by Robin Roseau
“Anything.”
“When you get to Talmon, I want you to take your first big breath of fresh air and say, ‘I am home.’”
“I don’t understand.”
“Many people see these positions as a posting. They are away from home to do a job, but it is temporary.”
“Like you did on that cold world.”
“That wasn’t a posting, but yes. I want you to think of Talmon as home. I want you to let yourself fall in love with the planet and its people. And if you find love in a someone special, I want you to accept it.”
I thought about it. “What happens if you send me somewhere else?”
“I would never send you somewhere else, if you have found love, and your wife is unwilling to leave with you,” she said. She laughed. “If you love the planet, the best way to ensure I never send you somewhere else is to marry a nice local girl with close ties to her family.”
I laughed with her.
“On the other hand, if you hate the planet, do not fall in love with anyone.”
“What if it’s someone who would go with me?”
“What if it’s someone who only says she loves you for a chance to leave with you?”
“Oh. I’m not sure I would have thought of that.”
“Another reason I love you,” she said. “This is going to be hard, Maddalyn. To someone from a world such as Frantzland, the Talmonese have almost nothing.”
“They have a beautiful planet.”
“Yes.”
“And the embassy and our housing has electricity.”
“All the modern conveniences,” she assured me.
On the view from the implant, the climber grew harder and harder to see, now high overhead.
“Aunt Anna?”
“Yes, Darling?”
“Do you do this with everyone you send to a distant star?”
“Yes, Darling,” she said. “Every single one. I don’t, however, necessarily call them Darling.”
I laughed then sobered. “Have you ever lost anyone?”
“Not during travel, but yes. A few, and a few more scares, people we thought we were losing, but we found them.”
“Did you have to send the marines?”
“Thankfully, no,” she said. “But if ever I have to, I’ll do it in a heartbeat. But I have at my disposal a handy little corvette named Darkside. They are quite capable of dealing with nearly anything short of a full insurrection, and thankfully I’ve never had to face one of those.”
“But you’ve sent Darkside.”
“Yes, Maddalyn. I’ve sent Darkside.”
I’ve thought about all of this, and I decided I could make myself sick from worry. So instead, I smiled. “I am going to a lovely planet filled with lovely people. And I am going to help Governor Grace bring them the advantages of the Empire.”
“That you are, Maddalyn. That you are. I envy you.”
“You could take the next climber and go with.”
“No, no. If I go, it will be aboard Darkside,” she said with a laugh.
“How comfortable can a military ship be?”
“Less than the ship you’ll take,” she replied. “But it’s far, far faster. Life is short.”
I laughed.
On the image from Anna, I could no longer see the climber. Eventually Anna decided the same thing, so the image faded, and then her face appeared again. I sat back in my own seat and closed my eyes.
We said nothing for a few minutes. From the view, I thought Aunt Anna was still looking skyward, even though I didn’t think she could see me anymore. I thought we’d probably said everything that was important, and while I was full of questions, I’d asked everything I could think of, and I was just going to need to experience what would happen.
“What we do is important,” she said quietly. I wondered if it was to me or to herself. “We are helping so many people. But it never seems like enough. The planets that need us the most have so little to give back, and I only receive so many resources.” She paused. “The rich planets could do more, but most of their people wonder why they give as much as they do.”
“I never really thought about it before,” I said. “I thought of myself, and of Frantzland, and of doing a good job. I always knew we were part of a larger empire, but it wasn’t something I really thought about. I certainly didn’t think about planets like Talmon.”
“Most people don’t,” she said. “And you’re an intelligent, curious woman, although young.”
“I’m not sure age has anything to do with it. If one isn’t curious at my age, does one grow curious with age?”
“Not often,” she replied. “It takes unusual events, or sometimes meeting the right person.”
“I suppose,” I said.
“I’m going to push you, Maddalyn. Do you understand?”
“Good.”
“For now, learn your new job. Learn your new home. But do not settle too much, Maddalyn. You will be Governor Grace’s assistant for what seems like a long time, but not forever.”
“I’ll do whatever you need, Aunt Anna.”
“I know you will, Darling.” She paused. “Darling, we don’t need to talk, but do you mind if I stay with you, just for a while?”
“I don’t mind,” I said.
* * * *
The initial ride was slow, relatively speaking, requiring two hours to reach the outer edges of the atmosphere, slowly accelerating. As the sky grew darker, turning to black, and I could see the stars, the acceleration increased, and for a while, I was pressed more firmly into my seat.
Aunt Anna left me as we passed the official boundary into space, offering more words of love before she signed off. I missed her presence, but I couldn’t expect her to stay with me the entire two-day trip to the space station.
Two days? It’s forty thousand kilometers, and the beanstalk can only accept controlled travel. So yes, it would be two days.
We were three and a half hours into those two days when the announcement came. “Beginning deceleration.” We slowed, coming to a complete stop exactly four hours from when we began. At that point, crewmembers moved about, asking who needed to use the restrooms and offering a variety of refreshments. We were allowed from our chairs only a few at a time, crewmembers seeing to us carefully.
I took care of my needs and accepted a light lunch. I ate and drank cautiously and was well settled by the time the warnings began to announce we would be moving again. The crewmembers went through the cabin, checking everyone, although the chairs would have said if anything was amiss. And then they disappeared, and a minute later, we began to move again.
And that was the pattern for the remainder of our two-day journey.
* * * *
My departure from Tarriton was a reverse of my arrival. I rode the beanstalk to one space station, and then spent a week traveling out to the orbit of Tarriton Six to transfer to another station, and from that station, to a luxury liner called Urban Green. I was offered what was called a “diplomatic berth” aboard the liner, which probably wasn’t any different from the other cabins, but it clearly placed me as a member of a diplomatic mission. I wasn’t the only such passenger aboard Urban Green, but I was the only one who would disembark at Talmon.
We departed the next day, and it would take six weeks to arrive at Talmon System and another week to descend deep into the star’s gravity well.
Part Two
The Age of Chaladine
Arrival
I sat in my seat aboard the shuttle, looking out the window. Urban Skies had descended all the way to Talmon Three, but was in a high orbit. We had descended via an orbital shuttle the liner carried with her. I was the only passenger, but I knew there was cargo destined for the planet below.
Looking down, Talmon was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Directly below me were clouds, some sort of tropical storm, but looking to the north I could see open ocean, and a glimpse of a coastline.
We circled the planet, descending slowly, caref
ully. Periodically the captain spoke, giving a status update.
A crew member checked on me. I was fine.
“If you need to use the facilities once more, now is the time,” she said.
I thought about it and nodded. “You know, that is a good idea.”
She let me unbuckle, but then she steadied me; moving about the cabin during free fall was fun but potentially hazardous. And so the crewmember escorted me to the facilities and then waited for me.
Five minutes later, I was buckled back in, and there I would remain for the remainder of my travel.
* * * *
We flew lower and lower. My implant communicated with the navigation system of the planet, and it told me where we were. And then the captain announced we were about to enter the atmosphere. I turned to look straight ahead and closed my eyes.
I didn’t enjoy reentry, but the worst of it didn’t last long. With reentry, we were no longer operating in an orbital fashion, but it was still another two hours to the surface. I watched out the window and saw not a single sign of humanity. There were no roads, no towns, no cultivated fields. It was all wilderness for thousands and thousands of square kilometers.
It was hard to get my mind around that thought. All right. Frantzland would appear the same from the sky, but other planets should have signs of people.
We flew out over the ocean, descending below ten thousand meters, and then turned north.
“In five minutes,” said the captain’s voice, “We will pass Sudden, the town beside which resides the Imperial Embassy, two kilometers to our left. Our altitude will be 500 meters. After passing the town, we will perform a wide circle before landing from the south. Enjoy the view!”
I stared out the window. We passed a collection of buildings just moments after the captain spoke, but we continued north. Was that the town? But then we passed a much larger town, and I decided that had been some sort of village.
I got my first, close look of the town that would become my home. It was, however, a brief look, and then we were past, the town disappearing behind my view. A minute later we began a gentle turn left, crossing the coast and now flying over the forest wilderness below. I hoped to see Sudden again, but all I could see were trees, trees, and more trees.
But then I saw the airfield, and past it, the town again. We circled again, dropping lower, and the view changed to trees yet again. We descended lower, and lower, and then we were flaring, bleeding off our final speed just as we descended below the tops of the trees in the large field.
Thirty seconds later, I felt as the craft settled to the ground.
I was on a new planet.
A new planet.
A new planet.
I got stuck on that thought for a minute or two. But then the crewmember was there. “How are you doing, Ms. Herschel?”
I looked over at her, now on two feet. “May I get up?”
“We need to let the outside cool a few minutes. When you do disembark, remain well clear of the craft. Descend the ramp and walk directly away no less than ten meters before turning. The ramp acts as a heat shield for you.”
“I understand. My luggage?”
“We’ll bring it to you.”
“Is there anyone waiting for me?”
“Are they expecting you?”
“No.”
She smiled. “Then they are waiting for our cargo. Let us collect your nearest things.” She helped me from the seat and then we retrieved my most immediate possessions, the diplomatic satchel the most important.
Then the captain spoke. “Our passenger is free to disembark.”
“Would you thank him for the ride?” I asked.
“Of course,” she said. “This way, Ms. Herschel.”
* * * *
I descended the ramp, walked my ten meters, and then came to a stop, looking around.
“Talmon,” I said. I took a deep, deep breath of air. It smelled unusual. Not bad. But unusual. I took another breath and said, “Home. I am home, Aunt Anna, the home you picked for me.”
I turned a slow circle. The landing field was entirely surrounded by trees and other vegetation. There were no buildings, but I saw two men standing beside a ground vehicle. They were watching me. I smiled and walked to them.
“Welcome to Talmon,” one said. I had studied the embassy’s staff and recognized Aston Danes. Beside him was Blaine Jerrod.
I stepped forward, closing the distance while holding out my hand. “I am Maddalyn Herschel,” I said. “You must be Aston Danes.”
“Yep,” he said. He took my hand. “This is Blaine.”
“Blaine Jerrod,” I said, offering him my hand. “Call me Maddalyn.”
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“Frantzland, but I have lived on Tarriton for the last eighteen months before coming here.” I looked around. “It is very beautiful here.”
“Yes, it is,” Blaine agreed. He glanced at the satchel. “You’re here to deliver that?”
I clutched it tightly to my chest. “Anna White sent me. I am to be Governor Grace’s new personal assistant.”
The two exchanged a glance, then Aston said, “She didn’t tell us.”
“The crew said they would bring my luggage,” I said. “Then could we summon a vehicle to bring me to the governor?”
“No.”
I actually took a step backwards. “Nein?” Oh, hell. In one word, he had chased English from me. “No?”
“No,” Aston echoed. “This isn’t Frantzland, Maddie.”
“Please call me Maddalyn,” I said. “I know this is not Frantzland.” I gestured. “But you have ground vehicles.”
“We do,” he agreed. “And even a jumper or two. However, we have no automated vehicles, and there is no one at the embassy available to fetch you.”
“Oh. I didn’t know. I am anxious to meet the governor. Do you think, once my luggage arrives, one of you could drive me to the embassy to meet her while the crew unloads the remaining cargo?”
“No,” Aston said.
“Why not?” I asked. “It can’t be that far.”
“For two reasons,” he said. “First, do you see a cargo sled?”
I looked around. “No.”
“The only cargo sled on the planet is currently aboard the lander,” he said, pointing. “It will be used to offload our cargo, depositing it directly into our vehicle. I have no intention of letting them leave a pile on the ground. And second, the governor isn’t here.”
“I see that.”
“The governor isn’t in Sudden,” he clarified.
“I imagine she is at the embassy.”
“You imagine wrong,” he said. “She is at Indartha.”
“Oh. Where is Indartha? Is it far?”
“One thousand kilometers,” he said, then pointed. “That way.”
“Not so far.”
“Not so far,” he echoed. He nudged Blaine. “Not so far. It takes the locals three, maybe four weeks to travel from there to here.”
“I could perhaps borrow a vehicle.”
It took them both two seconds before they were laughing. I didn’t think it was very nice. I put my hand on my hip. “Why can I not borrow a vehicle? I am to be Governor Grace’s assistant. I can not assist her from here if she is in Indartha.”
“Were you paying attention during the descent?”
“Yes.”
“How many roads did you notice?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Did you see any roads at all?”
I considered it and then said, “No, but all the trees would hide almost anything.”
He pointed. “That’s the road to Sudden.” All I saw was some sort of dirt trail. “It goes past the embassy and then into Sudden. It’s close enough to walk. Do you think you would like to drive a thousand kilometers along a trail like that?”
I frowned. “I don’t know.”
“Well, that’s fine. There’s a road like that leading north. You can travel all the
way to the end quite easily.”
“Then I will go that way.”
“Except the end is twenty kilometers from here.”
“You have jumpers,” I suggested. “Could I borrow one?”
“Are you rated?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you have a jumper license?”
“Oh. Yes. I would not have asked to borrow one if I weren’t.”
“Well, the license won’t do you any good here,” he said. “We have two jumpers. One belongs to the governor; it is her personal vehicle. Erica and Mallory have the other.”
“Perhaps Erica and Mallory could fly me to Indartha.”
“They could, except they aren’t here, either.”
“Then how am I to travel to the governor?”
“That is a good question,” Blaine said. “And we don’t know. For now you’re stuck here.”
“But I must go to the governor!” I said. “Anna White sent me.” I used her name as if it were a magic spell. Unfortunately, it had little effect.
“The best we can do is contact Cecilia once we see to the cargo,” Blaine said. “She’ll decide what we should do with you.”
“You can give me that,” Aston said with a gesture to the satchel.
I clutched it more tightly. “I am to give it directly to Governor Grace.”
He held his hands up. “Have it your way.”
We waited. It wasn’t long. The crewmembers appeared with a cargo sled, my luggage cradled as well as a portion of the cargo for offload. It was three trips, and then Blaine collected a satchel, similar to the one I carried, and handed it to the crew. It was the only thing leaving Talmon.
* * * *
It was a short ride to the embassy. It wasn’t at all what I expected, just a small collection of simple buildings, most of them housing units. I realized I’d been expecting something more like the buildings on Tarriton, but once I realized where we were, I also realized my expectations were ridiculous. I wondered how many other assumptions I was holding that would turn out to be wrong. I wouldn’t have thought I’d held any assumptions, but clearly I was wrong.
Blaine pulled my luggage from the lander, but then the two of them gestured. “That’s the main building. You can wait there.”