by Amy DuBoff
I couldn’t turn my back on a war. Especially not when Wil needs me. “I look forward to seeing what comes next.”
Katz smiled. “Yes, me too. Well, unless you have anything else to discuss, we can adjourn early and both get a few minutes back in our day.”
“No, there’s nothing else, ma’am. Thank you.”
“All right. I’ll see you at practice tomorrow morning.”
Saera left the office and made her way down the administrative wing toward the central elevator lobby. As she entered the lobby, one of the elevators opened and a cluster of several men stepped out. She was about to ignore them, but she felt a pull in her chest. What…?
Then, Saera looked closer. Wil! He was a bit taller and his hair was shaggy, but it was him. He’s finally back!
As if sensing her thoughts, Wil looked up from the floor and met Saera’s gaze. It was impossible to read his expression behind his tinted glasses. One of the men walking with him said something, and without another glance Wil turned away and went down a hall.
Saera’s heart dropped. He looked right at me but didn’t seem to care. Did he change his mind about us?
* * *
Wil eyed the two men across the table. Colren is an Agent, but who’s this other guy?
“Thank you for your patience as we got everything for the interview sorted out,” Colren said. “We had to go a little outside of standard protocol, given the circumstances.”
“Of course. Quite all right.” Now can we get on with it? You’re keeping me from something far more important.
“Mr. Stelsin will be joining us for your debrief interview,” Colren explained, gesturing to the other man.
Stelsin nodded absently and looked over some notes on his tablet. He was wearing a charcoal dress suit, calling him out as a civilian.
Wil waited for the questioning to begin. It should be two Agents interviewing me. This is strange.
“So, Wil Sights,” Stelsin said finally. “I understand that you were on Orino for the last five months.”
“Yes, correct.” I don’t think he has any idea who I am.
“And the two Agents overseeing your internship were Aeronen and Merdes?” Colren asked.
“Yes, correct.”
“Excellent. Now please state for the record your mission objective,” Colren continued.
“In short, my mission was to facilitate a treaty between the various communities on Orino. I was assigned a ‘neutral’ group to live with while completing the assignment.”
“And, for the record, did you fulfill this objective?” Colren inquired.
Wil picked his words carefully. “The mission parameters for completion were satisfied.”
“But did you fulfill the objective?” Colren pressed.
Wil leaned back in his chair. “Well, that requires a little explanation.”
“We’re listening.”
“When I arrived on Orino, I was greeted by a community leader named Marlon. He presented his daughter, Mila, to me. I identified that Mila would be an asset in terms of helping explain the community structure, so I briefed her on my mission. It was then that I realized that reality didn’t quite match up to what the TSS was told.”
“How so?” Colren asked.
“Mila took me to one of the storerooms,” Wil explained. “The food supplements were extremely low. According to Mila, they often ran out by the end of the month.”
“Was it poor rationing?” Stelsin questioned.
“No, quite the opposite. It was only by making adjustments to the prescribed rations that they were able to make it through the month.”
“So what was going on?” Stelsin asked.
“The planet’s liaison for Makaris Corp decided to take the business into his own hands,” Wil explained. “A man named Akka Kerwein.”
Stelsin looked horrified. “No, that’s impossible!”
Oh! Stelsin must be a representative from the Dynasty, here to get the story on what happened. “Mr. Stelsin, I am simply giving an account of my personal experiences. If you’ll let me finish, I believe your doubts will be put to rest.”
“Yes, Mr. Stelsin,” Colren emphasized. “This is a formal debrief. The TSS extended a courtesy to let you sit in, but you are here as an observer.”
“I’m sorry, go on,” Stelsin muttered.
“So anyway,” Wil continued, “Akka went rogue. Apparently about ten years ago, he started making unauthorized price increases to the food shipments. Orino has an abundance of edible aquatic life, and certain fish are considered a delicacy on other worlds. However, the meats have a relatively limited nutritional spectrum, making the Orino colonists highly reliant on the supplements from Makaris Corp for actual dietary needs. Because of this reliance, they scraped together what they could in trade goods—mostly fish—to make the higher payments, but then the volume of supplies began declining. Some of the concentrates were even diluted with water.”
“What did the people do?” Colren asked.
“They did the only thing they could,” Wil responded. “They couldn’t get the supplies they needed through Makaris, so they went to the only other source at their disposal: other communities. That conflict mentioned in my mission briefing? Those raids were fueled by people just trying to get their hands on what they needed to survive.”
“How was the TSS so misinformed about what was going on?” Colren asked.
“That’s where things really get interesting. The request for TSS intervention originated in Akka’s office,” Wil said.
“How…?” Stelsin seemed completely taken aback by the whole account.
“It appears that Akka identified Marlon’s group as one of the weaker communities. Akka told Marlon that times were tough everywhere, but he could arrange for TSS protection for Marlon’s community. What Marlon couldn’t know is that Akka intended to use the TSS to quell the growing opposition against Makaris, which was being orchestrated by other communities with enough strength left to fight.”
“What did you do when you found out about all of this?” Colren asked.
“I set about fulfilling the parameters of my mission,” Wil replied. “With assistance from Mila and others from Marlon’s village, I began reaching out to the other communities on the planet so we could organize a rebellion against Akka.”
“That’s deviating pretty significantly from the mission parameters,” Colren said.
“No, not really,” Wil countered.
Colren was firm. “The mission parameters were quite clear—for you to form a treaty between all the people on the planet.”
“And I did,” Wil clarified. “But, for a treaty to be possible, I needed to eliminate the source of conflict. That conflict could all be traced back to one person: Akka Kerwein. Once Akka was removed from power and the shipments resumed, everyone dropped the battle for resources. I then simply facilitated an agreement between the community leaders for all resources to be equally distributed based on population, and we identified a group of village representatives to address any future conflicts.”
“Sorry if I’m jumping too far ahead here,” Stelsin interjected, “but how exactly did Akka, an employee of Makaris Corp, end up hanging from a crane boom with thirty stab wounds?”
Quick thinking to take the blame off of a single person seeking justice. “He brought that on himself,” Wil replied.
“Details, please,” Colson urged.
Wil took a deep breath. He’d prepared his cover story and confirmed it with the others who knew what really happened to Akka. As long as they stuck together, Mila would be free to start her life with Tiro. It was a gift Wil was glad to give her. “Well, as I was saying,” Wil continued, “I reached out to the various communities across the planet. This took nearly five months, because our only mode of transportation was sailboats. Moreover, though some of the communities were anchored, others drifted with the tides so we had to hunt around. But, it was important for me to make contact with at least eighty percent of the known communities in order to ensur
e that any agreement we reached would be defensible. The biggest challenge was organizing the whole thing without any reliable mode of communication between the different groups. So, when I made contact with the first group, the Northern Seafarers, we decided to just set a date in the future for all of us to rendezvous near the Makaris outpost with armed forces.”
“Armed forces!” Stelsin blurted out. “Makaris Corp is an unarmed civilian operation.”
“Technically, the High Dynasty corporations are more governmental than civilian,” Wil countered. “But regardless, Akka had made himself a nice little fortress. His staff were armed with blast guns and the outpost was equipped with incendiary cannons.”
“I don’t see how he could have come to be in possession of that sort of equipment,” Stelsin objected.
“That’s for you to take up with internal affairs,” Wil retorted. “So anyway, the community leaders were good to their word, and we convened at the agreed upon rendezvous point. We had about a hundred men total, but most of the weaponry was little more than bows and knives tied to poles. In my time on the planet, I came to understand that the people of Orino are fisherman at heart, despite all their talks about proving themselves as warriors. Their most revered ‘battles’ are against sharks, not other men. But, I had to work with what I had. It took me two weeks to get everyone organized and working together. I broke them into basic tactical teams and taught them how best to take cover against the cannons and pulse guns. They weren’t ready for an assault, but our supplies were almost exhausted so we had to try.”
“And so you attacked,” Stelsin said.
Wil met his dour gaze. And now I have to lie to save my friend. “Yes. We made our move at night. We were able to take out the guards on the outside of the store facility and work our way inside. It wasn’t my position to directly involve myself in the fighting, so I stayed on the sidelines and gave tactical advice when it was asked of me. By the time the area was secured and I made my way inside, Akka had already been strung up on the boom lift.”
“So you didn’t see it happen?” Colren confirmed.
Wil secured his mental guards against the Agent. “No, sir, I did not.”
“Okay,” Colren nodded. “I think that’s all you need, Mr. Stelsin.”
“That’s hardly everything!” Stelsin objected.
“The TSS will file a formal report. Now, if you’ll please excuse us, we have official business to conduct.” It was clear from Colren’s tone that the matter was not up for discussion.
Stelsin stomped out of the interview room.
“I apologize for all of that,” Colren said to Wil once they were alone. “Makaris Corp is pretty upset over this whole thing.”
“That’s understandable.” I can still see the look on Akka’s face as he bled out.
Colren sighed. “So, what happened after you found Akka?”
Wil gathered himself. “I decided it was best to leave his body where it was so any authorities could proceed with an investigation,” Wil explained. “I immediately filed my daily report to Agents Aeronen and Merdes. The following day, I met with the representatives from each of the Orino communities and we had drafted the treaty by that evening. They all signed an agreement for the fair distribution of the Makaris stores and any future shipments. At that time, I made a calculated decision to reveal my ties to the High Dynasties.” Colren raised an eyebrow. “The people of Orino had been through a lot,” Wil continued, “and it was important for me to show them that they hadn’t been abandoned by Tararia. They were surprised, but they accepted me. Within half an hour of filing the report on those activities, I received the message that the mission parameters had been satisfied. Aeronen and Merdes picked me up the following day.”
“Regardless of the impetus, leading an attack against a corporate outpost was never part of the mission specifications. You do realize that this has caused a great deal of tension between the TSS and Makaris Corp. There’s even talk of other High Dynasties getting involved.”
“Which is precisely why I told the people of Orino who I really am, so they know they will always have an ally. I was given a mission, and I did what I felt needed to be done,” Wil contended. “Whatever tension exists now was brought on by Makaris’ embarrassment over their own negligence. I advise that Makaris Corp conduct an audit of all of their outposts to make sure that this kind of activity isn’t going on elsewhere.”
“That’s already underway,” Colren replied.
“Good.”
Colren cleared his throat. “Now, as a matter of record for your impending graduation, what did you learn from this internship experience?”
Wil thought for a moment. “Things aren’t always as they seem—you can’t just rely on the intelligence you’re given about a situation. You need to be adaptable and responsive to conditions as they unfold. Your enemy isn’t always who you think.”
Colren took some notes on his tablet. “And how do you feel about yourself now as a leader?”
Wil took a deep breath. I know what they want me to say—that I believe in myself and am ready to face anything. But I still don’t know if I can do what they expect of me. “The people of Orino named me as one of their legendary warriors. When they asked me what I wanted as my emblem, I told them ‘Dragon.’ It’s what the Bakzen call me, so that is how I must see myself as I stand up to them. My final night on the planet, before I sent in my report, the village representatives tattooed a dragon on my back—such a ceremony is their highest honor.”
“I’ll just let you tell your parents about that part,” Colren said.
“I was proud to receive it. I need to embrace who I am. I have to be the bridge between worlds.”
Colren nodded. “I think we’re just about done here. We’ll need you to write up a full report, of course. And, I suspect there may be a few follow-up questions from Makaris for the investigation. We’ll need to keep you sequestered for a few days until everything is in order.”
As if five months weren’t long enough to be apart. Now I’m back but I still have to wait days to be back with Saera? “Let’s get this over with.”
* * *
The tremor in Saera’s hand wouldn’t go away. She had to concentrate to keep from shaking as she gripped her tablet. Ever since she’d caught the glimpse of Wil two days before, she couldn’t stop thinking about what it might mean that he still hadn’t reached out to her. I know he’s back. Why is he avoiding me?
She was curled up on her bunk, pretending to study but really just staring into space past her tablet. The preceding five months had been hard enough, but this new type of waiting was far more stressful.
A message indicator popped up on the screen. Saera brought her eyes back into focus and she saw the sender. Wil! She opened the message: “I’ve missed you so much. Meet me in the hallway.” Then what took him so long to message me?! She tossed her tablet on the bed and dashed into the hall.
Wil was standing down the hall in the doorway of a study room. His hair had been cut back into his normal crew cut and he was wearing his typical Junior Agent attire. He waved her over. Saera jogged to the study room, and Wil ducked inside as she approached. She closed the door behind her.
“Where have you—” She didn’t have time to get the words out before they were locked in a passionate kiss. She relaxed into Wil, casting aside the apprehensions she’d felt over the last two days about his feelings for her.
“I missed you, too,” she said when their lips finally parted.
“I know you saw me when I first got back,” Wil said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t message you sooner.”
“I was getting worried,” Saera replied, downplaying the real extent of her insecurity.
“Things got a little tense at the end of my internship, and the debrief process took longer than normal.”
“You couldn’t even tell me that?”
“There are strict ‘no contact’ protocols in those situations. This is the soonest I could be with you, I promise.”<
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No one could kiss me that way and be lying about where they’ve been. She took a deep breath. “Well, I’m glad you’re back now. I don’t know how much more separation I could take.”
“Me either. I was thinking about you the whole time.”
While you were in bed with someone else?
Wil may as well have read her mind. “Despite the cultural norms on Orino, I found a way out of participating in their more questionable customs. I remain fully and faithfully yours.”
Saera felt more relief than she’d anticipated. She’d been bracing for the worst. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“I would want it no other way.” Wil stroked her hair.
How could I have ever doubted him? Saera was about to drift into happy thoughts of togetherness when she caught herself. “So what happened with your internship?”
Wil smiled. “It was a success. Just not in the way anyone was expecting.” He gave her an abbreviated account of the events.
Saera took it all in. I hope mine isn’t like that! “I’m glad you made it back safely.”
“It’s good to be home.” He paused. “And, you’ve been through the Year One disclosure by now, correct?”
Oh that… “Yes, though they hardly said anything more than what you’d already told me.”
Wil took a deep breath. “Saera, there are some other things—”
“Yeah, I figured as much, based on how you were acting. So afterward, I talked with your father. He told me what’s really going on. Jotun and the whole deal.”
Wil looked shocked. “And you’re still here?”
Saera looked him in the eye. “I told you before, nothing could make me leave.” She frowned. “But I do understand why you had pulled away from everyone. What they’re asking of you…”
Wil nodded solemnly. “My time in the war is coming far sooner than they’d ever let on, Saera. And I’ll be at the heart of it.”
That’s why I have to be here for you. “I know, and I’ll be there, too. I’ve made my choice.”
Wil took Saera’s hand. “That means everything to me.”
Saera threw her arms around Wil again and held him close. “I’ll stand by you no matter what.”