Branegate (41 page)

Trae smiled. “That young priest also did some things for me. Otherwise, I don’t think I could ever have taken part in war, even for a noble cause.”

“I’m glad you see that,” said John.

“But why can’t you wait at least a little bit, until our baby arrives?” said Myra, John’s hand still on hers.

“Timing. The Bishops’ military has been humiliated. The officers at least will know how lucky they are to be alive. There could be dissent in the ranks over being put into a hopeless situation by ignorant Bishops. If your theory is correct about where the branegates projected those ships they’ll be straggling back to Kratola in a handful of years, but their fellows will be there in one, and as far as they know the ships are destroyed. I’d say it’s a perfect time to stir things up, wouldn’t you?”

“Just like you stirred up Azar Khalil,” said Trae.

“Whatever it takes.” John released Myra’s hands after giving them a squeeze. He looked at her darkly.

“I do want to know my grandchild. I just can’t wait for it. I’ll come back when I can.”

Myra sniffed, and looked down at her hands. “Whenever,” she said.

But two weeks later she was with the family when they saw John off, driving far out on the tarmac with him to board a shuttle to
Guppy V
. Trae was the last to shake hands with him.

“I think you’ll like Janus. He’ll find a way to get you a new identity for transit. The guy knows everyone.”

“Take care of your lovely wife and baby for me. I really will try to come back.”

“I want that. I never said it, but I love both my fathers. I don’t want to lose either of them.”

John squeezed his hand hard. “The love is mutual—son.”

Myra threw herself at him, and hugged him fiercely. “Come back to us,” she sobbed. John held her at arms’ length, and smiled, then turned and quickly walked up the ramp into the shuttle. The door closed up, and the family got back into two cars, driving halfway back to the terminal before the shuttle began liftoff.

And John Haight flew out of their lives.

For a while.

Mother was beside herself with excitement, and spent a day in the kitchen with Myra. In that one day, Myra heard the entire history of Grandma Nat and her loving yet firm rule over the family empire.

The contact had come suddenly in the middle of the day, when Mother was babysitting with the twins, and Misha was at school.

Hello my darlings, I’m back again! Sorry it’s been so long, but I’ve been otherwise occupied. We should reach Elderon in two days. Please send us descent coordinates. So much news to catch up on, and I can’t wait to see you all. Say hello to Anton for me; I can’t seem to contact him. Love you all.

Chaos reigned in the house for two days, but at least it was his parents’ place and not his. Mother didn’t rest for over a day, with all the cleaning and cooking, for all had to be perfect for the family matriarch.

There was an old, gold-framed laser etch of the woman in the living room, a digital copy made when she was nearing sixty. She was small, portly, perched on thick cushions and with a somewhat haughty pose for the photograph, but there was a slight smile and sparkling eyes there. Mother had again reminded Myra that beneath the tyrannical facade beat a passionate and romantic heart that could steal yours in an instant.

The woman was now over ninety, had been chased by warships and endured a journey from the galactic core. Her family had lost much hope of ever seeing her again since her disappearance. It was not surprising that her grand daughter went to all lengths to ensure her comfort when she arrived. And Tatjana was still working at it when the time came for Nat’s shuttle to arrive. Leonid arranged for a limousine, and the driver picked him up at the house and took him back to the private port of Zylak Industries to greet her.

Myra and Trae left work early that day. Misha, now twelve, came home from school and Myra helped him dress neatly in a black jumpsuit, his favorite. Thin and delicately boned, the boy favored his mother but had the broad shoulders and large hands of father Trae.

Grandma Tatjana dressed the twins herself. Natalie and Tina, now six, wore white lace dresses and had nets of tiny flowers in their hair. Porcelain skin contrasted attractively with their large, dark brown eyes, a feature bringing smiles to people meeting them for the first time. They were only vaguely aware of the day’s importance to the family, but were caught up in the excitement of it, and ran everywhere.

Misha was helping his mother set the table when the door chimes sounded. Tatjana rushed out of the kitchen, but the door opened before she could reach it, and Leonid stepped inside smiling.

Behind him were two strangers.

The man was tall, had rugged but handsome features with a prominent nose, and he wore a blue, military-cut uniform with gold buttons. In contrast, the young woman was tiny, just over five feet in height, with a small nose and mouth and blazing, blue eyes. Tatjana gasped when the woman smiled and held out her arms to her.

“Tati! I’m here at last!”

“Grandma!” screamed Tatjana, and them came together in a fierce hug while the woman’s companion laughed at them.

Tatjana held her at arm’s length. “Just
look
at you! This is why you didn’t answer us.”

“She wouldn’t let me say anything,” said the man with her.

“Well, yes. I was in the tank, so to speak, and wasn’t accepting calls. I wanted it to be a surprise, naughty me.”

Trae came into the room, then, after chasing down the twins. Misha stepped up closer with his mother to be introduced. Tatjana could not do it fast enough; Grandma Nat was hugging everyone. The woman was beautiful, and looked to be in her early thirties. Misha blushed when she hugged him. She grabbed Trae fiercely, standing on her tiptoes to reach his ear.

“The family warrior. Thank you, thank you.”

The twins were last. She knelt to hug them tight, and they were delighted by it. “Natalie and Tina. Oh, how sweet. My sweets, all of you.”

She stood up, then, took the arm of the man who’d arrived with her. She leaned against his shoulder and said, “I want you to meet my man, my captain, my husband. We were married a month ago.” She looked up lovingly at him. “I do like older men.”

“Ramon DiMarco,” said the man, and held out his hand, “and as you can see, I also like older women.”

There were handshakes all around. Ramon’s smile and sense of humor captured them all immediately.

Later they sat down at the dining table, and Tatjana served the meal she’d worked most of the day to prepare. Nine people were seated, the twins on risers, but there was one empty chair, one place setting that would not be used.

Grandma Nat pointed at it. “Is someone not here yet?”

Trae told her quickly about John Haight, about Petyr, a member of the family. Grandma got teary-eyed when she heard about his mission.

Leonid raised a glass in a toast. “To John, and freedom on Kratola!”

They drank to it, and enjoyed their first meal together as a family.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James won the Writers of the Future Grand Prize in 1991. Since then he has published over sixty stories in anthologies and magazines such as
Aboriginal SF, Analog,
and
Talebones
. To date he has published four story collections and eight novels. He is a retired physics professor and Dean and also paints landscapes in oils, acrylics, watercolors and pastels. He and his wife Gail divide their time between homes in Spokane, Washington and Desert Hot Springs, California. They are both active in the convention scene and do many drumming circles, playing drums, Native American flute and didgeridoo. You can find out more about Jim and his work at
www.sff.net/people/jglass/