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For the first time in as long as I’ve known him, he actually thinks there’s a chance he could lose.”
    “What do we do about it, Josiah? He has been acting strangely ever since he found out about the death match. I really don’t think he wants to do it and I think that’s affecting him as well. The biggest thing I’ve noticed besides how much he’s been training is that he hasn’t told one stupid joke in almost two weeks. In all the time I’ve known him, that’s never happened. Not to mention that I honestly think he’s not yet fully recovered from his bout with death brush fever. He’s not quite as strong as he was and he doesn’t currently have the stamina I know he possesses. I don’t think he’s ready for this. Garrinoras is a monster and he’s never lost a fight. I just have a bad feeling.”
    “So what can we do about it? Should we make him drop out of the match and just take off back to Hyperia? What should we do?” Josiah asked in frustration.
    “I do not know what we can do,” Kimi added. “Jesse would never go back on his word, and he would never forgive himself if millions of people died in a war he could have prevented. We cannot make him leave. Not to mention that we have a ship full of guests that would not be happy with that decision. I think the best thing we can do for him is be supportive and remind him that he’s not doing this for Cassie, he’s doing this so he can rid the galaxy of a great evil.”
    Suzy looked around the room and said in a voice that was almost a whisper, “I don’t know if that’s going to be enough.”
    “He may not be at full strength, but he still has the benefit of all his training and a stronger will than anyone I’ve ever known. It was his will that kept him going on Pandara when his body was trying to shut down. This will not be a one-sided fight. Jesse will hold his own and I’m convinced he’s gonna win, I’m more worried about the cost of his victory. No matter what happens, when he comes back we reassure him he did the right thing.” Collin added with a passion they rarely saw from the big, quiet man.
    “I agree, Collin, Jesse will come through this and we need to be there for him when he does.” Josiah added. “I just hope we didn’t force him to fight a battle he can’t win.
    “I can’t lose him, Jo, he’s my only family.”
    “I’m not dead yet, Suzy,” Jesse laughed as he entered the galley. “And no one has forced me to do anything, Jo. I’m a big boy and I made my own decision. Garrinoras needs to go and I’m the best shot at making that happen. End of debate. Sure, I’m not happy about seeing Cassie again, but that’s beside the point.”
    “Jess, I’m sorry, we didn’t mean anything,” Collin started.
    “It’s alright, Collin, I know you guys are just worried about me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about me, too. People think I’m really brave, but what most of them don’t realize is that I get scared, too, and I prefer not to be scared. It’s just hard for me to admit that sometimes.” He looked at his crew mulling over what he just said and began to make himself a sandwich. Reece started laughing as Jesse finished and waved as he left the galley, sandwich in hand.
    “I don’t think we really need to worry too much about him,” Reece concluded.
     
    ______
     
     
    As Jesse finished his snack, his mind flashed back to seventeen years earlier on the frozen planet he had finished his training on. That situation was the first time Jesse knew he would make a good leader. Others had seen it in him, but he was pretty laid back. He liked to go with the flow. On that mission, when push came to shove, it was he that had come up with the plan.
     
    [“I say we call Sergeant Kelly on the transmitter.” Manny insisted. He didn’t like their odds at all.
    “And what if this is part of the test? Are you willing to put your commission on the line? Because I’m not,” Collin replied.
    “Even if