Chapter 39: Nikos
"Gary, I'm going to say goodbye to you now."
They had stayed awake the night through, determined not to waste a single moment left to them. By unspoken agreement they tried to draw as much living as they possibly could from each minute together. They talked and laughed and played cards long into the night with Little Cato. They flirted and bickered about nonsense for the fun of it, then enjoyed the silence that followed. And finally, they just lay twined on Gary's bunk, enjoying the warmth and simple pleasure of the other's company and being together. Both men knew noon would come all too soon, and Nikos' arrival would signal the end of such intimacy.
Time, Gary decided, was a total bitch. There was too much or too little, always one or the other, and it was a bitch. But then, there was no such thing as enough family time for him.
"Now? But -"
"I won't have the opportunity later."
It was an hour before noon and they stood in the hall outside the loading bay, discussing the logistics of moving Bodek and keeping Mooncake well out of sight of the Lord Commander's troops. Gary paused, then turned to take in the sight of Avocato standing behind him looking so young, so proper, so heartbreakingly tragic. He didn't see a general or warlord or the Master of Death. Gary saw a beloved friend who'd had everything he believed in and valued taken from him and used against him. Would anyone but Gary ever know Avocato's full story? Was there anyone else in the whole universe who would care enough to get to know and understand this man?
It was a tall order, given what history had to say. Probably more than anyone else wanted to give. Well, that was fine. Gary had been alone in everything else in his life, he could be alone in this role of loving the most-hated individual alive. He and Little Cato would be the entirety of the Avocato fan club.
He could handle that. He could handle anything, so long as he knew they'd be reunited.
Covering the distance between them with a step, Avocato spent a long moment just gazing into Gary's face as if memorizing every nuance of his features and expression. Then he wrapped his warm hands around Gary's neck and pulled him down slightly so they could stand with foreheads touching. Gary closed his eyes, able to feel the tension, the desperate longing that practically radiated off of Avocato. Reaching out, he once again heeded the siren's call and enfolded Avocato in a tight embrace, pulling him in so their bodies pressed close.
"I never thought I could be so happy again," whispered Avocato. "Thank you."
Releasing his hold, he stepped back, bowing his head in deference to his husband, every inch the nobleman and officer.
Refusing to let the chance get away or let another parting drag him down too badly, Gary quickly said, "My turn."
"Excuse me?"
"Now I'm going to say goodbye to you, Cato!"
Subtlety being reserved for wimps, Gary seized Avocato by his uniform coat, pinned him against the far wall, and proceeded to do everything in his power to kiss his husband breathless. Devour him whole. Remind him of whom he had married and why. It took almost a nanosecond for Avocato to realize what was going on and respond in kind. Crushed between the bulkhead and Gary, Avocato once again seized him. His hands slipped beneath Gary's shirt, only this time the claws were out. Gary shivered at a touch so delicate and dangerous at once.
It was a kiss for the ages, as intense as Avocato's first farewell had been tender. Both had their place and time, which was right here and now. Gary could feel Avocato pouring all his emotion into the contact – all the fear and passion and anger that had been building since he had been enslaved, grief and loneliness so strong he could barely contain them, and love too strong to contain.
They were so focused on each other that neither man noticed when the resident deep space insanity avoidance robot came zooming down the hall. KVN bobbed in the air about them in fascination, taking in the show from all angles before cooing,
"Oooh! Look at the lovebirds! Hey, Gary, can I borrow your-"
Without even opening his eyes, Avocato raised his right arm and shot KVN with his grappling hook. There was a very satisfying 'ping!' of metal biting through metal. KVN let out a garbled scream and dropped to the deck plating with an echoing thud. A quick, high-pitched hiss sounded as Avocato retracted the cable, and Gary drew back with a smile, knowing he'd always look back on this moment with joy.
"God, I love you."
Then he grabbed Avocato's hand and put right back where it belonged – on him.
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Zee Secundus was in turmoil.
Bad enough a huge percentage of the Tera Con fleet had blockaded the entire system without notice, cutting them off from all commerce. Bad enough twelve super Incinerators and their swarms of consorts were stationed in strategic orbits around the planet after issuing a stern warning on every channel not to try to leave without permission. Bad enough three more Incinerators were in synchronous orbit just a few klicks above that backwater dump Geegua Spaceport. No. The real kicker was, who was in charge of this operation.
The universe knew Colonel-in-Command Nikos on site even if they knew nothing about him. They had seen him time and again in transmissions sent from Tera Con Prime, though he was not the one you noticed when the Lord Commander wanted you to know something. That was because Nikos was never seen except at General Avocato's side, and when Avocato spoke, people were too busy scurrying to obey to pay attention to anyone else. Now Nikos spoke and a whole planet recoiled. Only one of two things could be happening: either the colonel was serving the next supreme commander – an unlikely scenario since Ventrexians tended not to serve under other races and there was no news of a new second-in-command being appointed - or, worse still, Avocato was not dead.
Word had been leaked of the Tera Con Empire's fleet movements. Rumors abounded, spreading faster than the speed of light. Many of the stories had been sanctioned by the Lord Commander so he could gauge the reactions of several systems he suspected of fomenting revolts. The prospect of the best, most ruthless military leader in the universe stepping back into his role was daunting to say the least. Planned rebellions were quickly and quietly quashed. Celebrations were cancelled. Dreams of grandeur and achieving that ultimate rank at the Lord Commander's side were abandoned by military personnel across the universe. Disappointment reigned over the conquered and conquerors alike. Only a handful of people were relieved.
Without bothering to ask permission or file flight patterns with Geegua's airspace control, ten shuttle crafts set down in the vicinity of docking bay ninety-four and deployed several hundred Tera Con troops. A perimeter was immediately set up, people were harassed and inconvenienced, and the way was cleared for an armored transport to land.
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"Wow. That's a lot of ships."
Little Cato grinned at Ash's surprised observation. They were on the bridge of the Crimson Light, watching the shuttles land. "I don't think you guys appreciate what a big deal my dad is."
"Well, he's really downplayed the whole 'running an empire' thing," she said, making quote marks in the air. "I mean, even Fox defended him when Bodek went off a few times. And for someone so important, that uniform is really boring."
That produced a snicker. "Dad hates a flashy uniform. He won't wear anything that doesn't serve a purpose. I think I've seen him in his full-dress uniform . . . maybe twice?"
Ash gestured towards the viewscreens. "You're used to all this, aren't you?" she wondered, impressed.
He shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's been my whole life."
"It's been good, having your dad around. I can see a difference in you and Gary since he woke up. He suits Gary."
"I think so."
"Plus, it's been loads of fun watching them figure out they're in love. They'd be annoying if they weren't so cute. It's too bad he has to go. I won't be sorry to get rid of Bodek, though. He's a complete drag. You couldn't give me his spleen."
There was a pause. Little Cato glanced at her, knowing better.
"Well," Ash amended, "you could, but it wouldn't be one of my good spleens."
He smiled. That was more like it. "Still haven't seen him."
"Mooncake is a much better shade of green. More acidic."
"Good to know. And, hey, Ash . . . ?"
"Yeah?" She looked at him expectantly.
"Thanks."
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"How the hell many guards does one man need?"
Gary glanced at Nightfall's look of impatient disgust and suppressed the urge to laugh aloud. "All of them."
She let out a little snort. "No kidding."
He stood with Nightfall and HUE at the base of the Crimson Light's ramp, enjoying the sun and light gravity and the show. A ring of armed guards stood around the perimeter of docking bay ninety-four. Two more rows stood atop the wall, one row facing in, the other facing out. They'd been there for a good half hour, and Gary was sure the surrounding area of the spaceport was likewise infested.
"I feel like I'm on a float in a parade," muttered Gary. "I haven't had this much attention since . . . "
"Since you blew up ninety-two imperium cruisers," suggested HUE. It wasn't a question.
"And a family-owned Mexican restaurant," Gary finished for the record. Taller than his companions, he spotted the delegation walking through the docking bay entrance first. "Heads up, crew. Showtime."
More guards. Nightfall was right. This was overkill. He understood better Avocato's strict order that once his escort arrived, absolutely no one could touch him unless Avocato initiated the contact, for fear of being shot. With this many fingers on triggers, things made sense. Then again, this was the Lord Commander's number two. And his vice-dad and husband. More was better.
A block of soldiers stomped forward, then stepped aside to allow Colonel Nikos to approach the ramp. Behind him came an attendant officer carrying a case in both hands and eight engineers weighed down by tools and equipment. Nikos was not quite as tall or broad as Avocato, but far wirier and with a whip of a tail and startling blue eyes in that dark mask of a face. He bowed slightly in greeting, then blinked in surprise before looking at Gary with great interest and curiosity.
"Captain Goodspeed? Colonel-in-Command Nikos. Please excuse the excess of guards. I have explicit orders from the Lord Commander himself to ensure the general's safety. After an assassination attempt, the Lord Commander is understandably on edge. As requested, I've brought a contingent of guards and an officer to take charge of your prisoner, as well as a team of engineers who will replace your ship's lightfold coil and effect any other repairs you require."
"Sounds good," Gary replied. "Nightfall, wanna supervise repairs? HUE, take these guys down to the storeroom and make Bodek their problem."
He stood aside as the engineers, an officer, and six guards filed up the ramp (the guards had to wait for HUE to catch up), leaving Nikos and the attendant and another row of soldiers behind them. When he turned back, it was to find Nikos watching him intently. Ventrexians might not be cats, but they sure acted like them sometimes. Gary noticed that like Avocato, Nikos was not armed. Really, what was one more gun worth at this point?
"Right this way, Colonel."
Avocato was waiting in the galley with Little Cato, and Gary let Nikos precede him so the colonel could have a moment to assure himself his old and dear friend – not to mention his commanding officer – was indeed alive and well, though a touch frayed on the edges. Nikos stood at attention and saluted, then repeated the bow. "General Avocato, sir, I am very grateful to see you, and to see that you're well. I've been very anx . . ."
Nikos saw Little Cato standing close by, smiling, and he trailed off in shock. He looked at Avocato, then glanced back at Gary again. His body language said all as the colonel seemed to grasp a lot of things simultaneously. Clamping down on his reaction to being faced with a teenage version of the child he'd been watching on Tera Con Prime, Nikos settled for casting Avocato an exasperated glare, unable to speak freely with the attendant present.
"I'm glad to see you're fully recovered as well. Report, Colonel Nikos," Avocato ordered evenly, giving his friend familiar territory to latch on to now that the inevitable surprise had been delivered.
"Sir. As requested, your escort is here. In your absence, there's been a great deal of unrest, especially in Phi Sector and the systems closest to the galactic core. Generals Vos, Chipikonicheku, and Tchop have been dispatched with thirty incinerators and escorts each to restore stability."
"Has any action been taken against the Sitronu?"
"No, sir. They were the first to report on events at Ziga Turi after the Kalibar self-destructed. Their relays, along with the timing of your commburst and their compliance with your instructions after the battle forestalled any retaliation or aggression from what was left of our fleet. They have conducted themselves in accordance of the agreed-upon terms."
"Good." Avocato looked Nikos square in the eye, his face perfectly straight as he asked, "How is my son?"
Little Cato pursed his lips, trying not to giggle. Nikos, not quite possessed of Avocato's icy mask, did not look at Little Cato as he carefully said, "Your son is fine, sir."
"Who's watching him?"
"My wife and sister-in-law. They came to Tera Con Prime as soon as I was cleared to have visitors. I took the liberty of housing them in your mansion with me. After receiving your transmission and upon my activation to full duty, they agreed to remain as long as necessary to care for Little Cato."
Avocato nodded, relieved to have people he trusted watching his child. "Before we leave I want to speak to whomever is in charge of Geegua Spaceport. See to it immediately, Colonel."
"Sir." Nikos knew his intent and looked back at the attendant, gesturing. The man nodded his understanding, set the case he was carrying on the table, and with a smart salute, hurried away to take care of the order.
Once the door slid close there was a prolonged silence, and finally Nikos smiled at Little Cato, cast Gary another sideways look, and said, "You have a lot of explaining to do, Avocato."
The general smiled warmly as Little Cato darted forward to tackle Nikos. "Yes, I do."
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Avocato was not quite as dramatic a storyteller as Gary. What he lacked in sound effects, however, he made up for in organization and logic. It was a matter of a good ten minutes of talking for him to explain events leading from the destruction of the Kalibar to Nikos being hugged by a fourteen-year-old Little Cato. He made no mention of his field marriage to Gary, and managed to make sense of friends and assassins jumping decades back in time.
Gary leaned against the door, watching these old friends interact. Seated across from one another at the table, it was clear they knew each other down to the last hair, and had no secrets. Until now. There was no doubt in his mind that Nikos would figure out Avocato's new emotional attachment. Gary was glad. From the looks of things, Nikos was an anchor Avocato desperately needed.
"The Scoti can control temporal worms?" was Nikos' first, stunned question.
The general nodded. "Twenty years from now."
"Bodek said it wasn't exact, but that they were getting better at it," Gary added.
"That's one of the things I want the interrogators to focus on when they question him," said Avocato. "I want every shred of information in his head."
"They'll get it for you," breathed Nikos. "And Scotia Majoram is home to the Death Knell? Did they take down the Inci?"
"Most likely."
"This is a great deal to process, Avocato, and the ramifications . . ." His eyes were full of unspoken dread.
"Will be dire," finished Avocato softly.
"Yes, sir," whispered the colonel. He was still for a moment, head bent, then collected himself. It was a discipline Gary had seen Avocato exercise time and again, setting his feeling on a subject aside until he had the time – or strength - to deal with them. With effort, Nikos pushed aside such grim thoughts for a more appropriate setting. Sitting up straighter – if that was possible for a spine so rigid as to rival Avocato's – he gave his friend a narrow-eyed look and a smirk before deliberately turning and giving Gary that same sideways glance as he had earlier.
"This is the human we encountered in Ventrex City, isn't it, Avocato? On our way back from your brother's wedding?"
Avocato closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath as he put one hand to his forehead, remembering - or perhaps, trying not to. The small sigh he released said all. "Yes. It is. Only, it hasn't happened to him yet."
Nikos gave him a silent demand for more information.
"Gary and I keep intersecting across time. This is at least the third time I've met him."
"Ah," was the entirety of the colonel's reply.
"Was I there?" asked Little Cato.
"I don't think so, little one," smiled Nikos, ruffling his crest of hair.
From where he leaned on the door, Gary stared in scandalized shock. "Wait – what? I already met you guys? On Ventrexia? Are you kidding me? What the hell, Cato? You forgot me? How could you forget me?"
Nikos chuckled at his indignation and Avocato gave Gary his most exasperated look. "I can promise you it won't happen again, Goodspeed. But unlike you, I've been a little busy since I turned eighteen!"
"Eighteen?" squeaked Gary. His eyes went wide with delight and clearly all lapses of memory were forgiven at the notion of Avocato ever being a teenager. Fists clenched close to his face, he let out a little squeal. "Eighteen? I met you when you were eighteen? You must have been adorable!"
"He was," Nikos provided, earning himself a glare.
"Were you guys in uniform? Tell me you were in uniform!"
"We were." The glare increased, but Nikos was immune.
Gary's cup of happiness was overflowing, but a moment later he sobered up. "Whoa! Whoa! Hold on, cowboy. When I run into you, Cato, there's always a point. What was my point?"
Both officers wracked their memories of thirteen years past, trying to piece together fragments of memory for what they had dismissed as simply an odd encounter with an odd alien.
"He said for you to wait for something," said Nikos.
"Yes," agreed Avocato.
Nikos frowned. "Then you called him humanoid trash and told him to get lost."
Avocato shrugged. "It's his nickname."
"I see."
"So what did I tell you to wait for?" pressed Gary.
"You said . . . stay and wait for the key."
"The dimensional key?" wondered Little Cato, looking between his dads.
"Must be." Gary frowned. "I gave the Cosmic Tictac's key back to Sammy in exchange for breaking time to save your life, but . . . my mom had it after the breach to Final Space closed. He might have just . . . brought it back from when we took it and she stole it from the vault?" He looked at Avocato, uncertain. "Maybe you should just wait at the vault after we leave?"
That made sense to only half the people present. Little Cato, knowing better than to mention Mooncake, said, "The Lord Commander never talked keys to me when he came to gloat about . . . other stuff."
"Yeah, he was always pitching fits about . . . other stuff."
"Do I want to know what this . . . 'other stuff' is?" wondered Nikos.
Three voices replied in unison: "No."
"I didn't think so."
