Choice of the Gallant_Paradox Equation I

by Sharon L Reddy

  "There are a lot of odd things in this ship, Clete. Lane's told me about a few of them. He even told me where some of them were. I didn't find a meadow he talked about either. He's out cold too. Doesn't seem to be... Clete, he has a sword in his hand. He's holding it tight, but it's too cold for me to touch. Both shoulders of his shirt just crumbled when I moved him."

  "Like they were dipped in liquid nitro. Dutch, he's ice cold."

  "His hearts are beating steady."

  "He's coming around."

  "Dad! Dad, wake up! What happened?"

  "Hello. Did you hear them?"

  "Hear?"

  "The voices, Dutch. The music. I followed it here, then... NO! I don't want to be... Too late. I already gave my oath. Made the choice. Did it ten thousand years ago. Never expected to have it made official. I hate being drafted!"

  "You may hate being drafted, but you're extremely proud and rather overawed at the moment."

  "Too accurate, Clete. My shoulders hurt. How's Lane?"

  "Coming around. Could you please give us an explanation?"

  "Someone, who called himself my father-in-law, just knighted me. Informed me I was Knight Hero and had been chosen to protect this universe. Said I'd been doing it long enough to prove I was capable of it. Hello, Lane, I think I just met your grandfather."

  He kept them with him for more than a year. Taught them and trained them to fight at his side. Laughed with them and shouted at them. And learned to love them too well. Not long after he nearly lost Dutch to a horror even he couldn't have survived, he took them to Dutch's universe, where it didn't exist, and left them on the Curie. Captain Merris was rather surprised, but promised to get them into the academy. He hunted Telas. He had a gift he wanted him to give them. He returned to his own universe aching with the pain of farewell.

  Chapter Three

  Lane handed his captain his resignation and waited while he read it.

  "I must say, this is something I would never have expected, Lieutenant."

  "I know, Sir. It's necessary or I wouldn't do it."

  "You're a fine officer. I hate to lose you, but I wish you every success. When do you want this to become effective?"

  "The day after tomorrow, Sir."

  "Very well, Lieutenant. I will so enter it. Would you like me to order transport for you?"

  "No, Sir, that will take care of itself."

  "The day after tomorrow."

  "Yes, Sir."

  Lane walked out of the lift just as the blip appeared on the tech's screen. That was as far as his future memory could be trusted. He intended to change everything he remembered after it.

  "Captain, we have a ship on long range scanners. I'm trying to establish communications, but I haven't received a response."

  "Any information on the type of craft?"

  "No, Sir."

  "Captain, you won't receive a response. That ship doesn't belong here. I know how it got here and can get it back. The occupant is dying and needs my assistance. I ask that you transport me aboard at maximum range."

  "I would like more information, Mr. Gallant."

  "Just Lane, Captain. He needs me. That ship is my transport. It's weaponless and, at the moment, defenseless."

  "Lane, if this request came from anyone else, I'd probably deny it. Will you notify me when you're safely aboard?"

  "Yes, Captain, I will."

  The captain stood and walked over to the young man who had so recently been one of his finest officers. He shook his hand.

  "Take care of yourself. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say you will be missed."

  A chorus of affirmation from the other members of the bridge crew followed his words. Lane smiled at the people he'd known and worked with for three years, some of them longer.

  "You'll hear from me again, Captain, and some of you, I shall see again. Good journeys to you all."

  He turned and left the bridge. It had hurt to resign the fleet, but he knew the time had come, had known it would come. He was ready, but it still hurt and there was another goodbye that was going to be even harder. The transporter chief was his best friend and wasn't going to just let him beam out of his life.

  "Lane, I want to know what's going on."

  "Mick, it's time for me to start work in the family business. I'm needed. You know how it is with me. I've seen things coming. That ship out there is the beginning of a series of events that must be changed. I can't change them as an officer in the fleet. I have to be outside the rules."

  "We're going to lose two other officers too, aren't we? You're going to get your brothers."

  "Mick, are you sure you don't see the future?"

  Mick smiled. It was an old joke. One that they'd shared since they had become friends three years before.

  "Take care of yourself and keep in touch or I'll hunt you down and break your arm."

  "I'll be in touch, Mick. Good journeys."

  "Good journeys."

  Lane smiled at the closest friend he'd ever had, other than his brothers and father, as the transporter hummed into function. He would keep in touch with him. If he survived the next ten minutes.

  He started moving as soon as he materialized. The beam hit the place he had been.

  "I'm here to help! I know where you're from! I can save your life and get you back! Don't you think this ship has enough--"

  He dove behind the console.

  "Damage without you shooting up the bridge! My name's Lane!"

  That had been too close.

  "Yours is Pethnar. I can see--"

  He dashed across an open space.

  "The future! If you don't kill me, we both have one!"

  He waited a few moments, then slowly stood with his hands in the air.

  "That's better. See, no weapons. First we need to cancel the self-destruct. I can get you home, if you'll just let me."

  The man nodded, then folded.

  Lane raced for the engine room. He had a very short time to cancel the self-destruct. He grabbed the cutter out of his pocket and ripped a panel off. He clipped a connector and yanked off another panel. He pulled out a circuit board and ran back to the bridge. He dove under the central computer console and clipped two more connectors, scrambled up and hit the sequence on the pilot's board. The self-destruct stopped ticking.

  He'd have taken time for a sigh of relief if he'd been able to afford it. He pulled his pilfered medical supplies out and went to work on the severely injured anthropoid. He wished his former captain would give him a few minutes. The constant beep of the communications console was a distraction. He reached up with one hand, opened a channel, said, "I'm real busy. Call you back," and snapped it closed. It stopped beeping.

  He took time for his sigh of relief. He'd made it. The young man would live. He held back the dizziness and carried him to a cabin. He struggled back to the bridge and opened a channel. They were waiting.

  "Hello, Captain. I'm all right, just had a great deal to do. I've saved the pilot, but it was close. I want to report you're short some medical equipment."

  "You don't sound all right, Lane. Are you sure? I don't suppose that ship has visual capabilities. We'd like to see you."

  "Ordinarily it does, but it's going to take a bit of repair. I'm just out of breath. I've been moving pretty fast. I have an operable ship and am about to get underway. Safe journeys, Captain. Thanks for standing by. Give my best to the crew. Parth ship Elpeth out."

  "Lane, wait! The medical supplies will be listed as humanitarian aid to injured lifeforms. Wouldn't want to add a negative postscript to an otherwise perfect record. Besides, I already filed it. You know how I hate to recall closed files. Federation ship Omaki out.

  Lane smiled, then groaned as his head spun. He forced himself to relax and let his consciousness float above the shifting images in his mind. He had changed the future. He would wait until the images settled, then see if it had been enough.

  Lane pushed aside the future memory that was no longer true and followe
d the one he'd created with the change. He moved the injured young man to a bed, then sat down beside him and waited for him to open his eyes.

  "Hello, Pethnar. I can feel you trying to communicate, but I'm not getting anything but your name and a few disconnected images. My dad is the real telepath in the family. Nod if you want me to take you home. I thought so. I know how you got here and I can get you back. I don't think you'll be in too much trouble. Your dad's going to be too happy to see you. You rest. I'll get steering and navigation back on line. Should be back in your own universe in a few hours."

  Lane started on the repairs. The bridge looked bad, but the damage Pethnar had done while shooting at him was mostly superficial. The real problem would be in rebuilding the defensive system. He checked the seal on the patch Pethnar had made. It looked good. He was glad he'd been able to save him. Anybody who had worked as hard as he had to survive deserved to make it.

  ****

  "Hi, you look better. Just in time to help me clear some of this out of the way."

  Lane watched Pethnar kick a crumpled strut with a jagged end.

  "Yeah. It put a nasty hole in you. Take it easy. I fixed the hole, but you lost a lot of blood. I do need you to sit on this piece while I move this one. The minute I took the weight off, it would fly up and try to take my head off."

  Pethnar grinned and made dusting motions and a bit of a show of sitting very carefully on the beam Lane had indicated. Lane laughed and removed a mass of metal from beside him.

  "Good. One end. Slide down it and let it rise slowly. All right. Now we can get the rest of this out of the way. Our bow is unstrung. You don't understand the reference? Well, the weight on both ends of the beam bowed it across the debris in the middle. There was an ancient weapon that used a piece of wood... Ah, you get it now."

  The defensive shields were put back on line and Lane set course for the doorway between the universes. Pethnar had come through it by accident and it had saved his life. All Lane could do was go back through and hope the patrol that had attacked Pethnar was gone. He was sure they were. He didn't see them in his future, but he knew things could change. He used things in ship construction record to get the sample needed for his translator and practiced the language, not just words he would say.

  ****

  "Parthan ship Elpeth calling Parth. Come in, please."

  "Parth control. Who is this?"

  "My name's Lane Gallant. The prince is on board and safe. This ship was attacked and he was injured, but he's all right now. We'd like a pick up. He made an emergency patch and it's a good one, but we don't want to tempt fate by trying it out on a surface landing."

  "We've got you. Establish an orbit. The king just ran out of here. I'd say he was on his way. Thank you. We're mighty fond of our prince. Parth control out."

  Lane laughed and thumped Pethnar on the back. Pethnar grinned at him.

  "I told you he wouldn't be mad. Just make sure you tell him you won't be taking any more experimental ships for a joy ride. I imagine he's going to keep one hand on you for a few days just to make sure you're really here."

  He laughed at Pethnar's expression.

  "Yeah, overprotective. Probably why you took the ship in the first place. Thought so. I'll do what I can to help. You really saved your own life. I just brought the medical equipment on board. Don't shake your head at me. I didn't slap a patch on that wall with a hole in my side and I didn't outmaneuver the bunch that attacked this ship."

  "Parth ship Denvith calling Elpeth. Come in, please."

  "Elpeth here. That was quick."

  "The king was in a hurry. We're going to take Elpeth aboard. It'll be a tight fit. Want us to send a pilot?"

  "No, the prince is as good as anybody you could send and I'm fair help. Give us speed and course. We'll be there."

  Pethnar grinned and shook his head. Lane was much more than fair help. He was better than anyone he'd ever seen. He just wished he could really say thank you to him, but he couldn't. He was telepathic with his own race, as were the majority of his people. They were beginning to adapt to it and he was one of those 'more advanced.' He no longer agreed with that designation. He had never really wished he could speak, until he hadn't been able to communicate with the ships that attacked him. When he hadn't answered, they had decided he was hostile. Now, he wished it again. He 'touched' his father, showed him Lane and his feeling for him.

  Lane gave the pilot's chair to Pethnar and took the operations console. He began reading off course and speed corrections. The little ship entered the hold of the big transport and landed with barely a bump. They got an all clear and opened the hatch. Pethnar grinned at Lane. His father was on his way across the hold at a dead run. He would tell him thank you for them both.

  ****

  "Your Majesty, I really do need to go back."

  "Call me Jessar, Lane. I think of you as a good friend of the family. Pethnar agrees. He really wants you to stay."

  "I'd like to, but I can't. I do need to ask a large favor though. I need a ship. A small one. The doorway between the universes was a tight fit for the Elpeth. I also ask you remove all record of its coordinates. It's a secret that must be carefully kept."

  "How did you know about it?"

  "My father created it. It's our way to visit home."

  "Who is your father?"

  "Gallant. That's another secret that must be carefully kept. For his safety and mine. He has enemies who would be very happy to use me to get to him. I probably shouldn't have told you."

  "Sir, we are most honored you have trusted us. Pethnar says he'll miss you, but do it your way. I agree. I have just the ship for you. You'll like her. I do. Panbath! Order Lissa prepared. Make sure she's fully stocked. Have her ready by... Is dawn soon enough? Dawn tomorrow. Make sure all the new equipment is functioning properly. Put Ardth in charge of the preparations. Now, I think a party is in order, don't you?"

  ****

  Lane was delighted. The little ship was an absolute jewel. She had been the king's personal ship. She was sleek, clean and tastefully appointed. She was also faster than anything else her size. She was set up for a crew of three, perfect for his needs. He wasn't sure how he felt about her extensive armament, but knew it would be needed. Her shields were good, but he would make major improvements in them. He would also make her capable of things no other ship in the universe could do, but for that he would need his brothers. He smiled widely when his comm to the fleet ship was answered. Clete's 'range' kept getting longer.

  "Hi, Clete. I need you. I'm sorry to give you such short notice."

  "It'll take me a few hours. My captain won't be happy. I'll give him my resignation and say my farewells. I knew this would come someday. Do you want me to message Dutch?"

  "Yes. Tell him to kiss the ladies farewell. We'll pick him up in three days."

  "That's some ship. Not many could get there that fast."

  "She's a gem, Clete, but as soon as we get Dutch, we need to do some modifications. We'll be doing most of them ourselves. Say hello to Godfather for me."

  "I will. Ride our shadow. We've been running nervous. See you soon."

  Lane tucked under the big starship and took a nap. He'd been running nervous too. Things were very tense close to neutral space. He was awakened by the comm call.

  "Nelson calling Lissa. Come in, please."

  "Lissa here. Hello, Telas. It's good to see you."

  "I'm pleased to see you too. Clete's preparing to beam over. May I inquire why you've chosen to resign?"

  "It's time to carry on the family tradition."

  "Understood. I've prepared something that should be of assistance. Clete's bringing it. It's coded. I don't believe you'll have difficulty in finding the key. If you see Alice, give her my regards."

  Lane smiled. He knew what the key was. Telas had made sure he 'realized' it, rather than 'remembered' it. He knew he'd enjoy it.

  "I shall. Good journeys, Telas."

  "Safe journeys to you. Say hello
to Dutch for me. Clete is transporting now."

  "Hi, Lane. What a mix. I get the pleasure, but what's got you so worried?"

  "I'll explain my emotional state once we're underway, Clete. We've got some changes to make and not a lot of time. Get on ops. I'll take con."

  "Done."

  Clete grinned widely when Dutch transported aboard and pulled both his brothers into a hug. He'd felt Lane's tightly controlled impatience and hunger to be near him growing. His own wasn't quite as strong, but it was close. He'd actually felt it when Dutch got the message they were coming.

  "I've missed you guys. Clete knows how much of an understatement that is. Guess this means we've got work to do. Captain said hello. Didn't even act surprised when I resigned. Said he knew it would come eventually."

  "What's the relief I feel?"

  "Well, Clete, there are two lovely ladies who think I should make a choice... "

  Lane and Clete burst into laughter. Dutch hadn't changed. Neither had his pleasure in their laughter. Clete pulled them into another hug. It was what they both really wanted.

  "Clete, pull that info up. Let's see what he gave us. The key is Wabbit."

  Clete and Dutch smiled widely. It was a story Gallant had told while Telas was with them and it did seem rather appropriate. Lane returned their smiles. It felt so very good to be together again. The Gallant boys were on the loose and the universe was about to change.

  ****

  "It's all here, Lane. Everything. Specs, power requirements, circuit diagrams. Everything. Some things we won't be able to use. They tap a source of energy that doesn't exist in this universe."

  "Not so, Dutch. We'll tap through the doorway. He'll know it's us. We have to be able to travel. Too much depends on it. I remember us doing it."

  "This is going to take work. And we'll have to do it all ourselves. We'll build inside Lissa's shell. Start with the dimensional matrix. Give us room to work. Need things. Hmm... One of the nonaligned worlds as base. That means we'll need credits."

  "We'll do runs as a courier in the Amarri system."

  "Oh, brother! Lane, that is one hot war you want to put us in the middle of. Blockade runners have a short life expectancy."