“How hard can it be? I’m a master thrust bike racer now, you know. I won heaps of money on Cleon Moon after you left.”
“Did not.”
“Did too. They know.” Ostberg pointed at Leonidas and Alisa.
“He did race bikes and win money,” Alisa said. “Whether horses have anything in common with something with thrusters, I guess we’ll find out shortly.”
The horse made a whuffing noise.
Ostberg’s parents waved from the fence as Henry led several more horses toward the group, the mother with a glass of iced tea in her hand. Apparently, the senior Ostbergs weren’t as adventurous as their son. Alisa hadn’t spoken to them much since picking up the family, but had heard they had never developed any Starseer talents of their own and had been quite shocked when their son did after a bout with Trajean Fever. Feeling helpless, they’d let Ostberg be taken off for schooling after being approached by a couple of Starseers who had somehow learned of the boy’s gifts. During a group dinner, Alisa had pointed out that Stanislav would be instructing Jelena going forward, and that they could leave Ostberg on her ship to work and learn while the Nomad hauled freight from planet to planet. She didn’t know yet if they would take her up on the offer, but she couldn’t help but feel that Stanislav would be a better instructor than those snooty tutors who’d been handling things before. Yumi, who had no plans to leave the ship anytime soon, could help with basic scholastic instruction for the children. And Alisa could use another chicken wrangler on the ship. Especially if geese and ducks were soon to be added to the flock.
Abelardus and Young-hee walked out of the stable, also leading horses. They shared quiet smiles as they walked, telepathic terms of endearment, no doubt.
“Have you two decided where you want to be dropped off yet?” Alisa asked. She assumed they would both head back to Arkadius to reunite with their people and help rebuild the temple there.
“Are there no more openings for Starseers on your ship, Captain?” Young-hee asked.
“Er, you want to run freight with me? I can’t imagine how that would be interesting to either of you.”
“Somehow I doubt your freight hauling missions will be uninteresting, Captain.”
“Really? After everything we’ve been through, I wouldn’t mind a few uninteresting months.”
“And yet, it doesn’t seem in your nature not to court danger,” Young-hee said.
“You noticed that, did you?” Abelardus asked.
Alisa didn’t know what to say. She had no trouble inviting Ostberg to stay aboard, as a ship seemed as good a place as any to grow up, and Jelena would probably enjoy having another young person around, but what crew positions would she give to Young-hee and Abelardus? Beer brewers? Duck herders?
Do you truly think we have so few skills, Captain? Abelardus asked dryly into her mind. That we must be given such sedentary positions?
I doubt duck herding will be a job for the faint of heart. And weren’t you the brewer for your people on Arkadius?
I was, yes, but it was a part-time job. As was piloting our darts. Most of the time, I trained with the other guards to keep everyone safe when uninvited cyborgs showed up in the temple.
Did you not find that stimulating?
Not as stimulating as space travel. Even more to the point, Young-hee is enjoying being away from her mother’s influence and wouldn’t mind a few more months of independence while we decide what’s next for us. In the meantime, I could once again work security for you.
Under Leonidas’s command? Alisa asked, surprised he would volunteer for that.
Abelardus hesitated. Perhaps I could lead the Starseer security contingent and be of equal rank to Leonidas.
Contingent? Unless you’re planning to command Young-hee and my father, you’d be a one-person contingent.
I could command Young-hee.
Without having your balls twisted into a knot and shoved somewhere unpleasant? Alisa looked at Young-hee, wondering if she was privy to any of this conversation.
Really, Captain. Abelardus sniffed. Now that I’m taken by another woman, and you’re taken by your cyborg, you shouldn’t be thinking about my balls. As irresistible as they are.
Young-hee snorted noisily. Alisa decided that meant she had, indeed, been monitoring the conversation. She hoped she had made some choice comments to Abelardus.
“If you want to stay aboard, you’re welcome to,” Alisa said. “I’m sure we can find some manner of employment for you. Perhaps you can help Yumi attend to her… garden.”
“Is that truly the appropriate word for that drug manufacturing facility she has set up in her cabin?” Abelardus asked.
“Well, there are tomatoes growing in planters that hang from the ceiling.”
“Thank you for coming for me, Colonel,” Thorian said, standing next to Leonidas and speaking quietly, perhaps believing that everyone else was engaged in their own conversations and would not notice him. “I thought… I thought I might have to take my life to prevent him from using me. But I was scared. And I didn’t know how. I thought that my father should have instructed me on that, but he never did.”
The words weren’t meant for Alisa to overhear, but they sent a stab of anguish through her heart.
“He never expected your brother to die and for you to become heir apparent,” Leonidas responded, also speaking quietly.
Alisa couldn’t believe how bluntly they spoke of such matters. She should have moved away to let them have a private conversation, but it wasn’t as if they didn’t know of her eavesdropping proclivities. Maybe that was why they hadn’t bothered to shift away from her.
“It’s true,” Thorian said, “and now I’m not even that. There is no throne to ascend to one day.”
“Not now, no.”
Alisa frowned, not liking the implication that Leonidas still believed the empire might return someday. What had he and Alejandro been discussing back in sickbay during the days since escaping Tymoteusz? Maybe she should have been putting more effort into eavesdropping.
“Dr. Dominguez believes my place is with the Starseers for now,” Thorian said.
“I know.”
“Captain Marchenko said I could stay with her.”
Alisa had said that no less than three times, in fact.
“I know that too,” Leonidas said.
“I know my father would want me to get the best training possible… and to prepare for my future.”
“Yes,” Leonidas said, as if he knew exactly what that meant.
Alisa frowned again. What future? Did Thorian truly believe that he was supposed to bring back the empire someday? Couldn’t he just be a boy for the next few years and then decide what he wanted to be when he grew up? The empire was gone. He could be an engineer. Or a doctor or a pilot or whatever he wished. He shouldn’t have to follow someone else’s program.
She opened her mouth, on the verge of saying as much, but Leonidas shot her a warning look. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes seemed to be telling her that it was Thorian’s decision to make, not hers.
“Would you come with me?” Thorian asked.
“What?” Alisa blurted.
Even Leonidas, rocking back on his heels, seemed surprised by the question.
Thorian looked at Alisa, his lips pinched together, and moved several steps away. Leonidas hesitated and followed him. Alisa turned her back on them, looked the other way, and sidled closer, using Leonidas’s broad form as cover.
“You offered to come with me once,” Thorian told him. “When you first dropped me off with the Starseers.”
“Yes, I did,” Leonidas said slowly, like a man deep in thought.
What was there to think about? He should tell Thorian that they should both stay on the Nomad and become a part of the family. After all, Thorian was a more age-appropriate playmate for Jelena than Ostberg.
“But things have changed since then,” Leonidas said. “I… wish to be considered retired. I want to start a family.” He
glanced over his shoulder, though Alisa was sure he knew exactly where she was without looking. “And maybe even ask Alisa to marry me one day. But don’t tell her that.” He’d turned back, but he sounded like he was smiling.
Alisa smiled too, her toes curling at the idea of a proposal, of a promise that Leonidas would stay with her. Forever.
“I know she wouldn’t mind if you stayed with us here on the Nomad,” Leonidas added. “Stanislav will be teaching Jelena. He could teach you, too, I imagine.”
For a moment, Thorian gazed wistfully out toward the cottonwoods, and Alisa sensed that he wanted to accept the offer. She silently urged him to, even if she thought it was silly that Leonidas and the others were giving him a choice. He was too young to know where the best place for him was.
“He’s… not a soldier, not someone with military experience.”
“Neither was Lady Westfall,” Leonidas said.
“No, but they… once it was safe, they were going to take me to some other Starseers that my father trusted, people with military experience. I was to learn to become a Starseer and a leader.” Thorian’s gaze drifted toward the cottonwoods again. “Even though Father’s gone now, I know that’s what he wanted. I can’t just spend my life on some scruffy freighter, being a nobody.”
Alisa propped a fist on her hip, once again tempted to jump in, if only to defend her ship—and those who chose to ride aboard it. It was the first time she’d caught the kid saying something snobby and elitist, but she supposed that had to be in his makeup somewhere. One didn’t grow up in total privilege without some evidence of the fact.
Alisa looked toward Jelena, wondering if she was also eavesdropping on this conversation—she might object to being lumped in with the nobodies. But she had drifted over to pet Ostberg’s horse. More of a draw than discussing a prince’s future, Alisa supposed.
“You shouldn’t stay there, either, Colonel,” Thorian said. “If you came with me, I know your military experience would be useful, and…” He lowered his gaze to his feet, and Alisa almost missed his next whispered words. “I wouldn’t be alone again.”
Leonidas rested a hand on his shoulder. “If you need me at some point in the future, get in touch, and I’ll come help, but over the last few months, I’ve come to realize… I don’t want to be a soldier anymore. I want to be a family man. As dreadful as it seems, I want little girls to put stickers on my armor.”
Thorian snorted, almost a laugh.
“I’ve been a somebody for a long time, responsible for many lives and the execution of many orders. I’ve served the empire loyally for twenty years.” Leonidas looked over his shoulder at Alisa. “I’m ready to retire.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Colonel.” Thorian nudged a clump of grass with his foot.
Does he truly think being a security officer on your ship will be retirement? Abelardus asked in her head. You’ve probably already got the next job lined up, something that will have pirates banging at your airlock.
We’re hauling dehydrated peas and corn from Demeter to Perun so Jelena can visit her Aunt Sylvia in the capital.
Ah, into imperial territory? Pirates will only be the beginning.
“If you get tired of being molded to be a prince and a leader,” Leonidas said, lowering his hand from Thorian’s shoulder, “the offer stands. You can join us on the Star Nomad.”
Thorian met his eyes, his expression grave, as always. But a quick smile flashed across his face. “If you get tired of wearing kitten stickers in combat, you can join me, Colonel.”
“I’ll keep your offer in mind.” Leonidas stuck out his hand.
Thorian shook it, his grave expression returning.
“Who’s ready to go for a ride?” Henry drawled, leading the horse Alisa had picked out toward her, along with… was that a horse?
Alisa gaped at the size of the white stallion. She hadn’t realized they made horses that big. Maybe it had been genetically engineered.
“Here’s your horse, sir,” Henry said, eyeing Leonidas with a challenging smirk. For the first time, Alisa got the hint that maybe their tour guide had identified Leonidas as a cyborg—and wasn’t that crazy about cyborgs. “Already got a blanket on him. Think you can manage putting that saddle on him?”
The horse snorted, pawed at the ground, and gave Leonidas a look even more challenging than Henry’s.
“Do people actually ride that horse?” Alisa asked.
She doubted Leonidas would break any of his synthetic bones if he took a fall, but she’d been hoping they would all have an enjoyable—and uneventful—outing.
“Of course they do, ma’am.” Henry tipped his hat toward her. “Some of them for nearly twenty seconds.”
“Pardon?”
“This here horse is for the local rodeo. He’s never been truly broken. We keep him wild for the bucking bronco event. Whoever stays on his back the longest, gets a prize.”
“So naturally, you’re bringing him out for a bunch of tourists going on a placid trail ride,” Alisa said.
“Only horse I’ve got that’s big enough for your muscular friend here.”
“I had no idea your stock was so puny that it couldn’t handle a brawny rider.” She scowled at him. Surely, he’d had rotund tourists here before who were heavier than Leonidas.
Holding the saddle, Leonidas took a step toward the horse, and it reared up, both legs kicking in the air. He sighed in Henry’s direction. The smug handler didn’t look alarmed, even though he was the one with the stallion’s reins.
“Jelena,” Leonidas said as the horse reared again. “I may need your assistance.”
“I can help,” Jelena said brightly, leaving Ostberg’s horse and running over.
“Uh,” Alisa said, lifting a hand, not wanting her too close to this “bronco.”
But the stallion dropped to all fours, calming before Jelena was within ten feet. She squinted at the creature in some silent communication and walked forward. The stallion turned toward her, lowering his nose for scratching.
“Is it safe for me to put the saddle on him?” Leonidas asked, glancing toward Alisa as well as Jelena.
“He’ll let you dress him and ride him,” Jelena said, “if you let me put four stickers on your armor.”
“The horse is concerned about stickers?” Alisa asked, since Leonidas’s mouth had dropped open and he didn’t appear capable of making the comment.
“Very concerned,” Jelena said. “He wants what’s best for me.”
“He’s only known you for seven seconds.”
“Seven seconds of friendship.”
The stallion lowered his head all the way to the ground, and Jelena wrapped her arms around his neck.
“That’s amazing, ma’am,” Henry whispered, standing in awe as Leonidas put the saddle on—after glancing at a few other horses to see how it should be done.
Jelena stepped back from the horse hug and smiled.
Amazing, sure. Alisa wondered what kind of mental manipulation her daughter was doing to get that horse’s compliance. Probably promising him carrots after the ride.
“She’s definitely your daughter,” Leonidas said, coming to stand next to Alisa. He bumped her shoulder gently.
“Because she’s good with animals? Or because she’s good at manipulating situations?” Alisa wondered how fierce he would look with four stickers plastered to his armor.
“I haven’t noticed that you have an affinity for animals,” he said dryly.
“I get along well with Yumi’s chickens.”
“From what I’ve seen, they ignore you, and you ignore them.”
“That’s getting along well as far as I’m concerned,” Alisa said. “It’s not like they’re going out of their way to leave droppings in my shoes.”
“I don’t think chickens do that. Cats, maybe. We probably shouldn’t get a cat.”
Not with all those fowl, no. Besides…
“What would we need with a cat?” Alisa patted Leonidas on the arm. “
We’ve got a cyborg who’ll soon be wearing a giant kitten on his chest.”
Henry led Alisa’s horse over to her. She waited to make sure that Leonidas could, indeed, mount the big stallion before she climbed aboard her mare. Fortunately, whatever Jelena had promised the beast seemed to have worked.
Alisa chuckled to herself as Thorian and Jelena mounted their horses and the group rode off along a trail. She was sad that Jonah couldn’t be here to see his daughter, but pleased to have another family that she could count on going forward. She wouldn’t go looking for adventures, as Abelardus seemed to believe she would, but she doubted the future would be boring.
THE END
Afterword
Thank you, again, for following along with my Fallen Empire series. I hope you enjoyed this final installment (and agree that four is the perfect number of stickers to adorn combat armor). If you have time to leave a review for End Game, or any of the other books in the series, I would appreciate it. If you tell a friend to try the books, that would be awesome too. (See how easy it is to please authors?) If you would like to find out when new books are coming and get a fun “Second Epilogue” for End Game, please stop by my site and make sure you’re signed up for the Fallen Empire newsletter. Thanks for all the support!
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Title Page
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
Afterword
Lindsay Buroker, End Game