Maria_ tried to desperately escape the station, the nearest asteroid began to slowly re-orientate itself and track the fleeing freighter. When the freighter came within range a beam of light, brighter than any sun, shot out from the asteroid, striking the freighter amidships. The hull quickly began to crumple under the onslaught, finally failing completely and triggering the collapse of the ship's own fusion reactor. A few moments later there was no trace of a freighter having ever existed.

The officers in the C&C watched mournfully as the light from the freighter's fusion reactor slowly disappeared.

"That's it," Paul announced to the C&C staff. "As of now the station is closed for emergency repairs. Re-route any incoming ships to alternative destinations. If any other ship declares an emergency you contact one of the senior staff for instructions. Any other ships that fail to respond to the warnings..." Paul left the instruction unsaid; the destruction of the _Santa Maria_ clearly demonstrated the station's ability to defend itself from any further attacks.

Paul stood up to leave, needing to check the status of the various departments and to check on Jon. That thought reminded him that he had completely forgotten that Jon was still in surgery. Looking at Miranda, who was still staring vacantly at the view-screen, a thought occurred to Paul. Something that would take the young woman's mind off the past few hours, help him and fulfil an earlier plan of Jon's. "Miranda, please come with me," Paul instructed the young woman gently, motioning to one of the offices just off C&C.

Once inside, with the door firmly closed, Paul shooed Miranda in the direction of the small washroom attached to the office. "Why don't you get cleaned up a little bit, then we can talk?" he suggested softly.

A few minutes later Miranda returned, taking a seat across the table from Paul. While Paul would not describe her as clean, at least she had washed most of Jon's blood from her hands. Deciding to get straight to the point Paul explained. "While I am sure that Jon will pull through the surgery, he will be out of action for some time. Certainly he will not be running the station in the short-term."

"I assume you will take over while he is recovering," Miranda replied, hating it that they already seemed to be talking about Jon in the past tense.

"Normally," Paul replied. "But I am more of an administrator, not a leader. Before the attack and Jon's injury we agreed you would take over temporary running of Vanguard, _Terra Nova_ and our other company assets."

"Me!" Miranda exclaimed, not sure what to feel—shock, surprise, horror, or excitement.

"Indeed," Paul exclaimed clearly. "You have already rotated through all of the departments, and worked closely with all the senior staff. They have come to respect you and listen to your opinions carefully. I have no reason to expect things to change when the announcement becomes official."

"And you and Jon discussed this and agreed before any of this happened, and you have no problem with this?"

"It's all official, you can check the orders with the computer," Paul reassured her, motioning towards the terminal in the office, fingers crossed behind his back that she would take his word for it and not check, as the computer would confirm no such thing. "As for me, I am an administrator, I would be more than happy to pass on the burden of leadership to you. It's unwanted I assure you."

Leaning back in the chair, deep in thought for a moment, not agreeing or disagreeing to the proposal, finally Miranda asked, "So just who _were_ you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well everybody on this station seems to have had some role in the Imperial Navy." As if ticking off names on a list she continued. "Jon was Commander of the Praetorians, bodyguard to the Emperor and his family. Gunny was a Special Forces Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. David was head of security on the battleship _Illustrious_. Jason was, well who knows what the hell Jason's job title was but he has 'Navy Intelligence' written all over him. The doctor was chief flight surgeon on the _Imperial Star. So what were you?_ "

Paul was trying to suppress a smile that she had managed to so quickly delve into each of their pasts. "Logistics. Somebody had to keep the Empire afloat in a sea of paperwork," Paul insisted, straight-faced.

Miranda just gave him a suspicious frown. "And your rank?"

"Captain," Paul replied truthfully.

"You outrank Jon?" she asked in surprise, somehow assuming that Jon was the most senior officer.

"Only on a good day. Jon was the Commander of the Praetorian Guard," Paul explained, trying to think how best to explain. "They sort of sit outside the normal chain of command, as they reported only to the Emperor. Being Commander of the Praetorian's was like having a royal flush in poker, it's sort of an unbeatable hand. Nobody outranked the Commander of the Praetorians, well except for the Emperor, of course."

Miranda nodded, guessing it sort of made sense. "And this is only while Jon is recovering, after that he will take back command?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay then, as long as this is what Jon wanted and that it's only temporary."

"Excellent. Why don't we meet up in my office in a few hours for a hand over?" Paul replied, surprised he had managed to pull off the entire charade. He would have to remember to update the computer and backdate the orders. Rubbing his hands in delight, Paul could not wait to see the expression on Jon's face when he found out.

"What's wrong with Jon's office?" Miranda asked suspiciously.

"It's currently got zero air-pressure and the temperature is only a few degrees above absolute zero," Paul replied standing up.

"But I thought Jon was in his office at the time?"

"Sure was."

"Then how come he is...?"

"Still alive?" Paul finished the sentence for her. "You should listen to the crew more, now that you are in charge. Didn't you know that Jon could survive the vacuum of space?"

"Yeah, along with being invulnerable, possess a magic sword that can cut steel, being the best damn pilot in the galaxy, clairvoyant and telepathic."

"Really? Jon is telepathic? I never knew."

"You should listen to the crew more," Miranda replied, with a sigh.

Paul laughed, missing the verbal back and forth with Jon, hoping that his dear friend made it through the surgery. Suddenly having an inspirational thought, he added in a whisper. "Anyway you missed off the best one, according to the crew, or at least the female half... he is meant to be the best lover in the galaxy."

_I will not blush, I will not blush,_ Miranda thought, her mind flashing back to Jon's warm kiss earlier. She blushed. _Damn._

Paul noticed the young woman blushing and his laughter followed him out of the office.

*****

It was late at night, again, and this time it was Miranda who was exhausted, having had little sleep the night before and having spent many hours with Paul going through all the latest status reports for the company.

_No wonder Jon was always locked away in his office_ , _the paperwork was enough to kill him!_

Paul noticed Miranda's yawn and, taking pity on her since she had had a rough past twenty-four hours, suggested they finish up for the night. The only good news during the past day was that Jon had come through the surgery fine and was currently in an induced coma to let his body recover from the trauma. Doctor Richardson had given a good prognosis, and, with rest, he was expected to make a full recovery. The station was just anxiously awaiting news their Commander was awake.

As Paul was about to leave, Miranda interrupted with a question that had been on her mind ever since she had seen Jon step through _that door_. "Before you go, I want to know why Jon has a death-wish." The sudden intake of breath from the older man indicated that she had touched a delicate topic.

"Jon is not suicidal," Paul replied firmly, stopping at the threshold of the door, determined to defend his friend from such accusations.

"I never said he was," Miranda replied calmly. "But I question if Jon honestly cares if he lives or dies. I saw his expression the moment before he stepped through the door straight into the middle of a group of Syndicate enforcers. I've never seen such a terrifying expression on a person before. It was completely detached. No worry, no fear, anger or hatred, completely composed. I don't care about this way-of-the-warrior crap, but I'm not going to follow Jon into oblivion, simply so he can escape from his existence.

Sighing deeply, Paul resignedly walked back, before falling heavily into the spare seat. "Jon has no plans to lead anyone into oblivion. He cares for his people. The mantle of leadership falls more heavily on some people than others, and for Jon it is eating him alive. Every time we lose somebody Jon takes it as a personal failure. I think part of the reason he puts himself in these dangerous situations is to avoid having to risk another."

"But there is more to it than that, isn't there?" Miranda prompted perceptively.

"Have you ever had a goal in life—a true purpose?"

"You mean something to get me out of bed in the morning?" Miranda responded with a grin.

Paul frowned, trying to find a way to convey his meaning to the younger woman. "Jon once had a purpose in his life. He was the Commander of the Praetorian Guard, sworn to defend the Empire, the Emperor and his family. That was his existence, his purpose for being."

Paul tried desperately to convey the intensity of Jon's feelings. Remembering him when they first met, being taken aback by the intensity and fervour in the younger man, a man who honestly believed in the Empire, its ideals, and totally devoted to its leader – Marcus Aurelius. It was a passion that bordered on fanaticism, but how to convey that to this young woman for whom the Emperor was something she read about in novels and had no impact on her life.

"And this purpose came to an end?" Miranda once again perceptively pointed out.

"Not an end, that is too simple a term to convey the tragedy that followed," Paul replied. "In the space of a few days Jon's whole world came tumbling down around him. Marcus Aurelius, assassinated. The Praetorian Guards, gone. The Empire, collapsing from within; along with Jon's entire existence."

"And what of the Imperial Princess, Sofia Aurelius, that I keep hearing about, in whispers, from the crew?"

"Not even I know the full story," Paul confessed. "I know they must have become very close during their escape. Sofia would not leave him, when he was badly wounded upon making it to Eden Prime. She would not leave his bedside for days."

"She was in love with him?" Miranda asked, surprised. She, like almost everybody else, had watched the news, reading about their mad-dash escape across the galaxy.

"I think so. Yes," Paul replied firmly, remembering the young lovers on Eden Prime, the expression in her eyes when she gazed at Jon. The same expression he saw every night, when returning to his quarters, embracing Carol, his wife.

"And Jon, did he love her?" Miranda asked hesitantly.

"I...I don't know," Paul replied truthfully. "I thought for a time he did, they were so happy together, but I don't know. Something happened."

"Happened?" Miranda inquired confused.

Paul took a deep breath, averting his eyes, having never told anybody else before, not even his family, but maybe Miranda had the right to know, the right to have _all_ the facts, so she could make her own decision. "Jon betrayed Sofia," he explained, lowering his gaze to the table top.

Miranda just blinked. Then laughed.

"Excuse me? We are talking about the same person here? Commander Jonathan 'my word is my honour' Radec? _He betrayed her?_ And you saw this with your own eyes?"

Paul had to smile at Miranda's description of Jon, as it sounded just the sort of phrase he would use. "Princess Aurelius, Sofia, she came to me that night, distraught, telling me what she had seen, pleading with me to tell her it was not true. Begging me to tell her what was wrong with her, why Jon would want somebody else." That was not all that transpired between the two of them that night, but that was nobody else's business, not Miranda's, and especially not Jon's.

"And what did you tell her?"

"What could I tell her? I knew nothing of it, but Jon had been very distant for many days before. I knew he had something on his mind, but he would never divulge it to me."

"So what did you do?"

"I confronted Jon about it."

"And what did he say?"

"He didn't deny it," Paul replied angrily. He remembered the scene as if it was yesterday, furious with the younger man, but also guilty at his own actions. Wanting nothing more than to kick the crap out of Jon, but the look of complete despair in the other man's face stopping him. No physical hurt he could inflict on Jon would come anywhere close to the anguish he was going through. So instead, with the shame of his own actions, he walked out, never once looking back.

"So Jon doesn't have anybody?" Miranda asked, astonished. Looking back at her own time on the station, she could not remember ever seeing Jon with anybody. He was usually in his office, or attending his shift in the C&C. That was not to say he was cold or aloof. Miranda could remember a dozen incidents off the top of her head when she saw Jon interacting with the crew, from congratulating Lieutenant Patterson on his quick thinking in averting a near collision, or taking Lieutenant Castle's daughter out in the _Eternal Light_ as a birthday gift. The crew loved him, but they also worried about him. Miranda could see it was not just Paul who shared these concerns.

"He still has some family on Altair," Paul replied, misunderstanding the question. "I checked once with communications and he messages them a few times a year, on family occasions and stuff. He joins Carol and I sometimes in the evening, he is great with the kids..." Paul trailed off, embarrassed at realising how personal this conversation had become.

"Anyway, Jon is not a danger to you, or I, or anybody else on this station," Paul insisted firmly. "Now it is getting late, so if you will excuse me."

Watching Paul depart, Miranda realised he had never answered the original question. While Paul was emphatic Jon was not a risk to anybody else on the station, he purposefully did not mention the fact Jon was not a danger to himself...

Chapter Twelve

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

Staring at his face in the mirror Jon was surprised to see a bruise starting to form on his forehead. Rubbing it painfully, Jon looked around, astonished to see his small quarters on the _Imperial Star._

"How did I get here?" he asked. The last he could remember was being on the station, with alarms sounding... A chime from the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come!" he called out. As the door opened a figure glided into the room. The visitor was shorter than Jon and wearing a white cloak that masked his or her features. With a strange sense of déjà vu, Jon watched as Sofia pushed the hood away from her face.

Jon could only gape at her, not having aged a day, as she glided towards him. "What are you doing here? I thought that you were on Eden Prime?"

"Do you always greet your guests shirtless?" Sofia replied with a laugh, running her hand across his bare chest. As she leaned forward to kiss him she whispered. "I fully approve."

The next moment they were twirling, intertwined on the open-air patio, alone, with the band inside playing a slow song, the stars shining brightly down on the young couple.

"Getting the hang of things, Jon?" she asked as she executed a stunning twirl.

"Where are we?" he replied confused. "Is this a dream?"

She laughed with genuine delight. "You don't miss a thing," she responded, reeling and darting around Jon with the grace of a summer breeze, chuckling good-naturedly at his obvious and total confusion.

Reaching out, he snaked an arm out to halt her, pulling her to him until her body was flush against his. Spinning Sofia in a gradually tighter circle, pulling her closer with every turn, until the two of them stood utterly still at the center of the dance floor.

And then, as if a parched man, having been offered a drink after going for days without, his lips descended upon hers in a desperate, demanding kiss. This time there was nobody to interrupt them, and the kiss seemed to go on and on, Jon becoming lost in the feel of her. Finally he pulled his head back from hers and opened his eyes, terrified to think she might no longer be there, only to find her gazing sadly back at him. She dropped her hands to his shoulders, retreated one step, and another before moving her body in time to the music once again.

"Please don't leave me," Jon cried desperately. "I have been so alone without you." Admitting it to himself at the same time as saying the words aloud.

Twirling back, closer, Sofia touched her hand delicately to his chest, in the same fashion she did on the _Imperial Star_ , she explained in a soft voice. "You have never been alone, Jon. I have always been with you, in here," she said laying her hand over his heart.

With that she once again twirled away, fading from sight, as the music softened, leaving Jon standing alone on the open-air patio.

"I'm sorry," Jon said aloud. "I never wanted to hurt you, I love you..." Admitting it to himself, for the first time.

*****

"Son of a bitch, that hurts!" Jon panted out aloud, his ashen face covered in a thick sheen of sweat. He had regained consciousness a few days before, but it was going to take his body much longer before it recovered. His breathing was still laboured, the scar tissue causing his lungs to expand and contract painfully. Sleeping was the worst, as he frequently awoke during the night, breathless and in pain.

_Better the pain from the lungs than the pain from the broken heart_.

He was still deeply shaken by the dream he'd had whilst unconscious in medical. What was worst is he could rarely remember his dreams, but this one seemed imprinted on his consciousness, every look and every touch crystal clear. Jon lost count of the times he woke, crying out for her. He frequently found himself opening a channel to Sofia, only to angrily snatch his hand away. Even if he managed to talk to her, what was he going to say? It had been almost five years.

Hi, how are you? I know we haven't spoken for years and I am sorry I hurt you. How about picking up where we left off?

It sounded pathetic, even to him! For all he knew she had long since moved on, found somebody else, somebody to share her life, her bed. The thoughts made Jon's heart freeze and his blood run cold.

Looking at the chronometer in his bedroom—he had finally been kicked out of medical after his complaining reached unbearable levels, even for his medical staff—Jon noticed it was just after five in the morning.

_Rise and shine,_ he thought sourly to himself.

*****

It was barely an hour later when Jon shuffled painfully into his office, unannounced. "What the hell are you doing here so early?" Jon demanded foul tempered, partly from the pain and lack of sleep and partly because he was hoping to beat the current occupant to his chair but had failed miserably.

"Well good morning to you, feel free to just stroll in," Miranda replied waspishly.

"It's my office."

"Not until the Doctor clears you back for duty, and for god's sake sit down before you collapse."

Jon distinctly disliked following other's orders, although he had no problem issuing them, but deciding to overlook the point, this once, and slid gratefully into his chair. "What's the latest?" Jon asked, trying to peer over the rim of the datapad Miranda was reading.

Miranda only angled the datapad further away from his eyesight. "None of your concern," she replied abruptly. On her first day she had discovered the department heads were producing daily reports, _in hard copy_! A young ensign then collated these before they were delivered to the Commanding Officer for review. Miranda could not believe it. She had immediately ordered that henceforth all department heads would file daily status reports electronically.

Jon meanwhile was bored and looking around his office for something to amuse himself. Noticing the desk had been moved to the other side of the office, away from the energy field encasing the window, he commented. "So I see you had the energy grid repaired, I'm surprised you did not have the window altered to remove the need."

"I thought about it, but I guessed you would just have it modified back again when you returned to duty. I felt sorry for the poor engineering team wasting their effort." Miranda went back to reading her report, ignoring Jon, much to his chagrin.

"It got nippy in here without it."

"So Paul informed me."

Jon waited expectantly for the obvious question, but was disappointed when it was not forthcoming. "Pretty difficult to breath in a vacuum," he prodded.

"Hmm..."

Jon fell silent, fairly deflated Miranda was ignoring him, unused to this restless inactivity. "Don't suppose I could interest you in a short trip? I need to make a cargo pickup."

"There is nothing on the shipping manifest."

"It's personal."

"I didn't think the Doctor has reinstated your flight status."

"He hasn't, hence I need a pilot."

"Well I am busy, lot of others to choose from on the station."

"Sure, I guess," Jon replied dejectedly. "Never mind, I'll go and find somebody else to fly the _'Light_ ..."

"What?" Miranda squeaked. She actually squeaked.

Jon had to try hard to suppress a grin at his victory. "Well I did not want to drag you away, you're obviously very busy," he hedged.

"No, no, no," Miranda stammered quickly. "I've just finished here."

"You're sure?" Jon inquired doubtfully.

"Sure!" Miranda stated glibly, tossing away the datapad she had been so engrossed in only moments before. Skipping around the desk, actually skipping, she pulled Jon out of his seat towards the door.

"Well...if you're really sure," Jon deadpanned.

*****

The _Eternal Light_ tore away from the station at full thrust, before nose-diving into an uncontrollable flat spin, coming back to level flight—inverted, if it was possible to be inverted in space, where the absence of gravity made concepts of _up_ and _down_ , relative.

Miranda was just laughing with delight, hair flying in all directions as the ship's internal stabilisers tried to compensate for the wild manoeuvres, with only limited success. Miranda had never flown a ship, beyond her old _hawk_ fighter, that was so responsive. The ship seemed to respond instantly to each of her light touches, gliding and soaring through the intervening space.

"Hey take it easy will you," Jon groused. "The _'Light_ is an old girl now, show her some respect will you? Remember this ship is only on loan to me from the Emperor, he might want it back one day and in good condition too!"

"I forgot you once told me this ship belonged to the Emperor, wow he had a good taste in ships," she gushed, motioning towards the rich internal decorating, with the Aurelius family seal prominently displayed. "Anyway seeing that he no longer needs it," she added tactlessly. "I guess it's yours now."

"Actually this now belongs to the Imperial Princess Aurelius," Jon corrected her. "After the Emperor's death she inherited all the families' assets, companies, properties and ships."

"Wow, stunningly beautiful and totally loaded, you completely blew it with her!" Miranda replied with another giggle, barrel rolling the shuttle. Much to Jon's dislike as his lung was screaming in protest and the painkillers he had taken before the flight were making him nauseous.

"She was better off without me," Jon replied morosely. "But at least she let me keep the ship." Jon remembered their parting words painfully.

Recognising that she had spoiled the mood with her flippant comments, and worried at Jon's pale face and glassy expression Miranda finally levelled off the ship, reducing power to the engines.

"So where is this cargo that you need to pick up?" she asked curiously.

"The Ceres asteroid belt, you will find it in the navigational computer. It should only be a few hours flight time at sub-light."

"What sort of cargo are you planning on picking up?" Miranda asked curiously. "Some rock to throw at your department heads when they next don't deliver your reports on time?"

"I was thinking something a bit bigger..."

*****

A few hours later, Miranda was rousing Jon awake after he had fallen asleep on the way due to lack of rest the night before.

"Okay we're here, so where to now?" she asked, her curiosity peaked by his earlier comments.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jon brought up the ships sensor report and highlighted one of the largest asteroids, almost two-and-a-half kilometres in length, and almost as long in diameter, at the centre of the field. "This one, _Erebus_ , and try and not hit anything else on the way."

"Gee Jon," Miranda replied, expertly plotting a course to weave through the field. "Couldn't you have chosen one on the edge of the field?"

"And deprive you of the opportunity to show off your superior piloting skills? No," Jon replied, keeping one eye on the sensors to make sure Miranda did not drift too close to one of the spinning rocks. However, he needn't have worried as Miranda expertly threaded the _Eternal Light_ between them, slowly moving towards the centre of the field, and the largest asteroid.

The _Eternal Light_ was still almost five kilometres from the centre of the belt, when suddenly on the emergency channel a broadcast started to announce. "Unidentified ship, you have entered restricted space. Vacate this area immediately or lethal force will be authorised. Unidentified ship, you have entered restricted space..." the message continued to repeat itself.

"Whoa, easy," Jon murmured. Touching the back of Miranda's hand reassuringly, he fired the port control thruster to move them away from one particular rock that had encroached within a few meters of the ship.

"Sorry," Miranda replied embarrassed. "I was surprised by the message and lost concentration." She glanced over at Jon's hand, still resting on top of hers, noting he had not withdrawn it after she had corrected their course. Finally she decided if Jon had not noticed, she would not bring the issue up, anyway his hand was warm, and it was kind of reassuring.

"That's okay, I forgot about the message. Anyway I better send the confirmation code before the automated defence systems blow us up," Jon replied, with a grin.

" _What_ automated defence systems?" Miranda inquired, shooting Jon a disturbed look. "You did not mention any automated defence systems."

"Sorry must have slipped my mind. Anyway, nothing special, a couple of rail guns, probably a few missile emplacements, might be a particle weapon or two. It's been a while," he replied. His attention was focused on his console, as he seemed to be busy entering a thirty-two digit confirmation code. The flashing red light, with the words declaring "Access Denied" did not particularly reassure Miranda.

"Strange, I was sure it was that code," Jon muttered. Scratching his two-day-old stubble uncomfortably, he redoubled his efforts.

"Jon!" Miranda urgently encouraged him, as the tactical display lit-up like the night sky reporting multiple weapon systems targeting then.

"One minute, one minute," Jon muttered. "I'm sure that I've got it this time."

Miranda was only two seconds away from throwing full power to the engines and making a mad dash for the edge of the belt, when finally the console glowed green, along with the words "Access Granted."

"Next time I agree to accompany you for a cargo pickup, how about you mention the automated defence systems and the possibility of imminent death, _before I agree to accompany you!_ "

"Where would the fun be in that?" Jon replied, giving Miranda a wide grin.

Miranda had to catch her breath at the sight of him, because he was really...very...quite...well...breath taking. The smile made Jon appear years younger, more carefree and she could picture him years before, as a young boy wearing such a smile, having been caught getting up to some mischief. His dark hair was tousled all over his head, because he hadn't bothered to comb it since rising. Even tousled, Jon was way to handsome. Worse, he had on a flight-suit almost the same colour as his eyes, one that did absolutely nothing to hide what she knew was a phenomenal chest and spectacular shoulders. The faded flight-suit was worn and snug in all the right places. Miranda had always thought Jon handsome, but way out of her league. Jon was major league, and her barely peewee, but that didn't mean she couldn't dream, noticing his warm hand still resting on hers.

Tearing her gaze away from Jon's handsome profile, Miranda was shocked to see they were now approaching the largest asteroid, far too quickly to be able to stop safely in time. Frantically reaching for the flight controls to reverse thrust and alter course she was astonished to feel Jon's hand tighten over hers, interrupting her. Glancing frantically at Jon she insisted, "Jon we need to alter course, otherwise we are going to collide."

Continuing to gaze directly into her eyes, Jon replied. "No. We. Won't. Miranda do you trust me? Really trust me?"

Miranda's thoughts whirled back to the conversation that she had with Paul, days before, while Jon was still in a coma in Medical. Then she had accused Jon of leading them into oblivion, wanting to fulfil his own death wish, and now only a few days later, here they were, heading to certain destruction into an asteroid. But Paul had insisted that none of the crew, her included, had anything to fear from Jon, and Miranda had believed him. Looking into Jon's warm, understanding gaze she found herself still believing him.

The ships collision alert warning started to sound, warning them that they were barely seconds away from the impending impact, but still Jon continued to hold her hand reassuringly. "Trust me," he whispered to her, barely seconds before the _Eternal Light_ collided with the _Erebus_ asteroid...

...passing straight through its surface. Jon immediately killed the engines and the ship came to a halt within a large cavernous hangar.

The asteroid was hollow.

Miranda looked around in astonishment, noticing curved rock walls and a solid, flat landing bay. "But how?" she demanded in astonishment.

"Quite simple really," Jon explained with a pleased grin. It was a certain rite-of-passage. Docking at the _Erebus_ depot for the first time even veteran pilots sometimes panicked, but Miranda had passed with flying colours, although Jon could certainly forgive her for shutting her eyes just before the moment of impact. "The asteroid is hollow, mined from the inside out around the same time that _Terra Nova_ was constructed. The docking port is covered with a simple holoprojector to hide the entrance," Jon explained as he brought the ship into dock, ensuring there was a hard-seal and the atmosphere in the depot was still good. It had been many years since anybody had been here last.

Opening the airlock into the depot, Jon motioned Miranda ahead of him exclaiming, "Open Sesame! I give you the cave full of hidden treasure."

Miranda stopped just inside the airlock, her mouth agape in disbelief. Facing her was another massive cavern; it must have been hundreds of meters in length, as she could not see the far end in the dim light. However, it was not the size that astonished her but the contents, for it was full of crates, some small, barely a few meters in length, others massive, running into tens of meters square. The cave was full of them, ascending up into the dark roof. Curious to know the contents of the crates, she cautiously approached the nearest one. With a glance towards Jon, who nodded in agreement, she prised the lid off, astonished at the contents. Pulse rifles, dozens of them, neatly lined up. Taking one out, she was astonished to see it was immaculate, as if it had just rolled off the production line. The next crate held the same. The one after that, energy pistols. After that grenades, missiles and so it went on.

"It's an arms depot," Miranda exhaled in understanding, her mind boggling at the size of it. You could equip an army from this one store. No, scratch that, a dozen armies.

"One of a dozen, at least that I know of," Jon explained, looking around the room. "Top secret Imperial Navy arms dumps. Known only to the Emperor and his most trusted adjutants. A last resort. A worst-case scenario. Only to be used if the very existence of the Empire was threatened. Of course nobody saw that the biggest threat to the empire came from within. So they lie abandoned, forgotten, disused, until now," Jon said firmly.

"But I don't understand," Miranda said confused. "These must be worth millions, tens of millions of credits, more profit than Vanguard would make in a life-time. So why not just sell them?"

"Well, putting aside the question of who I would sell them to, as the only customers in the market are thieves, pirates, mercenaries, slavers... exactly the last sort of people I would want possessing this" Jon uttered with disgust. "What would I do with the money?"

"What would you do with the money?" Miranda asked in astonishment. "Spend it, give it away, and live like a king, like an emperor..." Suddenly Miranda realised what she had just uttered aloud. Who Jon was, who he had been. "The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, told you about this, didn't he?" But the question was rhetorical, for how else could Jon have known about this, and what other secrets had the Emperor divulged to him?

"You don't need to sell this, because you don't need the credits," realisation dawned on Miranda as she followed the thought through. "Because you already have more money than you could spend, more money than an Emperor could spend in a lifetime, because he told you where it was hidden."

The Aurelius family had run the Empire for over five centuries. Miranda could not picture, could not imagine, the wealth that they must have accumulated, now all gone. But not all. Some of it would have been hidden away, just like this arms depot, hidden away, a last resort, a worst-case scenario.

"Not all of it," Jon replied embarrassed, but pleased she had worked it out. "After Marcus's death all the family wealth was inherited by Sofia. However, there were other accounts, anonymous accounts, shell companies, assets, and investments all carefully hidden away. Not even I knew about them all. Marcus still had secrets, things that he did not divulge even to me."

"Then why the big charade, Vanguard, _Terra Nova_ , all the contracts, all the effort, for what?" Miranda demanded, remembering all her hard work and effort to make Vanguard a success and for _what_?

"People need a purpose, a reason, a goal in life, Miranda," Jon explained patiently. "I should know this better than most. When the Confederation disbanded the Imperial Navy, many people, good people, honest, honourable and hardworking had their life taken away from them. They were lost like me. Do you think people like Paul, David, Gunny, and Jason would have just accepted a few million credits each if I had offered it? They would have been horrified, it would have besmirched their personal honour, they would have thrown the money back in my face."

"So you gave them a purpose," Miranda exhaled in sudden comprehension. "You created Vanguard not as a company intent on profit, but as a purpose for them."

"Vanguard generates a profit," Jon replied defensively.

"But if we are not here for cargo to transport, why are we here?"

"There are some supplies that I want to pick up and one other little thing," Jon replied with a hard, flint-eyed expression.

*****

The _some supplies_ , turned out to be a dozen of the larger crates, which of course happened to be at the far end of the depot. Too heavy to carry by hand Jon and Miranda had to utilise the automated cargo handlers to help load the crates aboard the _Eternal Light_ , even with the automated cargo handlers it was long, hard, sweaty work, but finally several hours later the crates were aboard the _Eternal Light_ , and Jon and Miranda stood alone, facing a massive internal blast door.

"This is your _one more little thing_?" Miranda inquired looking at the massive door apprehensively. Whatever required such a massive barrier, in a hollow asteroid that was already brimming with weapons and high explosives did not even bear contemplating.

"Behind this door is the reason why you will not find this depot on any Imperial Navy report, or manifest or star-chart," Jon explained cryptically. "This is why it was only known to the Emperor and a few of his closest advisors." Approaching a console set into the frame of the door, Jon once again typed in a code, which to the best of his knowledge he was the last alive to know. This time there was no hesitation, no mistake.

"Authorisation Code—accepted," the console flashed. "Voice print authorisation required."

"Jonathan Radec, Commander, Praetorian Guards, 58th Squadron," Jon tonelessly announced to the door.

"Voice Print—accepted," the console once again reported. However, this time there was no other prompts and the massive door, slowly, ponderously started to open.

"Open Sesame," Jon announced to the door.

Miranda was astonished that, as the door slowly opened, she could see it must have been close to thirty centimetres thick, What horror could possibly be behind such a door? However, Miranda was disappointed to find that the room behind the door was barely twenty meters by ten meters in size, a cubbyhole compared to the rest of the massive depot. Lying in the middle of the room, like a tomb of old, rested a single solitary box. Approximately six meters in length, half again in width, and half again in height, Miranda did for a moment think that it was a coffin.

That was until she saw the markings on the crate, and took several steps back in terror. "Is... Is it safe?" she stuttered.

Approaching the crate cautiously to check its contents, Jon replied, "It's been sitting here for almost a decade, surrounded by lethal weapons and high explosives, in an unstable asteroid belt. I think if it was going to go off, it would have done so by now."

Satisfied what he was looking for was present and everything checked out, he turned back to Miranda and asked. "Give me a hand with this can you? Probably best we don't drop it."

Chapter Thirteen

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

It was much later that evening, after the _Eternal Light_ had docked and its cargo was safely transferred to _Terra Nova_ that Jon was secretly reviewing reports in his quarters. He was coming around to appreciate Miranda's suggestion of filing reports electronically, as this allowed him to neatly circumvent the doctor's explicit orders that he should be recuperating and in no way, or form, be working. Having been unceremoniously booted out of his own office by Miranda he had quickly converted his quarters into a new office; after all he had plenty of room, as it previously only consisted of a bed, chair and table.

Poring over the daily reports filed while he was off-station, he looked up in complete astonishment as Miranda breezed into his personal quarters unannounced.

"By all means, come in. Make yourself at home," Jon commented derisively. "You know I could have just finished a shower, and was prancing around in here naked."

Miranda's eyes brightened at the prospect, and she replied flirtatiously, "I can always come back a bit later..."

Jon just rolled his eyes in disbelief. He had initially been shocked, upon awaking in medical, to hear that Paul had abdicated his responsibility in favour of Miranda.

Although Paul was perfectly in his right to decide who was in charge during Jon's absence, initially Jon had been surprised at the decision. He still clearly remembered Paul's reservations from their late evening drinking session at Paul's apartment. However, it would seem Miranda's hard work, dedication and passion had even brought around their cynical operation's chief. The additional responsibility had also done wonders for the newest member of the senior staff. Jon still remembered the angry, untrusting, young pilot who had awoken in medical, demanding to know when she could return home. The news about her family and the recordings from the Syndicate outpost had cut any lingering ties to the Syndicate. Meanwhile, her rotation through the various departments had expanded her horizons and brought her into close contact with the various department heads, who she had quickly managed to win around. Jon still chuckled upon remembering the expression on Gunny's face when she challenged him to arm wrestle.

The change in Miranda had been just as dramatic, and as her self-confidence began to grow, a wicked sense of humour emerged.

_Probably a little overconfident_ , Jon thought observing the bold young woman who had just strolled into his quarters unannounced.

"You have plans for the evening?" Jon inquired, motioning towards her bold wardrobe choice. Wearing a bright red silk blouse, a black pencil skirt that nicely showed off her endless legs, and with her hair tied back in a braid she looked more like a fashion model than the interim CEO of Vanguard.

"Dinner and drinks with the senior staff tonight," Miranda replied, reclining in the only other chair in the room, a small couch Jon had only included so Paul could have a seat when they did drinks in his quarters.

" _What?_ Dinner and drinks with the senior staff? I _never_ had dinner and drinks with the senior staff."

"Exactly my point," Miranda insisted. "Hence why dinner and drinks with the senior staff is long overdue. Everyone has confirmed they will be there tonight."

Eyeing the young woman and her bold ensemble, Jon could well understand how the entire male complement of the senior staff would be jostling to be first in line to dinner. Jon briefly wondered if there was time before dinner for a quick memo to all senior staff stating anybody caught _ogling_ the new boss would be first out the airlock in the morning.

"You are welcome to join us..." Miranda tentatively proposed.

Jon would have choked at the proposition if he had been fortunate enough to be eating at the time. Unfortunately he had not eaten yet, so had to settle instead on giving her a surprised look and replying, "Unfortunately I have a prior engagement, but please you go ahead."

It was Miranda's turn to give him a quizzical look. "By a prior engagement, you mean that you are eating dinner in your quarters—alone. The same thing you do every evening, except when you and Paul are getting roaring drunk together, or you are unconscious in sickbay after being stabbed?"

Damn. Busted.

Jon just shrugged depreciatingly. "You know the old saying, the loneliness of command."

Miranda just stared at Jon in frustration. She had been totally confident as she strode into his quarters she would be able to entice him to come to the party. Even if she had been advised otherwise by everybody on the station, from Paul downwards.

Jon, meanwhile, was contemplating an evening socialising with the senior staff with something akin to a panic attack. Going along to dinner, he had the option of acting like a wallflower the entire evening, avoiding any sort of conversation at all. The alternative was to engage his senior officers in small talk.

" _Hi Jon, how are you?" "Good thanks; the knife wound is healing well."_

" _Been seeing anybody recently?" "No, not since I betrayed and then abandoned my last girlfriend. You might have heard of her, no? She is now the Confederation President."_

" _How is business?" "Not bad after going into business for myself. You see my last boss was murdered when I should have been protecting him, and I then got my entire squadron killed, and the boss's daughter almost raped and killed."_

Jon went completely pale at the thought, focusing on keeping his stomach firmly under control, since it felt like somebody had just dropped a hot lead ball into it.

Belatedly recognising Jon's expression, Miranda realised the entire idea had been ill conceived, but dammit the senior staff had earned themselves a break. Not everybody was a hard, relentless, unfeeling machine like Jon. As soon as she had thought it, Miranda wished she could take the thought back, realising it was not true. Jon had feelings, probably a lot stronger, deeper ones than most. He just buried them deep inside. Miranda wondered what it would take to get an emotional reaction from the man sitting across from her. A man Miranda realised she had developed her own strong feelings for.

"There will be dancing afterwards, you do know how to dance don't you?" Miranda tried one final time, this time she got a reaction however, just not the reaction that she had been expecting.

Surprise flared in Jon's eyes, followed closely by shock, then hurt. "No, I don't dance," Jon finally replied, turning his head away. "I haven't danced in a long time," he whispered softly to himself, lost deeply in the past, both real and imaginary.

"Then now is a good time as any! I need to practice before the party, as I am a little rusty. Just one dance, please?" Miranda asked taking Jon's hand in hers, pulling him to his feet. For a moment Miranda thought that Jon was going to pull away, but she had his hand in a firm grip, and knew Jon was too much a gentleman, too much an officer, to push her away. Instead Jon firmly, but gently, closed his hand around hers and stepping away from the desk before moving in closer and encircled her waist with his other hand.

Somewhat taken by surprise at the smooth move, Miranda was about to propose they wait a minute while she put some music on when, much to her surprise, Jon started to move. They glided around the dark quarters, the only light coming from the stars shining through Jon's viewport. Miranda was mesmerised, as Jon seemed to set a pace matching a rhythm playing in his head, sometimes slowing almost to a halt, at other times propelling her swiftly across the room.

If this were his idea of not being able to dance, I would love to see something he is good at!

Taking the opportunity during one of the slow portions, Miranda looked up into Jon's eyes and was astonished to see the emotion shining there. Love, sadness, regrets and pain. Miranda had never seen such expressions on Jon's face before. His misty grey eyes always seemed to obscure whatever he was thinking or feeling. But for a brief moment the mist seemed to clear and it felt as though Miranda could look down, into his very soul, and the depth of pain and anguish she saw there took her breath away.

Finally the song in Jon's head seemed to slowly wind down, and they danced in ever-smaller circles, until they finally came to a rest, with Miranda pressed intimately against him. Still Jon stared into Miranda's eyes, as if preoccupied. Slowly, ever so slowly, Jon lowered his mouth towards Miranda's waiting lips. Miranda let her eyes flutter shut, awaiting his warm lips, when suddenly a loud chime interrupted the moment.

Startled, Miranda's eyes flashed open to find Jon looking at her with surprise and confusion. Shaking his head, as if to clear his mind, Jon released his hold on her and took a step away. "Come!" he called, his voice sounding rough to Miranda's ears.

Jason stepped into his quarters, his eyes instantly taking in the scene; the two of them barely a foot apart, in the middle of Jon's quarters, both wearing flushed and heated looks. This time it was Jason who wondered what he had interrupted.

"Sirs?" he inquired carefully, not sure how he should address the pair. But Miranda peeled away, disappearing into the washroom, leaving Jason and Jon alone. Jon's gaze followed the younger woman to the washroom before the door quietly slid shut, and again he shook his head, as though trying to awake from a particularly surreal dream. Jon turned his attention back to the Lieutenant.

"I'm sorry for arriving unannounced," Jason apologised, once again glancing at the washroom, again wondering _just_ what he had interrupted. "But this is extremely important."

Jon was curious at what the intelligence officer wanted to discuss, as Jon could not remember the young man ever being this agitated before. Jon motioned towards the empty seat Miranda had been occupying moments before. Jon could not exactly remember what had happened after that. He remembered dancing with Sofia? Miranda? He could not be exactly sure, as everything seemed to blur together.

Jason ignored the offered seat and started to anxiously pace the length of the room, as he explained. "Commander, we have only just managed to break the encryption protecting the Syndicate computer core that the marines recovered."

For a moment Jon was confused about what the young officer was referring to. Finally he recollected the original, primary purpose of the raid on the Syndicate outpost was to retrieve the computer core for intelligence. Honestly, Jon had completely forgotten about the computer core, as it had been overshadowed by recent events, namely the rescuing of the captives, the collapse of the Syndicate throughout the inhabited systems and their recent retaliation.

"We've uncovered intelligence regarding an imminent attack on the station," Jason went on to explain.

"We are already aware of that, Lieutenant," Jon replied with a sigh. "We already halted that attack, killed the Syndicate shock troops and destroyed their captured ship." Jon explained, amazed that Intelligence could be so blind to events unfolding around them.

Jason just blinked once in surprise. "Not _that_ attack Commander, that was just the diversion to distract us. I'm talking about the fleet currently on route to here. Its objective is _you_!"

It was Jon's turn to blink in surprise, before motioning once again to the chair. "I think you had better take a seat Lieutenant and explain. From the beginning this time."

*****

Meanwhile Miranda splashed cool water onto her flushed cheeks, staring at her own, wide-eyed face, reflected back at her in the mirror. She was asking herself what the hell had just happened, or nearly just happened. Following Paul's revelations about Jon during their discussions in his office, while Jon had been recuperating in medical, Miranda had set herself the challenge of breaking him free from his self-imposed isolation.

Hence, taking every opportunity presented, Miranda spent time with him, often on the pretence of getting his opinion on a certain decision, continually trying to involve him in the social fabric of the station. However, Jon seemed to rebuff her at every turn, always having an excuse or other pretext at hand to avoid the particular occasion, until this evening. For some reason her request for a dance seemed to completely slip past all the defences he had built. And the dance! Nobody had ever held her like that, looked at her with such complete adoration or had he been?

Sure Jon seemed to be present, in body at least, but his mind, his spirit, and his heart? Miranda feared they were many years away, in distance or time, she did not know. What she did know was, for a moment, just a brief instant, she had managed to make a crack in his thick emotional armour and was able to peer inside and see the _real_ Jonathan Radec. What she had seen left her wanting more. So much more.

While Jon came across as cold, aloof and uncaring, Miranda now knew this was just his defence mechanism to stop anybody getting too close, too personal. From the brief glimpse she got of the real person, she could see a warm, understanding, caring man. Somebody who would respect her for who she was, support her and be a partner in every possible meaning of the word.

Miranda pitied this princess, who having reached the pinnacle of power in the Confederation, having every advantage, every privilege was still unable to retain this man. Therefore confident she would not make the same mistakes as this other woman, Miranda dried her face and, confirming her hair was still immaculate, left the washroom to determine what news Jason had to bring them. Somehow she doubted it was good.

*****

Jon looked up at the sound of the door sliding open and Miranda re-entered the room, a warm smile meeting his concerned gaze. Miranda gave a slight nod in response to Jon's unvoiced question inquiring if she was okay. Jon stood at her approach and once again offered her his hand in an unconscious peace offering at brushing her off so coldly upon being interrupted earlier.

Gladly taking the offered hand Miranda was about to inquire to the reason for the lieutenant's earlier interruption, when Jon explained.

"It looks like I _will_ be joining you and the senior staff this evening after all." Upon the raised eyebrow from Miranda, Jon expanded. "It would seem that somebody wants me dead."

"In that case they should take a ticket and get in line. What is it about you that everybody who ever meets you wants you dead?"

"Not a clue," Jon replied with a shake of his head. "Just my winning personality, I guess."

Still hand-in-hand, the young couple exited Jon's quarters, heading in the direction of the senior staff briefing room, with the young intelligence officer in tow, eyeing their joined hands speculatively.

*****

"And you are sure that it's Jon, personally, they are after?" Paul interjected, after Lieutenant Edgar quickly recounted the story once again for the benefit of the now present senior staff.

It had been quite an evening of shocks for the senior staff. They'd arrived expecting canapés and drinks with the new, interim CEO and had been stunned at the sight of the new boss entering on the arm of their previous boss. Then dinner and drinks were cancelled since there was an emergency situation—yes, another one—as they had a fleet of incoming, hostile ships tasked with the sole objective of taking Jon, dead or alive. The consensus among the group was dead was probably the preferred option.

"Perhaps you should start again, from the beginning, uh, again," Jon stated, scratching his chin, wondering if that phrase actually made any sense.

Sighing out aloud, Jason finally took a seat, as the constant pacing up and down was starting to make him feel dizzy. Taking a deep breath, he started to explain, again. "My team and I have spent the past several weeks working on the encryption mechanism protecting the computer core retrieved by Gunny and his marines from the Syndicate outpost." Jason tipped his head towards Gunny in deference to his team's heroic actions.

"The computer core was heavily damaged during the retrieval—"

"Not our fault," Gunny protested mildly. "The laser cutters were taking too long, so we fell back on the tried and trusted method of blowing the doors. We did have Syndicate reinforcements breathing down our back, and our ride was departing."

"I'm sure Gunny and his marines did the best job they could under very trying circumstances," Jon suggested mildly, encouraging Jason to continue.

"Next time could I suggest a screwdriver...?" Jason grumbled, but carried on anyway. "Along with the physical damage to the core, it would seem syndicate personnel were busy trying to erase the contents of the core remotely. Frankly it's miraculous my team managed to retrieve anything."

"We all gratefully appreciate the absolutely stellar effort on behalf of you and your team," Miranda interjected before Jon could respond. "However, perhaps we could actually get to the crux of the matter? I've been led to understand imminent doom will be arriving shortly and would hate to die in breathless anticipation, not actually knowing why."

Jon had to cover the smirk spreading across his face with his hand, as he could not have put it better himself. It was obvious Miranda had been spending _way_ too much time with him, and his sarcasm had started to rub off on her.

"Anyway," Jason continued, giving Miranda an angry glare. "As requested, getting to the point, most of the data core was too badly damaged or just plain erased to recover much. However, we did manage to retrieve something from the communication sub-routine. It would seem whoever coded it introduced a bug into the encryption/decryption algorithm and the pointer for the decrypted voice stream was not being correctly destroyed and hence was missed by the memory resident garbage collector." The sea of confused faces peering back along the length of the table, suggested to Jason the majority of the room did not understand a word of what he'd just said.

"It wasn't deleted properly and we recovered some of the voice communications from the buffer," Jason summarised. General nods from around the table at least acknowledged understanding of the summary. "Fortunately we managed to strike lucky with regards to one of the messages. We don't have any visual, just the audio stream and it's fragmented. The stream does not have any markers denoting origin, destination or timing and it's difficult to put into context but the content of the message is clear. They clearly refer to the Commander, several times, in particularly unflattering terms."

There was a couple of knowing smiles and nodding of heads around the table in sympathy. Most people who knew Jon, after meeting him had come away calling him very unflattering names.

"The participants in the call also referred to the recent attack, referring to is as an initial surgical strike against the leadership, to disorientate, demoralise and paralyse our command structure in preparation for the final assault. They do not go into much detail regarding forces and timing, beyond that it would take time to gather _the fleet_ although they make it clear _Terra Nova_ is the intended final destination, with the primary objective being the Commander's capture, or death." With these final words the Lieutenant fell silent, the room deathly quiet as they considered the enormity of the situation facing them.

Leaning back in his chair Jon voiced his thoughts aloud. "Well it does answer some unanswered questions. For example, why they cut power to my quarters. At the time I thought it an act of stupidly, as by doing so they lost the tactical element of surprise. However, if I was their main objective all along it makes sense. We had just assumed their target was Vanguard and the station, but that raises a new question."

"Why you," Paul interjected.

Jon nodded thoughtfully. "While I obviously drew enough attention from the Syndicate that they sent an assassin after me," Jon nodded his head in Miranda's direction warmly. "To which I am in the Syndicate's debt," he added with a wink.

Miranda just laughed.

"Perhaps there is a clue within the message, with the constant use of your rank?" Paul mused. "It's interesting it is the only way they refer to you, not by your first name, last name, or even by your company title. That could be meaningful."

Thinking for a moment, Jon shook his head discouragingly. "I'm not sure what we can infer from it, while we refer to each other by rank frequently, it's a force of habit. Having been in the navy so long I do it subconsciously. Outside of amongst us, I never use it. I simply refer to myself by name or use my company title."

"That's my exact point."

"You think that one or more of the participants on the call was ex-navy?" Jon asked surprised, as the thought had never occurred to him before.

"Not necessarily ex-navy, but ex-military certainly. After all, we were not the only ones to find ourselves unemployed after the Confederation disbanded the Imperial Fleet."

Jon looked at his chief of operations morosely. It was bad enough to be facing a significant but unknown threat to their existence, but it would be an order of magnitude worse if the Syndicate were now also employing disbanded Imperial forces.

"Well this is all idle speculation at the moment," Jon stated emphatically. "Let's not go borrowing additional trouble. Lieutenant, is there any additional intelligence you or your team can offer? The makeup of the fleet that is on its way perhaps?" Jon inquired wishfully of the young intelligence officer.

"No sir," Jason replied emphatically. "My team and I are trying to compile a list of Syndicate ships that have escaped the Confederation, however it's an endless task as we never had a comprehensive list of their ships in the first place. To many dummy corporate fronts, unregistered owners, cross-ownership deals. It would take a lifetime to untangle that mess, although I would refer to their use of the term _fleet_ with some concern, as this does suggest a significant number of ships. By now they must have at least some idea of our capabilities and have prepared accordingly."

"A very sobering thought. Thanks Jason," Jon replied. "What are our options, people?" Jon addressed the question to the remaining senior staff.

"Let them come," Gunny replied confidently. "We have kicked their arses every time we have encountered them, I have no reason to doubt this time will be any different. We have been forewarned, so they have already lost the tactical element of surprise, and we have enough time to dig in. My marines are waiting—bring 'em on!"

"Thanks Gunny," Jon responded dryly. "I'm glad that you're on our side."

"While I have full confidence in Gunny, our marines and David's station security," Paul hedged. "We have to face the fact we are no longer in the Imperial Fleet and we are just not equipped to dig in and wait for reinforcements. At some point they are going to be able to muster enough ships to simply overwhelm our station defences and us. At that point they don't even need to board the station, they can just shoot holes in us from a distance, until we surrender or there are none of us left alive. David, you were working on some different tactical scenarios several weeks back, trying to guess the Syndicate response. I would suggest those are still valid. What did you come up with?"

As all eyes on the room turned to face Lieutenant McNeill, and he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "My team and I worked up several tactical scenarios," he explained. "These varied in size from a single ship, executing a covert infiltration of the station, up to a full division-sized assault."

Jon rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I think I suggested at the time that a full divisional assault, with up to one thousand armed assailants was most unlikely," Jon interjected.

"We had to consider _all_ the various tactical scenarios, sir," David responded stiffly.

"I hope you did not discount invasion by armed hostile aliens then."

"No, sir, there was a tactical scenario for that."

"You're joking, right?"

"No sir."

All that could be heard in the silent briefing room was the dull thuds as Jon repeatedly banged his head against the table in despair. Rubbing his now sore head Jon finally replied. "Look, I think we are once again veering off the topic here. What's your point Paul?"

"We need to request assistance from the Confederation Navy."

"No."

"Is that your pride speaking, your personal animosity for the Confederation—a Confederation you helped found, I should remind you—or because you recently found out Sofia is now in charge of the aforementioned Confederation and you do not want her involved?"

Jon eye's turned dark and he gave his executive officer an angry gaze.

"One minute, back up a bit, you were _also_ involved in the founding of the Confederation?" Miranda asked in complete disbelief. "Is there any significant historical event over the past twenty years that you were _not_ intimately involved in?"

Jon momentarily tore his eyes away from his executive officer, who he had already decided was going to receive an earful from him as soon as they were in private. "It's not relevant."

The look of astonishment on Miranda's face told Jon exactly what she thought of that response. "What do you mean it's not relevant? How can your involvement in the birth of the Confederation, the greatest political act since, since, the founding of the Empire, over five centuries ago, _not to be relevant?_ "

"We're getting off the topic again," Jon replied. He realised he had been saying that a lot in the past hour, but they still had not formulated a response to the current imminent threat. "While I am in charge we are not going to involve the Confederation Navy, and that's final!"

"While you are in charge..." Paul parroted, angling his head towards Miranda, seated at the head of the conference table.

"So if standing and fighting is not an option, nor is involving Confederation military, what other options are open to us?" Jon inquired, purposefully ignoring Paul's earlier quip.

"In a number of the tactical scenarios that we ran through the computer, defeat was pretty much guaranteed," David said. "In those scenarios the suggested course of action was to retreat..." suddenly it occurred to David that with the calibre of the people sitting around the table the word _retreat_ was just not a word in their lexicon and he finally settled upon, "...tactically withdraw."

"We're just going to run away and give them _Terra Nova_ , our home?" Miranda responded in disbelief, voicing the thought that was obviously on many a mind around the table.

"Better to live today and fight another day," David replied uncomfortably, aware there seemed to be little enthusiasm for this option around the table. "There is no honour in getting needlessly killed," he added.

"Nobody is taking _Terra Nova_ ," Jon said firmly, to nods around the table. "At least not intact. However, we need to remember there are almost three-hundred lives at risk here, and almost a third of the inhabitants of the station are woman and children. I _will not put them at risk._ Not even for my personal pride," Jon stated angrily, throwing his operations chief's words back in his face.

Paul meanwhile had the good grace to look aside, ashamed that he had doubted his old friend.

"Hence, we hope for the best but prepare for the worst," Jon quoted the phrase most military commanders had lived by since the dawn of modern warfare. "We prepare for the full evacuation of the station, and I mean the full evacuation," Jon put the emphasis on the last two words giving Gunny a penetrating gaze. "That includes you and your marines Gunny. We are not going to have any heroic, suicidal last stands while I am still in charge. When the Syndicate fleet arrives we will re-evaluate the tactical situation, and if it's hopeless we withdraw." Jon met each of his senior staff's gazes, one-by-one, to ensure they all understood. "Nobody and I mean nobody takes _Terra Nova_ from us," Jon emphasised. "If it comes to that I'll drop the magnetic containment for the fusion reactor and they can try and capture the remaining dust fragments of the station for all I care."

While nobody relished the orders, the senior staff all acknowledged them, understanding while they were all emotionally attached to the station, which they had all come to call home for the past few years, it was not worth their lives.

Acknowledging the nods around the table, albeit some of them hesitant, Jon finally turned back to Jason. "Do you have a copy of the audio recording you recovered from the Syndicate computer core?"

"Yes sir, although it's not particularly good quality. We had to put it through the computer's scrubbers several times to try and piece it back together."

"Let's hear it," Jon ordered.

Retrieving a datapad resting on the table in front of him, Jason tapped on the device several times, retrieving the audio file before piping the output via the room's audio system. An ear-splitting screech of static filled the room, the sound of a thousand fingernails being run down a board simultaneously, and all the occupants in the room visibly winced.

"Sorry," Jason replied, adjusting both the audio output, and the volume.

The static faded as quickly as it had arisen, to be replaced by a clipped voice. "I thought you told me to never contact you directly on this channel."

"I _did_ tell you to never contact me on this channel, Mallart," another deeper, rougher voice replied. "That did not preclude me contacting _you..."_

"We think that the first voice belongs to Magistratus Mallart, one of the Syndicate inner-council," Jason interjected helpfully.

"You think?" Jon replied sarcastically. Once this latest crisis was over Jon vowed he was going to take Jason and his team on a well-deserved, all expenses paid vacation. He and his team had done miracles over the past few months, but seriously, they needed to get out more.

The audio stream broke up at this point and nothing could be understood for several seconds, but eventually the quality improved again and the voices could be understood.

"What of the latest regarding news on Vanguard? Was your assassin successful?" the unknown voice demanded impatiently. Jon was not sure if he was imagining it, but the voice sounded anxious.

"I am unsure of your obsession with this particular problem," Mallart replied evasively. "Vanguard is a minor annoyance, nothing more. We will deal with them, as we have dealt with all of the others who have rejected our offers."

"So your assassin failed, just as I predicted," the voice gloated arrogantly. "I warned you that sending her after the Commander was an effort in futility, he is an exceptionally skilled pilot." The compliment came across more as a curse.

"Radec was lucky, that was all. We already have another operation underway; we are assembling our finest enforcers—"

"I'm not interesting in hearing about your failures, Mallart!" the voice thundered. "You have already failed us once. You will not do so again. Your finest are like buzzing flies to this man, he will crush them just as easily. Marcus chose this man personally. He had the elite of the Imperial Navy to choose from, yet he chose this man to protect him and his daughter. Does this not tell you something? Does it not give you some indication of the calibre of this particular individual? Still you treat him as an annoyance. I have already indulged you once, and you failed spectacularly. Send your enforcers. They mean nothing to me, and they will fair equally as well. I will deal with the Commander, personally."

"I thought your involvement was going to wait, the plan we agreed on is not yet complete. Operations for the final colonies are still only at the planning stage, we need more time. And what of the Confederation? If they discover our plans, their forces will move against us."

"The Confederation Navy will have bigger problems on their hands. With their planets in flames, their populace crying out for protection, they will be forced to divert more and more of their fleet. Eventually they will be spread so thinly they will be defenceless and then we will strike. The plan will continue apace. I will assemble the fleet and we will crush them. Commander Radec and Vanguard will become just a footnote in history. History is written by the victors, nobody cares about the losers."

As the audio recording came to an end, the silence in the room was broken by a lone voice. "The fleet en-route will consist of at least a dozen frigates, two destroyers, three heavy cruisers and a star-carrier. At least that is what it used to consist of."

Jason's mouth fell open in astonishment, and it took him several moments to find his voice, as he stared in amazement at the Commander, who had uttered the words. "How in the Emperor's name can you determine that from a simple audio recording?"

Jon glanced at his hands, white from the force he had been using to grip the edge of the datapad, as the recording had progressed. With a conscious effort, he pried his fingers from the device before looking up and responding to the Lieutenants question. "Because I recognise that voice, which has haunted me for the last five years. That voice ordered the death of our Emperor. That voice ordered the death of the Praetorians. That voice ordered the mercenaries sent to kill Sofia and I. That is the voice I have spent years looking for, that I followed using every report, every rumour, and every scrap of intelligence. That voice is the one that I have sworn, on the lives of all those he destroyed, that I would hunt down and silence, forever."

Focusing once again on the occupants of the room, having been consumed by memories that Jon thought long buried he clarified, "The voice belongs to Commodore Harkov, previously Admiral Harkov, before being stripped of that rank by the Emperor after his desertion during the battle of Rigel. The Commodore, the entire 4th fleet, including the star-carrier _Imperial Star_ vanished soon after the assassination of the Emperor and my escape with Sofia. The Commodore and the fleet were never seen again, although I followed up on several rumours. Sofia and I speculated at the time the original plan was that the Empire was meant to have disintegrated after the death of Emperor Aurelius, as there was no clear line of succession, no chain of command for the Imperial Fleet."

"But it didn't happen that way." Paul interjected.

"No," Jon replied. "When Sofia and I finally arrived at Eden Prime, she made the decision to abdicate, allowing the Empire to become a true Confederation. Sofia's final command was for the remaining fleet Admirals to all sign the _Confederation Charter_ , thereby forever placing the Imperial Fleet under the direct command of the Senate. As you all know, the Senate soon disbanded the Imperial Fleet, I assume because they still did not trust the military leadership, and replaced it with the Confederation Navy. Hence the Empire never disintegrated, but instead transformed into the Confederation we have today. There was never the civil war we assume the Commodore was hoping for, to allow him to seize power."

"So you and Sofia disrupted the Commodore's plan," Paul observed insightfully.

Jon just shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps. This was all just speculation on our part during one evening." Jon fell silent, preoccupied by the good memories of that time. Sofia and him, still entwined in the sheets from their last bout of lovemaking, her head resting gently on his bare chest, as he brushed away a sweaty strand of hair, which had interrupted his prior journey of kissing downwards from her neck...

Realising Paul had been asking him a question, Jon shook his head to banish the pleasant daydream.

"I said, does this change anything?" Paul repeated the question.

Jon let the question bounce around in his head for a few moments. Did it change anything? The tactical situation remained unchanged. They still had a fleet of hostile ships on the way, which could arrive at any minute. At least they now had some idea of how many ships to expect, assuming even a detachment of the 4th fleet arriving, far more than they could possibly ever hope to fight. Yet, this changed nothing—and everything.

While the situation was still hopeless, Jon had no intention of running away, not now. Jon had spoken truthfully when he told his crew he had sworn an oath to find this man and stop him. He had spent years futilely searching, following every possible lead, all to no avail. Now the object of his search was coming here, to him! No, Jon had no intention of leaving. Finally he would be able to have his revenge for all the loved ones this man had taken, all the lives he had destroyed, everything he had lost...

With growing concern, Paul recognised the fanatical gleam in Jon's eyes, one that he had not seen in many years. Like many of the senior staff, Paul had first met Jon during their time in the Imperial Fleet, where their paths had crossed frequently, mostly while on clandestine operations ordered by the Emperor. However, even before meeting Jon in person, Paul had heard the whispers in the fleet about the new commander of the Praetorian Guards. The word fanatical was the one Paul had most heard used to describe the young Commander, and he could understand how most people had mistakenly assumed so.

Upon first meeting Jon, Paul had braced himself for the worst. Hearing the rumours, he had assumed he would be dealing with a raving, fanatical zealot, suicidal and intent on carrying out the Emperor's wishes, whatever the cost. Instead Paul found himself dealing with a smart, determined officer. Paul discovered the fanaticism most people labelled the Commander with, was instead a passionate belief in the underlying principles of the Empire, and its leader the Emperor. Furthermore, Paul was astonished to discover the Commander had a unique ability to use that belief to inspire those around him, to share it, and, as a result, those around him trusted in him completely. To the point Paul knew they would follow him into hell, because they trusted he would bring them all back.

During his time with Jon, through some of the darkest times of his life, Paul came to understand the source of this man's belief. For what perhaps even Jon did not realise was that he had come to love the Emperor. A person who half the Empire detested as a dictating tyrant and the other half only tolerated, as the alternative was even worse to contemplate, Jon had come to love him as a father. Paul could never comprehend how, or why, though he had made some educated guesses over the years. A beautiful princess with flaming red hair and emerald green eyes came first to mind.

Anyway, for whatever reason, Jon believed in these ideals and was determined they would succeed. Hence the fall of the Empire shook those beliefs and ideals to his core. With each successive corruption or bribery charge laid at the Confederation Senate, a little piece of Jon's faith and spirit was chipped away, until all that was left was a shadow of his former self.

As far as Paul was aware there were only two reasons why Jon still fought for his beliefs and ideals. The first was the love Paul knew still resided in Jon's heart for Sofia. Occasionally he would still see the spark in his old friend's eyes and a sad smile grace his face, and he knew Jon was still thinking about her, fighting to make the galaxy just a slightly better place for her, and maybe one day her children. The other reason...well, Paul did not need to see the hate smouldering across the table in Jon's eyes to guess the second reason.

"Jon?" Paul prompted again.

"Nothing changes," Jon replied ominously.

"And the no suicidal final stand edict?" Paul inquired, gave Jon a sceptical look.

"The discussion is finished. Dismissed," Jon ordered to the stunned officers.

"What about—"

"I said dismissed!" Jon growled, chopping his hand thought air to make it clear the subject was now closed.

The senior staff all gazed towards Paul with various concerned expressions. A moment later Paul gave the staff a nod, to acknowledge the order and, slowly, one by one, the senior officers filed out of the meeting room, until finally only Paul and Jon remained.

"I said dismissed, Captain," Jon ordered focusing his angry stare at Paul.

"I'm no longer a Captain, and I resigned from the Navy, don't you remember?" Paul replied mildly. "It means that you can't go ordering me about."

Evidently Jon had forgotten that technicality, as instead he ground his teeth together in frustration, that they were going to have to have _this_ conversation.

"Jon, we have known each other a long time, I have never questioned your decisions."

Until now.

"This is not our fight anymore, call the Confederation Navy, call the Senate, hell, call Sofia. It was not so long ago. A lot of them still remember you, and they respect you. They will listen to you. The Emperor is dead Jon, this personal crusade of yours is not necessary."

"NO!" Jon screamed, leaping from his chair, slamming his fists into the table with such force that it trembled. "It was my fault! I knew that Harkov was a snake and did nothing. My fault! I swore an oath to defend the Emperor and failed. My fault! I swore that I would protect Sofia—"

"And you did, you have."

"No! You do not know how many times I came close to losing her. All because of Harkov. All because I failed in my duty. Well I am going to make sure that bastard does not harm anybody else. I'll send him back to the deepest, darkest pit of hell, where he crawled out from. My only regret is that I'll not have the pleasure to gut him first, and watch him drown in his own bile."

"Marcus would not have wanted this for you or Sofia." Paul suggested in barely a whisper.

"That's the first thing that you have said that I happen to agree with. No, I'm almost certain this is not what Marcus was planning." Jon replied bitterly. "The man has been dead for almost five years and I still cannot seem to escape from under his shadow."

Paul eyed the younger man speculatively, wondering what Jon meant by that comment. "That's why you left Sofia? Because of something Marcus said or did before he died?" Paul speculated aloud. He had been telling Miranda the truth that he had no real idea why Jon left Sofia, but if it were something Marcus had said or did, that would make some sense. Except Marcus had been dead for months when Jon finally turned his back on Sofia, after the signing of the Confederation Charter on Eden Prime. Soon after that Jon disappeared into his self-imposed exile, only reappearing a few years later to accept Paul's offer of leading Vanguard. It just didn't make any sense, and it was obvious Jon was not going to enlighten him, as he simply averted his eyes, muttering about history being left in the past.

"And what of all the others on the station, Jon?" Paul threw back in his face. "Remember that there are almost three-hundred lives at risk here. I _will not put them at risk?_ What happened to that lofty goal?"

Jon stared at Paul furiously before replying, "I'll deal with Harkov myself, nobody will be ordered to stand at my side when that fleet arrives." With the final word, Jon stormed out of the briefing room, his anger a palatable cloud swirling around behind him.

Paul watched with a worried expression as the door slid shut in his wake. Unfortunately the rest of the crew did not share Jon's lack of self-worth. Paul knew with absolute certainty not one member of the crew was going to leave if Jon insisted on remaining behind to face the fleet alone. Paul remained in the briefing room long after Jon's departure facing some very unpalatable decisions.

*****

It was late into the night, station time, with his wife and children long since retired to bed, when Paul tiredly sat down at his desk, his hand hovering over the communication console.

Paul had never knowingly betrayed Jon, except for that one time when emotion had overcome reason. However, Paul had long since come to terms with that mistake, viewing the years of self-regret and guilt surely were punishment enough for the act. Anyway, Paul recognised that one day he would have to face Jon with the truth, and that encounter alone was likely to repay any remaining debt, with interest. Paul vowed that when the day came, he would ensure Jon was nowhere within reach of his sword. Jon was dangerous enough on an average day, however with that blade in his hand Jon was the epitome of death. Even Paul, no stranger to death, had been horrified at the sight of Jon, blade in hand scything through enemy troops as if they were simply blades of grass falling in the wind. No. Paul was going to make absolutely certain Jon was nowhere near that weapon when he told him.

It did not help Paul's conscience much to realise he was not disobeying a direct order, as such. Jon had ordered him not to involve the Confederation Navy. Well, that did not preclude Paul from informing anybody else. If they just happened to pass on the message, well, that was out of Paul's hands.

Only slightly mollified by this minor distinction, Paul activated the communications console. The next problem was how to get the message to the intended recipient, as Paul was fairly sure her private channel was not listed in any public database. Paul accessed a not-so-private database, the Confederation Navy Data-net. Of course Paul did not have any official access to such a secure system but, fortunately, budgetary cuts to the Navy meant it was simply a rebranded version of the old Imperial Navy data-net and that Paul practically owned. Accessing the database, using one of the old system administrator accounts, Paul quickly looked up the private communication channel for Sofia Aurelius.

Unfortunately that turned out to be the first of many problems. The second was quickly apparent when he tried initiating a call, only to be informed by the software agent monitoring Sofia's private channel she was currently unavailable and if he would like to leave a message, this would be passed on at the earliest possible opportunity.

Paul growled in frustration. For all he knew Harkov could be arriving at any moment and people would start dying, rapidly. He had to get a message to Sofia immediately. His eyebrows arched in deep thought. Paul had similar software agents running on his own personal channel, obviously. Most people did. While communications technology progressed, the pressing desire of some people to sell others worthless crap unfortunately had not diminished in the slightest. Hence his personal software agent was only programmed to accept a limited number of calls, from specific people or locations. However, Paul had programmed in certain overrides, certain key words or phrases. Paul assumed Sofia had done likewise, but what could he use to get her attention? Thinking about the words and phrases Paul had programmed—his wife Carol, the kids names, birthdays, Jon—Paul thought back to the last time he had seen Sofia, remembering her devastated expression after Jon had left. No, Paul was sure Sofia had loved Jon...

Then the answer hit him like a brick. Re-opening the communication channel, when, once again, the software agent prompted him to leave a message, this time he did.

"Commander Jonathan Radec, 58th Squadron, Praetorian Guards."

The software agent immediately vanished from the screen, leaving a blank grey visage. Suddenly the channel connected and Paul was staring into the stunned green eyes of the last Imperial Princess—Sofia Aurelius.

Chapter Fourteen

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

Shocked into silence for a moment, surprised he had actually managed to reach her in person, Paul said the first thing that came into his head. "Sofia, you are not getting enough rest."

The stunned expression on the princess's face slowly gave way to an amused smile, as she replied, "Nice to see you too Paul, and I'm not surprised I look tired as it is three in the morning here, local time, on Eden Prime."

Paul winced, as in his rush he had not thought to check the local time on Eden Prime. However, before he could apologise Sofia continued.

"Anyway, why the call, and how did you manage to get through my filters?"

Paul could see from her expression she was studying her own system to work out why the call had gone directly through to her. The comprehension, quickly followed by the sudden sick expression on her face, was enough to clue Paul in that she was jumping to erroneous conclusions. "Jon is perfectly fine," he quickly said.

"I heard he was badly hurt a while back," Sofia explained with a hint of worry. "But I was told he would make a full recovery with time. When I saw the reason for the call, I just assumed..." her voice trailed off.

Paul could only roll his eyes in disbelief at the antics of this couple. Having, to the best of his knowledge, not seen or spoken to each other for almost half a decade they seemed to be better informed about each other than most married couples. Then again it was not surprising Sofia was so up-to-date on the latest events on the station, as Sofia was the sole investor and owner of Vanguard. Paul wondered if Jon ever knew that all his activities, all the reports, the financial statements, all were indirectly going to Sofia.

When Paul first had the idea of starting this venture, his contact list was brimming with exceptionally qualified, un-employed, ex-navy officers and there seemed a good gap in the market running freight and logistics out on the rim. However, he needed a financial backer. Somebody with the initial seed capital to purchase the necessary ships, equipment and permits that such a company needed. Unfortunately his contact list for fabulously wealthy investors was rather slim; in fact there was only one person on it. A hugely wealthy ex-Imperial Princess, whom he knew via a close family friend. Sofia had immediately jumped at the opportunity, tired of the continuous political infighting. Before Paul knew it, he had the capital he required and, via Sofia's political and military connections, the deeds to _Terra Nova_ , the companies new corporate headquarters. Paul found it ironic Jon seemed to have spent his life after the Praetorian Guards running away from this striking woman, only to end up unwittingly bound to her. Then again, if Jon had never taken the time to investigate who actually owned Vanguard.

"Jon's fine," Paul reassured the young woman again. "He seems to be making a good recovery after his injury, even if he constantly refuses to follow Doctor Richardson's orders to take it easy and rest. You know Jon."

Sofia offered a weak smile upon this news. Yes, she knew what Paul meant. Jon was never comfortable with sitting around idly, waiting for events to take place, or at least he never used to be. Her smile turning sad once again. "How is he really doing Paul? It's been so long since Jon and I last talked." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, as she remembered the harsh words the two had last exchanged.

Paul could only curse at history, duty, fate, whatever or whoever seemed so intent on keeping these two apart, and both miserable. "He's doing okay," Paul replied. "He still thinks about you, he mentions you occasionally," he added, thinking that was a safe enough comment.

"And what about your newest crew member? I heard she is now running the company, while Jon is recovering. I saw her picture on the GNN broadcast. She seems very young and beautiful."

It was only through years of debriefings with her father, Marcus, that allowed Paul's expression to remain unchanged when he replied, nonchalantly, "She is also doing well. It was my idea to promote her temporarily, and she needs the experience." Paul carefully schooled his expression to ensure that none of his more recent observations had a chance to leak. It was not his place to inform the princess of what seemed to be a budding romance between Jon and Miranda. Sofia had already been hurt enough.

However, perhaps somebody else had already informed Sofia? Or she had already guessed the truth, as she looked away from the view screen sadly. "It's been so long the anger and the pain has mostly faded. It's the hurt from not knowing that bothers me now. Why Paul? Why did he do it? Why hurt me like that? Why did he leave me? Was it something I said, something I did..."

Paul averted his gaze, not wanting to see the tears in the other woman's eyes; cursing Jon for the hundredth time. What was worse was Paul still had no answer to any of those questions, years after she first asked him, weeping in his arms. Paul knew those actions hurt Jon just as badly, perhaps even more-so, as Jon had left on his self-imposed exile, leaving behind the few people he knew, and loved.

Now he spent his days shut away in his office, reviewing reports or eating alone, nothing to accompany him except that wide viewport with the stars brightly visible. As far as Paul could understand, Jon felt he deserved this penance; blaming himself for the past mistakes.

So engrossed in his own internal monologue, Paul failed to notice Sofia dry her eyes and turn back to the view-screen. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I am sure you did not go to all this trouble to reach me so as to watch me cry my eyes out over a long lost love. How are Carol and the kids?" she asked remembering the manners that had been drilled into her since a small child in her father's court.

"They are good, thanks," he said. "The kids are getting older and more trouble by the day. These days I usually have to threaten to call Gunny before I can get them to sleep." The station's kids had been in awe of the Marine Sergeant, ever since Lieutenant Castle's daughter had recounted the story of how he had _wasted_ the monster that was hiding in her bedroom wardrobe.

Sofia laughed, as obviously the story had also reached her ears on Eden Prime. In some ways Sofia was the last unofficial member of the station crew. As while she resided many light-years away on Eden Prime, all the crew knew the history between her and Jon. Paul pitied what would happen to anybody that hurt Sofia, wondering if that included Jon. Paul had not heard of Sofia being involved with anybody. As the Confederation President, Paul assumed her private life was pretty much non-existent, and any rumours of her involvement with anyone would make headlines, not the least as she was the last Imperial Princess, last in the Aurelius family line. Paul idly wondered what Jon would do or say if it became common knowledge the Sofia was involved with someone.

Probably wish her the best happiness, and go back to his office, dark and alone never to be seen or heard from again.

"And how are you, aside from tired, considering it's three o'clock in the morning there? Speaking of which why _are_ you still working at three o'clock in the morning?" Paul inquired.

"I'm fine, as for why I am up so late, I'm beginning to understand why father always looked so tired. There are never enough hours in the day, or night, to get everything done. Meetings and conferences all day, reports all evening, at some point I even try and find time to actually get work _done._ "

"Your father at least had the common sense to delegate some of his work and responsibilities," Paul replied, noting with concern the dark rings under her eyes.

"My father was surrounded by competent fleet officers, able administrators and strong legislators," Sofia retorted. "I've only got corrupt politicians and incompetent bureaucrats to work with."

Paul smiled at Sofia's succinct description of the Confederation government and replied. "Well your father had an excellent method of motivation. Anybody found incompetent was summarily removed, only occasionally with their head still attached."

Sofia's eyes brightened at the thought. "I wonder if I could raise a bill before the Senate to introduce such a policy for our bureaucracy. I can think of a half a dozen that could be _cut down to size..._ " Sofia giggled.

Paul smiled, glad that for just a brief moment he could glimpse the young, headstrong princess he had first met back on Eden Prime. "What about yourself, Princess?" Paul asked, putting his old emphasis on her title, the same one he used for his six year old daughter. "You have not given any thought to settling down and starting your own family?" he asked, in his own oblique way inquiring if there was anybody else in her life.

For just a brief instant Sofia seemed completely taken by surprise by the question, but then realising Paul was inquiring if she had met anybody and not about children, she replied sadly. "No, to be honest I have not had the time. Anyway, after Jon..." Sofia trailed off despondently.

Briefly Paul considered what he would do if he ever lost Carol. Paul could not even contemplate the thought, and guessed that dating or finding anybody else would be the last thing on his mind. But what could he advise? That she should find somebody else? Move on after Jon? Well Jon certainly had not. Paul knew with absolute confidence that before Miranda, Jon had not taken a second look at anybody else. Furthermore, Paul knew from the station scuttlebutt he had more than a couple of offers, from some of the younger female crew, who looked upon Jon with awe, to some of their more frequent customers, who were strongly attracted to the young, handsome but private leader. So intent was Paul on his response that he almost missed the question asked by Sofia.

"Anyway, while I am sure that my love life, or lack of it, is high on your list of priorities—do you want to let me know the real reason for this call? I doubt you purposefully tripped almost every flag on my communications agent, just to check on my health?"

As always, so captivated by the younger woman and saddened by circumstances, Paul had almost completely forgotten about the purpose of the call. Taking a deep breath, Paul explained, "We have a problem."

Sofia only gazed at him quizzically for a moment, before she broke out in laughter, the first truly joyful sound that Paul had heard from her since starting the call. Paul could only grin, when he realised to himself how that sounded.

"Only one?" Sofia replied, finally catching her breath. "In that case you must be slipping, as reading your reports usually there are at least half a dozen on-going crises on the station at one time."

"Well this one is a little more serious than most. You are aware of our on-going conflict with the Syndicate Cartel in this system."

Sofia's smile faded and her eyes became more serious when she replied. "Yes, I read the intelligence reports supplied to me by the office of naval intelligence. I could see you, Jon and Sergeant Reynolds fingerprints all over it. Additionally that little dis-information, propaganda campaign seemed to bear all the hallmarks of your Lieutenant Edgar. Fortunately naval intelligence seems to be completely in the dark and I'm stonewalling their investigation as best as I can."

Paul nodded his head in thanks to Sofia's selfless actions in protecting them and the company's involvement in the incident. He went on to recount the story, describing in depth the conspiracy they had discovered hidden behind the Syndicate cartel. As Paul recounted the investigation, Sofia's face became more and more furious. By the time Paul had finished, the young woman was livid.

"Why was I not informed of this?" she thundered. "This is the sort of intelligence that should have immediately been brought before the Senate, or at the very least to me."

Paul looked away, his cheeks flaming from the strong rebuke and, what was worse, Paul agreed with her. This news should have been brought before the Confederation long before. If it had, then events might have not spiralled so badly out of control, and the current predicament could have been avoided. Of course Jon had made it perfectly clear to the senior staff, Paul included, that he would forward this intelligence appropriately. Paul briefly wondered what Jon had done with it, probably stuck it under a file entitled, _no action required._

"Jon insisted he would act on the intelligence immediately," Paul responded evasively. "I'm sure that it's just because events have overtaken—"

"Bullshit," Sofia interrupted Paul angrily. "At the very best he has filed it away for future consideration, mostly likely he simply destroyed it, but why?"

Paul ardently hoped Sofia did not come to the same realisation as him, but the wide-eyed expression that suddenly appeared on her face soon dashed that hope. Paul was reminded he was not the only person who knew the inner working of Jon's mind so well. In many ways Sofia knew Jon even better than he did.

"It's because of me, isn't it?" Sofia replied in disbelief. "He purposefully suppressed that information because he didn't want me finding out about it, as he knew I would take necessary action to protect the Confederation. He still thinks of me as that young naïve Princess he pulled off the _Imperial Star_ so long ago. Well, I'll show him," she seethed.

Uh-oh.

"Before you make any hasty decisions, I think you had better hear the rest of it."

"There's _more?"_ Sofia demanded, eyes narrowing in disbelief.

Paul continued to recount the recovered recording between Magistratus Mallart and Commodore Harkov. By the end of the story there was a very pale and shaken princess, her anger all but forgotten.

"Harkov is on his way to you, with the 4th fleet?" Sofia whispered, terrified.

Paul nodded. "This is all about the Commander, Jon. Harkov loathes him, blames him for disrupting his plans, but also I think he fears him. He knows that Jon will stop at nothing to kill him. It's a personal vendetta between the two of them.

"Harkov hates Jon. Even before my father's death the two of them despised each other. Harkov is going to kill him."

"Possibly," Paul shrugged. "I don't honestly think Jon cares. All he cares about is this personal blood feud that they have. I don't think Jon cares if he lives or dies, as long as he kills Harkov first."

"But it doesn't make sense. Sure Jon hates Harkov, but not enough to risk all your lives. What is it that you are not telling me Paul?" Sofia demanded intuitively.

"Jon is going to face Harkov and the fleet alone," Paul sighed. While Jon had never said the words out aloud in the briefing earlier, Paul knew in his heart that it was what Jon had planned. "He will order the crew to abandon the station, he will go up against Harkov alone."

All the blood drained from Sofia's face, and for a moment Paul thought that she would faint. "It's suicide," she muttered. "He is going to go and get himself killed."

"I don't think he cares," Paul said. "Jon seems to view his life as the cost he must pay for his past failures."

"Well Jon might think his life is not worth much, and does not care if he lives or dies. But I do, and I expressly forbid him to go and get himself needlessly killed."

Paul had to smile at the statement, as it reminded him so much of the younger Jon and Sofia, when the impossible was just another day for them.

Sofia meanwhile continued on. "While the Confederation fleet is spread very thin these days—damn all these budgetary cuts to the navy over the years, I tried to argue that it was a bad idea, but they would not listen—Anyway I'll assemble whatever fleet assets we have in your sector and send them to you straight away. Meanwhile you keep Jon from rushing off and getting himself killed."

"Very well, your Empress," Paul said with a bow of the head.

Sofia looked at Paul suspiciously for a moment, then threw her head back, laughing. "Nobody has called me that in years, since Jon half-jokingly asked me if I wanted to rule the galaxy. At least I think he was joking." Tapping her fingers thoughtfully on her desk for a moment she continued. "Come to think of it, I think it's time that I paid a personal visit to _Terra Nova_."

" _Excuse me!"_ Paul uttered, with complete incredulity.

"Pay you a personal visit, you know, take a close eye at my investment, make sure that everything and _everyone_ is working properly."

" _Excuse me!"_ Paul uttered again, completely lost for any other words at the impending disaster.

"Why Paul, have you still not told Jon who the real owner of Vanguard is?" Sofia asked with a knowing smile.

"No, to be honest it has never come up in conversation," Paul replied embarrassedly.

"Then I think it is high-time for Jon to find out who is _really in charge,"_ Sofia said with a predatory smile.

Paul could only stare in horror at Sofia's smug look as he thought about the meeting between these two volatile personalities. They were going to either end up killing themselves, or naked and entwined over Jon's spacious desk, or possibly both! Come to think of it Paul had not seen Jon all evening, ever since their heated words in the briefing room. Paul could only assume that he had retired to his quarters for the evening, _alone._ He had also not seen Miranda that evening either and the two had seemed very close, as they had entered the briefing room together, hand in hand, Miranda laughing at something Jon had said.

Meanwhile, Paul felt as though he had swallowed a hot iron ball, the way his stomach was doing summersaults. After years of encouraging Jon to go out and get a life, he finally had. Only for his old life to materialise in their docking bay. Paul felt sick to the stomach, the only thing that could be worse would be Jon finding out about him and Sofia. The way that his luck was going recently, it seemed a sure bet! Closing his eyes, Paul made a quick prayer that the 4th fleet would turn up and swallow him whole first.

Giving Sofia a sickly smile, he replied. "Obviously we will look forward to your arrival."

Sofia just laughed and replied. "I just bet you do. I'll send you whatever fleet assets we have in the area. See you soon." And, with that, the communication link terminated. Paul could only stare at the blank screen in dread, wondering how he was going to explain this one to Jon.

*****

Sofia smiled at the sickly expression on Paul's face as she cut the channel.

_Well it served him right, for calling me at three in the morning and scaring me to death about Jon._ She thought to herself with a smile that soon turned wistful, as she picked up one of the photos on her desk. It was a photo of her and Jon taken many years back and was one of her most prized possessions, along with her mother's wedding ring and a priceless paperback copy of Aristotle's _Poetics_ that had been inscribed to her by her father.

Sofia was certain Jon would have hated the picture, as he was a very private person and this one had been taken without his knowledge. Sofia remembered the scene well, as it was taken at the reception, soon after the signing of the Confederation Charter. Sofia had been cornered by one of the Senators, whose impenetrable boring discussions into the body of the charter were causing her eyes to glaze over. Suddenly she had felt movement behind her, and before she could react or call out, an arm had whipped around her waist to ensnare her. Almost at the same time she felt the soft stubble of Jon's whiskers tickle her neck, quickly followed by his tongue. Looking over her shoulder, about to admonish him for the rude interruption, he had whispered into her ear, of where he would _much_ rather be, and much rather be _doing!_ She had flushed a bright scarlet at his heated words and had quickly made her apologies at their sudden departure. The picture showed them entwined, with Sofia peering over her shoulder into Jon's eyes, which were dark with arousal, and the blush forming on her cheeks from his words.

More than once Sofia had cried herself to sleep, the picture clutched tightly to her breast, but far more often she had instead stared at it for hours. Trying to fathom the reason for Jon's abrupt change of heart, barely days after the photo had been taken. Others had tried to console her, regarding the fickle nature of men, and their love 'em and leave 'em nature. But they did not know Jon like she did. In her heart she knew him and knew he was not like that. She knew deep down Jon must have had his reasons for doing what he did, but in the intervening years she had never managed to fathom why.

In the early years, soon after Jon's abrupt and angry departure, Sofia had gone on a couple of dates, mostly to spite Jon, more than out of any real interest. However, too many times over dinner or drinks, Sofia had looked up into her date's eyes, puzzled why they had the wrong eye colour, be it blue, or brown, or some other colour, but not the stormy grey she had fallen hard for. The few relationships she had that had progressed beyond dinner or drinks had quickly fizzled out. Most had been too intimidated by her forceful personality, or had tried to mould her into what their expectations of an Imperial Princess should be, devoid of any personality or intellect, a beautiful statuette, who they expected to stand there and look pretty.

Jon had never tried to change her. He had always made it clear she was perfect as she was. He had enjoyed their discussions, or so he claimed. He had forever treated her as an equal, although perhaps one he placed high on a pedestal—too many times for Sofia's comfort. No, Sofia compared a number of different men to Jon, and found them all lacking. As for the physical side of their relationships, Sofia shuddered. The few who had reached that stage, kissing was cold and uncomfortable. As if somebody had placed an ice-block along her spine, the only result was goosebumps down her back. Kissing Jon had not left her cold. Quite the opposite. With Jon she felt as though she were on fire, that she would be burnt alive and the only thing that could extinguish the flames was Jon. So no, she had been telling Paul the truth when she said that there was nobody else in her life, only her work.

Lately her work did not seem to be enough anymore. She remembered when she first joined the Senate, the desire to do good, to help people. To make a difference. The naïve optimism of youth, Sofia assumed. The only force that ruled the Senate was inertia and public opinion. Sadly Sofia faced the truth that Jon's actions and his manipulation of the media against the Syndicate cartel, with the resulting Senate rush of activity had achieved more in six weeks than she had realistically achieved in almost half a decade.

Well Jon is not the only one to take drastic measures, in drastic times.

Opening a channel to Fleet Admiral Sterling, she reached one of his very surprised aides, who pointedly informed the Confederation President that, at three in the morning Eden Prime system-time, the Admiral was asleep.

"That's fine," Sofia replied with a saccharine smile. "I'll hold while you go and wake him up."

While she waited on hold for the aides to raise the Admiral, Sofia thought back to her conversation with Paul. She would do whatever was necessary, pay whatever cost was required to get the Confederation fleet moving out to _Terra Nova_.

She knew Harkov hated Jon, hated him with an intensity bordering on an obsession. Sofia could still remember that terrifying moment, holding Jon's broken body to her breast. She still awoke occasionally with a silent scream, covered in sweat, remembering the incident. No, she would do whatever was necessary to protect him from that same fate twice.

Chapter Fifteen

_Five_ _Years Previously_

Memphis Station, Procyon System

The _Eternal Light_ dropped out of FTL in front of...nothing. Sofia looked out of the cockpit viewport confused. There was nothing outside the ship, no planets, no stations, no ships, only the endless night of interstellar space, surrounded by a hundred million brightly shining stars.

Jon meanwhile was tapping his finger incessantly on the ships console, eyebrows furrowed, obviously deep in thought.

"A problem?" Sofia asked nervously. The last thing she wanted was to spend the rest of eternity floating through deep space with a pair of malfunctioning engines and a brooding companion as her only company. Jon had been unusually quiet ever since their departure from Altair. Or at least _quieter_ , as Jon was always a man of few words, believing that actions spoke louder. Sofia was determined to get to the root of the problem before they arrived.

"Not really, more trying to decide upon a course of action," Jon explained, after a moment's thought. "That is Eden ahead," Jon pointed to one of the brightest stars almost directly ahead. "It's barely two-point-five light-years away. A few more hours in FTL and we will arrive," he added, biting his lip.

"And that is not a good thing?"

"Perhaps, it all depends on who, or what, is waiting for us?"

"You are still worrying about Harkov?" Sofia deduced.

"I'm worrying who else Harkov could be working with. If he has decided to take this course of action alone, then there is no problem. However, for all I know this could be a fleet wide coup d'état."

"So we could be flying directly into a trap?"

"Perhaps."

"But surely you must know people in the fleet based at Eden Prime. People you could trust?"

"I do, but I have no way of contacting them securely without the risk the message would be monitored. All fleet communications go via the Tachyon relay stations, heavily encrypted of course, but the transmission could be tracked back to our nearest relay, giving away our position. Worse, depending on who else in the fleet could be involved, the encryption could have been compromised."

"What other option do we have?" Sofia asked rhetorically. "We cannot stay here forever." Although if truth be told, the idea was not so repellent to Sofia. When they arrived at Eden Prime, Sofia knew she would have difficult choices to make, decisions that would affect the lives of millions, maybe billions, of people. Out here, however, those decisions seemed a long way away, and Sofia could think of worse things than to spend time, alone, safe on a ship with a man she realised she had deep, strong feelings for. If their last kiss was any indication, those feelings were reciprocated by Jon. "I'm sorry what did you say?" Sofia apologised, so lost in contemplation she did not catch Jon's reply.

Bringing up the navigation computer's star-map of the surrounding space, Jon highlighted one destination the computer had labelled as _Memphis_. "The Eden system is surrounded by a number of massive arcologies, entire floating cities in space. I know somebody on this one, somebody who is well informed about the military and political situation in the Eden system—somebody we can trust."

"Sounds good, so what's the problem?"

"The problem, as you so eloquently put it, is that if I can think of this so can Harkov, he will probably have informants on the station, probably also mercenaries and bounty hunters looking for us."

"You mean like on _Transcendence_?" Sofia asked softly, looking away. She still had nightmares about the attack, although the worst of them seemed to be kept at bay by Jon's constant reassuring presence.

"Like on _Transcendence_ ," Jon agreed solemnly.

"Then we do it," Sofia replied firmly. "Better the devil we know. We have no idea what could be waiting for us on Eden Prime." As she spent more time with Jon, Sofia had come to realise fear could be a person's own worst enemy, paralysing, introducing paranoia, self-doubt and second-guessing everything and everyone. With Jon's help Sofia promised herself she would get over her own fears and doubts, to try and be the person Jon seemed to think she was, a better, stronger, more self-confident person; the daughter of the Emperor.

Jon looked at Sofia for a moment, surprised, and then nodded his head in approval, as if he saw something new in her, something he approved of. "Then next stop _Memphis_ ," he added before giving her a sly smile. "This time I do not plan to let you out of my sight for a single instant. You seem to be a magnet for trouble whenever I am not around."

"Me?" Sofia replied with a laugh. "What about you? All I asked for is a dinner and some dancing, and you start a brawl in the middle of the club. Anyway, if you plan on watching me all the time, where are you going to sleep?" she asked playfully.

"With you," Jon shot back, with a heated gaze. "I'm not letting you out of my sight for a moment."

The tight knot of fear and worry that had settled in Sofia's stomach when she agreed they change course to Memphis abruptly vanished. Suddenly she was looking forward to this excursion.

*****

In some ways _Memphis_ reminded Sofia of _Transcendence_. It seemed that the core hub, with multiple surrounding docking spokes was a universal design. However, that was where the similarity ended. Sofia could just not wrap her head around the sheer _size_ of the station. Dozens and dozens of hubs seemed to exist, and the various docking spokes seemed to have become so intermeshed Sofia could not see where one started and the other ended. Jon's description that it was an entire city floating in space was fairly accurate. This point was reinforced when docking control informed them all the public bays were currently occupied and if they wished to avoid a wait they would need to pay a fee for one of the private bays. Playing the part of an independent trader, Jon enquired about the docking fees for a private bay. Jon did not need to fake the shock and indignation in his voice when he refused the offer after being told how much they cost.

"I could afford a brand new ship for that much," Jon told Sofia indignantly after shutting off the channel.

Sofia had to smother a laugh as, once again, Jon's simple and relatively poor background began to show through. "I would be happy to chip in to help you afford the docking fee if you would like?" she asked with a brilliant smile.

Jon had no doubt that Sofia could afford to purchase most of the station and still have change left over, but he shook his head, politely declining the request. "We need to stay in character anyway. No independent trader would ever use a private berth. We would destroy any profit we would make from the venture before we had even arrived. Only wealthy individuals or company owners ever use those berths, or visiting royalty of course." Jon snickered. "We will wait, we are hardly in a rush."

"In that case," Sofia replied stretching, as she had been in the co-pilot seat for many hours and was very uncomfortable. She noticed Jon's eyes immediately drawn to her bosom, but he quickly averting his gaze with an endearing blush when he realised she was watching him. Sofia had to suppress the wicked grin she could feel threatening to escape. Deciding now was a good a time as any, especially when she had Jon off balance, she stood up and, leaning back on the flight panel, looked Jon straight in the eyes.

"So, are you going to tell me what has been bothering you since we left Altair?"

"It's nothing," Jon replied, averting his gaze from Sofia.

Infuriated, Sofia stamped her foot in frustration. Perhaps it would just be easier to order him to tell her, Sofia mused. Deciding she did not want a relationship like that, she instead settled her hand on his chest and softly beseeched him. "Please Jon, we promised we would keep no more secrets. What is it bothering you? You have been unusually quiet, even for you, ever since you had that private conversation with your parents before we left."

That conversation bothered Sofia almost as much as Jon's subsequent silence. For the first time since she could remember, she had felt part of a _family_. Being excluded from the final goodbyes had hurt her painfully.

Recognising the pain and hurt in her eyes, Jon cursed himself. He had been trying to spare her the worry and instead had just made it worse. "I didn't want to tell you, as I didn't want you worrying," Jon explained softly, cupping her cheek with his hand.

Leaning into his gentle touch Sofia explained. "It worries me more when you are obviously unhappy and won't tell me what the cause of the problem is."

"It's my parents."

"Ryan? Irene?" Sofia asked confused. "They seemed fine when we left."

"I am more worried about what will happen to them once we have gone," Jon explained. "Harkov and his thugs are not going to stop looking for us. When your father elevated me to the Praetorians all records of my past were destroyed. It's standard practice for us, so that nobody can dig into our past and blackmail us against your father. However, records _do exist_. Sooner or later Harkov is going to find my parents and then..."

Sofia gasped, as she had never considered the evil Harkov could stoop to. Sofia could not imagine the anguish Jon would have to face in choosing between his family or her, his duty to her father versus the obvious love he had for his family. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"I have already done it," Jon replied, looking away ashamed. "The reason I wanted to talk to them in private was so that I could warn them. They have agreed to leave the house. They still have friends, colleagues, in the _old neighbourhood_. They will stay there for as long as necessary until I can let them know it's safe."

Sofia could not prise any more information from Jon or his family about their original home, just that it was a small apartment in one of the more run-down, dangerous areas on Altair. "They will be safe there?" Sofia inquired.

"Yes," Jon replied firmly. "They still observe the old codes there, blood, loyalty, silence. They will be safe there, protected, and if Harkov sends forces in after them, well," Jon shrugged. "There will be a dozen more unclaimed bodies that will turn up the next morning. Harkov would need to send an entire division to fight their way in to get them, and he will not spare the forces for that."

"So what's the real problem?" Sofia asked perceptively.

"That I spent my life trying to get them out of that hell-hole, now my actions have resulted in them having to go back there. They deserve better," Jon insisted.

"Then you should never have taken me there."

"No!" Jon replied vehemently. "It was the only place that I could be absolutely sure was safe, and we needed to get the _Eternal Light_ repaired. Anyway," Jon replied with an embarrassed smile. "I wanted them to meet you."

Leaning forward, Sofia easily slipped her arms around his neck, touching forehead to forehead. It was so easy to forget how traditional Jon was, his firm sense of honour and intimate sense of _right_. Of course Jon would want his parents to meet her. "And I am glad I had the chance to meet them," Sofia insisted. "Having met them I think I am beginning to understand you a bit better," she added.

"Really?"

"Really," Sofia added, leaning an inch closer so their lips could gently touch. Almost immediately Sofia could feel the fire spreading though her body. Kissing Jon was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Meanwhile, Sofia promised herself she would address the problem with Jon's parents. No matter what happened to her, what decisions she made that might affect the entire Empire, she would not forget that an empire only consisted of its people. Jon was right about one thing, his parents deserved better; Sofia vowed to herself they would get it.

*****

Walking along the grey, featureless, corridor of _Memphis_ Sofia wondered if all these stations had the same interior decorator. Her own apartments on the _Imperial Star_ had been richly decorated with thick carpets, rugs, and pictures. The stark, regular strip lighting of this corridor replaced with subtle shades and chandeliers. Sofia even pointed this out to Jon, who only laughed.

"Not everybody is as rich as your father. Who would pay for all those fixtures here and who would pay to maintain them? No, the rest of the Empire consists of the functional minimum."

Sofia assumed that insight also extended to her clothes. Not that there was anything wrong with them, the tan coloured blouse, jeans and ankle length boots she wore were almost a spitting image of Jon's own clothes. While functional, Sofia secretly missed some of her old dresses, bright colours, made from the finest silks of the Empire, tailored by the finest designers in the Empire. It occurred to Sofia that what she probably missed more was Jon's reaction to her appearing in such clothes. Whenever she appeared, she could see the shock in Jon's expression, hear his sudden, indrawn breath, followed soon after by his grim expression, his disapproval plain for all to see. However, Sofia would have had to be blind to ignore his blistering gaze following her everywhere. Then again, maybe they were unnecessary after all, as when she appeared from the washroom having changed into these casual clothes, the heated gaze was still present in his eyes when he raked them over her body. This time, however, instead of the disapproval she was used to seeing, his expression turned to a warm smile and he nodded his approval, with a simple "I like it." Sofia decided she liked this reaction almost as much and decided in the future she would just have to alternate, to keep him guessing.

At least unlike on _Transcendence_ and _Altair_ she was not attracting so many stares. With the casual clothes and her hair in a neat braid reaching her lower back she did not stand out as much. Although Jon's possessive grasp of her hand as he lead her though the station made it obvious to everybody that she was currently unavailable.

"Where are we going?" she finally inquired, long since totally lost by all the twists and turns of the different corridors.

"We are going to meet my contact on the station," Jon explained. "We are just taking a more roundabout route as I want to ensure we are not being followed." Jon was only too aware of how vulnerable the two of them were on this station. At any minute, any turn an ambush could spring it's trap on the pair. However, the other part of Jon's nervousness was from having to leave his Valerian sword on the ' _Light_. It would have completely destroyed the façade they were trying to project of a married pair of young, independent traders. No trader would ever wear such a thing. Instead he had holstered at his side a standard pulse pistol, but Jon still felt naked without his sword. Jon knew it was just superstitious nonsense but he honestly felt the blade protected him. Jon secretly feared that the day he died, the weapon would be out of his reach.

Eventually they came to an unmarked office door, in the middle of the commercial district. Jon pressed the announcer and waited patiently.

"What happens if he or she is not here?" Sofia whispered, self-consciously.

Jon just shrugged. "Albert works longer hours than I do, as far as I know he does not take holidays or any breaks. If he is not here, then I assume it is because he is dead."

The statement was prophetic as only moments after he had spoken a high pitched, suspicious voice blared out of a small speaker above the announcer button. "Go away! I am not interested in buying anything, or converting to this week's latest religion."

With a smirk at Sofia, Jon replied. "Albert let us in, it's me, Jon and..." Jon looked helplessly at Sofia trying to think of a suitable label, shrugging again he simply added, "A friend."

The voice from behind the grill was silent for a moment, then the door silently slid open, darkness beckoning from within. Giving Sofia an unladylike shove from behind, he quickly ushered her into the room before stepping inside, the door quickly sliding shut behind them. The lights suddenly illuminated, blinding the both of them. When they could eventually see once again, they both stared at the barrel of the gun pointing at them.

Jon stepped in front of Sofia, worried that Albert could end up shooting her simply because he didn't recognise her. A healthy amount of paranoia in his job went a long way to avoiding a lengthy jail sentence or a quick execution from a competitor. "Albert it's me, Jon, put the pistol away."

The barrel wavered for a moment. Then the owner lowered the weapon onto the table. Sofia was astonished to see that the owner's head barely came above the table. He was a child. However, on closer observation, the unshaven face, weathered skin, distrustful blue eyes made Sofia realise the man was far older, probably some years older than Jon and that the man was a midget.

"Before you make some insulting comment," Albert interjected. "I am fully aware that I am shorter in stature than others." It was obviously a sore topic for him. "I come from Kessler IV, where the gravity is much stronger, hence we don't grow as tall. However, it has its advantages," Albert added. He effortlessly lifted the table he was sitting behind into the air with one hand.

"Just ignore Albert," Jon replied. "He is very self-conscious."

"As you would be, if everywhere you went, you were followed by sniggers and terrible jokes behind your back," came the indignant reply.

Taking a few steps forward, Jon reached the short little man and, with apparently little effort, picked him up to enfold him in the most almighty hug. "It's good to see you again Albert," he said.

"Put me down, put me down," Albert squealed, pounding futilely on Jon's back.

Jon lowered him gently to the floor, and Sofia thought she recognised a softening in the man's eyes as he glared at Jon.

"For a dead man, you certainly still seem to be very much alive," Albert chuckled.

"Dead man?"

"The news channels have been broadcasting nothing but unsubstantiated rumours of the Emperor's death, your death and even yours Princess," Albert addressed Sofia.

"You know who I am?" Sofia asked, shocked.

"Of course, I know who you are," Albert sniffed. "I would not be very successful in my job if I did not recognise the Imperial Princess, Sofia Aurelius, daughter of the Emperor."

"And what exactly is your job?" she asked curiously.

"Albert is an information broker," Jon explained. "If Albert doesn't know about it, it's not worth knowing."

"And how much would you charge Harkov for our location and our lives?" Sofia demanded scornfully, less than impressed with the man's chosen profession.

"Everything has a price Princess," Albert hedged. "However, somethings have a price that nobody could afford, not even with all your families wealth. Everybody looks down on me, just because I am short, but not Jon. He has never treated me any differently than everybody else."

"I don't like big people picking on smaller people," Jon interjected firmly.

Albert looked fondly at Jon, nodding his head in thanks. "Which is why this information is free. You need to get off _Memphis_ immediately. Harkov has spies, and assassins throughout the station. They have even approached me with offers for your location," the man sniffed disdainfully. "As if I would even contemplate divulging that information for their paltry sums. You need to make it to the Eden system, the Imperial forces there are still loyal to Fleet Admiral Sterling. He was one of your father's oldest and most trusted admirals, he is still loyal to the Empire and will offer you sanctuary. Harkov's forces will not be able to reach you there. You will be safe there, but you must go. Now!"

A red light started to chime incessantly on the small console that was embedded into Albert's desk. "They have found you already!" Albert hissed, touching another control on the panel. A panel on the rear-wall slid open to reveal a previously hidden passage. "In my profession a backdoor is always advisable. It is not on any of the station schematics, it will take you out near the docking port, now GO!"

"Thank you Albert," Jon uttered sincerely, grabbing Sofia by the hand and pulling her in the direction of the newly revealed exit.

"What about you?" Sofia asked in a concerned voice, remembering the warning that Jon had conveyed about his own parents. It was unlikely that Harkov's men would treat this little man any better.

"Don't worry about me," Albert insisted, pulling an assault rifle that was almost taller than he was from behind his desk. "You look after Jon. There are not enough people left like him in the Empire. Trust me I should know."

With that Sofia allowed Jon to pull her through the hidden passage, which shut quickly behind them. Sofia could hear a muffled explosion from the other side of the door, followed by Albert's high-pitched yell, "Just come and try and get me you bastards!" Whatever else was said was quickly drowned out by the booming sound of an assault rifle being fired on full automatic. Sofia, however, had no way to telling if this was Albert's or Harkov's men, as Jon continued to pull her along the pitch-black corridor, the sound becoming fainter and fainter as they hurried away.

Suddenly a bright light appeared ahead; as another hidden door slid quietly open. Sofia had no idea if this had been triggered automatically by their approach, or Albert had activated it from his office. Silently Sofia hoped that Albert was safe, as in the short time she had met him she had grown fond of the man.

Stepping out into the sudden piercing brightness of a corridor, Sofia had to blink rapidly to adjust her eyes to the sudden light. Looking around cautiously, Sofia was glad to see that nobody else was in sight. It could be difficult to explain to a stranger how come you just stepped out of a solid wall.

Meanwhile Jon was quickly looking around to re-orientate himself. "Good," he stated. "We are not far from our docking bay and the ' _Light_. The sooner we get off this station and to the Eden system the better that I will feel!" Jon pushed Sofia on ahead, urging her to hurry.

For many years later the gunshot that echoed down the corridor would haunt Sofia. Unlike the high-pitched whine of an energy pistol or rifle, this was more a resounding _crack_ , like the first bolt of lightning in a storm. Before the sound even registered with Sofia she went sprawling to the ground as a huge weight slammed into her back. Time seemed to suddenly slow down to a crawl. For an instant she thought that she had been paralysed, as she was unable to move from the neck down. It took a few moments for her thought process to catch up and realise it was not her body that was frozen, but a large weight bearing down on her, pressing her into the corridor floor.

She could barely breathe, let alone move.

A damp wetness started to spread across her blouse, and for a moment she thought that she had fallen in a puddle of water. It was only when she finally managed to get her hand free and bring it up to her face that she realised the awful truth. It was not water, but blood. The rapidly expanding pool of it seemed to spread everywhere. Sofia thought she must have been going into shock, as she could not seem to hear or feel anything, her ears still resounding from the earlier gunshot.

Taking a deep lungful of oxygen, time suddenly sped up as a racking cough sounded from above her. Twisting around Sofia looked into Jon's eyes, which were glazed over in pain. A froth of blood appeared from between his lips and started to trickle down his cheek. Suddenly Sofia realised the awful truth, the blood was not hers. It was from Jon.

"Jon!" she cried, trying to twist around to get a better view. However, Jon was a dead weight lying across her back, she dared not push him away, worried that it could cause him more harm. However, from the corner or her eye she saw something far more terrifying approaching. The sandy haired man was wearing a crumpled jumpsuit, almost faded through in some patches from constant wear. However, it was not that which drew her attention, but the large rifle he carried in his hands, firmly pointed in their direction.

"I told Franklin there was no point in chasing you across half the station, that sooner or later you would have to return here, but no. He insisted on trying to barge his way inside after your little friend. Well, he took half a dozen shots in the stomach as thanks," he laughed. "So this is the infamous Commander Radec. I hear you took out Marcel and his entire crew back on _Transcendence_ ," he muttered, with grudging respect. "Lucky I brought Betty here with me," he stroked the rifle fondly. "I don't particularly want to end up like Marcel."

With a prod from his toe he pushed Jon off Sofia, rolling him onto his back so Jon's eyes stared up sightlessly. Another bout of coughing, and a gurgle of blood caused the sandy haired gunman to step back in surprise. For the first time since his approach a look of doubt replaced his cocky expression. "That's not possible," he muttered taking a closer look at Jon. "I hit you with a fragmenting round, most of your chest should be spread across this corridor. No way, man, can you still be drawing breath."

He moved closer to investigate.

Sofia meanwhile looked around frantically for something that she could use to defend them, but there was nothing. Then she remembered the pistol Jon was carrying. Now he was no longer lying across her she could move. As the assassin's attention seemed solely focused on Jon, she reached down to Jon's side, where the pistol was holstered, to find it was missing.

Her movement must have drawn the attention of the sandy haired youth, as he swung his rifle in her direction.

"Now, you don't go anywhere poppet!" he urged. "I've got a nice fat bonus lined up for bringing you in alive. Let me just check on the Commander here, he should have been dead by now..." With that he turned away from Sofia, leaning down to peer closer at Jon.

Something gleamed out of the corner of Sofia's eye. Turning her head she finally saw the pistol. It was several feet away, obviously having fallen from Jon's hand when he had been hit. Sofia started to crawl in the direction of the weapon.

"I'll be with you in just another moment poppet," the mercenary said, leaning down, peering at the bloody remains of Jon's shirt and chest. "How come you are still alive?" he murmured, amazed.

Sofia continued crawling on her hands and knees in the direction of the pistol, seven feet, six, five, she desperately reached out trying to get to the weapon in time, but was interrupted by the shout of surprise from behind her.

"Tactical armour! You're wearing tactical armour? Underneath civvies. Who the hell walks around all day wearing tactical armour? Well I'll put another round through your skull, let's see if you can survive that. Hey, what the hell?" he exclaimed, as out of the corner of his eye he saw Sofia reaching for something in the corner.

Sofia made a desperate dive for the pistol as soon as she heard his shout, knowing she only had this one opportunity, otherwise both she and Jon were going to die. Scooping up the weapon she twisted, landing on her back, pointing the pistol in the direction of the sandy haired man, who meanwhile had started to swing his own rife in her direction.

He never made it.

Unbeknownst to Sofia, the pistol was set to its highest setting. As soon as she pressed the firing stud, the bolt discharged from the pistol, hitting the youth squarely in the chest. The worn jumpsuit offered no protection and with a startled cry he collapsed to the floor, his chest a blackened, smoking char. Sofia looked at his body in startled incomprehension for a moment, expecting him to suddenly get up and reach for his weapon once again. However, after he remained motionless a while longer the thought suddenly hit her. She had killed him. For a moment Sofia did not know what to think, did not know how to feel, but a racking cough from Jon drew her attention back to him.

Jon! He was badly hurt!

Slipping and sliding to his side, Sofia looked at his chest, and then quickly looked away. His shirt was mangled, what remained was a bloody mess. Sofia could not tell where the shirt ended and torn flesh commenced.

" _Sofia!_ " His voice whispered hoarsely, blood covering his mouth. "You must go. Take the _'Light_ she will respond to you. 'Course is already plotted. Go!" he choked.

"Quiet! Don't speak!" Sofia ordered. "Everything will be fine," but even as she spoke the words she knew them to be a lie. Everything was most definitely not going to be fine. Sofia did not need to be a doctor to know that Jon was hurt, badly.

"Sofia! You must go...leave me!"

Sofia stared incomprehensibly at Jon, her hand unconsciously brushing back a lock of bloody hair from his cheek. Leave him? How? Jon was all that she had left. Her mother had been taken from her when she was barely a child. Her father had been dead barely a few weeks. Jon was all that she had left from her old life. Staring into his unfocused eyes, Sofia could picture her life stretching out before her eyes. No family, no friends, nobody to come home to in the evening, nobody to love. Alone...

"No!" she insisted firmly. "I am not going to leave you." She would not accept that future for herself. Better to stay here and die together with the man she had fallen in love with, than accept that future. "If you want me to go, then you have to come with me. Otherwise I am going to stay here, together with you, " she insisted.

Jon caught her hand in hers, and for a moment Sofia thought that he was going to push her hand away, when she suddenly felt his grip tighten on her wrist. "You will have to help me up, then," he said.

Nodding, she pulled him to his feet. After Jon took a few shaky steps, almost collapsing, she ducked her head under his arm, supporting his weight. Half carrying him, half dragging him, they headed in the direction of the shuttle, arm-in-arm, together.

*****

Lowering Jon gently into the co-pilot seat of the _Eternal Light_ , Sofia hurried away to find the emergency first-aid kit. The journey back to the ship had been a nightmare. Jon had gone more and more pale with every step. Near the end of the journey Sofia thought it was only sheer determination keeping him on his feet. The couple attracted unwanted attention the moment they had stepped onto the docking ring. Jon was a torn mess, trailing blood behind him; Sofia little better, being covered in blood from when Jon had bled over her.

Tossing open the first aid box Sofia rummaged around, finally sighing with relief when she found the emergency analgesic, thanking both Jon and her father for insisting that she attend the same emergency medical training that was mandatory for all ship's crew. At the time she had vehemently fought against it; she was an Imperial Princess—what did she need to know about medicine? The ship had dozens of trained medical personnel for that. As she injected the opiate directly into the blood stream in Jon's neck Sofia shook her head in disbelief, amazed at her previous arrogance.

"No more..." Jon moaned, pushing the injector away from his neck, barely half used.

"But the pain..." Sofia stammered.

"Any more and it will leave me unconscious, I'll cope with the pain. You must start the engines, Harkov's men could be right behind us."

Nodding, Sofia took the pilot seat for the first time. Her father had taught her to fly the shuttle at a young age, although Sofia had shown little interest. Once again she wished now that she had paid more attention. Keying the emergency engine start, Sofia watched, biting her lip anxiously as the engines quickly powered up. Noticing Jon now barely seemed lucid, she transferred power to the engines and piloted the ship out of the docking berth.

While the Emperor had taught her basic piloting skills, unfortunately this did not extend to docking etiquette, specifically the need to request _permission_ prior to departure. Hence her first flight was almost cut dramatically short as the _Eternal Light_ shot out of the docking bay, directly into the path of a docking freighter. It was only due to quick reflexes, with a scream of pure terror, that she pulled up and missing the freighter with barely meters to spare.

Of the two dark fighters that launched immediately after, in pursuit of the shuttle, one was not so fortunate. The shuttle was rocked by the explosion as the heavily armed fighter slammed into the side of the freighter, its missiles and ammunition exploding in a massive fireball. The second fighter, however, managed to avoid the freighter at the last moment, quickly accelerating to catch up with the fleeing shuttle. It did not look like they were going to make such an easy escape as they had from _Transcendence_.

The alarms on the _'Light_ warned Sofia of the approaching fighter as its targeting scanners tried to lock onto the ship. Unfortunately, unlike Jon, Sofia was no combat pilot and had absolutely no idea what to do, hence she did the only thing she could think of. She accelerated. Throwing full power to the engines she was pushed back hard into the pilot's seat, as the shuttles internal dampeners struggled to compensate. Taken by surprise by the sudden acceleration, the pursuing fighter fell behind, until it too accelerated to match speed, before slowly, inch by inch started to close the gap.

The warning chime of a missile starting to target them had Sofia urgently trying to shake Jon awake. The chime suddenly changed to a scream to indicate a missile launch.

"Jon! Jon! Please wake up." Sofia urgently shook him. "I don't know what to do, help me. Please!" Whether it was her words, the rough shaking or the scream of the missile alarm, but finally Jon's eyes seemed to focus on her own.

"Top right," he wheezed. "Ships tactical computer... code Alpha, Gamma, two... three. Automatic," he stuttered, before another tremor shook his body.

Sofia quickly hurried to follow his instructions, finding the correct panel on the flight controls and quickly entered the correct code. As if the ship had just been waiting for permission to slip it's leash the moment she finished entering the code, the ships computer deployed the guns into their firing position, the rail-guns barrels spinning up to speed, calculating speed and trajectory of the incoming missiles. The minute the missiles came within range, the ship unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Targeting the closest missile first, the guns tracked the trajectory, spitting out their lethal load, tearing into the first missile before seamlessly switching to the next. The second missile detonated barely one hundred meters from the shuttle. Meanwhile the guns swivelled to face the oncoming fighter, and were they not controlled by an emotionless computer an observer might think that the operator was anxiously waiting for the target to come within range.

However, before the fighter could reach weapons range the _Eternal Light_ reached minimum safe distance from the station for the FTL engines to engage and the ship jumped to light speed, leaving the final fighter to turn back in frustration, its quarry having escaped.

*****

It was barely a thirty-minute jump to the Eden system. Sofia spent the time in increasing desperation trying to keep Jon conscious and stem the increasing flow of blood.

The minute the _Eternal Light_ dropped out of FTL Sofia activated the emergency distress beacon on the shuttle, uncaring about the attention it might draw. Knowing that if Jon did not receive emergency medical attention soon, it would not matter.

"Jon," she cried cradling his head on her lap on the floor of the shuttle. She had guessed that laying him flat on the floor might help stem the flow of blood from his chest. Unfortunately it only had limited effect and she could feel each beat of his heart, slowly getting weaker as the precious lifeblood drained from his body. "Look we finally made it, we've arrived, we're at Eden!"

Jon's eyes opened for an instant, focusing on the blue green orb that was floating outside, the two moons orbiting the planet unmistakably marking it as Eden Prime, political centre of the Empire and home of the Senate. Jon took one final breath before his eyes closed for good. Sofia bowed her head against his, her own tears mingling with his blood.

*****

Captain Turner, of the System Patrol Craft _SPC Intrepid_ , had only started his shift barely twenty minutes previously and was still on his first cup of coffee for the morning when the distress call arrived.

"Sir, we are receiving an automated distress call," the communications officer reported.

"Location?" Turner asked in surprise. As the home of the Imperial Senate, the Eden system was one of the most heavily defended in the Empire, hence nothing of any interest ever happened.

"Seems to be coming from out near the Heliopause. Looks like the ship has just dropped out of FTL."

"Okay, helm lay in a course," Turner ordered, before turning back to the communications officer. "Try and raise them on a channel, find out who they are and what's the nature of the emergency."

"The automated distress signal is broadcast ship identification and registry," his Executive officer reported. "I'm running it through the ship registry on Eden Prime, we should have a match in a few moments." Turner acknowledged his bridge officers, turning back to his coffee.

"Sir," the communications officer reported hesitantly. "I am in contact with a young woman on the ship. Sir, she claims that she is Princess Sofia Aurelius', daughter of—"

"I know who Sofia Aurelius is," Turner stated rolling his eyes with a smile. "This must be a prank. You remind this woman the penalty of wasting Imperial Navy time."

"Sir," the communications officer reported. "The woman claims she is accompanied by Commander Jonathan Radec, that he is badly injured and needs immediate medical attention."

Turner spat out a mouthful of hot coffee over his immaculate white uniform. "Confirm that last communication, now!" he ordered. While Sofia Aurelius was a name known throughout the Empire, Commander Radec was not. Shunning the media spotlight, he was never far from the Imperial family. Intelligence reported the Commander should have arrived weeks before, with the Praetorians escorting the Princess. If it were true the Commander was on board, then maybe that really was the Imperial Princess. And if Radec was badly hurt—Turner broke out in a cold sweat. It was well known throughout the fleet the Emperor was fond of the head of the Praetorians. If Radec died on his watch...

His executive officer wordlessly handing him a datapad with the ships registry had him jumping from his seat and moving swiftly towards his helm officer. "Flank speed! Now!" he ordered. "I want to be alongside that shuttle five minutes ago." Hitting the communications button on the flight controls, he opened a channel to the medical bay. "Doctor," he ordered. "We have two patients that will be arriving shortly, I have been informed that the Commander is badly injured. Get a medical team down to the docking bay immediately, and Doctor..." The captain thought for a moment how best to phrase the next instruction. "I expect both patients to make a full recovery, or God help us."

The SPC _Intrepid_ accelerated towards the smaller shuttle at flank speed, desperate to assist the occupants.

Chapter Sixteen

Present Day

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

It was a very uncomfortable, sickly looking Paul Harrington who arrived late for the Senior Staff meeting, early the following morning. Paul had stayed up late, long after his conversation with Sofia had ended, his guilty conscience waging war with the obligation he felt towards Jon. His stomach was not much helped by the bombshell Sofia had dropped during the call, that she would be paying the station a personal visit. Paul knew it was his duty to inform Jon and the senior staff of the visit, but how the hell do you drop a visit from the Confederation President into a conversation? Not to mention it immediately begs the next question, _how do you know of an impending visit by the Confederation President?_

No. Paul felt distinctly sick, and his mood was not helped by the fact that when eventually he fell into a restless sleep, his dreams were full of escaping down deserted station corridors, fleeing flaming swords and women with auburn hair and green eyes. Having overslept, Paul was disgruntled to find Jon had called a further senior staff meeting at short notice, for first thing in the morning, _and he was already running late!_ Paul could not decide which thought was most appealing at the moment—Harkov and his fleet arriving and blowing them all to hell, or Sofia arriving and she and Jon killing each other. Either option would put Paul out of his misery. The final icing on the cake, having rushed to the briefing room, as if the flames of hell were lapping at his heels, Paul arrived to find Jon was not there. Neither was there any coffee.

_Today is not starting off to be a good day_ , Paul grouched silently to himself. Quietly he asked around the room to see if anybody had any clue of why Jon had called the meeting. Perhaps it was to charge their Operations Chief with treason and order his public execution? After all, Marcus had been known to indulge in such public spectacles, and Jon was by far his most adept pupil. Still morosely lost in thought, he looked up as the doors slid open and he observed Jon practically skip into the room.

_Well at least somebody had a good night,_ Paul thought sourly. Suddenly realising what that could possibly imply, and bearing in mind the imminent arrival of a particular princess, Paul frantically looked around the room. He was only partly relieved to see Miranda present, fully clothed, seated and staring at Jon with a worried expression.

Well at least that is one less thing to worry about.

Once Jon was sure he had everybody's attention, he activated the holoprojector, which rendered a three-dimensional tactical map of _Terra Nova_ and the surrounding space. The ghostly image hovered only inches above the briefing room table for all to see. "Following the meeting yesterday, I had a number of visitors last night, all of whom made their personal views on the imminent attack blatantly clear," Jon raked the faces of his senior officers with his penetrating gaze, one-by-one. Many of them had the decency to cast their gaze away to avoid his piercing stare. "However, I have always made it clear I value my senior officer's opinions and insights, and _that has not changed._ I confess my original plan had been to order the evacuation of the station. I would have remained behind to ensure that _Terra Nova_ did not fall into Syndicate or Harkov's hands."

Paul could only guess the half of it. Somehow he doubted that the original plan had entailed Jon simply overloading the fusion reactor and making a clean escape. Well, not unless Harkov was tied to the reactor at the time.

"Numerous members of the senior staff made it plainly clear they had no intention of following such orders. Therefore as it is not practical to charge my entire complement of senior staff, with the exception of Paul—"

All eyes in the room turned to Paul, who just shrugged nonchalantly. "I was putting the kids to sleep, I would have got around to doing it."

"...with failing to follow a direct order and treason. It looks as though we will have to go with the alternative plan, demonstrating to the Commodore why the people sitting around this table are the elite of the old Imperial Navy. Harkov has ruined enough lives, caused the deaths of too many innocents; I say we draw the line here. No more. If it's a fight Harkov wants, then it's a fight he will have, and if we fail? Then perhaps it will send a message to the Confederation, that there are still some people left who will stand and fight for what is right, that the strong cannot always intimidate the weak. That threats, intimidation and violence do not hold sway over all." Jon cast his eyes across the occupants of the room, proud he had known them, proud he had the opportunity to serve with them.

"I will not make this an order," Jon insisted firmly. "Some of you have families, loved ones, both here on the station and across the system. Nobody would think less of you if you wanted to leave. I will be extending that offer to all occupants of the station both crew and families. This is _not your fight,_ but if you want to stay, then I will be honoured to fight at your side." Glancing once more at the occupants of the room, none of whom had said a word, none of which had moved an inch. "Very well then," Jon said, turning towards the holographic tactical display floating above the briefing table. "Here's the plan..."

For the next few hours Jon walked through the plan in exacting detail. By the end of the first hour, Paul's jaw was sore from his mouth being agape in astonishment. Having known Jon for so long, it was easy to take his casual style of command for granted. However, he was reminded during the briefing why Jon had made Commander in the Imperial Fleet, the youngest Commander in the history of the Imperial Navy. Jon had one of the best tactical minds of his generation. Effortlessly balancing response times, ship speeds, capabilities and weapon ranges, Jon had overnight produced a plan worthy of any fleet admiral, equal parts genius and reckless folly. In summary it was a plan uniquely of Jon's devising and possibly, just maybe, it could work.

At the end of the briefing, Paul raised the only concern that he could foresee. "What about the _Imperial Star?_ " he said, referring to the old flagship of the Imperial Navy. "I see no mention of it during this plan, that ship alone has the armaments and fire-power to tear our ships and station apart."

"Leave the _Imperial Star_ to me," Jon insisted.

"And you're going to _deal with it_ alone, how?" Paul inquired.

"That's on a need to know basis, and you _don't_ need to know."

Which was Jon's way of saying he was not going to tell him, as he would not like the answer. In turn this meant that the plan was dangerous, highly risky and most likely going to fail. Then again the entire plan was the same—too many assumptions, too many estimates, educated guesses about manoeuvres, positioning. Then again, as Jon would remind him, _no plan survives first contact with the enemy_. They had both had that quote drilled into them at the fleet academy, and how many subsequent engagements had they been in together where the plan had gone out the window even before the first shots were fired? Paul sighed despondently, there was nothing either Jon or he could do about that.

With no further questions, a lot of preparations to make, and an uncertain timeframe, as they had no idea if the fleet would arrive in the next few hours, days or weeks, the meeting quickly broke up, with the senior officers preparing to brief their departments.

"You've been very quiet," Jon mentioned after the rest of the officers had left the room, leaving just the two of them.

"I still think we should inform the Confederation Navy, this is their problem. If you had only forwarded the intelligence on that data-chip that you obtained on _Transcendence.._."

"Maybe, maybe not," Jon had the decency to look aside, ashamed. "Sofia, she would have..." his voice trailed off. "I couldn't put her in that danger," he tried to justify.

"But you think that it is fine to put my family at risk, my wife, my children?" Paul demanded angrily, banging his fist on the table in frustration.

"They still have time to leave." Jon pointed out reasonably. "But what would happen if we all just pack up and leave? You think Harkov would stop looking? No, he would just find us another time, another place, possibly next time without any forewarning." Leaning forward, Jon intensely insisted, "I care about them too, after all. I have helped you read them stories before bed, put them to sleep, I'll do everything in my power to keep them safe, even if it costs me my life," Jon stated earnestly.

Paul nodded his head in understanding. Deep down he knew Jon would never purposefully put them at risk, not even for his own desire for revenge. His anger was just born out of frustration and his own gnawing guilt about his own recent actions.

"But I cannot do this alone," Jon continued seriously. "I've always been able to count on you and your support, this is no exception, and so what do you say, one final time unto the breach?"

"You know your plan is completely insane don't you?"

"Of course it is; all my plans are completely crazy. What you mean is that maybe it's crazy enough that we might just be able to pull it off?"

"Remember when Carol asks, it's all your idea."

"Yeah, like she will ever believe that," Jon teased, slapping his oldest friend on the back.

*****

The next few days saw frantic activity throughout the station as key systems were tested and re-tested and the refit of the final freighter into a warship was hurriedly completed. Jon spent a lot of time personally checking the systems on the _Eternal Light,_ ensuring all of the weapons were fully loaded and ready.

As he promised to his senior officers, however, Jon took the time out to brief the crew, explaining in great detail the threat to the station and the inherent risks they faced in staying. He repeated his earlier promise, that nobody would be forced to stay, anybody who wished to leave could do so, with no stain on their honour. Gunny made a short speech thereafter, assuring all the inhabitants of the station that while the crew was fending off the fleet, David, himself, security and the marines on the station would be guaranteeing their personal safety.

The quiet confidence of the two senior officers made a big impression on the civilians of the station and after some brief discussion, the decision was unanimous, they were all staying. Even the children present, while they did not understand the seriousness of the situation, agreed they were all better staying on the station with their parents. If the imposing marine sergeant promised them they would be safe, who were they to doubt him? After all, they had all heard what Gunny had done to the monster that was hiding in Lieutenant Castle's daughters wardrobe. Any bad people trying to get onto their station were going to be in _big trouble!_

It was with quiet, determined, military efficiency that all the systems were checked, refits completed in record time and weapons prepared. That just left the waiting. As nerves became strained, tempers frayed and tension rose, it was with some relief the gravimetric sensors, seeded around the station many years before, chimed their alert, reporting a large body of incoming ships dropping out of FTL.

Paul in C&C was waiting to find out who the ships exiting FTL belonged to, unsure what was the worst evil—Harkov and the 4th fleet arriving to wreck their destruction, or the Confederation reinforcements that Sofia had promised, along with the explanation of their presence. However, that question was quickly answered as the mighty Star Carrier, the _Imperial Star,_ flagship of the old Imperial fleet, exited FTL with its escorts in tow. There seemed little point alerting the station to the fleet's arrival as everybody was already on knife-edge and had been for the last seventy-two hours, when Jon announced to the station the fleet was en-route.

"Incoming communication from the _Imperial Star_ , sir, _"_ the communications officer reported needlessly, as Jon had been expecting the call for days. Bracing himself, in preparation of facing his past, Jon nodded his head in acknowledgement. Taking a deep breath, Jon faced the view screen.

Act One

As the view screen came to life, Jon leaned forward in his chair and, before Harkov could say a word, pre-empted. "Your late Commodore, we expected you several days ago. Did you get lost on the way?" he smirked. The key to Jon's entire plan was that they needed to keep the initiative, to stay one step ahead of the Imperial Fleet, for if they did not, then they would be crushed by the superior number of ships and sheer firepower.

Time had not been kind to Commodore Harkov. When Jon had seen him last, many years ago, poor exercise and an even worse diet had left him pale and sickly looking. If anything the man looked even worse, having obviously put on several pounds, his hair, once streaked with grey, was now thin and blanched almost white, and his thin beady eyes looked out over his hooked nose. He stared at Jon with poorly concealed surprise, mixed in with disgust and distaste. However, Jon noticed something else lurking in his eyes, was that a trace of fear? Their last encounter several years before had not ended well for the Commodore. Then Jon only had a squadron of fighters at his command, with the element of surprise firmly on the Commodore's side. Jon expected the Commodore would have much preferred the element of surprise once again.

"Still splashing around like the small fish you are, Radec," Harkov sneered at him. "You were always a small fish, swimming in a sea of sharks, but this time it looks like you are swimming alone. I don't see any of your precious Praetorians for you to hide behind this time. No running away this time, with your tail between your legs and leaving them to die in your place."

Jon gripped the armrests of his chair, until they were white with the strain, forcing himself not to let the Commodore bait him, as he knew that was exactly what he was trying to do. "What do you want Harkov?" Jon spat out.

"Want?" Harkov asked in surprise. "I want lots of things, but I guess we can start with you. I could guarantee your safety but, let's be honest, we both know I would by lying. You've been a thorn in my side for too long. I promised myself your head on a platter and I have been waiting a long time. It would almost be worthwhile keeping you alive long enough for you to see what I am going to do to Marcus's daughter. A shame, I had such great plans for her, but alas they are all worthless now. I'll just have to suffice with using her in another, enjoyable way, but then I hear it's nothing that you have not already done? I must confess that I am surprised at you Commander. Really what would Marcus think?"

"I think Marcus would wonder why I have not already taken your head off and stuck it on a pike for the rest of the Imperium to see what happens to those officers who commit treason," Jon retorted angrily. "Then again, maybe I will just give your bloated corpse to Sofia, so she can have you stuffed and hung on the wall. It's not the usual sort of present that she likes, but in your case I think she will be happy to make an exception."

"Enough of this crap!" Harkov exclaimed angrily. "Will you surrender yourself to my forces?"

"You know, if for a moment I thought you would actually take me and leave, I would consider it, but you will destroy this station and everybody on it the moment I surrender to you, so I think I'll decline the generous offer, Commodore."

Harkov just shrugged, obviously not expecting that Jon would simply roll over and die. Without much surprise, Jon observed on the tactical display that the _Imperial Star_ had commenced launching its full complement of fighters. Obviously the Commodore planned to use these as the fleet's hammer, and then the rest of the fleet would mop up any remaining defenders. It was the first page of tactical doctrine drilled into the lowest officer; as a result it was totally predictable. Jon meanwhile had long since torn all the pages out of the book of tactical doctrine and was busy writing an entirely new book.

"We have civilians on this station Commodore; women and children who have nothing to do with this," Jon quickly interjected, while Harkov was still willing to talk.

"Their loss," Harkov shrugged. "The station is a military objective, therefore anyone remaining on it is a valid target."

"Understood, but what if they left in shuttles under a flag of truce?" Jon proposed, desperate to get the women and children out of the way before the fire fight that was soon going to get underway.

The Commodore seemed to think about it for a moment, before he nodded in agreement. "Very well, I give my word as an officer of the Imperial Fleet that the shuttles will be able to leave unharmed, as long as you give me your word that they are unarmed."

"You have my word Commodore," Jon promised.

"Very well," Harkov replied ending the communication.

"Launch the shuttles, and give Eagles one, two and three the green light to engage the Imperial forces as soon as the shuttles are clear," Jon ordered Paul. "I'll be in the _Eternal Light,_ call me if you need me."

"You better be sure about this," Paul replied. "Remember it's my family you're putting at risk."

"Don't worry, I know exactly what I am doing."

"That's what worries me," Paul complained, carrying out the orders regardless.

*****

Meanwhile on the bridge of the _Imperial Star_ , Harkov took his seat in the middle of the command deck, observing the eager young officer at his side. Over the years he had come to the conclusion he much preferred to remain seated—in charge—and be giving orders, letting the others scurry around following his command.

"Any thoughts, Captain?" he addressed the young officer who was standing ramrod straight, next to his seat.

"No Admiral," the young Captain replied, expression unwavering.

"Excellent, then carry on." Harkov glanced around the bridge with quiet confidence. Over the years he had replaced many of the older officers with younger, more compliant, members of crew. He looked fondly at his new captain, a big improvement over Captain Pendleton, who he had dismissed for his gross incompetence over the escape of Commander Radec and Princess Aurelius years previously. The Admiral could not tolerate such failure on his flagship. Following the change in command, Harkov had promoted himself back to fleet Admiral, to recognise his superior experience and tactical knowledge. _A well-deserved reward in recognition of my achievements_ , Harkov thought to himself.

"Once the shuttles are at a safe distance from the station, order the fighters to close and destroy them," Harkov ordered coldly.

"Sir?" Captain Maxwell asked surprised.

"I gave an order Captain; I expect it to be followed unquestioningly. There are to be no survivors from this engagement," he went on more quietly. "Anyway, I want Radec to feel _some_ pain and anguish before he dies. Hopefully watching the death of the people he cares about will compensate for the fact I won't be able to have his head delivered to me."

"Sir," Maxwell replied, turning and barking orders to the flight controllers.

Leaning back in his chair, Harkov sighed contently. He had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

*****

"Sir, gravimetric sensors are picking up additional ships exiting FTL," Lieutenant Patterson reported from the tactical station.

Jon looked up in surprise, as he was just about to leave the C&C for the _Eternal Light_. "More reinforcements?" he asked incredulously. "I know we have a certain reputation, but this is ridiculous. We must be out gunned at least fifty-to-one, and Harkov has called in _additional_ reinforcements? Frankly this is getting silly."

"Looks like a reinforced squadron, sir," the Lieutenant replied. "I am counting one destroyer, two light cruisers and half a dozen frigates."

"Well this is turning into a fairly sizable, skirmish," Paul exclaimed.

"We're being hailed by the captain of the destroyer, sir."

"We are?" Jon replied surprised. "Then by all means; perhaps he wants his turn to gloat before blowing us to kingdom come too?"

However, as soon as the Captain appeared on the view-screen it was immediately apparent to all that blowing them to kingdom come was the last thing on his mind, after all the Captain was wearing the uniform of the Confederation Navy.

"Sir," the Captain started saluting Jon formally.

" _Sir?_ " Paul mouthed silently towards Jon, who just shook his head in equal surprise.

"Captain, I must confess that you are an unexpected sight."

"I'm here under direct orders from fleet Admiral Sterling," the captain replied uncomfortably. "His orders come directly from the President."

" _Sofia?"_ Paul asked leaping in quickly. "How did she know about events taking place here?" he asked in an outraged tone of voice.

"A very interesting question," Jon replied staring intently at his friend for a long moment, before turning his gaze back on the Captain. "One I don't suppose that you could enlighten us on?"

"My orders dictate that I am to inform you that, following a declaration of emergency in this system, you have received a battlefield commission back to your original rank of Commander." Jon looked at the Captain, stunned, not sure what to say. However, before he could reply the Captain continued in a strangled tone of voice. "In addition, I am ordered to immediately place my forces under your command, sir."

Jon could tell exactly what the Captain thought of those orders, to travel to a remote system, inform some civilian that he now outranked him and then to give him command of his forces. Jon had no idea of how Sofia knew about events taking place at _Terra Nova_. In another time and place he might have been outraged at her impulsive intrusion back into his life. However, this was not the time or the place to look such a gift horse in the mouth. He would deal with Sofia another day, probably by pushing her against a bulkhead, professing his thanks and then kissing her senseless... assuming he lived through today. "Understood Captain, please hold your forces there and await further orders. You are expressly _not_ to engage the Imperial forces until so ordered." With a nod of understanding the channel closed, leaving the stunned occupants in the C&C on _Terra Nova_.

"How in hell did the President get the Senate to approve those fleet orders?" Lieutenant Patterson asked aloud, in amazement.

Stroking his day's stubble thoughtfully, Jon replied. "I would hazard a guess that she did not. Did you notice how Captain Maxwell insisted a state of emergency had been declared in this system? With a state of emergency the President can bypass Senate approval for fleet deployments, it's written directly into the Confederation charter. I should know, I wrote that paragraph."

"But who determines if a state of emergency exists?" Miranda asked, confused.

"Not a clue," Jon replied. "I guess it is at the discretion of the Confederation President," he said with a laugh. "Paul, update the poor Captain on the order of battle and make sure he completely understands he is _not_ to engage the Imperial Fleet. They still significantly outgun us, even with the Confederation squadron now on our side."

"Sir," Patterson interrupted. "Imperial fighters are peeling away from the body of the fleet, they are on a direct intercept course with the shuttles."

"What a surprise," Jon replied, obviously unsurprised. "Paul, once the Imperial forces are committed engaging the shuttles, position the Confederation squadron between our shuttles and the body of the Imperial forces, we wouldn't want any of their fighters escaping now would we? Miranda, are you coming?"

Tearing her eyes from the tactical display, which showed the Imperial fighters fast approaching the fleeing shuttles, like a pack of jackals descending on their defenceless prey, she turned to him. "But what about that?" she asked, in an anxious tone of voice, motioning towards the tactical display. "It's going to be a massacre!"

"Not my problem," Jon replied unconcerned, not even looking back at the unfolding tactical disaster. Instead he took Miranda by the arm, escorting her to the exit. "After all," he continued, "you would have thought that after five years, Harkov would have learnt to be somewhat less predictable."

*****

Strapped tightly into the seat of his _Tiger_ interceptor, Lieutenant-Commander Stanford observed the fleeing shuttles through his tactical scopes with a wolfish grin. The fleeing shuttles had obviously just spotted the Imperial fighters as they suddenly broke formation, accelerating away. However, it was a futile gesture of last resort, as the rapidly approaching fighters had a far greater intercept speed than the slower, sluggish shuttles. There would be no escape for any of the shuttles, their fate had been determined the minute Imperial fighters were ordered to engage.

"Continue at maximum thrust, prepare to engage," Stanford ordered the other fighters in his squadron, noticing the other squadrons, like his own, rushing forward. Stanford increased the power to his engines a further notch, since at this rate it was possible none of the shuttles would still be intact by the time his squadron was in weapons range.

Once again checking his tactical scopes, Stanford was surprised to observe that what he had originally taken as the shuttle's desperate last attempt at escape had turned into them regaining a tight formation, but this time on a direct intercept course. Stanford had to blink twice, to make sure that his eyes were not deceiving him. However, by then, his combat computer was already desperately warbling a warning that his fighter was being targeted. An instant later the warble turned to a frantic alarm, _missiles incoming_.

As one of the lead fighters, Stanford was still desperately trying to alter the heading for his _Tiger_ interceptor, when the first missile impacted his right engine, which instantly disintegrated into a lethal ball of shrapnel, tearing through his frail fighter. Fortunately the second missile scored a direct hit, vaporising both ship and pilot, long before the shrapnel could have reached the cockpit.

In similar fashion, dozens of additional fireballs illuminated the intervening space as more and more missiles found their targets. Barely seconds later the squadron of shuttles shot through the rapidly expanding debris fields, missiles and high speed rail guns splitting their deadly payload. The tight formation of shuttles, combined with their overlapping fields of fire, shredded any Imperial fighter unwise enough to stray within a few hundred meters. The fighters that turned to flee fared little better against the battery of missiles launched every few seconds. Within a few minutes the bulk of the Imperial fighter forces lay in ruins, while those still alive found their avenue of escape now blocked by a Confederation task force, which was only just launching fighters of their own.

*****

For the second time in his long, un-distinguished career, Harkov was forced to watch as a much inferior force tore his fleet's fighter complement to shreds. Pounding his fist in frustration, Harkov cursed the day Radec was born. This was the second time—the _second time!_ —that Radec had made him look like a fool. Looking at the unfolding tactical disaster on his display, a bead of sweat broke out on Harkov's forehead that he was quick to brush aside. While the tactical situation now looked far less promising, with the bulk of his fleet's fighter complement now destroyed or in complete retreat, cut off from his own forces by that damn Confederation task force. And where had they suddenly appeared from? Harkov had the sudden uncomfortable thought that his trap was starting to badly backfire. He needed to make a decision and quickly, but what to do. Ultimately the decision was made for him.

"Sir, we have unidentified ships departing from the station, on a direct intercept course with the fleet, what are your orders?" The young Captain at his side interrupted his thoughts.

"How many?"

"Sensors are reporting three ships, in a close formation. We cannot detect any external weapon mounts. Tactical have tentatively identified them as freighters. What are your orders?"

_Well that's an easy enough decision to make,_ Harkov thought. "Destroy them!" he growled.

"Flank speed!" the Captain ordered the fellow bridge officers. "Bring the fleet into weapons range of the advancing ships. Weapons are free when within range."

"Belay that order!" Harkov shouted, examining the tactical display. Radec would never send three unarmed ships to take-on the bulk of his fleet; he was obviously up to something, but what? Licking his lips nervously Harkov ordered. "The picket line is to advance and engage the approaching ships. Remaining ships of the fleet are to hold position here and await further orders."

His captain looked surprised at the change of orders for an instant, before nodding sharply, acknowledging the new orders. He quickly recounted the orders to his bridge officers. A few moments later the fleet's picket line, the dozen or so smaller frigates, currently the fleet's outer-ring of defence, accelerated away from the bulk of the fleet, weapons orientating in the direction of the oncoming freighters.

As Harkov observed his picket line accelerating towards the oncoming freighters, something jogged his memory. A similar scene he had observed recently, but where? The thought suddenly hit him like a thunderbolt. The attack on the Syndicate outpost a few weeks back. Harkov had reviewed the tactical recordings from the station. Near the end of the battle Syndicate ships had approached to engage a fleeing freighter, but the freighter hadn't been so defenceless after all. Suddenly Harkov realised what was happening. Just like the shuttles, this was just a ruse to draw out his forces, and to use the element of surprise to engage them, but this time Harkov would not make the same mistake.

"Captain!" he ordered. "Picket forces are to expect hidden gun and missile batteries on the approaching ships. The ships are to be engaged and destroyed at maximum range."

"Sir!" the captain saluted, acknowledging the new orders, hurrying to pass them on to the rest of the fleet.

Harkov leaned back in his chair, with a confident expression, observing on his tactical display as the two groups of ships approached one another. Radec was not going to be able to pull the same stunt twice. This time they would be ready for them. After this Harkov was going to deploy his remaining ships to tear the station apart, compartment-by-compartment if necessary.

*****

" _Where are we going?_ " Miranda finally asked, exasperated by Jon's sudden silence. She had initially assumed that Jon simply wanted a co-pilot for the _Eternal Light_ , but they were going in the wrong direction, as she knew the ship was docked on the outer docking ring.

"Keep your panties on!" Jon replied with a roguish smile. Rolling her eyes, Miranda would swear that Jon was actually skipping down the corridor. "Are you abusing some illegal substance or something?" she asked suspiciously. Seriously she had never seen Jon look and act so energised!

"Not at all!" Jon insisted with an innocent, _who me?_ Look. "But don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Miranda continued to look at him suspiciously.

"How crisp the air is? How bright the lights are? How good it feels to simply be alive?" he exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with delight. "There is a fleet out there, dozens and dozens of ships, tens of thousands of people, all with a single purpose, to end our lives, abruptly. Doesn't that make you feel anything?" he inquired curiously.

"Terrified?" Miranda replied, unsure if it was a statement or a question, but even as she said it she questioned if that was true. Having been on the station for almost six months, having worked with these people, eaten with them, laughed with them and cried with them, something inside her had changed.

Sure, when she had first been told of the fleet's arrival she had been terrified, but upon seeing the reaction of those around her, determination, confidence, belief in themselves, their training and, most importantly, in Jon and Paul. The stories she had been told over the past few days. Impossible situations! Suicide missions! Hopeless last stands, but always, every single time, Jon or Paul had pulled them though. Everybody she talked to had at least one story of how Jon or Paul had saved his or her life, usually more than once. She began to understand the confidence, no, the belief, this crew had in their leaders and even she had started to think that maybe, just maybe, they would make it through this.

Finally arriving at their destination, one of the many pressurised docking bays that literally littered the station, Jon turned back to face her with a knowing smile. "Then perhaps this will help you change your mind." With that the door quietly slid open to reveal a dark unlit hangar, Jon motioned with his hand for her to enter. "After all what is a pilot without a ship?"

Frowning at the strange question, Miranda entered the large hangar, letting her eyes slowly adjust to the darkness. Something was inside the hangar, a large patch of darkness, a shadow darker than the surrounding air. As Jon slowly raised the light level, Miranda stopped breathing, as she began to make out more and more details. A hooked nose, above which sat a raised cockpit, resting above a pair of massive sub-light engines. As the light level continued to increase Miranda could make out wide, swept back wings. Slung underneath these wings were large weapons mounts; missile pods, pulse cannons, rail guns... Suddenly something clicked in Miranda's head. "It's a _Wraith_!" she breathed out in stunned delight.

"An Imperial heavy attack fighter," Jon clarified, but at a glance from Miranda he added. "Yes, a _Wraith_. When ownership of the station was transferred to us, we found the ship here, abandoned, in need of major repairs. I have no idea why we did repair it; we had no plans for her. Perhaps we repaired her simply because we couldn't bear for such a thing of beauty to sit in such a state of disrepair..." Jon let his voice trail off as he gently ran his fingers along one of the now-pristine flight control surfaces. "Anyway she belongs to you now," Jon added addressing Miranda.

" _Me?_ "

"Yes, you. And I don't mean temporarily or as a loan. She has been registered with the central ship registry on Eden Prime, as having one owner - Miranda Sun of Zeta Aquilae. You."

"You finally learned my last name?" Miranda replied with a pleased smile.

"Yep, it took Jason long enough, but he finally found it. I don't know why you didn't just put the poor boy out of his misery and tell him." he laughed.

"A girl needs to have some secrets..." she replied, laughter dancing in her eyes. "By the way what is her name?"

"Her name?" Jon asked momentarily confused.

"The ship."

"Oh, we haven't given her a name, just her registry number. As her owner it's up to you to name her."

With a distant expression in her eyes, Miranda turned her back on the ship and approached Jon, who was still looking at her with a grin on his lips. Stepping well into his private space, almost touching him, eyes dark with emotion she looked up into his deep, grey eyes.

"You like it?" Jon inquired, his lips quirking up, eyes dancing with mirth.

"I like it," she replied, catching his jacket in her hands, to pull his lips to hers. She swallowed a moan as his warm tongue caressed her sensitive flesh. He took his time, teasing her with a half kiss that made her legs shake.

If this was what he did to the women he liked, she was astonished that he seemed to spend so much of his time alone. "I think I'll name her _The Praetorian_ ," Miranda murmured, her breath mingling with his. "No," Miranda changed her mind, " _The Last Praetorian_."

"I think," Jon went quiet and pinched her bottom lip between his teeth, "it's a good name." A deep groan rumbled in his chest when her legs jumped in response to the mind-blowing sensation he was inducing in her.

A traitorous moan, loud and throaty, escaped from her as he dragged his tongue across her lower lip. Tiny, passion-fuelled fires erupted inside each cell in her body as those lips touched her skin. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm in her ears. She couldn't stop her eyes from fluttering closed as waves of warmth coursed through her. It was the most pleasurable sensation she'd ever felt. The most erotic moment she'd ever experienced.

But the most delicious taste came when his tongue plunged into her mouth, sliding sinuously over hers. He tasted exactly like he smelled. Tangy but sweet. Smoky and earthy. All combined to make a scent that was uniquely... Jon. The way a man should taste, but more primal, somehow.

Lost in the tantalising friction of Jon's tongue tangling with hers, Miranda didn't realise he'd released her hands until his slid warm down her back to pull her firmly against his solid chest.

The thrust of his tongue, the maddening back and forth motion was all she could focus on as he lifted her up. Wrapping both legs around his hips, she broke from his hungry mouth to moan as he pressed her back against the entrance. The cold steel of the corridor door bit into her skin at the same moment he ground his hard body against her.

Needing to get to his skin, to feel the heat of him against her, she slid her hands under his shirt. He laughed a husky sound at the brazenness of her manoeuvre. She smiled at the sensation of his bare chest, rippling, alive at her touch.

"It was only fair," he laughed as he nipped at her lips. "After all I did kind of trash your last one."

Lost in a sea of swirling emotion, she replied confused. "What last one?"

"Your last ship," Jon replied with a laugh, as she tipped her head back. As he trailed a searing line of kisses up to her neck, she slid her hands down his chest, delighting in every drip and curve of lean, sculpted muscle on the way down to the deep grooves between his ribs.

He had a body to die for, nothing but firm skin and hard lines. Miranda shivered as Jon's teeth scraped her throat. Her entire body was on fire, burning hotter everywhere his mouth touched her. His deep moan vibrated against her throat, urging her on.

The man definitely knew what he was doing, but as quickly as the feelings had risen, they began to ebb and then recede as Jon's touch began to cool, placing gentle kisses and the occasional playful nip on her neck.

"There is no reason for you to stay," Jon commented hesitantly, his voice muffled by her throat. "I know why the others refuse to leave, this is the only life they have known since the Imperial Navy. But you, you are younger, you have your entire life ahead of you, the ship is yours, take it and leave."

Jon's words were like a bucket of cold water on her body and she stepped back, out of his embrace, shocked. "You want me to leave?" she demanded, incredulously.

Gazing at the young woman in front of him, cheeks rosy, lips swollen from their earlier kisses. "Honestly?" Jon asked hesitantly.

Miranda nodded.

"No, I have no wish for you to go," he replied sadly. "But I have found people around me, that I care about, get hurt, or worse. I don't want to see that happen to you."

"I'm not going to leave."

Jon nodded in understanding, seeming unsurprised at her decision. Reaching forward he pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, staring deeply into her eyes for a moment, as if he was trying to freeze the scene in his memory. He gently kissed her lips one last time, a parting goodbye. "Then I wish you a good life, Miranda Sun. My advice, find somebody to share it with, otherwise you will find it very lonely." With that Jon turned his back on Miranda and made for the exit.

"Is that why you left her?"

"Left who?"

"Your Princess, Sofia Aurelius. Did you leave her because you did not want to see her hurt?"

Jon stopped, barely a foot from the door, cocking his head to one side in thought. "Partly," he replied, still facing the door. "But the knight errant only wins the heart of the fair Princess in fairy tales. We both know that does not happen in real life." With that parting comment he stepped through the door, it sliding shut behind him.

Miranda stared thoughtfully at the door for many minutes after Jon had departed, before bringing a finger to her still swollen lips. She could still taste Jon on the tip of her tongue.

As she turned away from the door, to approach the powerful warship that was waiting patiently for her, she wondered if she would ever see Jon again. His parting words sounded far too much like a final goodbye. She wondered if it were she, Jon, or both of them Jon thought would not live through the next few hours. That depressing thought stayed with her for a very long time.

*****

Meanwhile the battle, swirling outside the station, had started to turn against the combined Vanguard and Confederation forces. With the superior number of ships on their side and the Confederation forces ordered not to directly engage the Imperial Fleet, the three Vanguard freighters were taking a heavy pounding.

Under orders from Harkov, the dozen Imperial frigates, which composed the outer ring of defences for the Imperial fleet, opened fire at maximum range. Caught by surprise, the heavily reinforced freighters started to buckle under the concentrated fire of missiles, particle beams and pulse fire. By the time that the freighters came within range of their own hidden weapons, one freighter was already badly listing to one side, with major damage to its engines, the other two fared little better, having taken major external hull damage.

Even with the warning from Harkov, the Imperial frigates were taken by some surprise when the three freighters finally got within range to reveal their hidden batteries of rail-guns and missiles. With concerted fire, the three freighters managed to disable two Imperial frigates and destroy a third before the Imperial frigates recognising the heavy armour on the ships, shifted their aim towards the now exposed freighters gun and missile batteries. With the combined fire from the remaining nine frigates, explosions peppered the hulls of the freighters as one by one the gun batteries were hit and went dark.

With atmosphere venting from multiple hull breaches in the freighters and their weapons all but disabled, the remaining Imperial frigates moved in for the kill.

*****

With all the systems on the _Eternal Light_ in stand-by mode, it only took moments for the ship to completely power-up when Jon hurried into the cockpit. As he was waiting for final checks to finish, Jon keyed open a communications channel to _Terra Nova_.

"How are things going?" Jon asked.

"Not good," Paul replied, Jon could hear the strain in his voice. "While we have the threat from the fighters pretty much contained, our armed freighters are taking a pounding. Looks like Harkov did not fall for the same ruse twice."

Knowing that Paul could not see him, but shrugging anyway, Jon replied. "Well it was a long shot anyway to hope Harkov would not know about the armed freighters. You can only pull the same trick so many times before it becomes old. How far away is the Imperial Fleet from the freighters?"

"Three kilometres and closing, but Jon..."

"Yes?"

"We only drew out the Imperial frigates; the rest of the fleet has not engaged our forces."

Jon cursed silently, careful to ensure that it was not broadcast over the communications channel. Jon knew the importance of keeping morale up among the crew. The plan had called for the majority of the Imperial forces to be drawn out by the freighters, yet another inviting target for Harkov. But it did not look like he had taken the bait twice.

Unfortunately it was absolutely essential to the plan, that all the Imperial forces engaged those ships. As usual, the battle had barely started and the plan was _already screwed_. Well there was nothing else for it, as there was no other plan.

"Understood," Jon replied with a confidence that he no longer felt. "Launching now." With one final check to ensure that the docking stations clamps were retracted, Jon threw full power to the engines, quickly accelerating away from the station. "Miranda, where are you?" Jon inquired over their tactical communications channel.

Suddenly the large fighter, almost as large as the shuttle itself, swooped down and formed up in formation, wingtip-to-wingtip.

"Here," Miranda replied.

"How are you doing?"

"Good, this baby is not as manoeuvrable as my old _hawk_ fighter, but boy does it make up for it in the _offensive_ department!"

Smiling, Jon thought Miranda sounded like a young girl who had just been given the keys to the candy shop. "Understood, now remember the plan. Whatever happens you must stay exactly on my tail, and stay close." Jon did not need a view-screen to picture the younger woman rolling her eyes.

"Yes boss."

"So why are you still on my wing tip?" he demanded.

"I'm not," Miranda replied, laughing.

Jon cast a quick glance out of his cockpit windows and could no longer see the large fighter. Shaking his head in disbelief at her excellent piloting skills, Jon thought that in another life Miranda would have made an excellent Praetorian.

"Paul, where are the Imperial Frigates now?"

"Now holding at two kilometres... Jon I don't think the freighters are going to hold up much longer, they are taking a real beating, even with all that extra armour that we installed."

"Very well, I guess the frigates are already as close-in as they are going to get. Let's move to the next stage of the plan." With that Jon adjusted the course of the shuttle to put it on a direct intercept course with the Imperial Fleet, still many tens of kilometres away. The warring frigates and freighters were lying directly ahead, almost a dozen kilometres away. At this distance, in the darkness of space, Jon could not make out the ships except for the odd spark of pulse cannon fire. The ships tactical sensors however could clearly 'see' the melee-taking place ahead of the shuttle, with the frigates and freighters locked in an intimate life-and-death struggle.

"Okay, on my mark then," Paul replied, rising from his command seat in the C&C on the station to approach one of the command consoles ringing the room.

"Three," Paul stated, flicking open a cover on one of the consoles.

"Two," Paul entered a short code into the adjoining command console.

"One." The button hidden under the cover started to flash an urgent red warning.

_Act Two_ , Paul thought to himself. "Mark," Paul stated, depressing the button.

*****

For an instant, nothing seemed to happen, as if something had gone wrong, the command failed. Then a bright spark of light lit up the space in front of Jon's shuttle, rapidly joined by another, then another. The three pinpricks of light rapidly grew in size, and intensity until the light coming from ahead of the shuttle dwarfed even the light from the surrounding stars.

The high explosive charges that had been installed throughout the three freighters days earlier had detonated exactly according to plan, causing the three freighters to disintegrate into balls of rapidly expanding debris. The well placed charges caused the debris from the ships to expand outward in the direction of the encircled Imperial Frigates. Being warships, the frigates were heavily armoured and therefore the debris posed little threat to these ships. While the debris posed little threat to the warships, the three-thousand-odd magnetic anti-ship mines, secreted deep within the freighter's holds, were an entirely different matter.

The mines, which had been obtained by Jon and Miranda several days earlier from the _Erebus_ weapons dump, had been tightly packed into the hold of the three freighters. Meanwhile flight controls on the freighters had been adjusted to allow for the remote piloting of the ships. Pilotless drones, the ships had become nothing more than flying bombs, awaiting the arrival of the Imperial forces.

As the expanding debris cloud enfolded the nearest frigate, a dozen of these mines impacted the ship. A blossom of explosions ripped along the length of the hull of the frigate, decimating armour, hull, weapons, engines, everything. Within seconds the ship was a drifting, lifeless, derelict hulk, split into dozens of pieces. As the debris cloud continued to expand, to encompass the remaining frigates, the same scene was repeated time and time again. The massive ships attracted the mines like mosquitoes to blood, and time and time again the resultant outcome was devastating. Within the space of a few minutes, of the nine frigates remaining, six were completely destroyed; the remaining three had all suffered catastrophic damage and were adrift, powerless.

Checking the ship's sensors, Jon observed the destruction ahead. Where previously the sensors were reporting the three freighters and almost a dozen frigates, now all the ship could identify was three remaining frigates. All three were emitting low power signatures; obviously their engines and power plants had taken heavy damage. Suddenly what had initially appeared as a strong Imperial task force blocking the shuttle from the remaining Imperial fleet had vanished, like rain clouds following a storm. The ship's sensors now reported a clear path for the shuttle to the remaining Imperial fleet, and the _Imperial Star._

"The enemy's gate is down," Jon breathed.

*****

"The gate is down," Paul uttered. Having followed the outcome of the mined freighters just as closely as Jon with the stations sensors.

"I'm sorry sir?" Lieutenant Patterson inquired, not catching what Paul had just quietly uttered.

"Sorry Chris, I didn't mean to speak aloud," Paul apologised. "It was something Jon stated when he originally presented the plan. "How do you go about slaying the devil when he is surrounded on all sides by the walls of hell?"

At the confused look from the Lieutenant, Paul answered the question for him. "You fight your way into the depths of hell and when you finally reach the gate, well, you kick it down. That's what we have done," Paul motioned towards the tactical display. "We have eliminated the Imperial fleet's fighter cover, now we have just taken down their outer defensive ring, Jon now has a clear run to the _Imperial Star."_ Paul drew a line with his finger on the tactical display from the _Eternal Light_ to the _Imperial Star_.

"I don't understand sir; I thought the plan was to destroy the Imperial Fleet?"

"Destroy the fleet?" Paul looked surprised, as if he had never considered the thought. "Of course not, we cannot destroy it, they have far too many ships, too much firepower, and we would never even get close to them. No the plan was always to give Jon one shot, one Hail Mary pass at the _Imperial Star._ "

"And what is the Commander going to do now he has the chance?" Patterson asked curiously.

"I have absolutely no idea, he would not tell me," Paul replied in a worried voice, as the tactical display showed the _Eternal Light_ passing through the gap recently made in the Imperial fleet defences, accelerating through the gates of Hell.

******

"What the _hell_ was that?" Harkov yelled, as the distant horizon lit-up with three bright stars, before they rapidly started to die away.

"Sir, we have lost communication with the frigate squadron!" the communications officer called out.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" Harkov shouted, red faced, at his deck officers.

"Ship's sensors reported the three Vanguard ships exploded," the Captain reported, checking the ship's sensor history with a frown.

"We destroyed them?"

"It seems unlikely," the Captain replied, frowning deeply in thought. "According to the sensors the ships exploded within the space of a few seconds of each other. It would seem far more likely that they self-destructed."

"Radec destroyed his own ships, killing his own crew?" Harkov stated, impressed. Frankly he did not think that Radec had it in him to order the deaths of his own people. Obviously he had underestimated the man. "But what about our own ships? They were destroyed when the Vanguard ships exploded?"

"Unlikely," the Captain replied. "They were too far away."

"I don't want to know what is _unlikely_!" Harkov turned around, yelling at the Captain. "I want to know how Radec destroyed those frigates!"

"This is the last sensor reading that we received from the squadron," the Captain stated, passing a datapad to the Admiral. "Look at the image of the _Harbinger_ ," he explained, pointing towards the numerous detonations running the length of the hull of the frigate.

"What are these?" Harkov breathed. "Some new weapon that Radec is deploying?"

"Unlike..." this time the Captain stopped mid-word at the furious look from the Admiral. "They look like mine impacts to me."

"Radec has mined the system?" he asked, aghast.

"No, we did a full scan of the surrounding space when we first exited FTL, sensors did not detect any mines. I think those freighters were seeding the mines, they either detonated prematurely or one of our frigates hit one and set-off a chain reaction."

Falling back into his seat, Harkov was ashen faced at the thought it was only last minute caution that stopped him sending the whole fleet. If the _Imperial Star_ had been close to those minelayers when they detonated.

"Incoming ship!" the tactical officer called out, interrupting Harkov's thoughts.

"One of ours?"

"Negative sir, it's not broadcasting any recognition signals, either Imperial or Confederation. It looks to be a Vanguard ship. Strange, the computer has this ship on file. It's registering as the _Eternal Light_ , ship registry has the owner as...Marcus Aurelius." The bridge went deathly still at the announcement.

Looking around at the pale, frightened faces of the young officers surrounding him, Harkov growled. "For god sake, get a grip on yourselves men. Marcus is dead. The Emperor is not flying that ship, it's _Radec_!"

"He's on a direct intercept course, sir! Continuing to accelerate. At this rate, time to intercept is five minutes and decreasing."

Harkov narrowed his eyes, in anticipation. Perhaps he would have his opportunity to deal with Radec, once and for all, personally. "Hail the ship!" he ordered.

*****

As the _Eternal Light_ rapidly accelerated towards the remnants of the Imperial Fleet, Jon double-checked that the shuttle was still broadcasting the detonation code for the mines. The one major risk for the plan was unexploded mines released from the destroyed freighters.

After the freighters exploded, any control they had over the mines was immediately lost. Therefore, there was a real risk unexploded mines could impact the _Eternal Light_ or any of the other Vanguard or Confederation ships in the area. Hence David had proposed the idea of a self-destruct code. Upon receiving the code, any mines in the vicinity would detonate. The idea was quickly approved and the mines reprogrammed. Now all Vanguard ships were broadcasting the signal at low power, the theory being this created an invisible shield around the ships, protecting them, in theory.

However, there had been no time to program the code into Miranda's _Wraith_ or the Confederation ships. Hence Jon's explicit orders for the Confederation ships, and why Miranda's ship was tucked in tightly behind the _Eternal Light_.

Unfortunately the plan had also assumed that Harkov would commit the entire Imperial Fleet to the attack. Checking the sensor's display, Jon unhappily identified two heavy cruisers and a light destroyer still in formation around the _Imperial Star_. Fortunately all were large warships, possessing heavy guns, designed for engaging and destroying similar sized warships. None of the ships were specifically suited to the engagement of fast moving fighters or bombers. That was the purpose of the fleet frigates and fighters, both of which now had been decimated. One bomber, with the heavy torpedoes it carried, had a chance, a small chance none the less, to make it through to the massive capital ship and fire its deadly payload.

Of course Vanguard did not have any bombers and, as for torpedoes, well, Vanguard possessed only a single one, currently nestled safely, deep in the womb of the _Eternal Light_. Then again Jon assumed they would only need one, after all, there was not going to be a second chance. As the _Eternal Light_ breached the fifty-kilometre barrier from the _Imperial Star,_ Jon pushed the engines harder. They had to go faster, faster...

Jon was taken aback for a moment by the chime of an incoming communication from the _Imperial Star_ , so intent was he on the shuttle's rapid approach towards the fleet. Deciding what the hell, after all one or both of them was almost certain to die within the next few minutes, he opened the channel.

"So I see that once again, it finally comes down to this. You and I, Commander," Harkov's gloating voice filled the cockpit of the shuttle.

"Doesn't seem like that from where I am sitting," Jon retorted. "You seem to be the one on a Star Carrier, surrounded by cruisers and destroyers. However, if you want to face me personally, feel free, _get in a shuttle_!"

"I am quite comfortable where I am Commander. I just wanted to wish you a goodbye. I would like to be able to say that is has been nice knowing you, but frankly it hasn't. I told you that you were a non-entity when you were last on this ship. An irritating pest that just constantly refuses to die, and what have you achieved? Your precious Emperor dead. Your fellow Praetorians gone. Your glorious Empire now just a footnote in history. So please enlighten me, while you still have a few breaths remaining. Just what have you achieved?"

"I plan on fulfilling an oath I made after the Praetorians gave their lives to allow Sofia and I to escape; to preserve the Empire. What you could never understand was that the Empire was not a thing, an object for you to smash and destroy in a childish temper tantrum. It was an ideal and if just one person lives, holding that ideal true, then the Empire lives on through them."

"Then your Empire dies with you!"

"No, the Empire will continue long after I am dead. Its ideals of peace and justice will continue, but I'm going to do what I swore an oath in front of all that I would do. I am going to defend the Empire from those that would seek to destroy it. Even if that costs me my life. I'll look forward to seeing you in hell, Harkov!" With that Jon closed the communication channel.

*****

Growling in frustration—once again Radec had the final word—he turned to his Captain and, grinding his teeth, ordered, "Captain, you know what happened to your predecessor for failing to destroy that ship. I expect you to succeed where he failed. _Kill Him. Now!_ "

"All missiles have long since been reprogrammed Admiral, that same trick will not work twice."

"Then fire!" Harkov hissed.

"All ships, commence firing." the Captain ordered.

*****

As the _Eternal Light_ breached the thirty-kilometre barrier the first missile lock warnings sounded. Moments later the missile lock's shrill warning, changed to a shriek, as the first missiles left their launch railings from the Imperial Fleet.

"Would it have been too much to ask for them not to have fixed that problem?" Jon asked rhetorically, activating the shuttles own active counter-measures.

Within a few moments, additional missiles had been launched from the cruisers and destroyers. In total the ship's sensors reported almost thirty incoming missiles. While the cruisers and destroyers' guns were ineffective against the small, fast moving target of the shuttle, the missiles were just as deadly. Unfortunately Jon had no plan, no surprise, no white rabbit to pull out of his hat this time. The minute Harkov had failed to commit the entire fleet Jon had known the plan was doomed to failure, but what other option was there?

Suddenly, the light from outside the cockpit was blocked as a dark shadow loomed over the _Eternal Light_. So intent was Jon in reaching weapons range of the _Imperial Star_ that he had completely forgotten about Miranda trailing behind in her _Wraith._

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Jon demanded, unconsciously emulating Harkov's very words only minutes before.

"Helping you!" came the terse reply.

"You are only going to get us _both_ killed!"

"Who was it said, 'better to die with honour than live the rest of your life as a coward'?"

Jon narrowed his eyes angrily. "Somebody has been telling stories that they should not be. Anyway I was far younger back then, I had no common sense whatever."

Miranda laughed heartily over the communication channel. "In that case you have not changed one little bit."

Jon was distracted momentarily by her laughter, trying to remember who it reminded him of... Suddenly he remembered Elsie's last words, before she had turned her ship back around to face the incoming Imperial fighters. Jon thought Elsie probably would have liked Miranda, for in some ways they were very similar. It was only then it occurred to Jon how similar the situation was. Once again he was speeding towards the Imperial fleet, towards the _Imperial Star_ and Harkov. Jon wondered if people who said life came full circle were possibly correct. But looking at the empty co-pilot seat next to him reminded him this time things were very different. This time there was no Princess seated next to him, no duty to get her to safety. No, this time escape was the very last thing on his mind.

Jon's thoughts were interrupted by the bright light of a missile igniting, underneath the wing of Miranda's _Wraith_ and rapidly accelerating ahead of the two ships, another missile followed another, until the entire missile complement of her ship was expended. With the missiles gone, Miranda began to manoeuvre her fighter away from the shuttle, to give her own guns clear fields of fire against the incoming missiles.

Checking his sensors for the incoming missiles Jon was surprised to note that they had now formed two distinct groups, puzzled by this strange behaviour, until he realised that one group was heading slightly off-course. It was only then that he realised that the missiles had split their targets, when launched Jon and Miranda had been so close that the missiles had mistaken them for one target, now that they were closer and the two ships had manoeuvred apart, the missiles had locked onto one or the other ship. Already Miranda had diverted fifty percent of the incoming missiles. Unfortunately that did not bode well for her, as by doing so she had placed her ship and herself in extreme peril.

A string of bright explosions ahead, demonstrated that at least some of the missiles launched by Miranda had reached their target. Checking the sensors, Jon was faintly surprised to note that a further ten missiles had been destroyed, this of course still left twenty incoming missiles, split fairly evenly between the two ships. Still too many, too many by far...

Having been accelerating constantly since departing the station, the _'Light_ was traveling at almost three kilometres per second, the incoming missiles travelling almost twice that speed. Hence the combined intercept time was measured in seconds, and before Jon realised it, the ships computer had already locked the shuttles rail-guns on the closest missile and the ship shuddered as the shells were ejected at a rate of almost a hundred rounds per minute. With the first incoming missile quickly vaporised, the guns were turned onto the second missile, then the third. Meanwhile Jon kept an anxious eye on the ships ammunition level, which was being depleted at an alarming rate, unsure what would happen first—that the guns would run out of ammunition, or all the incoming missiles would be destroyed. The answer soon became apparent when the ships guns fell silent, their magazines spent.

A quick glance at the sensors was enough to confirm the truth, the guns did not get them all, for three missiles remained, on-course for the ' _Light_. With an impact time of less than a few seconds, there was no time for regret, no time to reflect on a wasted youth, no time even to curse Harkov one final time. Instead the _'Light_ was totally consumed by the bright light of the exploding missiles...

...As the ' _Light_ glided through them, intact, unharmed. To say that Jon was stunned would be an understatement, what had happened, had they all malfunctioned? Impossible.

An exuberant laugh, and the sight of Miranda's _Wraith_ once again forming up on his wing, gun-barrel's still spinning, solved the puzzle. "I told you this ship excelled in the offensive department," Miranda quipped. "You should think about upgrading."

"The _'Light_ and I have been together a very long time, we're both too old to upgrade. Miranda?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for staying."

The channel was silent for a moment, as the two ships sped onwards together, barely a metre apart. Finally Miranda replied, "You're welcome." The silence over the channel lengthened until Miranda shattered it with the question that she had been dreading. "So you're really going to do this? You're really going to take on Harkov, by yourself?"

"Yes," Jon replied softly. "But not for the reasons that you think. I will be the first to confess that nothing would give me greater pleasure than sending that bastard on a one-way ticket back to hell. But that is not the main reason. We don't have the forces to take on the _'Star_ directly. It could destroy every ship we possess, Vanguard and Confederation, before we even got within weapons range. It would tear _Terra Nova_ apart, bulkhead-by-bulkhead and there is nothing we could do about it. If I don't stop Harkov now, here, then he is going to destroy everything, everyone that we care about, if for no other reason than to spite me. I cannot let that happen, I will not, not while I still draw breath."

Miranda nodded her head sadly, having known that it would finally come down to this. Brushing away the tears from her eyes, she gasped. "Jon I...I...I'll miss you..." At the same time cursing her own weakness, that she could not even confess her true feelings, not even now, when presented with her last chance.

"I'm proud to have known you Miranda Sun. You would have made a fine Praetorian—proud, courageous, fearless. Now I'm going to give you one last order, and I want you to follow it. Not because I am your boss, or your superior, but as your friend. _Turn back now, please._ "

Miranda took a deep breath and gave the ' _Light_ one final look. Her original opinion had been correct, she was a fine ship. With that she turned her own ship around, leaving the _'Light_ to make its final journey alone.

Pleased Miranda had changed course, away from the guns of the approaching _Imperial Star_ , Jon looked down to his own solitary missile. While his ship might not have the guns, or missiles or fighters of the huge capital ship ahead, deep within the belly of the shuttle was a weapon that was far more deadly.

"You've had your shot Harkov!" Jon muttered aloud in the cockpit, referring to the barrage of missiles that they had just flown through. "Now it's my turn." With that he tried arming the sole missile carried by the ship. However, the weapon stubbornly refused to activate. Instead the following simple warning was displayed on the console:

Deployment of this Weapon System requires joint Fleet Admiral or Higher Authorisation.

Which ordinarily would be quite a problem, as there was only one Admiral currently in the vicinity and Jon was absolutely certain that he would not authorise this. However, Jon was no lowly foot soldier. In his past he had ordered Fleet Admirals with the ease another would order drinks. Jon had spent over five years at the right hand of the Emperor, first as a soldier, then as a trusted confidant and, finally? As a friend or something more? Jon's feelings towards the Emperor were confused; the man had given him a purpose in life at a time he had none. However, Marcus had also taken the most precious thing in his life from him and Jon had no idea how to forgive him for that.

As if it had only been yesterday, Jon could recall with crystal clarity kneeling in front of his Emperor, late one night, his words still ringing through his head.

" _My Praetorian, sometimes you have to sacrifice a few, to save the many. You know this painful fact, better than most. You are my right hand, the sword of the Empire! But sometimes even your sword will not be sufficient. Hence I bequeath to you a gift, something that few know exist - A sword unlike any other. A sword that will set the heavens alight, a sword made from the very essence of the creator himself. Take note my Praetorian, and remember..."_

How could Jon ever have forgotten? For that secret, shared in confidence, so long ago, was seared across his consciousness, like words of fire. Unseeing, lost in the past, Jon entered the code bestowed upon him by the Emperor, a code that he promised himself that he would most certainly never, ever, use. Upon entering the code, the computer wavered for an agonising long moment, as if the computer itself was contemplating the destruction about to be unleashed. However, eventually, the warning message vanished from the console and the symbol representing the sole weapon remaining on the ship blinked from a safe green, to an angry blinking red. The red box now encasing the symbol with the word 'ARMED' seemed superfluous. Jon took a moment to gaze at the symbol, surprised. If he had ever been completely honest with himself, he doubted that it would ever actually work.

The alarms that suddenly commenced to sound across the ship dispelled that thought quickly enough.

*****

Harkov could only stare at the tactical display in complete, utter, disbelief.

What does it take to kill this man?

Harkov remembered back in the days of the Imperial Fleet, that this man's name was only spoken in hushed whispers. Even back then people spoke of the Praetorian Commander as being different, somebody the Creator had plucked out of obscurity and personally blessed. At the time Harkov had dismissed the rumours as childish superstition, but how many times could one man cheat death?

"I'm not impressed Captain," Harkov uttered in a chilling voice. "One man, a single ship, which the combined might of this entire fleet seems incapable of crushing." Harkov was already drawing up a mental list of replacement captains, how was it possible he was continually surrounded by incompetents?

"It's a minor setback, nothing more Admiral," the Captain said stiffly. "There was a second ship in close proximity to Radec's ship, their combined point defence weapons simply overwhelmed our missiles. The second ship has now retreated and our computers estimate his ship's ammunition magazines are now empty." The captain shrugged unconcerned, "a second salvo will finish the job."

"And what of the threat that Radec poses to this ship?" the Admiral demanded, furious by his captain's flippant tone, wondering if cutting out his tongue would improve the situation.

"What threat? It's a single shuttle. This is the _Imperial Star_ \- your flagship is invulnerable. Our own point defence guns would annihilate any missile or torpedo that it could launch, long before it could risk the ship. It's just a question of what will take out the shuttle first, our guns or the next missile salvo. Radec is already as good as dead, he has only bought himself a few more minutes of life."

"Sir!" the tactical officer called across the bridge. "I am picking up some strange energy signatures from the shuttle."

"Define _strange_?" Harkov demanded crossly. Seriously, it was long past time for another reshuffle of his command staff.

"Uh, I'm not sure Admiral, there was a sudden energy spike from the shuttle, as if some system suddenly went active. The energy spike has disappeared now, but the shuttle is now emitting some strange high-energy particles... _Oh great Maker_ ..." The officer shouted, stumbling away from his console as if it suddenly had become red-hot. "It's a _nuke_! He's got a _god-damn nuke_ on that shuttle and Radec somehow just armed it!"

Every head turned to face the tactical officer, every eye focused on the screaming officer, a deathly silence fell across the bridge, as nobody knew what to do or say. However, the silence only lasted for a moment before complete pandemonium erupted on the bridge. Everybody was shouting at once, some demanding confirmation, others shouting for orders. Furthermore some of the officers just closed their eyes and started praying to their own personal deity.

"Silence!" screamed Harkov across the large bridge. "The next person to say a word I will have shot on the spot!" The room went deathly silent again, as everybody turned to face Harkov, his threat momentarily more terrifying than the approaching ship.

The only sound that could be heard above the slim whisper of the ships environmental system was the mumbling from the Captain. "No...No...No...it's just not possible... Even if Radec obtained such a weapon, nuclear release requires joint authorisation from at least two fleet Admirals, Radec couldn't have... it's just not possible..."

Harkov wheeled on the Captain furiously. The man had gone as white as a sheet and looked like a strong breeze would blow him over. "I hold you personally responsible for this situation Captain! It is your constant underestimation of this man that has led this fleet to the brink of destruction. How many times do I need to remind everybody? This was a man chosen by the Emperor to personally lead his own elite squadron. Marcus and Radec were always as thick as thieves, always plotting against the fleet, against the entire Empire! What secrets do you think Marcus gave to this man before his death? The ship's rumour mill even suggested Radec was involved with his own daughter, with Marcus's approval. I tell you all, if not for my heroic action in the defence of the fleet, the very Empire, we would all be bowing and scraping to Radec by now."

Turning back to the Captain, Harkov continued. "I warned you that you would share the same fate as your predecessor if you failed me." In the blink of an eye Harkov had a pulse pistol in his hand, firmly aimed at the Captain's chest. "I do not tolerate failure," Harkov insisted, depressing the firing stud on the pistol. With a high-pitched whine and a scream, the Captain fell to the floor, a smoking ruin all that remained of his chest.

Once again turning his attention back to his command staff, he threatened. "Everybody resume your positions, it is time for us to stop Radec, once and for all. Unless of course you wish to join your former commanding officer?" Harkov eyed his officers one-by-one, as they shrank away, back into their chairs. "I didn't think so," Harkov replied with a self-satisfied smile, slipping his pulse pistol back in the folds of his uniform. "At least that fool had one thing right," Harkov stated casting a glance at the body now lying prostrate on the floor. "The point defence guns on the _Imperial Star_ will take out any missile or torpedo within range. We will take out Radec's forlorn hope the second he launches it, and then? Well unlike Radec, we have many, many more missiles."

"Tactical!" Harkov shouted. "Target the ship and open fire with all guns as soon as it is within range. Let me know when the missiles are reloaded."

*****

Jon muted the radiation alarm that sounded its warning throughout the ship the minute he activated the warhead. He had to remind himself that the _Eternal Light_ was not a warship, she was never designed to carry such payloads, hence the alarm. The nuclear warhead he had procured from _Erebus_ depot should have been loaded into a heavily shielded launch system, which would have absorbed the radiation from the now active weapon. Not actually having the launch system resulted in the warhead being secured firmly within the belly of the shuttle in one of the interior cargo holds. This had the resultant effect of lethal radiation now leaking into the cargo hold, and eventually throughout the ship. Fortunately the dose of radiation at the moment was very small and would take at least twenty minutes to spread through the ship, inflicting a lethal dose to Jon. On the bright side Jon had little expectation he was going to live that long, as the shuttle's navigation computer was reporting that only a few more minutes remained until the shuttle intercepted the _Imperial Star_.

The other resulting effect from having the warhead firmly embedded into the shuttle was that Jon actually had no way to release it. He had known from the moment that he stepped aboard the ' _Light_ this would be a one-way trip. Even if Vanguard had the time and specifications to manufacture such a launch system it would not have changed anything. The _Imperial Star_ was too heavily protected with point defence guns and close-in weapons systems to launch the warhead. It would have been destroyed almost immediately, hence the plan that Jon had devised—the ' _Light_ was the delivery system, the heavily armoured shuttle would hopefully survive long enough to deliver the warhead protected deep in its belly to the target.

A beeping from the ship's tactical computer warned Jon the _'Light_ was getting within weapons range of the _Imperial Star_. As Jon started jinking, making minor flight alterations to the shuttle, he realised it was mostly a futile gesture. The last time these two ships faced off, the _'Light_ took a hit to one of its engines. That was while flying in the midst of the other Praetorian fighters, along with many dozens of missiles to distract the guns. This time there would be no such protection, a quick blink of light from ahead indicated the _Imperial Star's_ guns had commenced firing...

*****

"Ten kilometres and still closing..." the Imperial Star's tactical officer stated aloud, while wiping away a bead of sweat that was running down his forehead. "All guns are tracking and weapons free," he added, fairly superfluously as they could feel the vibration of the firing guns through the deck plates. "Time to impact...thirty seconds."

"Keep firing!" Harkov insisted. "What is the status of the missile batteries?"

"Still not finished loading yet, Admiral."

"Do I have to assume from that response _some_ missiles have finished loading then?"

The tactical officer blinked. "Yes Admiral, some of the missiles have finished loading."

"Then by the maker, fire them!" Harkov bellowed.

*****

By now the area of space surrounding the _Eternal Light_ was a maelstrom of shells, high-energy bolts and exploding shrapnel. While Jon was flying the _Eternal Light_ at the absolute edge of his piloting skills there was just too much incoming fire and the ships armour was already taking damage from glancing impacts and shrapnel. It would only be a matter of time until one of the rounds hit the intended target. Over the various chimes, bells and alarms that were now ringing out across the bridge a new alarm joined the fray—missile launch.

"Fantastic," Jon stated, gritting his teeth furiously, corkscrewing the shuttle around a particularly dense stream of incoming pulse cannon fire.

Twenty seconds remaining until impact.

*****

"Missiles away and tracking," the Imperial Star's tactical shouted across the bridge. For the first time a real sense of fear in his voice. "All guns are now firing on full automatic! Time to impact...Ten seconds."

"Keeping firing!" Harkov urged.

*****

The dense rail gun round impacting the ship was enough to throw Jon painfully against the seat restraints. Were it not for the restraints Jon would have been thrown violently across the cockpit and badly injured. As it was, Jon's vision went black for an instant from the impact. A quick glance at the damage control computer was enough to confirm that the _'Light_ had been badly damaged. The entire portside engine and a good majority of the wing were...gone, vaporised by the kinetic energy of the impacting projectile. Jon immediately conducted an emergency shutdown of the remaining starboard engine, to enable him to remain in control of the shuttle. Otherwise the ship would have gone into an unrecoverable spin. It was a testament to his outstanding piloting skills he was able to quickly regain control, if not somewhat sluggishly from the now damaged flight control surfaces. Jon could immediately feel the loss of acceleration, but without gravity to slow the ship it continued on at its previous velocity.

Travelling at approximately three-hundred meters-per-second, now barely three kilometres away from the Imperial flagship it was going to make little difference to the end result.

Less than ten seconds to impact...

*****

"Ten seconds until impact!" the Imperial Star's tactical officer screamed, any sense of professionalism or duty long since gone, now replaced by absolute terror as the armed nuclear warhead streaked towards the ship, now only a few kilometres away.

The shuttle seemed to have taken a taken a major hit, had wavered for an instant, and then had resumed a direct collision course with the flagship.

"Nine, eight, seven..." The bridge officer's voice, filled with dread, was the only sound that could be heard on the bridge. He slowly started to back away from his terminal, as if he could physically increase the distance between himself and approaching oblivion.

The tactical officer closed his eyes and started to pray.

*****

The heads-up display on the _Eternal Light_ started to flash a collision alert warning as the ship streaked through the depths of space, explosions causing it to shake violently, hull breach alerts sounding throughout the ship as projectiles and pulse cannons had finally stripped the shuttles external armour, breaching the hull in numerous places.

However Jon's eyes were glued to the decreasing distance readout to the _Imperial Star_ , as it rapidly approached zero.

Jon had known he would not survive this final flight, and it felt right doing it in this ship, one of the last links to his old life. Jon had spent many hours wondering what would go through his mind in his final few seconds. In the end it was simply relief. Relief that, against the impossible odds, he and the _'Light_ had managed to make it this far. Relief that by this action he was going to save the lives of everybody on the station. Relief that by stopping this madman many thousands, possibly millions of people's lives would be spared.

With a final few deft touches of the flight controls, Jon angled the ship towards one of the massive flight decks on the _Imperial Star_ , which now filled the front view-port of the shuttle. With all the other alarms drowned out by the collision alert, Jon closed his eyes one final time. Suddenly the sight of Sofia, smiling, appeared in his mind's eye. Desperately, Jon took a tight hold of the apparition for one last time. This time to sustain him for an eternity.

*****

The _Eternal Light_ slammed into the energy barrier that protected the hangar deck of the _Imperial Star_. Designed only to keep the hangar deck pressurised and to hold back the emptiness of space, it disintegrated under the impact of a shuttle travelling so fast.

Amazingly the _Eternal Light_ mostly survived the impact, due to its heavy armour and the superb engineering that went into its construction. The ship summersaulted, over and over again, before finally coming to a rest at the far end of the hangar deck.

For a single moment in time everything was suddenly still, as if the universe had paused for a breath, the wreckage of the _Eternal Light_ barely recognisable from the weapons fire and subsequent collision.

However, deep within the belly of the ship a sleeping dragon awoke.

The _Eternal Light_ vanished in a white light a million times brighter than the sun. Within a second the temperature on the flight deck increased to that only found within the heart of a star. Heat, light, and pressure combined to create a force of unimaginable power, and it started to grow.

Within a few heartbeats the flight deck had been consumed, barely a second later the entire deck of the once mighty flagship had been devoured. Meanwhile the mighty explosion continued to grow in strength and size. Section-by-section, deck-by-deck the huge warship was consumed from within. A nuclear fireball racing down the corridor that Commander Radec once had strode down disappeared. The Emperor's quarters; where he had once held court over the entire Empire, vanished. The senior officers' lounge, where Jon had once wielded his sword over a young man's head, exploded, turned to ash in a nuclear fireball.

In a few seconds the explosion had grown to such a size as to encompass the massive flagship. The ship's heavy external armour fought a losing battle to contain the massive forces unleashed within. But nothing could contain these forces and, like an overinflated balloon– it burst. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the armour, growing and growing until the entire hull disappeared within the blinding light. For a while it seemed as if these great forces would grow and grow until everything was consumed. However, finally the light started to dim, to shrink, to collapse within itself. Finally the light vanished completely, to leave... nothing.

All activity within the vicinity stopped, everybody stunned by the almighty forces unleashed, as if the creator had picked up the _Imperial Star_ and crushed it as if it were a toy.

The remaining Imperial forces offered their unconditional surrender minutes later.

Epilogue

Terra Nova, Zeta Aquilae System

It was barely eighteen hours later when the Confederation 12th fleet arrived in the Zeta Aquilae system, commanded by Fleet Admiral Sterling. On board was the Imperial Princess Sofia Aurelius, President of the Confederation Senate, who on arrival immediately requested transport across to the station.

"I don't recommend it, Madame President," Admiral Sterling said. "You are safer aboard the _Protector_. We still have not accounted for all the Imperial ships, and there could still be unexploded ordinance out there. Frankly it's a real mess here at the moment and we're still trying to sort through it."

"I appreciate your concern Admiral," Sofia replied. "However it was not a request. Inform me when transport is ready."

With that she spun around, heading for the exit from the bridge, on her way to the flight deck Sterling could only assume. Sterling sighed with frustration. He had known her father; the Emperor, and he had been equally as stubborn, always refusing to heed advice from his senior officers. He wondered if it was something that ran in the family. He hurriedly ordered a transport shuttle to be made available to the princess. Her father had a terrible temper and Sterling had no desire to find out if his daughter also shared the same trait.

*****

On arriving at _Terra Nova_ , Sofia was confronted with the sight of what seemed like the entire crew assembled on the flight deck, in full uniform, in parade formation. The scene facing her so stunned her that, for a moment, she was rooted to the spot. How many times had she disembarked from a ship at the side of her father, to face such a scene? However, it had been many, many years since the fall of the Empire that she had received such a reception. Sofia was curious to understand why the formal reception. Casting her gaze around, she was unable to locate Jon. However she recognised Paul and a number of the senior officers, as she walked down the ramp of the transport and angled in their direction.

"Attention! Officer on deck!" a voice called out from the ranks, and the entire crew snapped to attention as she strode past. It was obvious military discipline had not suffered in the intervening years, as Sofia could not remember a better presented, better turned-out crew. Approaching Paul and the senior officers, Sofia was desperate to inquire where Jon was, as they had a lot to discuss.

Paul could not fail to be amazed by Sofia's arrival. Realising that he had not seen her in person in almost five years, Paul was amazed at the transformation. When he had last seen her, she had been a young, beautiful woman who had just had her heart broken. The woman stepping off the transport seemed to bear only a passing resemblance. While Paul considered her still beautiful; her face had matured into that of a confident woman, confident in herself and comfortable with the mantle of leadership. Her gaze took in the entire scene in a single glance, her expression thoughtful until she caught sight of him and started in his direction.

Paul was taken aback by how similar the scene was to the Emperor's arrival, the white flowing robes of the office of the President identical to those worn by her father, except his were black. Paul wondered if Sofia was aware how similar she was to her father, the same aura of quiet confidence and authority. In a way Paul wished it were her father he was breaking this news to. Paul had dealt with the Emperor enough times to recognise his anger and know how to deal with it. Paul was certain Marcus would not have taken the loss of Jon well; he could almost imagine the blast of his furious white-hot anger. Unfortunately Paul well knew Sofia's feelings for Jon went far beyond her now dead father's, and the reaction was likely to be far, far worse.

Glancing at his assembled crew Paul felt the occasion fitting. His senior staff had approached him with the idea soon after they found out about Sofia's arrival. It was their way to pay their final respects to Jon and Sofia. After all, it was Gunny who pointed out that, technically, she was still their commanding officer, as Marcus's only child. A part of Paul wished Sofia had found somebody else over the intervening years; perhaps it would make the news that he had to break to her somewhat easier. Somebody for her to share the pain with.

Sighing to himself, Paul snapped to attention, as Sofia stood in front of him, before executing a flawless salute. "Madame President," he greeted her.

Sofia stared quizzically at Paul for a moment before returning the salute. On anybody else the gesture would have appeared insulting. From Sofia it seemed respectful. "Captain Harrington, it's good to see you." Sofia was unsure if there earlier communication was public knowledge so for the moment decided not to mention it. "Where is Jon?"

The sharp intake of breath from the group of officers suggested the question was not unexpected and the answer was not going to be liked.

"I'm so sorry Sofia..." Paul tried to put his feelings into words, failing miserably. "Jon was killed yesterday in the battle with Harkov's fleet." He glanced away, not able to cope with the expression of utter despair that appeared on Sofia's face. Knowing it would not ease her pain, but feeling it needed to be said, he added. "He sacrificed his life for us. If he hadn't stopped Harkov and his fleet, many, many more lives would have been lost. I doubt that any of us would be standing here today." Paul's shoulders slumped, the misery threatening to overwhelm him. Realising his pain was barely a fraction of what Sofia must be feeling, he looked at Sofia, who had gone deathly pale. For a moment Paul was worried she was going to faint, but instead her chin fell onto her chest, tears running down her face.

"I thought, I thought, Jon and I could finally talk, put the past behind us..." Sofia gave a mournful wail, "But it seems as though our past finally caught up with Jon first."

_Protocol be damned_ , Paul thought, enfolding her in a tight embrace. He could feel her tears staining his uniform, but it did not matter, as his own tears joined hers.

Not a word was spoken on the flight deck, the only sound the occasional cry from Sofia as the crew stood at attention saluting a man they had all respected and loved. A man who had made the ultimate sacrifice in order to ensure their lives.

*****

Many hours later, after the ceremony on the flight deck had broken up and the crew had dispersed, each to remember and mourn Jon in their own way, Miranda found herself in his office, staring out of the massive opening. Miranda was not sure how long she had been staring out into space, when the chime to the office interrupted her thoughts.

"Come!" Miranda called, wondering who would be looking for her. She was taken aback at the sight of Sofia Aurelius stepping curiously into the office. She still looked pale and withdrawn after being broken the news of Jon's death hours earlier, but at least it looked like she was coping. Miranda meanwhile had absolutely no idea what to say or do. How did one even address this woman? Sofia? Miss Aurelius? Madame President? Princess?

Her hesitation must have shown as Sofia offered a weak smile stating. "Please, you can call me Sofia. Paul told me that you were most likely to be here."

"I didn't know where else to go," Miranda replied hesitantly. "Jon spent so much time here, staring out of this viewport. I thought it would help me feel closer to him."

"Paul mentioned you and Jon were close," Sofia replied sympathetically.

"Not as close as you and Jon were." Miranda was quick to add, glancing away so that the elder woman could not see her flaming cheeks.

Sofia looked at Miranda with surprise. "The thought never crossed my mind."

"He loved you, you know? Even at the very end."

"I just wish that I knew why he left in the first place," Sofia replied wistfully. "But I guess that I will never know. There will never be another Jon Radec, everybody I have ever met since, I compared to him and found them all lacking."

Miranda had no response to that statement, instead choosing to look back at the starscape outside, wondering if she would become like Sofia, always alone, always comparing any other man against Jon. Looking at the stars Miranda wondered what it was about this view that drew Jon's attention time and time again, sometimes for hours at an end. Noticing her own reflection being projected back at herself, Miranda wondered if Jon had ever actually been looking outside, or instead contemplating his own, internal, demons.

As the two women stared outside, separated by only a few feet, but from backgrounds light-years apart, both women's thoughts were affixed on the same man. One reflecting on a past that would now forever remain lost. The other reflecting on a future that now could never be.

*****

The stars shone brightly, a pure, cleansing, white light that briefly banished the dark and cold space surrounding the station. The search and rescue vessels that continued to search the surrounding space for any remaining survivors only briefly interrupting the light.

Further out, a brief flash briefly illuminated a darker patch of space. An intermittent flash of light, this not from the surrounding stars, but from the failing emergency beacon on the escape pod, as it tumbled and fell though the darkness of space.

End of Book One.

The Redemption Trilogy continues with Book Two " _The Sunfire"_ which is now available.

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