Chapter 24
Chapter 24
6 Months Earlier
It was the middle of winter at the SDI base. The air was cooler, and Zeke had taken to wearing his trench coat everywhere he went. At the moment, he was walking the perimeter of the base, looking at the forest. Interestingly enough, the trees had retained all their leaves, despite the temperature drop.
Zeke checked his watch for the date. Today was the day, he realized. Nehemiah would reach Elethon, his long journey across empty space nearly complete. Zeke nodded. The kid would love the SDI flight school. Maybe not the SDI part. But the flying…Nehemiah was a natural.
Zeke paused and took a deep breath. Despite his long tenure on the planet, the air still felt unnaturally fresh and invigorating. Zeke smiled. Yanaro had grown to feel more and more like home. He could live here the rest of his life if he needed to.
As he continued his walk, he reviewed all that had happened in the past couple of months. A relief shuttle had finally arrived, bringing supplies, new soldiers, and Zeke’s official promotion and designation as commanding officer of the base. With that, Zeke had turned the Peregrine over to its new captain, Ward. He had watched as his beloved ship took the skies, and headed back to the Solar System. Just like that, she was gone, though the ache in his chest remained.
Every now and then, Zeke still made his way into space. When things were quiet, he would leave the base in the hands of his lieutenant, Amos Cummins III. Then, usually with the help of Kelin, Zeke would take the Accipiter for a spin, up in the quiet emptiness. It helped relax him, calm his mind. The Neyan was great company, willing to talk when the time came, and just as quiet to remain silent when needed.
Zeke smiled again. Despite his obligations as a general, life was good on Yanaro.
A flurry of wingbeats, and Zeke knew that Kelin had found him. The alien fell right in step with the general.
“How’s it going?” Zeke greeted him.
“Alright,” the Neyan shrugged. “I’m tired. Got home late last night.”
“Got home from where?” Zeke asked, though he felt like he knew the answer.
“Te’ol– the other Neyan tribe,” Kelin said, catching himself.
It took all of Zeke’s willpower not to grin.
“Hmm, when are you going to pay the Southern Neyan a visit,” Zeke continued, as nonchalantly as possible.
Kelin shrugged again.
“I don’t know,” he replied nonchalantly. “There is still a lot to figure out about the prophecy and the connection between my tribe and Te’oli’s.”
“Mmhmm,” Zeke said. “How is Te’oli?”
Kelin turned and looked at Zeke. Zeke could barely keep a straight face. The alien continued to stare at Zeke until the general couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. Kelin’s crestfallen face only made it worse.
“Why else would you keep making the journey over there?” Zeke said between chuckles. “I mean, two or three times, sure. But consistently? For six months?”
“There’s a lot of stuff we need to figure out!” Kelin protested. “About the prophecy I mean.”
“There is definitely stuff you need to figure out,” Zeke replied. “And it’s not about any prophecy.”
Kelin shook his head.
“You’re hopeless,” he muttered. That only started Zeke on a fresh round of laughter.
“Seiously though, how is she?” Zeke finally asked.
Kelin looked at the ground, and grinned sheepishly.
“She’s doing well,” he said quietly. Then he blushed.
Zeke raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t known Neyan could blush.
“Well, Nehemiah should have made it to Elethon by now,” Zeke said, giving Kelin a break.
“That was a long trip,” Kelin replied, trying to regain his dignity.
“Yeah. He deserved it though.”
“Why?”
Zeke paused for effect.
“He left me with his lovesick, teenage, alien friend.”
Kelin stopped dead in his tracks. Zeke kept walking, snickering to himself as the alien tried to come up with a response.
“I’m not lovesick!” Kelin yelled. Zeke just kept walking. Kelin shook his head, muttering to himself as he hurried to catch up.
✵✵✵✵
The sun had risen well above the trees by the time the duo had returned to the main building. They entered the mess hall where Zeke grabbed a plate of breakfast and dug in. As always, Kelin watched, but did not touch the human food. In fact, Zeke had no idea what the Neyan ate. If they ate at all.
The officer’s mess was just down the hall, but Zeke preferred the bustle of the soldier’s mess hall. It was a habit he had picked up from Smith, his predecessor. It always seemed to tear down the boundaries between officer and soldier… and the SDI could always use less stuck up generals and lieutenants.
And though the soldiers rarely said so, they appreciated the gesture. Kelin had also become a familiar face to the base occupants.
Zeke was just finishing up the last of his eggs when the mess hall door burst open. A short, stocky man, Zeke’s aide-de-camp, ran in. Spying the general, he hurried over.
Zeke quickly swallowed his eggs.
“Morning Amos,” he said.
The aide, Amos Cummins, shoved an e-pad in front of Zeke.
“Sir, a ship just exited out of the speed ring. The details are all there.”
Zeke scanned the e-pad. The ship was a large dignitary shuttle, used for carrying the top officers and bureaucrats of the SDI.
“What is that doing out here?” Zeke asked.
“We contacted the shuttle, sir,” Amos replied.
“It is carrying someone by the name of Trabant. Hugo Trabant. He wanted to speak with you, sir.”
Zeke stood up quickly.
“Command center. Now,” he ordered.