Chapter 27
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Garret asked Davlan Tremere who merely nodded at him gravely. Garret let out another sigh and looked to the other man standing in front of him. They were all in a small antechamber, waiting for the signal to enter the other room. Garret was dressed in the midnight blue and silver formal attire of his house, complete with half-cape, and Tremere was dressed in the brown and greens associated with his own house. The other man, falling in age between Davlan and Garret was wearing the black judicial robe and white fancy wig common to the Republic magistrates. “Your honor, I thank you not only for your assistance in the last few days, but for the use of your court room.”
“For better or worse, history will remember that the first appeal reviewed by the Chief Magistrate of the Republic on Calos was performed in my court room, with me at his side, whispering in his ear.” Republic Magistrate Liam Mallory said with a slight bow of his head. “I pray history will judge my whispers advised you well.”
“As do I.” Garret replied with a formal nod of his head. The light above the door turned green, indicating the courtroom was ready. Garret squared his shoulders, stood tall and led the two men into the main courtroom.
“All rise for the Chief Magistrate of the Republic on Calos, Speaker Garret Atrix and his advisors the Honorable Magister Liam Mallory of the Republic Courts and Speaker Davlan Tremere.” The voice of a bailiff cried out as he stepped into the small courtroom. Garret had chosen this room on purpose, because it could hold only forty people besides the defense and prosecution barristers. Still the room was packed as he made his way onto the wooden dais. The room looked like one out of an old entertainment disk of old-Earth courtrooms, full of warm wood-paneled walls with the prosecution on his right and the defense on his left as he sat in the chair normally reserved for Magister Mallory. Davlan sat behind his right side, while Mallory sat on a stool behind his left. Both were close enough that they could lean forward to whisper advice to him without being heard by anyone. As they all sat at the same time, the rest of the courtroom resumed their own seats and Garret stifled another sigh. He’d been warned that Bishop Torrellini would be here, but he hadn’t really believed the man would dare to take the seat of Defense next to the accused criminal. The criminal’s regular barrister sat on the other side of the condemned.
At the side of the prosecution, six attorneys sat huddled in the formal suits that were expected of the Prosecution as well as the white powdered wigs. Garret spared them a brief look before his eyes sought out the heavy bishop dressed in his Episcopal purple cassock, and with ten gleaming gold rings adorning his fingers that rested with his clasped hands on his distended stomach. Garret wanted to keep this direct confrontation from happening, but as the man’s popularity slid with the public, his attempts at drawing Garret out had become more brazen.
Now he’d managed this situation where he would be in a position to argue with Garret publicly, as the cameras floating around the courtroom would record every gesture, every word spoken. It was a calculated move, given the specifics of the case, but it could conceivably be a gold mine for the bishop. It even made him look a little humble since he had to recognize Garret’s authority in this courtroom or be ejected.
“I call these proceedings to order.” Garret said in as neutral a tone as he could manage. How he wished he could have denied this appeal as he had every other that had been proffered up to him in his role as Chief Magistrate. Very few cases were ever heard by the leading Speaker on any planet, but cases of capital murder, with their penalty of death was one type of case they could not refuse to hear. When the bishop had ensured this case was appealed, he’d known full well Garret could not refuse to hear it. Now, here he was two days before his wedding, holding this hearing instead of greeting Billy’s shuttle as it landed later today. “As Chief Magister of the Republic on Calos, I do hereby convene these proceedings to determine the validity of the order of death in the case of Percival Conway vs. The People of Calos.”
“Chief Magister.” Bishop Torrellini said calmly as he stood.
“Yes, your Grace?” Garret asked calmly.
“If it please the court I would move for an immediate dismissal of all charges.” Torrellini said calmly, although Garret noticed that the man’s gaze was locked on Judge Mallory, not on Garret.
“Grounds?” Mallory whispered as he leaned forward. “It is a legitimate motion that must be dealt with or discharged.”
“On what grounds do you make this motion?” Garret asked, pleased that Mallory had whispered his advice, although he had not needed it on this matter.
“Brother Conway is a citizen of the Fellowship of God, born on Earth.” Torrellini said while spreading his hands wide. “He is a blessed child of the Prophet, and as such cannot be tried by an earthly court here on this planet. His trial must be before God in accordance with the law.”
“How say the prosecution?” Garret asked before Mallory could lean forward again. A slight rustling showed the man had started to move but was now leaning back on his stool.
“Your honor, the Prosecution would remind the court that Priest Conway was required to renounce his Imperial citizenship after their forces were driven from the planet in order to receive permission to remain on our world.” Chief Prosecutor Terrence Whittier, III said as he stood at his table. He was every inch the Calosian aristocrat, and the leading Equality Candidate for President in the next election, just over a year away at this point.
“One cannot renounce membership in the body of God.” Torrellini countered with a harrumph.
“The Most Excellent Bishop will kindly remember this courtroom follows the laws of the Republic, not those of his Empire.” Garret said firmly to the Bishop who frowned at him, mostly for the cameras. “This is an appeal hearing, to determine that the law was followed by the lower courts in determining the guilt or innocence of the accused, and that all subsequent laws for sentencing were followed. While other evidence may be introduced, the citizenship of Monsieur Conway is moot in the end. The crime was committed on Calos, within the boundaries of the Republic, and the victim was of the Republic. The only situation in which the citizenship of the condemned would be relevant would be if the Empire wished to claim diplomatic immunity based on his status as a member of the Imperial government on a sanctioned assignment in the Republic. Was he an agent of your government, Monsieur Bishop?”
“No, no he was not.” Torrellini frowned again as he sat down.
“Very well, the motion is dismissed as being without relevance.” Garret ordered and looked to the Prosecutor. “Monsieur Whittier, would the Prosecution please recite the conviction of the accused?”
“It is our honor, Chief Magister.” Whittier said as he stood back up and held out a document with one hand. “On October 30th of the year 2478, the accused did…”
“Just a moment, please.” Garret said with a frown. “What year did you state?”
“2478, your honor.” The prosecutor said with an uneasy frown.
“Of what calendar?” Garret asked while the frown on the Bishop’s face turned into a slight smile.
“The Earth Gregorian calendar.” The Prosecutor answered as his frown widened.
“I see.” Garret said with a look of disdain. “Is this not a Republic courtroom and is not the official Calendar of the Republic the Standard Calendar based on the date of Colonization?”
“Yes, your honor, but Calos has chosen to keep the official Calendar of old Earth.” The prosecutor began to explain, but Garret cut him off with the wave of a hand.
“Whatever choice the people of Calos have made, this is a Republic court.” Garret countered. “Please observe the Republic’s calendar in a Republic court.”
“As ordered.” Whittier said with a slight bow of his head while Liam Mallory leaned forward.
“You do realize what you just did, don’t you?” Mallory asked very softly.
“Yes.” Garret responded just as quietly. The calendar was something that irked him, and he had until now not been able to raise the issue. Now though, his statement had effectively ordered all Republic Courts on the planet to recognize only the Republic’s Standard Calendar. Outside the court room, it would not be enforceable, but all the lower court and appeal court judges on Calos, and by extent the planetary and local courts had to follow the standards of the Republic courts, every court on the planet would enforce this. Certainly it would not force anyone outside the courts to change which calendar they followed, but if they went into a court, or had to file a legal document, it would be in the Republic’s date system instead of the Earth system. Garret fixed Whittier with a look and nodded for the man to continue.
“Yes, um, on the thirtieth day of the tenth month, local time in the Republic year of 368, the accused Monsieur Conway, at the time employed as a priest by the Fellowship of God…” Whittier began before the Bishop rose to his feet.
“One is not employed by the Church; one is called to the church by God!” The Bishop proclaimed loudly.
“Please sit down and refrain from interrupting unless you have a motion to make or an objection based on law.” Garret said with a sigh. “Again, this is a Republic court, not the staged courts of the Empire.”
“You show your prejudice against the People of God.” The Bishop said accusatorially, raising a finger and pointing it at Garret. “The abomination shows his true colors at last?”
“I have no idea where you get the impression that I have ever felt anything positive towards your Empire.” Garret responded with a snort of indignation and a piercing glare at the Bishop. “Over sixty years ago, you swarmed Republic space trying to take what is ours by the force of your military might. You bombed this planet, and then subjugated its people for thirty long years. How many thousands died in your re-education camps, Bishop? How many good men and women of Calos died after your troops cut down the Lady Richter on the steps of her home? How many babies died at the hands of your squads, like the young Richter children who were thrown to the pavement and crushed under the boots of your soldiers? No, Bishop, I have no love of the Empire inside of me. Despite that, Monsieur Conway has received a fair trail instead of being hauled off for a secret trial and a secret verdict, followed by a secret execution. I know you must be frustrated with being unable to use your ‘ecclesiastical’ office to produce the verdict you desire.
“Despite any prejudice I might carry for Earth’s Empire, I remind you that the Republic considers law to be supreme in our worlds.” Garret continued, lessening the amount of vitriol in his voice. “If you can present a valid, legal reason, in accordance with the laws of the Republic, as to why Monsieur Conway is not guilty of murdering a human being, or why the murder does not deserve the penalty of death as determined by a jury of his peers, then I will be forced to overturn the ruling of the lower courts. If you cannot, then I will uphold their decisions. This is the Republic sir, and it is the law which rules in the Republic, not the whimsies of individuals!”
“Very well, then.” The Bishop said huffily and Garret wondered for a moment if he’d walked into a trap laid by the man. “Brother Conway cannot be guilty of the murder of a human being. At worst he is guilty of putting down an animal that had dared to defile a House of God!”
“Bishop, I was very specific, was I not?” Garret said with a sigh, glad that this was the best that the man had to throw at him. “Officer Larven was a duly constituted officer of the New Edinburgh police department, on loan from the Republic Marines during the reconstruction of Calos.”
“It was a clone!” The Bishop roared.
“This is the Republic, Bishop.” Garret said derisively. “The Republic recognizes clones as being human. Your notion is irrelevant in the eyes of Republic law. Brother Conway did use his crozier to assault Officer Larven, causing him serious head injury that resulted in the death of said officer.”
“It was in a House of God, in defiance of your Republic laws guaranteeing the sanctity of religious belief!” The Bishop countered. Whittier cleared his throat and Garret nodded at him.
“If it please the court, the Prosecution would point out the case of The Republic v. Marbury. In the year 42, the Supreme Court of the Republic ruled that a religious institution was not immune from searches done in accordance with the laws of the Republic. Strossom v. Jounder, a 01-12 Model clone in the year 249 ruled that Republic Statute 92184.6 section (d) recognized the clone Jounder as possessing the rights of any human being and ordered compensation to Jounder as a result of a particularly brutal beating by Strossom, who at the time was the holder of Jounder’s contract. These two cases in conjunction ratify that on the date of the murder, Officer Larven was acting in accordance with his duties as an officer of the law. The religious house in question had fallen under suspicion of hiding a cache of weapons and explosives for a nascent terrorist pro-Imperial terrorist group. A warrant was secured in full accordance with Republic laws. Officer Larven ordered his police squad to enter the building unarmed, and without the tactical gear that might have saved his life. At the initial trial of Monsieur Conway, the testimony of over twenty police officers stated that this order was given out of respect to the building being a place of worship. The time of the search was chosen as a time where worship services were not being held, again in deference to the religious beliefs of practitioners who legitimately used the church for the expression of their religious beliefs.”
“Thank you Monsieur Whittier, for reminding the court of those details.” Garret said with a nod for the man who sat back down. He turned back to the Bishop who gave Whittier a glare. “Bishop, I do believe the prosecutor is right. Officer Larven had the rights of any human being, and Brother Conway did violate those rights when he murdered the officer who had taken every reasonable step to lessen the interruption of the religious institution.”
“If he was so sensitive, he should not have entered the House of God.” The Bishop snorted.
“Come now, Bishop, does Earth still harbor those practices where one human is discriminated against because of the color of his skin?” Garret’s voice dripped with derision.
“Of course not.” The bishop snorted.
“Good, then you will acknowledge that all humans are born equal?” Garret asked without smiling, even though he wanted to do that.
“Humans, yes, but no matter what your heretical laws might say, clones like you and that officer are all abominations, not humans.” The Bishop said and Garret let a little of the smile show on his face.
“Please, Bishop, insulting the Magister hearing your defendant’s case is not the best way to keep him from his fate.” Garret said softly.
“This farce of a court has already reached its decision!” The Bishop said loudly while his face turned slightly red. “It is an example of how this planet has turned from the path of God and is doomed to eternal hellfire and damnation!”
“Please, this is not your church.” Garret cut him off. “Do you have no decency? Here this man’s life hangs in the balance and you would rather deliver a sermon for the cameras than honestly try to help him? Must I take on that duty? Very well, if you are incapable.”
“What?” The Bishop said with a shocked look on his face as Garret stood and turned to Davlan Tremere.
“Speaker Tremere, please assume the adjudication of this hearing.” Garret said. “I will attempt to argue the case of Monsieur Conway.”
“I object!” The Bishop noted while the thin priest next to him got a very nervous look on his face.
“Objection noted and overruled.” Tremere said as Garret stepped off the dais. He glared at the Bishop as he moved to stand in front of the defendant’s table, and the man had the decency to sit down while grumbling under his breath. Whittier looked stunned, but gave Garret a respectful nod while Tremere took control of the courtroom. “I believe Monsieur Whittier was about to read the conviction.”
“Um, yes.” Whittier stumbled for a moment before reading out the specifics of the conviction while Garret stood with his back to the sitting Bishop. He could feel the Bishop’s hateful stare at the back of his head, but he ignored it. In a physical fight, he’d have never turned his back on an enemy, but this was not a physical fight. When Whittier finished, Garret caught Tremere’s eyes.
“Does the defense have an argument that would overturn this conviction?” Tremere asked Garret formally.
“Not the conviction, rather there is a problem with the sentencing.” Garret said carefully.
“I do not wish this… abomination speaking for me!” Conway said as he got to his feet.
“I do not speak for you, I speak for the laws of the Republic.” Garret said coolly. Conway began to retort, but by turning his head, Garret could see the heretofore-silent attorney whispering urgently to him. The Bishop then shook his head at Conway who subsided.
“What is your issue with the sentencing, Speaker Atrix?” Tremere asked when the courtroom had again fallen silent.
“The trial judge incorrectly gave instruction to the jury regarding the sentencing.” Garret said coolly, noting the frown appearing on Whittier’s face. Yes, this was the right track to take. “The trial judge clearly instructed the jury under laws that went into effect two days after the crime was committed. Under the law in effect at the time of the incident, Monsieur Conway was guilty of second-degree murder. He had due aggravation by the presence of someone he believed to be an abomination to his religious beliefs inside his house of worship. He did not plan the attack, and by the testimony of all involved, including Monsieur Conway himself, the attack was carried out in a moment of rage based on the violation of his religious beliefs. Such beliefs do not excuse his actions, but they do not rise to the level for which the penalty of death applies. The jury was not given the option of recognizing that fact in the sentencing phase of deliberations, and thus did not have the ability to reach a more just verdict, such as life imprisonment with the possibility of parole if he is judged to no longer be a danger in similar situations. Republic law is clear in this matter. A defendant must be tried by the laws that were in effect at the time of the offense, and all relevant information must be presented to the jury. The proper remedy would be for a jury to be re-paneled, given proper instruction, and to revisit the sentencing.”
“The appeals court heard this argument and rejected it.” Whittier said softly.
“The appeals court was wrong.” Garret said forcefully. “For whatever reason they rejected it, and they gave none in their ruling, the fact remains that while he was convicted in accordance with the laws of the Republic, his sentencing was improper and must be redone.”
“Is this all?” Tremere asked.
“I shall recite relevant case histories, if it is necessary, but that is the primary argument I have to make.” Garret said.
“That will not be necessary.” Tremere asked. “Does the Prosecution deny the charge that the sentencing of the defendant was made based on laws that were not in effect at the time the crime was committed?”
“No.” Whittier said softly.
“Then the point is moot.” Tremere said with a grin. “It is hereby ordered that the case be remanded to trial court for the purpose of proper sentencing in accordance with the laws in place at the time of sentencing. Hearing adjourned.”
“Proud of yourself?” The Bishop’s voice sounded from behind Garret and he turned to meet his arch nemesis on this planet. The Bishop stood and moved around the table until he was nose to nose with Garret. The man was several inches taller, and looked down on Garret, but Garret was not intimidated. “You have only carried on this miscarriage of justice, abomination.”
“The correct form of address is Speaker Atrix, Bishop.” Garret countered politely as everyone turned to watch the confrontation. “As for the ruling, I am very satisfied. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, the Republic is ruled by law, not the feelings of the moment. If I had my way, your client would be put on a spit over an open flame and roasted to death slowly while two clones turned the spit over and over so he cooked evenly on all sides.”
“Hearing you repeat yourself so much gets tiresome, abomination.” The Bishop said with a put-upon sigh. “You say these platitudes over and over as if you can hammer them into the minds of the people so much that they’ll eventually believe your lies.”
“It would not be necessary if you and your people had not spent thirty years using the butts of your rifles to force your lies on the good people of this planet.” Garret retorted angrily.
“We did nothing of the kind.” The Bishop retorted. “We brought the light of truth and the Word of God to this planet. It was your nuclear devices that ruined the paradise of the main continent and forced the people of this planet to take shelter on this cold, rocky land.”
“Again, you ignore your government’s own involvement.” Garret said with an open sneer. “It was the Empire that dropped nukes on the main continent as they fled, ruining it for use. Our nuclear weapons were limited to military installations away from civilian targets.”
“Gentlemen, please, this is not the time or the place.” Tremere said from where he’d come up behind Garret.
“You are right.” The Bishop said with a nod towards the elder man. “As it happens, I do have official business with the Republic’s representatives on this planet.”
“Oh really?” Garret sniped, unable to control his temper for the moment. When had it gotten so hard for him to control his emotions like this?
“Yes.” The Bishop said calmly as he pulled a packet of papers out of his robe and handed it towards Tremere. “In recent days it has come to the attention of the Fellowship that the Republic has stolen Imperial property under the orders of one Commodore Atrix. This is an official request for its return.”
“I cannot accept that.” Tremere said without reaching for the papers. “Speaker Atrix is the senior representative here, unless you care to wait for a day. Chief Speaker Ito arrives to attend the wedding of his daughter to Speaker Atrix.”
“Another heresy.” Torrellini said with a sneer. “I fear the hatred expressed by Atrix for all things related to Earth makes me wonder if our case will be heard, but I see no other choice.”
“What is this?” Garret asked as he took the papers from the man.
“I do believe the entire planet of Calos can bear witness to your giving orders to seize our property.” The Bishop responded.
It was obvious the man had an agenda for this little scenario now playing out. Was it possible he’d come here today for this moment rather than the trail itself? Garret had not been in the same room as the bishop since his welcoming dinner several months ago, and he was quite certain the hovering cameras in the room were actively covering this meeting.
“If you’re talking about the response to the distress call that happened while I was doing an interview, then I can assure you no Imperial property is in Republic hands.” Garret answered as calmly as he could. His voice was still edgy though, and tried to take a calming breath before continuing. “We found an old freighter drifting with severe battle damage, and left it there after rescuing its crew. They requested asylum in the Republic and the appropriate authorities have granted that asylum. The ship, and all its contents except for the people was left where we found it, and we sent that location to the Imperial border station on your side of the Buffer Zone.”
“I believe you will find that the property you took off were thirty-six clones formerly of the Army of God.” Bishop Torrellini said with a grimace of distaste at the word ‘clone’. “They mutinied and were being chased by proper authorities when they escaped into the Buffer Zone. They are the property of the Fellowship and must be returned.”
“How can they be property?” Garret asked as innocently as he could. It wouldn’t do to smile just yet.
“Oh please, spare me your semantic arguments.” The Bishop’s voice was condescending and Garret felt his temper flare. “You Republic heretics might say that you recognize clones as being human, but you still have these so-called ‘contracts’ that equate clones with being no more than property, as they are considered in the Fellowship. If a clone fled his contract-holder and tried to claim asylum in the Fellowship, you would be demanding his return as property just as we are with these military clones you are now holding.”
“There is at least one difference between how the Republic deals with clones and how your Empire deals with them.” Garret said angrily. “Once a clone has repaid the value of his contract, he is free to lead his life the same as any other human in the Republic.”
“Indentured servitude or slavery, both are essentially the same.” Torrellini said with a shrug of his shoulders. “At least in the Fellowship we know very well that a clone is not a true human being. How could they be without a human soul? No, it was only the use of such abominable creations by the Republic in the War of Aggression that made us stoop to your level and use such creatures.”
“If you dislike them so, why do you want their return?” Garret asked. “One would think you would be happy to be rid of them.”
“Even though they be abominations, they are still part of the Fellowship and we care for our own, as the faithful here on Calos have learned.” The Bishop’s voice was sanctimonious in Garret’s opinion. “Their fate is our concern and we would not have them abused at the hands of the Republic. You torture even your own Speakers when the whimsy takes you.”
“They were traitors and had vital information about a dangerous military situation.” Garret retorted hotly before he could stop himself from speaking. Whoever had leaked that should be shot! “Unlike the Empire, we take such things very seriously. A review panel investigated the situation and found the actions appropriate. If they hadn’t, both my fiancée and I would have faced a tribunal for it. Does the Empire ever give such review when your people torture?”
“We don’t torture.” The bishop said loftily.
“I thought lying was a sin.” Garret shot back.
“It is, which is why I do not lie.” The Bishop answered. “Please, review the request and forward it to your masters, boy. As I am not a member of my government, you and your owners should reply to the government through regular channels. I understand Earth is considering sending an Archbishop to this planet to act as Ambassador. I’m sure you will be honored to have a real Embassy on this planet. Good day.”
“I am a free man!” Garret nearly shouted as the Bishop turned on his heel and strode confidently from the room. Somehow he’d pulled off a victory of sorts in the confrontation and Garret wasn’t sure how control had been lost. This was his place, his ground, and somehow he’d lost to the Bishop. He stewed on that, chewing it like a piece of grisel, all the way back to the mountaintop hotel that was still serving as his home.
He almost groaned when, almost an hour later, he walked into the suite on the top floor of the hotel and found the main room to be empty of everyone except Masako. Devin and the others who had been accompanying him had stopped outside the doors, closing them behind Garret as he entered. Garret faced Masako, who was dressed in soft levvin pants and a green cotton blouse. She had her arms crossed and was frowning.
“Are you alright?” She asked him softly and he was taken aback for a moment. He’d expected some harsh words from her, not this. “Are you feeling ill? Maybe you’re coming down with a cold? This planet’s a lot colder than either of us are use to, you know.”
“I’m fine.” Garret answered tersely. “You saw?”
“Yes, which is why I’m wondering if you’re okay.” She stated. “When we first arrived on this planet you would have handled that a lot better.”
“Here comes the lecture.” Garret grated. The last few weeks she’d been putting more and more pressure on him as he stepped up his efforts to push the people of Calos into assimilating back into the Republic culture at a faster pace than they had been. The Republic had molly-coddled them far too much over the last decade and a half.
“Do you need a lecture?” She asked with a tilt of her head.
“No, but you’re going to give me one.” Garret replied, unsettled by the hint of a whine in his voice.
“What was that business with the dates?” She demanded, launching her lecture as he’d expected. Her pregnancy, very noticeable now, had really done a number on her temper, as he’d been finding out the last few weeks.
“Calos has resisted switching from Imperial dates to Republic dates for far too long.” Garret said with a sigh. They’d had this discussion before, just after Aaron had first suggested it to him. “They resist making this change out of stupid sentimentality, so I helped push them along. The courts have to follow my lead in this, and that’ll spread out through the planet from there. Within a year the old calendar will be replaced forever.”
“Only on official documents.” Masako protested as she’d done before. “Really, you should listen to your advisors who have a lot more experience than a cook.”
“There you go, bashing Aaron again.” Garret said in a slightly loud voice, pointing a finger at her. “What is it with you? What do you have against him?”
“I have nothing against him, just what he’s whispering into your ears at night.” Masako said grimly. “Really, Garret, why do you put such stock in what he has to say? I know I don’t need to remind you of the fallacies of his family’s political…”
“That’s it!” Garret nearly shouted. “You blame him for his family, don’t you? You and everyone else! Is that why you told me to fuck him and get him out of my system? Is that why you’ve been pushing Deci and the others at me hoping I’ll take them to my bed again and kick him out? I thought we agreed that we’d leave each other’s bed partners alone in this relationship!”
“I’ve been pushing no one at you.” Maskao huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Garret. “As I recall, you were the one who told Aaron that you had no intention of remaining monogamous to him. Didn’t you say that after your encounter with Lukas on the carrier?”
“That was a mistake.” Garret said defensively.
“Be that as it may, you know Deci, and both Davin and Devin miss your company.” Masako pointed out. “You’ve all but ignored them except for business matters ever since your trip to Braxix with Aaron. What happened up there anyway? You haven’t spoken about it at all.”
“It was… it was difficult.” Garret said as he exhaled slowly. The memory of that trip was still fresh in his mind. They’d had to wear environmental suits because of the residual poisons in the soil, and Aaron had broken down in tears when they entered the quarters Garret had shared with Aaron’s brother. Garret had been surprised that it was relatively untouched over the years. The holo-player that Aaron’s brother had been listening to when the fatal gas attack occurred was still lying on its side, its battery having long since run out of power. Aaron had realized the truth when he’d seen it, that his brother had been so intent in watching the recording that he’d reacted too slowly to the chemical alert, that he’d dropped the holo-player showing a recorded message Aaron had sent him and failed to get his protective gear on in time. The boy’s natural clumsiness had further slowed him down. Garret hadn’t wanted to take Aaron in there, but he’d insisted and ever since then, Garret had been trying to be more considerate of the boy’s feelings. Knowing that in some small part, he’d contributed to his brother’s death hurt Aaron deeply, and on top of everything else, essentially losing all of his other family members, Aaron had felt so alone.
Garret had resolved then that he’d help Aaron realize he wasn’t alone.
“Why was it so difficult?” Masako demanded when Garret didn’t explain.
“Look, it’s something private between Aaron and I.” Garret told her.
“I thought you trusted me.” Masako said with a woeful look that almost tore at his heart. No, he pushed aside those feelings and focused rather more intently on his resolution to help Aaron realize he wasn’t all alone. Besides, Aaron’s ideas had been good ones; ideas no one else had come up with and they really were helping with moving Calos back into a real Republic world.
“I do trust you.” Garret sighed, remembering that the bulge in her stomach was their child, their son, his heir. “To make a long story short, up there on Braxix, Aaron was overwhelmed by a sense of being alone. I’m trying to help him understand that he’s not alone.”
“Of course he’s not.” Masako snorted. “But does that justify following his advice on all things, even over the protests of people who are more skilled in these matters?”
“I won’t hear another word about that.” Garret said sharply, his anger rising again. “I decide what advice to follow and I at least listen to everyone before deciding.”
“Fine.” Masako said as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. For some reason it reminded him of the Bishop walking away from him and he shuddered before walking out another side door and heading towards the kitchen.
“Hey, you’re back.” Aaron said with an immediate smile as Garret walked into the room. “Oh, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just need a hug.” Garret said softly and felt better when Aaron hugged him right away.
“Anytime.” Aaron whispered into Garret’s ear and he relaxed slightly. He shouldn’t have let himself get so upset. Tomorrow he married Masako, and she was pregnant.
No wonder she was being so silly.
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