Novus Ordo Seclorum

Chapter Five

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves," Gianni Finestre said. "I'm John Finestre."

Mary gave him a puzzled look. "I clearly heard you tell the kid at the desk, your name was Gianni."

Laughing, he said, "It is. But for years, I've gone by John. Fewer hassles, fewer corrections. Besides, I just enjoyed screwing with the supercilious little bastard's head."

Glancing around quickly, Mary whispered to him. "Please be careful. There may be Listeners here. You're already in trouble if you get caught with the 'Apple.' I wouldn't want you to get into any more."

John smiled at her concern. "Why, nameless lady, one would think you cared for

me already. No worries, though. I was one of the designers of the Listening system. Of course, that was before I knew what the real use would be. It just won't work in a building like this. The ceilings are too high; there's too much background noise and microwave transmitters interfere with the Shuttle's guidance system."

"Oh." She paused for a long time, considering. "I'm Mary Callahan. And you're right. I care about all fools who try their best to get themselves and me into trouble. I can get myself into all kinds of trouble without any help, thank you very much."

"Well, Mary Callahan who cares for all fools, while we wait for the Shuttle to wherever, let's get to know each other a little. We know each other's names; you know what I did for a living. I'm divorced, have been for about seventeen years, before it became illegal. I've got two grown children, both boys. Three grandchildren, all girls, two more on the way. I worked 27 years for the company that makes the Listening system. In my misspent youth, I worked for a variety of companies, mostly construction, while I went to school to learn electronics and design. I retired in May. I was born May 28, 1973, and I'm a Gemini. What about you?"

"Okay, Mr. Gianni 'John' Finestre. I'm a widow, have been for the last eleven years. I've got two grown kids, one of each, and a various and sundry assortment of grandchildren. I worked as a cutter for an apparel manufacturer, until they designed a computer that could do my job in less than half the time for a little more than twenty times the cost, and with only a 300 percent higher error and miss-cut rate. Maybe later, during this twelve-week flight, you can explain cost-effectiveness to me. Anyway, after I was downsized, I took my severance pay and my federal retraining grants and went back to school to learn data-entry, so I could talk to the computer that took my job. My favorite meal is dessert, and my birthday is November 7, also 1973."

They sat for a while in companionable silence, watching the crowds drift past. After a while, John asked her, "How did you get to come on the Shuttle, Mary? I didn't think your company was giving retirement bonuses of this size."

Laughing ruefully, Mary answered, "Not quite a retirement bonus. For my retirement, they presented me with my last paycheck, gave me a box for my personal belongings, and made me turn in my company ID badge so I couldn't get back on the property. The trip was a gift from the grandchildren. My son, Jimmy, works for the agency in charge of this mess, and they got him to scrounge a ticket. According to my granddaughter, Fiona, Jimmy didn't know the ticket was for me. She told him it was for someone she worked with, whose birthday was in the same month and year as mine. Then Jimmy couldn't make it to my party. So there's a chance he may not know I'm here. Surely his wife's told him by now."

Out of the corner of her eye, Mary saw a tall, red-haired man in a NASA uniform approach. When he reached the spot where they were seated, he stopped dead and stared directly at Mary.

"Ma! What the holy hell are you doing here? And who is he?"

Rising as sedately as the Queen of England, Mary extended a hand toward John. "Mr. Gianni Finestre, this most respectful and polite man is my son, James Xavier Callahan. Jimmy, say hello to Mr. Finestre."

Wincing at the sound of his middle name, as he did as a boy would, Jimmy extended his hand to John. "Mr. Finestre, I'm sorry to act like such an idiot. But I wasn't expecting to see my mother here with the passengers. So, Ma, what are you doing here? I didn't know your company was giving out bonus tickets."

"If you'd go home to your family once in a while instead of living at the agency, maybe Johnica could have told you. Your kids and Erin's bunch all went in together and bought my ticket. I believe Fiona was the one that talked to you about my passage."

Jimmy looked at her in disbelief. "I'm going to kill that little busy body. I wish she had told me the ticket was for you, Ma. I don't think you ought to go on this trip right now. There's been some trouble on the Shuttle recently. I think it would be best if you stayed home."

"All right, Jimmy, and where would home be, exactly? The day I left for the Aerodrome, the Housing Authority reassigned my unit. I refuse to go to the Institute. And you know how I feel about that 'panacea for your golden years'. I've still got plenty of life in me, thank you very much, and I choose not to resort to cyanide. I won't sit in some cloister and vegetate. If I wanted to become a Nun, I wouldn't have married your father. Wake up and smell the coffee, Jimmy. When I first got the ticket, I didn't really want to come, but for the first time since your father died, I am enjoying the company of a man, without fearing the sex police are going to bust us.

"Don't you dare come in here with the attitude that you know what's best for me, James Callahan. You seem to forget. I gave birth to you. I blew your snotty nose when you were little. I wiped your shitty little ass. So don't you even think about telling me what I can and can't do!"

The louder Mary's voice became, the more stricken Jimmy looked. "Ma, you don't understand."

John intervened. He spoke softly. "Mr. Callahan, I believe your mother has told you exactly what she thinks. I think you should let her be. She's all grown up, after all, and knows her own mind." Once again, he placed an arm around Mary's waist, and this time she didn't try to stop him for fear someone would see.

"I'll take care of her, Jimmy."

"All right, Mr. Finestre. I'll leave her in your hands. I think that's where she prefers to be, anyway," Jimmy said with a slightly sad smile.

"Call me John, please. And I really will look out for her, I promise. I won't let anything happen to your mother, so long as it's in my power to prevent it."

"That's what worries me, John. There are lots of things that may not be within your power." Jimmy lowered his voice to a whisper and spoke directly to John. AJust remember, things are not always as they appear. There aren't any monitoring devices in the passengers' rooms, but they are in the common areas and the meeting rooms. Just be extremely careful. She's the only mom I'm likely to have."

Jimmy and John shook hands, Mary hugged her son, and with a final wave, Jimmy returned to his duties as launch coordinator.