Pax Imperia (The Redemption Trilogy) (3 page)

“Jon.”

“Commander.”

It was obvious from both adversaries’ tones his interruption was less than welcome. Deciding to suggest a compromise before they resumed their argument and one of them said something they would live to regret, he quickly added, “Why not just have two ceremonies?” Realising he now had their attention, he expanded upon his earlier statement. “A small intimate wedding, just for family and close friends, followed by a more elaborate affair to satisfy the political obligations. After all, you are still the Confederation President, if only for a few more months.”

“But where to hold the family ceremony? Every building on this planet has one political affiliation or another,” Sofia mused out aloud, warming to Jon’s suggestion.

“Then don’t hold it inside. Hold it outside. The Senate Park is close by and I, for one, have always been particularly fond of it. I have always found it refreshingly free of squabbling politicians and datapad-clutching bureaucrats. I always assumed they were all allergic to bright sunshine and fresh air,” Jon quipped, forgetting he was presently in the company of both.

With a growl from Sofia and an angry glare from Marcus, Jon quickly added. “Present company excluded, of course.”

“We’re having the family ceremony first,” Sofia stated firmly, turning back to her father.

“But princess—”

Jon just laughed when his wife-to-be shook her fist angrily at her father.

*****

Sofia shook her head firmly. No, there was always going to be one reason or another for her to postpone this. She had never been one for procrastination, preferring to tackle her problems head-on. It was just this decision she had been wavering over. With newfound determination, she was marching back inside, toward the communication console, to call Jon, when the chime of the apartment door interrupted her. Biting back a curse, she wondered if the universe itself was conspiring to postpone this conversation with Jon.

“What? Come,” she called out, changing direction and headed towards the entrance of their apartment.

As the door slid open and the visitor stepped inside the room, Sofia’s jaw dropped open in shock. “What the hell are you doing here? You cannot be here. Didn’t I tell you we couldn’t see each other until the start of the ceremony?” She demanded in a waspish tone of voice, conveniently forgetting she had just been about to summon him anyway.

“Good morning my love. You are awake early this morning,” Jon replied, stepping inside, completely ignoring her comment and dropping an easy kiss on her lips. He snatched the coffee cup out of her hands on the way past. “Thanks, I need that. Busy day ahead. Have you been up long?” he asked with a knowing smile.

Sofia just stared at him in astonishment, hands resting on her hips, trying to decide if she was more amused or annoyed by his antics. What was even worse was that he knew why she was up so early, and was just so damn smug about it. For a moment she considered pouring the contents of the coffee cup over his head but, before she had the opportunity, she observed his clothes. With the tight-fitting jeans, sweatshirt and light jacket he wore, he did not look like a person preparing for a wedding. But instead—“Where do you think you’re going?” she demanded with narrowed eyes.

“Out,” came the succinct reply.

“I gathered that from your clothes, but out where? I don’t need to remind you that we’re scheduled to be getting married, again, in a few hours,” she added before Jon could remind her.

“You want to elope?” he inquired, with a warm smile that made her stomach flip. Having put down
her
coffee cup, he approached and gently slid his arms around her.

Sofia leaned into his embrace, relaxing when his warmth, his scent, that essence that was unique to him, surrounded her. It was only then she realised just how tense she had been all morning. She pretended to give his question careful thought and, in all honesty, she did briefly consider it, just to pay her father back for all his recent meddling in her life.

“We could run away together,” he continued, unrepentantly. “Steal a shuttle, find some undiscovered world and populate it with our offspring.” Meanwhile he continued to press gentle kisses along his wife’s neck, pleased to observe the way she angled her head back to give him better access.

“Hmm,” was her only response, lost somewhere between a sigh and a moan.

Jon smiled, mission accomplished; now hopefully he could make his escape before his wife enquired—

“So where are you off to and why don’t you want me to know about it?” she glared at him.

Damn.
Busted.

“Just a brief meeting. I’ll be back before you have even noticed that I am gone,” he replied evasively, with a casual smile.

“I know when you’re lying to me. You never look me in the eye when you lie to me. ”

Sighing to himself, as his wife really did know him too well, he explained. “There was a message waiting for me this morning. The caller did not identify himself, but he did know me by name and wants to meet this morning.”

“To discuss?” she prompted him impatiently.

“
A possible threat to you, your father and the Confederation,
” Jon exclaimed in a rush.

“What?”

“You’re not going to make me say that again, are you?” he cringed.

“But why? Why you? It’s not your responsibility. There are other people, and it’s their job to—”

“I don’t care about other people. It’s my job to protect you and to keep you safe. Now that I finally have you, I am not going to let you go, not for anything. I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you. When we were in the Senate and I heard that shot…” he shuddered.

Recognising that Jon needed her reassurance, just as much as she needed his, she tightened her hold on him, pulling him more firmly into her embrace. “You’re not going to lose me. I know you want to protect me but, at the same time, you cannot go hiding me away every time somebody makes a threat against us.”

“Actually I was thinking of tying you to our bed instead,” Jon said with a grin, giving her a heated gaze.

Sofia blushed, assuming he was joking. But, considering his look, perhaps not.

“Anyway,” he continued. “Gunny has agreed to accompany me. He is almost as bad as you, constantly mothering me.”

Having known each other for over five years and, for much of that time, serving as one of Jon’s deck chiefs on
Terra Nova
, Master Sergeant Patrick “Gunny” Reynolds was one of Jon’s closest friends. However, prior to the disbanding of the Imperial Navy, Gunny had been in the Imperial Marines. At over six feet in height and weighing almost two hundred pounds, the man’s presence was intimidating. Rumour had it Gunny had once, single handily, led a marine boarding action against a pirate cutter, only to have the pirates immediately abandon ship when faced by him.

“It’s just because we worry about you,” Sofia added softly. “You cannot save the galaxy by yourself you know.”

“You never know, maybe I just haven’t tried yet,” he replied, with a boyish grin.

Sofia just rolled her eyes, but tightened her hold on him fractionally when he tried to pull away. At his quizzical expression she added, “Do you have a few minutes? There is something I need to tell you.”

Jon opened his mouth, about to explain that she had to be quick, as Gunny was scheduled to arrive any minute now, when he abruptly snapped his mouth shut. How many times had she uttered those exact words to him? When they had last been together, here, on Eden Prime. Perhaps if they had made more time for each other, had better communicated, then all of the subsequent lies and misunderstandings could have been avoided. So instead he just nodded his head in agreement.

Staring into Jon’s soft, grey eyes, Sofia wondered for the life of her how she was going to tell him what happened. “Jon, I have been meaning to tell you something for a long time. You have been nothing but honest with me and I should have told you this a long time ago, but I have been scared. I have only just found you again and I do not want to lose you. I love you, so please give me the opportunity to explain—” he did not say anything, just nodded in agreement, taking her hand in his and giving her such a loving look that it almost broke her heart. How could she tell him? This wonderful man had sacrificed everything for her, and she knew this would destroy him. So instead she just continued to stare at him helplessly.

“You’re trembling,” Jon exclaimed in surprise, taking her other hand in his and lifting their entwined fingers to brush gently against her pale cheeks. “I love you,” he insisted firmly. “There is nothing you can say or do that will make me love you any less. Just tell me what is troubling you so I can help.”

Nodding her head in agreement, Sofia drew strength from him, explaining, “When you were last here, on Eden Prime, five years ago, after we—”

The chime from the door interrupted her explanation, leaving Sofia unsure whether to be relieved or frustrated.

She had been so close.

Jon just ignored the sound, continuing to stare intently at her. “Ignore it,” he insisted. “You are more important. Tell me what is worrying you, let me in, please?” He gazed beseechingly into her frightened eyes.

Before she could reply, the chime from the door sounded again, this time interrupting their moment. Sofia slipped out of Jon’s arms calling out, “Come,” even as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, as if to ward off the sudden chill after the warmth of his embrace. Finally she looked up, in genuine delight, as Gunny stepped into their apartment. Quickly crossing the distance between them, she enfolded him in a familiar embrace, saying, “It’s good to see you again Gunny. How are Jane and little Elizabeth?”

Gunny went an interesting shade of scarlet in response to the question. While he and Lieutenant Castle had been dating constantly for over a year, he was still not comfortable talking about their relationship. Additionally, he was not used to such familiar physical contact with women, especially an Imperial Princess. Her warm touch reminded him too much of the time Miranda had challenged him to arm wrestle on the flight deck of
Terra Nova
, after they had a heated disagreement about the best method to load the freighters. Gunny’s ears still went an interesting shade of pink whenever he was reminded of that incident—and the subsequent kiss.

“They are both fine, thank you Princess,” Gunny replied gruffly, gently disentangling himself from the younger woman, ignoring the knowing smirk from the Commander.

“How many times have I told you to call me Sofia?”

“Many times, Princess,” Gunny responded taking a step back, giving her a slight bow. Embracing Imperial Princesses just instinctively seemed wrong to him. Such people should be observed from a distance and their orders promptly carried out. Touching them and having them, in turn, embrace him, just played havoc with his senses. “Commander, are you ready?” he asked his boss, who was standing behind the Princess, laughter dancing in his eyes.

“Sure Gunny. Just give us a minute?”

“I’ll wait for you outside.” He inclined his head in the direction of the corridor, glad to escape from any further uncomfortable conversation.

Once the door had slid shut, with three long strides, Jon reached his wife’s side and, before she could react, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a long, hard, bruising kiss. Eventually he released her, so that they could both breathe again. He took her face firmly in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “This is not over. When I get back, you and I are going to sit down and have a long talk about whatever is bothering you, okay?”

Sofia could only nod in agreement, not trusting herself to say any more. However, as he turned his back on her and was about to step through the door, she was reminded of where he was about to go and a terrible sense of panic and fear seemed to instil itself within her. “Jon,” she cried out.

Hearing the fright in her voice, he turned around in surprise to see her hurrying after him, tugging at something on her finger. When she reached his side, she pried open his hand and dropped something into it. Looking down, Jon was shocked and more than a little hurt to see she had deposited her wedding ring on his palm. Before he could respond, Sofia pressed a finger to his lips.

“This belonged to my mother. After you and my father, this is the most precious thing in my life. Keep it safe for me. You can put it back on my hand later today, when you get back for the wedding. Whatever happens I’ll be here, waiting for you.”

Jon was about to refuse, but Sofia just closed his hand tightly around the ring and, with a lingering kiss, pushed him in the direction of the door. He stared at her intently for a moment then, with a nod of his head, was gone.

Leaving Sofia to once again contemplate their empty apartment and decide how she was going to be able to tell him the truth about what happened all those years ago.

*****

“Something wrong Commander?” Gunny inquired, obviously noticing the frown on Jon’s face as he stepped out of the apartment, staring distractedly at his tightly clenched hand.

“What? Oh no, nothing,” Jon replied, slipping the ring into his pocket, before turning to face Gunny. It was only then he noticed what Gunny had slung over his shoulder. “Expecting trouble, Gunny?” he said, pointing towards the massive rifle. The weapon was almost as long as Gunny was tall, the barrel almost touching the floor.

“You can never have too many guns,” Gunny replied, patting the rifle affectionately.

It was not the first time Jon had heard this saying from the older man, and he wondered if it was just Gunny, or perhaps a marine thing.

“The rest of the team are waiting in the shuttle.” Gunny interrupted Jon’s thoughts.

“Rest of the team?” Jon inquired in disbelief. “I’m only meeting somebody for coffee. Okay, I do agree that the topic of conversation is a credible threat against Sofia, Marcus and possibly the entire Confederation, but still, don’t you think you’re being just a bit paranoid? We’re on Eden Prime, the most heavily defended planet in the entire Confederation, this is not
Transcendence
,” Jon insisted firmly.