Atlantis and the Scythe had just entered the system, headed for the outer markers; when a small shuttle left the Scythe and landed on the Atlantis. Jon, Marc, Bish, and the Invaru marines with Illus transferred to the Atlantis. They were greeted with cheers once they landed. Jon smiled and shook the hands of several of the people gathered until he came to the Princess. She looked even more beautiful then he had remembered and he bowed to her.
"I understand Deatra, you had something to do with the rescue attempt," Jon said smiling.
Deatra blushed, "Yes, a little something. A certain little girl wanted you back."
Sam who had been hiding behind Deatra's dress came running towards Jon. She leapt up and into his arms kissing him on the cheek. "Welcome back! I missed you."
Jon smiled at Sam hugging the little girl close, he could get used to having her around he thought. "No company?"
Sam glanced at Deatra, and then leaned to Jon's ear, "I think she likes you." She whispered
Jon coughed and blushed, "Do you now?"
Sam nodded, "Deatra kept me company and took care of me while you were away."
Jon smiled, "Thank you for keeping the little one company Deatra."
Sam frowned, "Oh no, not you too."
Jon looked at Sam, "Oh no, not me too?"
Sam huffed, "She," Sam said pointing at Deatra, "Calls me 'Little one' too."
Jon and Deatra busted out laughing, Sam's frown grew then she started laughing too.
Jon set her down as his personal guard formed up around him and Deatra. Jon glanced over at Deatra with a, we'll be talking about this later, look.
Jon looked about and spotted Brad off to the side talking to a few of the Invaru and some of his engineers and walked over to him.
Brad smiled when he saw his old friend, "Looks like you're ok."
"Yes, very interesting trip, not one I care to repeat. I need to talk to you in private, now if you don't mind." Jon said motioning Brad off to the side.
Brad and Jon walked a bit from the rest of the people, Brad was the first to speak up.
"I'm sorry Jon but she had it coming, you had given an order and I'll be damned if I wasn't going to follow it. You had me take Atlantis off-line for a reason and I didn't care to find out by turning her back on." Brad said in defense, crossing his arms across his chest.
Jon was startled, "What? Who?"
Brad groaned, "You don't know?"
"I've no idea what you're going on about."
"Carla and I had it out, she took command of the Atlantis on the Princess' behalf. Carex was removed from command, because of your kidnapping, by the Princess. Carla came down into Engineering demanding I turn Atlantis back on. I told her you had ordered Atlantis taken off-line and I wasn't going against that order. She, in not so many words, told me that she was in command now and to do as she asked. I refused even after she threatened to have me brought up on charges and thrown in the Brig."
Jon raised an eyebrow, "It's ok I'll take care of it, you did right. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Atlantis has some programming that needs removed or modified." Jon described the problem in detail to Brad.
People had started to drift off, Marc took the Invaru to show them were they could bed down. Jon walked back over to Deatra and Sam, rubbing Sam on the head, Jon turned to look at Deatra.
"Princess, you and I are going to have a long talk later. Right now I have to get to the bridge for docking procedures," Jon turned and walked off, leaving a stunned Deatra standing with her mouth open.
Sam looked up at Deatra, "Someone's in trouble with a capital T."
Deatra closed her mouth and looked down at Sam and busted out laughing.
Fifteen minutes later Jon entered the Bridge. He looked over to where Carex was monitoring the viewer. When the marine shouted "Captain on deck." Everyone turned and stared then busted out talking and welcoming him back. Carla stood from the Captain's chair and smiled.
"The bridge is yours Sir," Carla said.
"No, XO you have the bridge, Ensign Carla my ready room right now," Jon said in a stern voice.
Carla paled and walked to the ready room as Carex took the Captain's Chair. Everyone else got quiet and suddenly had something to do. Jon looked about one last time and walked into his ready room.
"Sir I..." Carla started.
"Stop," Jon said as he sat down behind his desk.
Carla's head sank.
Jon looked up at her, "Carla, while I think you're ready to be an XO. I don't think you are ready to be a Captain. What you did in Engineering was way out of line, you don't go around ordering people just because you can. You not only ordered Brad to turn Atlantis back on against my orders, you threatened him when you didn't get your way. You can't handle people like that, they just will not respond in a positive fashion."
Carla nodded a tear running down her face, "I just wanted to get you back."
Jon smiled a half smile, "I know, I'm very grateful for that. But you should have followed Carex's lead, he should have been in command."
"The Princess had stripped him of rank and confined him to quarters for loosing you. I had to force her into restoring his rank and allowing him on the bridge."
"The Princess, however powerful she might be, doesn't command this vessel. We do, not the Eutharan people, or the Buranis, or even the Invaru, we do."
"He falls under her rule though."
Jon tilted his head sideways and though for a second, "How do I explain this, not when he is an XO assigned to this ship under my command. He falls under our rule, by doing what she did she disrupted the chain of command of this vessel. That will not happen again."
"Yes Sir," Carla said
"I want you to go apologize to the Chief," Jon said as he turned his chair to look out the window. "I also want you to remove the bars you have."
Carla looked crest fallen.
"Replace them with Lieutenant Junior Grade bars," Jon said smiling to himself as he watched Carla's face brighten in the reflection on the window. "That's all Lieutenant."
"Yes Sir, thank you Sir, I won't let you down," Carla said saluting.
Jon swung back around and returned the salute, Carla almost skipped out of his ready room. Jon got up. He had one more thing to take care of as he left his ready room and headed for his cabin.
Jon was getting annoyed by being constantly followed around, annoyed because he didn't know why. The two guards stationed outside of his room saw the annoyed expression and moved out of his way, bowing low. Jon took a deep breath and stepped up to the door. Allowing it to open, he walked through.
Deatra was sitting on the couch talking with Sam when Jon walked in. She looked up and saw the look on his face and started to worry. Sam oblivious to the look in his eyes jumped up and ran to Jon, grabbing his legs in a fierce hug. Jon smiled and crouched down and hugged her back.
After a moment Jon said, "Sam do you think you could go out and have one of the guards take you to see the bridge?"
Sam's eyes lit up, "Really?"
Jon nodded, "Yes, you tell the guard I said to take you up to see the bridge. I'll call Carex and smooth everything over with him."
Sam hopped up and down and ran for the door like death itself was after her. Once she was gone Jon placed the call informing Carex to expect company, then turned to Deatra.
"Computer seal this room," Jon said in a dead pan voice.
Deatra started to squirm as she started to worry more.
Sealed. The mechanical voice said.
Jon turned to Deatra, "Ok, out with it."
Deatra stared at Jon, "With what?"
"Don't play coy with me, tell me what's going on here," Jon almost yelled.
Deatra squirmed a bit more, "We're bonded."
It was Jon's turn to stare at her, "What?"
"We're bonded, you and I, for life."
"What exactly does bonded mean?"
Deatra sighed, she knew this was coming, "It means, that you and I, are connected. My people bond only once, never more than that. Through the bond we share everything, thoughts, wants, desire, and our life. If you die I die, I don't know if you would die if I died but I wouldn't want to test that. Because I'm a Princess, heir to the Empire, that makes you a Prince and heir to the Empire. When I become Queen, if I become Queen, you become King. Most Bond Mates marry, I was hoping eventually we might. The bond forces me to love you and to protect you. That's why you have the guards, that's why I was so harsh with Carex. If you had died..."
Jon sat down and paled, "I've been fighting it, the moment I saw you I fell in love with you, felt a connection. I wasn't sure what was going on or even if it was real. What about my sister?"
"Officially, she's a Princess, next in line after me," Deatra scooted closer to Jon.
Jon looked back to Deatra and felt the love coming from her, suddenly he stood up and moved away. Jon turned and placed his back to her and thought about everything she just said. Deatra felt what was going on and gave him the time to think it through. Slowly Jon turned back to face her.
"Before we go any further, there's one thing we need to get straight," Jon said his face filling with anger.
Deatra backed off and started to tremble.
"Don't you ever interfere with my ship or operations again. When you are on the station or on a ship belonging to me you will be treated as a Princess with all rights and honors you deserve. But do not try to affect how anything is run, this includes your people under my command."
"Our," Deatra said quietly, her eyes were down cast.
"Huh?"
"You said 'your people' it's now 'our people'. I'm sorry I was only trying to help, we, I needed you back."
"I understand that, but you removed Carex from command position, the most senior officer on this vessel besides me. Then turned it over to Carla, while she is capable, she is still inexperienced. You could have all been killed, the proper thing to have done would have been to take Atlantis back to the station and get the Titan, then come after me."
Deatra nodded, "I'm sorry."
"I'm glad you did what you did, we needed you and you showed up at just the right time. Just don't let it happen again."
Deatra was confused and looked up to see Jon smiling at her a twinkle in his eye, which she returned.
"So tell me, do we get time to know each other or must we hurry off and get married?" Jon asked smirking.
Deatra laughed.
When Jon got back to the Bridge he heard Sam firing off question after question about what things do. He smiled and walked over to where she was sitting on the lap of Carla looking at her station. When Sam saw him she smiled and jumped down taking his hand and pulling him down close.
"There's too many different buttons," Sam said quietly "how do you keep track of them all."
"Well," Jon said with a gleam in his eye, "we count each one four times a day to make sure none of them have run off."
Sam eyed him suspiciously, "You do not, do you?"
Carla started laughing.
Sam groaned and socked Jon in the leg.
Jon looked up at Carla, "Spoil sport, I almost had her sold," He said laughing.
For that Sam punched him again.
"Sam go back down and keep an eye on Deatra for me, ok?"
Sam nodded, running over to one of the guards, grabbed his hand and half dragged him to the lift. The guard looked like he had just turned a corner and was facing fifty troops alone. Jon was sure the guard would be thoroughly questioned on his way down.
Snickering Jon walked back and accepted the Captain's chair from Carex, "Report."
"Sir we're at the outer marker and the station hasn't contacted us yet," Carex said
"Incoming transmission from Ghost Station," Carla said.
"There they are," Jon said, "Put it through."
"Captain, we have a situation here, you are cleared to dock at docking bay six. The Scythe is cleared to dock at repair dock one." Ghost's voice said.
Jon looked over at Carex.
"I noticed the Eutharan Heavy Carrier Arc Light docked, as to the trouble I have no idea."
"What seems to be the trouble Ghost?"
"It's your sister Captain, she's being held captive on deck 42." Ghost replied
Jon leapt from his chair and said, "WHAT?!"
"Just please get here as quickly as possible, Cmdr. Hawkins has been injured and we are in a stand off with the Admiral from the Arc Light." Ghost replied.
"I'll be there faster than you can say 'someone's going to die.'" Jon said as he turned to Carla. "Get me the Scythe."
Vors was still holding Terri's hair threatening to shoot her if they didn't back off. Bill had edged closer and was holding his rifle towards Vors. Vors' marines were trying to cover both directions at once while protecting the Admiral.
Jon and his Guards materialized directly in front of his sister and Vors. Everyone gasped at the unexpected display, Jon was dressed in heavy battle armor with the Royal seal on it. Vors looked at Jon then at Jon's armor and grimaced.
Jon took a step forward, his face calm, "You must be Admiral Vors."
When Vors' marines saw Jon's armor and the seal several of them laid their weapons down and retreated back.
"Yes and you must be Captain Hunter," Vors sneered.
Jon smiled, "No, I'm Prince Hunter-C'loth of the Eutharan First Tier House."
"Yeah and I'm the King, glad to meet you." Vors laughed.
Jon grinned an evil grin, pointing at Terri, "Terri is my sister, which by your laws makes her a Princess First Tier, you're in so much trouble right now you'll never dig yourself out."
Vors laughed and leaned down to Terri, "Hear that Princess you've just be promoted from bitch to Princess."
"Glad you find that amusing," Jon said as he waved off to the side of him. "You'll really like this, can I introduce you to my Bond-Mate, Princess Deatra C'loth of the Eutharan First Tier House?"
Deatra stepped from behind the wall and glared at Vors, "The King and Queen will not be happy about this."
"Sorry Princess but my orders come from them, I'm to secure this station," Vors said glancing at Jon then back to Deatra. "Even if you order me to leave, I can't follow them, my orders come from the King and Queen." Vors wrapped his hand tighter in Terri's hair causing her to scream in pain.
"Vors, you're walking a thin line with me," Jon said taking another step closer. "You hurt my sister again and I'll kill you with my bare hands."
"Release my vessel."
"You don't have a vessel to command anymore Vors, the Arc Light is now my vessel."
Vors started thinking about his options, clearly Jon was of the royal line, which meant Terri was too. Jon had the right to remove him from command, but yet he was doing the King's bidding. Vors made up his mind.
"Since I'm going to die here anyway I'm taking her with me," Vors said as he pointed the gun at Terri's head.
Quicker than anyone could react something hit Vors under both arm pits, numbing his arms. Vors' gun dropped from fingers that no long could move or feel, Terri's hair unwound and fell from his grasp. Something hit him in both knees making him fall into a kneeling position on the floor. Vors' eyes widened as something reached around him and grasped his chin. Something hisses in his right ear, "Time to die evil man who would hurt precious Terri person." With that the arm flexed twisting Vors' head completely around so that he was looking back behind himself. Vors' body slumped and fell lifelessly to the floor as Oojoung faded into view, he was looking at Vors' remaining men. They all laid their weapons down and backed off.
Jon ran to check on Terri and make sure she was ok, after checking her over and having Andie come take her to Medical he turned to Gilas.
Jon walked up to Gilas and said, "I told you that this would happen, now that I'm pissed it's time to go visit the King and Queen."
Gilas eyes got wide as Jon stormed off after his sister, followed closely by Deatra and their guards. Gilas sighed, "Corporal take these men back to the detention level and clean this mess up."
Prasuh was pissed. He paced the bridge of his ship, his hands clasping and unclasping. He looked up at Jodeas' face on the viewer.
"What do you mean they escaped?" Prasuh demanded.
Jodeas flinched, "Master, sympathizers impersonating the Emperor's Guard came aboard and took him away. They landed on the Scythe and then attacked us, the Atlantis appeared and added to the confusion. When I called the fleet they tried to intercept them but it was of no use."
"Did the Hammer take much damage?" Prasuh asked.
"No Master."
"Then why are you not in pursuit of them?"
"We were waiting for you."
"By we you mean your crew?"
"Yes Master."
"Where is the other fleet?"
"They left in pursuit Master."
"You and your crew had better catch up."
"Yes Master we will leave right now."
Prasuh nodded as the link faded, "Get me the Emperor."