The Living and the Damned - Epilogue
31 Jan 2018Jellicoe
Haraive, Wolf 412There was no hope left in Saiti Bathana's eyes when Kira Goméz and her mysterious associate returned, only a wild terror and dread at the news she knew they must bring, her lips silently mouthed the word 'no' before her hand covered it, her eyes widening in horror as her heart wildly fought against what her brain knew must be true.
"Please come through to the sitting room," Her husbands hollow, empty voice came from behind her, "Let's not do this on the doorstep."
The visitors were were shocked at the changes in the Bathana's appearance since their last meeting, Saiti looked almost skeletal so much weight had she lost, her cheeks gaunt and eyes sunken while Abraham shuffled up his hallway, back bent and shoulders hunched as though toiling under a physical burden beyond his strength to carry.
"From what we've been able to discover Mhera was in the Pleiades to gather samples of these barnacles for her research program," Jellicoe said gently, telling the story he and Kira had concocted earlier, "While in the Maia system her ship was interdicted by a known local criminal. According to the black box they tried to escape but her ship was not equipped for combat, they took a canon round to the flight deck, she was killed instantly."
Mhera's mother began to weep, softly at first, her sobs gradually gaining in intensity. Her husband moved to comfort her but momentarily locked eyes with Jellicoe and the pilot saw that Abraham remembered their conversation on his last visit as he saw the purest anguish he had ever witnessed on the older mans haggard countenance.
Finney Ring, Jitabos
"So what now?" Jellicoe asked Kira as they finished dinner in the le Mousquetaire restaurant.
"I have a lot of thinking to do," She replied dabbing her lips with her napkin, "and I'd like to see some more of the galaxy, it'd be good for Corrin as well, broaden both of our minds."
"Come along with me. I've seen more than enough death, time to try something new."
"Sweetie you're one of the things I need to think about," Kira replied gently taking his hand, "and I can't do that if we're cooped up together on the same ship, but I do want you to introduce me to some of these engineer friends of yours."
"Of course. You'll still need a good pilot that you can trust."
"Stannis..."
"I don't mean me," He put in quickly, "Take Mira, she's Elite now and much too good to be flying a snub fighter off a 'Vette. It'd do her good to spread her wings and it'd make me feel a lot better."
Jellicoe stood in the docking bays observation platform watching a scarlet Fer de Lance rise from its pad before gracefully accelerating through the slot and powering into open space. Mira had been reluctant at first, but the chance to pilot a Fer de Lance fitted out largely to her own specifications proved too much to resist. So what now? Jellicoe asked himself, peace he thought, peace and escape and maybe even redemption.