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Henry Gallant Saga 2: Lieutenant Henry Gallant

Page 25

by H. Peter Alesso


  Her inspirational speech won her considerable support among the people.

  She said, “The Titans still have a base in this system and someday more of their ships will come. While the Intrepid returns to Earth with news of our survival, we will be on our own. We need to develop our defenses. We can use the fabrication and mining operations left by Intrepid’s efforts to develop anti-ship missiles. We will expand those facilities to develop and build an orbiting space station to defend Elysium.”

  Alaina’s Pro-United Planets’ organization promoted a vision for the future of Elysium as a UP protectorate which was gaining support. Gallant attended several meeting to explain how UP would support them when more FLT ships were available. He spoke at length about Alaina’s courage and daring in defeating Aristotle and facing dragors in the jungle. Of the two heroic acts, the public was more impressed with her staring down dragors. Their own experience and fears might have made those events more real to them.

  As part of their agenda they called for new elections for all Council members as well as a new president. New elections were set for the following month and there was a scramble to find a slate of candidates who could defeat the incumbents.

  Though she expressed strong reservations, as leader of PUP, Alaina was being considered for nomination for president.

  He guessed he was the center of much speculation from countless inquiring eyes and curious ears. The town’s people were constantly talking about him and Alaina in endless gossip. He found no expression of humor, amusement, or interest in the conjectures. Talk swept past them, day after day, like a senseless river of meaningless antidotes of little importance except to create a wearisome awkwardness between the couple.

  As her campaign to promote a UP common wealth heated up, she became difficult for Gallant to find. He became concerned the future would not find its way to a favorable outcome for the two of them. Though he didn’t say it openly, he selfishly hoped Alaina would not succeed in her political ambitions.

  He felt trapped by duty and responsibility, and peevishly, he felt a similar burden would soon befall Alaina.

  After several weeks, he found her in Freedom Park with Liam Larson at her side, preparing for a rally in crowds of adherents.

  “Hi,” said Larson with a smile as Gallant approached. “It’s good of you to attend the rally. We appreciate your support.”

  First he nodded at Larson, then he turned to Alaina. “I’ve been trying to see you. I wanted to speak to you about your decision to run for office.”

  “Huh?” she said.

  With Larson standing at her elbow, the subsequent discussion was unsatisfying. He left feeling discouraged and he felt he must let events shape themselves. His heart gave a jerk as he realized she was caught in a whirlwind of other people’s agendas.

  As if struggling against her fate, she accepted the nomination for office, even as Gallant pressed her to consider returning to Sol as a representative of Elysium.

  “They need me. We could lose the election if I don’t,” she claimed.

  Gallant was fighting against circumstances contrived to keep him from Alaina.

  Alternatively he considered the possibility of remaining as UP’s representative after the Intrepid left.

  After several emotional weeks, it seemed to him the future would take care of itself and he would have to play a silent waiting game for the hand to be dealt.

  “How’s your voting drive going?” asked Gallant as he walked into Alaina’s office on the first floor of the town hall. He nodded to Liam, who was sitting beside her, as usual.

  She smiled warmly. “Good—great, actually. Polls are showing we have the people’s confidence.”

  By “we,” she was referring to her and Liam. Alaina was running for president and Liam for head of the new security apparatus, which was called simply Hallo Police. Their moto was “A new broom sweeps clean.”

  She ran her daily operations smoothly and put out a message to impress the voters. She developed a team, budget, and strategy for her campaign, but soon discovered running a campaign was a matter of implementing solid planning.

  Liam and Alaina were campaigning hard against many of the former Wolfe supporters who found themselves unpopular once Wolfe’s schemes were revealed.

  Junior ran to fill his father’s seat as president, trying to use his father’s old council member cronies for backing, but Junior himself was not strongly liked among a public ready to do away with the high-handed methods of the SSP. In addition, the Wolfe cronies, who made up most of the old council members, were also losing favor.

  Election Day was a triumph for Alaina and PUP. She was voted the new leader of Elysium and Larson the new police chief.

  The people of Elysium celebrated their new government.

  She appointed a committee to draft a new constitution. Her new council quickly adapted the constitution which nullified the previous treaty and formed a common-wealth arrangement with the United Planets.

  The election results froze Gallant’s spirits.

  ***

  In Intrepid’s medical center, Gallant asked Mendel, “How is Neumann?”

  “Despite the seriousness of his wounds, he’s holding on. I intend to keep him in the rejuvenation chamber for several more days before he’ll be strong enough to undergo additional surgery.”

  “Another round of surgery?”

  “Yes, but don’t worry. I have no intention of losing a second captain this trip,” said Mendel grimly.

  “I have complete confidence in you, Marcus,” said Gallant. “It’s only that the accelerator has been working non-stop to provide sufficient dark matter for the FTL drive. We’ll have enough in a week and I need to make preparation to return to Earth.”

  “So make them.”

  “Sure, but will Neumann be able to resume command by then?”

  Mendel reached out and took hold of Gallant’s arm. He said, “Look, Henry, even if I’m a better surgeon than I think I am, I’m only hoping to keep him alive until he makes it back to Earth. Once he gets to the main military medical facilities on Earth, he’ll get the best medical care possible. At that point, he can start planning on recovering and possibly returning to duty. For now, he’s not going to be able to relieve you anytime soon.”

  Disappointed, Gallant said, “I understand.”

  Clearly there would be no escaping his responsibility to the Intrepid.

  CHAPTER 38

  WHAT YOU WANT MOST

  Gallant fired retro-rockets, letting his tiny Hummingbird fall from orbit and plunge through the stratosphere toward Elysium. The rush of g-forces pressed against him. He let his mind relive with exhausting vividness the events of the past weeks.

  He passed through white clouds as they swirled above the island-rich blue ocean. The panoramic journey seemed far too short when he set his ship down at the landing site at Hallo. He walked through the streets of the town he had previously found so inviting and felt a longing to remain in its splendor, but he knew this would be his final visit to the planet.

  When he reached the town hall, he climbed the stairs and passed through the open doors. The open windows and doors let the warm fragrant tropical breeze flow throughout the rooms. There were no guards and few staff members about. He went directly to the president’s office. The door was open and Alaina was seated comfortably in a chair next to a table piled high with documents and reports. They were Wolfe’s secret papers that had been locked in his desk drawer. They were concerned with his arrangements with other Council members. No one’s eyes, other than his, had seen them before Alaina opened them and began reading. She was occupied reading one of them when Gallant entered.

  She looked smart in a white blouse and a light-thread beige skirt. Her blond hair was pulled up and back, away from her face, exposing her glowing complexion and delicate classical facial features.

  His heart beating apace, he said, “Alaina, you look wonderful.”

  “Henry,” she said beaming with delight. �
��You always look so handsome in your uniform.”

  For a moment, Gallant thought she would jump up and embrace him, but her restraint asserted control. And for a moment, he thought about stepping forward and embracing her, but like her, he suppressed the impulse.

  For days he had envisioned their last meeting—their final farewell—now it had come and he felt unprepared.

  Gallant said simply, “I haven’t said this before and it’s long overdue—congratulations, Madame President.”

  He said it lightly, as if it were a casual compliment, lacking import.

  “Thank you,” said Alaina, her face becoming troubled. “I’m still getting used to the title. It’s difficult to take it all in.”

  Gallant smiled whimsically. “Elysium is in good hands.”

  Alaina’s happy face returned, color rising in her checks.

  “When do you leave?” she asked.

  “Twenty-four hours.”

  “I’ll be waiting for your return.”

  “I doubt you’ll even notice I’ve gone.” Gallant shifted his weight, swinging his hands at his sides. He didn’t know what to do with them.

  “Oh, I’ll notice.” She frowned, as if she was already feeling unhappy about that event.

  Having failed completely to express his own feelings, he was helpless to discern hers.

  She stood and crossed to him. “Well, there’s one thing I do know for certain.”

  “What’s that?” asked Gallant, fixing his steely gray eyes on her.

  “You’re special,” she said, touching his arm.

  “No. Not so special—just different.” He stood there overflowing with regrets and vain frustrations.

  “Why are goodbyes always so hard?” she asked, her sorrow suddenly finding its way into her quivering voice and moist eyes.

  Gallant breathed, “They always mean giving up—what you want most.”

  The words stunned Alaina.

  He moved closer to her.

  I’m leaving too much unsaid.

  “What about us?” he asked.

  “Us? Is there an ‘us’?” she asked. “I’ve my responsibilities—you have yours . . .”

  Can I blame her?

  Their unspoken pact with duty was a sad indictment—condemning them to a harvest of loneliness.

  A small part of him clung to the notion they could still break the barrier dividing responsibility and desire. In his heart, however, he knew their separation was unavoidable.

  Is this all we can allow ourselves?

  He looked at her for a long second, and then with a despair born in denial, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She felt wonderful; eternal; unforgettable. He kissed her with all the passion he possessed—crushing the breath from her.

  When at last he let her go, she took a deep breath and looked up at him.

  Gallant said, “I’ll be back.”

  - end -

 

 

 


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