John waited out the laughter, and continued, “I cannot imagine serving with a better bunch of men and women, and I shall always remember these few months, a time dedicated to healing and rebirth after fifty nine months of killing and death. I thank you all for your service, and have ensured that your jackets reflect my highest commendations.”
Gunnery Sergeant Mischkovic called the room to attention and saluted. John returned his salute – he was wearing his uniform – and they shook hands.
The Marines put on a small spread, and everyone relaxed with a plate of food and a little something to drink. John looked at the assemblage of about forty percent women and, as he put it, ten percent men, and told Karl, “Sergeant, if this is an example of relaxing, I wonder how any of you ever managed to get married?” Karl smiled happily, “Sir, court order.” John laughed in delight. The sergeant said, “Sir, about our orders? Have you seen them, or know anything?” John said, “No sergeant, I have yet to receive a comm from Commissioner Nabuki. As it happens however, the former commissioner had some pull with Admiral Grigorivich. You have a set of orders waiting you in your quarters. Something about extended leave? I’m not really certain.”
Karl shook his head, “Sir, you pulled rank? I’m shocked. You used to have…I don’t know what, but you had something.” John grinned, “Yes I certainly did. Give the word and I can have them cancelled, but if you’re willing, you’re going with Captain Chamberlin – that would be me – to Maya.”
Karl asked, “Sir, didn’t you promise Rachel that you wouldn’t interfere?” John grinned again, and held up a finger, “Federal Commissioner Chamberlin made a solemn promise, but I did not.” Karl shook his head in mock admiration, or possibly dismay. It was hard to tell with him.
John finally received a comm from his replacement, “Captain Chamberlin, this is Federal Commissioner Nabuki. I have taken the oath of office, and am now officially informing you that you have been relieved. I have in hand your reports, and will review them as I am able. I note that Grenoble has just announced the development of a civilian shuttle. What can you tell me about that? I was informed that this planet was years away from being able to produce anything remotely like a shuttle.”
John said, “Sir, they’ve successfully tested the craft, and have a second design that will be flying within three months. They’ve secured a supply of drive systems from a federal supplier – a happy benefit to the federation – and by the time those have been used, their own drives will be available. It’s an excellent craft and I would expect that if its successful it will make your job here on Grenoble much easier.”
As he’d hoped, Commissioner Nabuki took the bait, “How so captain?” John sighed at the nearly total lack of emotion in her voice, “Sir, as you have pointed out, the expectations for Grenoble are very low; however, the success of this shuttle, and the ones that will follow, will boost Grenoble’s GNP back into positive range, and all this will take place under your jurisdiction.” She said, “Interesting. Captain, have you scheduled your departure?” Sadly, she was living down to her reputation. John said, “I’ve a shuttle scheduled in four hours sir.” She said, mimicking a pleasant tone of voice, “Have a good trip captain.”
John and Karl took one last walk down to the Bistro. They were greeted with a great deal of enthusiasm. The entire planet was buzzing with the news of the successful tests of its commercial shuttle, and they knew that John was the driving force behind its development, propelling him upward to almost-Grenobian status.
John and Karl sat with the owners and their daughter, and John passed to them an old-fashion paper envelope. Inside was a note, addressed to the parents, inviting their daughter for an extended visit to Maya.
Before she left, Jessica told John, “Captain Chamberlin, you may not have been aware of it, but these last few months you’ve earned quite a good salary. I’ve saved virtually all of it, and we can afford this, although it will mean that the two of us have to share certain accommodations. Will you object?” John had sighed dramatically, “I’m an officer in the Federal Navy, I can do this.” He remembered her smile, as well as her reply, “…and more than once.”
John pointed at a large and somewhat heavy carton that the Marines had earlier delivered, and told them, “Don’t open this until after we leave. Now that our Marine contingent is being reassigned, we had a few things that we forgot to pack. I hope you can find something to do with it.” It contained coffee from Earth itself, something still virtually impossible to obtain on the planet.
They made their goodbyes and walked back to the elderly building. A squad of Marines stood in formation on the broad sidewalk and came to attention as John approached. He returned their salute and the small complement climbed into the bus for the ride to the port. Karl sat down next to him. They didn’t speak, but the connection between the two men was palpable. It had been a long war, and it was now about over. Time to go home.
Much to John’s surprise, Lt. Cdr. Komanski was waiting for them outside the shuttle. After a perfect salute, He gestured to two sailors to take their small amount of baggage and then pointed to a personnel hatch.
Ten minutes later the shuttle soared up into a typical afternoon drizzle. The army failed to be there to see him off.
Aboard the Coral Sea, John found the flight deck jammed with sailors and Marines. At a command, they stood to attention. Lt. Cdr. Komanski moved to stand in front of the several hundred men and women and called them to parade rest. He turned to face the front and said, “Captain Chamberlin, I have in my hand a set of sealed orders, issued by Admiral Grigorivich. I shall now unseal them and read them, as per his orders.
He made a show of unsealing the folder and opened it. He immediately shouted, “Company! Ten hut!” The echoing chamber resounded with the sound of hundreds of boot heels slamming into the deck. He read, “As of…this day, Gunnery Sergeant Karl W Miscovich is hereby promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant Miscovich. May God, in His infinite wisdom, grant you the wisdom to perform your duties to the best of your ability, and may He also grant you the intelligence to ask for guidance from your purported superior officers when your own wisdom comes up short, as it all too often has.” There were a large number of suppressed snorts. John noted the use of the singular form of ‘ability’.
Chapter 44
A day later John and Master Sergeant Mischkovic boarded a brand new destroyer, the same one in fact that had ferried Commissioner Nabuki.
At Elyse, they transferred to an elderly destroyer that was heading to Maya, where it would be broken up. The civilian crew largely ignored them. Watching them perform their duties, it felt wrenching, as if their world had suddenly turned upside down.
They made orbit, where a Padilla shuttle met them. The family’s fortunes had soared in the last year, largely as a result of the Hawk, and it now had two custom company shuttles, modified to hold the Hawk, and used to transport them to orbit, where they were transferred to a company on Earth, the source of the coating.
Despite the fact that the war was over – a peace treaty had been signed while John and Karl were en route to Elyse, the federal government announced that it would continue to build a true Navy, and gave Producciones Padilla orders for a total of eighty Hawk assault craft, and placed or would soon place additional orders for new destroyers. It was however, mothballing it’s original conversion carriers and destroyers. The Navy was destined to shrink to roughly one quarter its immense size at the end of hostilities, yet it would still be enormously larger than at the outset.
Rachel met John and Karl at the greatly enlarged port outside of Chavez. The entire planet was celebrating the conclusion of war, and John’s family was at that very moment at the Padilla home. John and Karl were hustled into a private vehicle, something that had only recently begun appearing in Chavez. As they rode through the streets, John commented on the various points of interest to Karl who came from a similarly rustic planet, although one that was colder. John found so many changes that he had to ask t
he driver for help. Rachel was polite but distant to Karl, but John thought he saw something. He kept his mouth firmly shut on the subject, although it was painful.
The streets were jammed with large numbers of very happy Mayans, making their trip a very slow but happy process.
They pulled up to the front of the large home and grabbed their duffle bags, another ancient expression that the military inexplicably hung on to. As it happened, John knew the origins of the term, but nobody had ever asked him, and it was doubtful anyone ever would.
They followed Rachel through the front entrance into a continuation of the bedlam they’d seen on the streets.
She led them through a crowd and into another large room – John had little experience with large homes, so didn’t know what it ought to be called. However, he spotted Jessica, eliminating his interest in naming conventions. She ran to him and they embraced. He said, “It feels as if we’ve been separated for years.” She hungrily kissed him, then asked, “You used to be such a romantic, is that the best you can do?” He kissed her, “I lost Rumi the moment I composed my first letter to the parents of a federal hero, but perhaps your kisses will bring him back.” She held on to him with such passion that he thought she feared he would evaporate, and said, “Good enough.”
He held her to him, savoring her unique scent, her warmth, and the fact that she loved him over all others. She was a continuously renewing miracle.
He said into her ear, “These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume."
He added, “That quote may not make any sense, but it feels like the last five years. This next, however, is for the next five years, and were spoken by the same passionate man: "See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!"
Her eyes glistened, “I love you so much. I feared, greatly feared that I had lost you to the war, even though you stood next to me. I know, I know that you have changed greatly, and lost much; yet, my love, my dearest love, you have also grown. Rachel told me that she did not think you would or even could return to your classroom, she feels that you have grown too large for such a small stage – my words, not hers. Karl feels the same. I have never wanted anything other than that you return to the place where we met. You were so incredible, such an inspiring, innovative, inspirational, funny, loving, passionate teacher of hearts and minds; yet, after Grenoble, I think, fear, that they are correct. In this moment, my husband, my heart’s desire, I promise to support your destiny, as Karl calls it. I know that you will support me, and my sisters, truly your sisters as well. Wherever it takes you, it shall take us all. That is my promise to you. Well, that and perhaps one or two others, to be offered a bit later.” John nodded somberly, “I’ll try to live up to your apparently very high expectations. Um, we are talking about sex aren’t we?” She giggled, “Actually, I was speaking about a late supper. However, your idea does seem to have merit. I’ll look into it.”
She led him around the room, and into other rooms, where he was hugged and/or had his hand vigorously shaken by various members of the Padilla family plus friends and invited guests. Mr. Padilla said, “Captain, I know that you will require a little time to adjust, but when you are ready, please make an appointment to see me.” John smiled, his mind only partially focused on his host.
A few moments later the mayor of Chavez appeared in front of John and his highly distracted mind and gracefully welcomed him home. She said, still holding the hand she’d shaken, “Captain Padilla, when you have a free hour, won’t you please stop by city hall and pay me a visit?”
She smiled at Jessica and then she was gone and they were alone for a brief moment. Jessica said, “You’ve not even been home yet and already they’re trying to take bites out of you.” John felt suddenly lost and overwhelmed. She could see it in his face and said, “Oh honey, I’m sorry. Do you want to leave?” He almost cried, “I’ve thought of nothing but this moment, when I could take off this uniform and return to life; yet, now that I’m here, I’m terrified.”
She took his hand firmly in hers, “Come with me.” She led him through what seemed to him to be a maze of strangers, all of them chaotically dressed, speaking a foreign language that he no longer understood, up a stairway and into a deserted and quiet section on the third floor. She opened a door and pulled him in, then shut and locked it. She said, “This was my bedroom until you entered me.”
She began hurriedly undressing.
An hour later they descended the stairs. There were fewer people, but there were still a lot of them. He clutched her hand, but he felt better, almost human, almost home.
James appeared in the room. John looked across the noisy space at his brother. Castidad stood next to James, talking animatedly to Jordan, who seemed to have acquired a young man. The two brothers looked across the crowded space at each other, and a moment later, Castidad and Jessica stopped talking and watched as their faces, seemingly without moving, seemed to ripple with multiple emotions; joy at surviving, pain at the death of so many friends; the loss of innocence, and finally, joy again. James grinned at John, glanced at Jordan and laughed. John laughed back, thinking of the many childhood stories he could tell Castidad, none of them flattering, all of them featuring her new husband.
The room seemed to swirl, with people moving excitedly from group to group, arms waving, hugging and gesturing. John still felt isolated, but not alone, Jessica had helped with that little problem. He stood in place and people seemed to flow up to him, greet him, jabber excitedly, and move on.
Jessica found him a plate of food and he took distracted bites as the parade of people passed by, stopping briefly to exclaim about the peace, and disappear.
At one point, a young man appeared, in the company of Master Sergeant Mischkovic, who looked splendidly masculine in his Marine Dress Blue “B” uniform, one dating back to Earth’s pre-space period when the term ‘navy’ meant sea going ships.
Karl said, “Sir, this is Lance Corporal Yanez. We served together just before I was transferred to the DeKlerk.” John started to reach out to shake his hand, but instead returned the solemn young man’s salute. John then held out his hand and they shook. Mr. Yanez, now a civilian said, “Sir, it is a great pleasure to meet you. I know that everyone here is happy about the peace and all, and I am too; it’s just that I come from a reb…a former rebel world, and I know that they’re not so happy there. Sir, I just want to say that there are a lot of people like me. We come from rebel worlds, but we served in the Navy, or Army, or we emigrated from or were kicked out of our home worlds. We, most of us, won’t be going back – feelings are just too high, too much hatred and anger, and grief. Most people in the federation, they seem to just want to take revenge or make them pay, not understanding that we’re all just…people sir. We’re just human beings. The sergeant here, Sergeant Mischkovic, he told me about what you’ve done on Grenoble, and Fujian, Orleans, and the others. Frankly sir, I’d already heard a lot about you, and I just wanted to thank you sir, on behalf of all the people who lived through the war, but just wanted to live in peace. We don’t seem to have anyone who speaks for us, cares about the millions of people who aren’t enemies, they’re just cold and hungry. Sir, I hope that you will continue. That’s all I wanted to say, sir, and I apologize for taking up your time. I know you want to be with your family and all, but I just had to speak my piece.”
He started to turn away, but Jessica reached out to touch his arm. She asked, softly, “Mr. Yanez, you now live on Maya?” He nodded, “Yes maam, we, some of us, came to Maya, found a home. Life’s different here, but the people are good.” She said, “Mr. Yanez, you thanked my husband; I would like to thank you for all that you’ve done, including this evening. I know that I speak for John when I tell you that you are welcome in our home. If you’ll give me your contact information, I’d love to have you and your family over for supper. Would that be acceptable?”
&nb
sp; Mr. Yanez blushed but looked directly at Jessica, “Thank you Mrs. Chamberlin. Gunny told me something about how you were always looking after the Marines and their families, said that Captain Chamberlin was a fortunate man. I can see he wasn’t just being nice.” They exchanged information, and then he disappeared back into the crowd.
John looked at his wife and said, “Gunny indeed. I think from now on I should just ask Master Sergeant Mischkovic what to do.” She smiled, but it was tinged with sadness, “That poor man; he’s lost so much, his home, friends, birth world, yet he goes to the trouble of seeking you out to thank you. John, I was wrong, and I was right. You are still a teacher, but you have a new audience, larger, and the need is more urgent.”
Hawk Genesis: War (Flight of the Hawk) Page 46