Confrontation

‘I nearly had him, I can’t believe what happened, and you know how long I have looked

for him’ He said.

I could see him pacing up and down. He looked so handsome in his uniform, he

had no idea how I felt about him.  I said ‘please tell me what happened’.

 He finally sat down and sighed.

‘I had picked up Jerome from Planet Lomer as director by President Watkins and was to

take him for his execution to the caves of Romal’. He said.

‘The caves of Romal, that is a harsh terrain and its completely cut off from civilisation’. I

said.

‘You know how the President take’s treason, not so lightly that is why gave me the

assignment of taking him there. ME’ he shouted.

‘You were friends at the Red Academy so that couldn’t have been easy’ I said.

‘EASY? Damn right, but friends? But that was a long time ago. I was doing my duty to

escort him so I picked him up from Lomer in the prison escort ship.  I could hardly

recognise him, he had a beard, can you believe it a beard?’ he said.

Although I had heard about Jerome I had not seen pictures of Eyal and him together, they

had endured the physical training to be able to pilot a ship and played basketball together,

but I felt there was a lot I didn’t know about their history.

I also knew that this assignment couldn’t of have been easy for Eyal and that he took his

sense of duty seriously and that he never failed to do what was asked for him. But since

he had known that it was Jerome he was picking up I could see his anger and

resentment growing. Eyal continued on telling me the story.

‘He looked older than me, about ten years, but he is only two years older than me. He had

been electronically tabbed. I brought him abroad and he looked at me straight in the eyes. I

felt weak, ME weak. He said my name and it brought shivers down my spine. I left orbit and

started to pilot the ship, he just sat there and I felt self-conscious. Can you believe it me of

all people?’ Eyal said.

I couldn’t see Eyal as ever being self-conscious, he was a confident man and I admired

him for his self-belief and although he could come across as egotistical about himself he

had a gentle and kind heart. I wondered what was it about Jerome that made Eyal feel

that way? He continued on telling me the story.

‘I felt as though the back of my head was burning when I was piloting the ship. Jerome

was sitting at the back of me’. Eyal said.

‘How are you Eyal?’ Jerome said.

‘I didn’t want to talk to him, all I wanted to do was to get to where I had to go’. Eyal said.

‘It’s been a long time Eyal and look at where destiny has brought us? You talking me

to die slowly to the caves’ Jerome said.

‘I couldn’t hold it any longer, what did you expect Jerome? You committed treason’ Eyal

said.

‘Doesn’t our relationship mean anything to you Eyal? It wasn’t treason I was saving

the lives of the Bremal people and their planet which the President wanted to govern’.

Jerome said.

‘Dammit Jerome, you knew the risks it’s not our place to question the President and

it’s about the expansion of the Galactica Empire’. Eyal said.

‘Eyal, what has happened to you? You know damn right it isn’t about expansion it’s about

his control and the Bremal people who don’t want to leave’ Jerome said.

‘They are going to be recolonised to another planet, we need the polomar for own

planet’. Eyal said.

‘So that justifies him taking what he wants Eyal? He was taking their homes’’. Jerome said

‘But that didn’t justify you stealing a ship and also the polomar Jerome’. Eyal said.

Eyal was pacing up and down the room again, I had never seen him like this, he was

always composed but Jerome got to him and I couldn’t see why. What was it about

Jerome? He continued on.

‘Eyal you haven’t changed it’s a shame it’s all about regulations for you isn’t it, the

awards and the limelight. The President and your friendship with him I could see he

wasn’t a good influence on you.’ Jerome said.

‘And you Jerome? What influence were you to steal a ship and go against the

regulations? You were always jealous of me and the President when we were training and

how he favoured me over you and that I was becoming closer to him’. Eyal said

‘It was then that the ship’s internal system become to show that another ship was following

us, it was on pursuit and drawing closer’ Eyal said.

‘What is it Eyal? What’s happening?’ Jerome said.

‘Damn it I couldn’t believe it, the ship wouldn’t let go no matter what I did, I tried the

Play14 and Wifactor manoeuvre patterns but this ship wasn’t budging.’ Eyal said.

I knew how good of a pilot Eyal was and I had flown on numerous trips with him, there

wasn’t a fix which I feel he couldn’t get out of and I was on the edge of my seat listening

to him. If those patterns didn’t work than what did happen?

‘Eyal tell me what is happening have you scanned the ship to see what it is?’ Jerome said

‘I didn’t scan it, I had forgotten ME dammit, can you imagine? So I did and it was showed a

Bremal ship’ Eyal said.

What power did Jerome have I couldn’t understand, Eyal forgetting to scan the ship?

It was basic procedure and all cadets were shown that during training. It was an

automatic reflex to check to scan and I shook my head when Eyal turned his back

towards me. He continued on.

‘What’s happened Eyal?’ Jerome said again.

‘Don’t pretend you don’t know Jerome, it’s your cavalry the Bremal they have come to save

you.’ Eyal said.

‘Bremal? It can’t be they are a peaceful people that’s why I did what I did.’ Jerome said.  

‘Well their not so peaceful now because they are powering up weapons Jerome,

I swerved and turned to miss the several shots they took at us and I submitted a distress

call to the Warrior Wings but this damn Bremal ship wasn’t letting go’ Eyal said.

Eyal was still pacing up and down and I felt that Jerome’s instincts were right, it didn’t

make sense for it to be a Bremal ship as they are peaceful, but I was starting to

question Eyal’s judgement. Eyal couldn’t be wrong could he? Or was it that Jerome

somehow had some control over Eyal that he wasn’t thinking straight?

‘The ship fired at us and I had to swerve and turn and the left wing was hit, I couldn’t

believe it that I was hit, I have never been hit in my career so far.’ Eyal said.

‘Have you tried hailing them Eyal? It can’t be a Bremal ship they are not that experienced

at piloting a ship, the scanner must be falsified that’s only because of…  it must be, no…..

he wouldn’t have would he?’ Jerome said.

‘What are you going on about Jerome? Who dammit it, can’t you see that damn thing is

trying to kill me and save you?’ Eyal said.

‘It’s not, it’s trying to kill the both of us, it’s the Quadrant Wings, your friend has

sent them to kill the both of us can’t you see that? They are the only ships that can

falsify scanners and fly that way.’ Jerome said.

I had heard about the Quadrant Wings an elite group of chosen fliers and that made

sense why Eyal had been hit. They were the President’s secret weapon and I had heard

numerous rumours about them and that they could falsify internal ship scanners. But why

would the President want Eyal killed?

‘Dammit it Eyal look whatever you do it won’t work against them they are the best fliers,

let me surrender to them it’s me they want otherwise they kill us both.’ Jerome said.

‘Yeah you would like that Jerome wouldn’t you? Not to take responsibility and be saved

by the Bremal people. It was then I felt a sharp blow to the head and I fell to the floor.’ Eyal

said.

‘Sorry little brother but I had to save you’ Jerome said.

‘I saw Jerome beam away for the last time’. Eyal said.

I couldn’t believe it Jerome was Eyal’s brother.

‘I LOST him can you believe it? I got up as soon as I could from being wacked over the

head and that ship was gone alongside Jerome with it.’ Eyal said.

Eyal finally sat down again and I still felt shocked all that mattered to him was capturing

Jerome and sending him to his death, didn’t the fact they were brothers matter to him?

The door of the room opened and the President came in, I had never met him and

I felt star struck he was tall, and an older man than I expected. He had grey hair and

was wearing his silver uniform to mark his rank. I automatically got up to salute him but

he didn’t even notice me and came over to Eyal.

‘Eyal I read your report and I am proud of you, for me you did your mission and yes

that traitor Jerome got away but I wanted to still give you the badge of heroism. We have

our polomar and the Bremal people have been sent to Rifton Planet’ President said.

Eyal looked so happy and beamed while the President handed him the badge while he

saluted him. Rifton Planet I couldn’t believe it such as waste land. The Bremal people

would have to start again rebuilding their planet and it was like going back to their

ancient times. I felt that Jerome had been right that the Bremal people had been forced out

of their homes and their planet too get the precious polomar for our planet and it wasn’t

right. Had Jerome been right about the President wanting to get rid of Eyal in the same way

that Jerome was definitely dead by now?

The President must have known they were brothers and he felt it would of have been better

if both of them had been dead. As Eyal walked of the room with the President it didn’t

matter to Eyal whether Jerome was dead or did escape as long as he had his badge. I

could see that Jerome had been right that for Eyal all that mattered was his badge. Jerome

had given up his life to save his brother and it didn’t matter to Eyal.

I felt a tear run down my check for Jerome.