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  “Yeah,” I said. “Just me, Jiden Armstrong.”

  “We got a survivor!” The woman shouted. A few minutes later, they were pulling me through. Not long after that, I was out of the cool tunnels and on the surface. There were more people than I'd ever seen at the Outpost. Most of them were Enforcers, wearing their ominous black uniforms. I saw a dozen or more uniformed Militia, too, most of them in full combat gear.

  An Enforcer took down my report, typing it up on her datapad as she walked me to the surface. She just listened as I described every detail I'd seen and heard.

  The Admiral was at the command post. Her expression was worn, her shoulders stooped. I stepped in and saluted, “Ma'am, Cadet Second Class Armstrong, reporting.”

  I saw her swallow. She returned the salute sharply. Then, before I knew what was happening, she stepped forward and embraced me in a hug. I stiffened, not really sure what to do, and then, finally, I returned that hug. I'd just lost every bit of my family in the world, other than a couple of cousins who lived off-world. She just lost her daughter...

  “You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Jiden. It's been... it's been a rough few days.” Her voice broke as she said it and I realized with shock that she had begun to sob.

  I found myself crying too. We stood there, my grandmother and I, sobbing in one another's arms. I wasn't sure how long it went on, but at the end of it, she pushed me back and held me at arm's length, her face tear-streaked. “It's not your fault.”

  The words hit me like a hammer. “I don't believe that,” I said.

  “I know, but you need to hear it,” my grandmother said.

  “What...” I cleared my throat, “what happened while I was down there?”

  “The sandstorm cleared up sometime yesterday morning, after about four days,” the Admiral said. “The weather forecasts weren't expecting it, but we figured out why after someone reviewed the sensor data for the planet.” Her expression went bleak and her arms fell to her sides, “That's when we picked up the signs of a warp drive emergence in atmosphere.”

  “In atmosphere?” I stared at her in shock. That would explain the storm, alright. A warp drive had serious effects in atmosphere, normally generating gale-force winds combined with some really nasty electromagnetic effects.

  “Yes, the pirates jumped out of strategic warp in our atmosphere, only a few hundred kilometers south of here over the open desert. They set their ship down there, we think, and let the storm give them cover while they prepped for the attack here.”

  I considered that. “This whole thing... they were after me, weren't they? I heard one of them, a woman, say that they were after me.”

  The Admiral shook her head, “They had a lot of goals, Jiden, and none of them were good.” She looked to the side and I saw tears well up in her eyes again. “I think that they were after me, too. We found signs that someone intercepted your mother's call to me and that it got transmitted off-world, we think to the enemy ship where it was sitting in the outer system, but we're not certain.”

  My stomach twisted at that, “They wanted to kill you?”

  “Kill or capture, just as they wanted to kill or capture the rest of our family,” My grandmother's voice was hard. “They also took every bit of your parent's research. Every datapad, every computer, every bit of handwritten notes, they took everything.”

  “The quicksilver?” I asked. My parents had been behind the research that formed the basis of the advanced implant I carried, made of a material called quicksilver.

  “Possibly,” the Admiral said. “That wasn't the only military-related research that your parents were involved in. There's a lot we just don't know.”

  “My brother...” I hesitated.

  “We haven't found all of the bodies, just yet, Jiden,” My grandmother said softly.

  I closed my eyes. “It's my fault. I told him to run, but he wouldn't. He tried to help me. Then the pirates were there and there wasn't time. I knew they were going to get us, so I kicked the stanchions out and...”

  “Stop, Jiden,” she said. “Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault.”

  I didn't answer. “Mom and Dad?”

  My grandmother's lips pursed into a hard, angry line. “We've recovered their bodies. The pirates... they burned the bodies, but we've identified your mother and father as well as your grandmother, Effy.”

  Until that moment, I hadn't even realized that I still held out hope. But I hung my head, feeling like the world had come crashing in on me yet again.

  “Go get some rest, Jiden,” my grandmother said. “The Enforcers are running the show here, I'm sure they'll want to interview you again, but once we're done here, you and I are going back to Duncan City.”

  I didn't say anything. I walked out, feeling empty, feeling defeated. My entire world had shifted and I had the feeling that I'd only begun to realize the impacts.

  ***

  We held a funeral for my parents and Will in the family cemetery behind the big, grim-looking house that the Admiral lived in. I hadn't even realized that the family had a cemetery, not until that morning when we walked down the steps behind the house. It was a small area, with a couple of flowering desert willow trees and thirty or more markers. It was a pointed reminder that my family had paid steep costs in support of Century's freedom. Duncan City was near enough to the northern pole that grass could be grown and with the shade it was surprisingly comfortable and even serene.

  It would be a good resting place for my parents, and for Will, when they found his body. If they found his body. They were still digging, but from what the Enforcers had passed along, there was too much sand, too much weight. The dig site may be my brother's final resting place.

  Kyle had asked to come and he and his parents met me there. It wasn't the circumstances that I would have wanted to meet my boyfriend's parents. I wondered what they thought of me. I wondered if they hoped that their son would come to his senses and run away before I got him killed, too.

  My grandmother had a military chaplain come to give the services. My brother hadn't started his plebe year yet, so he wasn't officially in the Planetary Militia yet, but I guess the Admiral being a war hero and all, someone had been okay with sending a chaplain, anyway.

  The sermon was solemn, something about loss and grief. I wasn't really paying attention. The news had broken and there were reporters with their drones circling the property. I wanted to go find a rifle and shoot them down. I considered my restraint in that regard as something of a win.

  When it was done, we went back to my grandmother's house and there was a quiet reception. Kyle stuck around but I didn't really feel much like talking. He held my hand and he was there. That was enough for me. I kind of wanted to scream at him that he should run away, far, far away... but I was too selfish to do that. I didn't know if I could get through the rest of the day without his presence.

  At some point, I found myself in the study, walking around, looking at the old, antique books. The ships logs for starship captains and the history books and everything in between. Kyle had gone to get me a drink or a snack or something, I wasn't even sure.

  As I came around the room, I paused, noticing that my grandmother's office doors were slid shut. I frowned at that. I sort of remembered some people showing up a few minutes earlier, a big black ground car with some Enforcers in escort. I had assumed that it was someone important here to give condolences.

  I paused outside the doors, not intentionally eavesdropping, but curious. This was the first thing that struck my curiosity and I wanted to know what was going on that the Admiral had closed the doors to her office.

  “...understand your interest in this matter,” I recognized the voice. It was Charterer Beckman. “However, this security matter has been assigned to the Enforcers. Lieutenant General Corgan is in charge of the matter.”

  “These pirates slipped through the Planetary Militia patrols,” the Admiral's voice was icy and hard. “They knew our patrol schedules. They went entir
ely undetected by sensors... or at least unreported. They knew my schedule, Beckman, this isn't something that can be swept under the rug. These are serious failures.”

  “These issues will all be investigated, Admiral, I assure you. Lieutenant General Corgan has some of her very best personnel on it. We will have answers.”

  “The Enforcers have no jurisdiction within the Century Planetary Militia,” the Admiral's voice was iron hard. “Not only can they not order me to stop my investigation, but they can't investigate the military side of things.”

  “The investigation will be managed across all levels,” Beckman snapped. “And they aren't ordering you to stop investigating, I am. This matter no longer concerns you, Admiral.”

  I went cold as I realized that Beckman wasn't here to offer condolences. She was here to tell my grandmother to steer clear. She was sticking her nose in this business and whether she was doing it just to spite the Admiral or because she had something to hide, it didn't matter. It was everything I could do not to rip open the doors of the office and give the woman a piece of my mind. Instead, I clenched my fists to my side and listened.

  “You can't order me to do that, either,” the Admiral said. “As one of the top three officers in the Militia, the only person who can order me to do that...”

  “Is President Frey, I'm well aware,” Beckman's voice was venomous. “Which is why I'm delivering this by hand. I'm sure you can recognize the signature.”

  The Admiral didn't respond for a long while. “Why are you involved in this, Beckman?”

  “Because there are processes that must be followed, Admiral,” She snapped back. “You're trampling too many toes in this. Pity for the woman who's lost almost everything only goes so far, especially when you start asking questions that make everyone uncomfortable. If you want my advice, I suggest you take some leave time. Maybe consider retirement. It would be terrible if your career ended on a low note, wouldn't it?”

  She's threatening the Admiral? I actually felt a sort of maniacal glee as I considered what was about to happen. There was no way that my grandmother would take that sitting down.

  “I see,” the Admiral's voice shocked me. She sounded.... old, tired.

  “I thought you might, even if it took some time,” Beckman's condescending tone grated on me. Again, I almost pulled the doors open, but I was too confused over what was going on. Surely my grandmother wasn't giving up this easily... right?

  I heard Beckman rise from the chair and walk towards the doors and I swiftly moved away. She opened the doors just as I got to the far side of the study. I was worried that she'd realize I'd been listening, but I realized that I needn't have bothered as she looked over her shoulder, “I truly am sorry for your loss, Admiral Armstrong,” she said it in a loud enough voice to carry all the way to the front lobby area. “Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”

  I'm going to be there when the Admiral gets you back for this, I thought at her with a malevolent glare.

  She ignored my presence as she swept out of the house. I moved to the window and watched her climb into her big black ground car. The car pulled away, despite all my secret wishes that it would blow up or something equally awful.

  “Don't waste your wishes on her,” the Admiral said from behind me.

  I started, not even realizing that she'd come up behind me. “I'm not... how did you...”

  “I know the look, your mother used to get that glare in her eye at times,” my grandmother adopted a wry smile, “sometimes it was aimed at me.”

  I snorted at that, yet I couldn't help feeling awful. How could I laugh at something on a day like this? Some element of my conflicted feelings showed on my face and the Admiral spoke gently, “Your mother wouldn't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life, Jiden.”

  “It just...” I let out a tense breath, “this sucks. I joined the Militia to protect people, to protect them and--”

  “And you couldn't,” my grandmother nodded. “And I couldn't. And believe me, it eats at me, too.” She let out a tense breath. “Come on, let's go for a walk.”

  She led the way out of the study and then up the stairs. I saw Kyle headed towards us and I gave him a little wave and he nodded to show he understood.

  “I had James prepare the room,” The Admiral said, pausing outside the small room I'd lived in for a couple weeks almost three years earlier. She opened the door and stepped inside. I noticed that the dresser was still full. “Whose stuff is this?” I asked, pulling out a shirt that looked thirty years or more out of style. It was almost old enough that I thought it might be in style again.

  “Your mother's,” the Admiral said with a slight sigh. “When she decided to leave the Academy, she and I had some words. She left the house shortly after that and she swore she'd never live under a roof with me again. She left most of her clothing and possessions. I'm afraid that I... didn't want to get rid of any of it. I guess some part of me felt it best to keep it all, just in case she ever wanted any of it.”

  I pulled out a low-cut blouse, the kind of thing I would never have pictured my mother wearing.

  “I can have James get rid of all of it, if you--”

  “No,” I interrupted. “No, please. I'd like to go through it all. I mean, if that's okay with you?”

  “Of course,” she gave me a slight smile. “I might join you.”

  I set the blouse to the side. I noticed the paintings on the walls, “The art, then, I guess it was my mom's, too?” I'd noticed the landscape portraits. Most of them were of the desert, but a few here and there were of the polar sea. There were about a dozen landscapes in the small, high-ceilinged room. I had known that my mother had enrolled in college for art, but I hadn't connected the landscapes with her.

  “They are,” the Admiral nodded. “She never liked doing portraits, she said it was too frustrating trying to capture the essence of a person. She liked Century's landscape. I thought she was much more talented with ships, but she liked landscapes.”

  “The mural,” I realized, “the one of your husband's ship, back at the Academy... she painted that, didn't she?”

  The Admiral nodded. “She did. Plus a few more of the military paintings around the house.”

  She walked over to one painting that leaned against a dresser. It was of a looming, flat-topped black mountain and I realized that it was Black Mesa. In fact, as the Admiral lifted it up and looked at it, I realized that the perspective was pretty much right from where my parents' house had been built.

  “She sent me this, after she and your father moved down to Black Mesa Outpost. I think it's the last painting she ever made,” I could see tears in my grandmother's eyes. She cleared her throat. “You know, I think I'll hang this one in my office.”

  I felt like I'd learned something profound about my mother. I wished that she had been the one to tell me. “Do you have any of her painting supplies?” I asked on impulse.

  The Admiral snorted, “Jiden, those paints dried up long ago and the brushes didn't last either.” She looked at me, though and she sighed, “This way.” She led the way out and down the hallway. We passed by several empty bedrooms and then stopped at a closed door on the far end of the house. “I haven't been in here in... well, since before you were born.” She said it softly, her eyes distant. She opened the door and led the way inside.

  It was a painting studio, I saw. At some point, someone had widened the narrow windows to let in more sunlight. There was a layer of dust over everything and I saw several started canvases that hadn't been finished. To one side, I saw a few partial landscapes, with dried paint tubes and spiky-looking brushes. Most of it looked like it had been set down for just a moment and never picked up again.

  I looked at the other side and I froze. I saw a partially complete portrait. It was of a young woman and man, both with serious expressions. The style was very much like the portraits I'd seen downstairs. I walked closer to it, realizing that the man and woman both looked familiar, but the
ir clothing style was older, like the clothing from my mother's old room. I realized, with shock, that this was of my mother and my uncle. Combined with the portrait I'd seen downstairs, that meant the artist could only be my grandmother. I looked back at her for confirmation and she sighed, “Yes, Jiden, I'm afraid that your mother got her artistic streak from me.” She sniffed, “I think she was better at it.”

  “That's...” I trailed off and looked back at her. “Why didn't you finish it?”

  The Admiral's face took on a haunted look. “Your mother and I had our falling out. Not long after that, your uncle decided to fly a tramp freighter rather than pursue his career in the Militia. I'm afraid my artistic tendencies sort of dried up.”

  “You should finish it,” I said impulsively.

  The Admiral shot me an arch look and I couldn't help but flush with embarrassment. “I don't take orders from youngsters,” she said archly. Yet she stared at the painting for a long moment. “Still. It would be good to finish it. It would be nice to remember them both.”

  I realized that the Admiral had buried her husband and both her children at this point. I couldn't imagine what she'd been going through... and now Charterer Becket was trying to run her out of the Militia. Maybe it was good for her to think about the good times.

  “Well,” she said. “I'm sure your boyfriend is looking for you downstairs. I'll ask James to come clean this room and later, when we have a bit more time, you and I can look through your mother’s things, okay?”

  I nodded and I followed her out. Yet as I did so, I couldn't help but shoot a last glance over my shoulder at the solemn-faced young man and woman.

  ***

  My implant pinged me to tell me that I had an incoming message. Since the pirates had stolen everything of value that I'd owned, including my datapad, and burned the rest, I was having to recreate all of my pre-course homework for my upcoming classes. I welcomed the work, though, because it meant I didn't have time to think.

  I saw it was Sashi and Alexander calling and I hesitated before I accepted.