by A. Payne
After Corporal Speirs was long out of sight, Victor tugged Etherington’s booted foot and freed him from the greasy mire. Once he’d set his feet to solid ground, the younger officer spit out the mouthpiece to the oxygen line and wiped a lump of mashed potato and gravy from his face. Partially decomposed food and fresh compost offerings clung to his uniform and stuck in his hair.
“You’re out of regulation there, Lieutenant Commander.”
“What? You can’t possibly be serious.”
“I’m very serious. Your uniform looks like shit. Your boots aren’t shined.”
Etherington gaped, like a fish out of the water. His mouth opened and closed several times but no sound emerged.
“Well?” Victor crossed his arms over his chest.
“My father is going to hear about this!”
“Hear what? That you were ganked while an enlisted girl slobbed your knob? Ah, yes, that’s precisely what I’d want my father to know.”
Etherington’s face went beet red.
“I expect you to be up to standards and outside my office tomorrow morning at 0600.”
“I was assaulted!”
“Excuses. I didn’t witness an assault.” I wish I had though; I’d have cheered.
“I–”
Victor arched a brow and Etherington fell silent, showing the first signs of good judgement.
“Now get out of here and clean yourself up. You’re a disgrace to the uniform looking like that.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the soiled lieutenant was out of sight, Victor exhaled a relieved sigh. “Jem, delete all data pertaining to this incident.” He had lucked out; a smarter officer would have demanded Jem to replay the event.
“I cannot do that, Victor.”
“Cannot or won’t? Use your judgment in this instance, Jem. From what you’ve observed aboard this ship, would you say that the lieutenant deserved his punishment?” No one deserved humiliation on a daily basis, and maybe now that Etherington had a taste of his own medicine, he wouldn’t be so quick to abuse his subordinates.
The program remained silent for a moment. Her final answer brought a grin to his face. “I am able to perform a security upgrade at the risk of losing pertinent data related to the last half hour in the bio-farm.”
“Please do.”
Chuckling, Victor resumed his mission and took the lift to the bridge, carrying with him the hope to bribe the ship’s commanding officer for a small and insignificant favor.
“Do you have a moment, Ethan?” He decided to keep the news of Etherington’s humiliation to himself, wary of bringing trouble on the heads of the participating servicemen and women.
Ethan glanced away from his console and groaned when Victor presented him with the chapple. “Are you finally deciding to use our friendship to your advantage?”
“Apt assumption to make. Yes. Here’s your tea. I made it just for you. Milk and honey as you like it.” Victor set the hot mug in the cozy armchair’s cup holder.
“You never ask anything, so tell me, what is it that you want?” Ethan warily accepted his bribes.
“I have a friend out in this sector,” Victor promptly said. “Doctor Mathias Campbell retired from the Navy last year. He’s a good man and he’s the only board licensed physician on his planet.”
“The planet?” Ethan repeated.
“Kantarn has three colonies within 20 miles of one another. One is practically a city now, or so I’m told. The council is planning to apply to New Cambridge in hopes of opening a doctoral college with his help. He’s also the man who helped me with the research for my theory on neurocybernetics.”
“All right. This’ll delay our arrival to Elora by a fortnight, but we can swing it. Navigator Agosti, set our coordinates to Kantarn.”
“Aye aye, Commodore.”
“Thanks, mate. I appreciate it. I’ve tried contacting him by message twice this week, and…”
“No response?”
“Nothing,” Victor replied.
“We’ll be there in five days. Tell Raines I said hello. Brilliant choice by the way, mate.”
Victor grinned at him. “Of course I will. We enjoyed tea together, so I won’t be seeing her again until tomorrow. I plan to return to the medical bay to resume my investigation. There’s something odd about those autopsies that I want to evaluate further, but I just can’t make it click.”
“Keep me posted.” Ethan swiveled his chair around to face his holographic readout. The Jemison was due to receive major upgrades at the next port, and the commodore planned to have the parts shipped to Elora ahead of them.
Chapter 18
The Jemison’s bio-farm remained open 24 hours a day, all 365 days of the standard galactic year. While its primary purpose provided nutritious food to the ship’s crew, Doctor Una Valentine, the ship’s civilian botanist, had developed one additional perk to the system. Named for its peaceful qualities, Zen Time granted every member of the crew exclusive and private use of the space for two hours each month. Some crewmen pooled their hours for group yoga classes or friendly cookouts, but most people spent the personal time for private picnics and dates with a loved one.
“Did you bring me out here to snog in the trees?”
Zoe laughed and leaned her cheek against his arm. “Well, we can kiss if you want, but I came out here for some sunshine since Elora has been put off for a bit.”
“Sorry about that. Kind of my fault.”
The bio-farm’s artificial sunlight granted the benefits of a natural setting during their lengthy deployments, but the synthetic sun didn’t compare or match the beauty of a true sunset at dusk.
“I forgive you, but only if you help me fill a basket.” Brandishing two green Harvest Badges in one hand, Zoe tugged him down a path with the other. They plucked a bounty of blackberries and strawberries in one basket then packed the second with fresh raspberries. They ate as many as they picked.
“C’mon, sit down here. I see some clusters near the bottom,” Zoe urged him.
Victor obediently crouched near her to fetch a few bushels of ripe berries. Doctor Valentine had placed small green flags at some bushes, indicating the juiciest selections. “Are we going to eat all of this, or do you intend to drag me into the lounge to bake a pie, too?” he griped.
“Do you bake?” she teased. “Half goes to Una for the galleys and I was going to greedily hoard the rest.”
“I’ve burned a pie or two in my time. My cakes are better.”
“You bake cakes?”
“With real buttercream frosting.”
“Obviously we need a kitchen date next time.”
“Ha. If I can’t talk one of the chiefs out of a couple of steaks in the mess, I’ll make a pick up at our next port and cook for you. I’m glad you pulled me in here… thanks for that.”
“After all the work you’ve been doing, I thought a break would be nice.”
“I know, and I appreciate it. It’s just that I’m worried, Zo. The more we learn about all these abductions, the more disturbing the pattern becomes. Cyborgs, psychics, and kids.”
“How has your investigation been going?
“Awful. I notified Mathias that I’d like his opinion on a theory I’ve developed about the recent abduction, and he hasn’t uttered a word. There are no reports about Kantarn going under fire from pirates, so I can’t fathom any justification for his failure to respond. Something must have happened.”
“Could he be busy? I mean, you get real focused on your work sometimes.”
“If it were only a matter of days I could buy that, but I’ve been trying to reach him for weeks. There’s also a high concentration of abandoned colonies near Kantarn. Doubtful that’s a coincidence either. If pirates aren’t already assessing their worth, they will be soon. I’m afraid we’ll arrive to find the entire colony in shambles or an attack in progress.”
“And that too is doubtful,” Zoe pointed out in an attempt to soothe his concerns. “United Command would h
ave reported that when the Jemison altered her course for Kantarn.”
Victor sighed. “You’re right. As usual.” If not for the recent theory he’d developed about the correlation between the abductions of the children and cyborgs, he wouldn’t have even realized something was amiss. The entire thing felt wrong.
“We’ll get it solved, but for now we have two hours alone. You’re supposed to relax during Zen Time.”
“I am relaxed. It’s difficult to feel anything but relaxed when I’m with you. These past few weeks have meant more to me than you can ever know, hon.”
Words alone failed to convey what Victor felt in his heart. Jem’s soothing classical music filtered through the bio-farm speakers, treating the pair to a romantic blend of piano, cello, and violin.
“They mean a lot to me, too.” Her fingers slid down his arm and twined with his. “Well worth the grueling hours of work to earn extra time alone in here. Una is a rigid taskmaster.”
Victor chuckled nervously. “Let’s take a break for a bit, okay? There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about.”
“Wait… This isn’t a break up talk, right? I mean, I know I’m younger and all but that doesn’t make a difference to me.”
“What? No. Nothing like that. Where’d you get such a silly idea in your head?”
“Sorry.” She ducked her head and kicked a pebble down the path. “Last time a guy told me he ‘wanted to talk’, it didn’t end well.”
“Zo, sweetheart, look at me.” He tilted her chin up and claimed her lips in a light kiss. “Furthest thing from my mind, I swear.”
They settled on an open patch of clover and grass with their basket. Zoe allowed herself the comfort of his lap, making herself welcome by scooting in close and setting both arms around his neck. She laced her fingers loosely behind Victor’s neck and relaxed him with a single kiss. One kiss had the same effect as the best medicine. Maybe it was even better.
“There aren’t many people that know about this, but I believe you’ve guessed at a bit of it already.”
“You carry a lot of pain,” she began hesitantly. “And I know there are lots of wild rumors out there about your last ship but we already talked about that.”
“I do, and there are. Before I came to the Jemison, I was in a bad place, Zo. I screwed up bad,” he admitted candidly. Leaning back with one hand on the grass beneath him for support, Victor placed the other arm around her waist and gazed up at the streaks of false cloud cover across the serene orange and pink bio-farm sky. “I never told you about why I almost lost my commission.”
“I figured it was your business and if you wanted it to be known you’d tell me.” The light breeze blew bits of leaves and fallen flower petals over them. Zoe’s fingers brushed the bits and pieces from his hair.
“I do want to tell you.” So much, that he’d rehearsed it to Jem until the artificial intelligence program assured him that his anxiety had dramatically diminished to a level suitable for romantic conversation. There’s nothing romantic about admitting a suicide attempt, he thought wryly. A better opportunity wouldn’t come.
“Whenever you’re ready. There’s no rush, Victor.”
I can do this. Like ripping off a Band-Aid, just get it done. “I pocketed a lot of meds from the drug cart on the Glenn, and I tried to kill myself in my room. It was probably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done, but not the worst of my regrets.” Most of all, he lamented his choice to deploy on the Glenn for one final galactic tour before retirement. He and Ylona should have been settling down by now on Albion, or even her home planet where humans accepted their marriage more readily. They would have adopted an Eloran orphan and begun to raise a family.
And I wouldn’t have met Zoe.
Zoe patiently stroked the back of his neck and head. “You’re not thinking about doing it again are you?”
“No!” he blurted out quickly. His next words came softer, almost apologetic for raising his voice. “That isn’t why I told you. Promise.”
“Sorry… Better to be safe than sorry. So after that, what made you stay in?” Zoe leaned in and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
“Where else was I to go? I have no family. My last living relative died three years after I enlisted. They were going to force a medical discharge on me,” he explained. “Stuff you already guessed at. Sometimes I wonder if you have a touch of empathy, Zo, because you’re a little too sharp.”
She laughed quietly and shook her head. “Nah, I tested too low on those entrance exams they do but it does run intermittently in my family.”
“You always seem to know what to say… It’s like you’re too good to be true. I spend half of our time together expecting to wake up.” From a beautiful dream that was beyond anything he deserved. Impulsively, he kissed her, a brush of his lips against her brow.
“Funny, I think the same thing about you sometimes.”
“Nah. I’m not that special,” he muttered. “Anyway, I count myself among the lucky that they permitted me to remain. They relocated me to Paradiso for treatment. One day after a round of gaming, Ethan asked if I’d prefer to be aboard the Jemison. He put in the transfer request and here I am.”
“I should send him a thank you card.”
“You’ve thanked him plenty. You just don’t know it.”
Ethan would never forgive him if he blew his online cover, so Victor merely grinned and zipped his lips on the matter, miming the gesture with one hand. He settled back against the grass and chuckled at her. “I’m sure if you put your mind to it, you’ll figure it out one day.”
“Hmm. Mysterious.” Zoe resettled beside him, keeping her head pillowed against his chest. The soft music in the background rose in volume at a gradual pace, providing a romantic touch to their cuddles. Victor ran his fingers through her hair and drew in slow, deep breaths.
“Thank you for telling me.” A hug accompanied her simple words. “And I’m glad you stayed in.”
“Well, the Empire kinda spent a lot of money on my certifications. I want to credit Ethan and Yuki toward United Command’s decision to let me stay, but it’d be dumb to believe money wasn’t involved. You don’t have to worry about me going off the deep end again. They've got Oshiro and Jem watching me. I can’t take a leak without her chiming in.”
“That must get tiresome. The music’s not so bad though. Besides, it’s become a plus to being with you.”
He didn’t hear condemnation or pity – only a genuine concern that warmed his heart for Zoe all the more. “Yeah… I’ve become accustomed to her poking into my business. There’s one more thing that I forgot to mention to you.”
Her head lifted from his chest and turned to look down at him. A loose lock of her dark hair fell against his throat, tickling his skin. “What’s that?”
“All this time, I never felt truly grateful that the Glenn busted me. Until now. Being with you changes everything.”
Choosing action over words, Zoe kissed him.
Chapter 19
The Jemison reached Kantarn’s system five days later, but a meteor storm delayed their arrival to the planet itself by another forty-eight hours.
Kantarn’s space traffic control tower seemed reluctant to grant the Jemison clearance. After Ethan shoved his weight around, they were permitted into the planetary atmosphere and directed to a landing space within city limits.
The plan was to allow Victor to go down and reconnect with his former comrade while Ethan coordinated with the planet’s governor and council. They had to be prepared in the event of a pirate attack. Kantarn had all of the qualities of the other colonies that had gone dark before it: secluded, small, and connected to cybernetics.
“Well, don’t you clean up nice,” Zoe commented as she neatly knotted Victor’s tie. She smoothed her fingers down his chest and smiled up at him.
“Where’d you learn to do this?”
“My dad,” she replied. “He wore a tie every day and I was fascinated. He always told me I didn�
�t need to learn it, since women on my planet are only allowed to wear dresses.”
“I’ve never visited Tallulah. Really? Dresses all the time?”
“Really,” she confirmed with a big grin on her face. “I guess that’s why I always wear pants and boots to shore leave. Makes me feel like a rebel.”
“True rebels wear lace lingerie. I thought I should tell you.”
Zoe swatted him playfully and leaned up for a kiss. “I hope everything is okay with your friend.”
“Me too.”
Everything wasn’t okay, he was sure of it.
Victor exited the ship’s airlock and descended the ramp into a village occupied by antisocial townsfolk. They hurried away and avoided him, parting like the Red Sea.
“Hello? Excuse me, young miss?” A woman reluctantly paused and spared him a glance. Victor continued gratefully. “I’d like directions to Doctor Campbell’s facilities.”
After she gave directions, Victor made the three mile walk across the township toward the colonial medical center. Its stylish exterior conflicted with the rest of the modest town. Maybe he put some of his own money into building this place… wouldn’t surprise me. Campbell is the kind of guy to give back to the community like that.
Smiling, Victor strode up to reception despite the wary look of distrust he received from the woman behind the desk. Her painted lips pursed into a frown.
“Good afternoon, I’m Doctor Victor del Toro,” he introduced politely. “Is it possible to speak with Doctor Campbell?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but I’m an old friend. He asked me to drop by whenever I was in the sector so here I am. Would you kindly inform him that I’ve arrived?”
The woman skimmed her fingertips over a floating hologram pad. The thin glass glowed orange beneath her touch. “Doctor Campbell is currently in a delicate procedure.”
The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. “I’ll wait.” Victor forced a thin smile and demonstrated his refusal to leave by claiming a seat in the lobby. The receptionist watched him with watery blue eyes, distrust swimming in her gaze all the while. They became embroiled in a bitter staring contest that lasted for a half hour before she caved and tapped a few buttons on her monitor.