Dr. Gault was nonplussed.
“So? She’s an orphan. The military is her legal guardian now.”
The attorney from Child Services spoke.
“Was an orphan. Captain Gault is her legal guardian now. We formalized the adoption two days ago.”
So that’s why she was here. Dr. Gault was dumbstruck. She’d just been totally outmaneuvered by her ex. This wasn’t a one-hit wonder either. This had taken time, planning and creativity. Something she’d never thought him capable of. If she wasn’t so angry about losing, she’d find him incredibly attractive right now. She stood and her attorneys stood with her.
Cpt. Bhandari stood as well.
“Well, I guess that settles it then.”
“Hardly,” she said, storming from the room with attorneys trailing in her wake.
CHAPTER 10
Admiral Gault sat at his desk reviewing the morning’s data files. Even after six months, he was still trying to get up to speed on all the requirements for his new rank and assignment. Someone, actually several someones, had seen how he had outmaneuvered his ex-wife, and thought he’d make a perfect fit for a post recently vacated by Admiral Ricks, who’d taken an early retirement amidst the corruption proceedings that were still in progress. His ex may have had a number of high-ranking officers and officials in her back pocket, but you didn’t climb that high without making a fair number of enemies. Those enemies had seen the perfect opportunity to put a stop to the doctor’s influence and had used him to toss a very large monkey wrench into the works. The new Admiral Gault now found himself with final authority over all Fleet procurements and oversight of its contractors. If the doctor wanted anything, she’d have to go through him first.
Dr. Gault was not at all pleased with the arrangement, and even less so about losing access to her test subject and the disbanding of her research group. Without the test subject, there could be no group. She’d filed several appeals to the JAG office via her lab attorney, but all had been denied and those in high places who were previously disposed to influence outcomes on her behalf had distanced themselves because of her current legal turmoil. While somewhat separated from any illegal acts, she had found herself a constant fixture in the many court proceedings and hearings that followed, and was having to step light and fast to avoid criminal charges herself. Admiral Gault had no doubts she’d make it through relatively unscathed. In the meantime, he worked to get up to speed as quickly as possible. The vacation wouldn’t last forever and when she directed her attention back to him, he had better be ready. He was already forming a dizzying array of plans and contingencies for the battles he was sure would come.
One of the first things he’d done in his new position was to order an audit of all contract work or other testing being done on military personnel. He was determined to eliminate the abuses of the past and ensure there were no further incidents. There were several programs that he’d actually had to shut down and red flag the participating contractors. That had sent a fairly large shock wave through the community, and sent the message that abuse of test subjects was no longer acceptable.
He’d just reviewed the latest audit when his secretary stuck her head in the door.
“Your eleven hundred appointment is here. Shall I show her in?”
“I’m surprised she didn’t show herself in.”
“She was busy on a call when she walked in. It sounded like her attorney.”
“Ah, that would explain it.”
Admiral Gault had no great desire to interact with his ex any more than he had to, but he believed in keeping trouble makers as close as possible. She swept in, dominating the room as she always did. He stood and greeted her, offering a chair as he did so. She remained standing. She was still pouting but it didn’t appear he was in any danger of having heavy objects thrown at his head.
“Come on, Lizzy. Take a seat.”
“Will this be long? I have a meeting in an hour and I need to do some prep with my attorney.” She crossed her arms and remained standing.
“I didn’t ask you here so we could fight,” he said with a grimace and took his seat.
“What, you wanted to gloat some more?”
He kept his face impassive and didn’t rise to the bait.
“Not at all.”
“Then what?” she snapped.
“Well, it is your birthday and I thought a gift might be in order.”
She snorted in disgust.
“Right. What did you get me, some crappy snow globe like you did that one year?”
“Hey, that was a good gift. Or at least it was until you broke it throwing it at my head.”
“It was a stupid gift and throwing it at you was the most useful thing about it.”
He took a deep breath and forged ahead.
“Regardless, today is your birthday and I think you’ll appreciate what I have more than the snow globe.”
“I seriously doubt it.” She folded her arms and glowered.
“I think you will.” He pushed a data file to her.
“What’s this?” she said skeptically.
“Take a look,” he urged.
She opened the file, scanning it quickly with her retinal viewer. She sunk slowly into the previously offered chair.
“Is this what I think it is?”
“Yes,” he answered with a smile. “Happy birthday.”
“Is this a trick?” she asked, continuing to scan the file.
“You know I don’t play that way.” She raised her eyebrows in reply. “Well, not about this.” He walked around the front of his desk and sat before her. “Look, I’m not holding any grudges about what happened. I did what I thought was right and I hope you can see that, and I’m hoping we can reach some kind of understanding. At the very least, I don’t think we have to be at odds or cross purposes all the time. What you have there is a token of good will, so to speak.” He watched her as she continued to scan the file without answering. His ship board doctor had taken extensive scans, test and notes on Rayne during their time on the ship. He had withheld those from the Procyon Naval Station data files and hadn’t allowed anyone else access until now. The file would not completely replace having a test subject, but it was enough to generate quite a lot of research.
She finally focused her attention back on him, appearing somewhat mollified.
“Thank you, Jason. I’m still angry though.”
“I’m sure you are,” he replied, moving to take the seat next to her. “I also have one more offer, but it may take some time and will be entirely up to Rayne.”
“Rayne?” she repeated with a suspicious look.
“Yes. She’ll be finishing up her core education within the year, and she’ll be wanting money for college.”
“College?”
“Yes.”
“For what?” she asked uninterestedly and went back to scanning the files.
He sat back in the chair and watched her.
“Dance, actually.”
She scoffed.
“Of all the things she could do and she’s going to do something as useless as that?” The doctor was by no means a patron of the arts. The only reason she attended anything having to do with them was for the political contacts she could make.
“She’ll be eighteen by then and legally able to make her own decisions.”
“So…”
“So, if she agrees and if things are done by the standards I set and with my constant and personal oversight, she could enter a contract with your lab so you could continue your testing.”
She was dumbstruck. Of all the things she could have expected when coming into his office, this was probably the last.
Dr. Gault now devoted her full attention to the conversation.
“Have you already spoken to her about it?”
He hesitated before replying.
“Yes.”
“And?” She asked expectantly.<
br />
“She growled at me.” He continued hurriedly. “But give it time. I think when the time to pay tuition comes, she’ll re-think her position.” He smiled and Dr. Gault returned it grudgingly.
***
Rayne’s eyes were closed as she rose and fell with the swell of the ocean. She lifted her face to the sun and felt its warmth soak in. The wind dried the water from her body as she floated, relaxed on the ocean’s surface listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the distant shore. She kicked her legs back and forth, enjoying the movement and feel of the water. She took a deep breath of the salty air and wished for the day to last forever.
She was on break from school. Not an official one actually. Lena had shown up at her applied physics class and convinced her to play hooky. It hadn’t taken much convincing. The class was easy and the teacher so boring he could have put her dad to shame. The word didn’t feel right yet, ‘Dad.’ She still wasn’t sure she liked it. It felt like a betrayal to her real father, like he had somehow been replaced. But Captain Gault, Admiral Gault now, didn’t feel right either. Neither did Sir, Mr. Gault, Jason or ‘Hey you.’ They’d agreed on ‘Dad’ because it was better than any of the alternatives. Admiral Gault was enough like her own father that the transition wasn’t horrible, but it would still take some getting used to.
Rayne watched Lena paddle back through the surf. She was good and seemed to be having the time of her life. In the last six months, Lena had brought her here perhaps half a dozen times. She’d picked up surfing on the first try, much to Lena’s annoyance. It wasn’t her fault she had a machine in her head that made everything easier.
Lena was still planet-side for a few more days while the ship and crew transitioned to having a new captain. She spent her weekdays training with the squad, but spent her weekends with Rayne. Sometimes she would come alone and it would just be her and Lena. Other times, other members of the squad would come and they’d make a party of it. Today, it was just her and Lena. Rayne had been attached to her before, but it was an attachment born more out of necessity than real friendship. However, the last six months had solidified their friendship and they were now as close as sisters.
Lena paddled up.
“Did you see that?”
“You mean the spectacular crash with arms and legs flying everywhere?”
“That was me halfway through an aerial. I almost had it.”
“If you say so.” Rayne closed her eyes and continued to enjoy the sun’s kiss. They both floated quietly, enjoying the moment for several long minutes.
“I’m shipping out in two days. Are you still going to see me off?” Lena was lying back on her board, her feet dangling in the water. Her hard, deeply-tanned body glistened with water as she bobbed up and down in the ocean swells.
“Of course,” Rayne replied without opening her eyes. She’d been trying not to think about it, secretly hoping Lena would be reassigned to something that would keep her on Athena. They’d talked about it off and on, but it was clear Lena wasn’t ready to give up being what she was, a T80 combat marine. Rayne understood. Probably better that most. There was a thrill to the fight. The fear and anger were intoxicating, and there were times Rayne missed it. She couldn’t stop Lena from being who she was any more than she could be normal again.
“How about the admiral?”
“No. He’s got some meeting or something.” They drifted in silence for several more minutes. Rayne opened her eyes and stared up at the blue, cloudless sky. Several butterflies danced across the ocean’s surface and she reached out and snatched one from the air.
“It is seriously creepy when you do that,” Lena said with one eye open.
“I like butterflies,” Rayne shrugged, holding the captured insect in her hand. It was blue. She liked the blue ones best.
“Speaking of creepy, the admiral told me you were thinking about contracting with the evil scientist.”
Rayne didn’t answer immediately, but examined the still-captured butterfly closely.
“You gonna to do it?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” she replied absently. She still had a deep dislike for the doctor that had tried to steal her freedom in the name of science. Being made to share the same breathing space with the woman made her hands itch for a weapon.
“You need the money for school, don’t you?” Lena spoke with both eyes closed as they rose and fell to the rocking of the ocean.
“Yeah.” Rayne enjoyed the light tickle of the butterfly’s wings in her hands as she cupped them loosely around it.
“I think you should do it.”
“Why?” Rayne asked incredulous.
“I think it would be funny.”
“Funny how?”
“Just think how much money she spent trying to track you. Then, when she finally gets you, you break out, punch her in the face, break all her equipment and beat up their security. Now she has to pay you for the privilege. It’s hilarious.” Lena gave her a broad grin.
Rayne smiled in return. “I didn’t think of it like that.”
“You can negotiate your own terms. Make her pay out the nose for it. Dang girl, you could be living like a queen, and all at the expense of her evilness.”
Rayne laughed.
“That sounds great. I think I just might do it.” She laughed again and let the butterfly dance away on the light wind. She closed her eyes again to enjoy the moment and then turned back to Lena. “I’m hungry. I’ll buy your lunch if you can do that aerial,” she called as she paddled toward the shore and the breaking waves.
“You’re on!”
###
Thanks!
Roger Schultz
About the author:
Roger Schultz lives in the mountains of southeast Idaho where he spends his time working and thinking of productive ways to spend his time. Since he hasn’t come up with anything productive yet, he spends it riding dirt bikes, shooting guns and working on stories and art to entertain his friends and family.
Titles on the horizon
Rayne Again
Acid Rayne
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