by D. M. Pruden
Hayden ran out to the front desk and found Penny.
Twenty minutes later, she was in her bed, hooked up to oxygen and intravenous drips. She looked up at him with rheumy eyes and tried to speak.
“Don’t talk,” he said as he hovered over her.
She ignored him and spoke anyway, her voice muffled by the mask. “You will be late for your appointments. Go and see your girl. Ask for forgiveness, even if neither of you believe you deserve it. And promise me you will see your father before you are sent off-world.”
“I’ll come back to say goodbye, if that happens.” His eyes were moist.
She shook her head. “This is our farewell, my boy.” Her shaking hands gently caressed his face. “I could never have loved you as much as your mother did, but I gave you my whole heart. Forgive me for being too hard on you.”
Tears flowed down his cheeks. “You weren’t...”
“Oh, tosh-tosh. Give me a kiss and be on your way.”
Hayden leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Goodbye, Auntie. I love you.”
Iris did not respond, having lapsed into sleep.
Penny spoke softly. “All we can do at this point is manage her pain.”
“You’ll inform me of any changes in her condition?”
She nodded.
Depending on what the admiral had planned for him, he was concerned he might never see Auntie I again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Katie
HAYDEN TURNED THE cold cup of coffee in his hands as he watched the faces of the passersby. They were all focused on some destination, and few would normally give someone loitering on a bench more than a cursory glance. This time, he attracted far more attention than he found comfortable.
It was the dress uniform, of course.
Most of the crowd in lab coats, rushing for their lunch break, regarded him like he was some kind of interloper.
Though the research campus was part of the academy, few uniforms ever ventured here. The researchers did not wish to acknowledge they were still a branch of the military, preferring to believe they worked for interests more altruistic than those of the empire.
His presence offended them, but Katie’s refusal to return his pings had left him with little choice.
Hanging around outside her place of work was, perhaps, not the best plan, but it was all he had time for. His shuttle was due to depart in a couple of hours.
She must be really pissed this time, he thought.
He spotted her seconds before she saw him. Her shoulders slumped in resignation, and she said something to her two companions. The women glared at Hayden with undisguised contempt. After they supportively hugged Katie, they walked brusquely past him, fixing him with withering gazes.
He stood to greet her as she approached him. A scowl marred her brow, and fury simmered behind her deep blue eyes. Her long blonde hair, tied back in an efficient ponytail, enhanced her high cheekbones and graceful neck. Though she dressed conservatively, in a manner appropriate for her position, her lab coat did little to conceal her figure. He often said she would look sexy in coveralls.
“Why are you here, Hayden?”
“You didn’t respond to any of my pings.”
“You’re surprised by that? You’re unbelievable.”
“I just wanted to explain—”
“What? What is there to explain? I caught you in bed with Sharon Ortega. The situation was fairly obvious to me.”
“C’mon, Katie. I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“A mistake, was it? No, Hayden, I think it is I who should make an apology to you.”
“What?”
“Yes, I should apologize that I led you to think that any selfish thing you do is forgivable. It was an error on my part. I can’t believe I put up with your bullshit for as long as I did.”
He scowled. “Then why didn’t you break up with me earlier? God knows I gave you enough reasons.”
Her frown deepened. “I was too caught up with the status of being Hayden Kaine’s girlfriend. I was enraptured by the mystique afforded you by your family’s position. I was such a fool.”
“Look, Katie. I messed up. I love you. I can change; get counselling; I can be a better person...”
“Kaine, you are an unbelievable asshole! You don’t just decide to become your best self without changing something fundamental inside. Get your own life. The scripted existence you’re living is going to be the end of you.”
She stared at him while he searched for some kind of response. As he struggled, her expression softened. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
“Goodbye, Hayden. I hope you find what you need to wake up the man I know lives inside you.”
She walked down the path and vanished into a building.
A ping to his cortical LINK snapped him from his trance. He tried to collect himself before accepting the message.
His initial surprise was replaced by excitement when he saw that it was from his father. That quickly turned to trepidation when he accessed the contents.
He was summoned to his father’s office.
That was never an enjoyable experience.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Admiral
HAYDEN’S THROAT WAS a parched desert, partly from the excessive amount of alcohol the previous night. The drip of perspiration running down the small of his back beneath his dress uniform convinced him that it was really due to nerves.
He had only met Robert Thomas privately on two occasions; both encounters were uncomfortable, and this one was not shaping into anything more pleasant.
Ever since he read his summons to Geneva, he puzzled what this meeting could be about. His father’s lack of insight had left him to stew about it for the hour-long trip to fleet headquarters.
Most cadets believed they were disliked by the Old Man, but Hayden was certain that the admiral hated him. From the stories floating around the campus, Thomas was well known for despising anyone who showed a passing interest in Katie Evans, his brilliant, attractive granddaughter. Hayden’s fears were more than unfounded paranoia, especially given what had happened.
After an eternity of waiting, the secretarial synth entered the lounge and escorted him to the admiral’s office. On wobbly legs, he followed the android toward the door. When it opened, he found them unwilling to obey his commands, leaving him standing in the entrance.
“Well, come in, please, Officer Cadet Kaine.”
His feet finally responding to the invitation, he marched into the room and stood at attention before the most powerful man he knew; the one who would very soon determine the course of the rest of his military career, and the success or failure of his father’s efforts.
Admiral Thomas stopped reading and regarded him. Hayden kept his eyes focused on a point above the Old Man’s head and maintained textbook posture.
“At ease, Cadet. Please, take a seat.”
Breaking eye contact with the wall, he tried to hide his incredulity. Obediently, he sat in the indicated chair, his back straight and definitely not feeling at ease.
Thomas graced him with an amused smirk and returned his attention to what he had been reading. Finally, he put the smart-paper down, placed both hands on either side of it, and fixed his gaze on the young cadet.
“I have followed your career with some interest. Given your involvement with Captain Evans, I’m sure you can appreciate why?”
Hayden swallowed hard and managed to squeak out his reply. “Yes, sir.”
Another amused expression crossed the Old Man’s face and he continued, “Your academic record at the academy is satisfactory enough.” He picked up the document and referred to it as he spoke. “Most of your marks in military history, tactics, and strategy are adequate, but not exceptional. Your performance in the basic sciences is in the upper quartile, however. Due to the influence of my granddaughter, no doubt?”
Hayden nodded. “Yes, Admiral.” There was no point now in revealing who was really responsi
ble for his success.
“Hmm. I thought as much.” He returned to the transcript. “But your scores in political science and diplomacy are consistently at the top of the class.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you hoping to make a career for yourself with the diplomatic corps, Mister Kaine?”
Hayden paused at the leading question. His ambitions were well known to Katie who would undoubtedly have reported them to her grandfather. “I am, Admiral.”
“That would explain the annoying and frequent communications from your father.” Thomas fixed his full attention on him. He felt like a young rabbit caught in the gaze of a wolf contemplating how best to eat him.
“I don’t respond well to influence peddling, Cadet. I am disposed to disdain for the young, privileged scions whose high-ranking parents think they can jump-start the career of their offspring through pandering.”
The Old Man skewered him with a steady stare and Hayden counted off the seconds, waiting for the drop of the other shoe.
“I spent many long, sleepless nights considering how to assign you after your unavoidable graduation, Mister Kaine. Finally, something presented itself that serves multiple purposes for me.”
Hayden braced himself in anticipation of what was coming.
“My personal preference is to send you to one of the outlying colonies for some minor posting, where I could ensure you were forgotten and forced to languish until retirement. It would be a satisfying answer to the entreaties of your father and get you away from my granddaughter.”
Thomas let him digest that comment before continuing. “Fortunately for you, that sort of thing is frowned upon. Instead, I found another assignment that will get you out of my hair and actually serves a useful function.”
Hayden felt the perspiration grow in his armpits and another trickle of sweat run down his lower back. He tried to imagine the worst possible posting the admiral could give him, coming up with several undesirable options.
Breaking the tension, the Old Man continued, appearing to enjoy the discomfort of his captive audience. “Effective immediately, I am graduating you from the academy and into the United Earth Forces with the commensurate rank of second lieutenant. You are to report to the Principal Orbital Space Dock at 0900 GMT for transfer to the UEF cruiser, Scimitar. There you will assume your post under the command of Captain Yegor Pavlovich.”
Thomas stood and extended his right hand over the desk. Stunned, Hayden rose and accepted the firm handshake, then saluted his commanding officer.
“Your ship’s formal mission parameters will be released to you once you arrive on the Scimitar. Godspeed, Mister Kaine.”
Realizing that he was now dismissed, he said, “Thank you, Admiral.”
As he walked to the doorway, Thomas called out to him, “Please don’t try to contact my granddaughter to say your goodbyes. I believe she does not wish to hear from you, based on my conversations with her.”
He swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”
Exiting the office, he made his way to the lobby, not sure what his fate actually was.
CHAPTER SIX
Walden
“COME IN, SON. Do you want a drink?”
Hayden’s father was tall and lean, without a grey strand in his full head of hair. It was tied back in a chonmage, typical for men of his social and political status.
“No, thanks,” said Hayden as he collapsed into an armchair.
Walden Kaine’s office was more like the smoking room of a nineteenth century men’s club. A faux bookshelf concealed the desk, and the room was decorated in priceless antique furniture.
“Well, I’m having one.”
He walked to the bar and selected a single malt for himself. Hayden winced when his father added ice. Despite his position and influence, the man had never learned how to take his whisky.
After savouring his first sip, he sat opposite his son beside the fireplace. Holographic flames snapped and threw off too much heat for Hayden’s comfort.
He scowled as his father made a show of enjoying the expensive liquor he couldn’t possibly appreciate. The man could be drinking kerosene and not know the difference.
“I heard that Iris took a turn for the worse. I’m sorry, son.”
His consoling tone grated on Hayden’s nerves.
“Why am I here, Dad?”
“Do I need a reason to want to see you?”
He stared at his father through narrowed eyelids.
The older man shrugged. “I learned today that Admiral Thomas summoned you. Do you know why?”
He was not surprised his father knew more about his life than he had any right to. He’d long ago abandoned any illusions of privacy where Walden Kaine was concerned.
“No, but I thought you might, by the tone of your message.”
“No. The Old Man hasn’t returned my calls. I can only assume it is for something significant. Not many cadets are summoned to Geneva. One of my connections probably reached Thomas where I couldn’t.”
Hayden needed a drink, but he dared not show up in Thomas’s office with booze on his breath.
“I wish you didn’t push so hard...”
“Are you still on that ‘I want to do it myself’ shit? Grow up, son. You need to exploit every advantage available to you. It is the only way we can keep things on schedule.”
“I realize that. God knows you lecture me often enough about my ‘destiny.’”
Walden frowned. “Well, then don’t muck it up.” His expression softened, and he raised his glass in a toast. “Congratulations, Hayden. I’m proud of you.”
“I didn’t do anything to be congratulated for.”
“That is your girlfriend talking. She doesn’t know anything about politics. Do you think she got to her position on her own merit? Wake up! She’s Thomas’s granddaughter.”
“Katie is brilliant in her own right. She would be where she is without her family’s connections.”
“You can try to delude yourself about that, but we both know you can’t rely solely on your own abilities. Nothing about your time at the academy has distinguished you. Without my help, you’ll end up as some junior officer on a ship posted...who knows where? That is a dead-end career that will do none of us any good.”
“Especially not you. Isn’t that right, Dad?”
“This has nothing to do with me. I did my part. Now it’s your turn. Don’t screw things up.”
Hayden shifted in the overstuffed chair. Abruptly, he stood. “I should go, or I’ll miss my shuttle to Geneva.”
Walden rose, extending his hand. “Of course. Good luck, son.”
He hesitated, at a loss for what to say. Everything that came to mind seemed trite and insincere. How many times had he told himself that he was done with his father, only to swallow his petty rebellions and return to what was expected of him?
He would have turned his back on Walden Kaine years ago, if not for Iris’s insistence he honour his father. She was old-fashioned that way.
So, with her in mind, he swallowed his petulant pride, forced himself to smile, and did the least offensive thing possible.
He accepted his father’s hand.
What other choice was there?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Beginning and End
THE CONTRACTED PERSONNEL transfer ship must have been twenty years past its best-before date. Its ancient light-gate engines took eighteen hours to recharge between jumps. As a consequence, it took five days to make the required FTL hops to the Zeta Tucanae system. By the time they arrived, Hayden needed a shower and a change of scene to anything but the interior of the Antares. He was positive the admiral had assigned him to this vessel on purpose. Any of the newer ships of the fleet could make the trip in twenty hours.
The ship was berthed in the run-down civilian wing of the station. The facility, while clean, smelled of a faint combination of mold and disinfectant.
Hayden’s LINK connected to the local OM-NET node and he reviewed the messages a
waiting his attention. His heart almost stopped when he saw one from Penny, the nurse at the palliative care unit.
While her message was compassionate, her carefully chosen words could not blunt their impact.
Iris had died while Hayden was in transit.
Walden Kaine had made the funeral arrangements and held in trust Iris’s bequest to him.
With tear-filled eyes, he scrolled through the other messages, searching for something from his father. On finding it, he paused before opening it, afraid of what it might contain.
He didn’t really know his father. The man was absent for most of Hayden’s childhood. Only when he’d reached his teen years did circumstances change and Walden attempt to build a relationship between them.
He was fairly certain that it was Iris who was behind his almost herculean effort. Whether she had coached him or not, Hayden couldn’t say, but the work bore some fruit, because they were at least on speaking terms.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he accessed the message.
Walden Kaine said all the right words. In fact, they were beautifully written. The problem was they were too perfect. The man was ever the consummate politician and a skilled wordsmith, practiced at writing copy to expertly elicit whatever reaction served his purpose.
Hayden was sure some level of sincerity lay within the subtext of the missive. His father was not heartless. She was as much a friend to him as she had been to his dead wife.
Hayden located a small cafe and occupied a quiet table in the corner where he could go unnoticed. There, in a strange place, where nobody knew him or saw him, he wept.
When his tears would no longer flow, he sat back and imagined what she might say about his emotional display.
She would tell him, Tosh-tosh, young man. Everyone dies. It is a part of the journey. Mourn, yes, but do not let sorrow shape your life. Dead is dead, and there is no amount of tears or wishing that can change that. Have your cry, say your goodbyes, and move on, keeping happy memories of your time with them.
He wiped his eyes. “Goodbye.”