The Last Hurrah
(published in The Sword Review, June 2005)
(also included in Double-Edged Publishing's 'best of' anthology: Distant Passages - Volume 1)
(a short story in the Deuces Wild universe—approximately one thousand years in the past)
L. S. King
Copyright 2005, 2015 L. S. King
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Cover image by L. S. King
The Last Hurrah
published in The Sword Review, June 2005
Screams echoed and klaxons blared. Les stood among the bloody bodies, exhausted, weapon empty.
“Departure for Orion Station, now boarding at Gate 13.”
Les jerked upright and wiped the sweat from her face. What had caused that flashback?
Her face set, Les stood and straightened the jacket of the standard grey uniform. She headed for the departure gate, her bag in hand.
Recognition shone in the young man’s eyes at the gate as he said, “Have a good trip, Colonel.”
Les marched past in silence. After stowing the carry-on and sitting, Les tilted the seat back and pretended to be asleep, trying to shake off the haunting scene.
“Can’t hide from me that way,” a familiar grating voice said with a chuckle.
Les sat up, surprised but not unhappy. Blue eyes sparkled beneath shaggy eyebrows. “Stu Graham! How long has it been?”
“Years. Last time I saw you was at your seventieth birthday party. I hear you’ve finally taken retirement.”
Les drank in the sight of her old friend. Oh, he had aged, hair now all white, but still that crooked smile and those knowing eyes remained unchanged.
“Yes, they forced the old horse out to pasture. But only after one last look at my first love.”
Stu grinned. “Orion Station. Yes, you would make your final hurrah there, wouldn’t you?”
“And what would you know of final hurrahs, hmm?”
“I made mine several years ago, you know. I’m just a civilian now.”
“So I heard. I’m not officially retired for another week, and as a favor I’m inspecting my star base one last time.” Then I linger on, with only memories. And regrets.
Stu snorted. “Whose arm did you twist for that?” Before Les could do more than raise innocent eyebrows, he added, “And don’t give me any bull. I’d bet it was Marcus, wasn’t it?”
“He owes me a few favors.”
“Yeah, he does. He wouldn’t have made General except for you.”
Les pursed her lips, wondering if Stu knew all the reasons Marcus owed her. And what she owed Marcus. “So why are you heading out to Orion?”
Stu shrugged, and Les twisted to stare at him. “You knew! Who told you?”
“Now settle down! I have my own sources, and when I heard you were heading out there I got worried.”
“Whatever for?”
“Things are volatile in that sector. Ever hear of the Orionis Axis?”
“The OA? Those vermin create trouble just to have a reason to fight. They’re no large-scale threat. Especially not with Orion Station to deal with.”
“They’re growing in strength. You might be surprised.”
Les rolled her eyes and settled back into the seat, still unnerved by the flashback. She sighed. “You have any regrets, Stu?”
“Yeah. Who doesn’t.”
“What are some of yours?”
“Marrying. Divorcing. Not being there for my kids.” He hesitated and in a soft voice said, “Mars.”
Les stiffened. “Let’s not bring that up.”
Stu looked away, quiet. The whine of the jump engines charging filled the cabin. The jumps only took a moment, yet the wait in between them, as the jump engines recharged, seemed an eternity. Les fell asleep. Stu joggled an elbow when dinner was served. Just like in combat when they were young. No words, just a nudge—wake and eat.
“How long till the next jump?” she asked, stretching.
“Soon. You always could sleep anywhere and through anything.”
Les chuckled. “So could you.”
When the meal was almost finished, Stu asked, “What are yours?”
“My what?”
“Regrets.”
Les exhaled. The list would be never-ending, but she followed Stu’s example. “Never marrying. Having no kids to neglect for my career. Having no one who cares if I live or die.” Mars was not going to be mentioned again, at least, not if Les had anything to say about it.
“Look around, Les. You’re not as alone as you would think.”
With a clenched jaw, Les took a bookpad out of her pocket and pretended to read. The last thing I need is an old friend who wants to get sentimental.
= = =
“Think the commander will have a detachment to greet you?”
“He’s not supposed to know I’m coming. Why do you think I didn’t come by military transport?” Les grabbed her bag and left Stu behind. Once past the security gate and into the ring that connected the civilian docking bays, she stopped.
The base had changed on the surface, with more vendors and superficial decor modifications. People jammed the ring—human and alien—all shopping, waiting for jump ships or local transports, and hawking their wares. Yet her eyes saw only the structure and that remained the same. She smiled in satisfaction. Her design. Her Baby. The first star base of its class. Strategically placed and a hub for all activity in this sector, Orion Station served as the prototype for all star bases.
Stu’s voice called out from somewhere behind and Les strode across the ring, hoping to lose him. No more emotionalism. She picked up her pace and managed to catch a lift just before the doors closed.
= = =
Although in a meeting, the commander talked to her, audio only, for a few moments, his voice fawning. “I am honored to have you here, Colonel Bayleson. I will have you shown to your quarters, and when I’m through here, I will gladly take you on a tour.”
“Commander Ellicott, a tour is unnecessary. I am here to inspect this installation. That will begin tomorrow at first rotation schedule. I would suggest instead of bootlicking that you put your energy into running this star base.” As the commander stammered a reply, Les could not resist an urge to rub his nose in his faux pas. “Oh, and Commander? You are supposed to have not only a working knowledge of this base but also its history. I suggest you refresh your memory before we meet tomorrow. Then perhaps you will ask me for a tour.”
As she switched off the comm, Les winced; that was not necessary. Why be so hard on everyone all the time? Was she getting worse as she got older, or had she always been this way?
She settled into her assigned quarters, her introspection continuing. The door chimed and she called the command to open. Too late she realized her visitor almost certainly was—“Stu.”
He leaned on the doorframe with a grin. “Did you think you’d get rid of me that easily?”
“Have I always been such a nasty old dragon?”
Stu burst into laughter. “Are you getting senile? Of course you have!”
“Oh, I don’t mean to you. I mean to everyone. To subordinates.”
“Yes. Why? What have you done—wait, what did you say or do to the base commander?”
Les shrugged. “He offered to give me a tour—”
Stu barked an expletive while laughing. “Oh Les, what an imbecile! He deserves whatever you dished out.”
A twitch pulled
at the corners of Les’ mouth. “I merely told him he needed to study the history of this place.”
“And I can hear your staccato voice when you gave that order. Les, please, don’t ever change!”
Les pivoted and stepped over to her bag. “Stop the mawkishness. It doesn’t suit you.”
“Mawkishness? Is that what you think it is? Can’t an old friend display his feelings around you?”
“I’ve lived most of my life without such ‘displays.’ Why now?” Les turned to Stu, eyes narrowed. “What are you up to?”
At his innocent protestation she raised a hand, resigned. His real reasons would come out soon enough. “Skip it, Stu. Let’s go see if the dining here has improved over the years.”
= = =
“You’re starting inspection in the morning, aren’t you?” Stu asked as they shared an after-dinner drink.
“Yes.”
“So, why are you going to nose around tonight?”
Her eyebrows arched, and she glared at Stu. “Nose around? Can I spend time ‘remembering-when’ with that snot-nose commander and his flunkies around? I thought you of all people would understand.”
“I do. But why not rest tonight? Let’s go dancing.”
“Dancing is for young people and old fools. I’m neither. Now shove off, Stu. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ignoring Stu’s call, Les strode off to the bays.
= = =
Listening to echoes of the past whisper in her mind, she stared out the port of one of the docking bays in the small-craft ring. Two other two docking rings encircled the station proper, the warship ring, situated nearby, and the