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It was a music store. One whose owner had went back to Earth when he had finally been approved by the embassy to get on a transport. He had left all of his stock in the store. It was goods that the evacuation command had declared that could be shipped only as a space available cargo at his expense. The empire who had paid his way back to Earth had told him he would be given transport at no charge but if he insisted in taking his business with him he would be on his own. He had shrugged sold what he could and took transport to Imperial Space. Although abandoned, it, like the mall it was in, still had to be checked. The crown and the evacuation command knew there was looting going on but they wanted to keep the worse of it to a minimum. The music store was one of those on the list that was ignored most of the time; as it had no high value stock. It wasn’t a consumer electronics store; it wasn’t a high fashion store. It was a used music store specializing in selling the instruments that parents were selling because their little Johnny didn’t want to play the flute, or the drums they had bought the kid were just getting on their nerves.
L’eam and F’rena were finishing up their rounds of the South Mall where the store was located. The destruction they were seeing was not as bad as they had seen on some of the worlds they had patrolled. But it was bad enough. A riot had broken out the other day and had taken several hours to contain and had caused a small fire. It had taken Mounties, and the Ccompanions several hours to contain it. Several hundred people had been arrested.
Now a day after the riot they were just finishing their rounds. They were about to leave when they heard a young voice signing. It echoed eerily in the deserted mall. Both Thonians were entranced by the young voice. As they followed the young voice they, thought they knew who it might be. They found Valerie Mitchum sitting on the stage in the music store playing a guitar as she sang.
“We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly
“I’m holding very tight
I’m riding in the midnight blue
I’m finding I can fly so high above with you
“Far across the world
The villages go by like trees
The rivers and the hills
“The forest and the streams
Children gaze open mouth
Taken by surprise
“Nobody down below believes their eyes
We’re surfing in the air
We’re swimming in the frozen sky
“We’re drifting over icy mountains floating by
Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep
“We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in the midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly”
She finished up and didn’t realize the two Thonians were watching her until she finished and looked up. She blushed a bit.
“Very nice,” L’eam said, “Valerie though I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Am I in trouble,” Valerie Mitchum asked.
“No. You were not stealing anything,” L’eam said, “You aren’t looting. Why don’t you let us take you back to your parents?”
“That’s okay,” Valerie said, “you don’t need to do that.”
“Okay Valerie,” F’rena had suspected for a while that that the young girl was homeless or had problems with her parents, “why don’t you let us take you home?”
The girl didn’t know what to do next. They obviously knew she was on the streetshomeless. The two thonians looked at each other and F’rena asked softly, “you don’t have a home do you?”
Mitch for some reason shook her head admitting that she was homeless. For some reason she trusted this pair. They had been around the mall for a couple of months. She had dinner with them one night. They seem to let her hang around with them. They had asked repeatedly to take her home to meet her parents but she had managed to put them off.
“We thought so,” the male companion replied.
The look on Valerie’s face said it all. “Are you going to take me in?”
“Yes,” L’eam said, “But not to juvenile hall. We’re going to take you to the academy!”
“The Academy,” the young womangirl asked.
“It’s a place where the Trenan Crown has set up a place for abandoned and homeless kids.” L’eam and F’rena said. “We don’t know much about it, it has only been in operation a day or so.”
“Valerie,” L’eam continued, “I’ll make you a deal. If you don’t like it; if it is worse than being on the streets or being homeless, you get a message to us and we’ll see if we can’t find some place better for you. We’re here to help you. That’s what we’re supposed to do. Cops do two things Valerie, we make it tough for low life’s to harm people, and then we help people in trouble. Let us help you.”
“Okay,” Mitch stood up she laid the guitar down.
“Do you want to take your instrument?” F’rena asked.
“It’s not mine,” Mitch said. As much as she wanted it, she wouldn’t claim it as hers. That would be stealing. She wouldn’t steal. “Can we get my stuff from where I am staying?”
“Sure why not? F’rena agreed.
They went to the apartment she was squatting in and got her things.
It was nearly midnight when they arrived at the Academy. There a sleepy young girl a year or so younger than Mitch herself, was on the guard post at the main gate. She came to attention when she saw the police car. Her older partner came up to the driver’s side of the police car.
“We’re closed for the night officer,” The young man said.
“We called and they are expecting us.” L’eam said lighting up the back of the Trenaport Mounted Patrol Cruiser that they barely fit into.
“Oh this must be Miss Mitchum,” The young man said, getting his clip board from the guard house and let the Companions sign in. “I’ll call the duty officer and let him know you are here.”
He called the duty officer telling him that Miss Mitchum was at the front gate. He said to bring her up. The companions brought Valerie Mitchum up to the administration offices where they found the duty officer waiting for them.
“Oh, hi L’eam, F’rena,” the Thonian greeted them. “This must be Valerie Mitchum.”
“It is,” L’eam answered.
“Good evening Miss Mitchum.” The Thonian said, “I am Lieutenant G’ant from the militia. I have the night watch tonight. This is the Queen’s Own Royal Cadet Academy. We exist to help people like you to find a place of safety, and to help prepare you for getting off world. Tonight we’re going to get you a meal and a place to sleep. In the morning, Lady Hawthorne, or the colonel will meet with you and help you get settled. Are you hungry?”
Mitch nodded timidly.
“We’ll get you something to eat in a few minutes.” G’ant said. “Okay officers I’ll take it from here.”
“Valerie,” F’rena said, “Give us a call in a couple of days. I want to hear how you are doing.” She handed the girl her card with her contact information on it, forgetting that she had done that earlier.
As they left the academy, her lifemate chided her a bit. Letting her know what a soft heart she had for people. She sent him the image of a Thonian police officer helping their daughter if she was in trouble. He saw the point and visualized hearts and flowers as a way to apologize. What he got in response was “I wonder if we could spend our free time here?”
In the duty office, G’ant was finishing up some paper work registering Valerie Mitchum into the academy. Then he walked with her to the mess halldining hall where late rations had been laid on. She ate a hamburger, and a glass of milk while appraising what was happening to her. The Thonian then escorted her to a dorm, where a kid of no more than fifteen greeted her and escorted her to a room that she had all by herself.
“I’m Cadet Stein,” The kid g
reeted her, “I have the CQ for the in processing barracks tonight. If you need anything I’ll be at the front desk.”
The cadet helped her make the bed and pointed out where the toilet was and told her that reveille was at 0530 and left her alone. Surprisingly she slept well for the first time in weeks. Not since she left the children’s home.
While the young girl slept the School Mistress working with Frasier, the Trena Mounted Patrol AI, investigated began a check on the girl. They found that she had spent the last five years on the Adventure of Learning.
They couldn’t locate ther girl’s parents. It appears that they had left months before the evacuation announcement. Just leaving the girl behind as they left for the Empire. They had not even dropped her a line as to why. Her parents had declared her an unruly child and had dumped her on the Adventure; where she excelled.
She had spent five years on the replica of an ancient historical sailing ship called the Adventure of Learning. The Adventure was a large replica of 4th century before empire man of war. After Mitch found out that acting out wouldn’t get her off the ship she knuckled down rising from a seaman apprentice to that of chief petty office. The Adventure reported her grades and performance ratings. She was a straight A student. In addition to her grades, her performance as part of the cadet crew was evaluated once a quarter. Only one time had she gotten an evaluation “of less than meets expectations” after that one evaluation she routinely received “exceeds expectations”. For the last four years on the ship she wasn’t a disciplinary problem. She was being considered for one of the ship’s junior officers.
After the announcement she She had stayed a couple of weeks at Trenaport Family Services Children’s Shelter where she had been assaultedattacked.. She had gone missing and wasn’t seen until the murder at Lemay’sLottie’s. Although the Thonians had reported seeing her, the system had failed to let the cCompanions know she was missing until the night before.
The School Mistress was quietly impressed. The Adventure reported her grades and performance ratings. She was a straight A student. In addition to her grades, her performance as part of the cadet crew was evaluated one a quarter. Only one time had she gotten an evaluation “of less than meets expectations” after that one evaluation she routinely received “exceeds expectations”. For the last four years on the on the ship she wasn’t a disciplinary problem. She was being considered for one of the ship’s junior officers.
By the time Delores Hawthorne had gotten in, in the morning the file on Valerie Mitchum was laying on her desk.
Delores read it the file and decided to share it with Sally McBride who had come in with Jill that morning. Sally read it. She read about the incident at the Shelter and shook her head then said, “Let Jill do this one. She’s the same age, and she’s not liable to be as threatening to her as we will be.”
“Okay,” Delores said, “What do you think about making her a barracks leader?”
“Based on her history she should be one of Jill’s officers,” It might work.” Sally suggesteaid, “She could be a great help to her.” Let’s see how she works there. Though I think we ought to consider something more suited to her skills.”
“
“I think so to,” Lady Hawthorne agreed, “Let me talk to Sargent Lucas.”
Every Last Mother's Child Page 134