Chapter 73: In the Background

(A few weeks ago)

“What in the four manifestations of God’s will have you presented me with?” a grey and black patterned face with a central mouth ringed by four eyes laughed.

“Can you make it or not?” Jessica Morgan chuckled at her screen, already knowing the answer.

“Sure, how many million do you want?” the strange visage on her OLED screen replied, “But what is it? I mean, I know what it is but not what it is. My engineers have a pool running.”

“You mean you don’t know?” Jessica smirked, “Oh, that’s right. You never got this far. You guys watched the Juon invasion of your world on cathode-ray tubes.”

“Which is why we’re pretty sure we know what this bit is for,” the weird xeno replied, pointing at a diagram in front of him. “Is it some kind of weapon? Because it wouldn’t be a very good one.”

“Actually,” Jessica replied, “It can be an excellent weapon, but you’re right. That’s not its primary application. We’re reviving a bit of ancient history to save a buck and, far more importantly, a great deal of time and resources.”

“Is it related to this other thing?” the figure asked as another diagram appeared. “Now this one we know, but why do you need gyroscopes of this size and power? The overall scale of the two components seems to be compatible, though. Are they part of a larger assembly?”

“That they are,” Jessica replied.

“Would you be interested in what you call a ‘turn-key’ arrangement? I’m certain we can build whatever these are involved in quite quickly and reasonably.”

“Op-sec,” Jessica replied, “And I have quite the large workforce at the minute, even if they are shrinking by the fucking day that I need to utilize. It’s getting ugly and even The Penitent are having problems maintaining order. A project, even a forced one, will focus their anger and dispel the helplessness destroying my people faster than the plague.”

“You’re using infected workers on this project?” the creature asked in surprise. “Aren’t you worried about contamination?”

“It isn’t a concern for these,” Jessica replied grimly.

“Very well,” the creature smiled, “We will start expedited production immediately.”

“Great!” Jessica enthused with a smile, “Now, Horace (his ‘human’ name – His real one is just not happening), those flywheels have to be exactly to spec. They are going to be (heh) flying.”

“Has anything I have ever supplied not been ‘exactly to spec’?”

“Yeah, but these flywheels kind of freak me out.”

“This is why I like humans,” Horace replied, “You actually know what is dangerous. Do not worry, Jessica, they will be perfect… well… as perfect as they need to be.”

“I look forward to their expedited delivery,” Jessica said as she sipped a cold cup of tea.

“They will be,” Horace replied, “I have no other customers currently engaging in hostilities. The entire workforce is aware of your situation and… (sigh)… Our prayers are with you, as will be our efforts. You will have… whatever in the insatiable void this is, to spec, as fast as we can provide them.”

“Thank you, Horace,” Jessica replied.

“So… What is it? Please, Jessica, I just have to know.”

“You’re a smart cookie,” Jessica smiled, “figure it out or just watch the news after delivery. We are going to field these as soon as we get those… Oops. I almost let the cat out of the bag… Those components.”

“Bah,” Horace chuckled, “I guess we will just have to wait.”

Jessica just smiled.

“When you see them in use, you will recognize them. The sooner we get them, the sooner you will have your mystery solved. Take care, Horace.”

“You too, Jessica,” Horace replied. “Oh, before we end this transmission, the Empress has closed the border to Federation space in order to protect our human population… However, if any of your ships happen to enter our system, they would be resupplied and refueled before being politely asked to leave the Empire.”

“I will keep that in mind, Horace,” Jessica replied, “That truly means a lot to me, however...”

Her eyes gleamed dangerously.

“Our plans have changed. While I am still evacuating people as quickly as possible, I am no longer abandoning Raylesh. I am going to save all of my people. I… I abandoned humanity once, and I will not do it again. I am staying right here until every single one of my people is either dead, cured, or evacuated… We need those components, Horace.”

“Are you insane?!?” Horace exclaimed, “Even you can’t hope to stand against the focused might of the Federation. You’ve pushed your luck far too hard as it is. Jessica…”

“I’ve made my decision, Horace.” Jessica smiled. “I will stand and fight right here, on this world, with my feet on the ground! I am not tucking tail and fleeing into space, abandoning my nation, my world, ever again! If the Federation comes, they will face the full fury of humanity… and they will lose.”

Horace pulled himself upright and flipped open a knife with one of his many limbs.

He cut another.

“Then the Ukk&v##@ Corporation pledges a blood oath. We shall stand with you. Whatever you need… wherever you need it… no matter the risk… Just tell us what you require, and you will receive it. T8*Vril~~!%kth VA!… Your blood, our products… Fight with God itself at your side.”

Jessica scoffed.

“God doesn’t take my calls anymore, Horace.”

“Perhaps he will take mine and those of the people you protect.”

“...”

Jessica decided not to get into it. Horace could believe whatever he wanted as long as she got those components.

“Thank you, Horace,” she replied.

***

(Last Week)

“Hello?” a bright, cheerful voice asked as a bright pink slug’s face appeared on Jessica’s screen. “Oh! Hi there!”

“Hello, Karashel,” Jessica smiled as she sipped a freshly refilled cup.

“What’s up?”

“I’ve been talking with my former legal department, and I must say,” Jessica said with genuine respect, “I am truly impressed.”

“Really?!?” Karashel beamed.

“However,” Jessica smiled, “I now need something in return.”

“Ok!” Karashel said brightly as her eyes narrowed slightly, “What do you want?” she asked “innocently”.

“You.”

Karashel grinned.

“Will that work?” she giggled, “Because I’m down!”

They both laughed at the shared joke.

“I’ve let you pick my brain at your leisure,” Jessica said, “now I would like to pick yours. If your slow brain could spare a few moments, I would like it to ponder something for me.”

“Sure!” Karashel beamed, “What do you want me to noodle?”

***

“Then I’m staying too!” Gordon exclaimed.

“Oh, I wish you could,” Jessica said as they snuggled in the afterglow. “But you are just too important to the future of our people. You are needed out there, where you will be safe.”

Gordon kissed her.

“How many years of ‘future’ do I have left, Jessica?” he asked. “I want to spend them here, with you. I’ve taught hundreds of chemical engineers, and dozens of them could replace me right now. Ursula can lead the Rumrunner as well as I can, and she has at least a century left in her.”

“Yes, but she isn’t you,” Jessica said as she stroked his cheek. “Our people need your genius.”

“No, they don’t,” Gordon smiled. “We’ve raised them good, Jess. They will be just fine without me. If anyone is irreplaceable, it’s you. Besides, where I’m truly needed is right here.”

“This isn’t about just us,” Jessica said softly. “We have to think about the bigger picture.”

“Narcissistic much,” Gordon laughed gently as he booped her nose. “This is where the real threat to our people is, the plague. I can’t work on this up there. I need samples, test subjects, things that we don’t dare send up. C’mon, Jess. What would I do up there, make booze? Whip up gutterplas? Maybe synthesize some sparkle or glitter dust or whatever sells these days? There are thousands of people who can do all of that and more. Face it, as soon as I leave Raylesh, my research stops. If you are serious about not abandoning these people, you need me right here, doing what I do.”

He chuckled as he kissed her again.

“The fact that you get to keep your boy toy is just a plus.”

“I need you safe more!” Jessica said desperately. “We have the Terrans here, and they—“

“They aren’t us, Jess,” Gordon replied firmly, “and you know it. Yeah, they are doing what they do, but in the end, it isn’t their people on the line here. It’s ours.”

“The Federation is coming, Gordon,” Jessica said as she sat up, “and they will try to wipe us out this time. There won’t be landings. There won’t be martial law. They are going to do to Raylesh what they did to Porkie Town. Please, you have to understand.”

Jessica looked down.

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“I can’t lose you.”

“Typical,” Gordon snorted as he tousled Jessica’s hair. “You are so afraid of losing something that you lose it trying to save it. You are kinda stupid that way.”

Gordon looked at Jessica with a serious expression.

“If you are going to make a stand here,” he said, “then I’m standing with you. I made the decision to do that a long time ago, and while I’ve bitterly regretted it more than once, right now, I believe that you are the best chance we have. So, once again, I chose you. You’ll need your best people if you want to make a go of this… Unless this is all bullshit, and you are throwing your life away in some grand act of contrition...”

“It’s not that,” Jessica replied, “It’s just that I’ve abandoned my people once before, and it wound up being for nothing… I just can’t do it again, Gordon.”

She looked away so Gordon wouldn’t see the tears.

“...I just can’t… I won’t do it again.”

“And I didn’t?” Gordon asked. “It’s not like you are the only one who’s gonna burn in hell in a couple of years.”

He sighed.

“When you came to me, all those years ago, I could have gone public… I could have warned my colleagues… my family… Did I?… No. I… I just got on that… fucking… ship... thankful that I was going to live… I lied to myself and said that it was for the ‘greater good’, but I was just saving my own skin.”

He looked away too.

“Then… during it all… I was every bit a part of it as anyone else… It wasn’t just guns and ammunition we used to pay… them… it was my drugs, too. It was your guns in their hands and my drugs in their veins, Jess… I knew what I was doing… same as you… That’s why I was so fucked up all the time… I couldn’t bear to do what I was doing sober… And I was so blitzed out and so focused on keeping the bombs, booze, and drugs flowing including your little helpers that I wasn’t looking at that ‘big picture’ that you always talk about and that ‘greater good’ that kept me from spacing myself...”

“Oh, darling!” Jessica exclaimed as she turned and put her hand on Gordon’s shoulder, “You did a lot more than just that! If it wasn’t for you...”

“Yeah,” Gordon snorted, “Yay, me,” he added weakly. “But… what has been killing me all of these years is that It could have been me!… It should have been me!”

“What are you talking about?”

” Jovian rice!” Gordon exclaimed. “I was so focused on drugs, making and taking them, bombs, and all the other shit that I completely missed the fact that we didn’t need to kill for food!”

He sighed.

” We could have made it...”

He buried his face in his hands.

“But we didn’t have gas miners,” Jessica said, trying to comfort him with an embrace.

“We didn’t need fucking gas miners!” Gordon shouted. “We had everything we needed. The Kuiper belt and Oort cloud are completely loaded with organics!… It would have been easy!… but I was too fucking stoned and too focused on keeping those fucking animals pliable… You aren’t the only one who failed humanity, Jess. Between keeping silent and that, I’m the last person who deserves one of those berths. Use it on someone who actually deserves it.”

Jessica looked at Gordon and sighed. She honestly had no idea what he was talking about, but Gordon knew chemistry better than anyone she knew, and if he said it was possible, it was.

Gordon turned to her, eyes full of tears.

“If you aren’t abandoning these people because you can’t bear to… then I can’t either… Please, if you care about me at all, let me stay.”

“Of course, I care about you!” Jessica exclaimed, “I… I… I love you.”

“You do?”

Jessica looked at him with open, vulnerable eyes.

“I do, Gordon… I...”

She choked up.

“Well... if you love me...” Gordon said slyly as he magically produced a set of big fluffy neko ears.

Jessica just burst into laughter… and reached for the ears.

***

(Today)

Every radio, holovid, computer, and public address system on Raylesh and Zaran switched on if it wasn’t on already.

Across every radio and on every open hyperspatial band echoing across the galaxy, Jessica Morgan’s voice suddenly spoke.

People of Raylesh...

As you all know, we are facing the darkest days since The Sol Wars...

We are testing people as fast as we can, and loading ship after ship as quickly as possible...

That you know...

What you do not know… Is that I will not be on one of them...

I am staying right here until the end. I am remaining WITH YOU until the LAST person is either cured, evacuated, or dead...

This is our HOME… And you are MY PEOPLE… We WILL hold Raylesh, and we WILL save each and every one of you… or DIE in the attempt...

We have been running for over a hundred years...

My people… we are DONE running… IF we leave Raylesh, it will be an orderly evacuation, not fleeing in terror, abandoning BILLIONS out of cowardice… And if you board a ship, know that it will NOT be your final home… I WILL either save this world, or I will TEAR out the HEART of this universe and give that to YOU… MY PEOPLE!...

To those who would seek the end of my people… who seek the end of ME…

HERE I AM, MOTHERFUCKERS!!! I am right here, on Raylesh. If you want me, come and get me. I will NOT abandon my people EVER AGAIN!

Across Raylesh, a stunned silence fell…

And for the first time since the nightmare started, people could be seen smiling.

Some even cheered… or coughed… or gurgled…

There wasn’t much you could count on in this galaxy, but if the Devil made a promise…

She kept it.

For the first time in what felt like forever…

There was hope.

***

In the Republic, many also smiled, some ruefully, some wickedly. The general consensus was, “Well, the Federation is about to find out why we hate those fuckers.” usually followed by a grin.

“OG’s” started to tell stories of the final blood-soaked days of the Sol Wars, the last time the Porkies were backed against the wall, the last time the Devil stopped running, some smiling about it for the first time. They had lost family to the Federation a lot more recently than they did to those bastards.

If anyone deserved those animals, it was them. Good riddance to the lot. Hope they kill each other… But if you could squeeze the truth out of any of those vicious, ancient fuckers, you might be surprised who many of them were secretly rooting for.

New Vegas, Monte Carlo, and most other such places started taking bets on how long the Federation was going to survive…

...with very, very few people betting that they would win, even with the very generous odds.

Johnny and every other arms dealer just sighed and reached for their phones once again…

Maybe there was a source that hadn’t been tapped yet.

***

Capital City’s reaction was a bit less pleased.

Karashel undulated out of her office and listened to the angry murmurs.

She smiled to herself as she made her way to a conference room where the councilors for the Gvorta and two other species awaited, getting angrier by the minute.

Councilor Una was also there, trying to look annoyed and play along, mostly trying not to pass out or give anything away.

She looked at her communicator.

One thing you could say about Jessica, she was punctual.

Karashel liked that.

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