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4-New Life By Stanman63 Edited By Nora Adrienne, JennaFl for Proofreading Synopsis:After being sent away from his former life, John Carter faces a new and uncertain life aboard a new vessel, far away from the life that he knew. Finding that the woman he defended was instrumental in his new career, he finds that his future is bright indeed and he starts on the Path. |
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Jonathan Carter began to ponder his fate as he headed into the unknown. Well, here I am being jettisoned away from my career and all of my friends and heading into a new life. Things have sure changed for me ever since I left home. Father Abraham of the Church Of Trillannii was worried about me getting hurt because I believed in the equality of all. Before I left home, he told me why the Empire and Navy were Trans-phobic. How was I to know that Trillannii was a pivotal reason for the current state of affairs? But as much as my father had contributed to current events, the Galactic Church was to blame all the more.'
The Galactic Church is the largest denomination of Christian Churches, comprised of the Catholic Church, based in Rome Italy on the planet Earth. It has existed for three thousand years, with Vatican City, the Churches headquarters publishing all of the Church Literature, often censoring many books that do not meet with Church Approval. This has caused much dissension within the Church itself, leading to splits as member join other denominations, or form their own Church.
It is a sad fact that ten percent of the People's income is taxed for the Galactic Church, and the People are STILL expected to tithe to the church. Very few do because of their contributing to other charities and Churches that they attend. All citizens are registered a members of the Galactic Church, but most attend other churches. The Galactic Church uses its clout to support Imperial Law which it helped to write, making the Empire a Religious Dictatorship with the Emperor as the Leader instead of the Pope.
Using Gestapo techniques, the Galactic Church has created an army of storm troopers that are totally loyal to them, who are second only to the Imperial Guard. But, for all the evil done by the Church, there are good, honest clergy who hear the Call and faithfully serve the People as they should, instead of Church Dogma or the Emperor. The main difference is that the True Galactic Church maintains the traditional architecture in its buildings, whereas the Fallen Church embraces the high tech trappings.
The Fallen Church has used its extensive holdings, of donated property to build its training and boot camps, ships, and businesses to enhance the Emperor's personnel fortune and increase the vast might of the Navy, but at a cost to the Emperor that has led the Empire into an upcoming civil war that will decimate the galaxy, leaving behind megalithic ruins as mute evidence of its one time glory.
The Galactic Church for the last two generations, has been in charge of the schooling of all children of Royal Blood, ever since Emperor Emeritus Julius Adam Pendragon gained the Throne. He was a graduate of Vatican City College which taught all the Clergy their skills. In Julius, however, they found a rare prize, indeed. The then, Prince Augustus was born with the enhanced physique of a Super Storm trooper, combining the very best physical attributes of the Warrior Races with the intelligence of the most advanced intellects. He only lacked psionics which were denied him because of a deep ingrained fear of magic and witchcraft by the Galactic Church.
The current Galactic Emperor, Augustus Leopold Pendragon; King of Space was raised in the ultra-conservative environs of the Imperial Galactic Church where the anti-T.G. dogma was taught. At first, he was willing to accept the trans-gendered into his government and the Imperial Navy, in limited numbers in a servile capacity. He felt that allowing this limited access would enhance the strength of the Navy without giving them a Command, but what turned him totally against the T.G. Community was that he fell in love with a certain trans-woman.
Baroness Veronica Von Kirk was visiting from her home of Equus when Leopold saw her at the Grand Opera in Contrail City; Capitol City of the Niagara star system. They were celebrating the founding of the system as a member of the Empire and were putting on the classic Phantom of the Opera. The Baroness was there to show her support to her neighbor. Both systems shared the cost of maintaining a fleet of Border Patrol Cruisers to stop pirate attacks, little knowing that the pirates were retired Naval personnel using mothballed stealth ships.
The goal of the attacks was to encourage wayward colonies to join the Empire, and replace their independent ruling body with Imperial versions, destroying all forms of freedom. When the Imperials took over, even though all People STILL had their Rights, the Church Gestapo strictly enforced their own Rules with Imperial consent. Only in cases where the Imperials were allied with the Rim, were the People's Rights ever returned to them, leading to a vital underground community created by the M.I.B.D. and the Trillannii which served as a conduit for sending goods and personnel to other areas, and in developing better equipment that stayed a generation ahead of Imperial versions.
They soon became a couple and were married. She had transitioned earlier and he was smitten with love for her. He thought she was very pretty and wanted to bed her, but she refused because she was sore from her monthly cycle. The corrective surgery had progressed to where a Trans could become a genetic woman and only a deep scan could reveal the truth. He had a surgeon to give her a check up which confirmed what she had told Augustus.
But his ego was sorely wounded and the knowledge that she was Baron Vincent Niagara fueled his contempt and hatred for her and awakened the subtle hypnotic commands imprinted by the Imperial Galactic Church during his tenure as a student. Like his father and grandfather, he'd tolerated the presence of the Trans-gendered within the Government's Civilian and Military branches.
Now, they were all banned and executed in retaliation, causing The Great Exodus that crippled the Empire's technology base and bolstered the Rim's as Major and Minor Houses worked with two agencies to escort the Exodus to safety. The Trillannii Underground used their hidden agents within the Government and Business Sectors to send families while the M.I.B.D. handled Government, Royal, and Corporate Business Management that were Trans-gendered.
He had ordered her execution in retaliation because he didn't believe that she was a genetic woman now. She was saved from death by King Reginald of Trillannii, my father brought her to his court where she was made welcome. Soon after, Augustus began the active banning of all T.G. within the government and navy. Now here I was about to board a mystery ship and embark upon a new phase of my life.
So all that had happened made this very personal for me, Mother was really the Empress. Because Leopold never filed for divorce after her rescue, the Imperial Galactic Church with the backing of Leopold, published the rescue as an abduction in order to cast the Trillannii system in a bad light and cause the closing the Church Branches in the Rim because they were headed by mainly by the Trans-gendered.
Unfortunately for the Emperor, the Trillannii Church supported my parents and transferred the Clergy that wanted and agreed to minister to the Rim while sending those that supported the Emperor away, thusly reopening the closed Churches, much to the chagrin of the Emperor and Pope Leroy Sebastian XXV. This led to Augustus and the Pope to declare his marriage annulled, but according to Church Law, I am an illegitimate heir to the Throne because I was conceived before the annulment.
The "Exodus" cost the Empire several Royal Houses that transferred their loyalty to the Rim, almost bankrupting the Empire until they were able to reopen mines and farms closed due to a glut of supply overriding demand. To this day, Rim technology is more advanced than that of the Empire thanks to the Exodus.
He could see that he was nearing a ship. It was almost the size of the Aztec, but was bulkier with cargo doors in place of any weapons along its flanks. Like the Aztec, it had its weaponry on two forward thruster delta shaped assemblies just behind and below the main access way hatch near the bow. It looked to be well kept, but worn by the insistent pinging of stardust upon its hull. The patina of wear gave the ship an eternal beauty as if to say that the ship was immortal. The silver with sable trim and the avatar of a Regal Queen sitting upon a Throne of stars bespoke of her mission, for only a Merchant Cruiser used silver with sable trim. Taking his time, he gave me a visual tour of the hull, memorizing the equipment and varied hatches until automatics ended the tour.
As the pod docked, he saw the tell tale lights indicating a solid seal and lock as the outer doors sealed and a red warning light, then heard a voice over the speaker, "Welcome aboard the Rim Queen, I am running a Medical Diagnostic upon you. Please be patient."
"S.O.P. in the Navy, but are you sure of my identity? I need to assure myself that I am where I am wanted." 'Have I ended up with pirates, or slavers?'
"Yes, you are Jonathan Lee Carter of Trillannii," then he heard a giggle that sounded very familiar to him.
He was truly startled to think that he was that lucky, "Is that you Jane Meadows?" John asked incredulously. 'Could it be that I am THAT lucky?'
Her husky voice got him VERY excited as he contemplated seeing her again, "Yes John, I told you not to worry, did I not? Here, you will have no need to worry about anything, you are a free man." 'Thank you Lord; for bringing him into my life.'
John chuckled gleefully and wiped his eyes, "Yes you did, but I never thought that we would meet again. I thought that you were trying to give me a false hope" ‘Either I am that lucky, or you are rewarding me Lord, which I do not know yet.'
"But you know that I ship with the Rim Queen, or did you forget?" she asked with concern in her voice.
"My Captain told me that I was coming here, and I told him that I knew that you were here, but until now, I never thought that it was possible. I thought that you had simply been a passenger, or had a friend on board. I couldn't believe that you were telling the truth, not in my situation," he sighed in relief. 'My Dream has come true! Am I a Warrior Poet from the Legends? Only they could make their Dreams reality.'
"Why? Johnny Luv, this is a Merchant Cruiser from Trillannii, not an Imperial Trader. And I am not in the habit of lying to my friends." 'I guess that he has a right to be paranoid. Now to see if he can trust again.'
"Well, actually, until I heard your voice, I thought that you were a dream. Now you are the Girl of my Dreams. I feared that the Emperor had taken you away from me," he sighed in relief as his horror abated.
"Why, Johnny? Do you think that that piece of filth is that powerful? Well, he isn't! Don't' let his press fool you," she admonished him. ‘It seems that everybody under the Imperial Flag is convinced of the Emperor's infallibility. Time to set the record straight will Johnny.'
"Because I Love you, That's why! I fell in love with you when I saw you boarding the Queen."
"And I Love you too Johnny. Until now, I was alone except for my Shipboard Family, now I have you. Now, I have a reason to hope for a family of my own," she replied as she confessed her feelings for her True Love. 'Am I worthy of his Love? Will my Heart be broken?'
Then his wacky sense of humor kicked in, "Can your scanners read my Love for you?" he chuckled.
Johnny heard a few beeps, "I can see from my scanners that you are telling the truth, so, yes, I can tell, she giggled," 'Why am I playing with him? Do I LOVE him? Or is this simply a crush?'
"Oh? Never heard of that! Glad that you have proof," he chuckled. 'Wait till dad hears this. Too bad mom ain't here to hear it, she died just before I shipped out.'
Jane noticed a distinctive rise in certain brainwave patterns and action with a certain body part,” Johnny, do you need a cold shower?" 'If he does, then the attraction is VERY mutual.'
Johnny blushed as he heard her question, telling him that he had no secret as long as he was in his pod. "Sorry about that, but you are so beautiful to me." 'Now why would she ask? This is definitely NOT S.O.P. for a ship.'
Then the POD doors opened and Jane ran into his arms as he exited the Pod. "Thanks for saving me back there from Bronson, John," she planted a deep, long kiss upon his lips.
Johnny felt his body react to her advances and could tell that she felt the same way about him, "You are most welcome. I think that I am falling in love with you." 'Is this what Dad felt for Mom?'
She looked up into his eyes, "And I you."
Mary looked at the J.O.S.H.U.A. avatar in wonder and disbelief, "WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DIANA HUNTER?" 'Does he know that I am the original Mary? Either I or one of the other originals have been in charge all of these years in order to maintain our watch over the galaxy.'
Diana smiled, "I chose this form because Diana was at first, Joe Rossi, then Diana, then was brought back as a genetic woman. She is the ONLY template with such a history. Does my choice frighten you?"
"Sit down Diana. I hope that this does not interfere with your work. But as for me being frightened, I was startled to see my old friend in the flesh, again." 'Does this avatar have her memories?'
Diana sat exactly as the original would have, causing Star and Mary concern, "Yes, I have downloaded her files as a template to interact with you, Mary. But, independent of me. Although why two of the original Agents are active is unknown to me." 'Will they trust me? All of the personnel files from the schools were purged from my just before I was transferred to the Agency. But who did it? Who back then had the skills to overcome my safety protocols? Or was I hit by an E.M.P. blast that erased all my memory except for that in my core memory?'
Mary looked at Star and sighed, "Diana, with the recent increase in Imperial, Church, and Naval activities, we've been forced to bring all of the original Agents back before their scheduled reintroduction. Collectively, we have the experience needed for the task at hand. The only real difference is the actual individual."
"Have you succeeded in combining your memories?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Logically, only with the combined memories, could you have a remote chance at operating every base. How did you do it?"
Star interrupted them, "Wait a minute, Mary! This avatar has yet to tell us why she has done what she has. Unless she does, I will launch an E.M.P. blast to frag her!" 'GOD! I hate having to be the heavy, but as Mary's Security Chief, it's my duty.'
Diana smiled at her, "It is good to see that Mary has such a devoted Assistant. There is no need for your bravado, Star. Or should I say, Katanna?"
Star looked at her in disbelief, "How did you know? I chose a non oriental body for this time."
"Very simple, Katanna, I have Diana's memories. She was able to deduce that it was you, and scanning the records revealed that you are here as Mary's back up."
"Mary sighed in frustration, "OK, Di, stop blathering and tell us why you are an avatar!"
"Simple, the base will soon be compromised when the Imperial Navy penetrates the storage silos."
"How long until it happens?"
"The penetration should happen within the next two weeks. I have already brought all Vessels up to launch conditions."
"Diana, that is my decision! Why did you take that action?" 'If this avatar is playing a war game with the Agency, I'll have to pull the plug, if I can.'
"By the time that you had reviewed the data, too much valuable time would have been lost. As it is, by instituting the Exodus early, I have denied the Navy any information about us."
"Oh? Us?" 'Does the avatar identify with us? If so, that could interfere with its central programming.'
"Yes, Ma'am. As an avatar, I am able to identify with other Agents as I allow the basic personality matrix of Diana to keep me from causing harm inadvertently.”
"Avatar, as Security Chief, I must know the full extent of the integration. Are you Diana?"
"No, I am not, Star. My positron brain is not designed to accept such a complex download. Now, if my body was organic instead of synthoid, I could become Diana, easily enough."
"But, as a synthoid construct, you can act as her and no one would notice the difference."
"True, but, I could not react as a human. If a gas or biological attack was to hit me, unless designed to affect a synthoid, I would be immune. I could not 'play dead' because my synthoid metabolism is unable to emulate that of a human, even though as Diana, I am emulating her’s."
"Diana, just how are you preparing for the Navy?"
There are crates of obsolete equipment from when the base was founded. Any potential telltale evidence of our existence has been erased."
Star began to laugh, "You are simply employing my tactic. Those hulks were in the Garbage Depot, right?"
"Yes, and I am transferring several canisters of chemicals and radioactive as well. Might as well let them deal with our refuse since they are taking over."
Mary sighed, "With the loss of this base, we have no way to keep tabs on the Emperor. This will make our duty all the more difficult."
Diana smiled, "Mary, you are worried about losing a base on the moon, correct?"
"Yes, I Am. Do you have an idea about it?"
I do, in fact."
"OK, what is your idea?"
Have you forgotten about the abandoned base on the Dark Side of the moon?"
Then we started to sate our passion in several minutes of kissing with abandon as we began to disrobe and were down to our undies when a horn blared above us, "Jane, have you finished with our new arrival yet or should I wait until you finish? I would let you two continue, but that bulkhead is not conducive to such activities," he chuckled. 'Would've sent Steele, but he's injured.'
Looking up, Johnny saw the monitor, "Sir! Did you see what happened?"
"Yes I did. This is NOT an Imperial Warship, but even as a Trillannii Merchant Cruiser; we have certain protocols to follow."
"Sorry Captain, I got distracted, we are on our way," she blushed. 'I can't help it! He is so handsome, and he loves me too.'
"Sir, I am just has guilty," 'I can't let my Lady come to harm. My Lady?!? YES!!! I do accept her as My Lady and possible future wife!!'
"That's what I like to hear, an officer admitting his or her fault." 'It looks as if I have two lovebirds on my hands. That is the Way of Trillannii Noblemen, they fall for a woman and then their Court Manners shine through. Until then, they're perfect Officers and Gentlemen.'
'Good news has just been received!! My son Jonathan Lee Carter has finally found his way too one of our Merchant Cruisers. I was reluctant to agree with his decision to enlist in the Imperial Navy, but thanks to our many hidden agents, he was never in any danger. If Emperor Leopold Augustus ever finds out that his former wife Veronica is my Queen and John's mother, he'd throw a fit!
When Veronica came here, she was accepted by the People and our respective Houses were joined when she married me. So, you actually are heir to her People's Throne, but her brother, Vernon is now the Baron since we married, and his son, Eric is next in line. That's when she was listed as dead by the Empire and Imperial Galactic Church because the Navy never has had the firepower to conquer the Rim nor Trillannii until now.
As it is, he will be quite mad when he learns that the only three crew members loyal to him are now gone and replaced with Rim Loyalists on board the Aztec, we are all Rim Loyalists here on the Queen. When the Aztec defects and changes to a Rim Warship, he will learn just how shaky his hold upon the Rim is when the majority of his fleet leaves his fleet for mine.
But if he hadn't have oppressed and terrorized so many, his Navy would be loyal. Seeing firsthand the atrocities committed by the Emperor's Envoys and his pets in Imperial Intelligence, made them rethink their loyalties.
It is sad that there has to be war in order to throw off the Imperial yoke of oppression from the galaxy, but it was ordained when the Empire decided to ban all of the T.G. Community and sympathizers. But we are all the stronger now for their mistake.
Until Leopold Augustus began His Reign of Terror, the Rim was Loyal to him, but out here, the Spark of Freedom shines bright and here, we will tend it until Freedom shines in the Empire once again.'
Then they headed up to the Captain's Office. Jane rung the bell and the door opened upon a small cubicle tastefully appointed with a mixture of styles that blended into a harmonious whole.
The Captain was seated in a hover chair that took the place of his missing legs. As they approached him, he smiled and held out his right hand out to John, "Welcome aboard the Rim Queen, I am your Commanding Officer Trent Marcus." 'So, NOW I get to meet the Prince. I NEVER thought that I'd be so blessed.''
He took his aged yet strong hand in mine and clasped it in a firm hand shake, "Thank you sir. I am honored that you have bought out my contract with the Navy." 'So like my grandfather who now rules over the First Colony.''
"Captain? Shall I get you and Johnny some refreshments?" asked Jane "Please Daddy, for some reason, I Love him! Please take it easy on him."
"Not to worry, child. Get some of that superb wine of mine, NOT the common brew. We have a lot to discuss." 'Now to see if his palate can appreciate Trillannii spirits.''
Then Jane bustled about the room, getting out a tray and filling it with mugs of some exotic brew that was cold, yet steamy. Then she placed a mug by them and swiftly left, "Captain, please be gentle with my Johnny. I think that I love him," she blushed as she wept.
"Well Johnny, Jane loves you, do you love her? I have to ask because she is my adopted daughter, her other family abandoned her when she transitioned." 'Will he defend her honor now as a True Trillannii should?''
He sat up, "Yes I do, Sir,. If doing so will be a problem, then I’ll leave with her. I've enough funds to get us to my Home." 'Daddy will simply adore her since she looks like mom.''
The Captain chuckled and wiped his eyes, "Oh Jonathan, I am glad that you two love each other! She is like a daughter to me."
"So, you know about her past?"
"Yes, and as far as I'm concerned, she is a genetic woman through and through." 'Let's see if he knows the Code.''
"She seems to know a lot about you," I observed. 'The Code, is he a Knight?'
"Jane has been looking after me ever since I lost my legs," the Captain grimaced.
"What happened?" 'If a knight, he is NOT following form, but he might have a personal history with her.'
"We were loading Radioactive Fuel Rods for a client when we were attacked by bandits wanting the cargo. They shot me from the back with a Laser that severed my legs off."
Jane replaces her com unit on her belt and taps the Captain on the shoulder as he is conferring with the Director of the Radioactive Exchange, "Captain, Security says that a bogey is landing just outside of our hanger."
"Oh? That's not good,"
"I hope your ship can handle the bogey."
Turning to the Director, "How's your security? And my ship can handle any bogey."
All of a sudden, the outer wall behind them erupted in flame as pirates stormed in and started firing lasers and grenades.
"EVERYBODY TAKE COVER!!" the Captain yelled as his legs were cut off of him by a pirate from the other direction.
"DADDY!!" yelled Jane as she tried to kill the pirate that shot the Captain. She saw that the armor withstood her initial attack,
"Bitch! I'll save you for my pleasure for that!"
She reset it to full power and with proceeded to vaporize them with total abandon, leaving her target for last. The air was filled with the stench of burnt flesh and evacuated bowels as the bodies fell apart under her barrage of laser fire.
"Bitch! you killed my crew! Ill kill everybody else, but you!! I'll take you as my sex slave!!" he exclaimed as he attempted to carry out his plan.
"You hurt the man who calls me his daughter!!! I have no mercy on you!" she cried as she finished him off, vaporizing his gut first, then his head.
"Jane," the Captain called weakly.
She dropped down by her fallen friend. "DADDY!! Are you OK?"
He coughed up blood and phlegm. "Jane, I won't last long. Please let my son David know so that he can take Command," he wheezed.
"LIKE HELL I WILL!! I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE!!" she exclaimed as she injected healants into the stumps.
"That laser was corrupted," then he faded away.
Jane worked furiously to save her Captain. Thanks to her latent healing powers, she pulled him back from the brink of death and eradicated the corruption the laser had infected him with. Finally, the stumps took on a healthy pink color as the laser induced corruption was eradicated from the body.
Then as she was tiring, two paramedics in white coveralls arrived, "Ma'am, we have a medivac stretcher here for him."
Wiping her eyes to clear away the tears, Jane looked over at them with hope in her eyes, "He was hit by a corrupted laser, and does the stretcher have a system to deal with invasive nanobots?"
They blanched at the dread news, "Yes, but we are not trained in dealing with such a terrorist weapon."
"That's OK, I am, she attached the varied leads and soon a thick black fluid was collecting into the waste bin, filled with the infected blood, tissue, and nanobots invading the Captain.
"Jane? What happened to the Captain?" asked Security Officer O'Donnell as she arrived and saw the carnage.
"Damned pirates attacked us and hurt Daddy while you were on patrol!!"
"OH? Where are they?" she asked as she surveyed the wreckage.
"I vaporized them," she replied as she fainted from shock.
"Don't you worry Jane, the Captain adopted you when you signed on and his son, David loves you as a sister. Thanks to you, no need to call him from Trillannii. Sleep peacefully now, you deserve it."
"Damn!! Those were the pirates the Aztec was after. We caught them, but not quick enough to stop you from being hurt."
"Then the Captain laughed mirthlessly, "Oh, I am sure that the Emperor is distraught over my loss."
"Oh?"
"John, those were Imperial sanctioned pirates!! Sanctioned by Arch Duke Varley."
"Can you prove your claim?"
"Yes, I can," then the Captain slid a mini-comp over to John.
"John picked it up and scanned the contents, "Captain, if I can send a coded message to the Aztec, they can take out this pirate’s nest that we haven't been able to before now. Varley has been out to set up his own empire by terrorism, with this Intel, the Aztec can eliminate the base."
"You trust the Aztec's captain?"
"Yes, he stood with me against Imperial Policy. He could have sent me to the Penal Planet."
"No need to John."
"Why?"
"Just before you arrived, he sent word that they were going after them. A part of the exchange is all of the Intel we've accumulated on them. Now he is rooting out those pirates that are causing us trouble because they are in Imperial Space."
"That's good. You can call upon the Aztec. I have a lot of friends there."
"I agree, but we are not here to talk about me, we are here to discuss your duties."
"What are they?"
"You are to basically take over for me."
"Say what???"
"Johnny, I am dying and I need someone that I can trust to Command my ship when I die."
"But why me?"
"This is a Trillannii ship. Your ship."
"My ship?"
"Yes, the Rim Queen is yours after I die. I have commanded her in your place by the Authority of the Trillannii Council."
"Then you know my Pedigree."
Then the Captain revealed a clear medallion with a diamond centered in a golden cross that met with a silver rim, "Yes, Prince John."
Comments
I liked it the 1st time
So Stan when are you going to post chapter 5?