37

Kenji and Airi sat together on a park bench, watching the sun set as they smiled, lost in their thoughts.

'At one point, it really seemed like we had lost everything,' said Kenji at last.

'And then, a miracle happened,' said Airi, her eyes shining.

'When the A-Unit came and went in peace, accepting the goodwill of our people, my father — and even me, for that matter! — were left in disbelief!'

'Captain Paul was a truly good person,' said Airi. 'I'm happy to have met him!'

'Me, too!' said Kenji. 'He's the first military man I met who was actually worthy of respect!'

'Don't forget Shen-ja,' said Airi. 'When he came back safely in that spaceship, and that too with the entire unit your father had sent—'

Kenji burst into a mirthful laugh. 'Their faces when they saw you there were priceless, though!'

Airi giggled. 'I don't blame them! I went to Shianxa and came back, and I still feel like it was a dream!'

'Hey, you said it right!'

'What?'

'You said, "Shianxa" right! Try it again!' said Kenji excitedly.

'Shian-sha?' said Airi. 'Shianxa?'

'There! You got it the second time!'

'I guess the immersion helped,' grinned Airi.

'In that case, I'll have to take you there again sometime,' said Kenji, grinning back.

'I'm up for it! But not without my paints!' said Airi happily. 'I say, what's going to happen now, I wonder? The attack on both sides turned into a peace mission of sorts!'

'Thankfully, my father has promised not to try anything,' said Kenji, thinking. 'And we've seen how supportive the human people are; I wonder what the colonel and the general are up to now...'

*  *  *

Colonel Smith nervously glanced at the general, who was smoking his third cigar in silence.

'We'll have to go if the head of state called us,' he said at last. 'We can't avoid it forever!'

'Think ahead, you fool!' snapped the general. 'It's over now for us! Over!'

'I still can't believe the people actually united on peace for a change,' mused the colonel.

'Me, neither! How did this happen?'

'How, indeed!'

The general snubbed his cigar and stared at the embers in the ashtray for a while before they went out completely. His fingers twitched slightly as he realized the weight of what was coming.

'I suppose we must go, then,' he nodded.

One hour later, they were both in a private room with the head of state.

'Gentlemen,' he said, glowering at them both as though they were two schoolboys in the headmaster's office. 'On what basis and whose permission did you initiate an attack on those aliens?!'

The colonel gulped.

'And what in the world were you thinking when you carefully planned a nuclear attack in cold blood?!?'

'They were a clear threat, Sir,' said the general, clearing his throat. 'And it's just as well that those creatures turned out to be... not so hostile — but they could have been, you see, and—'

'Nonsense!' said the state head. 'You had no proof to back up your suspicions! Ken — the top scientist on your team — told me everything; how, the moment Shian-sha was discovered, Colonel Smith, Commander Lee, and you, General, had malignant intentions and plans to colonise it right away! Colonise! Do you realise how long it has been since someone last used this word? It's been left far behind in the last century! And war, too — no one wants war anymore; the people have seen its horrors, and they don't want to see it again! Do you understand?'

The general went pale and then somewhat sallow. 'Yes...'

'No, you don't...' said the head of state, shaking his head. 'Anyway, on the charges of initiating war against the will of the people, thereby disrespecting the free democracy we live in, as well plotting a nuclear attack for your own benefit, all while jeopardising our relations with our planetary neighbours, I am hereby relieving you of your service to this government; I'm also recommending you to be stripped of your honours and titles and given due punishment for your wrongs; so be sure to arrive for your first court martial date next week!'

Colonel Smith recoiled in horror, while the general went white as a sheet.

'You may take your leave now, gentlemen,' said the head of state curtly. 'I have a meeting to attend, and a treaty to sign — with the commander of the Zeljari!'

*  *  *

'Father, I can't believe you're nervous!' said Kenji with a laugh, as he watched his father anxiously walk to and fro in the room.

'Well, of course I am! I'm not taking Klxsin anymore, you know! By the way, do you think it's really right for me to go and sign that treaty with the UN — what does that stand for, again?'

'United Nations,' said Kenji. 'And yes, you should go, who else?!'

'I don't know,' said his father regretfully. 'I've done many wrong things over the years... I've lied to my people for so long; how can they still want me as their leader?'

Kenji smiled, and held his hand. 'Father... do you remember the first time you told me about Earth?'

His father looked up.

'You said it was a place of war, of greed, of people who never learned from their mistakes. But now, look at them. They chose peace. And you did, too. That’s why they still want you.'

'Commander,' said a voice, and Kenji and his father turned around. It was Xvie!

'What is it, Xvie? Look, you too... don't you think I ought to step down after all I've done?'

'No, Commander,' said Xvie comfortingly. 'You have led us well all these years — you never meant to cross the limits you ended up crossing... but the thing is, you've truly changed now, and the people know it!'

'You and everyone have really forgiven me?'

'Yes! We need you as our commander, now more than ever,' said Xvie.

'You're going to be perfect, Father,' said Kenji with a grin, winking at Xvie to thank him.

'Hey, what was that thing you did?' said his father and Xvie at once, making Kenji turn green.

'Just a human thing I picked up...' he said nonchalantly, walking outside. 'Father, come on! Your pod awaits!'

*  *  *

'It really was sort of cramped in there,' said Kenji's father, stepping out and stretching as he looked around at Earth for the first time. 'This planet actually looks better from here than from the imagery!'

'That's what I've been trying to tell you!'

'The blue sky looks very peaceful!'

Kenji smiled at his father. 'You're more chill nowadays. I like this version of you...'

'Chill?' said his father, confused.

'It's just a slang for, you know... cool!'

'Cool?'

'Forget it, Dad!'

'Dad?!'

*  *  *

'And now, for the first time in history, a peace treaty will be signed between the commander of the Zeljari people, and the UN,' announced a woman in the microphone over thunderous applause, before she stepped aside, to reveal the alien commander signing the papers, which already had the signatures of every world leader, including the head of the UN.

'This is a promise, a pledge, that no matter what, humans and Xeljari will not fight or engage in war,' spoke the commander, his golf eyes shining and making his face look more soft and radiant than it had been in a long time. 'Our two planets will retain their sovereignty and integrity, and our races will coexist in peace, love and harmony, just like my son Xiennan — you all know him as Kenji — and his friend Airi have shown us is possible.'

The audience roared and stood up as they clapped, cheering as they welcomed a new era of endless possibilities.

*  *  *

'So, we made it after all,' said Kenji, smiling contently.

'Yes! We achieved peace between our two worlds when all the odds were against us... that is no small feat!' said Airi excitedly.

'It's all because I met you,' said Kenji, looking at her adoringly. 'When you came into my life, everything changed!'

Airi blushed. 'No, it's all because you came into my life; I was just an average girl trying to get through high school, but then you came out of nowhere and next thing you know, I was trying to save the world!'

'You're anything but average,' said Kenji, shaking his head. 'You're special, Airi! You always were!'

Airi turned redder. 'Now you're making me shy!'

'You look even cuter when you're shy!'

'Oh, stop!'

'You look like a... tomato...' grinned Kenji.

'Silly!' said Airi, looking at him with a laugh. 'But seriously, you're special, too. I'm so happy I met you, Kenji!'

'I'm happy I met you, too, Airi,' said Kenji tenderly. 'I... I love you!'

Airi looked at him, touched. 'I love you too!'

Kenji smiled at her, moonlight reflecting in his eyes as they gazed at each other longer than they had ever done before. There was something magical in his eyes, and it grew stronger as he drew closer and leaned his forehead against Airi's. She closed her eyes and smiled contently; the warmth and peace she felt being with him like this was more than she could have ever imagined. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to just remain this way — always.

'This is how we show love,' said Kenji softly. 'It means... forever.'

Airi smiled, her heart swelling. 'I like your way a lot...'

Kenji chuckled, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. 'Then it's settled. You're officially one of us now.'

'And you're officially mine,' said Airi with a giggle.

Kenji laughed, wrapping his arms around her as they watched the stars above — two souls from different worlds, bound together by love, by peace; and by the promise of a future they had fought so hard to create.

The End