Chapter Six: Aiszar Garrison

*************

Mishiida Alexander

Aiszar Garrison

“A star’s beauty is too bright to be judged from close quarters.”

Chapter Six: Counting breaths

The closer one is to a star, the brighter it appears. Too close, and it could be blinding. The essence of a star’s glory is to be felt and appreciated from a distance, its influence to be judged in time. Accessibility could be a bane of worth. One never values what one can have as their own any time all the time. The value is always generally appreciated better when that precious something either belongs to another, or is sought by another.

It is hard to say whether those who lose their undervalued treasure to an opportunist poacher are more unlucky or just plain imbecile. They can definitely not be classified as victims for it is not the opportunist to blame for their own disdainful attitude. The more disdainful they are, the more it returns to haunt in future, for future is merciless as much as the present is indifferent.

Unfortunate are only those who lose their much valued possession, simply because they couldn’t afford to keep it. It is hard to part with a cherished treasure, in spite of the value left behind to fill the void, for it was never the value, but the treasure itself which had any meaning in their lives. Loved ones are like those treasures, their value being only a commodity of interest for others. And we have not one but three on the line here today.

No it’s not funny, the way Alex and Mishiida have been taking turns in scaring us for the last six or seven months now. The Kinemanize might have confirmed out fears about three months ago, but this heart wrecking game of “I go first” has been our minds’  undoing for much longer than that. And the fact that we have just finished the last dinner on this journey doesn’t make it any easier to see Hayley assisting the Kinemanize medical team in trying to revive an almost gone Mishiida, and an equally hopeless Alex. They have found a novel way of drying everyone’s blood in their veins; one of them will faint first, and the other will start shutting down in response. This time Mishiida has taken the lead, and things are looking really bleak at the moment.

“The oxygen pressure in dropping,” a choked Hayley points out the element of concern to the Kinemanize staff assisting with the apparatus attached to Alex. It is not hard to see why doctors prefer not to treat their loved ones, for emotions can be really weakening.

“Hayley, Jackie’s going down too,” a scared Corbett yells out just as his friend, who had been standing patiently next to him, witnessing the entire turmoil, gives up on his strength too.

“Do something,” Hayley cries out to Corbett as she helplessly watches a couple of Kinemanize attendants rush to Corbett’s aid as he grabs the motionless frame of Mr. Garcia and carefully puts him down in a chair. No wonder the kids are finding it hard to control their tears.

“She’s gaining consciousness,” finally a Kinemanize attendant shares some uplifting news through her digital communicator.

“He’s too,” the other one adds as Alex joins his wife in giving us some more time to cherish their company. Man, don’t you hate these two for putting us through so much?

“And I have him back,” exclaims Corbett as his very basic efforts revive the man under his charge.

“Good lord, this is so stressful,” exclaims a relieved Hayley as she finally sinks down into a chair.

“Robot eyed monster,” Alex quips as he regains his sense of time and place.

“Don’t you dare call me,” Corbett however isn’t impressed and makes it known.

“Why are you getting so upset my friend,” Alex however adds, “You cannot stop time from finishing its’ course.”

“But you can at least wait for the time to do so yourself, can’t you,” Corbett however complains in response.

“I’m doing my best my friend, but I am not the same Alex now, the one that went to war a few years back, am I?” asks Alex. He then turns around to look at the love of his life, still by his side, “Hey Mishi, would you give me your sweat company for another night my love?”

And a weak Mishiida shakes her head with a faint smile on her lips, as a couple of tears roll down her cheeks. “It hurts,” she whispers into her communicator.

“Not as much as you leaving me would,” however adds Alex.

“Please don’t talk about leaving dad,” Alishiida cries out as she rushes to her parents.

“Don’t be stupid sweetheart,” Alex exclaims as he gives her a hug and kisses her on her head, “You are not an ordinary girl. You are my daughter. You have to stay strong.”

“Can we please talk something positive,” Hayley however pleads, “I don’t want to cry just yet.” But tears betray her words as she starts sobbing. Corbett walks up to her and sits by her side, taking her into his arms. “Please say something to change the mood, or I won’t be able to sleep tonight,” pleads Hayley to him.

“How about a pie you pie chucker,” jokes Alex, reminding him of a funny incident that could have easily snowballed into a major catastrophe.

“Yeah, thank you my friend, for that would be a great story to lift up everyone’s spirits,” Corbett quips wiping his tears, “But let us first get you two to your cabin.”

“No, just leave them here tonight,” Hayley however pleads.

“We can move the apparatus to their room if you want us to,” the Kinemanize attendant informs them, sensing the real reason for Hayley’s concerns, “It would be more comfortable for them in their cabin, and besides, one or all of you can stay in there with them for the night.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Jackie exclaims, finally joining the conversation.

“No, we don’t want to trouble any of you guys,” Alex however insists, “Let us spend some time together, but then part for the night to meet again tomorrow morning.”

“How could being up late and staying in with friends be a trouble you knuckle head,” Corbett however takes a jibe, “Didn’t we do that all the time when we were still young? How did the Pie chucker thing happen?”

Sensing the mood of the room, Alex finally decides to give in, “Alright, just for the old time’s sake!”

“Yay, woo, woo!” exclaims Hayley as Zenander and Alishiida wipe away their tears.

And we proudly march behind the procession of friends, as they make their way to Alex and Mishiida’s cabin. Yes there’s enough space for all of us in that cabin, for it is much like their hearts; big and spacious.

“So what is this pie chucker story about?” Jackie, who is not aware of this little incident, in spite being a brief part of it, asks for everyone’s benefit as soon as everyone settles down for the night in their chosen spots.

“Well, the story is around the time you were living as a monk on Elithecia,” Corbett starts if from where it would link Jackie into the mix, “You remember when Alex and Mishiida came calling, the pretext being sharing Earth’s love with Elithecian kids, although they had been tasked to convince you to rejoin the war?”

“Very well my friend,” Jackie nods in response, “It was just after their futile visit that the Gazintinians launched their dastardly attack.”

“And then you will definitely remember how luckily Alex and Mishiida had just the right amount of weaponry with them, to return to Elithecia quickly and launch a counter attack that repulsed the enemy forces,” Corbett asks.

“So you mean there was more to that lucky chance?” Jackie is finally getting excited about the incident.

“Well, those weapons were meant for us,” Corbett quips as he looks around to Alex and Mishiida to note their reactions.

“What?” a surprised Garcia exclaims as he too looks around at the two couples.

“We were supposed to take an armament delivery to ‘Battle Front Forty Nine’, were a small company of our forces had been holding out an important planet against some repeated assaults by the enemy,” Corbett quips, “And these folks here, they were supposed to bring the joy of potato pasties to the innocent kids of Elithecia, their supposed purpose of visiting the planet, where they were expected to unexpectedly bump into you.”

His starting explanation is enough to put everyone into splits, but Garcia has to ask, “Don’t tell me you end up with pasties to the front.”

“Yes indeed we did,” Corbett however exclaims, before adding, “Almost.”

“What do you mean almost?” Jackie asks.

“Well, as it generally happens in tough times, when you are running on your last bowl of cereals, the dog generally takes away with the bowl,” Corbett quips in reply, “We were ambushed by a motivated platoon of the enemy ally, midway our journey.”

“But you still had a warship to fight in,” Jackie however insists.

“Not when you are loaded with pies,” Corbett replies, “It takes ages for the simplest of manoeuvres to be accomplished, what with the crates flying around in the stocking area, unbalancing the craft.”

“So what did you do then,” Jackie eggs him on.

“Luckily we had a massive planet close by to use, and that’s exactly where we went,” Corbett continues with the story, “While Hayley took the controls of the craft, dodging the tailing firestorm, I risked my life into the middle of projectile pies in the stocking area, secured myself with a rope, and got ready to open the hatch and give the enemy a taste of our pies. As soon as we entered the gravity of the planet, one by one Hayley drew the pursuing enemy into a rising chase, and I would simply open up the hatch and release a load of fresh healthy pies on to the pursuing craft, smearing its face with a thick layer of sticky potato, just enough to give Hayley time to turn around and shoot it down.”

Corbett has finally got everyone rolling on the floor laughing now. Alex however decides it’s time for him to add his two pennies into the hat, “And that’s how he got the short lived epithet; Pie Chucker.”

“But imagine being Alex and Mishiida, when they arrived at Elithecia and built up all the hype about earthly food, only to open the consignment and find advanced weaponry to hand to Elithecian kids,” Hayley adds to the fun.

“But how did the four of you end up in such a mess,” Jackie asks surprised.

“We were living the high military traditions,” Corbett replies, “Like all faithful soldiers leaving for a major campaign, we felt it was our moral duty to piss ourselves into a stupor the night before, and being true and honest friends, Alex and Mishiida joined us. The only problem was; we took our consignment handler along. The next day we all had a hangover. His turned out to be just a tad worse.”

“He must have got sacked,” Jackie quips shaking his head.

“Nah, they just posted him to the frontline,” Corbett adds to it, “They were too short on men to waste even one.”

It is funny how time flies when giggles fill up a room made cosy by the warmth of friendships and love. Sleep is a natural bliss every organism has been granted as a boon to enjoy. We don’t need to though, for we are not organisms. We are just witnesses!

The hours can sometimes fly like wind, and at others drag on like a shadow following the sun. But it is not the hours, rather the beholder who is stuck in the inertia of emotions. This breakfast table is supposed to be the last meal to be served on this spaceship for this part of the journey. Return journey will not be so busy with people unfortunately. Outside we can already see nothing, signalling we are in that part of the space where there is only one place to find a resting spot; the final resting spot.

*************

Chapter Five: Life after future

*************

Mishiida Alexander

Aiszar Garrison

“Life is tough, heroes tougher!”

Chapter Five: Life after future

Being alive can itself be an achievement, when the only option available is to die. Of course there are always a lot of other finer achievements that go into making that achievement possible. And it is these later finer achievements which are generally celebrated by all. Perhaps it is just the value attached to life, by those who live to put it on line at the drop of a hat. It is debatable whether they would make another choice anyway, were it to be made available at the time of selection.

Battles chose their heroes, for there is always only one kind of people whom life has made into persons of interest for a particular situation. But it is heroes who chose to live their lives, true to their growing curve. The absconding best man is just that; missing. It is the appreciation of consequences that make a choice bold, and it is the result of a bold choice which is considered glorious, irrespective of which way it went.

But glory is not served on a platter. It is earned with sweat, blood or both. And those who have earned it appreciate everyone else that seeks it. It is easier to find love, harder to find a man inside you.

The mood has been sombre since Jackie’s revelation. The loss is just too stark in everyone’s face. With only last few hours of this journey left, everyone undertaking it is possibly wishing that weren’t the case, and possibly not because they care for themselves, but rather out of deep love and affection they hold for each other. Tomorrow is literally at the doorsteps, and no one wants to answer its’ knock, but can we blame them for it?

“Looks like its lunch,” Corbett finally breaks the scary silence as the Kinemanize attendant walks in to invite them for it.

No it hasn’t been an easy journey for any of us, but before today none of us were thinking about the day after tomorrow, for we were all busy living in today. It was all fun, stories and food. And now, as we get ready to walk our beloveds to the dining area, the tomorrow is staring us in our eyes hatefully.

“Ah, I can’t get up,” and Alex knows exactly how to rub it in our faces too, “Damn, this is the first time I’m experiencing my joints locking. I hate to ask, but can someone give me a hand?” And Zenander steps in to help his dad.

“You are old my friend,” Corbett takes a light hearted jibe at his old pal.

“And what are you, a sprouting seed,” Alex replies with vengeance. Once on his feet again, he helps Mishiida up, and we all take a stroll to the dining zone.

“Uncle Jack, please tell us something about your father,” Alishiida asks as everybody settles around the lunch table.

Her question understandably makes Mr. Garcia uncomfortable, and he takes his time, a deep breath and a big gulp of water, before starting on a very cautious note, “Well, if there was one man that I owed a lot of punishment to, it was my father. I’ve done some real bad things in my life, things that I don’t want you to know, but let me just say, I was a different man to start with, than what I am now.”

“So you were bad to him,” Alishiida innocently asks.

“I was worse,” Garcia accepts his mistake, “But all that changed once Siyesta came into my life. I changed as a person, and the first thing I did was to submit myself to my father’s will. I gave him the free reign to deal with me as he pleased, and he had every opportunity to go as hard at me as he could, but something stopped him the moment he saw Siyesta. No, she never said a word to him about my relationship with him. She wasn’t even aware of the dynamics. Yet her mere presence that day stopped him. He gave me another chance, although he didn’t reproach with me until she left us forever. In fact, her untimely demise broke him as much as it broke me, a reason why he decided to accompany me to Elithecia, and become a monk too.”

“So that’s why you had to set up a trust to run your business,” Zenander asks him this time.

“No, no,” Mr. Garcia however informs him, “I was in fact so sick of it, I wanted to get rid of it. But when I couldn’t, I decided to make Jason Whitaker, my secretary, the owner of everything. But he refused. I signed the legal documents and tried to force him to take the ownership, but he tore them to bits and threw them in my face. I still remember his words clearly; I’m not with you for your money or business you idiot. That day I realized, Joe wasn’t the only friend I’ve ever had. And my views about people began to change. Subsequently as events unfolded, I became good friends with your parents and Alistair and Hayley too. Otherwise the kind of man that I was, they would have never even let me in their lives.”

“Oh, we hated him with passion,” Corbett joins the conversation, “In fact the government had to force us to deal with him, to try and convince him to rejoin the war, simply because we won’t deal with him under no circumstance.”

“But eventually when they came to see me on Elithecia, they realized that I wasn’t the same man that they had known thus far,” Jackie continues, “And then when I joined the war effort again, our constant dealings slowly grew into lifelong friendships.”

“So how did your father feel about you rejoining the war,” Alishiida asks him.

“Well, this is something no one else has known till date,” Jackie replies to her query, pauses to recollect his memories, then continues, “The death and destruction he witnessed on Elithecia broke the last of strength he had in him. He just couldn’t stand it no more. It was my father on his death bed, who made me promise, not to rest until I was dead or the war was over, but to do everything I possibly could, to save as many innocents from death in war as I could. It was my promise to him that made me join the war effort again.”

His story has silenced everyone again, for as sad it is, it is equally compelling too. It forces one to reconsider what really should be the priorities in one’s life.

“What the,” the silence however is short lived as a frustrated Hayley blurts out at Corbett, “Why did you pour more soup into my dish?”

“Did I?” Corbett however asks innocently, “Sorry love, it wasn’t me. Must have been my robot eye, thinking you haven’t eaten enough, and forced my hand to pour in more.”

“You and your robot eye,” Hayley however is unimpressed, “I am not buying this excuse anymore. You will feed me to death.” And everyone at the table bursts out laughing. “Seriously, it’s not even funny,” Hayley however continues, “Look at my girth, growing faster than the rate of inflation, all thanks to his robot eye that somehow always thinks I haven’t eaten enough. One of these days I’m just going to lose my head and pull it out of its rented socket.” And everyone is literally rolling on the floor laughing at the couple’s bickering.

“Please, let me eat. I don’t want to choke on my food,” Alex quips as he barely contains his laughter.

“I’m sorry darling, but the soup is in the bowl already, and you might like it better when it is still warm,” Corbett exclaims sheepishly.

“You are going to eat this today,” Hayley however is adamant.

“OK! As you wish, but could you please help me just a little by sipping a bit,” Corbett however pleads, “Look, my plate is already full.”

“I don’t care, but you are eating this today,” Hayley sticks to her guns though, and looks like this time Corbett is in trouble. “Tell you what, don’t tell your robot eye,” and Hayley rubs it in too.

“So what’s our retired Brigadier Rick Roxon doing these days,” Jackie asks Corbett once the table has settled down again, “And what were their names; ah, yes, Sandeep and Monty, where are they nowadays?”

“The last time I met him was a few months back at his family farm house,” Corbett replies as he finishes his meal, “A bit fragile now, he is enjoying a quiet retirement.”

“In spite of his decorated career, he didn’t rise much in ranks did he,” Jackie inquires about the uncomfortable truth.

“There was just too much political crap going on in the army those days,” Corbett reminisces, “And the kind of outspoken person that he always was, he had ruffled quite a few feathers upstairs. No wonder they made him pay dearly by denying him some well earned promotions, but he was content. He actually retired soon after the events leading to our first tryst with your business empire, and was appointed the first human ambassador ever, to serve at an Earth mission on another world.”

“And Sandeep and Monty joined him; how did that happen?” Jackie asks.

“He would have loved to have me or Alex with him,” Corbett replies, “But we were both enlisted by the Alliance for active war duty, and he needed someone he could trust. So he asked the US army to depute Sandeep and Monty with him. And it turned out good for them too. Not only did they get a firsthand experience of inter planetary hospitality, but their experience enabled them to branch out into a career into administration. They are both serving as ambassadors now, in different worlds.”

“They did see a bit of action, didn’t they,” Jackie asks, for he had never really kept in touch with them, as he wasn’t as close to them, or in fact close at all.

“They did, predominantly alongside the Brigadier, during the early days of his ambassadorship,” Corbett informs him, “The old man had a way of establishing relationships with some of the most hostile worlds, and was instrumental in winning the alliance quite a few allies from unexpected quarters.”

“So they are stuck in some boring office, signing inconsequential paper work now, are they,” Alex asks, almost as if hoping the answer would be something different.

“No, not really, both are actually assisting some very remote communities in the universe rebuild after the destruction,” Corbett informs everyone, “As a matter of fact, they are amongst the highly commended ambassadors from any community in the universe, with a lot of reputation and respect backing their names now.”

“Really, I am so very pleased for them,” Alex exclaims, impressed by their achievements.

“I’m sure they would have loved to be involved in active war duties a bit more than what they ended up with, but it was the thought of assisting the Brigadier in unknown territories that motivated them to take up his offer,” Corbett quips just as he finishes Hayley’s soup, “And they have really made their choice work for them as well as humanity in a brilliant way.”

*************

Chapter Four: The fine adjustments

*************

Mishiida Alexander

Aiszar Garrison

“The only truth about love is; it changes everything around.”

Chapter Four: Siyesta

No it’s not all sweet and strawberry with love. There is a real dark side to it too, just like any other human emotion. Just like a smile can hide anything from pain to sinister designs, anger can also be out of genuine concern, caring can also be out of selfish motives, similarly love can be a source of negative change. It is true that love can turn a sinner into a saint, but it also wields the power to turn a saint into a marauder. The only truth about love is; it can change people into what they were not before it happened.

But all this does not make love something to fear about, or something to be wary of. Love is still a sweet emotion most of the time, for it often finds a way to be reciprocated in equal measure. It is hard not to give it back more than what one is getting, unless what is being offered is a packaged deal that includes physical needs. That is when priorities might be different for the giver and the taker, and be the source of strife, and thus change.

It is really not that hard to understand love, yet individuals still mix it up with desires and passions. Love is something that exists even in bonds that don’t border physical involvement. And one can possibly live without physical requirements being met, but would probably lose their senses, were the emotional satisfaction of love to be denied. Love is needed by all!

“Elithecia is a world full of natural wonders that would make anyone who visits it, fall in love with its’ natural beauty, and equally charming people,” Jackie finally decides it is time for the kids to know his story, “Except of course, for a cold hearted businessman on a mission to subjugate the entire Universe to his empire. Yes, I was that ugly businessman when I first landed on that serene world.”

“You know, I was surprised by the liking you took to the mineral exploitation opportunity, given the fact that you were an arms manufacturer,” Corbett exclaims as he joins in the story telling, “Perhaps it was your keen involvement in your personal revenge story businesses that made you interested in other avenues.”

“Perhaps you are right,” and Jackie agrees with his assertion, “But there is no denying the fact that in a war being fought so mercilessly with some of the deadliest weapons in space, all a wounded soldier needs at the end of the day is a good cocktail of pain relievers. And Elithecia’s natural minerals outdo anything else ever created artificially by any race.”

“That’s true,” Hayley nods in agreement, “It’s only Elithecian steroids, a mix of various naturally occurring minerals on Elithecia, which can relieve the pain of Tarandil poison for people of most races.”

“But aunty, how come Tarandil poison will kill anyone in this Universe, but Elithecian steroids work only for most races, but not all, like us Penanchthians?” Zenander has a genuine question to ask.

“That’s because Tarandil poison is not a chemical or organic poison,” Alex explains it for his benefit, “It is a physical poison; nano-physical to be exact. It is micro-electronics at its best; a suspension of nano robotics in alkaline medium. It integrates into the host’s body without stimulating an immune response, then uses the host’s cellular machinery and naturally occurring minerals inside their body, to create multiple copies of itself, before a final signal triggers internal cellular breakdown of the host, leading to their demise. Now depending upon the race of people and their food requirements, it might take long or short for it to accomplish the first stage of creating copies, thus giving different life expectancy levels to different races.”

“So the only way to avoid getting killed by it is not to eat food,” Alishiida asks innocently.

“Theoretically yes, but then starvation won’t let you live too,” Hayley replies to her query, “Although the life expectancy could be improved by cutting out one or more of the elements the poison needs to build itself up, provided those mineral deficiencies are themselves not too destructive for the organism.”

“Or the other way is to get it removed electronically, before it has integrated into the cellular machinery of the host,” Jackie adds the remaining bits to the explanation, “And this process generally takes about two to three Earth days, and depending upon the race, the window to start the treatment could be barely a few hours to a few months. For humans it is a week, and for Penanchthians about a month.”

“So you went to Elithecia to get the steroids,” Zenander asks the obvious.

“Much more than that,” Jackie replies, “I wanted to dig their entire world up and convert it into an open mine, much like a field of minerals.”

“Wow! That’s destructive,” Zenander quips with a whew, and then adds, “I’m sure Elithecians wouldn’t have appreciated the thought.”

“Of course they didn’t. There was an outcry,” Jackie states the obvious conclusion, “Alas they didn’t have weapons to defend against merciless bulldozers. And with the war at a critical juncture, it didn’t take me much to sell my plans to, by then, the six world alliance. I just needed to convince them that the Elithecians have been placated. Nothing some imaginative reporting wouldn’t have achieved.”

“So you didn’t negotiate with the Elithecians,” Zenander asks.

“I did,” Jackie replies, “It’s just that their terms were not on the table.”

“What about the universal media,” Zenander is surprised the media didn’t get a whiff of it.

“I silenced them, by the order of a gun to their heads,” Jackie however always has had a unique way of running his business.

“That would have been nasty,” Zenander quips shaking his head.

“I don’t know. I never asked them,” Jackie however knows how to make a sob story sound funny.

“So did you get away with it all?” Alishiida asks, a bit of hatred now appearing to simmer in her eyes and tone.

“Almost,” something however mellows Jackie down in an instant, “And then Siyesta happened; the most beautiful Elithecian and an even more beautiful heart that I’ve ever met.”

“Really, how?” and suddenly there’s a glow in Alishiida’s eyes again.

“I was in Elithecia to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Elithecian elders, with my bulldozers ready and waiting to flatten the forest that lay in front of them,” Jackie reminisces the time again, “A small band of motivated Elithecians had been blocking their way in the most peaceful of ways ever know to any kind; by lying down in front of them. I would have run over them, don’t you worry about that, or so I would have loved to believe at least. But the men working for me were not heartless. So I decided to drop by the site and do the needful myself.”

“You were so cruel,” Alishiida comments a bit hatefully.

“Indeed I was,” Jackie’s head falls down in shame for a moment, before he continues, “So I reached the site, got on to a bulldozer, and started rolling it towards the Elithecian protestors, at full throttle. But just as the bulldozer was about to crush the first Elithecian bodies under it, an angel of a face appeared out of the woods, and came rushing in front of my machine, halting me in my stride.”

“Siyesta,” Zenander quips.

“It was her father lying in front of my bulldozer,” Jackie recalls the moment, “And I couldn’t understand a word she was saying. But I just kept listening. She then ran around the side of the bulldozer, climbed it up and opened the door, grabbed me from my wrist and tried to pull me out with her fragile strength. And all I could see were the tears rolling down her eyes.”

“How did she look like,” Zenander asks as the picture he saw of her earlier is black and white.

“Beautiful green skin and silky smooth hair, sharp features and face that looks just like us humans,” Jackie gives a detailed picture of hers, “In fact, it is just the pigment and the unique patterns of red and silver that each Elithecian develops on their face, which differentiates their genetic material from us humans. You could even consider them as another variety of Homo Sapiens; completely compatible with us.”

“Wow, and you fell in love,” Alishiida quips as she possibly tries to visualize that fateful meeting.

“That very instant,” Jackie exclaims as he pulls out his locket again, to have a look at his girl’s face, “But that was just the beginning of a journey for me. She took me to her village, to show me their world, as she explained things to me that I understood none, for she was really angry with me.”

“How was their village?” Zenander asks as we wonder how Jackie is going to explain such a magnificent way of life.

“If there is one race of intelligent people in this universe that knows how to live in peace and as one with nature, it has to be Elithecians,” Jackie begins giving him the details, “Their villages are one of the most echo friendly villages I’ve ever seen. They build their homes in natural crevices, thus utilizing the warmth of their earth to keep them cozy in the mild temperature they live in. Then they have these massive birds, as big as our eagles, who make absolutely adorable pets, much like our dogs. But the best part is, those birds like our fireflies, have glowing stomachs. Every evening they return to their homes and hang upside down with their wings spread apart, and their glowing tummies lighting up the rooms. The Elithecians have no need for electricity, and their forests are full of fruits, vegetables and fibers, to fulfill all their needs. They never had any use for technology, and their bodies are extremely immune to any ailments.”

“And that visit opened your eyes to their life,” Zenander asks.

“Much more than that,” Corbett answers it on his behalf, “It showed him how life could really be simple and yet so magnificent.”

“Siyesta changed the way I looked at things,” Jackie continues with his story, “For the first time I realized that existence is not all about making money, but about living the moment and enjoying it too. For the first time all my previous achievements, especially sporting achievements, started to mean more to me than my business accomplishments. And yes, I was in love, and luckily she reciprocated, after a few minor hiccups of course.”

“So did you marry her?” Alishiida asks.

“First in Elithecia, and then again on Earth,” Jackie exclaims proudly, “I made sure it was one of the biggest events of the century.”

“She must have been so happy,” Zenander exclaims.

“And I was so lucky,” Jackie exclaims in reply, “But something always bothered her.”

“What was that? Did she miss home?” Alishiida asks.

“No, not that,” Jackie replies and then pauses to organize the complex story into a short description, “The war was in full swing, and the casualty rate was very high, across the worlds, and this was so painful to her. She just couldn’t stand suffering of people, and living on Earth with a man actively involved in the alliance’s war effort, made sure that she wouldn’t miss a thing.”

“So did she leave you?” Zenander asks a bit concerned.

“No! No! She actually convinced me to take her to various fronts, and help her assist the wounded and the suffering,” Jackie informs him, “She literally became the Lady Nightingale of the Universe, with me in tow playing second fiddle. And the more she tired herself out, the more I fell in love with her, and the more I changed as a person. But then the most unfortunate thing happened.”

“What happened?” a really touched Alishiida asks.

“One time we were visiting this forward facility, and one of the Tyrene allies’ launched an attack on it,” Jackie’s eyes literally start burning with the flames of the war as he remembers the dastardly attack, “The entire facility went up in smoke as the defenses caved in after a spirited fight. But Siyesta wasn’t the one to give up; give up on those who were weak and infirm, caught in the fire. There was a kids unit at the corner of the facility, with hapless children caught inside, waiting to be blown to bits by one of the enemy hits. She just had to save them, no matter even if it cost her life. And I just had to be by her side, if I couldn’t have stopped her. Unfortunately I lived to tell her tale.” And for the first time we see tears roll down the cheeks of a man we have never known as weak.

“That is so terrible,” and Alishiida too starts crying, just like everyone else in here, including us.

“That thing over there, that changed you forever,” Alex comments wiping his tears, “Set up a trust to run his business and became a monk; went back to Elithecia.”

“I just couldn’t live with her memories anymore,” Jackie exclaims sobbing, “I was struggling to find peace within myself, and for the first time in my life; I hated guns. I wanted to close down my businesses, but the governments won’t let me to.”

“Let you close your business, ha, they forced me and Hayley first, and then Alex and Mishiida, to go and convince you to rejoin the war effort,” Corbett quips wiping his tears.

“And he wouldn’t buzz at no cost,” Alex adds to the story.

“Had it not been for the idiot Gazintinians, who launched an attack on Elithecia just to eliminate him, and forced him to see more innocents die in front of his eyes, he would never have,” Corbett reminisces the horrifying tragedy witnessed on Elithecia by the monk Garcia, where one of his disciples died in his arms, that triggered the second coming of Garcia, as “the Saving Monk”.

“But one thing is true,” Alex adds more details, “Even though he rejoined the war effort, he never launched an assault on anyone. He only went out of his way to save the innocents caught under a heavy attack, even saving innocent Tyrenes and Gazantinians on quite a few occasions. The only time he ever attacked was in retaliation to an assault on any caravan of innocents being escorted by him. And that’s when he was always at his merciless devastating best.”

“Towards the end of the war, his ‘Green Fleet’ became universally accepted as a symbol of peace, and neither side launched an attack on an area, once it realized the ‘Green Fleet’ is present there,” Corbett tells the kids some little known facts of the war.

But something doesn’t seem right here. What’s happening to Garcia? He doesn’t look comfortable.

“What the hell?” Hayley exclaims as she jumps out of her seat to grab a fainting Garcia from falling to the ground.

“What happened to him?” a surprised Corbett exclaims as everyone looks on while Hayley vigorously rubs his chest, trying to wake him up.

“What happened?” and Garcia finally opens his eyes.

“Yeah, you answer that now,” Hayley looks him straight in his eyes, “You are hiding something from us.”

And a tearful Garcia turns his heads down, “I stopped taking Elithecian steroids yesterday.”

“What?” a shocked cabin exclaims in unison.

“It was the Battle of Xenathra, the allies had launched a merciless assault,” and Garcia finally spills the beans, “There were a couple of thousand innocent Tyrene civilians, majority of them women and children, caught in the mess. I had the option; to save myself, for I was too far from help to get rid of the Tarandil poison. Well aware of the consequence, I chose to save them, and I am so glad that I did.”

“What, you too?” a shocked Mishiida exclaims as she breaks down and crashes into Alex’s chest.

And Garcia finally pulls out something amazing from under his jacket, “If it wasn’t for Siyesta, I would have never got this.”

“An invitation to Aiszar Garrison,” an astonished Zenander exclaims as he realizes what it is, for he’s seen two of them already, with his parents.

“They had sent me a separate ship, but I wanted to travel with you guys,” Garcia exclaims, “After all, you are my only family now, besides my grieving friend Jason Whitaker, whom I had to leave behind for I didn’t want his grief to overwhelm you guys.” He then melts down completely. “Father would have been so proud of me today,” Garcia quips as he remembers his old man, “Oh how I wish he was here today.”

“I’m sure he already died a proud man my friend,” a crying Alex tries to comfort him.

“Oh C’mon now, the three of you, how could they do this to me?” a wailing Corbett complains, “How come I haven’t received an invitation?”

“Because it’s not your time yet you idiot,” Alex quips, hitting him with a slap on his back.

*************