The surgeons had finished their work on Kathryn’s leg, and wheeled her bed around to a small side ward for her to recuperate.
“Kathryn belongs with you comrade, with the Liberty, where you can keep watch over her, and take care of her when she falls down. She needs you, and you need her.”
Michael knew within himself that Nikolai was right, for five long years, ever since his wife and son had died, the caring side of him, the tender side, had died along with them. People had suffered because of that, people like Kathryn. “I know Nikolai, in the time she has been gone, I’ve come to realise that.” Michael looked out across the med-bay to the small side ward in which she was sleeping, “the question is; has she?”
“Give her time, she’s been through a heck of an ordeal.”
“I intend to.”
The group of six surgeons all entered the booth and faced the two men. One of them, a middle aged man, still wearing his surgical scrubs said. “The operation has been a success, she will have to be very careful over the next few weeks; if she aggravates the wound even a little, she could tear out the sutures securing the servo’s to her tendon, and would need a further operation to re-attach them.”
“When can we expect her to be back at full health doctor?” Michael asked.
“I would say with this type of injury, not for another six weeks. Then she would have to come for a check up before she returns to active duty.”
“Thanks.”
“She’s currently sleeping off the effects of the anaesthetic, and should be awake again in a couple of hours. She’ll be a little sore, and the twinges from the micro-static implants will take some getting used to; but she should make a full recovery.”
“Thanks for all you have done, doctor.”
“Just doing our job captain,” the surgeon replied, before he and his entourage of medics left the two men alone again.
“Now to find out just what to do with our captured Dracos friends,” Michael said with a smile as he turned to leave the booth.
“You have a plan, don’t you?”
“I always have a plan, Nikolai.”
“That’s what worries me.”
Michael made his way through the thirty four decks of the Eisenhower, to the tiny hatch that connected it to the Liberty which floated alongside.
After a few minutes of walking through his old ship again, he stepped out onto the battered command deck of the Liberty once more.
“Hello there stranger, just where the bloody hell ‘ave you been, I thought I would ‘ave to promote me’self as new cap’n while you were gone, so I was.” Kinraid said with a mocking wink.
“You know where I’ve been Quinn,” Michael smiled at his first officer. “If you need me, I’ll be in my quarters, I have some important business I must attend to.”
“Understood, sir. Logameier’s been making temporary repairs, he tinks we should be able to make the jump into plasma drive soon, without fallin’ to bits.”
“Good work, we may need to.”
He stepped through the doors and into his quarters, it was a mess from various objects fallen from tables and shelves during the battle, now lying broken on the floor. Luckily the food synthesiser was still intact, with a sigh, he keyed in the control for a latte, double sugar. Taking the cup, he slumped down at his desk. The deep beige colour of Auriga III was plainly visible through his window, a bereft backwater planet, god it even looked ugly from space, he thought. He hoped he would not have to set eyes on this fateful planet again.
He needed to contact Admiral Montrose at alpha base and inform him of what had happened here, that the E.D. F had encountered a new hostile alien force in the Dracos, though first he had other ideas.
Punching in a few controls on his personal terminal, he attempted to contact Solaria, eventually getting through to an official acting for the Solarian government.
“I’d like to speak to ambassador Kerulithar please, it’s a matter of some urgency.”
“I’m afraid no ambassador by that name exists.” The softly spoken echoic voiced Solarian replied.
Michael’s brow furrowed in thought, that’s odd. “He must do, five years ago he was instrumental in the Solarian involvement in the Krenaran war, I have personally worked with him.”
“You must mean governor Kerulithar of Celtris III, I’ll transfer you to his office.”
Huh, governor now, Michael thought. Raising an eyebrow in the process, the plucky ambassador has done well for himself over the years.”
Gradually the familiar blue tinged face of Kerulithar appeared on the screen, “Michael Alexander my old friend. This is a surprise, how are you doing, and how are Nikolai and the Liberty?”
“We are good actually, the Liberty has had a few more upgrades since last we spoke, you have done well for yourself, a governor now I hear.”
“After the events surrounding the Solarian entry into the Krenaran war, and our subsequent victory over them, they made me a governor of my home planet of Celtris III, no more hopping around the galaxy for me, I have a family now.”
“That’s fantastic news!” Michael said with a genuine smile, he was delighted things were going so well for his old friend, “but hold the phone with that galaxy hopping thing, would you?”
Kerulithar’s brows furrowed as he suddenly took on a far more serious tone, “what’s on your mind?”
“Know anything about the Dracos?” Michael rubbed his chin as he asked the question.
“Sure; all Solarians know the story of the Dracos, how their evil and murderous ways threatened to almost overthrow our people, and how in response we chased them through our space, it was a terrible time; very sad.”
“Okay, have you heard about their return?”
“I heard rumours of their name being bandied about again in the senate, rumours of trouble in the distant Auriga system, our government has taken a strict non-interference policy on this if I’m correct. Our people do not want to get involved, the gulf of differing philosophies, ideologies, everything about the Dracos runs contrary to our own beliefs. They are a people who actively condone violence and torture as a way of life, where we advocate peace, harmony and advancement through art and the sciences. The Dracos turned from that path a long time ago; and in so doing, stopped being Solarians, they are regarded as their own people now.”
Michael was stunned at hearing this, shocked at how two races, who had once been one, could turn out to hate each other so vehemently, where was the higher sensibilities of the Solarians now? “There is an old Earth adage Kerulithar, that time heals all wounds.”
“What do you mean, my friend?”
“I have four Dracos warriors, all taken prisoner while we rescued what was left of our science team.”
“So it is true, it is not just a rumour, the Dracos do still exist!” Kerulithar gasped.
“Oh yes, they have just killed a good two hundred and fifty E.O.C. A citizens, however this presents us with a unique opportunity.”
“For what, exactly?”
“Re-unification, to right a three hundred year old wrong.”
“Too much time has elapsed my friend, there is too much hatred on both sides now,” Kerulithar sighed, shaking his head.
“I’m asking you to be that plucky little ambassador I once knew five years ago Kerulithar, one last time, for your own, and for your peoples benefit.”
The Solarian stared through the monitor at him, and it seemed as though long seconds passed between them, “if this goes wrong, it could mean my political career.”
“Or it could be the making of it, all I’m asking is for you to trust me once again, as you once did, old friend.”
“I worked with you once before, and that turned out to be the greatest case of my ambassadorial career. I will work with you again, but I make no promises.”
Michael was buoyed that he managed to get Kerulithar on-board with this, “I will arrange for talks to be held
