“You said good-bye to everyone?” I asked her.
“I have,” Savitri said, and held up her wrist, which had a bracelet on it. “From Beata. Says it was her grandmother’s.”
“She’s going to miss you,” I said.
“I know,” Savitri said. “I’m going to miss her. She’s my friend. We’re all going to miss people. That’s why it’s called leaving.”
“You could still stay,” Trujillo said to Savitri. “There’s no reason you need to go with this idiot. I’ll even give you a twenty percent raise.”
“Oooh, a raise,” Savitri said. “It’s tempting. But I’ve been with this idiot for a long time. I like him. I like his family more, of course, but who wouldn’t.”
“Nice,” I said.
Savitri smiled. “If nothing else he keeps me amused. I never know what’s going to happen next, but I know I want to find out. Sorry.”
“All right, a thirty percent raise,” Trujillo said.
“Sold,” Savitri said.
“What?” I said.
“I’m kidding,” Savitri said. “Idiot.”
“Remind me to dock your pay,” I said.
“How are you going to pay me now, anyway?” Savitri said.
“Look,” I said. “Something that needs your attention. Over there. Away from here.”
“Hmmmph,” Savitri said. She went over to give Trujillo a hug, then jerked a thumb at me. “If things don’t work out with this guy, I may come crawling back for my old job.”
“It’s yours,” Trujillo said.
“Excellent,” Savitri said. “Because if the last year has taught me anything, it’s to have a backup plan.” She gave Trujillo another quick hug. “I’m going to go collect Zo?, she said to me. “As soon as you’re in the shuttle, we’re ready.”
“Thanks, Savitri,” I said. “I’ll be there in a minute. See you then.” She squeezed my shoulder and walked off.
“Have you said good-bye to everyone you want to?” Trujillo asked.
“I’m doing it now,” I said.
Minutes later our shuttle was in the sky, heading toward the Gentle Star. Zo? was crying silently, patting Babar and missing her friends. Jane, sitting next to her, gathered her in a hug. I looked out the porthole as I left behind another world.
“How do you feel?” Jane asked me.
“Sad,” I said. “I wanted this to be my world. Our world. Our home. But it wasn’t. It’s not.”
“I’m sorry,” Jane said.
“Don’t be,” I said. I turned and smiled at her. “I’m glad we came. I’m just sad it wasn’t to stay.”
I turned back to the porthole. The Roanoke sky was fading to black around me.
“This is your ship,” General Rybicki said to me, motioning around the observation deck he’d just been led into. I had been waiting for him there.
“It is,” I said. “For now. You could say we’re leasing it. I think it’s originally Arrisian, which is some irony for you. It also explains the low ceilings.”
“So I should address you as Captain Perry?” Rybicki asked. “That’s a step down from your previous rank.”
“Actually, Jane’s the captain. I’m her nominal superior, but she’s in charge of the boat. I think that makes me a commodore. Which is a step up.”
“Commodore Perry,” Rybicki said. “Catchy. Not very original, I’m afraid.”
“I suppose not,” I said. I held up the PDA I had in my hand. “Jane called me as you were being led up here. She told me that it had been suggested to you that you might try killing me.”
“Christ,” Rybicki said. “I’d like to know how she knows these things.”
“I hope you’re not planning to go through with it,” I said. “It’s not that you couldn’t do it. You’re still CDF. You’re fast and strong enough to snap my neck before anyone could stop you. But you wouldn’t make it out of this room afterward. I don’t want you to die.”
“I appreciate that,” Rybicki said, dryly. Then, “No. I’m not here to kill you. I’m here to try to understand you.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said.
“You can start by telling me why you sent for me,” Rybicki said. “The Colonial Union has all sorts of diplomats. If the Conclave is going to start a parlay with the CU, that’s who should be here talking to you. So I’m wondering why you asked for me.”
“Because I felt I owed you an explanation,” I said.
“For what?” Rybicki said.
I motioned. “For this,” I said. “Why I’m here and not on Roanoke. Or anywhere in the Colonial Union.”
“I assumed it was because you didn’t want to be tried for treason,” Rybicki said.
“There is that,” I said. “But that’s not it. How are things in the Colonial Union?”
“You’re not seriously expecting me to tell you anything here,” Rybicki said.
“I mean very generally,” I said.
“They’re fine,” Rybicki said. “The Conclave attacks have stopped. Roanoke has been secured and we’ll be landing a second wave of colonists there within a month.”
“That’s ahead of schedule,” I said.