Barons of Oartheca: Book Two of the Oarthecan Star Saga by James Siewert

Author:James Siewert [Siewert, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Rowland

The term ‘Under-dive irradiated’ is not usually found in conjunction with the word ‘survived’, but nonetheless, that’s what’s written in Eractur Craggurscion’s dossier. The details are scant as to how it happened (‘in the course of duty’) but it’s quite clear in his record—twenty years ago, Erac received a near-fatal dose of Under-dive radiation, but somehow survived, with the only apparent physical side-effect being ‘a large, continuous lesion on the right anterior side that resists conventional medical treatments’—that terrific scar he’s got running down the right side of his face, which apparently continues all the way down to his thigh.

I’m in the Primary Conference Room, reconfigured to act as an office, sat at a curved desk, studying the dossiers Erac provided me. I’ve reviewed the files of Hars, Gren and Reth, and have conducted my interviews with each of them, saving Erac for the last to review my findings with him, which should be pretty easy as I’ve got nothing but positives to say about my new Oarth crew.

Hars is friendly and wonderfully charming, being quite typical, for the Oarth I’ve met, in his interaction with me, in the sense that it’s a mixture of awe, shyness and subtle flirting, throughout his interview. Currently, he works as a ‘sculpture restoration specialist’ on Oartheca, restoring damaged works of art, as well as being a professional blackclay artist himself.

While this is fascinating, I’m somewhat more relieved to know that he spent a decade in the OSSN as a communications officer, which is how he was able to decode his dad’s message and determine its source of origin. Though he’s not familiar with CAPS quantum-entanglement-style comms, he’s an old hand at Under-portalling messages and ship-to-ship communications, and is more than willing to take that post on the bridge.

Our interview concluded, I stand to escort Hars to the door, but am caught off guard when the hefty stormcoat broaches a conversation I was hoping never to have.

‘Is it true, Captain Hale, that you and my Dad are denning together?’ he asks, innocently enough. There’s genuine curiosity in his expression, a counter to my bemused shock, and as I start to feel the tips of my ears heat up from embarrassment, I manage to stammer out:

‘Where … where did you hear that from?’

‘Friend of a friend is stationed on the Grolthon’s Spear,’ he explains, ‘and well, rumours travel fast in the OSSN, especially when there’s something “taboo” involved.’

‘I … uh …’ I continue to stammer, my hand going over the back of my neck, scratching an itch that doesn’t exist. Of all the conversations I was hoping to have with Hars, the ‘I slept with your dad’ topic was at the bottom of the list.

‘If it is true, I just want you to know that my Dad is the best dad there is,’ Hars says, giving the most sincere look possible. ‘I know every son says that, but in Dad’s case, it’s the truth. He raised me and my brothers better than anyone else could’ve, and I know he’ll do the same for the sons the two of you will have together.

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