Pandora: Liminal Space Book 2

Chapter Sixteen

Three weeks of final preparations gave Garrett plenty of time to question his own judgment when it came to accepting Jezria's offer, but fortunately he was too busy to consider it much. The lab was being whipped into shape and stocked with several years' worth of supplies, and luckily for all of them transport issues kept Martina's ire facing outward, not at her own employees.

Most of the scientists were friendly enough, but Garrett could already tell that apart from a few standouts, he wasn't going to be socializing much with this group outside of working hours. They treated him with a wary sort of respect, not because of his qualifications, which were good but not exceptional, but because everyone had found out fairly quickly who he was related to, and that instantly diminished their ease with him. Lila didn't seem to care, and Shekar, her lovelorn shadow, followed where she led, but apart from the two of them and Martina people were pretty reserved. Friendly nods and envious glances at his expensively ergonomic chair were the most he ever got by the time their departure was imminent.

All this meant that Garrett felt more keenly the distance between himself and his family back on Paradise. He had expected to miss them. He hadn't expected the unaccountable sense of longing he got for Paradise, however. Not the planet itself, really, but the locations he was most familiar with: the Governor's Mansion, the barracks, Wyl and Robbie's living room and the terrace overlooking the city. He called them more often than he thought he would, and he was always a little surprised that they could take the time to talk with him.

At least Claudia and Wyl usually could. Miles and Robbie were still in the throes of investigating the explosion at the warehouse, as well as dealing with upcoming parliamentary elections. Claudia called Garrett at least as often as he called her, and they ended up spending hours on the video comms just chatting. Claudia talked about her budding vineyard and Garrett amused her with stories of his new boss.

He and Wyl talked a few times a week, occasionally when Robbie was around but mostly when he was out in the field. Wyl tried not to worry, but Garrett was an expert at worry and he saw right through it.
"Where is he this time?"

"Maneuvers." Wyl was lying on the couch in his living room, stomach down, head resting on his folded arms. He didn't have a shirt on. Garrett reminded himself that Wyl wasn't trying to look so disgustingly sexy on purpose, and refocused on what he was saying. "I don't even fucking know what "maneuvers" means."

"Field exercises. The rehearsal of military missions without actual combat."

"Naturally you know." Wyl sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. "They've been going at it gung-ho lately. Apparently they have to prepare for a zillion different types of attack during elections."

"Better safe," Garrett said with a shrug. "I'd rather have them fuck up someplace where no one could get hurt than out in the field. My dad was part of a unit once that lost over half its soldiers because someone gave a moron who wasn't properly field-tested a plasma grenade launcher to use. Idiot forgot to activate the safety, then accidentally set the thing to automatic fire. It was a dumb design for him to be able to fuck it up so completely, but still, he should never have had it in the first place."

"Holy shit. Did he off himself too?"

"No. He lived." And was subsequently subjected to one of the most brutal court-martials in the history of the Federation. "You see Claudia much?"

"A lot more lately. She's starting to show a bit. I think your dad is kind of freaking out."

"I figured he would."

"I think he misses you, Gare."

There wasn't much Garrett could say to that, so he changed the subject.