Homecoming
26 May 2018MMMMMalcolm
“S.H.E.A. contact Commander Matthew Horner for me.”“As you wish commander.”
Matt’s digital image materialized on the com panel in front of me.
“Mal, it’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise Matt. I trust James is free and in good health?”
“They let him go, but not before roughing him up a bit. He is recovering in the care of Winters’ Wolves now.”
“Good. I'm on my way back to Sol. Please apologize to James for me for not meeting him personally and ensuring his well-being. Unfortunately a dear friend of mine is ill and I need to check on the status of her recovery. If you or James ever need me or the Armed Wanderers Enterprises for anything at all, don't hesitate to ask.”
“I cannot thank you enough for all your assistance with this matter. I wish you luck in the future and a speedy recovery for your friend. As for future help, that door swings both ways. Fly safe commander.”
Matt gave me a sharp salute. I returned the honorable gesture and then closed the communication. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of anxious waiting and tense negotiations. It felt good to be back in control of my activities. If I didn’t learn anything else, I learned I did not want to be a diplomat. Call me when diplomacy has failed and you need some heads to roll.
I sighed and winced as I relaxed in the seat of ‘Breathless’; both at the hollowness of my thought and the nagging reminder of why my thought was so hollow. At 6’ 3” I was tall but not very intimidating. In fact the Guangul Brothers weren’t afraid at all when they busted down our hotel room door. I gently massaged my left peck. The wound where they shot me had long since healed, but there was a dull soreness that remained. Maybe because the remnants of those inbred pirates were still breathing; a wrong I intended to make right.
But first, I needed to see Kay. I felt bad leaving her alone. I needed to know she was alright; physically and mentally.
“S.H.E.A. you have control of the ship.”
“As you wish commander.”
I closed my eyes and thought about Kay, about how quickly her family was becoming my own, and about the family I almost had.
The Wantz estate had its own landing pad. But since the Wantz family was its primary user, it wasn’t larger than a medium pad. I hovered the large Anaconda a mile above the compound and flew a Taipan fighter the rest of the way. The family’s main servant met me near the edge of the pad.
“Henry, it’s good to see you again.”
“The feeling is mutual Master Goodwin. I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“Business trips are seldom pleasant, but you could fix that if you do me two favors.”
“Of course sir, anything you wish.”
“First, don’t ever call me ‘master’ again. You are my elder. You waiting on me hand and foot is weird enough; don’t make it worse by making me feel disrespectful.” Henry smiled as I spoke.
“And your other request?” he asked.
“Call me Malcolm. All my friends do.” I reached out to shake his hand. He grabbed mine with a firm grip. We continued our conversation as he led me into the house.
“Does Kay know I’ve returned?”
“No, not yet,” he replied.
“Good, I want to surprise her.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Wantz know you’re here though. They request I immediately inform them of every visitor to the house. They’re waiting for you in the sitting room.”
Henry led me to the sitting room where we were met by the leaders of the family. Mr. Wantz held back the cool mountain air with some jeans, a V-neck t-shirt, and a partially buttoned grey cardigan sweater. Mrs. Wantz seemed to match her husband in slate grey high waist trousers and a denim shirt.
“Thank you Henry. Will you excuse us please?” Mr. Wantz extended his hand to greet me as Henry departed. When I reached to shake it, he pulled me into a tight hug. Mrs. Wantz wrapped her arms around us both, making it a group hug. I was creeped out, but I patiently waited for them to finish.
“What’s with all the love?” I asked.
“We just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for our family,” Mrs. Wantz replied.
“What could a common thug like me ever do for YOUR family?” I asked with a tone drenched in sarcasm. She ignored my question with an ease born from many years in the political arena.
“Don’t play ignorant with us. We know this letter is a result of what you discussed with President Winters’ representative.” Mrs. Wantz handed me a framed piece of Federation letterhead. “It arrived a few days ago.” I read its contents through the glass.
Federal Congress
Olympus Village, Mars
Denise Wantz, Senator
Sol Workers’ Party
3201 Trader’s Row
SW Americas, Earth Sector 42
Dear Senator Wantz,
It is with great honor and pleasure that I recognize your loyalty to the Federation. Your brave sense of duty toward our great faction uncovered and eliminated a terrible threat to galactic security. Because your actions have ensured a strong, stable Federation for many years to come, I would like to recognize you, your family, and the Sol Workers’ Party as true citizens of the Federation.
Congratulations on this well deserved recognition.
Sincerely,
Zachary Hudson
President of the Federation
I looked up from the award. Mr. and Mrs. Wantz stood hand in hand, beaming with pride.
“Congratulations. This is a great honor.”
“Thank you,” Mr. Wantz stated. “But we know this is your doing. Denise told me you asked her to arrange a meeting with President Winters. Now, sit down and tell us how you got President Hudson to honor our family.”
We all sat down and I reported my activities over the last few weeks. After I finished, they both sat quiet for a few minutes. Finally, Denise spoke up.
“Why?” she asked as tears welled in her eyes. “Why would you do that for us?”
“At first I did it out of petty revenge. I wanted to show you anyone could wield power under the right circumstances. But, then I started thinking about Kay. You really have no clue how much she has helped me these past few months. I wanted to help her in return. I figured my peace offering would convince you bounty hunters aren’t all bad and you would love your daughter again.” The tears flowed down Denise’s cheeks. She quickly excused herself from the room. I turned, ashamed, toward Mr. Wantz.
“You’ve misread my wife, Malcolm,” he said. “She loves Kay very much. She’s hard on our daughter because she’s afraid. Afraid she will be disappointed, hurt, raped, sold into slavery, or killed. She is also very proud and would never admit these things. Thanking someone who helped her is nothing compared to showing meekness and being vulnerable, even to her own daughter.” I thought about the moment she visited me in the hospital. It must have been excruciating for her to ask, no beg me not to take Kay back out with me.
“I’m very sorry Mr. Wantz,” was all I could think to say.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "I've been married to her almost thirty years. I don't expect you to know my wife as well as I do." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a credit stick. He pressed it into my hand. Two hundred and fifty million credits glowed on the display. "It's my turn to say thank you." I extended the stick back toward the patriarch.
"Oh no sir, I didn't do it for your money."
"I know, that's why I have no qualms giving it to you. What you did, placed me in your debt. You stopped pirates that were robbing my business and you gave me a way out of the horrible decision that put me in their cross-hairs in the first place. The honor of President Hudson's recognition has elevated the reputation of the Sol Workers' Party. They no longer needed the weapons they were planning to use against the other minor factions in the system. They sold them instead. That is my share of the profits; you earned it."
"But..." I protested.
"Consider it an investment into your wing. There's no way I'm taking that back; business men don't like being in debt." I slid the stick into my pocket. He turned and pressed a nearby comm button. "Henry, can you come escort Commander Goodwin to Kay's wing?"
"Right away sir."
"Welcome to the family Malcolm. Now if you'll excuse me; I've been away from my business long enough." He rose to leave as Henry entered. I watched him go, my chin dragging on the floor, speechless.
I gently knocked on Kay's door after Henry left me. There was no answer. I let myself in. Saying it was simply her bedroom would be a huge understatement. Emphasis on huge. It was an enormous suite. No, it was another house attached to the side of the main home. I walked through a large sitting area before I found her in the bedroom on the other side of a large wall. She was resting in her bed watching Galnet as it was displayed on that wall. No wonder she did't answer; I didn't knock hard enough.
Kay glanced at me when I entered and then went back to watching the huge holo-display in front of her.
"Well, well, look who's still alive."
"It's great to see you too. How you doin'?" Kay rolled her eyes. She was not happy. I stopped and leaned on the door to her room.
"Like you care; I woke up in that hospital room and everyone who cared about how I was doin' was staring back at me. Even my mother was there; eyes red and puffy. But the one person who wasn't there was YOU. Where were you Malcolm?" I immediately became defensive.
"I was there before you woke up. Then I went to find the Guangul Brothers. I..."
"That's what everyone told me, but you went alone. And when I didn't hear from you for nearly a month, I suspected the worst." It was Kay's turn to cry. She didn't look away though as the tears fell. She was not one to hide her true feelings. "I began to experience a serious case of deja vu." Her hand drifted to her stomach. "I've lost so much. I've fought so long. And then when I started to think it was all behind me; that my fight was finally over, I awoke to a situation that's all too familiar." I erased the distance between us and enveloped her with my arms.
What could I say? 'I will never leave you.' 'No one is going to hurt you again as long as I'm around.' 'I'm here now, so everything will be just fine.' Empty promises would've been just that, empty, and inappropriate for this moment. Instead I let my presence say what words could not. I laid with her and held her until she cried herself to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day for both of us; and a day of reckoning for a group of brothers in Guangul.
OCC
I would like to thank James Barrett, Matthew Horner, Damien Blaide, and N.R.Crosby for including me in their stories. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to writing with them again. Thanks again to everyone who has liked my logs. It means a lot this amateur writer.
To everyone else who has silently read and not clicked, don't be silent. Send me a PM. All feedback is welcome and appreciated.
Mal
To everyone else who has silently read and not clicked, don't be silent. Send me a PM. All feedback is welcome and appreciated.
Mal