by Jim Proctor
Niles leaned back in this chair and clasped his fingers behind his head. “I think I can wait for the official report. There is one thing I am curious about. Was Bennett working with Segal, Forbes, Lancing, and Wilkins?”
“No, that group acted on its own. Bennett was livid when she found out they had stolen the plutonium.”
“What I can’t figure out is—who was Bennett going to sell the plutonium to? I mean, who could afford it?” Niles asked.
Nelson smiled. “I wondered about that myself. Bennett said she was planning to sell it to SACOM.”
Niles forehead creased as he stared at Nelson.
“I have to admit, it was a brilliant plan,” the general said. “She was going to send a private ship to collect the plutonium, and then she was going to contact herself through an untraceable account offering to sell the plutonium back to SACOM for a quarter of its worth. At that price, she could easily make the case that it would be cheaper and faster to simply pay the money, rather than sending the Second Fleet to try to find it.”
“So, how did Senator Kase fit into all this?” Niles asked.
“She needed someone in the senate who would make sure the money would be delivered rather than demanding that she hunt down the thieves and take the plutonium. It would all have fallen apart if the senate refused to pay,” Nelson said. “So she cut him in for a percentage.”
“How did you get so much information out of Bennett?” Niles asked.
“Once Bennett realized Kase was double-crossing her, she told us everything.”
“And what about Vice Admiral Tompkins?” Niles asked. “You haven’t said anything about his role in all this?”
“It turns out that he had no role at all. He was Bennett’s toady, that’s certain, but she didn’t let him in on the deal. She didn’t need him,” Nelson said.
“Then why did you lock him up?”
The general sighed. “At the time, I didn’t know if he was involved. He was going to look for Zorbas, and I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Well done, General. I’m impressed,” Niles said.
“If you are going to wait for the official report, I’ll return to my duties,” the general said.
“Thank you, General,” Niles said.
Chapter 25
Nolan guided the Griffin into a SACOM hanger on the edge of Dawson spaceport and set the ship on the floor. He shut down the drive system and then opened the cargo bay doors.
By the time he and Megan reached the ramp, SACOM personnel were already unloading the materials and transferring them to a line of unmarked cargo trucks. General Nelson was waiting for them.
“Thank you for all you have done,” the general said.
“You’re welcome,” Nolan replied.
“This won’t take long. Once we have offloaded everything, you’ll be free to go,” Nelson said. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to supervise the transfer.” He turned and walked away.
“I guess it really is over,” Megan said. “What are you going to do?”
“Me? I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it. I might go home for a while—my home in Zebulon, I mean. What about you?”
“I guess I’ll go back to my EMT job. I’ve used up most of my leave while we’ve been gone. If I don’t go back soon, I’ll have to find a new job,” she said.
After a brief pause, he said, “I’m sure there are jobs in Zebulon for someone with your skills. I have lots of room and a stable for Ginger.”
Megan smiled. “That sounds nice, but—“
“Will you marry me?” Nolan asked abruptly.
Megan stared at him, her smile slowly fading. “Nolan… I… I’m not ready. It’s too soon,”
“Oh… I just thought… well…”
“I’m sorry, Nolan.”
Chapter 26
Nolan picked up the page of handwritten text and read it carefully. There had been so much he had wanted to say, but when it came down to putting it on paper, he chose to keep most of his thoughts private. Satisfied that this version was adequate, he signed it, folded it, and slipped it into the envelope with the other documents.
He looked out the window at the trees surrounding his house, thinking about the carlings, and regretted he would not hear them sing again. Nesting season was over, and he hadn’t heard them in more than a week.
Daylight was fading as he sealed the envelope. Taking it to the kitchen, he placed it on the counter by the back door. He’d take it to Uncle Ethan in the morning when he went to say goodbye.
He took a beer from the refrigerator and then descended the steps to his star room. This had always been his place of solitude and reflection. Easing onto the couch, he took a sip and looked around at the star map. He recalled some of the journeys he and Carl had taken, and then wondered where, in all the vastness of the galaxy, Carl was right now. He had been determined to find Carl, but now doubted he ever would. How could he? He sat in the dark, looking at the stars until the bottle was empty. Then, with a sigh, he got up and went to bed.
* * * *
Nolan walked into Ethan’s kitchen where he found his uncle eating breakfast.
“Well, good morning. Have a seat and join me. Miguel can make you something,” Ethan said.
“No, thank you. I already ate. I have something to tell you,” Nolan said.
“You’re leaving,” Ethan said.
Nolan nodded. “I’ve waited three months. I need to move on.”
“Have you messaged her?”
“Not recently. She sent me a few messages at first, asking how I was doing. She asked about Ginger and you. She never said anything about our relationship. I guess there isn’t one. I haven’t heard from her in almost two weeks. I’ve decided to accept Boo’s offer. I’m going to Pax. At least then, Boo can be happy.”
“Give her some time,” Ethan urged.
Nolan shook his head. “I need to let go. I wrote her a letter. Will you send it to her next time you go into town?”
“You mean a written letter? Sure, I can do that, but why don’t you just message her?”
“Because I’ve enclosed some legal documents, too. I’m giving her my house. I hope you don’t mind. She’ll be happy there. She can keep Ginger, and she’ll have you and the guys for company. I won’t be coming back.”
Ethan took the envelope and set it on the table. “I’ll see that she gets it.”
“Take care of her. Treat her like family,” Nolan said.
Ethan smiled. “Sure. No problem.”
“I need to go to Dawson, one way. Can one of your guys fly me?” Nolan asked.
Ethan pushed his chair back and stood. “I’ll fly you myself.”
* * * *
The Griffin settled onto the ground behind the hangar. When Nolan walked down the ramp, Boo was waiting, wearing a big grin. “I knew you’d accept my offer!”
Nolan smiled as he handed her the contract. “Signed and dated.”
“What? No changes?”
“It was fine. No changes,” he said.
“Well, grab your stuff and we’ll get you moved in. I have a salvager coming this afternoon, so you’ll start learning the business today.”
* * * *
Megan unlocked her mailbox and grabbed its contents. Closing the door, she repositioned the shoulder strap of her medical bag as she stepped into elevator. Thumbing through the mail, she found a large envelope from Nolan. When the elevator door opened, she rushed to her apartment. Setting her bag down, she tossed the rest of the mail onto the coffee table, sank onto the couch, and tore the envelope open.
The first of several pages was a letter from Nolan. Conflicting emotions washed over her as she read. Flipping through the other pages, she found the deed to Nolan’s house in Zebulon, signed over to her, free and clear. She read the letter again, hoping she had misread it the first time. “He's gone,” she said out loud. Clutching the papers to her chest, she closed her eyes and cried.
Chapter 27
Megan sat
in the dark in Nolan’s star room and sipped her beer. She smiled as she heard the back door open and close, followed by the familiar clomp of Ethan’s riding boots. “I’m down here, Ethan!” she called.
His boots thudded on the steps as he came down. Without a word, he crossed to the couch and sat next to her. Unscrewing the cap from a bottle, he said, “I helped myself on my way through the kitchen.”
Megan smiled and nodded. “My home is your home,” she said.
“You seem to be settling in. How’s the new job?” he asked.
Megan shrugged. “It’s okay. It’s not as exciting as it was in Dawson, except when I fly the air ambulance—that’s a thrill every time.”
“Does it make you happy?” he asked. “That’s what counts.”
“You always find a way to distill life down to what really matters,” she said.
Ethan smiled. “It goes along with getting old. You can’t waste time on things that aren’t important. You didn’t answer me. Does it make you happy?”
She looked at him for a long while. “Honestly… no.”
“So what’s missing?” he asked.
Without saying anything, she looked around the room.
“Ah. I see. Have you messaged him?” Ethan asked.
She shook her head. “He’s started a new life without me. I think I would only hurt him more if I messaged him now.”
“You might be right. On the other hand, did you consider that, just maybe, he might be sitting somewhere right now thinking that you are the one thing missing from his life?” Ethan asked.
“He’s been gone three months and hasn’t messaged me once,” she said.
Ethan nodded. “Yes, but maybe you aren’t giving him enough credit.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, maybe he’s worried about hurting you as much as you are about hurting him,” Ethan said.
She took a long pull from her bottle. “Maybe.”
“Young lady, I know Nolan better than just about anyone. I can tell you, without any doubt, that he loves you more than anything. There’s a great, big, Megan-shaped hole in his heart that needs to be filled.”
Megan sniffled and wiped her eyes. They sat in silence for a while. When Ethan had finished his beer, he said, “Why don’t I cook lunch? I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Megan patted him on the leg, but she said nothing. Ethan stood and went up to the kitchen.
Chapter 28
Boo sat on her porch and looked across the yard, watching Nolan move equipment from their most recent purchase. She stood and was ready to go help when her data unit chimed. When she opened the message, a smile grew across her face as she read. She laughed and then hurried into the house.
Several minutes later, she walked across the yard, carrying a small bag. “I’m going into town. You take care of things while I’m gone,” she said.
“You’re leaving now? It’s a three-hour drive,” he reminded her.
“Yep. So what?” she asked.
“It’s almost noon, and we have a salvager coming in the morning,” he said.
“You know the business. It’s time for you to fly solo. I’m going to town. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon,” she said.
“You’re staying overnight?” he asked.
“Figured that out all by yourself, did you? Well, mister genius, maybe you can figure out what I’ll be doing while I’m there,” she said as she turned and walked away.
Nolan smiled as he watched her walk to the truck. There was a spring in her step he had never noticed before. He laughed when she started singing.
She threw her bag in the cab and climbed in. The engine cranked and fired, and she wasted no time starting her trip. The truck was quickly lost in a cloud of dust, and Nolan went back to sorting.
* * * *
Boo pulled her old truck into an alley and parked at the loading dock behind Cosmos. Grabbing her bag, she went to the door, entered her code, and stepped into the storage room. Devin entered from the bar and smiled. “I thought I heard that noisy old truck of yours.”
She ran to him, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. “I’ll take my stuff upstairs, and I’ll come down and give you a hand in a few minutes.”
“Does he know?” Devin asked.
Boo shook her head and smiled. “Not a clue.”
* * * *
Nolan watched as the salvager’s ship lifted off. He’d bought some nice stuff and hoped he’d gotten a good price. If not, Boo would tell him about it in no uncertain terms when she returned. He looked at his shadow, deciding he had time to start sorting before lunch. His watch had died weeks ago, and he was getting pretty good at judging the time by the length and direction of his shadow. “It’s about twenty before noon,” he said out loud. Pulling out his data unit, he checked the time—ten minutes before noon. “Close,” he said.
As he was about to put his data unit back in its pocket, he thought about Megan. As he opened his messages, his finger hovered over her icon. He stared at the screen for a moment, then his hand moved slowly away and he put the unit into his pocket.
Picking up a water condenser, he carried it across the yard and added it to a pile of galley equipment. A fuel ionizer went into the spacecraft engine parts pile. Before long, the newly acquired goods were sorted and moved. His mind freed from thinking about sorting, he suddenly realized how hungry he was, and that he had worked well past lunchtime.
He pulled off his filthy, sweaty shirt and draped it over the railing of the porch before stepping into the kitchen. As he washed his hands, he realized how dirty his arms were, and his chest, too. A quick glance in the mirror revealed a dirty, smudged face. Hungry though he was, he reluctantly went upstairs to take a shower.
As Nolan returned to the kitchen, scrubbed and dressed, he heard the truck pull into the yard. He opened the refrigerator and began gathering ingredients to make lunch for two. When the kitchen door opened, he said, “I’m making trapazini for lunch.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
Nolan spun around. Megan was standing in the doorway.
“Hello, Nolan,” she said.
He quickly put the food on the table and ran to her. Taking her into his arms, he kissed her.
Glad of the welcome, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “I’ve missed you,” she said.
Nolan said nothing, only held her tighter.
“You asked me to marry you, once. I’m ready, if you still want me.”
She squealed when Nolan picked her up and spun around. “Yes! Of course I still want you!” he shouted.
* * * *
The bed of Boo’s truck was piled high with her belongings. A tarp covered all, a rope crisscrossing it, holding it in place. Nolan and Megan stood together, arm in arm. Boo sat in the driver’s seat, the window rolled down, as she gave them her final speech. “You take good care of this place. And don’t buy junk! And watch what you pay for things. You’re too generous. If you need me, message me.”
Nolan laughed. “We’ll be fine. I promise not to wreck your business. Besides, I have Megan here to keep watch over me. She’s learned a lot over the past month since she arrived.”
Boo pointed a finger at Megan. “You watch him closely. Don’t let him do anything foolish.”
“I won’t; I promise,” Megan said.
“Then I guess this is goodbye, for now,” Boo said. She waved and drove off.
The newlyweds watched as the cloud of dust moved out across the desert.
“I can’t believe she and Devin will be together after all these years,” Megan said.
“What did you think of those recipes she tried on us?” Nolan asked.
“Most of them were good. I think business will pick up.”
“Come on. Let’s go inside and fix lunch,” Nolan said.
“When’s our next appointment?” Megan asked as they walked to the house.
“We have a buyer coming in two days, and a salvager the day after,” Nolan s
aid.
“Then we finally have some time to be together with no one else around,” she said with a smile.
Epilogue
Twenty-four years later…
Megan stepped out of the house and walked to the workshop. She found Nolan sitting at the workbench as he tinkered with a sensor pod.
“Do you remember that story we saw a few weeks ago on the Galactic News about Ternose having that secret penal colony on a planet called Bellansi?” she asked.
“Yes. What about it?”
“It started me thinking… we’ve checked everywhere else. What if Carl somehow ended up there?”
Nolan put down his tool and faced her. “On a penal planet?”
“Anything is possible. I asked Niles to run a search for me,” she said.
“You asked the first admiral of SACOM to run a search for you?” Nolan asked.
“He offered to help us all those years ago when the whole conspiracy was revealed. Then First Admiral Saunders promoted him to vice admiral and made him her administrative adjutant. She said the matter was closed and forbid any further expenditure of SACOM resources looking for Carl. Well, she retired last year, and Niles was promoted. I was pretty sure he would be willing to help,” she said.
“Yes, but doesn’t he have more important things to do?” Nolan asked.
“He didn’t run the search personally,” she said defensively. “He assigned an AI to do it. It found a man named Leon Yeardley who appeared out of nowhere on the grid on a starliner that left Caldon shortly after Carl disappeared. He was never on the Caldon grid. That’s why they never noticed him before. The interesting thing is, he got off the ship at Delnose-three, but got back on an hour later and went on to Ternose.”
“And you think the man was Carl,” Nolan said.
“It’s possible. Anyway, he was on Ternose for three years before being executed for murder,” she said.