Total Betrayal (Deep Space Endeavor) (51 page)

             
"Knowing it was me makes no difference, human. You tell your precious leader that I will not stop until he is dead. You tell him he will never be safe from my wrath and remind him that he will always need to be looking over his shoulder. I have nothing but time and resources, Jesse Marcos will die."

             
"Right," Ariel laughed. She wanted to make sure Tovanoras knew they would not be intimidated by his threats, but she was worried. "You keep thinking you'll get him, keep thinking you're safe, that's what he wants. Let me tell you something, Zinnebailan, better men than you have tried to kill Jesse Marcos and he's still standing."

             
"Maybe you are right, human, but unlike these, 'better men' I do not need to do it personally. I will keep sending assassins until one of them eventually gets lucky and hits his target."

             
"Good to know, maybe we'll put a price on your head, too. Maybe we'll pay one hundred million chrons to the first person to kill you and bring us that ridiculous looking yellow head fin of yours." She smiled a wicked smile and reveled in how angry Tovanoras looked. She then cut the transmission before he could respond and immediately commed Jesse.

             
"Cousin," Jesse brightly beamed. "Do you want to get lunch today?"

             
"I'm a bit busy today, Jess, but how about tomorrow?"

             
"It's a date," he happily replied. “Reece will be happy to hear that you didn't cancel your lunch with him to meet with me today," he laughed.

             
"Now that wasn't nice," she protested with a frown before getting down to business. "I just received a transmission from Tovanoras, he wanted to speak with you, but I was not inclined to grant his request."

             
"Good call, what did he want?" Jesse asked, not really sure he wanted to know.

             
"He wanted to let us know that he will not stop sending assassins after you until you are dead, that unlike others that have tried to kill you, he doesn't need the satisfaction of doing it himself."

             
"I figured as much, but I'm not really worried. It doesn't seem like there are a whole lot of humans willing to work with him, and any aliens he might use already want me dead, so it's not like this is an added threat."
              "Well, I told him we just might put a bounty on his head of a hundred million chrons."

             
Jesse let out a low whistle. "That's a lot of money, Cousin; we'd probably be better suited using it elsewhere." He laughed.

             
"I know. I just wanted to give him something to think about, you know, one more thing to fear."

             
"Good call, Ariel. Keep him guessing. Kimi just got here; I'll talk to you later." He smiled as she waved and cut the transmission.

             
"Was that Ariel?" Kimi asked as she came over and kissed him in a greeting he would never say no to. "You did not tease her about her date with Reece today, did you?"

             
Jesse smiled in a way that let Kimi know he had. "Yeah, maybe a little."

             
"And she still spoke to you? What did she want?" Kimi asked with a smile.

             
"She wanted to inform me that Tovanoras tried to reach me to let me know he still wants me dead." Jesse laughed a little. "She told him we were putting a bounty on his head."

             
"Maybe that will keep him off balance, I approve."

             
"I figured you might." he laughed and kissed her again.

             
"I just want to let you know, if I ever see Tovanoras, I will kill him without compulsion or hesitation and I will feel no remorse."

             
"I have no doubt you will, Kimi." He took her hand as they made their way to the door. His detail took up their positions around him as they left the building to go to Carmine’s New Galaxy Italian. His new restaurant was up and running, the first Italian restaurant in the history of the Kalephi Galaxy.

______

             
It had been three weeks since the assassination attempt and nearly seven since his people had settled on Donara, but the city of New Polisia was finally opened for business. To celebrate the christening of their new city, a huge celebration was thrown and Jesse had invited Chairman Valinor with Seeja and Kiah, Admiral Togglasem and his family and the crew of the
Catamaran II
from Kaldor. He also invited Chief of State Enosal and his family along with Admiral Dyson from Ginderbar. However, the guests of honor were King Dominus, Queen Constance and Princess Rayelle from Hyperia. Also invited was Lady Collette, Soall, Admiral Vantilas and all of the soldiers they had become friends with during the Pandaran mission.

             
The city was abuzz as the dignitaries and other guests arrived. Ursula had actually done quite a bit of the work coordinating their arrival and Jesse was quite impressed. He was thankful for a sister that knew his strengths and weaknesses so well. Jesse and his cabinet greeted all of the guests, but the party didn't really get started until the royal family was introduced. The entire population of the city fit into the plaza surrounding the city's central tower. The city center was blocked off to speeder traffic and large canopies were set up in between buildings where food would be served. People could then spread out to other canopies that had seating under them, or into one of the downtown parks as music and entertainment would be happening all day from the main steps of the central tower, the same long steps that three weeks earlier had nearly been the location of Jesse's demise. Before the food was to be served and the entertainment was to begin, Jesse briefly addressed the crowd and introduced King Dominus as the man that had built their city for them to thunderous applause.

             
King Dominus stepped up to the podium in front of the central tower. He paused before he spoke and then in a regal voice began. "People of Donara, it is with great pride that I stand before you today. Your leader, my friend, Prime Minister Jesse Marcos means more to Hyperia than I could express in a thousand speeches, but I know how uncomfortable he gets when I try, so I shall be brief. While on Hyperia, he gave us gifts, the value of which can never be measured. He returned the greatest piece of artwork in our planet's history:
Sansabar's Hyperia
. He returned the same king's royal jewel collection to my wife, my daughter and myself, and almost as an afterthought, gave us a Hyperian Fire Jewel. What your leader did not know was that Fire Jewels were thought to be myth because no one had seen one for thousands of years. He also freely gave us the recovery pod technology that will soon be operational on Hyperia. If his priceless gifts were not enough, he saved my wife's life, saved my daughter from being abducted, and then brought her back safely when the second abduction succeeded, all at great personal risk. He nearly died from death brush fever after jumping into death brush to save my daughter. Before his heroics, no one had ever survived falling into death brush. I could go on, but as I recall, your Prime Minister does not like the attention. He will immediately deflect all credit to Josiah and Kimiko, Collin and Reece, or even to my own brave soldiers. While the part they played can never be diminished, it was Prime Minister Marcos who saved the day." He looked over to his friend with a big smile.

             
"He did all of these things and never asked for anything in return, so when he asked if he could settle his people here if he ever made it back to our galaxy, I jumped at the opportunity to repay some of his kindness. He didn't ask for a city, but I built him one anyway, and I hope you love it. We will continue building as neither of us foresaw how many people would want to live here. Donara will be a great planet and I am proud to call you my friends. I was deeply saddened to hear of my friend's treatment at the hands of the Coalition he had served so diligently and I was happy to send Admiral Vantilas to your galaxy with the help of a most remarkable invention that makes travel between galaxies possible. Jesse would say this makes us even, but until now, he could not have understood how much saving my daughter's life has meant to me. I remain forever grateful and will be Donara's most staunch ally should you ever have need of us." As he finished, he embraced Jesse and the crowd once again showered him with applause. Then the festivities began.

             
Music filled the air and Jesse mingled with the crowds for a while, much to the chagrin of his protection detail, but then he retired to the smaller celebration. Jesse's cabinet, military council, family and close friends would be in a large hall in the city center along with the visiting dignitaries and guests of honor. In total, there were almost six hundred people in the hall. At the table of honor sat Jesse and his family, Lana, Kimi, Sun, Ariel, Suzy, Nina and Serge along with King Dominus, Queen Constance, Princess Rayelle, Lady Collette, Soall, the Valinors and the Enosal's. At the next two tables sat the rest of New Polisia's cabinet and military  council along with the visiting admirals and their families or significant others.  The fourth table was reserved for the rest of the people close to Jesse and his family. The rest of the tables were filled with department heads, significant visitors and Special Forces soldiers Jesse had known for a long time. They ate and talked and laughed for a while before the entertainment arrived. One of the galaxy's most popular singers, the beautiful Arianna Sunray, was scheduled to sing for the honored guests as soon as she had finished a set outside for the rest of the city. She had done such a good job at Collin's wedding that they were happy to have her.

             
Jesse took the opportunity to approach Princess Rayelle. "Princess, my daughter and I have a gift for you." Lana was not at the table because she had left to get Lady.

             
"Jesse, there is no need for further gift giving. We are friends now; you no longer need to win my favor. That was more than taken care of on Trinnus and Pandara." She smiled a beautiful smile at him.

             
"Please, Your Majesty, if you will indulge me just one more time. While my daughter and I were hiking on Polisia, we came across three snow wolf cubs. Their mother had been killed by hunters and we rescued them and trained them. Lana took one for herself, and I had hoped to give you a choice of the other two, but one has bonded with Jason and I could not take him away. Still, I remembered how much you loved Commando and figured you might like to have the third one. My daughter named her Lady." Lana approached the table with a happy snow wolf pup and Rayelle's eyes went wide.

             
"This one is for me?" She happily cried. "Oh, she is most beautiful. Look how white her fur is! How old is she?" Lady practically crawled in her lap as Rayelle pet her. She nuzzled Rayelle's neck and it was love at first sight, for both of them.

             
"Wow, Dad, Lady really loves the Princess." Lana remarked.

             
"Well, who wouldn't," Suzy commented with a smile.

             
"She is just over six months old, Your Majesty, and I may need to travel back to Hyperia with you for a week or so until she is used to her new surroundings. I'll bring Soldier with me to make the transition easier. And, if it is alright with you, could I bring my sort of little sister, Sun? She has helped a lot with the pups and might help the transition go smoother."

             
"Of course. Thank you Lana, thank you Jesse. I never dreamed I would have one of your fantastic snow wolves as a pet. She is so small compared to Commando and Shadow, yet still so big." Lady had calmed down a bit and was now sitting by Rayelle's side.

             
"She will continue to grow for the next four months or so. Don't worry, she will be about the same size as Shadow." Jesse added as he sat back down.

             
"I have not seen her this happy in quite some time. Thank you. Colonel, I mean Prime Minister." The Queen corrected herself.

             
"It was no problem at all, Your Majesty, and please, call me Jesse.” She smiled gratefully as she looked at Rayelle and Collette interacting with Lady. King Dominus pat his back in thanks as he watched his daughter and the pup with a smile as the meal continued.

             
A short time later, Queen Constance looked over at Suzy and asked, "Doctor Baker, could I convince you to come back to Hyperia and help us with the finishing touches on our recovery pod? There are a couple glitches we just cannot work out." Lana hoped Suzy would say yes so she wouldn't have to be on Hyperia alone with Sun, although she was fairly certain her dad would have sent someone else with them.

             
"Of course, Your Majesty, it would it be no trouble at all. Would it be all right if I brought my intern with me? I do not wish to skip almost two weeks of her training. I may also need Serge if the glitch is more technical than medical."

             
"Of course, your intern is most welcome, as is Serge. I am assuming Nina would like to join her husband as well, is that correct?"