15)

The now enlarged fleet was menacingly circling the nebula. All vessels have maintained radio silence for some time. It was a standard procedure.

The Council had been hoping for young senator Bovis to provide them with tactical data regarding the Tarrans' base of operations. When that hope had failed, the command resumed their previous plan, to trick the enemy out of their hiding place.

'Status!' Senator Wesley snapped for a dozenth time this last hour.

'Nothing on detectors, sir,' the helmsman replied patiently. He was lucky to have finished his sentence. The second he attempted to draw his breath, all the hell broke loose.

* * *

'Arm aft missile bays!'

'Bays armed, sir!'

'Fire!'

The missiles, invisible to everything except detectors, flooded space. They exploded violently upon contacting matter. In the dense nebula, many never reached their target. It was a calculated risk, but still, most detonations destroyed enemy ships.

'Damage report!' Yelled a State commander.

'Shields are down! Decompression in five seconds!'

'What's with those shields?!'

'Sir, the missiles are emitting electromagnetic waves, disrupting our defences!'

'Open a channel! To all units! Atten…'

He never finished. In his last second of life he heard the frightening roar of the outer hull ripping apart. He didn't get the chance to think about his death. In that instance his body was atomized and scattered into open space.

* * *

'What the hell is he doing?'

Senator Wesley was observing the big monitor on his bridge. Suddenly, the Terran ships were everywhere. Up, down and ahead. A few attacked their right wing. The squadrons of that wing turned to face the enemy. No time to wait for orders. What Wesley saw on the monitor was the left wing turn in the same direction.

'Sir, their missiles are penetrating our shields!'

'How's that possible?!' Wesley jumped up to the detector console and pushed a button. His helmsman told the truth.

'Bovis!' He realized instantly. 'That traitor!'

'Sir!' The helmsman was speechless. He pointed his finger to the main monitor.

'David…' Wesley whispered with utter disbelief, seeing the squadrons led by his own son turn against his forces.

* * *

No words were spoken on Tarran ships. The aliens communicated telepathically. It was fast and efficient. Their ships were bigger than the State shuttles with only five crew. The Tarran ships had twenty. They were equally maneuverable but decidedly slower. The only serious disadvantages were the lack of force field technology and numbers. The State forces outnumbered them ten to one.

'What's going on?' Kurt finally asked. He had been allowed onto the bridge but didn't benefit much from it. He only saw a few skirmishes on a small monitor.

*We have surrounded them,* one of the aliens replied. Kurt, not being a telepath, could only receive thoughts aimed directly at him. *Your friend has engaged the outer squadrons. We've got them confused.*

'Good!' Kurt felt happy for an instant before he realized that the battle still went on. Lives were being lost.

'Hail their lead ship!' He asked. The communications officer looked at his superior for confirmation. He got it.

'This is Senator Kurt Bovis of the State Council to all forces. Hold your fire. I repeat, hold your fire!'

16)

*What's going to happen now?* Katija's thought sounded surprisingly sad in his mind.

'Well, we've got them to listen,' Kurt answered, thoughtfully. 'The negotiations are going to be hard but we stand a good chance for peace.'

*This is not what I meant. I mean what's going to happen to you?*

Kurt stopped and looked at her. They were going back to the Tarrans' base.

'That's pretty obvious. I will be charged with treason and sent to prison. On the other hand…' he paused. 'Well, it all depends on my father.'

*You've got any idea what he'll do?*

He raised his head and looked around. You couldn't say that life was returning to normal on that planet yet but at least there were people around them. The survivors have returned to what's been left of their homes and started searching the ruins. First streets were being cleaned, first intact buildings lighted. Only a few hours after that last, decisive battle. Even though no one could guarantee the lasting peace. Kurt shook his head. The will to live was strong in these aliens. Not unlike in his own people.

'My father?' Kurt roused. 'I'm not sure. He will be furious that I betrayed my own people. Not just disappointed, but furious. His own flesh and blood… Senator Wesley is going to pay for his failure. I'm sure I will, too, for my crime.'

*How?* Katija picked up a piece of equipment that looked intact and put it gently aside for someone to find and use later. She was walking on her four legs. Her upper body swung gently as she bent over to move the item. Kurt, for the first time, realized how beautiful, if totally alien, her real body was. He quickly shook that feeling.

'Death sentence is the only solution I can think of at the moment,' he replied lightly.

* * *

When Kurt got out of the shuttle that carried him back to Earth, he was stunned. Instead of heavily armed guards he had been expecting, in front of the Council House there was a group of senators. The red carpet was laid down and crowds of common people gathered in respectful distance. Among the senators his father was a prominent figure. He was standing in the middle of the group, on a podium. The senators were all wearing their best ceremonial robes.

*Uh oh,* Kurt thought. *They're going to get me killed with some style!*

He felt strangely out of place there in his black top and dirty, heavy boots. In the heat of these last events, personal hygiene wasn't one of his priorities either.

*Oh, well, let's just get it over with,* he shrugged and stepped onto the carpet. The fanfares sounded as he approached the elite of the State. The mob started cheering. Kurt knelt on one knee before the Chancellor, expecting to hear the death sentence.

'People of the State!' The Chancellor's voice sounded in the hot air. 'Let me have the honour to introduce you to the greatest hero of our times!'

Two servants rushed in to help Kurt on to his feet. It was a good thing. He didn't feel up to the task himself. *Hero?!? What is he talking about?*

'For his exceptional performance during wartime he will be awarded the Medal of Honour.'

Kurt barely noticed one of the Senators pinning a red scarf to his arm. He thought he was dreaming.

He was then ushered on to the podium and made to shake hands with his father. The crowds were cheering wildly.

Then, suddenly, everyone went silent. Chancellor Bovis stepped down and took off the platinum chain he was wearing. The symbol of the highest power in all the State worlds. He bowed to Kurt and… handed him the chain. The fanfares started again. This time, to greet the new Chancellor of the State.

* * *

*You know you don't have to go back,* Katija's thought was almost begging. *You could stay with us, help us rebuild… you could stay with me…* she added softly. She projected an image directly to Kurt's mind. He saw her the way she looked when they first met – a red haired human female. A beauty with an attitude.

It almost hurt him.

'I thought this Katija was dead…' he whispered.

*She was a clone of me,* the alien at his side replied. *We are able to clone our bodies and project our own consciousness into them. She was me. I was both me and her.*

'I don't think I could live like this,' Kurt shook his head sadly.

*It doesn't have to be like this. I can also have my own body altered,* she looked into his eyes but she only found sorrow.

'It's not what I meant,' he sighed. 'I wasn't talking about living with you. I was talking about not going back to my people. I can't run away from this. I've got to face my fate.'

* * *

The new Chancellor, Kurt Bovis, remembered that half mental conversation very clearly. Even though the next days were busy. He had to chair the peace negotiations with the Tarrans, cancel the execution of several senators, including Patrick Wesley, that had been scheduled by his father, award all sorts of medals and honours to lots of people. David Wesley was among these and he inherited his father's position as chief of the Soldiers. Yes. These days were extremely busy. Kurt felt he needed rest.

He was walking through the garden. It used to be the Chancellor's private garden, adhering his private chambers but Kurt decided to open it for public. Still, not many people had the courage to visit the place. *It's going to change,* he smiled to himself. *We'll have children playing among these trees soon.*

*You ever considered having children of your own one day?*

'Katija!' Kurt would recognize this voice anywhere.

He turned to see a red haired woman approaching him. She was wearing a shining silver catsuit. The same he had been dreaming about.

*You didn't want to stay, so I had to go and find you,* she laughed as he run up to her and swept her off her feet in violent embrace.

*So,* she thought to him as they finally broke their long hug. *How about these children?*

THE END