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Emiko came running down the stairs to see the still smoking gun in Alessa's hand and the split open head of the now dead Chancellor sitting in his chair. She could only cover her mouth and face with her hands as the tears started flowing. It wasn't the death that bothered her. No, she had seen plenty of that before. What she was was terrified....terrified of what was to come for her father.
As to Doc himself, he looked in a state of shock. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. Still, he knew that one way or the other, the peaceful Zoner life of Gran Canaria was over be it the law coming after them or a hostile takeover of the planet. Bretonia wouldn't care of all the good he had ever done, only of the crime committed at least, he hoped that they would see it.
Alessa was right however, it was Bretonia's way....shotgun diplomacy. Their pride got in the way of everything. Still, Doc wanted to make a life with Alessa, even now. He loved her deeply and remembered of a place she had mentioned to start over.
For the moment, he looked at the Chancellor's remains as he gently took the gun from Alessa's hand. Looking at his now open head, he softly spoke, "Itaque in rotundum incipit."
He then looked Alessa in the eyes, "Dahlin', we need to leave this place. You mentioned a place to go, a place to start over where no one could find us. I think that time has arrived." As he spoke, his hands rested on her sides. Even after this, he still loved her. He wanted to propose to her but this wasn't the place, not in the presence of the Chancellor's remains.
One of the security marines choked a bit. "Um, Doc, you need to get out of here......all of you. We have experts who will clean this up to where no one will ever know what happened here to include expunging the security footage."
Doc nodded, "Take the Chancellor and all of his affects to the crematorium and dispose of the ashes far from here and um, the chair as well."
"Consider it done," the Marine replied. He then looked among his fellow Marines, "None of you saw anything."
Another responded with, "I'm joining the resistance." He then addressed Alessa, "Ma'am, you may not know it yet but to many, you will be a hero...both of you." With that, the Marines began "cleaning up."
Doc patted Alessa's shoulder and went over and held Emiko. "Dahlin', get your ship and get out of here. I do not want to know where you are nor do I want you trying to find me...not for awhile. Do not try to call us. It is best that we do not know where the other is for they will interrogate."
Her face was soaked. She was terrified for her father...for Alessa. She broke from her father as she managed a smile and retreated to take some clothes and gear with her. She would be gone within the half hour.
Meanwhile, Doc thought a moment. Leaving in haste would only draw suspicion. Still, he had work to do as did Alessa. He began getting things together like a normal day. Death was nothing new to him but this was different. The past incidents of shotgun diplomacy pushed on him by Bretonia in the past only made him think more positively. Freeport One and the mining of the Omega 49 jump hole in Dublin came to mind, both forced upon him in the past. In his West room, he was packing up some of his most treasured items. Old pictures from a lifetime past and the rifles from the time period that he so treasured. They were old but they worked better than most new firearms. The only difference? The modified ammunition for them. They were loaded onto his shuttle and taken to Med Force One where he would pick them up later. While he sat in the room thinking, Alessa entered. Yes, it was time. The only picture remaining was one of him and his old friend, Wyatt, sitting on the piano. He took her hands.
"Dahlin', I hate to leave this place but someone helped me make a necessary decision. Thank you for that. You mentioned a place that we could start over in, a place where there is no Bretonia. I will go there with you but only if you go with me....." He pulled the small box out of his pocket, opened it and turned it towards her revealing the ring of Molly gold with a large center 2 karat diamond with several satellite diamonds and fell to his knee...."as my wife. Professor Alessa Samson, will you marry me?"
Alessa looked deeply into John's eyes. It wasn't out of the very shocking situation he was into. She saw it in his eyes that he was serious and of a clear mind with doing Alessa a proposal. She leaned forward towards the ring. "I love you, John. Yes, I wanna marry you." John jumped into her arms with smile on his face and both started shedding some tears. It wasn't the time for a celebration, but there couldn't be a wrong time or a wrong place for the proposal. She loved him so much, she would had say "yes" at any time. John took Alessa's hand and put the ring over her finger. Suddenly a beeping tone threw both back into the present situation. "John, this man, the chancellor, he was the reason my mentor Eli left the Cambridge University. We can't allow this dead to be useless." Alessa took out an id card of her jacket. It was a Corsair ID card of a harsh looking man named Julio James Cortez. "The only solution for the Zoners and for us is, when the tensions in this system between bretonia and corsairs will escelate. You know that the war would have come anyway, but with this they hopefully won't target their weapons towards us. We couldn't ever bring up enough men and women to defend this planet, but we can move, we can move all of them safely out of here." John couldn't hardly believe what he just heard. This plan, this conspiracy could work. "It will work, I am sure. These men, always get blended by violence and only respond with violence, but we need to instruct Emiko and your personell. The truth must be silenced and burried." Alessa turned around and picked up her glass of wine. Her throat was dry and rough. It was the first time Alessa killed a human. These images of the split half head, they will follow her into eternity.
She continued speaking to John, who joined her and took the other glass. "The corsair, he wanted to assassinate us and chancellor. He tried to shoot all of us through the window and set the estate on fire. After the summit, we became targets and now wehave to hide. This is the truth that has to leave this place." She kissed John and watched him with the most care. "Do not let a bomb fall on Tombstone Estate. Take your time and say good bye on your own terms." This situation was tough. John needed to instruct all people present at the Estate and Alessa still needed to manipulate the security systems, cameras and else, but she could already see a happy future for them. For all of them.
Falling in each others arms, both were hoping for the peaceful moment that will allow them leaving this all behind and living their life.
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Knowing that Alessa was willing to spend the rest of her life with him, Doc had no reason to stay on Gran Canaria. There was new hope elsewhere. "The truth must be silenced and buried" These words were so true now. He began to nod and began a walk around his estate.
"You know what, Dahlin', you are right. The truth must be silenced and buried. Bretonia has not listened to us in the past nor will they now....or ever."
As he walked about, he remembered why he built Tombstone and that was for his late wife. Gone was she now and with the murder that had just taken place, it was time to end what he started. He turned to his men. "Leave the Chancellor's remains in the chair and get my piano out of here. Anything else I value is removed to include my work. What I am about to do will bury the truth and the evidence."
He then gave a very frightened look to his men, "When you leave to fight for the resistance, be at least twenty five miles from here in the next hour or so." It was then he held up a remote.
His men knew what it was. One of them swallowed, "Jesus, Doc, you're going to.....nuke this place."
"You are damn right," he answered, "If I cannot live here, no one can. Alessa and I will find our way. The resistance will be supplied, fed and given medical and the orbital shield around the estate will contain the blast as it will automatically engage." He finished with, "Now, leave."
They did as instructed, getting his piano out.
Emiko was gone, heading to who knows where and Doc gave Alessa a kiss. "It is time for us to move on."
They took what they could and left, boarding his yacht and heading out of the system. As the cruise engines were engaged, Doc raised the remote and spoke. "Fairwell: Tuus Pulle Lucet"
He then pushed the button.