Read The Enclave (The Verge) for Free Online Page B
Authors: H.M. Clarke
to family. What business is it of yours to comment on my friendships?”
“You’re right. It’s none of my business.” John fiddled with the datapad on the table. “But you’re still my sister and I worry about you.” Katherine opened her mouth but John waved her silent. “I am a hypocrite. I did fight tooth and nail to stop you going into the Service. I acknowledge that I went too far, but I thought I had good reasons. I’ve matured now and my viewpoint has changed. I realized when RANSIO recruited me and I saw what was really happening out here why this was so important to you. By then too much time had passed. I thought I’d be more of an intrusion in your life than welcome. And then Yunga happened…” John’s voice trembled to a halt. He coughed and flicked off his data pad, making the holo of Junter Three disappear from the table.
There. That was it. It was the closest thing to an apology that Katherine was ever likely to get from her brother. It was definitely time to start mending these bridges; John had started the foundations from his bank – now it was her turn.
“You would have liked little Adrian,” Katherine softly said. “He looked a lot like you.”
“I wish I could have met him.”
“I have some photos back in my quarters if you would like to see him.” Tears prickled around her eyes at the thought of her son.
“I would like that.”
cHAPTER
Five
Katherine stood quietly in the CIC watching the executive comms screens. The two servicemen sitting the dogwatch studiously ignored her as they performed their duties and Katherine completely ignored them. A clink of crockery made her turn.
“Your coffee skipper.”
“Thank you Mr. Joyce.” Katherine took the coffee mug from her steward. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I’m about to turn in skipper, but I thought you might need a night cap before I do.”
“It’s very much appreciated Brenton,” Katherine said wrapping her hands around the warmth of the mug. “But go to bed, you only have another four hours before you have to attend to the Ambassador’s breakfast.”
“Yes skipper.”
Katherine turned back to the screens as her steward left the CIC. She took a sip of the coffee and savored the warmth and the richness of the blend on her tongue before swallowing it. Brenton Joyce makes a bloody fine coffee. Katherine took another sip as she used her free hand to scan through the log for the secure comms traffic. But the message she was looking for was not there. Katherine frowned at the optics. There should have been news from Port McMahon by now. The lack of news made the hard knot sitting in the pit of her stomach tighten to near breaking point.
Maybe she should have pressed her brother for more detail when they went back to her quarters after the meeting. But even with their newly found goodwill, the bridge they were building still only had its foundations laid. It would take a lot more than a talk over family photos to make it more than that. Katherine felt determined to ensure that happens. John had changed; he was a different person to the brother who vowed to cut her out of his life. She was sad to hear that he was unmarried and alone but John did not tell her much more about himself or his life.
Katherine took another sip of her coffee and turned away from the screens. There was only four hours until Addie turned up the lighting for the ships artificial day. She decided to take her own advice and turn in.
The ear splitting sound of a buzzer rang through the command cabin, jerking Katherine from her sleep. The clock above her bunk showed that she barely had an hours sleep. This better be important!
Katherine rolled over and slapped a hand on the data reader on her bedside. The beeping suddenly stopped and the optic display suddenly sprang to life next to the bed. She sat up and swung her legs out of the bed
“You’re right. It’s none of my business.” John fiddled with the datapad on the table. “But you’re still my sister and I worry about you.” Katherine opened her mouth but John waved her silent. “I am a hypocrite. I did fight tooth and nail to stop you going into the Service. I acknowledge that I went too far, but I thought I had good reasons. I’ve matured now and my viewpoint has changed. I realized when RANSIO recruited me and I saw what was really happening out here why this was so important to you. By then too much time had passed. I thought I’d be more of an intrusion in your life than welcome. And then Yunga happened…” John’s voice trembled to a halt. He coughed and flicked off his data pad, making the holo of Junter Three disappear from the table.
There. That was it. It was the closest thing to an apology that Katherine was ever likely to get from her brother. It was definitely time to start mending these bridges; John had started the foundations from his bank – now it was her turn.
“You would have liked little Adrian,” Katherine softly said. “He looked a lot like you.”
“I wish I could have met him.”
“I have some photos back in my quarters if you would like to see him.” Tears prickled around her eyes at the thought of her son.
“I would like that.”
cHAPTER
Five
Katherine stood quietly in the CIC watching the executive comms screens. The two servicemen sitting the dogwatch studiously ignored her as they performed their duties and Katherine completely ignored them. A clink of crockery made her turn.
“Your coffee skipper.”
“Thank you Mr. Joyce.” Katherine took the coffee mug from her steward. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I’m about to turn in skipper, but I thought you might need a night cap before I do.”
“It’s very much appreciated Brenton,” Katherine said wrapping her hands around the warmth of the mug. “But go to bed, you only have another four hours before you have to attend to the Ambassador’s breakfast.”
“Yes skipper.”
Katherine turned back to the screens as her steward left the CIC. She took a sip of the coffee and savored the warmth and the richness of the blend on her tongue before swallowing it. Brenton Joyce makes a bloody fine coffee. Katherine took another sip as she used her free hand to scan through the log for the secure comms traffic. But the message she was looking for was not there. Katherine frowned at the optics. There should have been news from Port McMahon by now. The lack of news made the hard knot sitting in the pit of her stomach tighten to near breaking point.
Maybe she should have pressed her brother for more detail when they went back to her quarters after the meeting. But even with their newly found goodwill, the bridge they were building still only had its foundations laid. It would take a lot more than a talk over family photos to make it more than that. Katherine felt determined to ensure that happens. John had changed; he was a different person to the brother who vowed to cut her out of his life. She was sad to hear that he was unmarried and alone but John did not tell her much more about himself or his life.
Katherine took another sip of her coffee and turned away from the screens. There was only four hours until Addie turned up the lighting for the ships artificial day. She decided to take her own advice and turn in.
The ear splitting sound of a buzzer rang through the command cabin, jerking Katherine from her sleep. The clock above her bunk showed that she barely had an hours sleep. This better be important!
Katherine rolled over and slapped a hand on the data reader on her bedside. The beeping suddenly stopped and the optic display suddenly sprang to life next to the bed. She sat up and swung her legs out of the bed