Personal Log 87: 4th - 10th January, 3302
07 Oct 2016Jemine Caesar
4th - 10th January, 3302 The first few days of 3302 on the island were idyllic and calm, but I couldn't help noticing Nathalie was becoming increasingly agitated. So it came as no surprise when, on the morning of January 4th, I woke to find a note on my pillow. It read:
Hey Jem,
I know you will not completely like what you're about to read but it was a real concern for me since we first met.
I made a resolution for this new year, and I'll do my best to respect it. Archon Delaine will not be a problem anymore at the end of this year. I decide to call that the Project : Justice. I'll hunt all those bastards, make myself known into the bounty hunting universe, make myself stronger than ever, and I will cash in Delaine's bounty. I know that the Darkangel will lose again against him and his men, that's why I'll aim big on my future ship acquisition.
I know you can understand what I feel for Delaine. I know that you also felt some sense of revenge against Caz. For your child. I can't sleep anymore due to what Delaine has done to me. I want to find inner peace once again, to enjoy life. I know that I can lose pretty much everything if I mess up, but I want his face out of the universe. Out of MY universe.
I hope you can understand my feelings, and my need to track Delaine down.
Nath'
xoxo
*****
I read Nathalie's note with tears streaming down my face, then picked up my dataslate and keyed a reply:
Nathalie,
You are right. I don't like the thought of what you are planning to do. Archon Delaine is too powerful. He is too well-guarded by an army of fanatics who live in fear of him. Tracking him down is just too dangerous.
But yes, I do know you. And yes, I do understand. I can't stop you from doing what you feel you must do. So promise me that you will at least try to be careful. Don't take on more than you can handle. And please keep in touch with me, Nath. I can't imagine life without you.
I love you.
Jem
x
*****
While I was at Eravate, Sam had been fighting pirates as part of the Federal Navy's small task force to Rotanev. The mission proved to be a success; the Rotanev Liberation Front (the formal name of the pirate gang) was no more. Several Navy pilots were injured in the battle, so Sam was drafted to Ride Ring to put his medical training to use.
It was so difficult to tear myself away from my mother and Barnes. After a few more days on Eravate-5, we returned to Arcadia on LHS 3447-A5. There were tears when I announced I would be departing on January 9th. But there was one final conversation to have before I could leave.
"Mother," I began. "You... you remember the locket... that mama left for me...?"
No more secrets.
*****
On January 9th I powered up The Last Thing, and accepted a friend request from a commander who went by the callsign of InfiniteZero. Then I called Sam to tell him I was on my way. "I've been counting the hours untiI I'm back in your arms again, my darling," I said.
"Believe me," he replied, "I look forward to you being back in my arms."
My voyage to Beta Hydri took me through Ngaliba, Lokitaka Mu, Chowei, Milscothach, Diyu, Mulachi and Santy. Once safely docked at Stevenson Base, I peeled away my flight suit and put on my shortest red dress, then rushed straight to The Red Rose. Sam greeted me with a warm kiss. "Welcome home, my love," he said. It felt good to be back.
We updated each other with our news; I told Sam about the new understanding between my mother and Barnes, and about Nathalie's worrying new year's resolution to rid the galaxy of Archon Delaine. I had also received some brief messages from my father, Edward Harvard, which I showed Sam on my dataslate. The messages didn't amount to much, just cursory assurances that things were all right and that he was doing well. It had clearly been a long time since my father had bothered to keep in touch with anyone. But at least it was something.
Sam told me he had been training some new barstaff at the Rose, as Sarah, who had been helping out during the holiday period, would be returning to her studies in another week.
"And I've been a customer down at the shipyard, too," he said. "I'm now the proud owner of a new Cobra III as well as my trusty Asp."
After a quick drink we went to our room. "I've really missed you, Jem," said Sam, planting a kiss on my lips as he unfastened my dress. It fell gently to the deck.
"I've missed you too, my darling," I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck. We kissed again. Then we proved just how much we had missed each other.
Which was a lot.
*****
The next day, January 10th, I sold some astrocartography data and carried out some delivery jobs. These took me to Minmar and Sanuku, where I was attacked just seven kilometres from Yamazaki Base. My attacker was a competent-rated pilot named Mevedies; after a fairly lengthy battle I claimed the win, having taken no damage to my ship at all, and picked up a 49,000CR bounty at the starport. The combat had shaken me a little, however, so I reluctantly decided to stay on Yamazaki Base to get a good sleep. Or, at any rate, as good a sleep as I usually got in a single zero-g bed.