Loyalty to the Cause (TCOTU, Book 4) (This Corner of the Universe) (30 page)

Walking
down
Hussy’s
main deck corridor toward Lieutenant Vernay, Heskan felt
stuck.  If the remaining Hollarans on
Hussy
left the ship permanently,
he might not have enough crew to pilot the freighter safely or reliably. 
Eventually,
they will leave.  What are we going to do then,
he wondered. 
What’s the
future for a wanted crew of Brevics who can never return home?

“Ready
to go, Captain?”

Vernay’s
question brought Heskan back to the present.  She was wearing dark slacks and a
top purchased in Syntyche, although the cut and fit were more characteristic of
styles from deeper inside the Solarian Federation than its borders. 
Leave
it to Stacy to buy imported clothing in a corporate system,
Heskan thought
with a faint smile.  Once again, the lieutenant had freed her blonde hair from
its customary braid.  She looked like any other twenty-something across the
galaxy.  A tinge of melancholy touched Heskan as he realized just how hard his
friend’s life had been. 
How many friends has she seen killed?
he
wondered morbidly.

Oblivious
to his ponderings, Vernay stepped back and appraised him.  Her eyes swooped
down and up, making him feel self-conscious.  She echoed his earlier sentiments
from weeks ago.  “I swear, Captain, looking like that, it’s almost too easy to
forget you’re my commanding officer.”

The
compliment reignited his smile along with a blush.  “This is a bad idea,
Stacy.  We should be staying on the ship.  We don’t even have a Hollaran
escort.”

Vernay
rolled her eyes and answered, “RHIP.”

Rank
has its privileges, fair enough, but it won’t keep us from being arrested as spies,
Heskan thought
pessimistically.
 
He
pocketed his datapad and continued to walk reluctantly
down the main deck.

Vernay
playfully grabbed his hand and dragged him forward.  “Come on, sir.  Aren’t you
curious?  I’ve always wanted to try Hollaran bourbon.”

He grudgingly
picked up his pace.  “Right.  We’re going to walk around unescorted at the
capital of our archenemy during a shooting war.  What’s the worst that can
happen?”

“Exactly!”
Vernay replied in her sweet soprano.

The
pair descended the stairs to Hussy’s airlock.  Both swiped their datapads over
the wall panel and the docking tube portal opened compliantly.  Ahead of them lay
the home of their traditional enemy.  None of the gravity of the situation held
any effect on Vernay who eagerly walked down the tube to the inner airlock.  A
second datapad swipe later and Heskan stepped onto Hollaran Commonwealth
territory for the first time in his life.

“Coming
aboard, sir?” the Hollaran watchman noted curiously.

Heskan
felt ashamed that he was disobeying his own orders to travel only with a native
escort.  “Well, just for a late lunch,” he mumbled.

The
watchman volunteered, “You will want to go to Deck Eta, sir.  I’m from Vica
Pota and I’ve been on this orbital many times.  The best restaurant is called
Clouded Sky.  You should be able to walk right in since it is between lunch and
dinner.  If you want a more local place, try The Hopeless Optimist.  They are both
on the main commercial deck.”

Heskan
nodded and began to move but the junior officer stood up and said quickly, “Uh,
sir.  I have not had a chance to thank you, or your crew.”  The man’s voice
started to choke.  “My parents are just farmers, sir.  I joined the Navy
because it helped pay for my schooling.”  The man looked down at the deck as
words gushed from his mouth.  “I never wanted to be some warfighter against the
Brevic Republic; I just loved piloting ships.  I
like
the Republic. 
Well, I did.”  The young man cleared his throat.  “Four weeks ago, I thought my
life was over.  You’ve given it back to me.”  The man shrugged his shoulders
meekly.  “Well, I don’t mean to keep you, sir.  I know you are busy but I had
to say thank you.”  He dipped his head in respect before sitting back down at
his station.

Heskan
looked at the man.  He was a mirror reflection of so many of his own crew. 
“What’s your name?” he asked.

The
man stood once again before answering, “Porucznik Marynarki Alexzander Karalis,
sir.”

There
are two hundred more just like him, free now to live their lives.
 
Lives very similar to Stacy
Vernay’s. 
“You’re welcome, Alexzander, and helping all of you was the best
thing I did during this war.”

The strength of the
man’s smile lifted a weight from Heskan’s shoulders.  He turned to Vernay and
said with a newfound enthusiasm, “Come on, Stacy, let’s go try that bourbon.”

*  *  *

Hollara’s
primary orbital, simply named Ocean, was a madhouse.  Early into their
exploration, Heskan discovered that Hollarans typically walked on the left side
of promenades instead of the right.  After making the subtle adjustment, he and
Vernay entered an enormous elevator equipped with floor to ceiling wall screens
on three sides, providing the illusion that the elevator traveled along the exterior
of the station.  During their ride to Deck Eta, a forebodingly dressed figure
entered the lift on the third stop and began examining each passenger.  The
official’s garish uniform had several distinguished stripes on its sleeves and
intricate gold epaulettes on the shoulders.  The man’s combination cap was
laced with ornate, gold trim.  Heskan’s heart leapt into his throat as the man began
to move from group to group within the elevator.

His
stomach churned as he thought,
My God, is he checking datapads for tourist
identification?
  Vernay stiffened next to him as Heskan fumbled for his
datapad. 
My credit account is synced to Hussy but my datapad ID will give
me away,
he despaired.  He would have grabbed Vernay and run if the
elevator doors had not already closed.  The uniformed man stepped directly in
front of Heskan and lifted an electronic device up with a questioning
expression.

Do
I punch him?  What should I do?
Heskan thought in desperation.  Next to him, Vernay seemingly stopped
breathing.  The man’s expression grew more inquisitive as the silence extended
between them.  Finally he said, “Tickets or not?”

“What?”
Heskan croaked, clearly confused.  “Is this a private lift?  I didn’t know.”

The man’s
expression grew even more confused than Heskan’s.  “No, man.  Do you want
tickets to the
Tchaikovsky
simulation or not?  One night only and the price includes an overnight at the
Pagua Resort.”

“I’m…
only here for a few hours,” Heskan stuttered.

The salesman
shrugged nonchalantly and uttered, “Nifty accent,” before moving to the next
group.

Two
minutes later, Heskan and Vernay exited the elevator onto Deck Eta.  “I thought
we were dead!” Vernay exclaimed through her laughter.  “That vendor looked like
an admiral!”

“Why
would he be dressed like that?” Heskan beseeched through his own mirth.

The
pair walked down the main promenade, staring at the sights along the way. 
Heskan noticed that their clothing was not terribly out of place though a
little on the conservative side.  Several times, Hollaran military members
walked past them and Heskan saw Vernay stare, wide-eyed, each time they did. 
Fortunately, the sailors and marines were more interested in their shore leave
than tourists gawking rudely at their uniforms.

While
The Hopeless Optimist sounded interesting, Heskan and Vernay agreed that
entering a restaurant for “locals” with their Brevic accents was inviting
unwanted trouble.  They arrived instead at Clouded Sky.  A friendly hostess
dressed in green greeted them at the entrance and escorted the pair to a
booth.  She provided the couple with actual, physical menus, told them their
server’s name and returned to the front of the restaurant.

Vernay
pointed at the menu and asked, “What am I supposed to do with this?  Why didn’t
she just link us the menu?”

“I
think it’s about having a more personal touch,” Heskan speculated as he glanced
through the listings.  “I don’t know what half of this stuff is.”

“Gelatin
Currimi.”  Vernay wrinkled her nose.  “Halved Plipbibb?”

“The
Hollaran Bureau of Diet and Nutrition wants you to know there are risks
associated with eating raw or undercooked plipbibb,” Heskan informed
matter-of-factly.

Vernay
squinted at the fine print of the health warning at the bottom of the menu.  “Maybe
I’ll just get the bourbon.”

Heskan
grinned.  “It’s a sandwich in every glass.”

Vernay
laughed pleasingly as a server approached and greeted, “Hullo, my name is Roland. 
May I answer any questions for you?”

“Where’s
my bourbon?”  Vernay’s jest evoked a winning smile from the gentleman.

Heskan
shook his head slowly but smirked at Vernay before explaining, “We’re visiting Hollara
for the first time and she’s a little excited about your adult beverages.”
Heskan pointed to his menu.  “What is plipbibb?”

“It
is local flora, grown on the ocean shelves, served best when lightly prepared
in saltwater.”  He looked curiously at Heskan.  “You both have unusual
accents.  What part of the Federation are you from?”

“The
really far away part,” Heskan lied.  “A system called Proxima Eris.”

“I haven’t
heard of that one.”

“It’s
small, not well known,” Heskan said.  “It’s located on the… spinward edge.” 
Thank
goodness, I didn’t say “Eastern.”

“You’re
a long way from home.”

Lombardi
was waiting for Heskan when he and Vernay returned to
Hussy
.  The dining
proved uneventful but highly unusual and neither of the Brevic officers had
been able to enjoy their meal.  Despite the delicious food, the superb service,
atmosphere and company, the fact that they were in a space station orbiting
Hollara never left their minds.  Being there just felt
wrong
, no matter
how much they wished otherwise.

Heskan
had hoped he would feel differently, that, somehow, there was the possibility
for a future inside the Commonwealth, but his few hours on the orbital stripped
that delusion from him.  The Hollaran Commonwealth could never be his home.  Seated
now across from Lombardi in the chartroom, his heart ached at the realization.

“The
prevailing theory is that it would be best to not reveal who you are to the
public,” Lombardi stated.  “Samanta and her friends are willing to help but
they worry about the political risks should your identities get out.”  She hung
her head apologetically.  “I am sorry, Garrett.  I hoped it would be different
but there is concern that because of the war, because of Salus, public
knowledge of harboring Brevics would create a massive outcry.”

Heskan
nodded in understanding but Lombardi continued her contrition.  “It would
appear that it is not only your government’s leaders who are more concerned
about maintaining their status than doing what is right.”

“At
least they’re willing to help,” Heskan mollified.

Lombardi
nodded.  “True.  Actually, many are grateful for your actions.  Returning Teodore
De Luca’s only ‘daughter’ means a great deal to them.  The importance of family
defines us Hollarans.  Several of
Zia’s
friends in Intelligence can
offer you new identities, even jobs within the Commonwealth.”  She looked deeply
into Heskan’s eyes before adding sincerely, “I cannot resign my commission but
I would very much like you to remain with me on Hollara.”

Heskan
felt his heart tumble.  He reached across the table to hold her hand. 
“Isabella, I can’t stay.”

Lombardi’s
eyes misted over but she whispered dejectedly, “I know.”  When she looked down
at the tabletop, a tear splashed onto the star chart.  After several moments of
silence, she told him, “I cannot leave.”

Heskan
felt his own vision blur.  “I know.”

They
sat together in silence, neither having anything left to say, neither willing
to end the moment.  After a heartbeat of eternity, Lombardi slowly removed her hand
from Heskan’s and said, “Samanta wishes to see you in person and asked me to take
you down to the surface.”  She wiped at her eyes and sniffed loudly before
looking up to him.  “Will you go with me?”

“Of
course,” he replied.  “I just need a little more time here, alone.”

“I
understand,” she said solemnly.  “
A tutto c'è rimedio, fuorchè alla morte.
” 
She rose from her chair and moved to the exit.

The chartroom
portal remained sealed for some time before opening again.  When it did, Heskan
looked annoyingly over to see who had dared to disturb his self-pity.  Vernay was
standing at the threshold.

She
looked awkwardly at Heskan and muttered, “The komandor said you needed me.” 
She regarded Heskan’s red-rimmed eyes and swallowed lightly before fully
entering the room and sitting next to him.  Her voice was an ocean of sympathy. 
“I’m assuming that you won’t be staying in the Commonwealth.”

Heskan
shook his head sedately.