Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Six: Africa #19

As Fox and Nara packed their few bags and made ready to abandon their dome. Jean Pierre had still not returned. However, they received a message that he had made it to his home village and would be married in a day or so and then be on his way back. He would be bringing his childhood sweetheart, her widowed mother, and her sister as well.

"I can check the plants once a day until he gets back," Nara said. "No biggie."

"And it was worth it," Fox said.

"Last day," Nara commented as they made their way out of the village, stopping to say a personal goodbye to little Nazou, the albino girl with the artificial arm. "What do you want to do?"

Fox sighed. "Want?"

Nara chuckled. "You will do what you must," zie said. "It's annoying at times, but it's what I love about you. You are a man of duty."

Two days had passed, blissfully uninterrupted by any further drama from Klempke or Green. But Fox couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Klempke and seeing if there had been any resolution to any of this business.

The penal officer told him that Klempke was currently stationed in "medical counseling quarantine," which was a fancy Consortium way to say he was in the mental health lock-up, a psych ward of sorts. Fox exchanged an arched look with Nara.

The healer on duty said Klempke could have one visitor at a time. Nara shrugged and said zie'd be waiting. Fox was led into a secure bunker and found Klempke on a bunk in a small private room. He looked ragged, exhausted.

"Hey," he said as Fox entered.

"My last day in Africa," Fox said as he found a seat. "Thought I should drop by. Say goodbye."

"You don't like me," Klempke said. "Not after all the shit I put you through."

Fox shrugged. "Not really."

"But here you are."

"Here I am," Fox agreed. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"Like my confessing."

"Like your confession, yes. This?" He gestured around the room.

"I kind of lost it," Klempke admitted. "Didn't realize coming clean would fuck me up so bad. But it did."

"And now? Did you get what you wanted?"

"No," Klempke's voice was resigned, but not bitter. "It's not real."

"What isn't?"

"Absolution," Klempke said. "Forgiveness. Telling the truth helps, but it's only the first step. I feel better for having done the right thing finally. But I can't be forgiven, not yet. I must first do my penance."

"Who told you that?" Fox said.

"Karutunda," Klempke said. "One of the child soldiers. Came to visit me."

"Really? I thought they didn't like you."

"So did I. I don't know. Maybe he's like you, thinks it's the right thing. Maybe he's really a friend. He and some others have a small church where they all meet a couple times a week. They talk about the stuff they did out there, how they feel about it now, what it takes to come back, be right with God or whatever. Don't know. Might check it out when they put me back in general population."

"And for now?"

"There's some stuff fucked up in my head, but now that I'm talking, they think they can help," Klempke said.

"And Green? You worried about running into him?"

Klempke snorted. "You didn't hear?"

Fox shook his head.

"He denied the allegations, but it didn't do him a bit of good. He attacked me, you, two penal officers. Yelled at the judge, some pretty foul language. Showed his colors. He's labeled a violent offender now."

"Mars?"

"Likely," Klempke said. "They've a couple of restricted camps for violent offenders in Africa, but they're mostly locals. Yeah, he'll probably be sent to Mars. Now he can be one of the CIA Six heroes, like he wants."

Fox snorted. "Doubt it. Think those guys will welcome a petty rapist into their midst? He'll be in for a crude shock. And you? Will you be okay?"

Klempke nodded. "This is my penance. Twenty-five years. But I just keep telling myself it's penance. I'll do my best to build new homes for others, shelter against men like I once was."

"Well, that is a noble ambition, at least." Fox stood and shook his hand.