Chapter twenty-four:
Daniel felt strange as he started to wake up. He sat up slowly holding his hands in his head. That’s right. When he had surrendered command to Kim and turned himself over to Commander Sandra he had been brought to their sickbay by the guards and Doctor Crystal after examining him had lectured him about taking better care of himself. She had not even asked him but immediately administered what he thought was a sedative as he didn’t even remember being put in a bed. How long had he been out? Daniel turned to hop off the bed and froze in place when he realized he wasn’t alone. There were two other beds and the one farther away from him was occupied.
For a moment he was speechless when their eyes met. She looked exactly like one of the humans he had known when he was assigned to Earth. But it just wasn’t possible! He had worked with Nathan there around twenty years ago, but he had actually already been working on Earth for seven years before Nathan had been assigned to work there with him. Had it already been that long? If the earthling he knew was still alive she would look much older instead of looking the same. They aged much quicker than they did. Besides. She had died shortly after Nathan had arrived. By the time he found out she had died, her daughter had already been placed in an orphanage.
He had not even tried to find the orphanage, as he couldn’t take the child with him. Even if he had liked her mother, it just wasn’t possible. Daniel found himself blushing a tiny bit as the earthling continued to stare at him. If she was the daughter of the woman he had known would she remember him? If he remembered correctly her name had been Celestia. Daniel finally looked away for a minute.
This was kind of embarrassing. If she was the same person it would make things awkward as he had used her mother to get information about Earth’s culture. Hell! He had even slept with her on a regular basis! She hadn’t been the only one. It had been part of his job. He had made sure that no one got pregnant. When she had been pregnant with Celestia he had run a scan on her to make sure. Although the genetic code for humans was similar she was clearly human. Daniel finally turned back to find her still watching him. He didn’t know what to say.
Celestia watched the Versilan, waiting for him to say something. It looked like he was actually blushing! When he turned back to look at her again she made up her mind. If he wouldn’t say something she would. She was distracted by the sound of the door opening. It was Jared! He had brought several guards with him. Celestia cringed as Jared walked towards her. To her surprise he sat down on the side of the bed and smiled.
“Ah Celestia, I see that you are recovering. There’s no need to be so reserved my dear.” He leaned forward reaching up with his left hand to brush her hair back. Jared reached up with his right hand as well and held her head with both hands as he kissed her on the lips. He pulled back a bit, looked into her eyes and whispered, “So spirited, it’s a pity you aren’t a man.” He released her and got up and went over to the other Versilan.
“Commander Daniel, the doctor tells me you are recovered enough for us to begin.” He said. Celestia was still feeling too stunned over being kissed by Jared to be surprised that the man’s name really was Daniel. She watched as Daniel got up without a word and followed Jared, flanked by the guards he had brought. Celestia wondered what the hell was going on.
Sub-Commander Kim sighed. Ever since Commander Daniel had given her command and turned himself over to Commander Sandra things had gone downhill. She had never really thought about it before but Daniel was a kind Commander. She had been surprised when he had been promoted to Commander. He was very good at what he did, but he lacked the ruthlessness of so many others’s in command. Kim continued looking at the reports. The investigation of her crew had been going on for a week now. Unlike Daniel, the investigations conducted by Jared had been ruthless and downright brutal. Although no one on the ship was a member of the resistance several of them were into illegal drug and information trade. Each and every one who had been found guilty had been executed immediately. Kim hadn’t even been informed until after they had been executed.
She put the hand-held device down. What had really bothered her was when Sub-Commander Jared had questioned her. She had heard the rumors about him and now she knew just how true they really were. Never had she been so intimated by someone before. He was stunningly beautiful with his shoulder length silver blonde hair and a face and body both athletic and well defined. But what had really stuck her was how cold his beautiful eyes were. Kim knew from the rumors how Jared liked to amuse himself. Never had she been so glad to be a woman than when she was around him. She picked the hand-held devise back up and continued reviewing the reports.
Daniel sighed. It had been a week since the incident with Nathan. Jared had been questioning him for the past five days. Tomorrow he would be drugged to finish the interrogation. Something about Jared bothered him. He had heard rumors about Jared and how he liked to entertain himself. But what had surprised him the most was how cold and beautiful his eyes were. He had felt like a small mouse facing a cat. The look in Jared’s eyes was chilling though he didn’t know why.
Daniel ignored the sound of the door opening to the sickbay room. For whatever reason they had been keeping him in here with the two humans Jason and Celestia. He had been shocked to realize her name actually was Celestia. He had yet to learn her last name so he didn’t know if she really was the child of the Earth woman he had known. Daniel kept his back to them as they entered. They had tried to talk to him but he had simply turned away and ignored them. If she really was the daughter of the Earth woman he had known, for some reason he didn’t want Jared to know about it. Daniel had never kept anything a secret before so he wasn’t sure why he felt so strongly about it.
Jared entered his quarters in time to catch an incoming transmission. He sat down and opened the transmission; it was the spy he had recruited to work for him.
“Sub-Commander Jared, I have the report on Nathan and the final report from the investigation of Commander Daniel’s mother.” Ryan said. “I’m sending it to you as we speak. I can wait while you read it Sub-Commander.”
Jared transferred the report into his hand-held device and asked, “Why would you need to wait while I read it Ryan?” he said.
Ryan replied, “Just read it and you will understand.”
Jared raised his eyebrow at that but said nothing. He opened the report and began to read. As he read further he understood what Ryan was referring to. Jared smiled; this was going to be fun. He looked up at Ryan’s face on the screen, “Have High Command’s orders been carried out yet?”
Ryan replied, “The other suspects are being taken into custody as we speak, as for the other two, well I have the orders for their execution right here. High Command wants their execution to be an example to others who would be so foolish as to oppose the expansion of the Versilan Empire. Apparently Nathan was one of the top resistance leaders. The resulting investigation has uncovered quite a few resistance members as well. The execution orders give you full power in choosing the method of their death.”
Ryan paused for a minute and then continued, “Do you wish me to carry out the execution here? Or do you want her sent to you to be disposed of?”
Jared smiled, oh was this going to be fun. “I want you to execute her for me. Here’s what I want you to do.” Jared explained in further detail.
Ryan smiled. When he had been recruited by Jared to be a spy he had never expected it to be so enjoyable. The longer he worked for him the more he respected him. What he wouldn’t give to actually work on the same ship with him! Ryan had never been so attracted so someone before. It didn’t even matter that he was a man or that he himself preferred women. When the communication closed he started making the preparations. He knew just who to call to assist him. He was going to really enjoy this and he owed it all to Sub-Commander Jared.
