{"id":508,"date":"2014-05-20T00:00:12","date_gmt":"2014-05-20T04:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=508"},"modified":"2014-05-19T18:46:38","modified_gmt":"2014-05-19T22:46:38","slug":"thirty-nine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=508","title":{"rendered":"Thirty-nine"},"content":{"rendered":"

19 Decem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like my timing could have been a little better,\u201d Deacon observed as Adam met him on the windblown landing pad at Halo Ridge. \u201cRan a little late, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shook his head even as he reached to shake Deacon\u2019s hand. \u201cYour timing was fine. I shudder to think what would have happened here if you hadn\u2019t shown up when and how you did. You have our thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd my services, but I\u2019m thinking that\u2019s something better discussed over drinks somewhere under cover.\u201d Deacon squinted against the wind and sun, then glanced out over the vista that stretched below.<\/p>\n

Once the all-clear sirens had been sounded, the job of assessing the damage and cleaning up had begun with little fanfare. Rachel was down in the city, helping coordinate the efforts. They both knew the losses were heavy, likely to get worse when the final tallies were complete. Ezra Grace and Renee Vilenauva wouldn\u2019t be getting much sleep for the next few days as they dealt with the worst of the injured, including Inspector Winston and Brendan Cho.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least we\u2019ve got the chance to rebuild,\u201d Adam said, following Deacon\u2019s gaze. \u201cIt\u2019s not Mimir, but it could have been. You stopped that from coming to pass, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow, I doubt that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIt\u2019s true. If you hadn\u2019t showed up\u2014\u201d He stopped and shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re right. This is something better discussed in private. Did you want to come inside? We\u2019ll put you up here for a day or two until we can arrange something better. Did your crew need leave or anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s something we\u2019ll have to discus,\u201d Deacon said, tearing his gaze away from the devastation below. \u201cI was told that the Foundation had made an arrangement with Mission Systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard right,\u201d Adam said, turning toward the house and waving for Deacon to follow. The other man trailed in the marshal\u2019s wake toward what had once been the Grace family home. \u201cIt\u2019s a mutually beneficial arrangement. They needed a soft place to fall and we need the ships they can provide us with\u2014including the ones the Guard commissioned before Mimir fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deacon nodded slowly as they stepped into a sunlit study at the back of the house. \u201cThe Guard certainly isn\u2019t using them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d Adam felt a pang of regret. The Guard wasn\u2019t using them because the Guard was dead except for remnants and refugees\u2014some here, some back in Commonwealth space.<\/p>\n

Anyone left in Commonwealth space is in danger.<\/em> He barely suppressed a shiver as the thought crossed his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this our savior?\u201d<\/p>\n

Deacon froze at the sound of America Farragut\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

America stepped into the room with a bottle of local whiskey she\u2019d liberated from Halo Ridge\u2019s cellar. She gave Deacon a warm smile and nodded to one of the reading chairs that littered the study. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again, Deacon.\u201d<\/p>\n

He dropped heavily into one of the chairs, eyes wide and staring. \u201cWe were told you were dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRumors of that were greatly exaggerated,\u201d she said, unstacking four small glasses. She started filling them one by one with the whiskey. \u201cYou\u2019ll find that things like that aren\u2019t always to be believed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently,\u201d Deacon said, gaze flicking toward Adam. \u201cMission Systems hired me for the shake-down cruise on those ships. I didn\u2019t realize I\u2019d be flying into a warzone, but I\u2019m glad I came prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are, too,\u201d Adam said as he handed one of the glasses of whiskey to Deacon before he claimed one of his own. He eyed the fourth glass, glancing toward America. \u201cIs Grant joining us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGrant\u2019s alive, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

America laughed a little and nodded. \u201cHe\u2019s alive, but he\u2019s not going to be joining us. He\u2019s down in the city with Rachel, helping with the damage assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned. Then who\u2019s that glass for?<\/em> \u201cThen who…?\u201d<\/p>\n

She waved away the question, perching on the arm of another chair and staring at Deacon. \u201cWas your employment with Mission Systems temporary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSingle run,\u201d he said. \u201cWhich leaves me rather unemployed at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

One corner of America\u2019s mouth twitched toward a smile. \u201cI sense a \u2018but\u2019 coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deacon shrugged. \u201cMy wife\u2019s people are Wanderers. I can\u2019t think of a better place to be than out here with the only people who have actually promised to figure out what happened at the Whispers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam arched a brow and glanced toward America. She shrugged slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re already walking that path and dragging Inspector Winston along for the ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Commonwealth actually sent an inspector out here?\u201d Deacon asked. \u201cI think I\u2019m shocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe of little faith, Deacon.\u201d Frederick limped into the study, leaning a little more heavily on his cane than usual. Adam rocked back against his heels, blinking in surprise right alongside of Deacon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think that Ezra Grace was going to let you out of his sight for at least a day or two,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

Frederick shrugged with one shoulder, lightly touching the bandage taped against his temple and then tugging at his fresh shirt to resettle it. \u201cHe\u2019s got far greater issues than me right now. I\u2019m better off than most of the people that Dr. Grace and Dr. Vilenauva are dealing with right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m seeing ghosts,\u201d Deacon said, his grip on his glass white-knuckled. \u201cI bloody well died up there in that engagement and I\u2019m seeing ghosts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a ghost,\u201d Frederick said as he eased into a chair and accepted the last glass of whiskey from America. \u201cNot really. I just feel like one sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTelling everyone that Freder was dead was the only way we could protect him from whoever tried to murder him,\u201d Adam said quietly, still unsettled by his friend\u2019s sudden appearance. Daci was going to kill them both when she found out that he was here instead of in bed. \u201cHe\u2019s been here since then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it makes you feel any better, they very nearly succeeded in that,\u201d Frederick said, taking a quick sip of his whiskey.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it really doesn\u2019t.\u201d Deacon sucked in a deep breath, still staring at Frederick. \u201cI\u2014I\u2019m sorry, this is a little bit of a shock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel had the same reaction,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIn any case…it sounded like you were offering the Foundation your services as a military tactician. We could use a fleet commander\u2014I think that Aidan and Daci will agree with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I was,\u201d Deacon said quietly, shaking himself and looking at Adam again. \u201cBut it comes with a price.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam raised a brow. \u201cTry me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy crew needs a safe place to live,\u201d Deacon said quietly, \u201cand there are two dozen families back in New Earth space that need to make it here before something bad happens to them. I need your help to make that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

America and Adam exchanged a glance. America shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly two dozen? I think we can make that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam suppressed the urge to shake his head. This is going to be a doozy.<\/em><\/p>\n

They\u2019d find a way, though. They always did.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

19 Decem, 5249 PD   \u201cLooks like my timing could have been a little better,\u201d Deacon observed as Adam met him on the windblown landing pad at Halo Ridge. \u201cRan a little late, huh?\u201d Adam shook his head even as … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two-ashes-to-ashes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-8c","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=508"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":509,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions\/509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}