April 25 2052 Earth Transport Ship Enterprise “Grandfather we’ll be landing on the planet in a few minutes. Did you find out whether the High General would be part of the Empire delegation? I really hope that he’s here.” “The last communication just said that a high ranking officer of the Legion would be the head of the Empire delegation. It won’t matter who’s the head of the delegation since I know what I’m willing and authorized by the President to accept. I’m here as the Director of Planetary Security not as Brian Kinney; so if it’s the High General or someone else it won’t matter to me. I’m here to negotiate a treaty between the United Planet of Earth and The Orkon Empire not to meet with someone from my past.” “Grandfather I know why we’re here but it doesn‘t have to be only one or the other. You can deal with the treaty and deal with someone from your past. High General TinTay doesn’t know that you’re the Director of Planetary Security I made sure to keep that from him.” “That was a good tactical decision on your part but I doubt that it’ll make any real difference in the negotiations. If Justin was able to rise to the very highest rank of the Legion he’s not going let my presence change his negotiating positions. Taylor you have to remember that Justin and I are two different men than we were 50 years ago. My duty is to the people of Earth and that duty is what I‘m going to deal with on this trip. My only goal is to get the best possible treaty for the people of Earth.” “Have you decided how you are going to tell the people of Earth that The Stolen became members of the Legion and not sexual slaves? That they’ve risen to the very highest ranks of that organization. Is telling the people of Earth that they‘ve had 50 years of advertising, based on a mistranslated expression, used to promote a desire for revenge part of your duty.” “Taylor I’m not sure I like your attitude. I’ll fulfill my duty as I see fit, just like I’ve done since long before you were born. I’ve got my staff working on how to deal with the idea of The Stolen as members of the Legion as we speak. I think that it won’t be as hard to change public view as many others in the Department think. We’ll play up the fact that we have forced a 1000 planet Empire to seek terms from us. After that has sunk in we’ll start letting the people know that men of Earth became the leaders of the elite military unit of that Empire. Having a signed and sealed treaty will help as well. But how I deal with seeing Justin again is something I have to do on my own in my own way. I know that you mean well Taylor but stay out of my personal business and let me do my job.” “Ok grandfather but you know I just want what is best for you, always have and always will. I was only around High General TinTay a little but I can see why you loved him back before The Raid.” “What I did or didn’t feel before The Raid no longer matters. What matters is getting the best possible treaty signed.” “All right Grandfather I’ll back off but I still think you should go after Justin now that you can.” “Taylor how does it feel to be a father?” “Changing the subject, Grandfather? Finding out that Dad and Mom had gone ahead and used my sperm sample to impregnate a surrogate mother was almost as surprising as it was to find out that your Justin was the High General of the Legion. I imagine that when I held my son in my arms that first morning after his birth was similar to how you felt when you first held Dad in your arms. I hope that you approve of his name.” “It’s the perfect name, Taylor, all things considered.” *** The Tenth Cycle of TinTay Legionary Transport Ship “Tinny, why are we both here? I understand that the Emperor sent word that he wanted you to oversee the negotiations but why did you want me here as well?” “Tophy I need you here for support. For some reason dealing with these Dirters is harder than dealing with any other race I’ve had contact with. I know what I have to do and how to do it but I’m afraid that if you aren’t here to back me up I’ll give away the store. You‘ve always been able to stiffen my resolve; amongst other things.” “Lord General you and I both know better than that. Whether I’m here or not you’ll do your duty to The Legion and to the Empire. Your Brian himself could be the man you have to negotiate with and you would still do your duty. Since he isn’t going to be who you have to deal with you won’t even break a sweat.” “I hope you’re right Tophy, I hope you’re right.” “Never fear Tinny you’ll do what you have to do and do it with the greatest of ease.” *** “I was hoping that you would be here High General. I’ve a gift for you.” “Now why would you have a gift for me, after all I kept you a prisoner for almost a cycle.” “I did attack your convoy so you keeping me a prisoner certainly was within your rights as the leader of the military organization attacked. I certainly have no complaints about how I was treated while I was a prisoner of the Legion. There were times when I felt like I was a member of the Legion instead of a prisoner.” “I suppose that you felt like a member of The Legion while you were fucking more than your share of my Legionarys.” “There’s that little fact.” “Well Major Taylor Peterson I hope that these negotiations go well for the sake of your people and the people of the Empire.” “I was promoted High General I’m now a colonel. It seems that since I led the only attack that actually caused harm to the Legion my higher ups felt that I should be rewarded.” “That’s good news Colonel Taylor Peterson.” “You can just call me Taylor, High General.” “OK Taylor, I’ll try to remember to call you that, if it’s what your prefer.” “All of my friends call me Taylor and I want to think of you as a friend. That’s why I brought you this gift.” “Well now you have my curiosity involved, Taylor.” “It isn’t much but I hope you like it.” “What is it?” “It’s a photo projector, you download pictures into it and then they are projected onto any flat surface. You can also add vocal descriptions if you desire. There are two photos that I hope you might find especially interesting. The remainder of the pictures are just typical tourist views from various parts of Earth. Just push this button to start and then this arrow button will go to the next picture and this button will start a slideshow of all the pictures.” “Who are these people with you Taylor?” “This is a four generation picture of the men of my family. This is my grandfather, Brian Shawn Kinney, my father, Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus, this is me, Taylor Kinney Peterson, and this is my son, Justin Brian Peterson.” “You never mentioned having a son before.” “That’s because I didn’t have one when we met the last time.” “What?” “JB was only two weeks old when this picture was taken; just before I left Earth to come to this meeting.” “How can that be, you were on Hakim when a baby of that age would have been conceived. I may have had nothing to do with females in over 60 cycles but I know how long a pregnancy lasts.” “When my parents found out that I had been captured by the Legion they went ahead and used my sperm sample to have a surrogate mother impregnated. They were afraid that I would never come home and they wanted a grandchild. I wasn’t really all that thrilled about the idea when I got home but from the moment I first held him I can’t imagine not having him in my life.” “You have a handsome family Taylor.” “The next picture is of my grandfather Brian and JB.” “It’s a lovely picture as well. Where did you come up with the name Justin, the Brian part is obvious?” “Justin is the name of an old family friend I just recently met.” “Thank you for the gift Taylor.” “It was nothing High General, when you come to Earth I’ll be able to show you how to put more pictures into it; you’ll be able to change the generic ones for more personalized photos. I’ll see you later at the preliminary meetings. I’m the military aide to the Director of Planetary Security. The Powers that Be seem to think my little sojourn on Hakim qualifies me for that position, at least for these talks.” “Yes I’ll see you then and thanks again for the pictures, I look forward to meeting little JB.” *** Finally the participants from both sides meet in the designated site for the negotiations. “I’m Colonel Taylor Peterson, since I know the leaders of both delegations I’ll do the introductions. High General TinTay of the Legion of Orkon this is Brian Kinney the Director of Planetary Security of the United Planet of Earth.” “High General I hope that we’ll be able to come to a fair and equitable treaty to solve the problems between our peoples.” “Director Kinney my objectives are the same. This is General ToPher my second in command. Are the translator devices working properly?” “Yes High General; I understand what you’re saying perfectly.” “Then Mr. Director we had better start working on the details of this treaty so that the bureaucrats can do the bureaucratic job of making a treaty that can be signed by both sides.” *** “Mr. Director I have told you that the Empire and The Legion are very tradition bound. There are some traditions that simply can’t be broken.” “What tradition is it this time, High General?” “The rebirth process is nothing but tradition upon tradition. For over a thousand cycles The Legion has replenished its numbers through rebirths. This is simply something we’ll not compromise on.” “Your zygotes have to be stolen from their home planet?” “That’s the tradition of The Legion. To continually get zygotes from the same planet, even if they volunteer, would skew the makeup of The Legion.” “Why does that matter, and don’t tell me it is because of tradition?” “It is tradition but it’s also practical. The Legion stays fluid in its makeup. For a while The Legion is composed mostly of the latest rebirth but as time passes the numbers of that rebirth decrease and then a new rebirth is sanctioned and the majority of the Legionarys are of a new race. At this point in time there are members of 10 rebirths in The Legion, though over half of the Legionarys are of the first rebirth of TinTay. There is one member of the fourth rebirth of JayeMar who has been of the Legion for over 100 cycles. If we recruited from one planet for multiple rebirths then The Legionarys would eventually become almost totally of one race, then the Empire would fear that The Legion would become loyal to that race instead of the Empire.” “What if you were to recruit from a different planet for each rebirth instead of raiding?” “That’s a possibility that we’ll have to think about. We can agree to make sure that The Horab never raid Dirt or any Dirt protected planet again.” “That’s acceptable to us but you should inform the Horab that we’ll shoot them on sight in any stellar system that we claim, either as a colony or ally.” “That’s acceptable to The Legion.” “The people of Earth are going to demand something from the Empire and the Legion to pay for the horrors of The Raid.” “As the representative of The Legion I’m prepared to serve as the scapegoat if that’s necessary.” “Lord General you know that the Emperor will not stand for any such action on your part.” “General ToPher remember your position.” “Yes Lord General, pardon me Mr. Director.” “High General it would serve no purpose for you to be punished in any way. There’s no way that you’re to blame for The Raid. Is there anyone who would’ve had some say in authorizing The Raid?” “No, those Legionarys are long dead and besides The Legion has no control on what planet The Horab raid for a rebirth. You’ve punished The Horab for their part in The Raid probably more than you think.” “What do you mean by that comment High General?” “According to Imperial Intelligence you destroyed over half of The Horab fleet when they raided you a few of your years ago.” “Since there are very few people still alive who had a direct connection to any of The Stolen a possible solution might be for the Legion to build monuments to the members of The Stolen in each of The Twelve. Then the citizens of those cities, and Earth in general, will know what happened to their sons. Would that be possible?” “Certainly. but we don’t have any records for those zygotes that died before they arrived at the rebirth center or those that were aborted.” “That’s just a detail that can be worked out by the bureaucrats.” *** “Grandfather it has been three days and you haven’t called him Justin even once. You haven’t made any effort to get to know him again. What’s the matter, you’ve wanted to be with him again for over 50 years now you have the chance and you do nothing.” “Taylor I told you when we first arrived that I was here as the Director of Planetary Security. High General TinTay is here in his official capacity. We’re here to negotiate a treaty and that’s what’s happening. Taylor you have to get past this need for me to get back with Justin, I have. I loved Justin Taylor but we are dealing with High General TinTay. After the official signing of the treaty on Earth and then on Orkon I’ll never see the High General again. Life goes on Taylor and we have to live with what life deals us. When the Horab took Justin away from me all those years ago our chance to be a couple was taken with him. I’m glad that he has prospered and he’s still a beautiful man but that’s as far as it’s ever going to go.” *** “Lord General the negotiations have gone well don’t you think?” “Yes General ToPher, both sides have to be happy with what we’ve accomplished. Once the treaty is officially signed and the hostilities are over then we can start working together and both sides will benefit from this new status.” “Colonel Taylor Peterson played his hand well, it’s too bad that he was too old to have been taken into the first rebirth of TinTay. He would’ve made a great Legionary. Tinny you did a great job of not reacting to finding out that your Brian was the Director.” “That had to have been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life but I had no choice. I’m here for The Legion and Empire not me. I might want Brian as much as I ever have but it isn’t going to happen, I don’t even know if he recognized me, he certainly didn’t indicate anything.” “He knew who you were Tinny, have no doubt about that. We have to remember that over 60 cycles have passed since the night we were captured by the Horab. He’s moved on with his life just like you moved on with your life. I know that it hurt you that he didn’t acknowledge you but I imagine it hurt him as well that you didn’t acknowledge him either. Once the treaty has been signed then you never have to see him again.” “I knew I was right to bring you with me Tophy. If you weren’t here I might go crawling to see him one last time. I’m the High General of The Legion and that would be beneath my dignity and the honor of The Legion. You’re right once the treaties are signed I’ll never have to see Brian again and hopefully I’ll be able to finally forget him. Taylor did play his hand well but it was so obvious how upset he was that neither Brian nor I went along with his plan. He’s still young he’ll get better as he ages. Naming his son after me was a slick move as well.” “To be fair Tinny I think that was done honorably. Colonel Taylor Peterson genuinely likes you and naming his son was just what he said, naming him after an old family friend. He’ll eventually come to terms with the fact that you’re no longer Justin Taylor and don‘t want to be with his grandfather anymore.” *** “General ToPher I’m glad that I was able to find you before you left.” “What can I do for you Colonel Taylor Peterson?” “My Grandfather and the High General spent hours together and neither one of them indicated that they knew who the other one was.” “They were negotiating a treaty; what were you expecting to happen?” “I expected that Brian and Justin would talk to each other about their feelings for each other.” “There was no Justin here Colonel Taylor Peterson. Justin Taylor died when TinTay was born a Legionary.” “General ToPher you must remember something that we can use to get them to admit that they love each other and want to get back together as a couple.” “Colonel Taylor Peterson you must think that I want TinTay and your grandfather to get back together as a couple. Taylor is dumbstruck by the General’s comment. TBC