GUNS OF WAR - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

         Alaina woke the next morning with a sense of dread, and then remembered the memorial service.  Braddock would expect her to go with him, and she needed to go as the future Vice-President of the company, a fact no one would know until later.

         Her phone beeped and came to life.  “Alaina, are you there?”

         Alaina hurried over to the view screen when she heard Lynneayia’s voice.  “Yes, I’m just waking.  The memorial service is in a couple hours.”

         “Your future mother-in-law is a whirlwind of energy.  I’ve never seen such organization in one person.  What’s he like?”

         “He’s actually very nice, sweet, at least on the surface.  I’ll know more once we’re joined.”

         “I just can’t believe you’re going through with this.”

         “I know.  He invited me here to look at the star and the next thing I knew he asked me to join with him.  Dinner last night was terrific.  I mean I never tasted anything so delectable.”

         “What did you have?”

         “We celebrated our engagement with gemu and fenda.  Delicious.  I’ve had fenda before, but it never tasted so mouth watering melt in your mouth delicious, and mind you I like fish.”

         “You never had it gourmet before.  Just think, from now on that will be your normal fare.”

         “I know.  I can’t believe it.  Did he tell you yet that you’ll be second shift supervisor here when they get the plant rebuilt?”

         “No.  Supervisor?  Seriously?”

         “I probably spoke out of turn.  I’m going to be VP, can you imagine?”

         “You’ll be his wife.  What did you expect?”

         “Not that.  I was hoping I could get my hands dirty working in the soil and doing field work with stars and telescopes.”

         “Did you tell him?”

         “Yes.  He laughed at me when I told him what I wanted to do on our honeymoon.”

         “I know what fun for you is.  Remember college?  You were always doing soil testing, reaching for the stars.”

         “You were just as eager to do the testing as I was.”

         “What can I say you corrupted me, in a good way?”

         “Meet me when I get back, we’ll get a bite to eat.”

         “I feel like we’ve got years to catch up on and it’s only been a couple days.”

         “I suppose it’s a moot point, but whatever happened to that notification you were supposed to get for an off world assignment?”

         “Some moot point.  Yes, they contacted me.  It was as you said they put me on a list of qualified candidates for off world relocation.  They told me to let them know when my status changed and I had a vested interest in Vega.  If you hadn’t warned me, I would have been crestfallen again.”

         “Now you can tell them your status has changed.  You’ve been offered a job as second shift supervisor for BioTech Engineering and Space Technology, Inc.  Say listen I have to get ready.  Braddock will be here soon looking for me, and I’m still in my pajamas.  You should have seen the beautiful burnt orange and gold lamé tunic set he got me for the occasion.  I’ll show it to you as soon as I get back there.”

         “I can’t wait to see it, sounds heavenly.”

         “It is, it’s all silky and soft and just fabulous, and believe me it looks better on than in the box.”

         “Let me know when you’re heading back.”

         “I’ll call you the minute I get back.”

         The view screen went dark and Alaina headed for the shower.  At least she had something appropriate to wear for the service.

         When she came from the shower, her hair tied up in a towel, dressed, minus make-up, Braddock was sitting in a chair in the sitting area.

         “I let myself in when I didn’t get a response to my knock.”

         “So I see.  I’m almost ready.”

         He looked over the mid-calf conservative black dress that brought out her features to perfection.  “I thought it would be a good idea to get something to eat before we head over to the site for the service.”

         She saw the look on his face, looked down at her dress, and up at him.  “What’s the matter?  This is all right isn’t it?  It’s all I had for something dressy.  I had gotten it for my parent’s funeral two years ago.”

         “It’s perfect.  I couldn’t have done better had I tried.”

         She let out her breath, not realizing she had held it until that moment.  “I was afraid it wasn’t appropriate.  The memorial service is going to be at the site of the plant?”

         “That is where they’re buried.  I plan on making a park there once all the rubble is out of the way.”

         She went over to her case, pulled out her black heels, and stepped into them.  “Where will you build the new plant?”

         “I haven’t had a chance to look over the area yet.  We can do that this week while I talk with the engineers and construction contractors.”

         “Your mother booked our joining with the church for the moment we get back.  I tried talking her into the following week, but –”

         “But she pushed your request to the side and got it taken care for the day we return.  She called me.  There’s no talking to mother once her mind is made up.”

         “As I was made aware of in a hurry.  If you want to get something to eat I need to finish getting ready.”  Alaina grabbed a set of earrings from the case, and went back to the bathroom.

         She hurried with her make-up, dried her hair, and entered the sitting area moments later.  Braddock stood to his feet as she came in view once again.

         He looked her over a look of approval on his face.  “Very nice.  We have an hour before the service.”

         He escorted her from the hotel and found a restaurant near the site.  Alaina had a chance to see the city as they drove from the hotel.  What she saw was pleasant on the eyes.  Houses weren’t too close together; the business district didn’t look crowded, over all she felt like she would like Calypso.

         “I never asked.  What is the name of the city?”

         “Granite City.  There is a large granite quarry on the outskirts of the city.”

         “This star has lots of potential.”

         “And not half of it tapped into yet.”

         “It will be fun tapping into it, as long as the war stays away.”

         “Not likely after what just happened.”

         “As long as it stays away for a long time.”

         “Wake up girl, reality shows the guns of war will sound again very soon.”

         “I’m awake.  The sight of all the devastation is enough to give me nightmares.”

         “You were in the war.”

         “That doesn’t mean I liked it.  I did my job.”

         “And did it well.”

         “Well enough to leave me shell shocked and give me nightmares every time I hear missiles.  Rain sounds like bullets, and I want to just crawl into a hole and hide.”

         The car stopped in front of a sidewalk cafe.  He studied her as he led her to a table.  “You’re afraid of the war aren’t you?”

         She looked up at him, having accidentally bared her vulnerability to him.  “Yes.  I know you’re a man who no doubt has no problems with all the guns, missiles, and anything else to do with war, but I just want to get as far from it as possible.  I was hoping that moving off world would do that.  I just didn’t want to be branded a traitor after being called a war hero.”

         “I’m not in favor of this war either.  I was in a prison camp for a time, got shot up, not once but several times, and the last time destroyed my legs.  Both my legs are artificial.”

         Her eyes grew enormous at his revelation.  “You don’t walk like you have artificial legs.”

         “That’s because technology makes my legs look and feel like the real thing.  Doctors can do amazing things with the human body.”

         “I’m aware of that, but I’ve seen a lot of people with artificial limbs and they don’t have the same mobility you do.”

         “I didn’t want anyone to know or feel sorry for me.  It’s the last thing I wanted, and I wanted it made perfectly clear I am still able to do the work I’m qualified for.”

         The waiter brought their meal accompanied by air sirens.  Panic broke out everywhere as people tried to get out of range of the missiles.

         Braddock grabbed Alaina’s arm and rushed her into the building as they followed others to an underground fallout shelter.

         Alaina allowed him to pull her along with him as she tried to squelch the scream as it rose in her throat.  When the door closed behind the last person, she clung to him as sobs racked her body.  She knew she wasn’t alone as numerous other people screamed and cried as they clung to a slim hope that the fallout shelter wouldn’t be their burial place.

         Braddock had his arms wrapped around her as she cried against his shoulder.  He led her to a place where they could sit.

         “Why?  Where are our people?  They should be knocking them out of the skies.”

         “They are.  You know that.  Remember all the times we fought them when they came at us?”

         Alaina remembered the many times she had been part of the ground fight as she ordered missiles to take out their planes or strike at their ground locations.  They had cornered her battalion many times, and she had her share of scrapes, took her share of bullets, and was grateful when her time was up.

         She nodded her head.  “I know.  It just seems lately that we are on the receiving end and not fighting back.”

         “It might seem that way, but we have won our share of offensives.”

         “We won’t be having the memorial service.”

         “Not if this doesn’t get over soon we won’t.  I promise you we will have the ceremony.”

         “How can you make that promise?”

         “Alaina, look at me.”  He lifted her chin to look in his eyes.  “I can make that promise because I know Adonai.”

         As she looked in his eyes she felt the calm he exuded despite the attack that shook the ground around them.  “I know Adonai, but this frightens me.  I remember what it was like and all the fears come back.”

         “You’ll always be safe no matter what happens.  I promise.”

         “You lost both legs, were in a prison camp.  How do you handle it?”

         “I remember Adonai’s promise of peace, and I rest in His arms.”

         She gradually calmed, and was able to break her hold on him.  “I’m sorry.”

         “I’m not.  Let’s take the time to pray for our militia on the front lines right now.”

         Alaina had never done that, and it felt like the right thing to do.  Braddock found a place they could be somewhat private, took her hands, and began to pray.  Soon Alaina began to feel tremendous peace as the fear melted away.

         Braddock looked at her, and squeezed her hands.  “That’s why I’m not afraid, even though I’ve faced so much out there.  I have more with Adonai than what this world and those who want to destroy our lives want to give me.”

         “And that is why you are a successful businessman.  I never employed this before.  I will never forget to in the future.”

         Braddock looked around the shelter as he rubbed the back of his neck, wishing the sharp pain would go away.  There had to be some reason Dr. Wilson hadn’t looked into yet.  He would talk to him as soon as they got back to Vega.  With the way the pain had intensified over the past several days, he had to find the answer.

         It was late in the afternoon when the all clear siren sounded and Braddock and Alaina left the confines of the fallout shelter.  When they emerged, they saw a large airship crashed nearby.

         “That’s the shaking we felt,” Braddock said.

         “It’s one of theirs.”

         “Testifying that our armies did their job.  Now we have a memorial service to attend.”

         Several hours later Braddock located the head of the construction company who would oversee the building of a new plant.  “Mr. Harkman, did you have time to look at and suggest some sites for me?”

         “When we talked yesterday, I knew of two of them that could be suitable for you, and I’ve looked at three other locations this morning.  I have here a map of the Granite City area.”

         Braddock took it from him and looked it over.  Mr. Harkman had circled the areas in red where he considered suitable locations for the new plant.  “And these areas will not interfere with any of the building and naturalist laws of Calypso?”

         “No sir.  I’ve talked to the building board and showed them the locations.  Their suggestion is this location here.”  Mr. Harkman tapped the center of the map where a larger red circle showed easy access to a lake, far enough from the city, and close to the quarry.

         Braddock looked at all the other locations, and saw that that location was the better one.  “Okay, let’s get all the necessary permits and get the groundbreaking done before the end of the week.”

         “Very good.  I’ll have them for you tomorrow, Mr. Sheffield.”

         Alaina had stood by, interested in the plans for the new plant.  “It’s near a lake and the quarry.”

         “Very good location.  We’ll go out there right after lunch and take a look around.  I also want to get together with Simon Gallagher and get his input on the location.”

         “He’s the scientist you met with yesterday?”

         “One of the few surviving first shift supervisors.  It would have been a great loss to lose him.  As it is, we’ve lost a lot of exceptional scientists, who will be very hard to replace.”

         “I can imagine.  I know from my experience in the war that we did as much damage to their plants and businesses affected by the war effort as we could.”

         “Yes, hoping to bring them to the peace table, but Sheliak always seemed to have a back-up plan to every attack we made.”

         “Even though I had a lot of victories, it just never seemed to do anything to cause them to change their ways and make them realize we will not turn from our worship of Adonai.”

         “No, and that is probably the same mindset they have with their humanistic philosophy of life.”

         “Which makes this war a stalemate with no real winners or losers.”

         “Let’s get something to eat, and then I’ll call Simon and we can find out what we can about the various projects we had going and what he thinks of the new location for the plant.”

         Alaina and Braddock were busy the rest of the week with building permits and codes, groundbreaking, and getting a temporary setup for the first shift lab technicians to continue their work.  They found a vacant office building Braddock put a six month lease on while work started on the new plant.  Before they left on Saturday to return to Vega, the team of scientists were busy working on cloaking technology.  Simon showed him what they learned about the cloaking technology that caught them unprepared in the last attack, and Braddock left them with strategies to uncloak their cloaking device.

         Braddock escorted Alaina to the transport late Saturday for the trip back to Vega.  She was more than ready to resume a less hectic lifestyle as she leaned her head against the back of the seat on the transport and closed her eyes.

         “It’s been a busy week.  I suppose you’re looking forward to getting back to Vega and something not quite so frenzied.”

         Alaina opened her eyes and looked at him.  “You do this all the time, don’t you?”

         “Yes, which is one reason I always found it hard to spend time with another woman.  This will be your lifestyle from now on.”

         “As Lynneayia told me when I called her about our joining and her new position with BioTech Engineering and Space Technologies, Incorporated.”

         “You sound pleased with that.”

         Lights came on in her eyes as she turned up a huge smile.  “I am.  I was beginning to think my college education was going completely to waste.  I’m glad you allowed me to get my hands dirty at the new plant site.  The mineral and metal content of the site is better than even that of the old site.”

         “Before we get into a discussion that could last until we get back to Vega, I suggest you contact Miss Reilly and let her know we’re on our way back.”

         “Yes, I promised her I would do that.  There is so much to do when we get back.  Your mother wants the joining as soon as we arrive.”

         “It will have to wait.  I want to sleep for two days before I do anything more demanding than relaxing with my family, who will all be there by the time we get back, and you’ll get to meet father as well.”

         “I’m looking forward to it.”

         “I know you are.  Remember the look on Mr. Neilson’s face when I told him you were my fiancée?”

         “He was just as shocked as everyone else you told about our engagement, including Mr. Gallagher.”

         “That’s because he’s a confirmed bachelor.”

         “You mean he hasn’t met the right woman yet.”

         “It will take quite a woman to tame him.  I wouldn’t mind seeing the one who will make that happen for him.”

         “Well, I better make my call to Lynneayia.”

         “I’ll have something ready for us to eat when you’re through.”

         “Thanks, I am hungry.”

         Alaina found a quiet place in the back of the transport where she could make her call.  “Hey, we’re on our way back.”

         “I thought you were leaving earlier than this.  The moon will be half way through its nightly cycle by the time you get back.  How about we meet for breakfast?”

         “I know we planned on returning yesterday, but it just didn’t work out.  I know Mary also wants the joining to take place as soon as we return.  Braddock said it will have to wait at least two days.  He wants to do nothing but sleep and relax before the joining.  I concur.”

         “Mary will be disappointed.  Everyone is here and waiting for your arrival.”

         “You’ve met everyone?”

         “No, but I’ve been talking with Mary a lot.  Our dresses are ready, all you have to do is get here and walk down the aisle and that’s that.”

         “I’ll tell Braddock, see if he changes his mind.  So far from what I’ve seen of him, once his mind is made up, there’s no changing it.”

         “Mary’s the same way.  He must have gotten it from her.”

         “Could be.  Okay, I’ll see you for breakfast, and then see what we’re doing immediately afterwards.”

         “Talk to you when you get here.  I’m going back to sleep.”

         “You do that.”

         Alaina cut the connection and went back to her seat beside Braddock.  “Your mother is expecting the joining as soon as we get back.  Everyone is there waiting for us to arrive.”

         Braddock rubbed the back of his neck.

         “Another headache?”

         He turned to see her concerned look.  “No, just a shooting pain that felt like it went right through my brain.  It’s gone.  I’ll be glad to find out what’s causing these, though every time I’ve talked to Dr. Wilson, he can’t find the source, all my scans come out clean, even the arteries and blood vessels in the brain are normal, no sign of tumor or clot or anything else that could cause these monstrous headaches.”

         “You have had a lot to deal with this past week.  Some time off would probably be real good right now.”

         “So you concur with mother to join as soon as we get back, before we have time to unpack?”  He shook his head.  “I’m going to relax.  I want to be completely ready to join with you when the time comes.”

         “I’m sure when you talk to her, she’ll understand.”  She looked at the open briefcase.  “What are you working on?”

         “Some ideas Simon had about the cloaking technology.”

         “Can I look?”

         “Certainly.”  He handed her the papers and for the next couple hours they spent going over the different facts and figures.

         “You look exhausted.  Time to get some sleep.  We’ll be back on Vega by the time we wake.”

         “You’re right, though I was also thinking about our home.”

         “I thought we would locate that together after our honeymoon.  I decided the plant could do without me for a month.  How’s that?”

         “Can we go to a star that isn’t affected by this war?”

         “We would have to leave the constellation.  Where would you have us go?”

         “Nowhere in the constellation is safe?”

         “Not with the recent bombardment of Calypso.  Think about this.  Lyra has eighty-four stars and nine planets.  A good many of them are still uninhabited, and those that are have all had incidents of war.”

         “We could go to one of the uninhabited stars or planets.”

         “Not an option.  Those stars and planets have not been terraformed.”

         Alaina thought about all that was involved in living on the stars.  Vega alone without the breathable atmosphere had temperatures ranging between 7600K and 10,000K.  Without the breathable atmosphere, they could not survive.  She turned her attention to him.  “So we’re going to one of the oceans?”

         He grinned at her change of subject.  “That is a distinct possibility, but would you be upset if we did something else?”

         “What did you have in mind?”

         “Your profile says you like to mountain climb.  I know the perfect place for it.”

         “Now that does sound exciting.  So for our honeymoon trip I should pack my mountain climbing gear and my swimsuit.”

         His eyes shone, as he looked at her.

         “What?”

         “Just thinking about you in a swimsuit.”

         Alaina blushed scarlet as she thought about her bikini.  “We could make one of those stars or planets habitable just for us.”

         “You better get some sleep, or you won’t be able to meet your friend for breakfast and tell her all the news.”

         “She already knows half of it, but you’re right.  We’ve been at this for hours, though I could still go several more.”

         “You zing with excitement, just looking over those fact sheets and the possibilities for Calypso.”

         “We can do so much.  The mineral and metal content of the star is staggering.  Even earth doesn’t have this wealth any longer.”

         “It did once, a very long time ago.”

         “Yes, back when Adonai created it, before man destroyed it so we had to reach for the stars.”

         “Get some sleep.  I’ll see you in a few hours.”

         He took her hands and squeezed them as he looked into her eyes.  She felt there would be more to the age old custom, but he let go and she went into the bedroom she had occupied on the trip to Calypso.

         Alaina woke to hear the pilot announce they would be landing soon.  She hurried to dress and came from her room to find Braddock going over the paperwork from the night before.  “Did you go to bed?”

         He looked up to see her disheveled look, and a grin lit his face.  “Yes.  I’ve been up for about an hour.  I’ll have you home soon.  I really appreciate you coming with me, I feel we got a lot accomplished, in more ways than one.”

         “At least we didn’t encounter any attack from Sheliak on our way home,” said Alaina.

         “I’ve encountered those at various times.  It was hair-raising, to say the least.”

         “I’m sure it was.  I take it the transport comes equipped with shields and other defensive weapons.”

         “Only the best.”

         “That’s good to know.”

         “I also talked with mother.  Our joining will be in two days.”

         “You were able to talk her into it then.”

         “It wasn’t easy.  I just reminded her that it’s been a hectic week and I need time to relax before I take the next big step in my life.”

         “What did she say to that?’

         “She said I could relax on our honeymoon.”

         Alaina blushed again at the thought about what all that would entail.  “And we will get to do some real exploring?”

         “Yes, you can get your hands dirty.  I promise.”

         She nodded her head in a quick affirmative and sat beside her and began to eat the breakfast the steward brought them.  “I think I could sleep for a week in my own bed.  I never thought I would say that.”

         “We’ll have plenty of time to relax in just a couple days.  If I know mother, she’ll have you over to make sure the dress fits perfectly, and have a little tét-a-tét with you.”

         “Should I be worried?”

         “Mother might look like she’s tough as nails, and at times she is, but underneath it all she’s a pussycat.”

         “Good to know.”

         A short time later, the transport landed on the landing platform for the apartment subdivision where she lived, and he walked her to her apartment door.  “I will see you in a couple days.  I’m going to check in at the plant here and go home and sleep.  I almost wish I could meet Miss Reilly but there will be plenty of time for that later.”

         “I know she’s looking forward to meeting you.”  She saw the long flat box in front of her door.  “What about our date?”  She gave him a cheeky grin as her eyes danced merrily.

         He gave her one of his full-face grins, as he noted the box in her hands.  “If I remember correctly our date is two days from now.  I promise I won’t postpone it this time.”

         She laughed at his quick comeback, and opened her door.  “I won’t be late either.”

         On impulse, he kissed her cheek.  “See that you aren’t.”

         He took her by surprise.  She knew the custom between unmarried people was no more than handholding, which in itself she was starting to get used to, the light kiss on the cheek made her feel special.  He walked away from her with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.  He didn’t look anything like the solemn person his profile portrayed, as she turned the lock on her door and went in.