The Last Son of Sol Part 3

Lt. Tylina Dos Eska asked, "What are you doing here?"

Commander Onix replied, "I assume you are talking to Jules, as this is my station. I have the bridge."

Jules said, "The captain told me to come here."

Lt. Dos Eska asked, "If you are here, then who is flying the captain's scout ship?"

Jules said, "What do you mean, who's flying it? I assume that it would still be on the hanger deck."

Lt. Dos Eska replied, "Actually it left the ship just before you arrived on the bridge. I assumed you were flying it."

Jules said, "Connect to it. I want to talk to him."

The comm. officer opened a channel to the scout ship.

A picture of Captain Ranaz appeared on the screen. He said, "Sorry about the subterfuge, Jules, but if you knew what I was planning, you would try to stop me."

Jules asked, "Who's flying the ship?"

Captain Ranaz replied, "I am."

"Then who's your gunner?"

"My gunner is Benki."

Jules asked, "Why are you using a gunner from another tribe? I thought you didn't want to fly the scout ship."

Captain Ranaz replied, "Actually what I said all those years ago was that I would let you fly it as long as I need you to fly it. Now I am doing what I need to do."

"But why did you leave me behind?"

Captain Ranaz and Benki both replied, "Dios Bien Mortius."

Every body on the ASC Blazing Star turned to Jules. She said, "It means "Today is a good day to die." This is a suicide mission, and they both know it."

The comm. channel closed before any one could say anything else.

The com officer said, "Sir, we are being hailed by Ambassador Kunqwi."

Commander Onix replied, "Oh great. Just what we need. Well, put him on."

The Algerian Ambassador appeared on screen. He said, "I demand to talk to Captain Ranaz immediately."

Jules replied, "Captain Ranaz is not here right now. If you tell me the nature of your message, I might just pass it on to him."

Ambassador Kunqwi said, "I demand that he recalls the ship that was just launched from the Blazing Star, before it endangers our peace negotiations."

Jules turned to Commander Onix. She asked, "Peace negotiations? What?"

Lt. Tylina Dos Eska replied, "Jules, he means to talk to the Drackonia. His purpose is to get them to cease hostilities."

Jules turned back to the screen. She said, "Are you completely bonta?"

Lt. Dos Eska replied, "She means crazy."

Jules said, "The Drackonia don't negotiate. They exterminate. If you want to waste your breath trying go right ahead. But know this, they will kill you just for trying."

Ambassador Onix appeared on the screen. He said, "Ambassador Kunqwi, what do you think you are doing?"

Ambassador Kunqwi replied, "You must do what you think is best for your people. I must do what I think is best for mine."

Ambassador Onix said, "Ambassador Kunqwi, what's best for your people is to blast the Drackonia out of existence. They have already razed Algeria. It would be best to destroy them before they realize they left survivors and send some one back to finish the job."

Ambassador Kunqwi replied, "You may have the entire InterGallatic Alliance convinced that war is the only way to deal with these people, but I would like to try a diplomatic approach. If any one attempts to interfere, I will consider them an enemy of peace and fire on them."

Jules said, "I've heard enough. Just end the transmission already." The comm officer pressed a button on the panel. The screen went black. Jules asked, "Can you transmit to just my people?"

The comm officer replied, "Yes I can."

Jules said, "Well, then do it."

The comm officer turned to look at Commander Onix. He nodded. The comm officer turned back to the comm panel. He pressed a few buttons. He said, "Transmitting."

Jules said, "I am Jullilana Ulana Lewoola Esphani Salura, daughter of High Chief Jotaan Salura of the Akirra tribe, and priestess Lewoola Inseata of the Wolkien tribe. I have kept the precepts and have been blessed with the gift of Second Sight. I hearby claim the title of High Priestess of the Lathios people. My first command as High Priestess is to officially declare Vensauwiaaa against the Drackonia." She turned to the comm officer and singled that she was done talking.

The comm officer closed the channel.

Captain Jones-Ranaz said, "Show me John's ship. I want to keep track of it."

The officer at the comm panel pressed a few buttons. The screen switched to an image of Captain Ranaz's scout ship flying through the enemy ships.

The crew of the ASC Blazing Star watched as he scout ship flew close to the largest ship in the enemy fleet. The was an explosion. The scout ship disappeared. The explosion damaged a large number of the enemy ships.

Captain Terra Jones-Ranaz said, "Good by, old friend."

Jules asked, "How many of the enemy ships are sill functioning?"

Lt. Dos Eska replied, "Fifteen."

Jules said, "Commander Onix, this is your ship now. What are your orders?"

Commander Onix replied, "Aim all weapons at the Drackonia and open fire."

The bridge officers obeyed their orders. In a matter of minutes, the Alliance fleet destroyed or incapacitated all of the enemy ships.

Captain Terra Jones-Ranaz left the bridge.

Tythi walked onto the bridge. He said, "You ready to go, cousin?"

Jules replied, "Yeah. We're done here."

Tythi said, "Well, then I can fly you over to your dad's ship."

Jules replied, "I can fly myself."

Tythi responded, "No you can't. At least not now. One, you just claimed the title of High Priestess. And second, your friend just blew up the ship that you were flying. So you really can't fly yourself. So come on."

Jules turned to Commander Onix. She said, "If there are any more Drackonia out there, my people will take care of them. Thank you for your assistance in this matter." Jules turned and walked towards the turbo-lift.

Commander Onix asked, "Will we ever see you again?"

Jules replied, "Me? No. But you might encounter a few of my people from time to time." Jules and Tythi stepped into the turbo-lift.

The turbo-lift doors closed. A few minutes later, the three scout ships left the ASC Blazing Star.
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Ambassador Onix stepped up to the podium. He said, "My fellow citizens, one year ago today, Algeria was attacked by a race that was later identified as the Drackonia. I like most of you thought that this race was a myth before the attacks on the InterGallatic Alliance worlds. Thankfully the Lathios were just as real. They came to our rescue when we needed them the most. Many people died during the Drackonia Attacks. It is my honored privilege to dedicate this memorial to all those who lost their lives in this horrific series of attacks." He pulled the sheet off the memorial wall. He continued, "While the IGA council can not guarantee that every single person who died as a result of the Drackonia is on this wall, we assure you that all of the ones we know about are up there. The names are listed by planet of birth. The center sections are reserved for the men and women who were in the IGA Defense Corps. We can put this terrible tragedy behind us, and move on with our lives."

The crowd erupted into cheers. Ambassador Onix stepped down from the podium.


THE END