“Then why didn’t you say something, Mom?” Holly asked quietly. She didn’t want to accuse her mother of something that wasn’t her fault. And she didn’t want a fight. But the subject hard arisen, and for a moment Holly simply wanted to shout. Her controlled breathing helped contain the emotions thundering through her gut. Her awareness of Iain’s hand touching her faded for a second, then resumed as the pounding of blood through her ears subsided. The contact helped, like an anchor in harbor.
“What could I say? You are your own woman. A strong one. You know your heart and mind better than anyone.”
Holly laughed, a soft chuffing sound, that she hoped didn’t sound bitter. “Have you learned to not keep your misgivings to yourself? Is that what this is? Penance? You’ve determined that it’s better to speak than hide from truth?”
Sophia appeared to think about that. Holly surveyed her guests at the table. Meg watched their mother intently; Sophia’s gaze appeared to be focused inward as she considered what to say; Iain caught Holly’s eye, and Holly took his hand beneath the table and held it tight.
“If I had confronted George about his frequent long ‘business trips,’ maybe I would have learned that he was traveling out to Shakti. And to the edge of the solar system. Maybe I would have discovered whatever it was that he was up to. And I could have stopped him.” She shrugged. “I’ll never know, now. But yes, that is what I’m saying, I think. It’s complicated. And I do think that from my experience with him, I’ve learned that the only good that comes from keeping secrets and keeping my mouth shut is that no one knows how their actions impact others. It is better to know. I really believe that.”
There was a moment of silence, then Meg’s voice broke through it like a door banging open. “Dad went out to Shakti and the edge of the solar system? Why? How do you know this? Is it new information? Did you just discover it? Or have you known for a long time and are only now mentioning it?”
Holly suddenly realized she’d been holding her breath. This was new information to Holly and apparently Meg.
Sophia’s answer was cut off by the buzz of the door-comm.
“That will be Gabe.” Meg perked up at the sound.
“Gabe’s coming here?” Holly asked, feeling her brow furrow.
“He’s coming to get me,” Lucy said from the couch.
Meg nodded. “I thought I’d told you.”
“You didn’t.”
“Sorry. Gabe is coming to get Lucy.”
“A lot of good that does me now. You should have just invited him along. He would have loved to see Iain.”
The door opened.
“Dad!” Lucy shouted.
“Lucy-bear!” Gabe said, rushing in and grabbing his daughter up into a tight hug. “Scotch? What the hell? You’re all having dinner without me? Wow. That just smarts. Sophia!” Gabe put Lucy down and hugged Sophia, then Iain.
“Where’s my beso?” Sophia asked. She giggled when Gabe obliged and gave her two on each cheek.
“Come on,” Iain growled. “Just Iain. Stop pushing that ridiculous Scotch nickname on me.”
“You love it. Everyone loves a nickname. I’m afraid I can’t stop.”
“You needn’t worry, Iain. I’ll never call you Scotch.” Sophia let out a shimmering, girlish laugh that paralleled her attire perfectly.
“Sophia would have had a better time at this hurtful dinner with me here, Holly. I’m wounded.”
“Sorry Gabe. Would have loved to have you,” Holly said, pushing her chair back and standing to give Gabe a brief hug.
“It’s my call. And you’re my ex. So you don’t get to come,” Meg insisted.
“That is so bratty, Meg. And just like you. I’m going to have you demoted at the station.”
“As if I’m worried about that,” Meg said, her voice dry. Meg and Gabe were detectives at the same precinct. Divorced detectives. Which seemed to in fact make them both work harder.
Gabe reached into the bowl of bread and pulled a slice out. He tore it in half and sopped up some oil then ripped off a chunk with his teeth. “The mood seems a bit somber in here. Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t come.” He observed.
“The conversation topic. It was a bit of a downer,” Holly admitted.
“Then I take it all back. I’m glad I wasn’t here,” Gabe laughed. “Iain’s better at downer conversations. Aren’t you, Scotch?”
Iain sighed, but there was mirth in his eyes. “OK, I admit that it would have been a good time with Gabe here. He’s got a buoyant personality that’s irresistible. I can’t help but love him.”
“No one can. Of course my sunny personality is my most winning trait. Pair it up with my work, and everyone just loves me. Including Meg. Despite what she says.”
Meg sighed and shook her head. She took a final sip of her wine. “Thanks for the lovely dinner, again, sister.” She stood. “I’d help clean it all up, but now that Lucy’s in her father’s hands, I have a date.”
She delivered that barb like it was intended, to wound ever so slightly.
“Ouch! A date, eh?” Gabe asked. “I had three over the weekend. So, you know, have a great time.”
“I refuse to engage in that one-uppery, Gabriel, and you know it.”
“Is that so?” Gabe asked, a smile forcing the dimples to appear on his cheeks.
“You two will be back together before we know it,” Sophia said, clapping her hands together and laughing. “And frankly, I can’t wait. My one success story. Sorry, Holly dear, tie the knot and have a grandchild and you too shall be one of my success stories.”
“Damn, mom. That’s just hurtful. Very cold.”
“Like I said—truth,” Sophia said, delivering a warm look at Holly.
Lucy shot her grandmother a hopeful look, then glanced at her mom and dad in turn. “Do you mean that, Grandma?”
“Don’t listen to your grandmother. She doesn’t know a thing about it,” Meg said dourly. “Thanks mom.”
Sophia smiled like she knew her daughters were variously calling her terrible names in their heads. “That’s what I’m here for, Darling.”
7
Ixion hung over the sky like a caring but distant—and slightly oppressive parent—as Holly stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street. She took a deep breath and smiled. A sunny day, a break in the weather, was just what she needed. She’d also needed—very much—the night she’d just spent, wrapped up in Iain’s arms for the majority of the cold darkness. Waking up beside him still somehow made her feel like she’d just won at the cathog races. She hated the races, but winnings? She’d take them. And she couldn’t help but feel like Iain was precisely that—a prize she hardly deserved.
What am I saying? Of course I deserve him.
The bottom levels of the spire she approached seemed inviting as she climbed the few stairs. The jade glowed only faintly with the light of the sun filling the sky, as well as the faint outline of Ixion, which reflected a percentage of sunlight. She’d been missing that feature which defined her life so frequently. When it was gone for long periods during winter, some part of her spirit wilted. Holly reached the doors and entered.
Things seemed to be looking up as she stepped into the hallways of Elan’s school. Val appeared from an inner office room when Holly walked into the front office.
“Oh, oh my lucky lights and heavenly angels, if it isn’t Holly Drake. Get in here! Give it up, give it up!” Val opened her arms wide to embrace Holly. They exchanged besos. Val laughed happily and so long that she was soon wiping tears from her eyes. “Oh my. It is so good to see you, my friend. How’ve you been?”
“Better, now that I’m here,” Holly said. “Enough about me. How’s the school? How are you? How’s Elan?”
“The school is great. It’s going well. I mean, some of the kids have graduated, as it were, you know,” Val said. “Oh, here’s Estie now. Estie!” She greeted Holly’s former colleague-turned-school superintendent. The three—Val, Estie, and Elan—had been instrumental
in helping Holly rescue the kids that had been stolen and pushed into slavery at the hands of the Shadow Coalition. Without them, Holly would have had no way to manage those children who’d been orphans living on the streets prior to being taken to Ixion mining base #4 where they been forced to man the tiny ships that mined the gas giant for hydrantium, which eventually became aether.
“Estie,” Holly said, giving the taller woman two quick besos. “How are things?”
“Mostly wonderful. Thanks for coming. Elan will be glad to see you, and the children should learn something.” Estie smiled. “Hopefully.”
“Oh they’ll learn something all right,” Holly said, raising her eyebrows. “Like what not to do to become a successful adult.”
“Come on, don’t talk that way. You know you’ve done so much. Give yourself some credit, lady.” Val gave Holly a teasing punch in the arm.
“Some of the kids have been ready to move on,” Estie mentioned. The delivery was stiff, as though it wasn’t what she wanted to be saying.
Holly cocked an eyebrow and looked first at Estie, then at Val. “Like . . . Graduate?”
“Something like that.”
“Well, OK. Are you proud of them? Has it gone well, their education? It seems a bit early to be seeing some of them ready to leave. Where do they go?”
“It’s good, yeah,” Estie said, nodding. She exchanged a look with Val, and Holly felt chills cover her arms at the interaction. Something wasn’t right. But neither of them wanted to admit it.
“So, something’s not adding up here. I saw that look you two just shared.”
“It’s fine. We can’t keep them here, you know, Holly. They’re here voluntarily. If they leave, we can’t stop them.” Estie shrugged. There was a sadness in her expression.
Holly bit her lip and nodded. That was a sentiment they often shared as teachers—that sometimes there just wasn’t anything they could do. Try as they did to protect their students, they were limited by their role as teacher.
“Elan’s expecting you in room 403.”
* * *
Using the aether whip, she brought down three dummies, disarmed two, then lunged and dropped the whip and suddenly there were two knives in her hands, which she threw at two more dummies. The knives stuck in the arms of the dummies. Non-lethal wounds.
Despite none of the techniques being meant to kill, she still somehow felt like it was all rather violent.
But, she reasoned with herself as the teenagers gaped at her, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, these kids needed to know that they didn’t have to let adults treat them like slaves. If children anywhere in the 6 Moons deserved to know that they could defend themselves, they were these kids. They’d already been treated so poorly. If they trained with Elan, they could be free from a future of slavery.
Elan wanted her to demonstrate some hand-to-hand, but that was Charly’s forte. Not Holly’s. She’d used the knives and the aether whip. The kids couldn’t do that, of course, but next she would show them a few basic techniques.
“Now, I want to show you some methods to disarm an opponent who comes at you with a knife. This is very fundamental stuff.” She focused on Elan. “Come over here, Elan. You can be the aggressor.” He stood at the side of the gym, watching her. His silver hair was up in a bun. His clothes were the standard traditional boxy attire he favored.
As he came closer, she felt the magnetism that he carried with him acting on her. A half-grin touched his lips. His bright eyes danced with a light that caught her heart. He’d always possessed that sort of power over her, but only now could she observe it without guilt or fear of reprisal. He was honorable and beautiful and he’d been one of the few that had reached her in the midst of the shadow-life she’d led during the darkest years of her time with Graf.
He stopped when he was only a foot away from her. “Holly Drake,” he said, and bowed. “I am yours to command.”
The kids whooped and hollered. Holly tried to suppress the blush that rushed to her cheeks. It was too late. She could feel it there, a fire beneath her skin. Despite her embarrassment, she was happy to see that the kids had recovered enough to tease her, to relish in normal life.
She directed Elan on how to stand, all the while knowing that he was familiar with these techniques, because they were based on practices that his peaceful stances and exercises used, the ones she’d seen him practicing in his backyard in Rochers Deshiketes—what seemed to be ages behind her now.
He complied. He moved the way she asked him to. He stabbed at her with a toy knife, which she disarmed. They went through the moves slowly, then she sped it up until the moves happened in a blur.
Finally she stopped and turned to face the rows of children. “Now then, this is what you should practice. I want you to pair up and go through these moves with your partner until you could do them in your sleep if you had to. Before we start, are there any questions?”
A few hands went up. Holly called on the kids, one by one, answering them.
She came to a boy that looked somehow familiar. She shook away the sense that she recognized him. It was probably from the rescue all those weeks ago.
“If someone is stabbing me, why are you telling me that what I should do is try to just disarm them, then scare them off? Why can’t I try to kill them? They just tried to kill me. Seems fair that I go after them.” His accent was thick, like he came from the inner slums of the capital city on Paradise. Holly cleared her throat. She flashed Elan a look, wondering how to field a question like that.
“What’s your name?” Holly asked, stalling.
“Kwan,” the boy said like he was ready to fight.
“I’m not telling you what to do. You feel threatened enough to kill someone? That will be your decision to make.” She hesitated, searching for the right words, weighing her advice. “Have you ever killed someone?”
Kwan shook his head. She scanned the rest of the group of teens, watching the majority of them shake their heads as well. Some of them didn’t move.
“Killing someone. That’s something you can’t undo. You can’t put it back. You can’t change your mind. It’s a weight you’ll carry for the rest of your life. It’s heavy. It can drag you down. That’s an idea you need to think about. I’ve killed people before. I think about that almost every day. The way I work now? I try to protect myself without killing when I can. That’s not always possible.”
The room was silent. The weight of the noise of total silence in a crowded room was enough to make sweat break out on her temples. She ran her hand over her hair and through the end of her ponytail.
“Right. Well, get to work!”
Once the pairs of students were working on their own, Elan caught Holly’s eye and led her to the perimeter of the room where they could speak in quiet tones.
“The presentation was better than I could have hoped. Thank you for agreeing to it, Holly Drake.”
“You know Charly would have been a better option,” she said.
“Then I wouldn’t get to see you in action again.”
She laughed. “So that’s what this was?”
“Among many things, yes,” he said. His face relaxed in that Yasoan way that meant trouble was brewing. “Did Estie or Valentine tell you about the kids who have left?”
“They mentioned that some of the students had moved on.”
“I fear that it’s more than moved on. I am not sure, but you know that we cannot hold them here against their will. So we let them go, and pretend that it’s a graduation of sorts.”
Holly frowned. “What do you think is causing it?”
“I have no answers. Perhaps they were offered money? Jobs? I have considered following a student when they announce they’re leaving. Some have left without telling us.”
This was troubling. “And you think it’s simply a leaving? And not being taken?”
“The thing that worries me most, Holly Drake, is that many of the students don’t seem courageous and brave. They seem . . . Almost frigh
tened.”
8
“Someone did offer us a job. A paying job. I turned it down,” Holly said. Everyone in the Bird’s Nest stopped and stared at her. Shiro had been sitting with his feet—spats, really—up on the coffee table, tossing his cane back and forth between his hands. He sat forward and gaped at her. Odeon had been staring out the window overlooking the street, but now he was staring at her, his bright eyes narrow, his expression unreadable. Charly was positioned in the doorway leading down to the club. She halted in her tracks. Her appearance was one reason Holly just blurted the words out without warning.
“What the hell, Drake? You trying to keep us poor?” Darius asked from his desk. He spun in his chair to face her.
“Ok, look, just ask me what it was before you chew me up and spit me out.”
“What was it?” Odeon asked in his soft voice.
“A trip out to Shakti. Anyone want to go to Shakti? You all know how dangerous that would be? It’s not like some simple jaunt between moons. The distance sounds excruciating. There are leviathans and behemoths out there too.”
“What’s at Shakti?” Shiro asked putting his cane down.
“He didn’t tell me. I just said I wasn’t interested.”
“I agree. Shakti? Hell no,” Charly said. “No thank you. I’d rather stay here. Poor but alive. That’s rich enough for me.” She continued on her path to her desk, weaving around the coffee table and the couches. As she passed, Holly heard Charly muttering under her breath about galas and parties and meetings.
“But what’s the pay? What’s the gig? I want to know details before I say I’m against a journey out to Shakti. Might be interesting,” Darius said.
“I don’t know. But there’s a military outpost there.” Holly rose and went to Charly’s desk. “I haven’t researched it, really. Maybe I should. Charly, can I use your vscreen?”
The Colossus Collection : A Space Opera Adventure (Books 1-7 + Bonus Material) Page 90
