Revolutionary (The Athena Lee Chronicles Book 4) Read online

  My father was in the center of the room. He came over to me and stood in front of me. Looking me up and down he scrutinized every detail of my uniform. I felt like a new recruit, not the officer that really am. Once again I had that feeling of being readied for market. This was one of the reasons I left so very long ago. I looked him in the eye. “Is there a problem with my uniform?”

  He looked a bit shocked that I had questioned him. “I’m not in your military so stop looking at me like I am a bug to be dissected.”

  “I’m just looking at my long lost daughter. I’m happy to see you Athena!” Now he had a smile on his face.

  “Uh huh. Nice to see you too ‘Dad’. I thought this was going to be a family get together. Why all the brass?”

  “We just wanted to welcome you home. You are a first for our family, an off world military officer.” He had a lilt in his voice like he did not approve.

  “Well I wanted to stay in space to work in space. Coming back here? Not so much. Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else? Somewhere more private.” I gave him a speculative look.

  “Nonsense these are our friends and family. Come now tell us your story so we all can hear.”

  It was as if I was a misbehaving child. The other people watching our family tableau was a little creepy. I really was getting tired of this. “No. No exhibition for your friends to watch. We talk alone, just family, or I leave. No more center ring circus freak for me. Not anymore.”

  “Athena how dare you speak to me like that! I am your Father. You will obey me!” Now he showed those true colors I remembered.

  “Deal with it. I’m out of here.” I turned and tried to leave. David and his wife stopped me.

  Whispering in my ear David told me, “you are right he is putting on a show. I am not sure what his game is, but please, stay. For me?”

  I exhaled loudly. Taking a deep breath I nodded OK. I spun around and looked my father in the eyes. “You get ONE more chance. Pull any of your crap and I am out of here. Understand?” He thought for a minute and nodded.

  My father turned to the crowd of hangers-on and said, “I need minute to speak with my children alone. Please enjoy the party. I will return soon.” He motioned at David and I. We, as a family, followed him upstairs to a conference room there. On the way I whispered to Wilson. “Run a few checks for me will ya? Check out those bozos in the other room and see if you can tap into the family security system. I don’t want to get trapped here. I have trust issues.”

  “Ya think? I’ll get right on it.” He answered.

  ___

  The door had no sooner closed when my father turned on me. “How dare you embarrass me in front of my friends!”

  ‘Really you want this now? I can leave, do you want me too? I might not come back for another 16 years this time.” Now he was pissing me off.

  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Settle down. Now have a seat. I really do want to hear about your experiences.”

  We sat at the conference table and I related what had happened to me since leaving home 18 years ago. The academy, the war, Firefly Station, pirates , and everything else. I kept it somewhat short glossing over some things. I left out a lot of details like Wilson and my friend Sam. No need to mention those details. They, of course, asked questions. I answered as truthfully as I was able. Then my father asked about relationships and the real fun began.

  “I have a girlfriend, here name is Dar she is a Lieutenant in the Empire marines.” I said as I replied to his question.

  I could see a physical reaction from that fact. Our planet was pretty liberal when it came to who is with who. Date the person not the gender was popular when I was young. Our religion tells us to be happy with who you are. Looking at my father I sensed trouble.

  “You need to break up with her.”

  Say what? “Look old man, you don’t get to tell me what to do. Not anymore.”

  “You have an obligation to your family. We went to a lot of trouble to set up an arrangement for you before you went and got yourself ‘killed’. We knew once you got the whole space thing out of your system you would come home. Better late than never, but here you are.”

  Obligation, arrangement, oh Hell No! I started laughing. He stopped talking. I continued to laugh and everytime I looked at him I continued to giggle. Getting control of myself I shook my hands in front of my like a warding motion. I looked around the table. My brother and his wife were watching me closely and my father was scowling at me. The kids were ignoring us and had resumed staring zombie-like at their personal computers.

  Still chuckling I turned to my father. “You thought that after all this time I was ready to come home? Really? Ignoring the fact that I was ‘lost’ for 15 years, you really think that I am home to stay don’t you. The reason I am here you egotistical maniac is that my ship is here. My captain, always looking out for me, made me take liberty. If you think I am marrying some yahoo that you dug up you have another thing coming. I like my girlfriend, thank you very much. Break up with her? Not only no, but Hell No!”

  Thinking about the past I had an epiphany. “Wait a minute. All those times you forced us as children to stand and be inspected at gatherings. All the times that we felt like pieces of meat on display, was just that wasn’t it? You were auctioning us off to the highest bidder!” He looked surprised. “I’m not stupid you know. I graduated at the top of my class at the Academy and again in engineering school. So who is the lucky bidder? Come on tell me. Who have you promise a chunk of meat to?”

  “It’s not like that at all. It is a political marriage. This is how we do things in our family. If you had payed attention to what we tried to tell you, you would understand this. We are not as powerful as we used to be, the family needs more influence in with the sector government. Your sister, Min, understood this. She married a very powerful aide to the Governor.”

  I interrupted him. “Min? You did this to Min, and she let you? You are a braver man than I thought. What did you bribe her with? There is no way she would willingly go along with something like this.”

  “For that you will have to ask your sister. Now the family needs you to marry Harold Norton, the Sector Governors son. We have arranged for you to have your own house here on the planet and basically your own money to do with as you want . He only asks for two children with his family name.”

  I was so mad I could just scream. “Are you out of your mind old man! NO! And I mean NO Frakking way will I ever and I mean ever marry someone that you or anyone just ‘picked’ out for me. Screw you and ‘our’ family traditions! I’m out of here.” I turned and opened the door to leave. Two large and burly house servants were waiting on the other side.

  “I’m sorry that you feel that way Athena. You really do have no choice in the matter. If you gentlemen would take her downstairs please.”

  “Father you can’t do that! She is beyond your control she is too old! She is not a member of your militia.” Now, David protests. It makes me wonder if they did this to him too?

  I tried struggling with my captors to no effect. I went limp, hoping they would let their guard down.

  “What in the three hells is going on here!” A large woman in a Militia officers uniform was standing at the top of the stairs watching me struggle. My sister Min was here.

  “Father what are you doing to my sister? Tell your men to put her down, now!” My captors, distracted by my sisters outburst, relaxed their hold on my arms. Using the skill that Dar had been trying to teach me I broke their holds and got free. I kicked on guard in the ‘nads and punched the other in his solar plexus. One guard was bent over groaning and the other was out of breath. I ran to the stairs and practically flew down them. The puzzled doorman opened the door as I ran up. I sped out of the house into the courtyard. Sitting there with its engine running was a navy transport with a marine squad on board. They waved me over.

  “Sergeant how did you know I needed help? Thank you by the way!”

  “Funny story there Lieutena
nt. We got orders that seemed to come from nowhere ordering us to come here. Even included a vehicle requisition. When we got to the gates they magically opened. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”

  My father and his goons took that moment to run out of the house in pursuit. They drew up short at the sight of the marine transport and the squad of marines it contained.

  “Athena get back in this house now! What are you people doing here! This is private property leave now!” He was visibly agitated.

  “I told you I was leaving. These friends of mine are here to take me back to the ship. Don’t call me, ever!” I climbed in the transport.

  “Now see here! You are my daughter and ..” He did not get a chance to finish. Loud cocking sounds were heard and all of the marines now had weapons pointed at my father and his men.

  “I think not. Goodbye father.” I turned to the sergeant. “Let’s go back to the ship.” The sergeant but the transport in gear and we drove out. The gates magically opened for us and we left the property.

  Chapter 4

  When I returned to the ship I had a long talk with Captain Gorshin. As he also was from this planet he could understand my fathers rational, but not how he went about it. On my behalf he made a complaint the the Sector Governor and to the Planetary Governor condemning my fathers actions and asking for a restraining order. I was a citizen not a slave. The military legal staff was informed but I held off any legal action against my family, for now. All three of my siblings sent messages. David apologized saying he was told of what was going to happen, but was unaware to the extent that father would go. Han sided with my father and berated me for abandoning the family. Min said she still wanted to see me and set a lunch date for today. She even told me to bring Dar along.

  We chose to have lunch in the Navy cafeteria on the station. By pure chance half of our marine contingent was eating at the same time so table space was limited. Dar and I had just sat down when Min entered, alone. She crossed the dining room and gave me a big hug.

  “I’m sorry little sister,” she said as she hugged me. I think she meant it.

  When she released me I stepped back and looked her in the eye. She never was able to lie it me. “Did you know what he was doing?” She bowed her head and nodded.

  “He did it to you too. Why did you of all of us let him ‘sell’ you like a prized cow?”

  Min sighed and motioned me back to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down. Glancing in Dar’s direction she caught the subtle nod that signaled the marines to stand down. “Smart.”

  She stared at the table for a moment and then looked up at me. “You have to understand. Since the end of the war this planet has changed. It runs on power and influence now. Oh we had that prewar. We were a founding family and had the respect of the people. Post war? Not so much. Politicians created this mess of an Empire. They put corrupt men in positions of great power. The old ways here were over. Suddenly everything was about credits and secrets. Who knew what, when, and for how much. Father wanted the influence back. As the head of the Militia he had some of it. But this station was hanging over our heads like the ‘Sword of Damocles’. Step out of line and death awaited. It’s not so bad now, but then it was touch and go.”

  She leaned back in her chair stretching. “We made peace but lost the war. Father needed an alliance with the new governor. He made one. At the time I thought I was helping the family. I was proved wrong.”

  A waiter came over and took her order. Min paused and took a drink of water. “I don’t live with him, this man that I married. He has his own quarters, his name is Cole Whittier. He is the financial aide to the Sector Governor. To tell you the truth he is a bit scared of me. Father wanted me to leave the Militia and be this grand lady. I told him ‘Hell No’ and kept my commission. Cole likes to play the big man but he is afraid of guns.” She chuckled. Her food was delivered so she took a moment to eat.

  Using her fork as a pointing instrument she continued her story. “It was both give and take. He got an escort to fancy dinners and parties and I got the influence that the family and the Militia desperately needed. The new government had taken our teeth, our means to fight and had disbanded us. All planetary weapons now came under Empire jurisdiction.”

  Dar spoke up, “She’s telling the truth about that. Under EOM rules planetary militia is allowed to exist but must petition for certain planetary weapon systems. I’ve never heard of them disbanding a militia before. We marines,” she swept her hands to mean the room full of soldiers. We are mainly used for spacecraft boarding actions and defense. Ground actions are left for planetary militia’s or Empire Special Forces.”

  “Right. Using Cole’s connections we managed to get the Militia back. We were lucky there was really bad flooding in the Greek highlands and the EOM military was unable to help. They caught all kinds of flack for it. In the end we were able to bring the Militia back to life. I know its not an excuse but my connections have been helpful.” She pursed her lips and looked at us. “Athena, don’t hate me. OK? I know that you will be here, on this station for a few months. Let me spend time with my baby sister, please?”

  “Fine, we can hang out or something. But tell our father not only no, but hell no!”

  ___

  I had just gotten back to Engineering when I was called to the bridge. Captain Gorshin wished to see me. A few minutes later I was standing in front of the Captain. With him were several officers that I did not recognize and the XO.

  “Lieutenant Lee this is Commander Rubinowitz from the Inspector Generals office. He and his team will be talking to most of the ship about our recent pirate battles. They are looking for ways to improve both our ships and the procedures that we use. Give them every courtesy please.”

  I introduced myself and greeted the Commander. We chatted briefly about my restructuring the Engineering department and how well the new shipboard training was going. One of the other Officers talking with the Captain was looking at me. He was a tall man with a balding pate and a narrow face. The Captain seeing me introduced this officer.

  “Athena, this is Commander Clancy Hadley. He is your new boss down in engineering. I had braced myself for this every day since the captain made me the temporary chief. With a smile on my face I turned to the Commander.

  “Welcome to the ship Commander Hadley. I hope you enjoy working with us.”

  Not expecting such a warm greeting the new Chief was at a loss for words, “thank you Lieutenant Lee.”

  I turned back to the Captain, “sir, if I may be excused? I need to get my projects ready for my meeting with the Head of Research tomorrow.”

  “Of course Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

  The whole way to my quarters I whispered at Wilson. Most of the crew was used to seeing me talking to myself. Not knowing about my ‘guest’ they all thought I was a little strange.

  “Wilson did you break into those files about our new commander?”

  “Yes Athena, it was as we thought. He is a spy for our Sector Governor Norton.”

  “Send a not to Captain Gorshin this is something he needs to know about. He can be mad at me later for telling you to do it.”

  ___

  My meeting with Professor Kip Wilson was easier than I thought it would be. He droned on about scheduling and mock-ups. Pointing me in the direction of his assistants the man barely spoke to me, more like he spoke at me. His assistants were Amy Cassidy and Henry Desmond, they had one lab assistant a young woman by the name of Hildegard. Amy was the hydroponics expert while Henry and Hildegard were my droid techs. All three of them were very excited to be working with me.

  We flipped a coin and the droid techs got me first. So much for scheduling.

  “Lieutenant Lee, we were very interested in your ‘Droid’ design. Using the micro power units was inspired. What we are most interested is the programing and integration circuitry.”

  After I had explained about Wilson they all made a “oh” sound and nodded their heads. The
y had all read my file but had not had the information about the AI explained to them. When they realized that Wilson was going to supply the dumbed down AI’s and show how to make more they were ecstatic. Their basic questions answered they passed me off to Ms. Cassidy.

  Ms Cassidy or Amy as she told me to call her was an expert in the hydroponic field. While she liked my spiral idea of the new hydroponics pods she didn’t think it was practical. I showed her the records of the model that we had done. My new design coupled with new bulkhead improvements made it more survivable. That was one of the biggest problems with hydroponics, hull breaches. Amy told me we would build a few mock ups and run some experiments. I left her going over plans and making notes on build schedules.