by Timothy Zahn
"I figured that whoever had had the chutzpah to kill a pair of Judge-Paladins would have been smart enough to have some air backup ready. But he'd missed out on that one. I got into space and on ECHO before the planetary space control even realized anything was wrong.
"It was only then that I found out I had a passenger. You.
"It was quite a shock, as I'm sure you can imagine. You were in your bunk, sleeping like a—well, I suppose like a three-year-old, a remote sitting beside you."
"A remote?" Draycos asked.
"It's an electromechanical robot linked to the ship's computer," Jack said. "Huh. I'd forgotten all about that."
"Not entirely," Draycos said. "Do you remember when we stumbled into that Wistawki bonding ceremony on the Vagran Colony?"
Jack nodded. That had been right after he and Draycos had met, while Jack was still trying to get out from under the theft charge Neverlin had framed him with. "I called you my electromechanical assistant."
"The remote had stopped when I froze out the computer," Uncle Virgil continued. "I got rid of it right away. Hate the things. Then you woke up, and—well, again, there wasn't time to think. I got you something to eat and spun you a story about your parents asking me to watch you for a while. I figured I'd drop you off with the authorities on the next planet.
"Only before we got to the next planet I finally did have time to think. I didn't know why whoever it was had killed your parents, but it occurred to me that if it was personal rather than business, he might not want their son to live, either. So I decided to hang on to you until I had a better handle on what was going on.
"But that was going to take some time, and meanwhile you were starting to ask questions. So . . . well, you know the rest. I told you I was your uncle Virgil and that your parents had been killed in a mine accident. And I sort of . . . adopted you."
"And turned me into a thief," Jack murmured.
"I know you're probably not happy with some of the things I did," Uncle Virgil said, an odd note of pleading in his voice. "Changing your name and . . . well, teaching you something of my profession. But you have to remember that I didn't know who or what we were up against. I had to keep your real identity hidden from everyone, including you. At the same time, I needed to give you the tools you'd need if I didn't solve the puzzle and you had to track down the murderers yourself.
"But you're safe now. Somehow, you're safe. Otherwise the computer wouldn't have been able to find and unlock this recording. You don't need me anymore. And for that I'm glad. I really am.
"So I guess this is good-bye, Jack lad. I know you'll probably hate me for what I did to you. I wish I could have done better, but it's too late for that now. Just please try to believe that I did the best I knew how."
The voice stopped. Jack took a deep breath, let it out in a slow sigh. "So," he said, just to fill up the silence.
"Do you hate him?" Taneem asked quietly.
Jack looked at her. "No," he said, and was rather surprised to discover that he meant it. "He made mistakes. We all do. But he kept me alive for eleven years." He considered. "And I guess he really did give me the tools I needed to bring Neverlin down."
He looked back at the computer module. "Thanks, Uncle Virge."
There was no answer. "Uncle Virge?" Jack called again.
"Good afternoon," a courteous feminine voice said. "How may I assist you?"
Jack swallowed. "Never mind," he said.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Alison said gently.
Jack blinked back sudden tears. "Don't be," he said. "Uncle Virgil died a long time ago." He looked at Draycos. "And he was right. I don't need him anymore."
He took another deep breath. "So what are we hanging around here for, anyway?" he said, forcing some cheerfulness into his voice. "Let's get over to the Advocatus Diaboli and wreck a Death weapon. And after that, we can introduce Taneem to her people."
"Will you stay with me awhile, Alison?" Taneem asked, almost shyly.
"As long as you need me," Alison promised. "I'm looking forward to meeting your people, too." She picked up the carry bag and looked at Jack. "You ready?"
"Go ahead," Jack told her. "I'll be along in a minute."
Alison glanced at Draycos, then nodded. "Okay," she said. "But make it snappy." With Taneem padding along behind her, she left the room.
"Are you all right?" Draycos asked gently.
"I don't know," Jack said. Suddenly, to his surprise and embarrassment, more tears were flowing from his eyes. "I just feel sort of . . . I don't know. Sort of lost."
"That's to be expected," Draycos said. "For the past six months you've been on the run, living with fear and danger and a burden no one your age should ever have to carry. Along the way, you've grown a great deal as a person, as well as learned things about yourself and your history you thought you'd never know."
He reached up a paw and rested it gently on Jack's arm. "You've never had a chance to truly grieve for your parents. Now, finally, you have that chance."
"I guess," Jack said, swiping a hand across his eyes. "But it hasn't just been the last six months. With Uncle Virgil, and then after he died . . ." He shook his head. "That was my life, Draycos. It was all I ever knew. Now, suddenly, everything's changed."
"Yes, it has," Draycos said. "It's called being at peace. Being at rest. It's something you haven't experienced since you were three years old." He lashed his tail gently. "To tell you the truth, it's something I've never truly experienced, either."
Jack looked down at the K'da, a wave of tangled thoughts and emotions swirling through him. There was grief for his parents, certainly, along with the scary sense that his life had changed forever. There was also a little shame that he was even carrying on like this when Draycos and his people had suffered so much more than he had.
But on top of all the rest of it— "We did it," he murmured, the fact suddenly and truly sinking in. "We saved your people. We actually did it."
"We did, didn't we?" Draycos said, his jaws cracking open in a K'da smile. "You and I, and Alison and Taneem."
"And Langston, and Mr. Braxton," Jack added. He felt his stomach tighten. "And Harper."
"All of us together," Draycos agreed quietly. "We're safe, Jack. You're safe."
Safe. The word flowed through Jack's mind like a gentle summer breeze. Safe.
"Hey, in there?" Alison's voice drifted back down the corridor. "You two get lost?"
Quickly, Jack wiped the last of the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. "Keep your socks on," he called back. "We're coming."
"Then do it," Alison said as she and Taneem stuck their heads around the doorway into the room. "Grandfather's waiting, and you don't want him mad at you."
"Oh, right," Jack said dryly. "What's he going to do, take away the dessert cart?"
"Worse," Alison said solemnly. "He might limit you to a single day at Great Galaxy Romp next time he takes us there. And no roller coasters at all."
"Actually, no roller coasters would be fine with me," Jack assured her. He gave Draycos a lopsided grin. "I'm at peace now, you know."
"Not for long," Alison warned. "You're an ambassador to a whole race of people. Two whole races, actually. Your future's about to get really complicated again."
"Complicated, but good," Draycos said. "For all of us."
"Absolutely," Alison agreed, reaching down to stroke Taneem's neck.
"You really think so?" Jack asked.
"Oh yes." Alison smiled. "Bet on it."
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