Chapter 27: Serenitia Prime

Wilbur looked at the 2 men on the ground, Jordan groaning in pain while Bruce lay dead on the floor, blood still pooling from his head.

Wilbur grimaced, 'Fuck, Jordan looks like you were right.' He inwardly thought.

"FINE, you'll have your money." Wilbur spoke to Jake before transferring it. Just as he did, John emerged from the ship, gun in hand.

Wilbur was the first to notice and smirked at Jake. "Haha, good work John. Pilot you're surrounded, drop your weapon and I'll let you live."

(Jake, his facial expressions indicate he is lying.)

'I know, anyway, things are going to plan.' Jake spoke as John approached Jake, raising his gun and slowly pointing it at Wilbur.

Wilbur's eyes widened in shock and confusion before he was seething in rage "JOHN, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!" He shouted at his supposed comrade.

John had a relaxed expression smirking before speaking "What do you mean Wilbur, as far as I'm concerned my job was to escort the target to the tanker, and here she is on the tanker. My job's done, hell I've already been paid, matter of fact, I've just been hired for another escort mission, ain't that right boss?" John smiled as he looked at Jake who laughed inwardly at Wilbur.

"You're fucking dead John, you hear me, DEAD!" Wilbur shouted in anger at John.

"Eh, I was gonna retire anyway so no problem." John spoke before walking over to Wilbur's group and picking up their guns.

"Now, shall we get out of here?" Jake spoke to Seraphina and John, pointing his gun at Wilbur.

"Get on first boss." John spoke as Jake quickly embarked onto the ship. Aria was already in the cockpit and they immediately took off leaving Wilbur and his group stunned and confused.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUCCCKKKKKK." Wilbur screeched as he punched the wall of the tanker, the other 2 checking on Bruce and Jordan.

"Boss let's get inside first." William spoke to Wilbur helping Jordan stand as they made their way to the tanker.

When Wilbur calmed down, the only thing that was in his mind was fear. He already knew he was a dead man walking, he'd been paid an astronomical amount for the mission and his long-time partner Mathaus had recommended that pilot to him.

"What am I going to tell them." Wilbur started to panic, yet his worst fears were yet to come as a loud bang was heard.

Wilbur turned to look at the spotlights that shone on him and his team. 1 Navy Light Cruiser supported by 3 Destroyers were surrounding the tanker. Wilbur was a well-known Mercenary and he knew he would be executed.

He fell to his knees and ordered his men to surrender.

Meanwhile Jake was on his way to the Hellion system 3 jumps away. Jake dropped off John a system back, having made arrangements, would make his way back home to Mars. Jake was jealous, being able to go back to Sol was a privilege he knew he could not afford.

"Jake, how did you know John would agree?" Aria asked Jake.

Before landing in the tanker, Jake had advised Aria on their plan, hers was to convince John to change sides, although not necessary to their plan, it was helpful having John on their side.

"I don't know, I had a feeling I guess?" Jake casually expressed his thoughts. John had a different aura compared to the others, and if sincerity didn't work the 150,000 ECs would have done the trick.

Aria once again stared at Jake in anger but didn't say anything. Jake put the ship on autopilot and walked over to Seraphina who went to sleep the moment they dropped off John, finally feeling safe.

Jake walked past her bed, making his way to the storage room. The guns they had taken from Wilbur's group were top-of-the-line laser rifles, produced for the army. Jake stored them away, as he could sell them in the future.

'So tell me about the planet we're going to in the Hellion System Atlas.' Jake asked the Atlas, Seraphina had told Jake before she was kidnapped, her father was sending her to live with her mother and grandfather. It was safer there for someone like her.

(Serenitia Prime, a resort-type world currently leased by the Dravaris Trading Group. While the system is owned by the GOE and is mainly a trading hub with a few space stations, it is also the headquarters of the Dravaris group and acts as a holiday resort as its second offering.) The Atlas informed Jake of the Hellion System.

'Then Seraphina must be a minister's daughter if his family can afford to live on Serenitia.' Jake spoke to the Atlas before heading back to the cockpit.

As he walked back, he noticed Seraphina had awoken and the moment she spotted Jake she ran over and hugged him, tears welling from her eyes as Jake tried calming her down.

Currently Jake was sitting in the captain's chair, Seraphina on his lap and Aria glaring at his face.

The reason being Seraphina refused to let him go, Jake realised the feelings he felt in his dream were the same for Seraphina as well and she insisted on sitting with him. Jake felt uncomfortable, not because of Seraphina but because of Aria. The Atlas mentioned that Aria was feeling extremely jealous, something Jake was confused by as he knew his sister's personality wasn't like that.

"Look, Jake, we're almost there." Seraphina excitedly pointed at Serenitia Prime once they dropped out of the Hyperlane to Hellion.

"Don't worry Seraph, you'll be with your family soon." Jake smiled at the girl sitting with him.

"Good, the quicker she leaves the better." Aria spoke in a low monotone voice. As Jake got nearer the Planet, he was asked to stop and was asked for his permit to land at Serenitia.

Both Jake and The Atlas scrambled for an excuse but Seraphina quickly spoke over the Comms "Grandpa it's me Seraphina."

The Comms stopped and things went quiet, with Jake and Aria getting increasingly anxious. 5 minutes later, the Comms were opened again 'Permission Granted. Please follow the escort to the landing pad'.

'Wait that worked?' Jake thought.

(It appears Seraphina's family holds a bit more power than we thought.)

Soon 3 Cruisers and 6 destroyers were escorting Jake's ship down on the planet.

Both Jake and Aria were in awe of the beautiful blue world. An ocean world with boundless archipelagos, the largest being the headquarters of the Dravaris Trading Group. Both Jake and Aria had never been to a true Resort planet and continued to stare at this marvel of a planet.

They landed at an archipelago close to the main one, Jake seeing a large group waiting for them. Once Seraphina spotted them, she hopped out of Jake's lap and ran to the door waiting for it to land.

When the ship landed, Jake and Aria wanted to leave as soon as possible, knowing their mother would be worried about them as they had been gone for a day.

Seraphina on the other hand did not let Jake go, pleading for him to meet her grandfather and ultimately succeeded. Jake and Aria slowly disembarked while Seraphina rushed forward.

"GRANDFATHER." She shouted as an older man presumed to be in his 70s rushed forward and picked up his granddaughter hugging her tightly.

"Sera my child, I thought I had lost you, forgive me my child." He spoke tears streaming down his face.

"Grandpa, don't cry. I'm here now Jake saved me." Seraphina spoke with a smile and wiped away her grandfather's tears, who then proceeded to hug her again. He picked her up and walked toward Jake before speaking "Thank you for saving my granddaughter, my men will lead you inside and we will talk, for now, I would like some time with my family."

'Atlas I want to go home now.' Jake who was tired from the journey spoke to the Atlas.

(Jake, it would be better to go along with the old man. Since you've saved his granddaughter he won't harm you and might as well even reward you. Also, it's not every day that you'd visit a resort world, take a rest with Aria first.)

Jake looked at his sister, who had been awake the entire time "Alright please lead the way." He grabbed his sister's hand and followed the guards inside the large resort mansion.

Jake and Aria were led inside, the mansion being larger than his home in Devon, It's walls were donned in intricate art and statues. The large marble columns had attracted Jake's attention the most when The Atlas spoke.

(Jake, the art style present here is unique.)

'I agree Atlas, it's mesmerising, to say the least, even Aria is showing considerable interest in it.')

They were led into a large grand room with an en-suite bathroom, bedroom and a small lounge.

"Please rest here until the chairman calls for you. Food and drinks will arrive shortly, if you need anything else, please let me know, I will be right outside." A guard spoke to Aria and Jake in a respectful tone before leaving.

Jake fell face-first into the bed, tired from recent events. He turned to his sister while lying down and spoke

"Well, that was a fun little adventure, don't you think?"