“So, what’s next?”
“There is plenty more work to do here. I look forward to working with you and Mr. Millen on your next assignment.
I sensed our meeting wrapping up, and I remembered Ron Chang. “Will it always be Millen and me acting alone? One of the men helping us in Justice asked whether it was possible to join whatever we were doing.”
“Additional team members are always an option,” said White, surprising the hell of me. I’d only asked because I’d told Chang I would. After the extensive vetting of my history on Earth and the multiple layers of probation I’d evidently gone through with Millen, I assumed the requirements were stringent. However, White didn’t immediately discount Chang’s request, even though he’d never heard of Chang.
“I see you weren’t expecting that answer,” said White. “Being this far from Earth or the other core worlds gives us considerable latitude. While on specific assignments, you’re free to recruit whatever local assistance you believe is required and available. Adding a permanent member to your team requires more careful consideration. In that case, you and Mr. Millen would need to have confidence such an individual would enhance the prospects of future successful assignments and would be someone to whom you could trust your personal safety. Then you would have to make the case to me.
“Such an addition could be restricted to assignments on Astrild but could also extend elsewhere, if you and Mr. Millen leave for other destinations. Also, be aware that the nature of future assignments might change with additions to the team.”
“Change in what way?” I asked.
“The Mr. White or Ms. White you deal with might reject a possible assignment if it is thought to be too risky for a two-member team but might swing to the opposite conclusion for a larger team.”
I’d just learned two interesting pieces of information. The less critical was that future contacts, handlers, or whatever label you’d give to Mr. White might apply to a woman. More important was that the risk to Millen and me was part of the determination of assignments, with more dangerous assignments forthcoming if the team got larger. It sounded like the agency kept the risk level as high as possible but still achieve success—most of the time anyway. It made me wonder how long I could do this before my luck would run out. Maybe I needed to consider which extreme conditions might make me want to dissolve our relationship.
“Well,” I said, “the person who asked me the question is not available for six months because he’s under contract. So . . . assuming there’s another assignment here on Astrild, how about some hints of what it might entail?”
“We’ll get into that when the three of us meet in Millen’s hospital room tomorrow mid-morning.”
Miki the nurse was fussing over Millen the next day when I arrived. I didn’t bring any “flowers” this time. No more than twenty seconds had passed since I entered the room when White appeared in the doorway.
What was he doing, I thought, lurking waiting for me to show up?
“If you could excuse us, Miki, I think my friends and I have some things to talk about.”
“Just press the station button if you need anything, Edgar. I’ll be watching the monitor feeds to be sure they don’t overtax you.”
Miki left after frowning at White and me.
“I won’t be here long,” said White. “I leave shortly on travel for ten days and wanted us to meet before I go. I understand your recovery is going well, Mr. Millen, which pleases me no end. While you finish recovering and Mr. Cole does some relaxing, you might both take time to read about the history of relations between different sects within a major religion. I also suggest browsing among different religions to see how each handles inter-faith relationships or at least theorizes how they should be handled. When I return, we’ll meet again and discuss your next potential assignment.”
Without another word, White left.
“That’s it?” I said. “He could have just comm’d us. He needs to work on his people skills.”
However, it didn’t take a genius to suspect White was dropping hints about the next assignment. Based on the Justice experience, though, it was clear as mud how our intervention with religious groups would relate to the agency’s mission.
“Religious stuff?” said Millen. “My people didn’t hanker for preachin’ or listenin’ to hellfire and brimstone. On the other hand, I kinda cotton to the idea of a more relaxin’ next mission. Dealing with a bunch of holy-rollers shouldn’t be problem for a couple of curly wolves like you and me. At least we won’t have people trying to dry gulch us or skinning iron every time they see us.”
I looked askance at my partner, pardner, boss, or whatever he was. I think I understood what he’d just said. He was rubbing off on me.
I also didn’t bother raining on his parade.
He may not have much experience with religious groups, but my time in the FSES was different. In his still-convalescing state I didn’t see a reason to tell him that my first thought after White’s hints of our next mission was “Oh, shit.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olan Thorensen is a pen name. Olan is a long-time science fiction fan (emphasis on ‘long’) who has jumped into independent publication with all its pitfalls and unknowns. He thinks all colors go together: clash, what clash? A fan of Dilbert, Non Sequitur, Peanuts (even if old strips), and still think the end of The Far Side was a tragedy. In his youth, served in the US Special Forces (Vietnam:SOG). Has a Phd in Genetics, around 200 science publications as author and co-author, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Lives in the Blue Ridge country of Virginia. Thinks it’s totally cool someone can read his stories and enjoy them. Loves fireflies, thunderstorms, is eclectic in music, and thinks four seasons are better than one.
Please email comments to [email protected] or through my web site at olanthorensen.com. I promise to read all emails, though I may not be able to answer personally every one.
Also, if you enjoyed the story, please leave a comment/review on appropriate venues, such as Amazon and Goodreads. Reviews are the lifeblood of independent authors and is the surest way to encourage more books from the author. Readers wishing to be on a mail list for release news should email me or communicate through Facebook.
Cover by Damonza.com.
Editing by Felicia Sullivan and Patricia Waldygo.
A Tangled Road to Justice Page 32