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and noticed the feed cut off after he rolled into the step in front of the lifeboat, leaving out any evidence of how he was injured and rid them of the creature.
    “One of the lifeboats was jettisoned. Lieutenant Egland believes the creature seen in your video recordings was aboard that boat, is that correct?” Redford asked.
    “Damn right, Sir.”
    “That was the only physical evidence of what attacked your fleet, and you saw fit to return home without it?”
    Jones couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
    “That thing tore our ship apart. It killed god knows how many crew, and our weapons were useless against it. If I hadn’t got it off the ship, we wouldn’t be here to tell the tale!” he replied in defence.
    “We understand your standpoint, Lieutenant,” replied President Isaacs, “But we lost two ships out there. The Bulwark is in need of months of repairs and refits, and we have lost the lives of four hundred and ninety-one souls. I hope you can understand that we need some more concrete answers.”
    “I’ll give you an answer, Sir. Whatever it was out there, it was big, bigger than any warship I’ve ever seen. It was immensely powerful, and it wanted us dead. You want my advice? Gather the most powerful ships of the Allied races, go back to Kepler, and blow that thing to hell before it comes here to finish the job it started.”
    “We are considering all possibilities,” the President replied calmly, “Have you got anything more to add? Anything that might help us understand this disaster and deal with it?”
    “Just kill this while we have the chance, Sir.”
    “Thank you, Lieutenant, you are dismissed.”
    He turned to leave as the delegates behind him launched into discussion, but Jafar stepped out to talk with him at the edge of the room. He was more than happy to hear anything the alien had to say. He was still suspicious of the Cholans, but there were none he would trust more in the Universe than Jafar. He had grown up on the legends of the alien’s battles alongside his ancestor and Taylor, the hero of Earth, a man who seemed all but forgotten now.
    “I cannot talk right now, Lieutenant, but I can spare you a few moments when this meeting is over. Meet me in Zenobia’s Garden at 1900 hours, and we will talk further.”
    On any other day Jones would have been delighted with an audience with the alien Lord, but he was overwhelmed by everything that was being thrown at him. A nod of agreement was all that he could manage before the alien turned back to the other delegates. Jones had trained and worked beside the Krys before, but Jafar was more imposing than any of them. It wasn’t just his elaborately detailed ceremonial armour, and he didn’t even appear to carry any kind of weapon. It was his height, his presence. He looked and moved like a veteran of the ages, and Jones knew that was exactly what he was.
    Jones shook his head in amazement that he had finally got to meet the great Jafar, the first alien ally of the Human race. He turned to leave and was met by the best sight he could have expected. A beautiful woman stood before him in her Navy flight officer’s uniform. Her black hair was tied up and out of the way, and she appeared close to tears upon sight of him. It was his wife, Cynara. She rushed into his arms and held him tight before pulling back to look into his eyes.
    "Are you okay? They said you almost died?" she said, tears now pouring down her face.
    He smiled as he reached up and wiped the tears from her face.
    "Do I look almost dead?"
    She shook her head, and he turned and led her away towards his quarters aboard the station. But as she held him close as they walked together, all he could think about was his experience at Kepler. A hundred questions were rolling around his head, and he just prayed Jafar would have some answers for him.
    He stepped into his quarters and slumped down onto a small hard sofa in what was more a cupboard than a room. The sofa was also a bed, and a