Part 35 (1/2)

”You can't let me explode and burn! Think of all our years together. Some were happy. Please, I'm begging you. Come after me. We'll hurry.”

”How much time, Nigel, before minimum-”

”No!” Jana shouted, startling everyone and causing Varian to look her way. ”It's a trick to make you die with her. Even if there was enough time left, she would entrap you there. It's a trick, Varian. Please don't go.”

Varian pulled his troubled gaze from Jana's and asked Nigel the same question. ”If there's any chance, I have to take it, no matter who she is or what she's done. She might be telling the truth.”

Jana looked at Varian and said, ”If you leave this s.h.i.+p, so will I. If it's safe for you to go over in the shuttle, you won't mind me tagging along. If I can't go along, then it's too dangerous for you to do so. Right?”

Others quickly protested their commander's seeming intention to imperil his life saving a woman's they didn't think deserved it.

Varian silenced everyone. ”I'll test her honesty,” he said, then told Canissia that he was sending a security team over. ”Be at the hatch,” he ordered. ”You'll have less than a minute to climb-”

”Don't bother, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! It's you or no one.”

Varian glanced at Jana. ”I'm not coming over, Ca.s.s, so you can trap me there to blow up with you. Use the escape pod and we'll recover it.”

”No. I'm going to die and you're to blame. You're killing me. You.”

”You're killing yourself, Ca.s.s; you have been for a long time. If you want to live, get to the escape pod now and jettison it. Time's wasting.”

”If you hadn't brought Jana to Maffei, we would still be together.”

”We had called it off long before I met Jana and our time together was brief. I never deceived you, Ca.s.s, never. I always told you that you weren't the woman for me. Every time you came after me, I told you the truth again.”

”You want that alien b.i.t.c.h for your wife, don't you?”

”Yes, Ca.s.s, I do. I can marry her now that she's free.”

Canissia sent a stream of crazy laughter over the system. ”You can't have her. She's bound to Ryker forever. She's-”

Varian halted her words; he was sure they were about the baby. ”Goodbye, Ca.s.s.” He looked at Jarre and ordered him to get them out of there.

Varian put on a headset and had Canissia's last words fed only to his ears. He kept his head lowered to conceal the warring emotions racing through his body as the woman cursed him and Jana, boasted of her crimes, and painted mental pictures of what she wished she could do to the couple.

Jana walked to Varian's side, pulled off the tormenting headset, and smiled at him. ”Don't do this to yourself. You aren't responsible for her black fate. She never intended to surrender. You did your duty to the best of your ability; that's all anybody can ask for. Let it go, Varian.”

Varian's hand reached out and caressed her cheek. ”Having power and rank aren't always easy, Jana. Some decisions are painful.”

”I know, but there are some you can't make for others, like Canissia.”

”I wanted to bring her in alive for questioning.”

”You can question me later; she talked a great deal to me.”

”Commander Saar, we're in safety zone and on stand-by,” Jarre informed him.

”Thanks, Jarre,” Varian said, recalling how many times in days gone by he had heard those words from Tesla Rilke, a friend he still missed.

All eyes were on the monitor when the stolen Pyropean vessel exploded. s.h.i.+p fragments and debris scattered in all directions at a high rate of speed. What appeared to be fire was quickly extinguished without oxygen. Smoke swirled like clouds in the fading light. Then, it was quiet and dark again, and the s.h.i.+p was destroyed.

”Are you picking up an escape pod anywhere?” Varian questioned Vaiden.

”None, sir. She didn't attempt to save herself.”

”I want every piece of debris checked to make certain she didn't pull the same trick ... Ryker and Jana did when they fled Taemin's trap.”

Varian stood with Jana near the transascreen. ”It's over, love,” he said in a voice too quiet to be overheard. ”She was the last step.”

”What about Taemin? He's still alive and free, perhaps a threat.”

”Not anymore. He's in the Baracavia Galaxy. While you were resting, I received a message from Jurad via Brec. Jurad took away Taemin's wealth, s.h.i.+p, and crew; he had his son dropped on one of Bara's planets, which is at about the same stage of advancement as Earth. He's stranded there until they can manage s.p.a.ce travel, so he's no threat to us. It's better than he deserves, but it's their law. Even if he got off that planet, he can't return to Pyropea; he's been exposed and banished for life. His marriage was abolished and his wife sent home to her family; the Tarterrians would never give him aid or sanctuary. Everyone in the Tri-Galaxy will soon know not to trust him or befriend him.”

”That's better than nothing. If we can sneak a visit later, I need to tell you some of Canissia's secrets.”

”Is that the only reason you want to see me in private?”

”What other motive could I have, you l.u.s.ty s.p.a.ce pirate?”

”What other motive indeed?” he murmured with a seductive grin.

”Remember the first time we stood at this window together? You were proving my new fate to me. You said, and I quote: 'I had counted on your superior intelligence and keen perception to convince you that I spoke the truth,' and I responded: 'You win, Commander.' You said: 'I never doubted for that victory for a single minute, Jana.' Well, you s.p.a.ce rogue, you have won-my heart and my commitment-and you always knew you would. I'm glad you never gave up on me, on us.”

”We'll be happy, Jana, I promise.”

”I know we will, all three of us.” Jana glanced at Nigel and Andrea and amended, ”All five of us.”

”Nothing but debris, sir,” Vaiden reported. ”No survivor or pod.”

”Take us to Darkar, Jarre.”

”Yes, sir. What speed, sir?”

”Starlight. This beautiful and special lady is eager to get home and get her new life in order. Right, Jana?”

Chapter Twenty-one.

”Are you sure? Avatar Kael?” Varian asked Jana once they were settled in his quarters.

”Yes, but it wasn't his fault and he doesn't even know what he's been doing.” Jana explained what Canissia had told her about the planetary ruler of Zandia. ”Now you'll be able to end her spell over him. I don't know how the formula of AntiRen has remained hidden from me and Tris. We'll search the records again after I reach Trilabs. We certainly don't want that powerful secret to fall into the wrong hands.”

”You've been a superb partner in all of this, Moonbeam. I knew you were special the first moment I saw you. The more I was with you, the more I realized that truth. I chose well, the best, Jana Greyson. I'm only sorry it took so long for us to find peace and happiness.”

”We have endured a lot of trials and tribulations, my love, but they're over now. Besides, some of them were very stimulating and educational and strengthening. How many people can live on the edge and taste danger without actually getting hurt? All we've been through has brought us closer together. We do make an excellent team, Rogue Saar.”

”I wouldn't want to repeat any of those episodes. I almost lost you.”