Chapter 9: A Beginning
“Good morning Chief, may I join you?” General Langtree came into the palace mess where Mylea was sitting having an orange juice before going to work. She looked up startled because he had spoken to her in Thonian. Almost no one spoke Thonian in the palace. She smiled, and said, “Certainly General.”
“It’s David, Chief,” Langtree replied. He sat down.
“It’s Mylea, David,” She returned.
“What’s on your agenda today?” Mylea asked.
“I’ve got a rescue boat coming in today.” Langtree said “It’s not too terribly big but it’s bigger than a standard LC-10. It’s larger than a standard container too. Boeing SpaceWorks has come up with a large container lifter, and TransHaul has come up with a couple of specialty containers. It’s about forty feet wide and a hundred twenty feet long and maybe twenty feet high. The boat will fit in it. It’s going to be a job getting it cribbed and secure to make its lift to orbit. So I want to be on the docks when it comes in and see that it’s done right.”
“Couldn’t you let your people do it?” Mylea asked. She was enjoying Langtree’s presence. He had been in and out of the palace several times over the last few weeks. He always found some excuse to stop by her desk and chat for a while. It wasn’t every day and it wasn’t for very long. Just long enough to say hi.
“Oh they will,” Langtree said, “But I just wanted to watch. Never in my years have I seen something the size of Deliverance be packaged for a space transit.”
“Surely you’ve seen them load some of the empires large tanks and APCs. Isn’t there one battery that they lift with two Landing Tugs?”
“Yeah,” Langtree replied, “But that beauty is designed to be lifted that way and is designed as an all environment weapon. It’s not a hovercraft that is designed for a man breathable environment that’s not designed to be broken down and shipped to orbit and to a new assignment. From what their chief of the boat says they may have to unship the jet engines to get it into the container.”
“You just want to see if you are as good an engineer as you think you are?” The Thonian teased.
“Who me?” the six foot six well-built general replied with a chuckle. She had him dead to rights. Langtree was an engineer. The marines had sent him to several schools, including the advance school on Mars to polish his education. Five years after receiving his commission he was sent to Mars to get a masters degree in facility management, and flight engineering. The marines wanted to make sure that he could not only build the bases their flight crews worked from, but ensure he knew what it took to keep the birds in the air. In the process he learned how to manage both civil engineers and aerospace engineers. He also learned how to manufacture just about anything that his crews needed. He wanted to see if his brain child was going to work for the rescue boat.
Mylea shook her head then said unexpectedly, “Well when you get that boat in its cadge give me a call I’ll have diner ready for you.”
“That’s a deal.” Langtree said finishing his coffee leaving. As he left Mylea wonder what got into her.
Several hours later, Langtree was standing with the dry dock manager at Trenaport Yards, when the Deliverance got in. Langtree was impressed. The crew had gotten the most of the boat ready to be packaged. The small boats had been taken from their davits and secured to the deck. The guns had been unshipped and taken down below decks. Although the ship didn’t have much of a mast it had been taken down, and what electronic sensors that had to stay in service had been had been placed on a smaller mast on top of the bridge structure. The only thing that wouldn’t fit into the container was the two jet engines that were mounted at an angle from either side of the ships stern and slightly above the roof line of the bridge. Enough so that with them rigged the rescue boat was wider and taller than the container.
They inched up the ramp to where the container’s door lay open waiting for it to be loaded into.
“Finished with engines chief,” the captain called. “Timmy! Get shore power laid on. Therese, as soon as you can, get the galley secured. The rest of you get your gear top side.”
“Aye ma’am” the chief said he said making a notation in an old battered log book. Although the AI kept a better more detailed log of the ship activities, he had kept a hand written log of the Deliverance ever since he had become chief of the boat. He signed the log and motioned to the captain, “Ma’am would you sign the log please.”
She nodded, signed the book and looked up to see the entire crew standing on the bridge. She handed the book to Timmy, who handed it to his wife Therese, who handed it to Bob the machinist mate, who handed it to Doc their medic. Who handed it to Breaker, their rescue man, who handed it to Hose their fireman. One by one the twenty man crew of the Deliverance signed off. The Chief solemnly closed the book and gave it to the captain.
Therese who had disappeared for a second when the book was being signed brought forth a couple of bottles of Trena’s finest wine, something she had been saving for a holiday party and twenty glasses. She filed each glass and handed it to each of the crew, including the apprentice who wasn’t quite old enough to drink. Then with her solemn words she spoke, “This gathering of friends, and comrades, and some who aren’t too sure,” She ruffled the hair of their apprentice, “are here to mark the sunset of an era on Trena. We are not the last of the patrol boats to leave service on Trena. That is months away. But we are the first to be offered service on Home as the first boat of our new home’s Maritime Search and Rescue service. So I offer this toast to our old service and our future service Fair Transit!”
“Aye Fair Transit,” The chief said and gently set the glass he was drinking down on the counter. “Now let’s get this lady put to bed for her trip.”
The yard dogs sensing that something was going on had not swarmed up to the boat but waited for to be invited in. The captain walked off the bridge and down to the gang plank to the awaiting general on the dock.
“Welcome to Trenaport, Captain McNally,” Langtree fired off a sharp salute. Captain McNally returned the salute and said, “General HMS Deliverance is ready to be shipped.”
“Thank you Captain,” Langtree said, “You’ll soon have her back to you in a couple of weeks. As soon as she’s stowed your crew is free until 0800 day after next that’s your embarkation time report to gate ten at the space port.” He handed the captain a large envelope, “Here are your updated orders.”
“General,” The captain turned the envelope over in her hands, “Day after tomorrow is fairly fast, some of us have things that need to be done before we lift off.”
“Yes,” General Langtree replied, “We know. But you don’t have to worry about your homes. A crew’s been to your home and they packed everything they found.”
“Everything?” the captain asked. She was horrified of what they might find in the one closet. She hadn’t wanted anyone to see the paintings. No one on the crew knew she did that and some of the paintings were very personal.
“Yes everything,” The general had heard about the paintings, they were some of the most erotica paintings he had ever seen. The captain turned beat red as Langtree continued, “Lady Hawthorne was called hastily to your quarters, and personally over saw the paintings packaging. They will be safe. She also requested that you contact her about one or two pieces she would like to put in the new museum on Home.”
“Does anyone else know?” the captain asked.
“No. Your crew’s personal quarters were packed by a special team. Lady Hawthorne knew that people like your crew may not be able to get their stuff packed and ready to go because of your duties. The packers won’t discuss what they found, the issue that came up was that one of the girls on the packing crew was an art historian and thought the work was good enough to be special, and thought someone besides she should look at it. Your secret will be safe for as long as you wish it to be.”
“Thank you,” the captain said turning to where the yard dogs we
re already climbing onto the Deliverance. As they watched the first of the two engine nacelles were unshipped from its pylon support and lowered to the deck.
“I don’t know if you noticed but the container is bigger than your boat.” The captain nodded, “the whole front of the container is filled with spares for your boat. There are enough spares to go three years without having to make or purchase new parts.”
“The chief will like that.” The captain said, “By your leave sir?”
Langtree nodded as he watched the yards dogs prep the rescue boat for shipping, and when it was safely in the container and secured for transit he took his phone out of his pocket “Mylea,” he said into the phone, and was answered by “Hello, this is the Atomi home, how can I direct your call.”
“I would like to speak with Mylea,” Langtree told the expert system.
“Hi David,” Mylea’s voice and face came on the device, “Are you on your way?”
“Yes,” Langtree replied, he had been anticipating this night for months. He couldn’t explain why he was attracted to Mylea, it didn’t make any sense; but he had learned long ago that in matters of the heart nothing made sense.
“Dinner will be ready when you get here,” Mylea said and hung up. She looked to Lamile who was giggling, “Your enjoying this aren’t you?”
“Mum,” Lamile replied, “You are acting like one of my girlfriends who’s going out on their first date!”
“In some ways it is,” Mylea returned. “I haven’t been on a date with another man since I was your age. I lifemated when I was 8 crimens old. When I life mated with your father I was courted by almost all the boys in the neighborhood. But with me going off to the war school, and spending the next two crimens learning my trade, I wasn’t really interested. Your father was the only one who had the staying power. He made a point of stopping by the war school when he got leave, and leaving me presents. The old centleader who was in charge of my century at school felt compelled to read me the riot act about romance at war school. How I didn’t have time to be courting while I was learning how to be a leader of warriors.” Mylea smiled, “However that old codger made sure that everyone of Garth’s gifts got to me. I wonder what ever happened to him?”
“Mom,” Lamile said softly, “Are you okay with this? Is this something you want to do?”
Lamile pondered what her mother was doing. Lamile had never been raised as a Thonian. Her parents’ duty posts had been all over the universe. Lamile had been born on station eighty where she was part an MP detachment of the Thonian embassy. Over the last 6 crimens Lamile had lived on Mars, Earth, Thonia, a training base on Leander World. She had been schooled in human schools, Thonian schools, and joint service base schools. She had seen other people’s societies, and some of their courtship and mating rituals. Through it all Mylea had taught her child why she couldn’t have sex the way Earth children did. Casual sex between Thonians just wasn’t a thing that happened, not since the Aqaut infected Thonian population several centuries before. Now when Thonian’s had sex for the first time the Aqaut was passed from female to male. It made them empathic, and telepathic only among themselves. It lay dormant in children until puberty. When they did have sex; it tuned, for lack of a better word. the brains of only the two people having sex. Once the couple’s brains were “tuned” the active virus of the aqaut became dormant and then transferred is self during child birth. The aqaut made it impossible for Thonians to have sex outside of marriage. After they had mated over a period of time, the sex was so intense, and much more personal than anyone could image, that trying to have sex with someone else was impossible. When the aqaut was still virtually unknown, it was thought to be some type of venereal disease. At first it had nearly driven couples insane as they got used to being inside each other’s brains and bodies. Over time the couple were ab le to deal with it. Some couples had tried with a third person or other infected couple; but it usually drove everyone insane. Because of this Thonians were very monogamous. At first only women were the carriers, but as time went on both sexes became carriers. Although it wasn’t unheard of for Thonians and Earthlings to marry, the aqaut almost never transferred to Earthlings.
As Lamile sat pondering the aqaut, she wondered if she should remind her mother that she was still in mourning. That she had several more sub crimens of mourning before she could even think of seeing men romantically. The time of mourning had become a tradition among Thonians, but only since the aqaut infected her people. It had been discovered that people infected with the aqaut couldn’t tolerate sex with other partners, even if their partner was dead. But over the period of a crimen, (three earth years,) a widow’s brain seemed to go back to where it was before their life mating. However, sometimes, the death of her partner caused the widow to take her own life. Her mother had been fortunate that she had not been driven insane, or to take her own life. Now as Lamile watched her mother preening for her first date in years she wondered if she should mention all of this to her mother.
“I know what you are thinking,” Mylea said softly as if reading Lamile’s mind. “I am only having dinner with General Langtree I am not planning to go any farther than that. He’s a nice guy.”
“Well mum,” Lamile said buttoning up her mother’s blouse, “Let’s not give the good general any ideas shall we?”
“All right be off with you!” Mylea said understanding her daughter’s concern Lamile wanted her mother around for a long time. She was also not used to her mother being involved with any man besides their father.
As Lamile went to leave, there was a knock on the door, she opened it, and found General Langtree standing nervously on the door step. “Good evening General.”
“Good evening Miss Atomi.” the general said as Lamile stepped out on the porch to Mylea’s moderate home shutting the door behind her.
“General,” Lamile said awkwardly, “I am duty bound to say this to you, even though....”
“I understand Miss Atomi,” Langtree knew that this conversation would have to happen. It was part of Thonian culture, and that the child of a surviving lifemate, had to set the rules of courting for their surviving parent.
“General,” Lamile began, she had been around the galaxy with her parents, and had seen how others lived. “She’s still in mourning, and this will be her first romantic evening. I don’t want her hurt.”
“May I call you Lamile?” Langtree asked, the young girl nodded, “Lamile it is my intention to have a quiet home cooked meal with a lady who has become a good friend. A woman who I respect, and who’s company I hope to enjoy.”
“You know...” Lamile started; but Langtree cut her off, “Lamile, I have worked among your people for most of my adult life, and I am aware of your people’s courtship rites, including those of a widow in mourning. I am also fully aware of the Aqaut and what that means.”
The young girl visibly relaxed, and said, “General, mom has been lonely as only a Thonian can be after surviving a lifemate’s death. I don’t…”
“I understand Lamile,” David replied, “May I enter your home?”
“Yes you may,” Lamile said opening the door for the general. It was then that she noticed that the general had a dozen roses and the traditional ribbon that her mother would wear to signify that her mourning was over. It was little early; but Lamile understood, she nodded to the general and said in Thonian, “The home of Atomi, honors, and welcomes General Langtree into our home.”
Langtree surprised Lamile, by saying, “General Langtree is honored by the family of Atomi to be welcomed into the home of Chief Atomi,” in Thonian, not passable Thonian, but as if he had spoken Thonian all his life.
“Welcome,” Mylea greeted David, “You’ve met Lamile, and I trust that you two got things settled.”
“Mother,” Lamile took the ribbon from the general’s hand, and approached her mother, she stepped behind her mother gently pulled her mother’s steel grey hair into a pony tail and tied the blood red ribbon around th
e pony tail. Lamile stood in front of her mother and said, “Comsha, comsha, I honor the memory of my father, and bestow my blessing on my mother and announce to the world that her period of mourning is now at an end. May the god of our people bless your future, and may the union you find in the future be as fruitful, and beautiful as the one you shared with my father.”
Nearly in tears, Mylea said, “Ashmoc, I acknowledge that my mourning is now over. I will honor my lifemate’s memory, and honor my family by wearing the Lecant the symbol of Ashmoc.”
Lamile kissed her mother.
There was a knock on the door, and Lamile answered it to see Jill Wilson standing there. “You ready?”
“Yeah, let me get my bag,” Mysteriously Jill had called and asked if Lamile could stay the night. Mylea, smelling a conspiracy decided not to investigate it too hard. The two young women had renewed their friendship over the last few weeks. They were nearly the same age, and were both the odd girl out in school, and society. Their parents, were both high ranking officers in the Queen’s evacuation command, they never went anywhere without an escort. Jill had complained to Mylea one night when she was sharing diner with the Wilsons that she couldn’t even talk with a boy without her detail being there. How could she date a boy with that bruiser of a security officer nearby! Mylea just chuckled, as she had heard some of the same thing from Lamile, though not as adamant, as Lamile didn’t want to have sex the way Jill might want to with the right boy. In some regards, after hearing some of the horror stories from her coworkers in the police department, she was glad she was raising a Thonian child, not a human child. At least Lamile knew what would happen if she made the wrong choice.
“I’ll bring you home tomorrow,” Mylea said.
“Okay,” The girl said then turned to General Langtree, “Good evening general.”
Once the door was shut, Mylea broke out in laughter, so did Langtree knowing full well why she was laughing joined her, “I am just happy that Lamile decided that you were a suitable suitor for me!”
“I remembered right after my divorce,” Langtree said, “my kids insisted on vetting every woman I even had a cup of coffee with.”
“I didn’t know you had children,” Mylea replied,
“I was married for about ten years.” Langtree said, “It was maybe never a good marriage, I was always away from home, even when I could have my family with me I was always out of the house. I was a maintenance trooper. I’ve always been a maintenance trooper. When I was young I was always on the short list to call when they needed an extra body. So just about the time I would be able to sit down with the family the base would call and they would need me to come in because one of my guys messed up or we got an alert. Well when I couldn’t get home from an assignment when my youngest was sick and dying, Louise said enough and left me.”
“How long ago was that?” Mylea asked indicating that he should sit down.
“Fifteen years ago.” Langtree said, “I haven’t heard from Louise for a while. My son decided not to follow his old man’s footsteps and has a small business on Lacroc. Missy did follow her old man’s footsteps! She is in a maintenance company with the 3rd marine expeditionary unit. She just made lance corporal.” Langtree got his wallet out and showed her his two children’s pictures. They were two good looking kids. She said as much.
“I was surprised when you brought the Ashmoc,” Mylea said, “There are so few of us who survive the mourning that many people outside of Thonia don’t know what the Ashmoc is.”
“Mylea, my dad was a Foreign Service staff member, after my mother died; I joined him in his off Earth postings. I literally grew up in Thonian space. My first crush was on a young Thonian girl named Sagri. If my Thonian house keeper hadn’t set me straight I don’t know what would have happen.”
It was then that Mylea realized that he had not spoken a single word in Terrish. “Then you know about the Aqaut, and why we mourn so long.”
“Oh yes,” he said, “I have had many Thonians in my work units. Some who were lifemated some who were in mourning, though not many.”
“I see,” Mylea replied, “You knew our culture and you have been chasing me since we first met!”
“Guilty as charged,” Langtree said, “and yes I knew you were in mourning, but if you care to check your notes, I haven’t been alone with you until now, and I have made no advances on your beautiful person until you invited me to dinner. Speaking of which...”
“I almost forgot,” Mylea said, “I didn’t know when you would be free so I just made soup and sandwiches. I did get some beer.”
“You know, you are a wonderful person,” Langtree said as Mylea got to her feet, “regardless what some of you coworkers say.”
Mylea chuckled going to the kitchen with Langtree in tow. They spent a quiet evening watching an old movie on the holoset, with Langtree leaving around midnight. Mylea went to bed and dreamed of Garth and Langtree. Langtree’s driver noticed that for the first time in months that his boss seemed relaxed.
“Sergeant Hoi,” Langtree said as his driver pulled up before his quarters, “pick me up about 0800 and be prepared for a long day.”
“Aye sir,” Hoi said wondering if his general got his bones rolled at the commander’s home. He kept his thoughts to himself. Langtree was the best officer he had ever worked with. Drivers and aides who couldn’t keep their mouths shut; soon found themselves reassigned to other duties.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 92