The Rise before the Fall
Chapter 15: Farewell to Good Friends
Augusta looked over the documents that Governor Jiudus gave Aisha.
"This doesn't make any sense." He said, shaking his head.
"What doesn't?" She asked as she pulled out the three uniforms that she had hanging in her closet.
"Ctarl Intelligence never uses Fleet personnel, never."
"I told you why."
"Okay to actually go to the Galactic Leyline and lay claim to it, that I can see but to go pursue a single Outlaw with a battle cruiser. That's like trying to catch a fly with a Gagagan Cannon. Why doesn't the Governor send in a few of his own agents to track this Outlaw down and obtain the coordinates, then send the battle cruiser after the treasure?"
"Because no one is going to interfere with a Ctarl Ctarl battle cruiser and with the title of Ambassador Plenipotentiary, I'll be able to avoid any Terran government obstacles or entanglements."
The captain of the Al Lione Lione just shook his head.
"And what about this crew you've been given?"
"What about it?"
"Come on Aisha! Each of the officers is a Ctarl Intelligence agent. You know as well as I do where their loyalties lie. As commander, you need a crew that's loyal to you. That's going to follow your every order, not circumvent your authority with secret orders given to them by the Governor."
"Well I have to admit, I do have some concerns about the crew, but it's a long trip to Blue Heaven. That should be enough time for me to whip them into shape."
"Aisha, you're a great captain but seriously, when have you ever had to whip anyone of your crew into shape? We all graduated together; we all fought on the Hitune Motra Motra. We knew what you were capable of, that's why we followed you, that's why we trusted you. This crew," Augusta held up the crew list. "Some of these people are three times your age. Most have been serving Ctarl Intelligence for more years than you've been alive. Do you honestly think they're going to be intimidated by you?"
"By the savior of the Empire, sure." She responded while folding some blouses.
"Don't fall for that political rhetoric. You're a great captain, the best in the fleet but you're still one of the youngest captains too. And those Ctarl Intelligence types aren't impressed by anyone who's not Ctarl Intelligence, I don't care if you saved the Empire single-handed."
"Okay so what are you saying, be careful? I will, I will."
"No, what I'm saying is turn down this assignment. Everything about it smells wrong."
"And lose the chance of becoming the youngest Admiral in Space Fleet history?"
"Only if you successfully complete the mission."
"Come on Augusta, you know me. If the Galactic Leyline is out there, I'll find it."
"That's the other thing, since when does the High Command and Ctarl Intelligence believe in Terran myths about lost treasure? Terran history is filled with accounts of nations and kingdoms that sent off brave explorers on quests for fabled treasures that did not exist. I've read stories about the pursuit of treasures like the city of gold, and the fountain of youth. Neither of these things was ever found. Do you know why they never found them?"
"Because they didn't look hard enough?"
"No, because these treasures never existed in the first place. You could spend years hunting for something that exists only in legend and story."
Aisha set down a pair of shoes on her bed and looked back towards her closet to see if she was forgetting anything.
"Augusta, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous that this opportunity to venture into Terran space has fallen to me and not to you." Aisha teased.
Augusta quickly closed the distance between them and grabbed Aisha by her arms to force her to look up at him. Aisha gasped, surprised by her lover's aggressiveness.
"Aisha, you've always been a step ahead of me for as long as I've known you: at the academy, in the wrestling tournaments, in every sport actually, in Space Fleet; and I've never begrudged you for it, never. I've always known you were someone special. Things the rest of us had to work so hard to achieve seemed to come so easily to you. And while we had to learn the meaning of courage and honor, they were always apart of you, apart of your nature."
Aisha shifted her gaze from him.
"Aisha, I have no doubt in my mind that not only will you make Admiral someday but that you'll be named Imperial High Admiral before your career in the Fleet is complete. You don't need this mission to achieve your goals. Your record as a commander speaks for itself. Please call the Governor, tell him you had a change of heart."
Aisha looked back up into his eyes. She knew he meant every word he said and if ever she wanted to turn down an assignment, now was that time.
"N…no, I can't Augusta. I've already told the Governor that I would accept it. I can't go back on my word. Where would be the honor in that?"
Augusta dropped his hands and lowered his head.
"I was going to wait… until we were in the western continent, probably the third or forth night, but I can't wait anymore."
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small silk covered box. He lowered himself to one knee and opened the box. Inside the box was a 3-carat emerald set in a thick gold band. He took the ring out of the box and reached for Aisha's hand. Mildly surprised that she didn't pull away, he proceeded to place the ring on her finger.
"Aisha Clan Clan, will you marry me?"
She was in shock. She took his other proposals as his silly sense of humor and while the last time he asked her aboard the Al Tigaro Tigaro did seem sincere she still didn't believe deep down inside he actually was serious. But this, there was no joking about this. And the ring, the ring was absolutely beautiful and emerald was her favorite color. Mixed tears of joy and regret filled her eyes as she tried to blink them away.
She kneeled down in front of him and took his hands into hers.
"Augusta Caar Caar," she drew in a deep breath. "I will marry you…"
The young Ctarl Ctarl officer's face lit up instantly.
"after I return from the Galactic Leyline."
His expression fell just as fast.
"I have to see this through Augusta, even if all you say is true I need to see this through."
"I just… it's just… I'm afraid I'm never going to see you again." A tear rolled down Augusta's cheek. Aisha reached up and brushed the tear away and caressed his cheek.
Smiling up at him, she said. "You worry too much."
This got a single light laugh from him and brought a smile to his face.
She looked him square in the eye. "Listen to me, I give you my word, I fully expect this mission to take no more then two, three months at the most but if it does take longer, I promise to be back within one year. I won't pursue this for more then one year. You have my word."
Her lover smiled, "and Aisha's word is as good as gold."
"That's right." Aisha smiled ear to ear.
She looked down at the ring and gently removed it, handing it back to him. A look of confusion crossed his face.
"You hold on to it for now. When I come back, I expect you to give it back to me but the right way this time, after a fancy dinner with beautiful music playing at some place really romantic. Okay."
"As Ma'Lady wishes." The youthful captain smiled, placing the ring in his pocket.
"Now come on, help me finish packing."
They stood up and continued packing. Saysha walked in with a gentle knock at the door.
"Hi Nana, are those my other uniforms?" Aisha walked over to her.
"Yes, your standard uniform and your dress uniform, all cleaned and pressed." She handed them over to her ward. Aisha took them and placed them in her suit carrier with her other uniforms.
"Child, seems like you just came home yesterday and now you're leaving again."
Aisha turned back to her childhood nanny and smiled as they embraced.
"This house is never the same when you're away."
"Oh Nana, I'm going to miss you too. I always do."
Saysha broke the embrace first.
"Well, don't let me keep you. You have a duty to fulfill and I have so much to do around here."
Saysha walked out of Aisha's room fighting back the tears.
Aisha sighed. "Okay, what am I forgetting?"
"To fill out this recommendation form." Augusta held up the last page of the document the governor had given to her. "So who are you recommending to succeed you as captain of the Al Tigaro Tigaro?" He looked over the form.
"That's easy, Striker. He's ready to be captain, though, so is Amery. Hmm, let me see that."
She took the document from him, separated out the last page and looked it over.
"I'll be right back." She said as she walked out the room and headed to her father's study. In there she turned on her father's copier and made a copy of the form then sat down at his desk and filled out both forms. Then she returned to her room. Augusta had just hung up the videophone as she was walking in.
"Who were you calling?"
"Oh, just a friend."
She walked up to him. "Just a friend huh. This friend wouldn't happen to be another girl, would it?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, it was a girl." He smiled devilishly at the object of his affection.
"Oh yeah!" She pressed up against him and reached around to grab his ass. He gasped with the force that Aisha squeezed. "I'm not even gone yet and you're already lining up another date, you pig you." She teased as she nipped at his neck.
"Mmm, no one could ever take your place in my life." Augusta rotated his head to give Aisha easy access and to gain access to her neck as well.
"Damn Right!" She replied as they worked their way to a kiss. Breathing in each other's sent and tasting each other's mouth and lips, they committed these things to memory knowing it would be months before they would see each other in person again.
Reluctantly breaking their kiss, he gazed into her watery bluish green eyes. "I know I've told you more times than I can count but I really do love you."
"I… love you too Augusta." Aisha said near tears.
Hearing her say those words for the first time ever, Augusta was overflowing with joy. Trying to fight back his own tears of joy he squeezed his lover as tightly as he possibly could. She squeezed him right back, her arms around his waist now.
"Don't go. Please, don't go." He whispered into her hair.
A hushed sob escaped from Aisha's throat.
"I have to." She whispered into his chest.
They held on a minute longer then slowly loosened their hold.
"I'll get your bags." He said turning around and picking up her things.
"Thank you." She looked around for a minute to see if there was anything she was forgetting. Satisfied there was nothing overlooked she picked up the mission document and the two forms she filled out and headed out her door.
As she reached the stairs that lead down to the foyer, she saw the house staff waiting by the door. Reaching the bottom of the stairs she was embraced by the family chef first.
"Oh Lady Aisha, who will there be to appreciate my cooking with you gone?"
"Oh Tarvar, if your wonderful cooking can't make me hurry home, nothing can." She smiled.
Then came the three maids
"Lady Aisha, we'll miss you so much."
"Please return home soon."
"Please, do be careful."
"I'll miss you all too." Aisha replied, embracing each one. "I'll return home as quickly as I can. I promise."
The groundskeeper gave Aisha a hearty hug.
"This autumn I will plant Tiger's Breath everywhere so come next spring and all through the summer that beautiful scent will welcome you home."
"I can't wait Provotum, I'm sure it will be absolutely wonderful."
Finally Saysha standing next to the door gave Aisha a tearful embrace.
"Take care child, and hurry home." She gave a glance over Aisha's shoulder to Augusta who was patiently waiting. "I've raised seventeen generations of Clan Clan and I can't wait to get started on raising the eighteenth." She smiled.
"Oh Nana." Aisha whipped the tears from her eyes. "I'll be home soon. As far as the eighteenth generation of Clan Clan, well," glancing over her shoulder, "we'll just have to see how long you'll have to wait for that."
A mildly red-faced Augusta moved around Aisha and pulled open the door. They walked to his hovercraft and got in. Aisha looked back at the house one last time. Everyone had assembled outside the door, waving goodbye. She smiled and waved back.
As they sped away towards Tovar Military SpacePort, Aisha handed him the two forms she filled out.
"Augusta, when you go to Fleet Headquarters, please drop these off for me."
"Sure, what are they?" Not taking his eyes off the road to look at the forms.
They're the recommendation forms; I filled one out for both Striker and Amery.
Augusta laughed. "What are you recommending? That they be made co-captains?"
"Don't be stupid, of course not. I'm recommending Striker for promotion to captain of the Al Tigaro Tigaro and I'm recommending Amery for promotion to captain for the next available destroyer. Fleet is in the process of building six new destroyers and there are a couple destroyer captains that may be retiring soon. So in case I'm not back in time to issue a recommendation, I thought I'd do it now."
He smiled again. "I'll see they get in the right hands."
**********
As they entered the spaceport, Aisha's excitement level increased dramatically as she saw her ship, the Orta Hone Hone, sitting in space dock. As they pulled closer her attention was drawn to the group of people standing by the access stairway. Once she saw them, she recognized them instantly. She turned to Augusta.
"How'd they know?" She asked, hardly able to contain her excitement.
"I called Amery. She got the word around." He smiled.
"Thank you," she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek then turned and jumped out of the vehicle before he came to a stop. She ran towards the small crowd as they ran towards her. Amery pulled out ahead and the two childhood friends ran into each other's embrace. The others came up and hugged Aisha as well.
"I'm so glad you all could come." She said not trying to hide her feelings.
"We always knew you'd leave us all behind someday. Just never expected it to be so soon." Striker said.
"It's too bad you have to leave so soon, it would have been nice to go out one last time, all of us." Amery added.
"Yes, the crew of the Hitune Motra Motra is finally breaking up." Tabral said.
"Once we get spread out between three or four ships it will be next to impossible for all of us to get together again." Added Sorvo C'val C'val, Augusta's tactical officer. Augusta had given Aisha's things to the dock officer who had them taken aboard the ship. Then he grabbed a bag from the back seat and walked over to the rest.
"Well, we may not be able to go and party one last time but at least we can share one last drink together." He pulled out a bottle of Ctarl Ale from the bag that held three more.
"Sounds good." Aisha said and the rest concurred as they walked over to an open grassy field a few dozen meters from the dock. Augusta handed Aisha one bottle. Before she could crouch down, Amery had already.
"Let me do that. The Ambassador Plenipotentiary shouldn't be reporting to her new ship with dirty hands." She dug a small hole, big enough for the bottle. Aisha placed the bottle in the hole and Amery covered it back up.
Then Aisha said. "To our fellow crewmates, brothers and sisters in arms that are no longer with us. May your spirits know eternal victory and honor."
"Victory and Honor." They all said in unison with heads bowed.
A moment later Augusta pulled out the remaining bottles, handing one to Aisha and one to Striker. They opened them, took a drink and passed them around. They stood on the grassy knoll for several minutes reminiscing, joking and drinking, not wanting this moment to end.
Finally the dock officer over by the ship waved in their direction yelling, "Lady Aisha, its time to board the ship!"
Aisha waved her hand in acknowledgement. "Well, I guess this is it." She said turning to her friends. One by one all of them that had served under her since her first command, some whom now served under Augusta, took turns giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, wishing her a successful mission and a safe and swift trip back home. Finally, only Amery, Striker and Augusta remained. Amery throw her arms around Aisha, unable to contain her sobs anymore.
"I'm going to miss you so much. You know I've never had a sister but if I did I'd want her to be you." She cried out.
"Shhh, I know Amery. I feel the same way." Aisha stroked her friend's back trying to ease her sadness.
"I'll be back before you know it. You'll see." Aisha made Amery look into her eyes. And as Amery, with her tear soaked face, looked at her long-time friend with her watery ocean blue eyes, she drew strength and confidence that she would in deed see her friend again, very soon.
Striker enveloped Aisha in his huge arms and squeezed as if to pull her into himself.
"I wish I was going with you." He rumbled softly.
"I wish you all were coming with me too." Aisha smiled. She felt a small drop of moisture hit her shoulder and she pulled back a little to look up into Striker's face.
"Was that a tear I felt coming from the ever cool and collected Striker Craaw Craaw?"
Striker cleared his throat. "No, I just got something in my eye, that's all." He fought back the sobs; rubbing his eye and moving away so as not to completely lose his composure.
Finally, Augusta stepped in front of Aisha and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"So I guess I'll see you in no more then a year, right?"
"Right!" Aisha smiled.
Augusta got very serious. "You be careful out there and remember what I told you, okay."
"I'll remember, I'll be careful."
Augusta's chest ached with longing, his lips quivered. He wanted to show Aisha his affection, his love for her but he knew how she felt about showing such affections around other officers, even their friends, so he decided to ask for her permission first.
"Aisha, would you mind at all if I kissed you right…"
Before he finished Aisha's lips were pressed against his. He didn't hesitate a moment to return her passion.
"WOW!!!" Filled their ears as their friends pretended to be surprised by their actions.
She pressed her face against his chest.
"I do love you. I want you to know that." She held him tightly wishing she never had to let go.
"My love is a river that flows to the ocean of your heart Ma'Lady."
This drew a soft laugh and smile from Aisha. Resting her forehead on his chest, she gathered up all her strength for the monumental task of stepping away from him. When she was sure she could do it without collapsing back into his arms weeping and teary eyed, she stepped back and smiled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand and raising her other hand to wave goodbye to all her friends.
"Goodbye, I'll see you all again real soon."
Locking eyes with her lover one last time, she mouthed. "I love you," then turned around and headed towards her ship.
They stood and watched as their former captain ascended the stairs into the battle cruiser. As the stairs retracted into the ship, air hoses and pre-launch coolant hoses detached from the ship. Realizing they needed to get to a safe distance, the group ran about 200 meters away from the ship. Stopping they turned back and watched the hulking vessel go through its launched sequence.
Augusta was visibly forlorned; his shoulders hung low, his eyes were hooded, his face long and down trodden. Amery slid her arm around his waist from one side; Striker placed his oversized hand on Augusta's shoulder.
"Look at it this way. You're not losing the love of your life, you're gaining object solitude and loneliness."
Amery tilted her head forward to throw Striker a stare around Augusta.
Still staring at the ship Augusta eventually responded.
"Hmm, I hadn't thought about it that way before. Thanks Striker."
Amery shook her head. "Don't worry Augusta, this is Aisha we're talking about. If this Galactic Leyline does exist then she'll find it. No matter what."
"That's what I'm worried about."