Chapter 2 Exchange of Contracts
Jasper surveyed the scene with satisfaction. The Draconion fleet drifting helplessly between them and the planet. The nerve centre of their military, the Admiralty, reduced to a smouldering nuclear crater.
“I guess it’s time to seal the deal and close this contract.”
Jackson nodded as he manipulated the frame of his jet black goggles. “The virus was more devastating than even my most aggressive predictions. Their firewalls were weaker than anticipated. We have full control of their defence grid. Their nuclear arsenal is yours to command and their entire fleet is disabled. However the ground troop’s weapons are quite primitive, no bio-filters to infect. So a ground incursion is likely to be meet significant localised resistance.”
Jasper shrugged his shoulders. “That’s one for the Iconian’s to worry about. Our job is to disable their defences, secure a surrender and eliminate the president. Talking of which get me a line to madam president.” he emphasised the last two words with barely concealed contempt as he spat them out.
Wilkes nodded and Jackson instructed the virus to clear a communication channel. The holographic battlefield display dissolved, to be replaced by an image of the president, standing in front of her desk in the presidential palace. Her bald, dark skinned, muscular, thick set bodyguard standing beside her. His right hand resting on the grip of a heavy automatic pistol ready to draw it at a moment’s notice. A white curly wire, trailing from the earpiece in his left ear, crept down his neck and disappeared under his jacket.
Slowly and deliberately she picked up the spectacles resting on her desk, sliding them over her nose and onto her ears, before shaking her jet black hair back into place. She ran her hands down the sides of body and rested them on her hips, her shimmering purple dress emphasizing the lines of her figure as she did so. A thin humourless smile crossed her vivid red lips as she surveyed him with her unflinching pale blue eyes.
“To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
Jasper leaned back in his chair legs crossed, rubbing his left hand thoughtfully across his rough stubbly chin. His cybernetic eye clicked and whirred as he tried to read the emotions as her aura ebbed and flowed around her. A subtle multicoloured mix of pride, arrogance and defiance, mixed with the frustration of facing the inevitability of a humiliating defeat.
“My names not important, I’m merely a humble messenger come to deliver a ultimatum on behalf of the Iconian people.”
She smiled “I see, a mercenary then, a man of no consequence with delusions of grandeur, who seeks audience with the president.”
Jasper smarted he was going to have fun taking this woman down. He gestured to Alice to bring up the tactical display behind him. He raised his left hand and pointed to the holographic display behind him.
“A man, I might add, who has single handily crippled your planet, disabled your fleet, fragged your refinery, nuked your precious Admiralty, and has half your planets remaining nukes ready to obliterate you like that.” he stood up and clicked his fingers in the air. “I’m the man calling the shots here so I suggest you show me some respect.”
He could of course simply use his alien implants to manipulate her mind and break her will, but she had angered him now, touched a nerve and he wanted to break her the old fashioned way.
She rested the tips of her fingers on the edge of desk staring at him dispassionately, as her bodyguard leant over and whispered something in her ear.
“Well Jasper.” she rasped his name out. “It seems you’re quite a celebrity, your ships even got its own holovid show. Still every man has his price, so name yours. How much are those Iconian rats paying you?”
Jasper sank back into his seat and deftly tapped the figure into the touch screen in his right armrest.
The president looked down at the glass screen that formed the top of her desk and nodded. “Half up front, half after completion, I’m guessing. I’ll double it. All you have to do is turn your ship around and do to those Iconian bastards whatever they were paying you to do to us.”
Jasper shook his head. “It’s a generous offer, a very generous offer, but I have a reputation to protect.” he paused.
The president raised an eyebrow. “A reputation?”
Jasper shrugged his shoulders and held out the raised palms of his hands. “I’m a man of my word, because frankly in this business, it’s all a man has. If word ever got out that we didn’t honour our contracts, that we could be bought off by the highest bidder, no one would hire us again. My reputation for getting the job done is the most valuable asset we have and I’m not about to trade that away whatever your offering.”
The president sighed. “Very well then Jasper what exactly are the terms of your contract?”
Jasper put his hands together cracked his knuckles and smiled.”In a nutshell three very simple conditions, disable your defences, secure your surrender and, oh yes I nearly forgot, eliminate the president.”
Her body guard who had remained stoically silent by her side until now leap into action wrapping his hand firmly round her upper arm. “Madame President this charade has gone on long enough we need to leave now, let me escort you to a place of safety.”
Jasper snorted, the fool clearly had no comprehension of how complete his grip on the planet was.
The president gently, but firmly, removed his hand from her arm. “No Solomon, it’s my time, my destiny, a president has to do what’s right for their people.” she pressed her forefinger firmly against his lips urging him to remain silent and turned her attention to Jasper. ”You say you're a man of your word? If I commission a contract now, one that doesn’t conflict with this, you’ll honour it?”
Jasper nodded. “A contract’s a contract you have my word, as long as the fees are good.”
“Very well I will pay you this much too personally assassinate this man.” her hands moved swiftly across the table as she tapped the touch screen in front her.
Jasper looked down at the screen built into his armrest and smiled. ”Madame President you have ‘my word’, for what it’s worth I have a feeling I’m going to personally enjoy fragging him.”
She smiled and nodded tapping the screen once more. “Pity I’m not going to be around to see it, in which case I’d best arrange for the transfer of the funds while I’m here. Now I guess it's time to wrap up your current contract.”
She picked up the red handset that sat on the right-hand side of her desk activated it and waited for a response. It came a few seconds later.
“Madame President?”
“Admiral Faiz how is everyone down there?”
“We’ve taken some loses, but Lieutenant Tasha and I are safe for now.”
“Well Admiral I’m sorry to disappoint you, I know how much you we’re looking forward to your retirement, but I fear you’re not going to make it to your cabin anytime soon. I need you do something for me. I’m activating general order one and surrendering the planet, but communications are a bit flaky right now so I need you get the word out. I’m afraid all I can offer you in return is one rare and precious flower take good care of it.”
She replaced the handset turned to Solomon and sighed. “I’m afraid dear friend the time has come for us to part.” she put her arms around him pulling out his earpiece as she did so and resting her head on his shoulder whispered into his ear “Are the security cameras still running?” he nodded imperceptibility and she smiled. “In that case made sure your download a copy of whatever happens here and distribute it any way you can.”
She released him and stepped back pulling his gun from its holster, then pointed it at him and gestured towards the door with the muzzle. “Now get out of here, before I have to shoot you.”
Solomon bowed slightly, wiped a tear from his eye and without saying a word turned and walked slowly out of the room.
On the bridge of the Fury Angelica turned to Jasper and whispered in his ear. “I don’t like this something’s not right.”
Jasper raised a hand to silence her.
The president released the safety and looked into the camera staring long and hard at Jasper. “Know that what I do now, I do for the greater good of my people, I sacrifice my life to spare theirs. You may conquer us, but you will never break us.” she lifted up the gun and placed the muzzle against her temple.”Long live the Draconion people!” then she pulled the trigger.
Jasper clapped his hands together slowly, mocking her. “What a noble and patriotic speech, pity your people are never going to hear it.” he turned to Wilkes. “Signal the Iconian fleet, tell them we’ve completed the contract as per their instructions.”