The MetaDrives Mystery Epilogue
10 Dec 2016Jellicoe
The Quest club represented the pinnacle of Alioth and therefore Alliance society, established shortly after the foundation of the Alliance itself on some of the most valuable real estate in the system, its opulent fittings and exceptionally exclusive membership policy meant that to be invited to join was to have reached the very heart political, military or economic power of one of the galaxy's three major players. The clubs art collection alone was said to be priceless, from traditional canvas paintings and sculptures to more avant garde holographic art, if an artist could boast that his work adorned the walls of the Quest club he could write his own credit chips.At a table in a private chamber a man and a woman had just finished dinner, the woman had been a member for several years though she rarely visited the club. She was a little above average height, in her late middle years dressed in an evening gown that managed to achieve understated elegance while enhancing a figure women forty years her junior would be envious of, its midnight blue fabric perfectly setting off her pale, flawless skin, classically high cheekbones and, most strikingly of all, her stunningly expressive eyes that combined authority, humour and playful mischief all at the same time. Her guest was a good thirty years her junior, tall, blonde and well dressed. He was not a member but had dined with the lady nine days previously prompting two of the staff to whisper to each other.
"Two visits in ten days. What do you want this time?" Kira Gómez asked with the merest hint of a smile.
"Nothing." Jellicoe answered. She raised a single, perfectly sculpted eyebrow and a look of amused scepticism played across her face. "Honestly. I missed you."
"I don't see or hear from you in seven years and then you tell me you miss me?"
"Yes I know it sounds silly, seeing you brought a lot of things back."
The amusement in her eyes deepened. "Oh God you're not going to declare your undying love for me are you? That would be much to cheesy darling."
He laughed but the mirth never quite reached his eyes. "No. I do like you though and I did want to come back before, it's just in my line of work attachments are things you just can't afford."
She smiled mockingly but not cruelly. "No Stannis that's just how you like to see yourself, you play at being the lone crusader, the dark knight single handedly taking on the galaxy's wickedness but it's just not what you are. The truth is you're lonely and you're bored."
"I am?" He said smiling but her shot had hit the mark.
"Yes Stannis you are. You came out of the womb bored and now you want the galaxy to amuse you. Men like you don't become space pilots darling."
"Men like me?" He replied genuinely perplexed.
"Your background." she said firmly. "You were hardly born into poverty were you? Manchester Grammar and Oxford where you captained the Cricket XI and got blues for boxing and fencing. Men like you go into politics, business or the military but you got yourself kicked out of the navy and there's no way you could kiss the corporate arses you need to to get anywhere in Federal politics."
"I'm a Rear Admiral if you don't mind!"
"Yes in the auxiliary, all they do is give you a grand title and a fancy uniform for swaggering around like a pirate so long as you only point your guns at the right people. You might be a Rear Admiral but you'll never command anything for them beyond your own ship."
"I've hardly done badly in business." He said defensively.
"Stannis you're adorable." She laughed warmly. "How much are you worth? A few billion? I signed off four deals this afternoon alone for several times that. Like I said you're bored, and while I do like you Stannis I won't be just another of your distractions."
"That's not what I'm here for."
"No? Then why are you here? How many women have you got? Are you wanting me to be your girl in this particular port?"
"I've not got any on the go. I'm no monk but..."
Her laughter cut him short. "Maybe I've misjudged you." She laughed at the perplexed look on his face. "Sweetie when a man says he's no monk it means he's not been near a woman In a long time. So that's it, you're here out of desperation?" She asked her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"No of course not!" he replied aghast. He had spent a lifetime carefully crafting a mask of diffident calm but Kira was always able to blow it apart, it was a big part of her allure.
"I know sweetie I can spot desperation a mile off. So what have you come back for?" This was Kira all over, to go from mischievous teasing to deadly serious in a single sentence.
"I don't know I just wanted to see you." An elegant eyebrow rose. "Yes I know it sounds silly, seeing you affected me."
"I don't remember this being part of our arrangement." She said flatly. He was not the only one who wore a mask it seemed, he had been allowed a brief, tantalising look behind hers the last time they had met but now it was firmly back in place.
"I felt bad. I should have come back sooner."
"Don't come to see me out of duty Stannis, and not ever out of pity." She said icily.
"it's not that, I can't explain it I just..." his voice trailed off.
"And in your line of work you can't afford attachments." Kira acidly turned his own words back at him.
"Something like that." He muttered.
"Does it ever occur to you that a woman in my position just might have made a few enemies over the years? And that because of it I might just have the best security money can buy?
He blushed . "It's not just that it's me, if I'm out in the black thinking about you I lose my edge, and if I lose my edge I'm dead."
"I'd miss you sweetie but I'm sure I'd survive. Listen Stannis you tell yourself that if you want but it's nonsense, I know how much you care for your mother and brother, do they take away this edge of yours?"
"How did you know?" He asked with genuine surprise.
She laughed again. "You were thoroughly checked out when we met. Federal Intelligence often try to get agents close to our senior people and some not so senior ones, seduction is a common technique."
"They did ask me." He said with a rueful smile.
"I know. I'd have been insulted if they hadn't. Our people wanted me to feed you disinformation if you'd said yes but don't think I could have done that."
"Good job I said no then."
"It is for you, I'd have cut it off if you'd agreed. So what now Stannis? I assume you're not planning to settle down in Alioth and I'm certainly not going to change off into space with you." She was serious again. "I can do casual with you Stannis, to be honest the last thing want is a man getting in the way all the time but I won't do meaningless, I won't share you and don't you even think about disappearing for another seven years."
He gave an embarrassed smile. "I know, I'm sorry I'm an idiot."
"Yes you bloody well are. So when are you leaving?" She asked pointedly.
"I'll be here for a couple of weeks my crew need a rest, so do I."
"Good." She said fixing him with her most penetrating gaze. "Come to my place in the country at the weekend, you can meet your son."