Protector of the Realm (39 page)

The tall, slender woman before him placed a hand on her hip, obviously enjoying the moment. “You’d think I wasn’t welcome, Ewan. Is that how you greet your wife?”

Ewan groaned inwardly, yet he gazed appreciatively at his wife of more than forty-five years. Dahlia wore her light auburn hair in a low, intricately braided bun and was impeccably dressed in a twill-mix black pantsuit, its coattail reaching the back of her knees, over a crisp, retro-spun white shirt. Her features were more defined with age than the first time he saw her in his parents’ house at a dinner function, and reflected her dynamism. If anyone ever mistook her finely shaped nose and elegant high cheekbones for fragility, Dahlia’s clear gray eyes would make them rethink that assessment. She now met his gaze, unblinking as she awaited his reply.

“Of course I’m delighted, but surprised, to see you, darling.” He stepped closer and kissed her cheek. “I take it you’re part of the diplomatic delegation?”

“Yes. The SC council needed high-ranking diplomats to help deal with the mess. It was a chance to combine business and pleasure.”

“And the pleasure part in it?”

Dahlia Jacelon winked at her husband. “Seeing you and Rae…and I understand I have a new grandson. I can’t fathom the idea Rae is married. Not to mention having a stepchild. Are they around?”

“Rae and Kellen deployed on a mission three days ago. I’m taking care of Armeo.”

Leaning down for her leather briefcase, Dahlia shot him a glance. “You are? How’s that working out? Normally you’re not very fond of children.”

He didn’t deny it. “Armeo has a way of getting under your skin.” Ewan offered no other explanation, but he could see his wife’s piqued interest.

“I’ll be in charge of the diplomatic negotiations with the Onotharians until the SC Council determines which path to take. Is M’Ekar still in your custody? I need a conference room to conduct these talks.”

“And you’ll have it. First things first. Let me show you our quarters. You can freshen up before you dig your subtle claws into the ambassador.” Motioning toward the exit, he reached for her large suitcase. “This all you’re bringing?” Dahlia was famous for traveling in style.

“Are you joking? My two assistants are taking care of my other bags, all six of them. This is just the bare necessities.”

Ewan realized he should’ve known better. “Of course, dear.”

Dahlia glanced at him. “Don’t pretend to sound like the henpecked husband. What’s going on? What’s this deployment Rae has gone on? How can her wife, a civilian, go on a mission?”

Well accustomed to how his wife rattled off questions like an ancient machine gun, the admiral shook his head. “It’s highly confidential. I’ll brief you when we’re out of earshot.” Offering his arm, he said, “I decided to let Armeo stay in the commodore’s quarters, where he has his own room. I’ve been sleeping on the couch, but I’m sure Rae won’t mind if we use the master bedroom until she and Kellen return.”

As they approached the commodore’s quarters, Armeo came from the other direction, escorted by two security guards. The boy carried several bags, which Ewan guessed were his purchases from his shopping spree with Dorinda and Gayle.

“Granddad!” Armeo lit up and rushed toward him, obviously missing the distinguished woman who stood next to him. The boy stopped in front of him and held up some bags. “I found your brand of cigars and bought you a present.”

“Hello, Armeo. A present for me? I can hardly wait.” He paused. “By the way, the lady standing next to me…”

His eyes round with surprise, Armeo blushed a faint blue before he handled the situation in what Ewan suspected was strictly according to his upbringing. Armeo let go of the bags, straightened his back, and reached for Dahlia’s hand, where he placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Forgive me, ma’am. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Dahlia looked stunned, and she held on to Armeo’s hand when he tried to withdraw it.

“Armeo, this is my wife Dahlia. She’s Rae’s mother--your grandmother.” Armeo surprised Ewan by taking a step backward and almost stumbling over a small table. His eyes shimmered, but Ewan didn’t see any actual tears. Proud of how Armeo handled the situation, he did his best to act casual.

Dismissing the security guards and picking up Armeo’s bags, Ewan punched in a code next to the door and ushered the other two inside. Dahlia took a new hold of Armeo’s hand and gazed down at him with an unusual mix of awe and tenderness in her eyes. Used to dealing with royalty and all kinds of heads of state, his wife was not easily swayed. Ewan wondered if it was the fact that he probably was the closest they’d get to a grandchild or Armeo’s heritage that influenced her.

“Hello, Armeo,” Dahlia managed. “I’ve looked forward to meeting you.”

“I have as well, ma’am…Should I call you ma’am…or?” Looking thoroughly confused, Armeo turned his head and searched Ewan’s face.

“Call me Grandma, or Dahlia, whichever you want.” His wife beat Ewan to it. There was a definite catch in her voice. It was as if her face had softened, making her features less sharp, and her voice assured Ewan of her sincerity. Normally Dahlia knew just how to use her body language and voice, and now, it was the “real thing,” as Rae would have put it in her younger days, when she accused her mother of always faking it, always being the diplomat and never saying what she truly meant. Ewan knew this wasn’t always true, although many times it was, and it hurt his wife when Rae withdrew from them.

“Grandma,” Armeo said, as he pulled his eyebrows together. “I wish I’d known you were coming. I didn’t get you a present.”

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo,” Dahlia said, still holding his hand. “I think getting a grandson is hard to beat.”

Ewan witnessed what very few people ever had a chance to see--his wife’s slate gray eyes turning into a soft blue as she scrutinized the boy. The thought of the child going shopping for his grandparents no doubt struck a chord with his wife. Dahlia’s love for beautiful things, and Rae’s contempt for dead objects, had added to the rift between mother and daughter. Ewan remembered Dahlia coming home from journeys to distant SC worlds, bringing gifts from the most exotic of places, only to see resentment in her daughter’s eyes for being gone so long. He had been busy building his own career at the time, but he hadn’t been blind to either’s pain.
I didn’t do much to help them, did I?
He saw the light in Armeo’s eyes and knew instinctively how the boy was already opening up to Dahlia, as was his nature.

“How old are you, Armeo?” Dahlia asked.

“Twelve. Gantharians live to be about one hundred and thirty. Mr. Terence helped me figure out I’m about nine or ten human years. That’s why I’m shorter.”

“Who’s Mr. Terence?”

“My teacher at school. He’s great. We all like him a lot.”

“Sounds excellent.” Dahlia smiled. “So you’ve been shopping?”

“Yeah, Dorinda and Aunt Gayle took me to all the stores in the big shopping precinct in the commercial sector.”

“I love to shop too. You have to show me the mall one of these days when I’m not working.”

Ewan groaned at the understatement. At the same time, he wondered if Dahlia would have time to carry out her suggestion, since he knew she’d have her hands full with M’Ekar. He winced at the thought of anyone being subjected to his wife’s undivided attention in a matter of this magnitude.
Ah, hell, M’Ekar deserves it. And more.

Glancing at her husband, the diplomat raised an eyebrow with an inquisitive look in her eyes. “Yes?” Ewan hoped that none of his thoughts was readable.

“How about something to eat? You can freshen up while I order something from Hasta’s. Then Ambassador M’Ekar is all yours.”

“Ah, Hasta’s.” Dahlia sighed. “I can’t wait to try some of her pasta dishes, but for now I better stick to some soup and salad. I retain water when I’m in space.”

Ewan walked over to Armeo, who was rummaging through his bags. “You mentioned something about a present, son?”

“Here, Granddad.” Armeo held up a small wooden box. “It looks like something…something I used to have.”

Ewan opened the box and saw silk paper wrapped around a small item. “Now I’m curious.” He winked at Armeo, knowing he had to do everything he could to keep the boy’s spirits up, even fake enthusiasm for a gift, no matter what it was. “Let’s see now…” He carefully unwrapped the silk paper.

Inside, a small object glimmered in his hand--a ring with an elaborate pattern and an inscription. Large and manly, it fit perfectly on his right ring finger. “What does the inscription mean?” he said huskily, looking at the pattern of a stylistic eagle.

“It says
Norontammer’h
, ‘granddad,’ in Gantharian. I used to have a ring like this that belonged to my father. It had a crest on it, and the inscription on the inside said
O’Saral Royale
. It was too big for me and we kept it in…a secret place on the farm. I didn’t have time to bring it with me when we escaped.”

“Did it have an eagle, like this?”

“No, not an eagle, but almost. It had a
boyoda
, a birdlike animal with a wingspan of more than two meters. It lives in the mountains on the northern hemisphere of Gantharat.” Ewan watched Armeo’s eyes turn several shades darker. “I miss it. I miss the view from my bedroom.” He winced, sending the two adults a quick glance. “It’s not that I don’t like it here. I do. And I love watching the ships come and go…it’s just…”

“I understand.” Ewan cupped Armeo’s chin. “I really do. I will treasure this gift and wear it every day.” He wasn’t lying. The ring symbolized something he couldn’t put his finger on.
Perhaps I’ll have a chance to do it right with this child and, by not failing Armeo, I might be able to keep the truce with Rae.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he tried to cope with the unexpected emotions flooding his system. “Now, can you help your grandmother carry her bags into the bedroom and show her where she can wash up?”

Armeo lit up. “Sure. Here, Grandma, it’s this way.” He lifted the larger suitcase with complete effortlessness, impressing Ewan, who knew how much his wife usually packed. “Rae and Kellen sleep in here.”

“In a minute, child.” Dahlia watched Armeo disappear into the bedroom, then turned to Ewan. “The mission they’re on is dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Very. A lot is at stake, not to mention Armeo’s future.”

“Yes. I’ve read the classified information sent to
Gamma VI
by the SC Council. The pro-Onotharian wing pressured the ambivalent members. Councilman Thorosac did his best to keep the discussion rational, but several planets depend on cheap merodynite crystals as their main source of energy…”

“I know. Monetary arguments override moral values.” Ewan’s jaw tensed, and he knew his voice betrayed his contempt.

“I’m here on a special assignment.” Dahlia walked closer. “Thorosac is beyond concerned where this situation is heading. If the Supreme Constellations forms an alliance with the Onotharians or, worse, lets them in as a full member of the union, it’ll be a disaster.”

“Rae’s gone to get indisputable evidence of the Onotharians’ atrocities against the Gantharat System. Hopefully it’ll make the SC Council refuse to grant the Onotharians membership.”

Dahlia briefly closed her eyes. “She’s on her way to Gantharat, isn’t she? That’s why Kellen O’Dal is on this mission too.” As always, his wife’s powers of deduction were flawless.

“Yes.”

“How much does Armeo know?”

“He’s a smart kid. He knows his heritage, but he’s not aware of his desperate situation right now. It’s enough that he worries about Kellen and Rae.”

“His fears aren’t exaggerated.”

“No. I’m afraid not. The way politics are developing, their mission is a last-ditch attempt.”

“It looks like Earth.” Rae studied the sight of Gantharat, green and blue, parts of it obscured by clouds as it revolved on its axis.

Two moons and a belt of asteroids orbited Kellen’s homeworld, but its beauty was lost on her at the moment. Concentrating on the task at hand, she could think only of their plan as the
Liberty
approached the Gantharat System. Kellen had spent the better part of three days working on it. She hadn’t slept much, and now she ran a new diagnostic of the
Liberty
’s long-range scanners, which still showed no activity to suggest the Onotharians knew they were coming. But it was too early to be confident.

“The coordinates, Ms. O’Dal.” Rae didn’t raise her glance from the many computer screens attached to the captain’s chair.

“We’ll come in on a low trajectory, heading two-four-eight, and then the chain of mountains will guide us.” Kellen knew the landscape well and had opted for one of the dormant volcanoes that bordered her estate as a good place to land. They couldn’t risk keeping the vessels in orbit.

“Send the calculation to the
Freedom
, Ensign S’hos,” Rae ordered. “Lieutenant D’Artansis, enter the data. Half-impulsion.”

“Aye, ma’am.” Leanne D’Artansis took the sleek ship into a soft turn, perfectly aligning them with the flight path. “Course corrected.”

“The
Freedom
is right behind us,” Ensign S’hos reported.

Kellen glanced at the young man next to her. S’hos had used the derma fuser once more on her elbows, making sure the skin healed without scarring. Being a native of Drebruria III, he was a small, dark-skinned man. Drebrurians were renowned not only for their humble outlook on life but also for their analytical skills. S’hos certainly exemplified both traits. He had gone through the SC Academy in record time and now held a senior position despite his youth. Kellen genuinely liked S’hos and was impressed by his low-key way of carrying out his duties, as well as his willingness to learn from her, a civilian.