Xavier: An Omnes Videntes Novel Read online

  Chapter Fourteen

  In sick bay, the on-duty physician handed his report over to the Chief Medical Officer and waited patiently while he read it. Once the doctor had finished reading it, he put the report down on his desk and tiredly rubbed his eyes. Then, he pressed a signal.

  “I need to speak to you.”

  “I take it this is urgent?” Captain Eric Alaric asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “My door is open.”

  Looking up as his doctor, he said, “I’ll take it from here. What a fucking mess.” Picking up the vid-screen, he went to Captain Alaric’s office. Heads turned, and eyes followed him from sick bay and onto the bridge.

  “Have a seat,” Eric said.

  “You should have a seat. It will help for after you have read this.”

  “What is it?” Eric asked. His pale blue eyes practically tore holes through the unwary. Taking his Chief Medical Officer’s advice, he sat in his chair.

  “Our guest came in this evening after almost going into anaphylactic shock after eating strawberries. I’ve only ever treated one other patient with such a severe reaction. The reporting physician and nurse realized it, too. It’s not that common an allergy. He ran some tests. Twenty-five years ago, a horny little bastard knocked a girl up and didn’t do right by her or the kid.”

  Eric knew that he wasn’t the horny little bastard in question. He wasn’t allergic to strawberries, and he wasn’t old enough. “Oh, fucking shit.” Eric looked up from the report with a pained expression. “Fuck.”

  “That’s what got him into this situation, alright.”

  “Does he know?”

  The Chief Medical Officer shrugged. “I doubt it.”

  “What should we do?” Eric asked.

  “I suggest sterilization.”

  “Seriously.”

  The doctor raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Why didn’t she do a paternity test and sue him?” Eric asked.

  “You’d have to ask her that.”

  “I intend to.” Eric pressed a command on his console. “Commander Bosh, take Kris Roland into custody.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.”

  Eric pressed another command. “Lieutenant Adair, report to my office,” Eric ordered. Eric and the doctor stared at each other until they heard the door signal. “Fuck,” Eric muttered. Louder he said, “Enter.”

  “You wanted to see me, sir?” Gary asked.

  “Sit down, Gary.”

  Gary was one of his best friends, one of his most trusted soldiers, and one of the kindest people he knew. Typically, Gary wasn’t lucky with the ladies. He tried too hard and came off as sleazy.

  “Eric, what is it?”

  “Gary, I don’t know how to tell you this. Here.” Eric thrust out the vid-screen to him.

  “This is a medical report for the weapons expert.”

  Eric said, “Yes, the one whose mother sold her into slavery, the one who has been forced for most of her life to make thermo-resonator missiles, and the one who married Xavier Ponidi.”

  Absently, Gary said, “Poor thing. That’s a shame. She’s cute, and he’s one scary fucker.”

  “Speaking of fucking, you’re missing the point. Keep reading,” Eric said drolly.

  Eric watched his eyes move from left to right down the screen, until they froze and reread. Gary looked up and shook his head. “No, it’s not possible.”

  Eric pulled up a screen. “Where were you stationed twenty-five years and some odd months ago?”

  “Shit, Eric. Twenty-five years ago, I was eighteen and had just been assigned my first duty on the Constantine. Oh, stars.” Gary tossed the vid-screen to clatter on Eric’s desk and started pacing. Forgotten memories flooded back to him. It had been his first shore leave. He and some buddies had gone out partying. They had been waylaid in their drunken state by some prostitutes. “Shit. It was my first shore leave, and my first time being with a woman. The next morning, I had a horrible hangover and a vague recollection of what had happened. Why didn’t she tell me? It was obvious we were Militia.”

  Eric sighed, “Was she a paid woman?”

  Gary nodded.

  Eric said, “A prostitute can’t legally sue for child support. You know that. I’m having Quaid bring her in. You can ask her yourself.”

  Gary continued to pace. Then, he turned to the doctor. “You’re sure?”

  He nodded affirmation. “I’ll leave you two gentlemen alone,” he said as excused himself.

  Gary sat and stared at his feet. With a sick expression, he picked the vid-screen back up from Eric’s desk. Eric was quiet while he read. Through Gary’s service records, Eric had confirmed Gary’s presence on Amphictyon the week of Sparrow Ponidi’s conception. There was no denying her paternity.

  “I have a kid. No, I have a grown woman. I’m a father, but I never even knew it because her mother sold her like she was a fucking animal. Why didn’t she let me have her? I would have taken her.” Gary’s eyes spilled over. “This isn’t fair.” His thoughts turned to Neema, Niklos, and Peter. He loved Teagan’s kids. He could have had that with his own kid. He could have had his own Neema to dress up and spoil. Now, what was he supposed to do? “She’s onboard. I have a daughter, and she’s on this ship.”

  Gary wiped his eyes, shook his head, and began looking up every record he could find for Sparrow Bishop. There weren’t many. It was like she hadn’t existed. He began searching Kris Roland’s records from twenty-six years ago and found records for the female child born to her, Galaxy Roland. The bitch had named her that because he was in the Galaxic Militia. He was going to kill the bitch. Absently, Gary heard a signal.

  “Go ahead,” Eric said.

  “I’ve got her onboard. Where do you want her?” Quaid asked.

  “Bring her here,” Eric ordered. To Gary, he said, “You will not wrap your hands around her throat. That’s an order.”

  “How’d you know that’s what I wanted to do?”

  “Because it’s what I would want to do if I were you.” Eric stood. A fury emanated from him.

  Kris Roland had been terrified enough when Commander Quaid Bosh and his team had shown up at her establishment and requested that she close for the evening. She was petite with brown hair and eyes. A hard life had put premature wrinkles around her eyes and at the corners of her mouth. She was too frightened to speak.

  Gary wasn’t. “You sold our daughter to open a sex bar? Strangers jacking off to each other was worth more to you than our child? I have a daughter, and I’m only finding out now because of a food allergy? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  The woman looked lost. Gary thrust the vid-screen at her. She took it and saw pictures of her five-year-old daughter. Kris Roland observed Gary with an empty look in her eyes. “I couldn’t take care of her. It was all I could do to keep us both fed and a roof over our heads.”

  “Why didn’t you find me? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have either supported you both or taken her myself,” Gary yelled.

  “You were a boy pretending to be a man. You couldn’t have taken care of her. Galaxy wasn’t normal. She wasn’t like other kids. Something was wrong with her, and the other children were afraid of her.”

  “How can you say that about our child?”

  “Look, a wealthy man offered to adopt her. He promised to give her a good life and an education, all of the things I couldn’t give her. He understood what was wrong with her and promised to provide her with the kind of life that would best suit her needs. Giving her up seemed like the right thing to do. It was better for Galaxy to be with him than with me. And yes, he gave me enough credits to get me off of the streets. You might not approve of my business, but it’s safe sex.”

  Gary stared at the woman. “You’re a heartless fucking bitch.”

  “And you’re a self-entitled prick who pays credits to subjugate women. I take it she survived?”

  “Yeah,” Gary said.

  “So, the man who adopted the kid kept hi
s word?” Kris asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Get her out of here, but keep her under surveillance,” Eric ordered Quaid.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Quaid took the vid-screen from her and handed it to Eric. Then, Quaid and his team escorted the woman from the ship and back to her business.

  Eric waited patiently while Gary struggled not to punch the wall. “This leg of mine could use some exercise. Want to go for a walk?”

  Gary glanced over at his friend. The two of them took the lift down to the flight deck and walked down the ramp. Even though it was late, someone was always on duty. They decided to walk around the land port and look at the other vessels docked there.

  “I’m forty-three. How do I have a daughter who is a grown woman? And she’s married.”

  “Shit, Gary. You have something in common with Emperor Probus.”

  “Yeah, what’s with men conspiring to keep fathers and daughters apart?”

  “Your situation is different. You weren’t maliciously targeted.”

  “It feels like I was. I don’t know what to do.”

  In thoughtful silence, the two men continued their walk.

  When Xavier woke up, it was with a smile on his lips at the slight numbness to his arm where Sparrow rested her head. He remained perfectly still until she began to awaken and stir in his arms. He was still smiling when she turned her face to him.

  Sparrow sorted through her memories of Xavier and those of Ocet. “He tricked me. It started when he killed the miner and forced me to go to sleep.”

  Knowing that Sparrow needed time to think, Xavier said, “I’ll go over to our vessel and bring you back a change of clothes. I won’t be gone long.” He kissed Sparrow’s cheek. When Xavier arrived at the lift, Teagan’s friend, Gary, waited for him.

  “We need to talk,” Gary said.

  Xavier could tell the officer was deeply troubled. Out of respect, he and his brothers did their best to refrain from reading the minds of friends. However, the man’s feelings were clear. “Alright, can we have this talk on the way to my ship?”

  A few minutes later, Xavier sat dumbfounded with Gary on his bridge, staring at the facts on a vid-screen. “Sparrow has already begun the procedure to sue Kris Roland.”

  “Good.” Gary stood and began pacing. “What should I do? You know my daughter. I don’t. I’ve never even met her. What am I supposed to do, just go up and introduce myself and apologize for her upbringing? What will this do to her?” He sat heavily in the pilot’s chair.

  Xavier said, “It won’t appear to even faze her. Sparrow is a weapons genius. However, being raised by AIs didn’t do much to help her learn how to socialize and interact with other individuals. She loves spaghetti, expensive tools, top of the line nanites, anything she can weaponize, and Laconian romance novels.”

  Gary leaned back and considered Xavier’s words. “She sounds like a fun girl.”

  Xavier grinned before turning serious. He began a search. Then, he pulled up files on a black-eyed Laconian female. Xavier let out an explosive sigh.

  “Who is that?” Gary asked.

  Turning to look Gary in the eyes, he said, “She was my Kris Roland. After what happened to you, I figured I had better check.”

  With a pained expression, Gary said, “I vaguely remember my experience.”

  “You’re fortunate. I remember every detail. It haunted my nightmares. When the woman to whom you are making love considers you to be a freak, an abomination, it would be nice to be able to forget it.”

  “Can’t your brothers make you forget?”

  “I thought it was an important lesson to remember. Sparrow loves me, and I love her. That’s all that matters to me now.”

  “Thanks for showing me this,” Gary said of the Laconian female.

  “What happened to you could have happened to any of us. Now, Sparrow will be hungry. Join us for breakfast, and I will introduce you.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Yes, Sparrow is quiet and can be abrupt. It’s just her. Don’t take it personally.”

  Half an hour later when they met in the officers’ dining room for breakfast, it was surprisingly empty. A few of Gary’s closest friends were seated nearby to offer emotional support. Kris Roland was a despicable female. Xavier held out Sparrow’s chair.

  “Sparrow, this is Lieutenant Gary Adair,” Xavier said. Gary bowed to her. “I invited him to join us.”

  “Hello,” Sparrow said.

  Gary stared at her for a long moment before saying, “Hey.” Then, he sat and seemed totally lost.

  Sparrow glanced up at the man. He had brown hair with some grey at his temples. “Don’t mind me,” she said as she started to eat.

  Xavier said, “It’s a good thing there are no strawberries on your plate. Right? You know. Gary has the same allergy.”

  Sparrow asked, “What’s this about? Am I being arrested?” She looked from Xavier to Lieutenant Adair.

  Gary said, “No, absolutely not. Look. I’ll just get right out with it. After your visit to the infirmary, your parentage was questioned. They ran tests. I found out a few hours ago that you are my daughter.”

  Sparrow lowered her egg-laden fork to her plate. “Prove it.”

  Gary handed her a vid-screen. Sparrow scowled. “Galaxy Roland. I remember that now. What a stupid name.” Gary smiled at her. “She didn’t tell you?” Sparrow asked him.

  “No.”

  “Why? If I was so difficult to care for, like Bishop told me, why wouldn’t she ask you for help?”

  Gary waited until she looked down at her plate before saying, “The one time I met your mother, I was eighteen and on my first shore leave here on Amphictyon.”

  Xavier said, “Sparrow, do you recall the females on Malta with the expansive breasts?”

  She looked around the room hoping that no one had overheard him. In an agitated whisper, she said, “Those women who sold their intimacy?”

  “Yes.”

  Sparrow shuddered. “Disgusting.” Then, she put the pieces together and turned her attention to Gary, who turned bright red. “Unbelievable,” Sparrow muttered.

  “I never saw her again. I don’t want that to be the case with you. Sparrow, had I known about you. I would have taken you. I want to be a part of your life. Is there any way you will consider giving me a chance to get to know you?”

  After a long pause, Sparrow said, “Sure. Why not?”

  Gary let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

  Xavier said, “I have an idea. Why don’t the two of you spend the day together? After confirmation from Parvac arrives that you have nothing to fear, the trip home will take us a week. You may want some things to keep you from getting bored.”

  Sparrow considered that. Then, she said, “You will need to purchase better food for such a trip.”

  Xavier grinned, relieved she wasn’t averse to the idea of leaving the system with him. “As you wish, Lady Ponidi.” After they had finished eating, Xavier gently kissed Sparrow on her bruised forehead, winked at Gary, and left. He did have errands to run.

  “Are you ready to go, Sparrow?” Gary asked.

  She eyed him warily. “Do you have any weapons on you?”

  “A few,” Gary replied.

  “Good. If AI soldiers come after us, aim for their visual processors.”

  They walked to the lift and went down to the transport bay. “With both Bishop and Ocet in custody, you shouldn’t have to worry about being targeted any longer.”

  “Are you aware of my particular skill set, Lieutenant Adair?”

  “Call me Gary. I am your father. You can call me father if you want.” Gary stopped walking and stood in front of the petite young woman with her short, curly, brown hair. “You’re my daughter, my flesh and blood.”

  Sparrow cocked her head at him. “Yes, we have established that.”

  Gary’s emotions and Sparrow’s dry observations created an even greater emotional disparity within
him. “Aren’t you angry, confused, happy that we found each other, or anything?”

  Sparrow glanced up at his eyes, realized that she had hurt him, and looked down at his sidearm. “I don’t know yet. It takes me a while to take my feelings out and evaluate them. I am not displeased to learn you are my parent. I am disgusted at how I was conceived. I do believe I had a much better childhood with Bishop than I would have had with Kris Roland. Although, witnessing heartless killings was brutal.” Sparrow shrugged. “I thought we were going out into the city.”

  With a nod of his head, Gary showed Sparrow over to a Galaxic Militia transport while trying unsuccessfully to ignore the curious glances of the crew. He knew that news traveled fast in a starship but wasn’t accustomed to being the center of gossip. He had joined the Militia early with parental consent from his grandmother and had remained there ever since. They drove from the ship and the land port. Sparrow looked out of the window. Gary had no idea how to reach her or what to say to the grown woman beside him.

  “You had a great-grandmother, but she passed away several years ago. She would have loved to meet you.” Gary parked in an upscale tech district and began scrolling through his vid-screen. “This was her when she was your age. I think you look a lot more like her than you do Kris Roland.”

  Sparrow said, “I’m thinking of suing her.”

  “If that’s what you want to do, you have my support.”

  Sparrow turned her face toward him and glanced up at his face. “I’d rather torment her.”

  Wrinkles appeared at the corners of Gary’s eyes. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Are you going to turn me in?”

  “Will your actions endanger civilian lives or the environment?” Gary asked.

  “No.”

  “Then, no.”

  She stared into his eyes for a few moments before getting out of the transport and walking inside of a tech store. Gary followed after. She bought a vid-screen along with a few additional components. “Let’s go in there,” she said as she pointed to a café.