Wrath of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) (32 page)

“There’s only one thing we want, my friend,” he replied in a calm, measured tone.

“Yes, what’s that?”

“You two. Give me that data drive, and then we’ll go for a walk. I’ll take your weapons before we leave. My men will relieve you of them. Keep your hands up!” he said sharply as Rad went to lower his gun hand.

Pieter struggled to stop the data drive being wrenched from his hand. “No, no, that belongs to me.”

“It belongs to this planet, to all those people you enslaved and murdered. Get them out of here, and take them to the central square!”

Blas and the two women were in time to watch as Smetana’s troops escorted the Bose brothers to the huge open space of the city square. True to his word, neither Berg nor his men harmed them. They drove the two men like sheep into the center of the open space. Word had spread throughout the city, and the crowd swelled rapidly as hundreds, then thousands of people came to see the spectacle of the two men they hated corralled in the square. Above the din, Blas could hear Pieter screaming, “What are you going to do with us? Don’t hurt me, please. It’s all my brother’s fault. He made me do it. He’s the one you want.”

At least Rad kept a dignified silence. Berg lifted his hand for silence and the great square went quiet.

“I made a promise not to harm either of you, so I’ll leave you for my fellow Hesperians to deal with.”

“No, no,” Pieter screamed. “Don’t leave me here!”

Berg nodded to his men, they walked away and the crowd closed in. For Blas, it was merciful that the screams lasted no more than a few minutes. He turned to his companions.

“It’s time to go. It’s over.”

“Not quite,” Saffron said. “I would ask a favor.”

“What is it?”

“Take me to Peria City. The ancient city where you and Evelyn first met.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.”

System Standard 2734.1671 Peria City, Hesperia.

They were in the guest quarters of Berg Smetana’s house. Blas felt strong but conflicting emotions tearing him apart. Saffron looked at him with concern etched on her beautiful face.

“Constantine, I would not read your mind. Just believe me that I know what you think, and she would have wanted us to be together, as one. Tonight, let me be your Evelyn. I want you to know that part of what you are taking is her. Tomorrow, we will enjoy the first day of our new lives together. Remember, I will always be with you, as will Evelyn. That was her wish and she would want both of us to honor it.”

She looked up and kissed him on the lips. He felt a heat and a passion that he hadn’t known for a long time, since before Evelyn had died. He picked up her tiny body and carried her to the couch. He was about to begin repairing a smashed and broken part of his psyche. He felt able to accept Evelyn’s gift. Tomorrow, they could both start the process of repairing the smashed and broken planet that was the beginning for all three of them.

In a cell less than a mile from where they lay, a man in the torn, shredded uniform of a Grand Admiral of the Fleet, sat next to the broken body of his brother. His mind swirled with hate at the men who were responsible for the death. He lifted his head and screamed in anguish and pain. One of his jailers came along to check on the noise.

“You in there, shut up!”

Then he recognized the prisoner.

“Sir! Admiral Bose, I hadn’t recognized you. I didn’t know you were a prisoner. You remember me, Sir? I was your helmsman during the First War of the Systems. When I was injured your people found me a job here, I’ve always been grateful. Is there anything I can do for you, Admiral?”

Inside, Bose smiled. He stared at the jailer. “Yes, there is.”