The Last Praetorian (36 page)

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.

Standing up to leave, Paul needed 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 sometime, certainly he will not be running the
station in the short-term.”

“I assume that 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 that
you would takeover 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?”

“We’ll 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 Praetorians was like having a royal flush in
poker, it’s sort of an unbeatable hand, nobody outranked the Commander of the
Praetorian’s, 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.”

“OK 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 handover,” Paul replied, surprised that 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 degree’s 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, having missed 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
that 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,
Miranda
thought,
the paperwork was enough to kill him!

Paul noticed Miranda’s yawn, and taking pity on her - 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 that 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 angrily, stopping at the
threshold of the door, determined to defend his friend from such accusations.

“I never said that 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 serene.  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 on his behalf.  I think part of the
reason he puts himself in these dangerous situations is to avoid himself 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, that was his purpose for being,”

Paul tried desperately to convey the intensity of Jon’s
feelings.  Remembering him when they first met, taken aback by the intensity
and fervour in the younger man, a man who honestly believed in the Empire, it’s
ideals and was totally devoted to its leader – Marcus Aurelius.  It was a
passion that bordered on fanaticism, but how to convey that to this young woman
to whom the Emperor was something she read about in novels and the Empire was
something distant that 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 from the crew, in whispers?”

“Not even I know the full story,” Paul confessed.  “I know
that 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, had watched the news, reading about their mad dash for 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 that 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 that 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 mans face, stopping him.  No physical
hurt that he could inflict on Jon would come anywhere close to the anguish that
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 that 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 that 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 me sometimes in the evening, he is great with the kids…” Paul trailed
off, embarrassed at realising how personal this conversation had become.