Total Betrayal (Deep Space Endeavor) (20 page)

             
"Again, if the information is correct, he's a huge threat. Reports suggest that he has over four hundred ships and verbal agreements from the eight species that joined his brother to support him."

             
"Eight?"

             
"Yeah, the Pandarans control two of the hundred or so Conglomerate planets that broke free and became a part of our sector."

             
"Oh, Pandarans, yay," Cassie scoffed. Does he have the Farannsians?"

             
"Not completely, but Chawanas is on the list of places he is planning to visit. If the information on who has joined him is accurate, it gives him another two hundred fifty ships. We could be looking at a fleet of six hundred fifty to seven hundred ships, and if that's the case, the Alliance could be in serious trouble."

             
"We've got to get this information to Governor Valinor quickly. Enso, drop out of light space as soon as you can, we can't sit on this information for the next nineteen hours. Just send an encrypted data packet to the governor's office, then go back into light space. We don't have time for a conversation because we don't want to get caught alone out here."

______

              Lana had six
Vipers
on her tail and over fifty people were counting on her being able to shake them. She was glad that the assault shuttles were well shielded as the lasers from one of the
Vipers
found its mark. She brought the ship around in a tight circle as Kimi fired on the first fighter, destroying it in a spectacular explosion. Lana took advantage of the opening to make a break for space, not daring to fly a straight line. As the shuttle reached space, Lana was happy to see their exit vector still relatively unguarded, although she knew she had just ruined her aunt's secret way through the Telosian defense grid. Lana still had two minutes until she was far enough from the planet to make the jump to light space and five fighters were still chasing her down.

             
"We cannot spend much time trying to lose these fighters, Lana, the Coalition ships have been alerted to our presence and we are now high value targets. The Coalition and the Enclave want retribution for the death of President Rhodes."

             
"He got what he deserved," Lana angrily replied. "And I would be happy to let anyone who disagrees with me know how I feel." She took the ship into a long, sweeping loop but altered course on the way back down; instead of coming up behind one
Viper
, she was now lined up with the broadsides of two. Kimi quickly dispatched them.

             
"Nice move, Lana, your aunt wasn't exaggerating when she said you were one of the best pilots she had." Lana juked to avoid being hit by another shot as two of the
Vipers
decided to come at her, head on. She held her course as they began to fire, and at the last possible moment dove out of the way, just barely evading the enemy fire, but not giving the fighter on her tail time to evade being destroyed by friendly fire. She came out of the dive into a very tight turn. Kimi could actually feel the gees through the inertial dampeners as Lana accelerated. Her move brought her up in back of one of the ships and Kimi fired twice, missing the first shot, but disabling the
Viper
with her second one. They were now only thirty seconds from light space and had one more
Viper
harassing them.

             
"I can't find the last one, Kimi," Lana said as she continued flying an erratic pattern.

             
"There, at your nine o'clock, it just looped to make another run at us."

             
"I see it," she replied as she altered her course slightly to bring her into firing range more quickly. "Will it reach us before we can jump, Kimi?"

             
"Yes, but we can probably take a hit or two. Those Coalition cruisers are only a few seconds from being able to cut off our escape, and then we will have dozens of
Vipers
on our tail."

             
"I'll fly straight at him, if the opportunity presents itself, take him out, if not, we jump straight to light space; I don't want to take any hits if we don't have to."

             
"Sounds good, Captain Evans," Kimi joked to a big smile from Lana. The last
Viper
began firing on them and Kimi began returning fire. His shots were missing, but Kimi could sense it was purposeful. She checked the sensors and saw that two
Eagle
assault shuttles stood ready to intercept them if they broke course. "Stay the course, Lana, the
Viper
is trying to force us into the oncoming
Eagles
."

             
"I see it, Kimi," Lana stayed the course as the
Viper
opened up again; two shots grazed off the shuttle's shields, but the Viper got too close and Kimi's next shot destroyed it. Lana flew right through the slowly spreading cloud of micro-debris and let out a loud cheer as she opened a window to light space.

             
"Well done, Lana," Kimi put her hand on Lana's shoulder. "Your father is going to be so proud of you." She smiled, but her heart ached for Jesse.

             
"Thank you, Kimi," Lana stood and hugged her. She then went to the doorway and looked into the rear compartment. What she saw was the half scared, half sick looks of fifty-three people, and one smiling Carmine. "I'm sorry for the bumpy ride everyone, but we're safely in light space now; next stop, Polisia."

             
"Maybe you should take up another hobby, dear," an old woman began, "because you're not very good at this one. A beautiful young girl like you should be looking to marry one of my grandsons, not flying off into battle."

             
"Mom," Carmine yelled. "This young lady just out flew six seasoned military fighter pilots. The ride wasn't bumpy because she's not very good, it was bumpy because she had to keep us all from getting killed. She just saved all of our lives."

             
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," She flushed with embarrassment as she began to understand her son's reprimand. "I had just assumed it was because you were too young to be doing this. Please forgive me."

             
"It's no problem, ma'am, all I really heard was you saying I'm beautiful." She smiled and Carmine's mother instantly loved her. Lana turned and called over to her burly friend. "Hey Carmine, don't let it get out that I'm helping people, it'll ruin my reputation." She smiled as Paulie broke out laughing.

             
"Well, maybe you should get a new reputation, then." Carmine replied as he laughed and gave Lana a big hug. He spent the next couple of hours introducing her to his friends and family and explaining that Lana was Jesse's daughter and he had saved her life several months back. Lana was instantly taken with Carmine's mom and loved sitting to listen to her stories of Carmine and Paulie growing up. Paulie's nephew Vinnie was clearly infatuated with Lana, and Lana seemed to be enjoying the attention. It wasn't so much that she found him attractive; it was more that she found him very amusing.

             
"I can't wait for Raina and Dmitri to meet you, Vinnie, they're gonna love you. Oh, that reminds me, they're watching the pups right now. Carmine, my dad and I found three snow wolves after some hunters killed their mother. They're so cute. We're training them and I'm gonna keep one. His name is Soldier."

             
"Like your dad, huh? He must have loved that."

             
She smiled shyly as she continued. “I named the second one Duke because my dad wants to give him to a famous princess in the Kalephi Galaxy. He saved her life and he's friends with the King now."

             
"Let me guess, she's beautiful, too." Lana shook her head and Carmine muttered. "Leave it to Marcos to save the beautiful princess."

             
"It's not like that, he's in love with Kimi." She patted Kimi's back and Kimi looked a little uncomfortable at the sudden attention.

             
"Ha, well it's about time. Lana, your dad is a lot of great things, but good with women is not one of them. He should have been with Kimi six years ago." He hugged Kimi, who still looked uncomfortable but managed a smile.

             
"The last pup is a girl, and I named her Lady. I'm not sure who my dad wants to give her to. We still have to train them for a few more months before we can give any away." They continued to talk until the alert let them know that they were getting ready to drop out of light space.

             
They landed at Polisia and Ariel was there to greet them. She hugged her niece fiercely and said, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

             
Lana smiled and excitedly replied, "I escaped six
Vipers
and Kimi shot them all."

             
"She really is very good," Kimi added with a smile. "Where is Jesse?"

             
"He's in med-bay four; he still has not woken up." Ariel sadly replied. Kimi and Lana turned to leave, but as Carmine exited the shuttle, Lana ran back and gave him a big hug. She then ran back to Kimi and they left to go see her father.

             
Ariel took one look at Carmine and smiled. She gave him a hug and stood with him as he introduced his family and friends. When he was finished, she brought them over to a couple new speeders and a personnel carrier with a driver leaning against the door of the carrier. "This is Charlie," she introduced. "He is one of my most trusted men and he's gonna take you to your new homes. A developer was building luxury mansions about three kilometers from Nina's home. I was able to buy eight on the same block, but the rest were already sold. They are six and seven bedroom houses, so it should be enough for all of you."

             
"You didn't have to do that, kid," Carmine replied.

             
"I know, but you've always been one of my favorite people, so I did." She replied with a smile. "The houses are fully furnished, receipts are on the kitchen counter in case you wish to return anything and get something else. I would suggest doing that quickly, as we are only three days from completing the condos that the first refugee groups will be occupying. Then, the government will be buying up as much furniture as they can."

             
"What you have purchased will be fine, Ariel, thank you." Carmine was truly humbled at how much trouble his friends had gone to for him even in the midst of their own trials. Maybe there was something to this whole 'being the good guys' thing.

             
"We've also stocked the fridge, this way you can figure out your neighborhood and settle in without going hungry. I have to run, but Charlie will see that you get settled and have anything you need."

             
"How can we repay you, Ariel? You've gone way above and beyond."

             
"When you're settled, invite me and Lana over for one of Carmine's famous old world Italian meals." She kissed his cheek and hoped in a transport; it was time to meet with the military council Jesse had set up to prepare for war.

             
Carmine's mother came along side of him as she left and scolded, "Now why can't you date a nice pretty girl like that?"

______

              Jesse was awakened by the unbearable pain in his leg, his knee felt like it was on fire. He cried out in agony and in his sleep-induced confusion moved to grab his knee, only his knee wasn't there. He painfully sat up and for a moment, began trying to feel around for his leg when his brain finally registered that his leg was no longer there. He cried out again, this time in fear as Suzy appeared by his side with a gentle smile and deep concern in her eyes.

             
"It's alright Jesse, you're safe now. Josiah got to you just in time."

             
Safe, what was he safe from, and where was his leg
? His confusion was evident as his eyes continued to search in vain for a leg that was no longer there. "Suzy, what happened to my leg? Where's my leg?" He cried out in a confused mixture of pain and fear.

             
"Jesse, do you know where you are?"

             
"I have no idea where I am, Suzy! Where's my leg?" He asked again, a little more franticly. His eyes were wide and he was searching his surroundings as if they may hold a clue as to where his leg was. He smelled the overwhelming scent of bleach and other sterilization chemicals and he knew he was in a med-center. "Maybe this is a dream, I'm dreaming," he reasoned aloud while trying to find comfort, or at least wake up.

             
"Jesse, what's the last thing you remember?" Suzy patiently asked, with the same concern pouring from her kind face.