His eyes met hers and for three seconds, said nothing. “Oddly enough, I was thinking the same thing.”
“I suppose Victor send you here to gloat?”
“No,” Archer replied. “He chose me so that the media could get a picture of me, a FedCom officer, leading you out of the palace. He felt that the image would play well in the Lyran Alliance.”
“According to my intelligence, you hate the media.” Her words were coy, as if she were digging at his motivation.
He offered her nothing but a poker-face stare. “I do. But this one time I’m willing to bend even my own rules. I owe that to my people.”
“Your people? You mean my people.”
“They ceased to be yours a long time ago,” he responded.
She ignored the entire line of argument. “That’s right,” she said with a wry smile. You petty little man. “You lived on Thorin if I remember correctly.”
“Yes.”
“And you blame me for your sister’s death? How sad for you. I never even heard of you or your sister. Your entire involvement with this war was a mistake on your part. I didn’t kill her; I didn’t even order her death. You’ve been fighting for no reason at all.”
Archer’s face reddened slightly. Good, I got to him. “I’m not surprised that you don’t know her name. Petty tyrants often stomp on people and never know the names of their victims. Yes, Katherine, you didn’t order her death, but you pardoned her killer. In many respects, that’s worse.”
“Watch your words General,” she said bitterly.
“I will not,” he spat back. “You’re not a Princess any more,” he snapped back. “You’re just a person. One that will be held accountable for her crimes.”
“We shall see.”
“Yes,” Archer grinned. Reaching down to his belt, he held up a pair of restraints. “But that is the future. It is for people in pay bands above mine to ponder. This is the present. For now, Katherine, put these on and I will take you to Victor. You can discuss your plans for the future with him. As of now, consider yourself under arrest and susceptible to the military code of justice.”
She glared at the restraints. Handcuffs? Who does he think he is? “I will not put those on. I am royalty.”
Archer said nothing. Stepping forward, he slapped them on her wrists. The metal was cold and hit her left wrist bone hard. It hurt, not much, but enough. “I assume you don’t want me to carry you out of here for the media on my shoulder? Please—” he hesitated, “please say yes. Nothing would make me happier right now.”
Her jaw locked in anger. She stepped beside him, lowering her cuffed hands. He put his hand on the center of her back and led her out of the throne room. He would pay for what he’d done. They all will pay…
Epilogue
Ecol City, Thorin Militia Parad Grounds
Thorin, Lyran Alliance
15 September 3067
Archer stood on the field inside the palace grounds and made his way to the podium. He had been asked to take part in the ceremony inside, but had declined. His job was done. There was no need for the media to see his face. In fact, he was looking forward to the obscurity. I hope I can rebuild the family business…
In front of him was what was left of Archer’s Avengers. They stood at parade rest, perfect formation. Some were bandaged. Some, like Colonel Chaffee, had to have help to stand even after the months of recuperation during the trip home. She, like everyone else, had come to this place, for one last ceremony…one last gathering.
“My friends,” Archer began, his voice hesitating and almost cracking. “And you are my friends. We began this fight back on our homes. We fought in the Lyran Alliance and even in the heart of the Jade Falcons honor. We went to Twycross and tangled with their best, plucking the wings right off of the Falcon Guards.
“We all came for different reasons but for one common goal—to end the reign of a tyrant. That has been done. There is no longer a need for the Avengers, not now. Prince Victor has sent formal congratulations to us as a unit. We have earned our pay and earned the respect of the people we left behind. Moreover, we’ve earned the respect of the men and women who are no longer in our ranks, those that died at our sides on the field of combat.” He paused, lowered his eyes for a moment. There were so many.
“I was going to do a long speech,” he said, wadding up his notes and sliding them off the podium, “but that isn’t necessary. What matters is this: the Avengers are family. If called upon again, we would serve. The time for service for most of us is now over. Some of you are being offered positions in the Thorin FTM. For those of you that take those commissions, I offer you the best of luck. I would say, ‘make me proud,’ but you all already have.
“But that is the future. This is now. Usually when a war is over units like ours are disbanded. I have conferred with the Prince on this. We are not breaking up. You can’t break up a family like us. On the books, we will still be listed as active duty. The reason is simple, there may yet be a time when the Avengers have to take up arms.
My final command to you, all of you, for now, is go home. Put this damn war behind us. Be with your loved ones. If you make as good citizens as you did fighters, our people will always be proud of you and so will I. Go to your families, return to your lives, but never forget our time together. Never forget when a handful of good men and women made a difference.
“Avengers, I salute you.” He
