The Journey of Rick Heiden

The Journey of Rick Heiden - Chapters 43 and 44

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This novel contains 50 CHAPTERS, and every post will have 2 chapters each.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

I recovered from my panic attack and had nothing left to do but wait. The rest of the day, I busied myself spending time in the gym down the street, eating, or getting some rest. Mason had awoken me at 19:00, so I could take care of details that I hadn't earlier.

Etsuko had already come and gone during my gym time. She had painted "SJS Berlioz" on the side of the ship just behind the hatches, a location Venn intended for such an attribute. She chose an attractive font.

I had left the interior of the ship stained with blood and smelly dried sludge. Mason had kindly cleaned the penthouse of any grimy tracks, but I felt I should help with the ship. Toward the end of that task, wiping down the stowage area reminded me of the vials I'd put there. I took them out to look at them. I didn't know what to do with them. I held eleven vials in my hand, and as I looked at them, I noticed that they all said 'Revertor' except one. Pearce had accidentally grabbed one labeled 'Princeps', the Prime Sharer, the one enhancement more dangerous than any other. The idea of pouring it out tempted me, but I couldn't do it, and I didn't know why. I put them back into the cupboard, wondering how I might slip the contents of a Revertor vial into Gabe's drink one day. If I ever had such an opportunity, it wouldn't have happened any time soon.

At fifth meal, Aiden returned to the Penthouse. He didn't say much, and I ignored his red eyes, as I didn't want to embarrass him. I invited him to eat with me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as we ate in near silence.

"No," he said. "Did you visit Maggie today?"

"I did, actually, but I didn't wish to disturb you." I placed my hand on his. "We will get through this."

The rest of the evening, we talked on the balcony and watched the shadow pass across One City and the sunset two hours later.

I had Mason secure the perimeter of the house to ease my worry, and I left my communication link on that night. I went to sleep with thoughts of David, and at 4 o'clock, Mason awakened me. It shocked me that I slept through the night for the first time since I returned.

I ate my first meal, waited the required hour for digestion, and descended the stairs to exercise in my new gym for a few hours on the first floor. I discovered the Master Builder had left me a 'thank you'. As she said she always does, she altered Baden's design. We had more than enough room for the gym, so as a token of appreciation (more than a token really), she included a full locker room, complete with a dozen beautifully crafted wooden lockers, showers, steam room, and dry sauna. She must have had dozens of bots working all night to complete it by morning. The gesture demonstrated kindness and thoughtfulness, attributes some might have believed impossible of her. I would have to find a way to show her my gratitude.

During my exercise routine, I stretched my limits a bit, but after a two-hour workout, I ate a hearty meal and took a nap. I arose again at 8:30 and ate my usual second meal. If I intended to put on some muscle, I knew I had to eat.

I had a good morning, overall. I intended to visit Pearce and Maggie. I found Pearce sitting up in bed without the bandage. Still blind but no longer groggy, he seemed in good spirits, as his headache had almost gone. They talked to him about his options, or lack thereof, as they had limited him to only one realistic option, the one he wanted least.

I inquired about the specifics involved in obtaining synthetic eyes. Their description frightened me. They give the patient a preparatory enhancement, which prepares their body for the removal of their biological eyes. During that, if they aren't already, they go blind. To keep them from noticing they cover their eyes, so they can't see. That part takes a day. They then surgically lift the eyes from their sockets and give the patient the main eye enhancement, which creates all the linkages necessary for the synthetic eye to function. That would take two days. They then install the eyes, and the nanos complete the final connections. The full installation from beginning to end takes four days.

I had the notion of getting synthetic eyes, because what they could do fascinated me, but after hearing the procedure, I found the whole idea repulsive.

I went to visit Maggie, and I ran into Captain Dupre, known to his friends as Rocke. He had just visited Maggie and waited to enter the lift on his way down when I arrived on the fifth floor.

"Hey!"

"Rick!" He hugged me. "Or should I say, Captain Heiden?"

"I admit, it has a nice ring to it," I said. "How are you?"

"I am sad about Maggie," he said. "I hope they can help her. Physically though, I feel better than ever. I've wanted to visit you, but you've stayed busy and so much activity is happening. Jiyu is beyond words."

"Has all that's happened in the last few days put you off living here?"

"Not one bit," he said.

I ventured to ask a question that I shouldn't have. "How's Cadmar?"

He looked at me with a straight face. "In love with you," he said, "and personally, the whole thing has left me conflicted."

"Well, you are his best friend."

"Oui, but it's more than that," he said. "David is incredible, and you both complement one another well, but Cadmar is equally incredible in a different way. I've never met anyone like him."

He thought for a moment and shook his head. "Magnar can try to keep the two of you apart all he likes. Once Cadmar has set himself, he doesn't let go. Cadmar cannot have Tamika, their bond is irreparable, and you know why, but he loves her no less than he did. You know the story of how they became mates. It demonstrates Cadmar's tenacity, and not just for the chase. He would still be with her had the incident on Earth not happened, but it did. He told me he intends to wait for you, no matter how long that is. In the meantime, he does his job, lives his life, and feigns indifference toward you in the presence of others for the sake of propriety and your honor; but make no mistake, he is waiting."

"That's the most romantic and disturbingly beautiful thing I've ever heard," I said. "What if I told Cadmar I didn't want him?"

"Cadmar would know you were lying," said Rocke, "and so would I."

"How would you know?"

"Because the first thing out of your mouth didn't indicate he was wasting his time," he said. "I consider you a good friend, so I will tell you this before I must go. Not to brag, but I know Cadmar far better than you, better than Magnar even. Right now, you've only stood ankle-deep on the beach of the ocean that is Cadmar. You can't understand how phenomenally lucky his wanting you makes you. Don't squander it."

"I wish I knew what to say to that."

"For now," he said, "that's unimportant. You'll know what to say if that time should come."

He entered the lift but stopped the door from closing. "One last thing, a Trust member in red, is in Maggie's room. He seemed a bit creepy. I asked him if he knew Maggie, and he said he waited for someone, so I had my visit with her and left."

"I appreciate you letting me know," I said. "I'll see you again, I'm sure."

Gabe waited less than a day before seeking me out. I took a deep breath and decided the time had come for the inevitable confrontation. The man scared me, but I told myself I had already gone through worse and headed toward Maggie's room.

He stood looking out the window to the street below. The sun had risen above the mountain, and morning light beamed into the room through the blinds. I stood at the doorway, where he hadn't noticed me. I knocked on the metal frame. When he turned, his heavy brows and stern expression suddenly took on a more sinister appearance knowing what he had done.

"Rick," he said, "I knew you would come. Please enter, I won't hurt you. You're the only man I know who has an Attendant following him wherever he goes. If you ask it to stay outside the door, I would appreciate it. As you can imagine, this conversation warrants considerable privacy."

I did so and closed the door to Maggie's room. I watched him settle into what he would say. He kept his body language in vulnerable and pleading positions. He made signs not typically expressed by him, like slumped shoulders and outward palms, but I knew even his body language could lie. I planned to listen to what he had to say and believe nothing; it didn't work out that way.

"I know how this looks," said Gabe.

I put my hand up. "Stop! Back up and change tactics, this time, a little less heavy on the misunderstanding and a lot more concern about this." I gestured to Maggie, lying in bed. "I already worked out that you wound up your clockwork Dmitry with a selection of your thoughts, motives, and memories to get what you wanted. You let him go and watched your creation take a life of its own. Now we have this." I gestured to Maggie again. "It's gone beyond your intention. You've worked on this for some time, and Maggie hadn't even come into the picture yet. You couldn't have intended it. I get that. I beg you not to leave them like this."

"How did you figure it out?" he asked.

"I came here to visit Maggie, not stroke my ego. I will keep my promise to you if you do as I asked. You've won, isn't that enough?"

"You're right," Gabe said. "I only wanted to sabotage Amare's plan and get into the vault. I didn't know its location, and I didn't know how to get into it. I only knew about the box under the floorboards. Dmitry ruthlessly did what he did. I'm not like that."

"Stop lying," I said. "Dmitry was ruthless because you're ruthless. You closed Pearce and me into the vault, didn't you? I bet our escape inconvenienced you. Did you intend for us to die there?"

His expression changed. He stopped slumping and stood there. "Why would you turn the other way? You would view that as dishonorable. Isn't such a thing beneath you?"

"I would live with it to have them back."

"What's in it for me?" he asked. "Your silence is not enough."

"It shocks me you've bothered," I said. "You could use your Prime-Share ability on me to make me do whatever you want, and there is something you want."

"As you've seen with Dmitry," he said, "the more complex the sought outcome, the harder it is to obtain it. The Prime-Share ability works best on simple things, as Amare used it. It's easy to insert into someone's mind that they want to have a baby. It's better if I control you in more an old-fashioned Faustian way. I figure that would appeal to your appreciation for opera."

"Faust? Hardly," I said. "I have nothing but selfless and honorable intentions."

"A lapse in your moral integrity to get what you want is Faustian," he said, "and don't lie to yourself, you want Maggie back for your sake, not hers. You are selfish, just like everyone else."

"You have no moral high ground to comment on my morality. You know nothing about it or my motives. What do you want?"

"I will release Maggie and Neal, no one else," he said, "but only if you to embrace me."

"I will not be your lover!"

He laughed. "You should get so lucky. No, you're the wrong sex for that. When I say I want you to embrace me, I mean as a close friend."

"Why?"

"Well, I may lie to you," he said, "but I can be honest with myself. I'm not a winsome or charismatic man."

"So, you're looking for a friend, is that it?"

"Oh no, far more than that," he said, "I'm looking for an endorsement, and you endorse me with your friendship."

"You want my seal of approval."

He smiled. "I couldn't have said it better."

"What's the purpose?"

"I want inclusion to a line of pre-established loyalties. The people revere Amare, and he endorsed David, who endorsed you. You hold influence. I want you to give me your seal of approval, and I want you to step down as David's proxy."

"That's a lot to ask," I said. "Let's suggest I do it. It still relies on individual perceptions of you. What happens if my approval is insufficient?"

"I believe a trite little reply for such a question is, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"What you ask is a lot," I said.

"If you think of refusing because my modest request seems too much, then I must assume you find the terms disagreeable. Let's see, how can I make my request more palatable? Hmm. Oh, I know. I will release Maggie and Neal, as per the agreement, and then you will do as I ask, because if you don't, I will send a `Trojan Horse' to Earth, and David will find himself hunted down like an animal."

"You said you were David's man," I said. "I believed you."

"I am a consummate liar."

"How do I know you're not lying about killing David?"

"Do you embrace the gambling lifestyle? Care to make a wager?"

"I don't gamble," I said.

"Oh, sure you do," he said. "We all take chances the question is whether you take a high or low risk. The higher the risk, the greater the reward when you win. Will you gamble that I'm lying?"

I closed my eyes and tried to swallow the lump building in my throat. "When will you release them?"

"That's what I want to hear. I cannot do it yet; there's a time for everything. Once I have, I'll expect your end of the bargain soon thereafter." He stalked out the door and left.

I stood at the end of Maggie's bed for several minutes, looking down at her lifeless, breathing body. "I will do whatever I must to help you," I said. "If I hadn't invited you here...I will make this right, Maggie."

I had no idea upon what Gabe waited, but wait, I did. I established a routine during that time to keep myself busy. I got up at 4 o'clock, ate first meal, worked out for two hours, ate again, slept, ate second meal, and visited my sleeping friends. I repeated that morning 161 times. That took me 30 days into our new jear, and for David, who had not returned from Earth, only a month had passed. During that time, things settled down on Jiyu, but much had happened.

Pearce regained his sight ten days after the accident. They had given him a pair of synthetic eyes. They made the irises any color he chose, so they matched the delicate tones of blue and hazel that characterized his natural color. He seemed pleased, and I wouldn't describe their appearance as overtly synthetic. They gave his face an attraction that he didn't have before. It took a few days to learn to utilize their various modes, and it took the same amount of time to learn how to use the Prime Sharer enhancement. Once he felt confident enough, he departed immediately to retrieve his son. He left two Earth-weeks prior, and I expected him back at any time.

As for Pearce's journals, because of the nature of the privileged information they contained, he felt he should destroy them. Of course, I couldn't disagree; they had caused enough trouble. We could do nothing about lacking book eight. Its destruction would have to wait. They took a lot of work to create, but he didn't hesitate when he tossed them into the shredder for recycling. He didn't want them to cause more trouble once he brought his son home.

The American faction of the Aggregate had removed the stones from the site. The portal had automatically sent the body back to Earth, but nothing further occurred. We waited for them to clear the spot again. We exhumed the bodies near the portal and sent them back in body bags when Lopez and Greco left us. Our people gave Greco some therapy during the wait, and he made a remarkable recovery.

Laurel and her team had yet to understand the alien language inside the panel hidden on the portal. One of them did notice that it resembled one of the writings on the pylon in the museum. They did make an important discovery, however. We now know how to make the portal slip out of phase.

Many things changed at the Penthouse. Rocke moved into one of the apartments on the third floor, and Aiden moved to the adjacent apartment.

As I promised, I had not seen Cadmar since the day we found the portal in the meadow. We both kept our word on that.

The hospital maintained the lives of our friends with the viral code, but we saw no change, and the nano technicians had other duties. At that point, we had only three technicians left to discover a means to help them.

I visited Maggie and our sleeping friends daily, as did Aiden.

Every late morning, I worked on translating the ancient texts. I had gotten halfway through by then, and I doubted anyone would find them interesting except the historians who snatched them from me the instant I completed one.

Every afternoon, I practiced with the pistols. I had become quite good, but in Magnar's opinion, I hadn't achieved a level of proficiency that would justify removing the lockout on my pistols, but he admitted I came close.

After pistol practice, Magnar taught me to fight, both attack and defense, in the training room near the pistol range. He taught me to punch and kick, to land various kinds of blows during a fight. I learned to either rapidly knock out an opponent or even take someone out altogether. I had no idea there were so many ways to kill someone. During that training, the fear of pain and injury presented my worst impediment, resulting in Magnar employing some brutal teaching methods. I walked away more than once, wearing bruises and a bloodied nose or lip. I learned a great deal from him, and I appreciated his tutelage. However, whether I could utilize what he taught me remained untested.

As for myself, I had gone through several haircuts, and the youth enhancement had completed itself. I barely noticed any change, and neither did anyone else. Svend had to re-scan me every 50 days as I kept growing out of my clothing, but he accommodated my need for roomier clothes with a wink and a smile. I learned to appreciate Pearce's advice. He was right; exercise did help with David's absence. Between my strength training, Magnar's fight class, and gaining some muscle mass, it had the effect of a much-needed boost to my confidence.

All that had happened since I returned to Jiyu had taught me something about myself that I hadn't believed: I CAN. When I need to, I can, and when I realized it, the sensation of something undone or incomplete in the back of my mind had gone.

David sent letters to me every ten of his days. I had two so far, and I should have received a third. He wrote the typical message about how much he missed me and how things were going on Earth. He relayed some horrifying tales of starvation and death in the United States. I suspected things had gotten worse than he said. I sent him letters every forty of my days through our volunteer runner who went to Earth for us. I didn't want to bombard him with piles of correspondence by writing him too often. He had one from me weekly. I didn't tell him too much. It would only make him worry. I felt sure he did the same with me.

On the last of the 161 days, Laurel discovered how to move the portal, quite by accident. Gabe showed a keen interest in its ability to move and wanted to learn how to do it, which alarmed me and made me nervous. The day after this discovery, Maggie and Neal awoke in the hospital. When I wasn't training in some way, translating texts, or sleeping, I was formulating a plan, and the time had come to put it into motion.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

"Good morning, captain," said Mason. He had taken to calling me captain. A dozen or so ships existed by then, and people began referring to anyone who had one as captain, so he did likewise.

"Good morning, Mason," I said, "Is everything prepared for second meal this morning?"

"Yes, it is," he said. "It's a special day, will you wear your usual clothing?"

"My usual clothing is special. It's special to me."

"Very well," he said and laid out a new set of my usual clothing. He intended for it to be extra special, whether I wanted it or not.

No one understood why Amare and Dmitry hadn't awaked too, but the hospital planned to release Maggie and Neal that day. So, my plan consisted of a breakfast gathering of my friends, including Maggie, and Neal, but also Aiden, Rocke, and Magnar with 17 select Trust members that Magnar invited for me, and our distinguished guest, Gabe. If I include myself, that gave us 24 guests, and I had filled my airstrip of a dining table. I wanted to invite Cadmar, but I didn't think Magnar would approve.

The breakfast began at 8:00, but I asked everyone to show up at 7:00 for a pre-breakfast juice and some lively conversation in the day room.

On Maggie's arrival, we had our customary hug.

"I know I saw you yesterday," she said, "but I still can't believe how huge you've gotten! I hadn't slept that long, Rick."

"I'm just bigger, not huge, at least not yet. And although you couldn't feel it, you slept far too long."

I hugged her.

She whispered. "You'll have to get Aiden started back at the gym."

"I would love to," I said, noticing Aiden casually watching Maggie from across the room. "You'll have to convince him. I've already tried. Oh, Maggie, are you sure that you're okay? You went through something traumatic that night."

"I would probably feel different about it if I hadn't beaten him up," she said.

I nodded. "I get that."

She looked down at what she was wearing. "I should change." She excused herself and raced upstairs to change into something she felt looked more appropriate.

"So, you did it, I hear," said Neal as he sidled up to me, juice in hand.

After it came to my attention that Neal had no one, I intended to correct that problem. "I did," I said, and then looked at him for a moment. "I need to fulfill my agreement with you, don't I?"

"Do you?"

"Come with me." I grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to the butler's pantry.

"What shall we do here?" He gave me the eye.

"Not that, I'm sorry if it disappoints you. I am going to fulfill my side of our bargain, and I will give you a secret at the same time. It's not the usual secret, for now, only one other person besides myself knows, so I ask you to keep it secret for me, okay? You understand?"

"Yes, I'm intrigued." He smiled from ear to ear.

"I'm going to share with you what's in Aurum's vault. Okay? Don't worry; you have nothing to fear from me."

I placed my fingers vertically on the back of Neal's neck, and I showed him the inside of the vault. I accessed the memories, and a sensation like electricity traveled up my arm, through my fingers, and into Neal.

"I can see it. How did you do that?"

I placed my arm around him. "As one of my friends, Neal, it's best you should learn these things over time. You'll find out one day."

He hugged me. "Thank you for that. I thought at most I'd get a couple of clues, but you've given me the experience of walking around inside it from your point of view. Fascinating. I must know how you did that."

"Tout en bon temps (All in good time)," I said.

"Je parle français aussi (I speak French, too)," he said. "I have my shop in the Parisian district for a reason."

"Ah! I have someone you need to meet, and she will need someone to help care for her hair. I'm certain she will love you."

Maggie returned a few minutes later in a pale green dress that made her look even more lovely. I introduced her to Neal, and they began chatting away in French within moments.

I noticed Gabe conversing with one of the Trust members I didn't personally know, and he no longer held a glass. So, I went to Mason. "Did you do as I asked you?"

"Yes, I did," said Mason, "and he drank the whole thing."

"Good work," I said. "You are wonderful, Mason. I don't know how I could get along without you."

He smiled.

I attracted Magnar's attention. The time had come for me to share with him. I pulled him into the butler's pantry for privacy.

"I have something I need to share with you," I said.

"What is it?"

"I know what a stickler you are, Magnar," I said, "so don't get upset. We don't have time for it. I have some information I need to share with you as part of the Sharing."

"What? You took the Prime Share enhancement. That's for the Prime only."

"You need this information," I said. "Do you want it?"

He looked at me. "Fine, yes, go ahead."

"Share this with the other Trust members here." I placed the fingers of my right hand vertically on the back of Magnar's neck. The enhancement allowed me to create a packet of memories and upload them to someone else. I gave Magnar my first experience with Dmitry and the experience of him the night he threatened Maggie as a means of comparison. I gave him my conversation with Venn the next morning, all the thoughts and emotions about it. I showed him what I saw with Aiden in Maggie's hospital room, how I felt about that, the message I gave to Gabe on the way home, and the panic attack it gave me. Then finally, I gave him my conversation with Gabe in Maggie's hospital room.

I had gathered a damning collection of memories, but I also wanted them to know my motivations. I did not attempt to manipulate Magnar in any way.

"That bastard," said Magnar. "Your memories give further explanation to conversations he and I had since he became Prime. We've resisted many of his ideas, and he hasn't liked that. No wonder he wanted your approval. It might have made a difference."

"Is my opinion worth that much?"

"Your humility is one of your best attributes," he said, "never lose it. But yes, and after this, you'll probably have more influence here than David. Jiyuvians have long memories. They won't forget this. We will discuss your impropriety of having that enhancement later."

We didn't stay long, it looked suspicious, and I didn't want Gabe to question me over it. One at a time, a Trust member shared the information with another member away from the day room. I couldn't inform only a few of my guests, namely my closest friends. The hour passed, and Gabe had suspected nothing.

When the time came for the meal, I should have sat at one end, but I gave that chair to Magnar. I chose to sit near the middle on one side among my closest friends, and Gabe sat opposite me in the middle of the Trust members who knew what he had done. When the meal and the table conversation had ended, I spoke to the group.

"I want to thank all of you for coming this morning," I said. "I have enjoyed having you to celebrate Maggie and Neal's, return to us. I wish Amare could join us, and perhaps that will happen one day. I also would like to say that I have an announcement."

Gabe turned smug, and I felt like wiping the floor with him. I stared at him throughout my speech, and I didn't once deviate from his eyes.

"I am going to step down as David's proxy. For the moment, I've done all that I can. I have certainly given as much as any reasonable person could expect of me. Most of you know some of my experiences, and I know you will understand. As a favor to me, I request an exception to the rule that a proxy can't appoint their replacement, but if you will, I would like to name my replacement as someone I trust with my life, who has shown remarkable diligence, intelligence, and love for Jiyu and its people. That man is Aiden Park." I gazed at Aiden next to me. "Will you accept?"

"It would honor me if they will agree," he said.

I had never seen an expression so filled with hatred as I did Gabe's that morning. I pushed my plate away from me and leaned onto the table toward him.

"You look a little disappointed, Gabe," I said. "What's wrong?"

Gabe wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin into his plate and prepared to leave.

"I've had a lovely morning," he said. "Thank you for the invitation. I would love to stay, but I must take care of a few things before noon. If you'll excuse me."

He moved to rise from his chair, but the Trust members beside him pushed him back into his seat, each one holding an arm.

"Why did you do it?" I asked him.

"Because we needed it," he said.

"What do you mean, we needed it?" I asked.

Gabe stared at me. "I didn't lie to you when I told you what I did about Jiyu in the Beddo House. I didn't know how to solve our problem, but I do now. We won't destroy ourselves if we don't integrate with Earth in some manner as Amare planned for us to do. Aurum saw that as a reasonable cure for our anemia, but it isn't the only one."

"Really. So, what's your solution?" I asked him.

"Every heaven must have an adversary," he said. "I've enjoyed our little game of Chaos, but I have the last move. I knew you wouldn't keep your word, so neither did I. You're too late, the Trojan Horse has already left the stable."

"No...you're lying," I said, shaking my head. "You're a liar. I beat you. This is sour grapes."

He leaned forward as far as the Trust members holding his arms would allow, squinting his eyes. "Care to make a wager?"

After that, the Trust members moved to take him away, I barely remember any of the thanks they gave me, and no doubt my replies to them sounded as robotic as the Master Builder. I felt a bit lost and unsure of what to do. Did he lie? Could I take that chance? Did that explain why our runner had no letter from David for me? I had to find David, but I had no one who could accompany me. Maggie had just woken up, and Aiden would want to be with her, and he would take on the task of David's proxy. Rocke busied himself, helping oversee the construction of the shipwright. I couldn't ask him to come. I knew Cadmar would go, but I couldn't ask him either for obvious reasons. Could I take on such a task by myself on Earth?

Aiden went with Magnar to see about the whole Gabe situation but watching them do whatever they would do with him hadn't interested me. Maggie and I sat on the balcony. She had heard what Gabe said to me, as they all had, but I told her what that meant.

"I can't tell you what you should do," she said, "but if it were me, I would prepare myself and go."

"I feel overwhelmed about where to start. I usually have more time to think about it than this. I need time to prepare."

"Then you should waste no time," she said.

I nodded. "There's something I need to give you before I start."

"What?" she asked.

"It's something that happened while you slept."

"What do you mean?"

"You trust me, right?"

She nodded.

I placed my fingers on the back of her neck, and I gave her the memories I felt she should know. Every day, Aiden went to visit her for hours on end. He knew how she felt about relationships, but that wouldn't stop him. During the time she slept, her welfare consumed his life. I saw him on many occasions ensured they cared for her as well as possible. If she couldn't care for herself, he would do it for her. When I finished giving Maggie the memories, she was crying. Afterward, she inquired how I did that, to which I told her I couldn't say. She said she needed time to think and that I should leave to find David.

I decided to begin preparing by thinking of what we needed on our first trip to Earth that we wished we had brought. I went to Mason. "I have an important request for you this morning. I ask you to acquire two sealed metal containers, each filled with a large dose of nano-suspension, preferably vanilla, and above all, tell no one."

I began packing clothes. I started with my three suits in the style that Cadmar and Svend chose for me. I tossed in my summer wear, my extra pair of boots, and deck shoes. I then did the same for David, packing both summer and winter wear, including his extra jacket, and his deck shoes as well. We would not trap ourselves with clothing inappropriate for the weather again.

I stowed both bags in the cupboards on the ship. I opened the ship's private channel to Venn and had a strange conversation with him in which I asked for 300, one-quarter ounce rounds of gold, and he inquired whether I would like more. So, I said okay, 500 rounds, and he told me I would have them in an hour. Not one to turn down such generosity, I thanked him.

I then contacted Cadmar, the one person I promised I wouldn't see.

"Can we meet?" I asked.

"We shouldn't," he said, "I made a promise."

"I made the same promise, but I don't want to see you for that. I need your help."

He paused a moment. "Where and when?"

"Meet me on the roof of the hospital at 12:00."

Venn had performed maintenance on the ship the first day of the jear with a few upgrades, and I had refilled all the ship's necessities such as the medical kit, emergency water, and food packs.

Venn sent me aurum from Aurum's vault instead of the gold I expected. When questioned about it, he said that after I told him how to reach it, he sent bots in after it, saying we should utilize the resource.

Mason brought me the containers of nano-suspension. He pressed upon me the level of difficulty he encountered acquiring it in secret. I thanked him and stowed them on the ship along with the gold and everything else I would bring.

During my wait, I contacted Svend for a clothing emergency. He was willing to help. I needed a winter coat that went with what I was wearing, and as one of the designers, I left it up to him to choose me one. He had just the thing and had the robotic machine in the back to whip one up in my size.

I said goodbye to Maggie and Aiden, who by then had come home to spend time with Maggie. The Trust had yet to decided what to do with Gabe. I quickly told him what had happened, he gave me the bug detector, wished me luck, and said that they would take care of things in my absence. I thanked Mason for everything and said I would come home when I could.

"So, what's the emergency?" Svend asked as the machine crafted the last of my coat.

"If you promise me on your honor to tell no one, I will let you know."

"I promise," he said, having raised his right hand.

"David is in danger on Earth," I said, "and I'm going to find him and help him. It's winter in the Northern Hemisphere on Earth, and the coat you made me last jear doesn't fit anymore."

"It definitely wouldn't fit you now," he said, looking me up and down smirking. "I like David. I wish you luck in finding him."

"Thank you," I said. "You know, you have helped me many times in his absence. I appreciate you."

"You're welcome. Oh! I almost forgot. If you're going to find David, give him his new uniform." He went into the back and came back with the new uniform style with a winter jacket that he promised David before he left. No one gets one until I have David's critique of it."

I thanked him with a kiss on the cheek. Once my jacket had finished, I stowed them on the ship and had just a few minutes before 12:00 to meet Cadmar.

Cadmar's handsome form stood before his ship, the Offenbach, on the hospital roof watching as I landed on the other derelict medical transport pad. He dressed the same way he did the day we searched for the other portal. I wondered why he hadn't worn his Trust uniform, but I thought it best not to pry. He sauntered to the hatch as it opened, he grabbed me and held me.

"I can't help myself," he said just as he kissed me, and I let him. "Just a few minutes, that's all I ask." He hugged and kissed me again.

"Cadmar," I said, pushing him away so I could speak. "I'm going to Earth to look for David."

"I know. Aiden contacted me a bit ago."

"Why would Aiden contact you?"

"I asked him to the night you and I could no longer see one another, to tell me how you handled our separation."

"And he said he would?" I asked. "Why?"

"He said he couldn't have Maggie, and he knew how I felt." Cadmar held me from him for a moment. "Wow, you have grown. I like it!"

He made me laugh. "I'm sorry." I pushed him back. "I can't."

"I don't blame you," he said, coming back to the reality of things. "What can I do for you?"

I gazed at him; he kept his reddish-blonde hair and fiery red beard cut in the same style the Italian barber had cut it. He knew that I liked them that way.

"I need the ability to come back to Jiyu," I said. "If I can't find David, it will trap me on Earth. I want to borrow your Trust ring."

He looked into me with his beautiful brown synthetic eyes. "I couldn't let you remain stuck on Earth, now, could I? How would I ever see you again?" He removed the ring from his hand and took my hand, placing it onto my wedding ring finger. "You take a part of me with you, remember that."

He pulled me to him and kissed me one last time, then let me go. I found myself walking backward to the ship, and my eyes never left his.

"Thank you," I said.

He stood with his arms outstretched, his eyes locked to mine. He shook his head a little. "You can have anything you want from me, Captain Richard Heiden. I'm yours."

To say that I felt conflicted was putting it mildly. I saw David and Cadmar as honorable, handsome men, both kind and caring. In specific, I knew David as a loving man, heroic and true, and Cadmar as an intense, passionate romantic who even coaxed Tamika into accepting him as her mate without ever beating her at swordplay. I understood the near impossibility of saying 'no' to Cadmar.

When I got to the ship, I climbed in and closed the hatch. I had to catch my breath and get ahold of myself. I looked at the ring on my hand; the fit was a little loose. Cadmar had thicker hands than mine, so I put it on my middle finger. I took a deep breath and reminded myself of what I set out to do. Gabe had put David in danger, and I had to find him.

I lifted off from the hospital roof, and Cadmar watched me leave. I rose above the height of the mountain, heading toward the portal southeast of One City. I intended to use the second portal. I had no intention of doing without convenient transportation again.

When I arrived at our garrison's location, on that bright cloudless day, they didn't know what to do with me. I didn't stop to say hello or goodbye. I merely landed the ship on top of the platform, and the Berlioz fit beautifully.

The sphere began to form, and as it did, I turned the viewer down to 1% of its intensity. I could barely see, but I needed to know when I could ascend. I had never traveled through with my eyes open, and what an eye-opening experience I had. The sphere became more brilliant, and as it did. I knew I had begun a new era as the first ship to go through the portal, and unlike my previous voyage back to Earth, I knew I would see Jiyu again.