by Gun Brooke
Rae looked up at Jeremiah, who still seemed stunned. She knew her father liked her next in command, and also her friend, Captain Alex de Vies, who lived aboard this station. She couldn't help but wonder how differently the admiral would have reacted if either one of these men had defeated M'Ekar's fleet or gotten married.
Over time her nonrelationship with her parents had made Rae distance herself from them, knowing she could never please her father or really matter to her mother. Some would say heading for deep space was overdoing it, but she disagreed. It was by far the best solution. Here she served a purpose, and she knew she was damn good at her job. Living on Earth, in the shadow of her parents, was no life for her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The commercial section of Gamma VI buzzed with activity. Most civilians were coming off duty and shopping in the multitude of stores that lined the six-meter-wide corridor. Unlike those in the military section, the materials used to construct and decorate this part of the station were luxurious and aesthetically pleasing. The floor was made of D'Tosorian silver-marble that shimmered underfoot. Transparent aluminum windows showed displays of the goods for sale, and Kellen marveled at the high-tech equipment available, as well as the multitude of garments, food stuff, and jewelry. Armeo stopped in front of a window where games and toys overflowed the moving shelves, his eyes huge and darting.
Proud of him for not begging either her or Rae to buy him something, Kellen glanced at Rae and wondered if she noticed. Half expecting her new spouse to make Armeo choose a gift, she was surprised and relieved when she didn't. Rae didn't need to buy Armeo's affection.
As they approached the Food District, mouthwatering scents hovered in the air, and Kellen noticed the crowd around them became denser. The ones who recognized the commodore in civilian clothes nodded respectfully and looked at the three of them curiously.
Kellen walked closer to Rae. She was concerned for Armeo's safety, as usual, and draped an arm around his shoulders. Armeo glanced at her, apparently surprised, but smiled and hugged her around the waist. The contented, curious look on his face as he obviously tried to assimilate all the new sights and sounds made her smile in return. Looking down at Armeo, she wondered if anyone could possibly mistake the two of them for the fugitives who had been towed to Gamma VI three days ago. Three days? I can't believe it's only been three days.
Having retrieved more of her things from the Kithanya, Kellen was relieved to find the bag she'd packed a long time ago with a few sets of clothes, just in case she needed them. She wore a simple white suit with long sleeves made of retrospun cotton, and wide-legged trousers. Armeo had insisted on wearing his new school uniform—nuevosuede blue trousers, a short reversible twillmix black jacket, and brand-new nuevoskin shoes.
Rae was dressed in black trousers of the same material as Armeo's and a long gray Cormanian fairy-silk tunic with a black leathermix belt.
"People are staring," Kellen murmured out of earshot from Armeo, who was walking in front of them. She did not recognize the awkward shyness that flooded her, making her feel vulnerable. Also, she wondered if any of the many eyes turning their way belonged to anyone out to harm Armeo.
"I've noticed," Rae replied dryly. "We're probably the talk of the town right now. As I said, the grapevine here is unbelievable. Ah, here we are—Hasta's, my home away from home."
Kellen looked through the windows into the crowded restaurant. "It looks full." The thought of pushing through a room packed with staring strangers almost made Kellen insist they return to their quarters.
"I have my own table. Commodore's privilege." Rae's glittering eyes took the arrogance out of her words. "And there's Hasta herself. She owns the place and is also a famous chef."
A woman of unfamiliar alien descent approached them. Small-boned and barely as tall as Armeo, the chef wore her almost glowing white hair in a tall, elaborate style. A reddish tattoo adorned her face, creating intricate patterns along her hairline, down in front of her ears, and curling in waves along her long, slender neck. Hasta's skin was nearly as white as her hair, making the bright red of her lips and the blackness of her eyes all the more noticeable. She wore a long, light blue tunic over black trousers, both with golden threads woven into the unknown, shiny material.
"Commodore, your table is ready as usual," she said. "I see you brought your family. How nice to meet you. Young man, I'm sure I can whet your appetite with my egg rolls. Just come with me."
Armeo glanced over his shoulder, clearly seeking Kellen's approval before he hurried after Hasta.
"He's always hungry." Kellen smiled, starting to relax. "Most boys his age are."
"He seemed pleased with his room," Rae said. "When he's had time to personalize it with his own things, he should begin to feel some sense of home. The main ingredient for that is already there."
Kellen raised an eyebrow, not quite following.
"You," Rae explained. "Without you, Armeo would be lost. You're his mother in every sense but the biological."
"Oh." The unexpected words of understanding ignited a warm flame somewhere in Kellen's stomach. "That's how I feel," she said.
"Here they are." Rae pointed toward the kitchen entry. "You were right. Armeo's already chewing."
Hasta showed all three to a corner booth with a U-shaped couch that bordered three sides of an oval table, making quite the spectacle of arranging their napkins and pouring iced water into tall blue glasses. "Now, since it's your first time here together as a family, everything's on the house. Pick anything you like and I'll prepare the food myself. The commodore will tell you, you've never tasted anything like my cooking."
"I can also tell you, you've never met anyone with such a healthy dose of self-confidence," Rae deadpanned, and Armeo giggled. "Truthfully, Hasta's skills as a chef are legendary throughout the Supreme Constellations."
"Thank you, Commodore. Nice save." The tiny chef walked back toward the kitchen as they reached for the small computers displaying the menu.
Kellen glanced furtively around the busy restaurant, noticing how the inhabitants of the space station kept staring in their direction. Though it bothered her, she decided not to let it spoil the evening. It was far too important for them to be off to a good start.
"Kellen?"
Startled, Kellen realized she hadn't paid attention to the other two at the table. "Yes?"
"How did Gemma's visit go?" Rae asked. "I was worried you might have put too much strain on your leg."
Relieved that Rae had distracted her with something pragmatic, Kellen replied, "No, it held up well during the mission. In fact, Dr. Meyer was able to close the skin, and I'll only have to see her every other day for scar-reduction therapy."
"Excellent. I'm relieved."
"Gemma called Kellen a real trooper," Armeo said, his eyes on the computer. "She offered to take her to the infirmary for proper anesthetics, but Kellen refused. I think it hurt, though."
Kellen groaned inwardly at the inquisitive look on her wife's face. And here everything was going so well...Now she's worried and probably questions my motives. Thanks, Armeo.
"It made sense," she defended her decision. "The infirmary is full of casualties in critical condition. My injury was minor compared to theirs."
A human woman accompanied by a man and a young girl stopped at their table and stood smiling down at them. "Look who's here. Good evening, Rae."
"Gayle, Alex, I thought you might pop in." Rae rose and hugged her. "It's been a while, Gayle. You and Dorinda came back only several days ago, right?"
"Yes, and I have presents for you from Earth." The woman looked back and forth between them. "I understand congratulations are in order."
"They are." Rae turned toward Kellen and made the introductions. "Captain Alex de Vies and his wife, Gayle. And their daughter, Dorinda." She took Kellen's hand. "This is my wife, Kellen O'Dal, and her foster son, Armeo."
Dorinda wrinkled her nose. "I know Armeo from school, Aunt Rae."
"Of course, I f
orgot." Rae looked suitably apologetic.
"Congratulations, Kellen. It's nice to meet you." Gayle extended her hand. "Please call me Gayle."
"The pleasure's mine, Gayle." Taking the other woman's hand, Kellen appreciated her steadfast grip. And even if Gayle scrutinized her unabashedly, she didn't make Kellen feel awkward, oddly enough. Gayle was an elegant woman who looked slightly younger than Rae. Golden brown hair ended just at her jawline, framing a thin face. Kellen thought the warm colors seemed to fit her personality. She reminds me of Tereya. Same strength, same warmth.
Alex de Vies stepped closer and studied Kellen closely. "I think I'll offer congratulations to Rae and my condolences to you, Kellen," he said. "I don't know what she possibly could have done to deserve someone like you."
Before Kellen had time to respond to the strange remark, the tall man turned to Armeo. "Hello, son, I remember you from the school yard. That's some arm you've got there."
Kellen thought they were speaking in code. Rae must have picked up on her bewilderment because she kept Kellen's hand in hers. "Alex is an FX counterpoint-ball freak. He must have seen Armeo pitch."
"That means to throw the ball," Armeo informed her. "Kind of like how we play duchus back home, but here the ball is digital, and the person batting makes different scores, depending where and how you hit it with the laser rod."
"Why don't the three of you join us?" Rae asked.
"We'd love to." Gayle immediately opted to sit next to Kellen. "I've always wondered what kind of person our good friend would fall for. Now I know." She wiggled her eyebrows.
Kellen realized she had never seen anyone move their facial muscles this way and made a mental note to observe these humans in private social settings. Her Gantharian sense of etiquette was only useful so far.
"Darling, don't scare the poor woman. She's not used to you." Alex winked at his wife and sat down next to Rae as Dorinda joined Armeo. "You have been known to overwhelm people, I'm told."
His wife wrinkled her nose. "I'm not overwhelming, am I, Rae?"
"Like the old steamrollers, my dear."
Kellen found the arrival of Rae's friends a reprieve from having to explain to Rae why she had avoided full anesthesia. The name Alex seemed familiar, and she tried to remember where she'd heard it. "You're the captain of the Infinity" Kellen said as it dawned on her, recognizing his voice as well. "You were on the mission earlier. It is nice to meet you and put a face to someone with such great command skills."
"Thank you," Alex said, sounding surprised. "The Infinity has been my vessel for three years now." He turned his attention to Rae. "I knew you'd go for a person with brains and an excellent sense for other people's qualities."
"She saw my qualities, didn't she?" Rae's voice suggested she was serious, but her eyes gleamed and she smiled. Kellen found she was starting to lose track of the conversation.
"How long have you known Rae?" Gayle rested one arm along the backrest and looked at Kellen with friendly eyes. "Tell me all about it."
"We haven't known each other very long, only three days."
Gayle opened her mouth, but promptly closed it again, which apparently was hilarious to these humans because her husband and daughter broke into a fit of laughter. Though Gayle glared at them, she didn't really seem angry, Kellen realized, only glowering in what she assumed was facetious annoyance.
"Not many things in this universe render you speechless." The captain was obviously teasing his wife.
Sticking her tongue out at him, Gayle turned her attention back to Kellen, who wondered if perhaps this particular gesture was appropriate in this informal situation. "Don't listen to this fool. I think it's wonderfully romantic for the two of you to find love like this. I for one know Rae wouldn't have taken such a step without knowing exactly what she was doing. Right, Rae?"
Kellen slowly turned her head, waiting for her spouse's response and half expecting Rae to deny everything and tell the truth. These were her friends, and perhaps Rae wouldn't keep the secret of their marriage of convenience from them. After all, the de Vies couple put up a friendly front, but surely they must think the commodore mad to marry a half-illegal fugitive from Gantharat.
"You're always right. I know exactly what I'm doing, and marrying Kellen is no exception." To Kellen's surprise, Rae's eyes were a warm blue-gray that reflected the old-fashioned tea lights burning in the middle of the table. Kellen's blood warmed at the loyal reply, and beginning to relax, she leaned farther into the backrest.
"Rae and I go back more than twenty years, since we attended the Academy," Alex said. "She's found her own path ever since. I can testify to her stubbornness and also swear that nobody has ever forced her to do anything she didn't want to. Not even—"
"Here's Hasta now," Rae interrupted. "Hasta, add my friends' tab to my account, please. They're our guests tonight."
"Certainly, Commodore. Have you all punched in your orders, or would you like me to surprise you?"
Kellen observed Rae as she glanced around the table and wondered what she was thinking. Rae had asked the de Vies family to join them without consulting her. Perhaps she was going to order food for them too. Well, she’s paying. Kellen gave a mental shrug. "Why don't you surprise us, Hasta? Somehow you can always figure out what suits everyone's palate."
"Very good. It'll be ready soon."
Pleasantly surprised, and curious, Kellen laced her fingers and placed her hands on the table while she observed the others.
"Aunt Rae, is Armeo going to stay with you now?" Dorinda asked. The girl had her mother's amber eyes and her father's blond hair, a striking combination. Kellen recognized that Dorinda was genuinely fond of Armeo, and she began to understand why Armeo couldn't stop talking about his new friend.
"Of course. I gave him the room just inside the door."
"It overlooks most of Port 1," the boy enthused. "I can see everything coming and going there."
"Cool," Dorinda said. "Our place is several floors beneath yours, on Deck 16. I have almost the same view. Do you have a computer yet?"
"Not yet, but Commodore...I mean, Rae, has ordered one for me."
Dorinda leaned back, looking pleased. "Good. We can set up a three-way communication so we can do homework with David."
The children reminded Kellen of herself and her best friend Tereya at that age. Armeo seemed able to form relationships and map out his new life much better than she'd been able to. He wasn't aware of the dangers still lurking, and she didn't want him to be. Suddenly the restaurant seemed full of shadows and strangers. Feeling her throat constrict, she looked for signs of malevolence in the unfamiliar faces around her.
"Kellen. Kellen?"
Rae's husky voice reached her on the second attempt. She didn't ask her out loud if she was all right, but her eyes expressed concern. Kellen forced a faint smile. "Yes?"
"Our drinks are here. You wanted a nonalcoholic too, didn't you?"
"Yes. I'm still on medication."
"Are you ill?" Gayle looked concerned.
"A minor injury, which requires me to abide by the treatment Dr. Meyer prescribed for a few more days." Kellen dismissed the issue gently. "I'm fine."
"Good. I didn't mean to pry. You look like health personified, but you never know. Looks can deceive." Gayle squeezed Kellen's arm, and the surprising ease with which the other woman touched her made Kellen have mixed feelings. Part of her wanted to withdraw and keep her distance, but a stronger reaction was to enjoy the camaraderie. I didn't know how much I've missed having adult friends. Having anyone, really.
"I agree." Kellen nodded. She was beginning to like Gayle de Vies. Her no-nonsense personality was refreshing.
The food arrived and silence fell around the table as they began to eat. Kellen furtively checked on Armeo, glad to see him eating with a healthy appetite despite the alien food. Glancing suspiciously at a tall sort of vegetable, she took a careful bite, relieved that it was palatable. Most dishes were vegetarian and any meat was synthetic,
using the latest technology, which made it practically impossible to detect any difference between it and the real thing. Still, Kellen knew that if any of her dinner companions were ever treated to real meat from Gantharat, they would be able to make the distinction between that and synthetic meat in the future.
"If Hasta decided to relocate to another station, we'd have to ask for a transfer too, Rae," Alex said.
"Typical for a man to follow where his stomach leads him." Rae shook her head and looked at Gayle.
"Speaking of cooking, since Rae refuses to even program the Compu-Cook, do you cook, Kellen?"
Kellen quirked a disdainful eyebrow. "Is that a polite way of asking if she married me for my skills in the kitchen?"
Gayle looked startled. "No, of course not."
Glancing at Rae, who had stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth, Kellen offered her first genuine smile since she had come to Gamma VI. "I was only joking, Gayle. Yes, I do cook. I may have to adjust to learning about ingredients common in SC space, but I can assure you I won't poison the commodore."
Alex stared at Kellen for a moment and then chortled, making heads turn throughout the restaurant. "That's it. I think you've met your match here, Rae. Kellen, now you've managed to convince me once and for all. Rae's definitely the fortunate one in this marriage."
Gayle looked as if she'd need some time to recover from the unexpected sign of humor coming from Kellen. "God, you scared me," she said. "I thought I'd offended you."
"I don't offend easily. But I might commit a faux pas, since I'm unaccustomed to your culture."
As if she had sensed the worry behind the light tone of voice, Gayle smiled reassuringly. "I think the ones you can count on as your friends will give you the benefit of the doubt, if any such situation arose. I doubt it, though. You carry yourself better than anyone I've met on this station."
Flattered and surprised at the praise, Kellen felt her skin turn a faint ice blue. Rae hadn't taken her eyes off her throughout the conversation, and Kellen was curious to know what she was thinking. Am I charming enough to your friends? Fortunately it isn't hard since they're nice people. I just can't risk anything at this point.
