Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode 9: Asha-Tanga #19

Adam paused at the door to the captain's apartment. Lannister's place. Hir place. A smile slid across zie's face. Zie shook hir head.

Zie recalled the day, almost three months ago now, when zie had arrived at the station. A runaway with nothing but what zie could carry in a worn backpack. What had prompted hir to go to the captain at all? Zie told hirself that zie was obligated to let him know zie was here. They were family, after all.

Zie hadn't expected anything, or more accurately, zie had expected him to feel much the same as hir father. Zie had braced hirself for another rejection. Zie would have joined the throngs of other arrivals, seeking cheap hotels and jobs.

Adam didn't have anything more than the backpack zie had arrived with, but zie had something vastly bigger, vastly more important. Zie had a place to put those bags—a place that was home. Family. Zie almost had to blink back tears at the thought.

Zie wiped them away and touched the door to open it. Zie owed hir uncle a huge debt of gratitude, that was for sure. Zie would have to say that before zie left.

Peeta was standing on the far side of the door. He gave hir a look, a twinkle in his eye. "And how did it go?" he asked. "Wonderful, of course," he answered.

Zie smiled and nodded. "I are been educated," zie joked. He shook his head wearily.

Adam had just finished hir final basic education exam and received passing marks in every subject. Zie's been rated for a decent stipend to study just about any advanced tech field, hir educators had prompted repeatedly. They assured hir that the stipend was there whenever Adam wanted to pursue it. But zie had other plans first.

Lannister was at the end of the entrance hall, smiling and waiting. There was a twinkle in his eye as well, and Adam guessed something was up. Just like the two of them to have a party planned or something.

Kleppie appeared at Lannister's side. He'd passed his final exam weeks ago—he was driven. He had been tutoring hir, in addition to the physical training they did, with Peeta's help. He held out his hand and shook hirs.

Zie stepped passed the two men and froze.

Sitting at the table with their backs to the wall, facing hir, hir grandfather sat. Next to him was grandma. Grandpa rose stiffly and approached. "Our first grandchild's graduation," he said, holding out his hand. "We couldn't miss that."

Zie gripped his hand and then, by mutual unspoken agreement, they hugged. Grandma stepped forward and hugged hir as well, fussing over Adam's short hair. "It's hard to believe you are grown. I remember when you were just a little girl."

Adam flushed at girl, but bit hir tongue. They are here.

Lannister's hand came down on hirs shoulder. "Your dad couldn't get the time off. And Frank Junior has school, you know."

Zie snorted. Sure. Zie didn't care. It would have been nice if Mom and hir brother could have made it, but the last zie wanted was Dad around to spoil it for everyone. "I am honored you came," zie said to hir grandpa. "Really I am."

"And we are proud of you," he replied.

"We all are," Lannister said. "Come, sit. Peeta has a treat, and he's eager to get this party started."

"Indeed," Peeta said. "As one of the tutors, I feel a measure of pride in your accomplishment as well."

Adam found a seat across from Grandpa. Peeta set a plate with two small pastries in front of hir, and a platter of similar treats in the center for the others. "It's tradition in my home region," he said. "The first is fruit-filled, to symbolize the sweet memories of childhood. The second has a ginger spice filling. The pleasures of adulthood are more nuanced; bitter and sweet at the same time. But there are pleasures, to be sure, in adulthood."

Adam thanked him and tasted both pastries, declaring both delicious. Peeta bowed and turned back to the kitchen, where a more filling supper was cooking on the stove.

The others fell to eating and talking.

"So what now?" Grandma asked hir as they ate.

"Are you still planning on joining those . . .?" Grandpa began.

"The Kurgara? If I can," Adam replied. "Yes."

"And how do you apply?"

Adam shrugged. "You merely ask to join."

"And they say no," Peeta commented, setting a pot of tea on the table and then turning back to the kitchen again.

"And then you ask again," Adam finished. "And again. You must convince them that you're completely dedicated to being one of them. For now, I am going to Africa. To Naurasthanas."

"It used to be Nyarugusu," Lannister put in. "In Tanzania. A huge refugee camp the Consortium took over when they arrived."

"What will you do there?"

Adam shrugged. "Whatever they need. Help build houses for the refugees, though I think that's mostly finished. Do day labor. Doesn't matter. There is a Kurgara temple on the edge of town. I will go every day off, ask to join."

"Temple?" Grandma asked.

"They are considered a religious order," Kleppie put in.

"You'll be a nun?"

Kleppie bit back a laugh. Grandma gave him a look. "Sorry," he said. "Just . . . I know one. No, more like a kung-fu monk."

"It's military," Grandpa said, as if trying to place the Kurgara on more familiar footing. He looked to Lannister for confirmation. "They vow to protect the weak."

"Exactly," Lannister said. "And heal the sick. They are frequently dispatched to disasters, conflicts, etc. That's what they're doing in Africa—helping local military units and expeditionary forces keep the peace, put an end to tribal warfare and insurgents."

"A noble ambition," Grandpa said. "When are you going?"

"Actually, I have a flight booked for tomorrow. I'll arrive by midafternoon, Shoshone time. Early in the morning their time." Zie shrugged. "I figure, why wait?"

Zie felt Lannister's hand on hir shoulder again. "Well, you always have a place here, if you need it. Understand?"

Zie nodded. Seeing hir opening, zie turned to him. "Yes, Uncle. And . . . I can't begin to say how much I appreciate that. When I first came up here . . ." Zie broke off, tears threatening, then restarted. "It just meant so much that you took me in. That you accept me as . . ."

"Family," Grandpa finished. Adam looked up. Grandpa reached across and put his hand on hir other shoulder. Lannister and Grandpa had their hand on each other's free shoulder, making a triangle of the three of them. "We are family. And that means something."

"We don't turn our backs on each other," Lannister said, his voice heavy with emotion as well.

The moment passed quickly, but the memories of it would stay with Adam for the rest of hir life, zie knew that. They ate and talked of lighter things. After the meal was finished, a couple of people from Adam's class arrived, and they moved to the lounge area, Peeta serving another round of treats.