May 25 2052
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, pictures from the day of The Raid, and then the show begins.
“This is Victor Grazzi of the Tierra Broadcasting Company, live from Broadcast Central in Canberra.
We at TBC and every other broadcast network on Earth have worked together to provide this special report about the most important picture seen in decades. Every broadcast network is showing this report simultaneously and it will be repeated every four hours until everyone on the planet has had a chance to see it in local prime time.
In this special report we’ll attempt to explain the event captured by the picture that everyone on the planet has seen by now. The picture in question was on the front page of every daily newspaper on Earth. It was the lead story on every news show on the planet as well. It has been on the cover of every magazine published in the last week.”
The picture is shown with Victor Grazzi continuing to speak.
“Earth wants to know, what happened to cause the event in question to occur? Why are Director of Planetary Security Brian Kinney and High General TinTay of the Orkon Legion in a passionate embrace? Why are these supposed foes kissing like their lives depend on it? Was the peace treaty signed only a few hours before the event in question so good that it had to be sealed with a kiss?”
The picture fades away and Victor Grazzi is again shown while a picture of the Presidential Palace appears in the background.
“A week ago tonight, at the Presidential Palace in Lisbon, dignitaries from Earth‘s government and the Orkon Empire were present for the official signing of the peace treaty. After the signing ceremony, an official reception was held in the Grand Hall of the Presidential Palace hosted by President Vasily Ostrov .”
Pictures of the officials present at the treaty signing come onto the screen. Pictures of the Grand Hall, empty and filled with people are shown.
“According to people present, none of the Legion delegation, though this wasn’t true of the other Empire citizens, joined in the reception activities. The Legionarys just stood off to the side and watched what was going on. Finally High General TinTay spoke to his officers and they began to mix with other participants.
A guest at the gala, who has an Imperial translator device implanted in his ear, told one of our reporters that the High General told his men that it was OK to talk to females as long as they didn’t fall in love with them. While the Legion officers did talk to women, when the women iniated the conversation, there wasn‘t a single instance of a Legion officer seeking out a woman during the festivities.
Guests have told me that some of the younger officers did some serious flirting with men at the reception. In at least one case the Legionary and his companion retired to a more private room for consultations.”
A split screen shot of Director Kinney and the High General comes on screen. Both men are staring off into space but they’re obviously in the Grand Hall.
“Those present have told me that Director Kinney and High General TinTay seemed to be avoiding each other during the reception. One woman told me that while the two stayed on opposite sides of the hall they did seem to be looking at the other anytime she happened to look at them though neither would actually make eye contact with his counterpart.
Approximately two hours into the reception Director Kinney walked over to the High General, took him by the hand, led him to the middle of the room, and then the two started to dance which ended with the aforementioned embrace and kiss.
The two then just ran off hand in hand and haven’t been seen in the week since the reception occurred. People were amazed that two men of their advanced ages looked like a pair of teenagers as they ran off of the dance floor.
No one in the Earth government or the Orkon delegation seems to be overly concerned by their absence; so we assume that they’ve been in contact with their respective organizations.”
The Kiss’ appears on the screen again and then dissolves into a picture of the two men exiting the ballroom through a side door.
“While we’ve found out what caused this amazing event and while I would like to claim that we did so after some amazing journalistic research; I have to admit that we figured it out due to a comment made by Director Kinney that was overheard by a waiter at the reception. Using that comment it wasn‘t hard to figure out the truth of the matter and then to find out the details that we’re going to tell you on tonight‘s special edition. I have to warn you that the comment is very graphic and not suitable for younger ears.
After these words from our sponsors we’ll find out the misconception the people of the Earth have lived with for over 50 years.”
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, and more pictures from The Raid.
Three minutes of commercials including one promoting the colonization of the planet Hadrian.
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, clips from videos of Director Kinney over the years, demanding revenge for The Stolen.
“Welcome back to our special report on “The Kiss”. As was reported in our earlier segment the people of Earth were stunned to see a picture of Director Kinney and High General TinTay locked in a passionate kiss and embrace. We here at TBC have interviewed the people in the know and have figured out what led to this amazing event.
When Director Kinney and High General TinTay rushed out of the hall after “The Kiss” they stopped just outside of the door where a waiter overheard Director Kinney tell the High General the following comment.”
A video of a waiter talking to a newsman now plays in the background of the screen.
‘We have 50 years of fucking to make up for and I intend to make a significant start tonight.’
“Luckily one our producers thought to ask the wait staff if they had heard anything at the reception. When the producer heard about Director Kinney’s comment one of those proverbial lights went off over her head. She immediately checked with the Department of Planetary Security and found the web address for the age-updated pictures of The Stolen. As we go to break we’ll show some pictures of The Stolen both from when The Raid occurred and how they would look today.”
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, then two minutes of a slideshow of pictures of The Stolen both from 2001 and age updated.
***
Three minutes of commercials including one promoting the colonization of the planet Lucille.
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, pictures from the fight with the Horab from two years earlier.
“Welcome back to “The Kiss” a TBC special report. Following her instincts our producer started checking the age updated pictures of The Stolen and found that every member of High General TinTay’s staff over the age of 60 appears to be a member of The Stolen though none of them actually look their official age.
High General TinTay and General ToPher, the two highest-ranking officers of the Legion, appear to be Justin Taylor and Christopher Hobbes of Pittsburgh USA. Our producer remembered that Director Kinney was formerly a resident of Pittsburgh and another light bulb went off above her head.”
Pictures of Justin Taylor, Christopher Hobbes, General ToPher, and High General TinTay start showing in the background of the screen.
“Looking at archived stories about the night of The Raid she found an interesting story that probably would’ve been a big story if The Raid hadn’t happened. The site raided by the Horab, in Pittsburgh, all of those years ago was the Senior Prom of the Saint James Academy. The story mentioned how the witness had been amazed when a male classmate had danced with an older man less than an hour before the attack of the Horab. This dance had been the talk of the teenagers until the Horab attack began.
Our staff went to Pittsburgh where they found several women who had been at the Saint James Prom the night of The Raid. Several of the women interviewed remembered the dance of the two males and identified them as Justin Taylor and some old guy. When they were shown a picture of Brian Kinney from 2001 all of them agreed that he was the old guy.
So there it is, The Kiss was nothing more than a continuation of what happened 51 years ago at the Saint James Prom. Brian Kinney, then 30, and Justin Taylor, then 18, were lovers torn apart by the Horab slave raid.
Brian Kinney led the effort to gain revenge for The Raid, sponsored by the Legion, and Justin Taylor was able to rise to the highest rank of the Legion. For 51 years the people of Earth have hungered for revenge for something that turns out to not be what we were led to believe it was. The Stolen were not taken as sexual slaves as we were told but to become members of the Legion. Will this make a difference; only time will tell.”
A video of one of Director Kinney’s calls for revenge for The Stolen is shown.
A split screen of pictures of Donna and Daphne from 2001 fades in to view on the screen.
“As we all know most of the information about the reasons for The Raid came from Donna and Daphne. These were the only women who had been used by the Horab as rude translators to survive the ordeal. While most of the information gained from them before they died proved to be reliable; the idea that The Raid was for sexual slaves evidently wasn’t as valid. After the break we’ll discuss ‘The Kiss’ with people in the know.”
The pictures change to those of Donna and Daphne just before each died.
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, and pictures from the attack on the Legion convoy.
***
3 minutes of commercials including one on the colonization of the planet Sharon.
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, and pictures from the negotiations of the peace treaty.
“Welcome back to this special broadcast on TBC of ‘The Kiss‘. In our earlier segments we showed you the facts behind the conclusion of our staff that The Stolen became members of the Legion and in fact have risen to the very highest ranks of that organization.
We also showed that Director Kinney and High General TinTay have a history together from before The Raid. The next step in our search for explanations was to travel to Pittsburgh and interview anyone connected to Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor still alive.”
Pictures of Pittsburgh both from 2001and the present including the damage done during The Raid are shown on the screen.
“Unfortunately there were very few leads. We could find no connections to Director Kinney’s family, other than his biological son Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus, an Astronomy Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, and his grandson Colonel Taylor Peterson.
Director Kinney’s mother, his sister and her sons were killed in the fighting during The Raid; one of the Horab fighters fell into their house when it was shot down. This fact added to the abduction of his lover might explain why Director Kinney has led the charge for revenge against the Legion and Empire.”
Pictures of Director Kinney’s family and the ruins of his sister’s house are shown.
The screen fades to black and then brightens to a picture of a young family including an obviously pregnant woman.
“Justin Taylor’s family knew little of him. His parents died 10 and 15 years ago. His sister Molly died during the birth of her third child in 2018. Her first two children were too young to remember anything she might have told them about her brother. Her husband never met Justin Taylor and has forgotten anything his first wife might have told him about her brother.”
“Our producer went to the home of Director Kinney’s son, Augustus Marcus-Peterson, PhD. Dr. Marcus-Peterson refused to be interviewed and told our producer that he’d had very little contact with his father during his life and certainly knew nothing about his relationship with Justin Taylor let alone High General TinTay.”
A picture of Gus Marcus-Peterson from his college graduation, with the date of the picture, is now shown in the background.
“I personally talked to Colonel Taylor Peterson, grandson of the Director and a hero of Operation Revenge. Colonel Peterson led the squadron that destroyed a Legion convoy at the very beginning of the war. He was captured by the Legion and then was sent back to Earth to inform the authorities that the Empire wanted to discuss a peace treaty.”
A slide show of pictures of the Colonel is shown which fades into a taped conversation between correspondent Victor Grazzi and Colonel Peterson.
“Colonel Peterson, thank you for consenting to talk to me today.”
“It’s no problem Victor. I’ll tell you what I know since you’ve figured out the part that was being kept secret.”
“Just when did you figure out that the High General was actually Justin Taylor?”
“I didn’t know for sure until I returned to Earth and was able to look at the age modified pictures of The Stolen from Pittsburgh. I suspected the truth but I didn’t know for sure until I saw that computer modified picture.”
Pictures of Justin Taylor and High General TinTay play behind the two men.
“What caused you to suspect the truth?”
“When I was brought to the High Council of the Legion I noticed that many of the members looked very human to me. Others of the council and all of the honor guard were obviously non-human while all were humanoid.
My appearance seemed to throw the High General off and he soon called the meeting to a close. Later that day the High General and General ToPher met with me in my quarters. I asked them if they were of The Stolen and they didn’t know what I was talking about. They did tell me that every Legionary in history had been stolen from their birth planet. That’s how the Legion replenishes its numbers. It’s called a rebirth and is a very tradition controlled process.
Somewhere during the discussion the High General started talking in English even though he didn’t seem to notice. General ToPher did notice and pointed it out to the High General; they then actually started the interrogation, which I thought was very inept. I found out later that they figured out when I was lying, telling the truth or bending the truth.
The two are very experienced soldiers and diplomats and even though our attack had thrown them for a loss they never lost control of the situation. They have hundreds of years of history of space travel and warfare and knew that Earth could never beat them though we could cause them a lot of pain and trouble.
I knew that they were part of The Stolen the second High General TinTay started speaking in English. I began to suspect that he was my grandfather’s long lost lover from comments he made; but I didn’t know for sure until I saw that picture.”
Pictures of Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor from earlier days are shown.
“I then started to try to convince my grandfather that he should get back with Justin but he never gave me any indication that he would even try. Any time I would start pushing him he would tell me to back off. That his job was to look out for the best interests of the people of Earth not the interests of Brian Kinney. All my life I had heard about his love for Justin and wanting him back in his life but now that it seemed that it was possible for them to be together he no longer thought it was possible. I even went so far as to name my son Justin Brian in an attempt to push them together.”
A picture of the Colonel and a small infant is shown, followed by a 4-generation picture of the Colonel’s family.
“When we met with the Empire delegation, on that uninhabited planet, I tried to get the High General to acknowledge who he was and that he still wanted to be with my grandfather. I had no more luck with High General TinTay than I did with my grandfather. His only goal was to get the best possible treaty for the Empire. I was reasonably sure that he’d figured out that I knew that he was Justin Taylor but he never admitted it to me.
Then during the entire time of the negotiations neither my grandfather nor the High General indicated that they knew who the other one was. They hammered out a treaty that’s fair to both sides but they left the planet without saying a word to indicate that they’d ever met before in their lives. I even spoke with General ToPher to see if he knew of anything we could do to get the two back together. His answer basically said that he had no desire to get them back together as a couple.”
Pictures of General ToPher and Christopher Hobbes are shown.
“I was just as surprised as anyone else when my grandfather walked over to the High General and started dancing. As a gay man I can tell you that was one romantic dance and kiss. I’ve heard nothing from my grandfather and so I’ve no idea where they are. I just hope that they’re having a wonderful time and are making up for the 51 years that they were apart. I’ve no idea why my grandfather suddenly changed his mind about getting back with Justin or why TinTay went along with him. I just know that they love each other, always have and always will.”
The Kiss’ returns to the screen.
“Grandfather, High General TinTay, in case you see this I want you both to know how happy I am that you’re finally back together where you belong.”
The tape ends and is followed by 30 seconds of bombastic music, fancy graphics, and pictures of ToPher, TinTay, Colonel Peterson, and Director Kinney.
“There you have the viewpoint of Director Kinney’s family. In our next segment we will hear from the Legion.”
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, and pictures of various Legionarys and Legion ships, and Empire planets take center screen.
***
3 minutes of commercials including one about the colonization of the planet Mindy.
Bombastic music, fancy graphics, and more pictures of Legion and Empire topics.
“Welcome back to our special report on ‘The Kiss’. General ToPher, second in command of the Legion, was good enough to consent to a taped interview.”
30 seconds of bombastic music and graphics fading to the taped interview.
General ToPher’s comments are translated since he speaks in Galachh.
“Thank you General ToPher or should I say Christopher Hobbes for granting this interview.”
“I wouldn’t answer to Christopher Hobbs since that individual died over 60 cycles ago when I was born into The Legion as ToPher.”
“Sorry General, I suppose that is something that we of Earth will have to get used to. The Stolen don’t think of themselves as the boys that we remember being stolen from their homes and loved ones.”
“Well Victor that does vary from Legionary to Legionary. Some remember more of their pre-Legion lives than others. Time also plays its part, I imagine that if this situation had occurred 30 or 40 cycles ago we would remember more than we do today. I personally remember very little about my life before the night The Horab raided Dirt.”
“What the people of Earth are interested in at this point in time is the relationship between Director Kinney and High General TinTay. What can you tell us about this relationship and how it ended up the way it did with ‘The Kiss’?
“I have to tell this my way, that’s simply the way I am Victor. Pardon me if it isn’t the way you want it told.”
“That’s no problem General, we’re interested in what has happened and your input is greatly valued.”
Pictures of Justin Taylor and Christopher Hobbes from the Saint James Academy 2001 yearbook are shown in the background of the screen.
“TinTay and I weren’t friends before we were stolen away from Dirt, we were just school acquaintances.
Then the Horab raided Pittsburgh and our lives changed completely. We no longer had to live our lives according to the rules that we had grown up with here on Dirt. During The Raid TinTay, I mean Justin, was incapacitated by the Horab and I held him in my arms while he was unconscious. We had no idea what was going to happen to us and I just felt comfortable holding him. I remember that I would’ve never dared to hold him like that before we were captured though I don’t really remember why. When he finally woke up he gave me one of his stellar smiles and I’ve loved him ever since.
You have to realize that the way we of The Legion live is very different than how you live here on Dirt or even how people live on the Empire planets. TinTay was the first of the second rebirth of Gkolath to be born a Legionary and he chose me to be his first sponsored baby. I was so thrilled because we were finally able to be together sexually. Over the cycles we’ve both sponsored many babies and have had many other lovers. But I’ve always felt that TinTay was my true love but I was never his true love. From the moment he woke up TinTay always remembered his Brian from before the Horab took us. He never felt that he would see his Brian again and made the most of his career and life in The Legion.
When Colonel Taylor Peterson led the attack that destroyed a Legion convoy and was subsequently captured it became obvious to TinTay that he might meet Brian again since he knew the instant that he saw the Colonel that he was a descendent of the man. During the interrogation of Colonel Peterson the High General determined that his Brian was still alive and more importantly to TinTay that he had considered Justin Taylor to be his lover.
The High General is an amazing man and soldier but I have never seen him so indecisive once he figured this out. While he’d always dreamed of someday getting back with his Brian he knew that would never happen. Then it became possible and he didn’t know what to do. He knew that he had to what was best for The Legion even if that wasn’t what was best for TinTay.
Colonel Peterson kept secret from us that his grandfather was the Director in hopes that when TinTay found out who he was dealing with it would give the Director an advantage in the negotiations. It didn’t work the way the Colonel hoped.
The Colonel did everything he could to push the Director and TinTay back together as a couple and he was very frustrated that neither one acknowledged who the other one was when they met to negotiate the peace treaty. Colonel Peterson even went so far as to name his newborn son after the two in hopes that would push them together.
I know that the Colonel doesn’t know the High General as well as he thought he did and evidently he didn’t know his grandfather as well either. In hindsight both were so afraid of what would happen that neither was willing to take a chance. I say this knowing how brave High General TinTay is. Colonel Peterson even asked me if I knew anything that he could do to get the two back together as a couple. I told him that the question assumed that I wanted them to get back together. On a very selfish note I thought that TinTay was finally over his obsession with the memory of his Brian and that he would finally be able to commit to me.
When we finally got back to Hakim I found out how wrong my assumption had been. TinTay was so miserable that he was almost a different man. He believed that he had finally lost the love of his life for good. I think that he lost all interest in sex, which for most Legionarys and TinTay in particular is an amazing fact. While I had hoped that the two of us could be a couple for the remainder of our lives it soon became obvious that it wasn’t going to happen. I had promised TinTay that I would look out for his best interests and I decided that Director Kinney was in his best interests even if the two of them denied it to themselves.
I then talked with the two other members of the second rebirth of Gkolath from Pittsburgh, still alive; to see if we could remember anything from the night we were captured by the Horab that would help in my quest to get TinTay back with his Brian.
From what you call ‘The Kiss’ I guess I was successful. It was painful to see the two of them purposefully avoiding each other at the reception yet both of them couldn’t keep from staring at the other one all night long. Finally my plan started and the success of it startled me and I’m considered a tactical genius by the general staff of The Legion.
When Director Kinney moved across the room to TinTay and took him by the hand I remembered as clear as daylight when the same thing happened at our Prom all of those cycles ago. As much as I love TinTay and have enjoyed his love over the cycles; my little part in getting the two of them back together has to rank as one of my greatest achievements.”
The Kiss’ again takes center screen.
“What exactly did you do?”
“That is something that TinTay and his Brian will have to tell you.”
“Then you know where the two of them are today?”
“While I don’t know where they are I know what they’re doing.”
“What’s that?”
“Let’s see if I remember the words.
The translator’s words stop and the following is in the voice of the General.
High General TinTay has taken a leave of absence; so that he can enjoy a long overdue Honeymoon with the love of his life Director Brian Kinney.”
“Thank you for your time General ToPher.”
Bombastic music and fancy graphics fade away to Victor Grazzi.
“People of Earth you now know the truth of ‘The Kiss’; Director Kinney and High General TinTay are long lost lovers from before The Raid who have finally found each other. They’re off somewhere making up for over 50 years of separation.”
Bombastic music and fancy graphics fade away to Victor Grazzi.
“This has been a special report by TBC and every other broadcast network on the planet to explain ‘The Kiss’.
To the people of Earth thank you and good-bye.
THE END
EPILOGUE
Somewhere in the universe where they can’t be found Brian and Justin lie entwined in each other’s arms on a bed of soft grass. Clothes are scattered wherever they fell when they were discarded. If one could see emotions then the viewer would be blinded by the love emanating from the two men.
“Brian I can’t believe that I was going to walk out of your life that night.”
“Well Justin, or should I say TinTay? I was going to do the exact same thing.”
“All the Universe knows me as TinTay; I want you to call me Justin.”
“Well Justin when that corny old song started playing I couldn’t control myself. It brought back such strong memories that the next thing I knew I had you in my arms and we were dancing just like we did at your Prom.”
“I had the same reaction Brian, for a corny old song it’s very powerful. Just know that I’ll always save the last dance for you.”
“I imagine that Taylor’s thrilled that we ran away together. Ever since he came back to Earth he’s been pushing me to do everything possible to get back with you. I kept telling him that I had to do what was right for the people of Earth and not worry about was right for Brian Kinney. When I didn’t acknowledge whom you were when we met on that planet, to start the treaty negotiations, I thought he was going to disown me.”
“Well Brian he tried everything he could with me as well; including naming his son after the two of us.
When I first saw him on Hakim I though that he was you, he couldn’t look more like you did that first night I saw you outside of Babylon.
I thought that he was going to explode with impatience when I wouldn’t acknowledge who you were. He even asked ToPher if there was anything they could do to get us back together. I’m glad that he asked ToPher instead of Mikey. My very best friend in the universe really wants what’s best for me and he knows that’s you.
I suppose we should send Taylor a message so that he can know for sure that we’re together. You have been very lucky with your family.”
“I have been lucky with Taylor but Gus barely speaks to me.”
“Well when we go back we’ll have to pay him a visit and make things right between you two.”
“Justin I sent the President my resignation before we left Europe, I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Can you leave your post as High General?”
“No Brian, I can’t resign as High General, the position is for life. But there’s an old tradition that we can use so that we can be together for the rest of our lives even though you aren’t of The Legion. Few High Generals have used it in the last 100 cycles but it’s still a valid tradition.”
“Well what’s this old tradition? ”
“Brian Kinney would you be my concubine?” said with a smile that lights up the universe.