THE RELIANT: DARK HORIZONS

WAR HERO

"Captain."

"Yes, Roger, what is it?"

"We're being approached by a transport vessel."

"A transport vessel?"

Roger nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Why in the world would we be approached by a transport ves-"

But, before John could finish his sentence, a bright white light appeared on the bridge. And, once it dissipated, John was shocked to see his father Lewis standing on the bridge.

"Dad," John exclaimed, "what are you doing here?"

"John, something has happened."

"What, Dad? What's happened?" When Lewis didn't answer right away, John said, "Dad, what's happened?"

"Something has happened to . . . your mother."

John's eyes grew wide at the mention of his mother. "What's happened to Mom?" Again, when Lewis didn't respond, John said in a louder voice, "Dad, tell me what's happened to Mom?"

"Your mother's been . . . taken."

"Taken?" John replied, narrowing his eyes at his father. "Taken by whom?" As Lewis let out a sigh, John lept out of his chair and yelled, "Dad, tell me who took Mom!"

"You ever heard of the Mongaloids?"

"Yeah, I've heard of them. Is that who took Mom?"

Lewis nodded. "Yes."

"Why would the Mongaloids take Mom?" When Lewis again hesitated speaking, John yelled at him once more, "Damn it, Dad, tell me just what in the hell is going on!"

Lewis let out another sigh and then said, "They took your Mom because of me."

"You?" John narrowed his eyes again at his father. "What would they want with you?"

After a brief pause, Lewis said, "It was during the Morlon war before the Zennars started fighting with us. As you probably recall, the war was going pretty badly for the Alliance and Alliance command was worried we might lose to the Morlons."

"Go on."

"Well, like I said, we were desperate, so we approached the Mongaloids with an offer."

"And when you say we I take it you were involved in this deal too?"

"Yes, I was," Lewis replied, nodding.

"And what exactly was this deal?"

"You sure you want to talk about this in front of your crew?"

"Yes, I do," John replied in frustration. "Now tell me what type of deal you made with the Mongaloids."

Lewis heistated yet again before he said, "The deal was we would use the Mongaloids for things like targeted assassinations. The belief was that if we couldn't win against the Morlons the normal way we would take out their leaders and their battle commanders and we would weaken them that way."

"Morlons are not easily weakened," Bortis pointed out.

After shooting the Morlon chief of security a look, Lewis continued, "In return, we promised to provide the Mongaloids with things like weapons and financial aid. At first, they held up their end of the bargain and took out some of the Morlon military leaders along with a few government officials."

John smirked at his father. "Let me guess: When the Zennars agreed to fight with us during the war, the Alliance forget all about the Mongaloids and the deal they made with them, right?"