A short distance from the Martian town there was a hill, actually the decorated top of an ancient temple eroded by the millennia. The half-buried building was less ancient than the apartments at the spaceport, but much worse preserved, while maintaining some interesting frescoes and bas-reliefs. Here Eve found JS intent to take photos, spray liquids on the frescoes and project colored lights. "Ah, here you are. Please, can you hold this lamp this way?" JS asked her, when he saw her coming downstairs, and pointed at a crumbling ancient fresco enlightened by the light of his hoverbike. "Look, it's Naga's head... I'd like to understand what it means." "Vasquez dropped by, looking for you." Eve said. JS's mental barriers were still there and he seemed absorbed in his work, so Eve tried to enter his mind from a "back door", but she wasn't able to. Some time later she tried again. No way, but JS raised his head and stared at her frowning and half smiling: "Well, we decided to respect each one's privacy, didn't we?" Eve nodded, then blurted out: "When are you going to tell me it? That you are leaving in two days." JS put down camera and reagents, dropped all mental defences, stared at her, and calmly replied: "No, I'm staying." "... and GOD's orders? .. why did you close your mind?" "Everything's OK," he smiled. "I wanted to be a little alone, you know." Eve opened her suit and let her gorgeous breasts spring out. "I'm the ship. This is your home now." JS drew her to him and lost himself inside her. "Want to talk?" asked Eve after a while. "When I called to present our attack plans, GOD took the call from the president's office and there was also ETHIC's Iron Lady. The president was all high after winning the elections, and said, 'We and the Rogues have a treaty. Well, my boy, pack your bags and come home'. 'We can't abandon our Martian allies.' I said. 'We have to evacuate them at least!' The President made a gesture of refusal: 'The Rogues demanded that no Martians leave the planet. That would be considered an interference in the New Mars' internal affairs.' 'But it'll be a genocide!' I told him 'Without our support, they have no chance against the RATs. I gave my word that we wouldn't abandon them, sir.' 'You weren't authorized to do so.' That sh*t*ead replied." Feeling his anger, Eve hugged him gently. JS went on: "ETHIC's Iron Lady said 'Quoting Machiavelli - A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise. - In my opinion, galactic peace is an entitled one'. At last, GOD intervened: 'It isn't a good idea to suggest that an Earthener officer's word has no value, sir.' The President annoyed snorted, then ETHIC suggested 'If he resigns from service, he may keep his word as an officer and a gentleman and stay with his protégés, this is a good solution, isn't it?' GOD nodded and the president said, 'Obviously you'll relinquish all benefits accrued to this date, but certainly compared to Martian rubies...' and winked at me. 'You'll get my letter of resignation within one hour,' but I couldn't resist adding 'and you hadn't seen the Martians diamonds, sir!'" "But there aren't Martian diamonds!" cried Eve. JS grinned: "Just 46 hours, then I'll become a drifter, too." "No, you're the captain of a S'skash starship. What are you going to do now?" "To boot the RATs out, what else?" Thank you to all people who appreciated the previous picture! Thank you for viewing and drop a note if you like! Lyrra: M4 Ensign KookNfat: J-Suit V4 RicardoKawecki: RKDungeons TransPond: Pre-Columbian Set DAZ: Desert Soldier e-frontier: Career