Short Fiction Complete by Neil Shapiro

Author:Neil Shapiro [Shapiro, Neil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft, but insistent chiming of the doorway sensors.

He answered quickly, surprised that Kevin had already arrived. It was even later than he had thought. But, as he had given his little talk and answered the unvarying questions so many times before, he had little need for any time to spend in preparation.

“Morning, Captain Yost,” Kevin said, respectfully. “My father wonders if you’re ready?”

“And,” Yost answered, “when have I not been?” But he smiled and the boy, who probably knew Yost better than any other member of the colony, knew the old man’s simulated anger for what it was.

“You should see the crowd,” Kevin said, “even bigger than it was last year. I’d say that everyone in the colony must be there. Matter of fact,” the boy laughed, “I didn’t know that the colony was quite so large.”

Yost placed his arm about the young man’s shoulder. “Still,” he replied, “I would wager, Kevin, that not that many have come to cheer.”

“No, Sir,” Kevin said, his forced laughter leaving him, “I suppose not. But then what do they know, anyway?”

“They may know more than I can give them credit for. Kevin. I guess it’s hard for me to say, one way or the other.”

“Well,” Kevin answered with great sureness, “it’s not hard for me to say. I say that it was a lucky day when you chose to come to Jacob’s World and to settle here. And, as for the Pension, you deserve it. So do all the other veterans, no matter to what worlds they’ve gone.” Kevin glanced at the Captain’s empty right sleeve and, yet more quickly, looked away again. “You’re earned it,” he said. “God knows you have.”

“What God may know and what he doesn’t,” Yost said dryly, “still won’t pay the Pension Tax of all those fine people.”

Kevin was somber now and Yost momentarily regretted the old man impulses which had made him bare his depressed mood to the boy.

“We’d better go,” he said brusquely. “After all, how long can we expect your father to talk?”

“Long enough, would be my estimate,” Kevin said. “He didn’t get to be Colony Mayor by not being able to talk forever, you know.”

“I suppose that’s true enough.” Yost laughed and was surprised to feel it as true laughter. “If nothing else, I guess we can count on that.”

Kevin led their way to the groundcar parked outside. The sides of the vehicle were festooned with gay, colorful banners and buntings. It appeared as if the national colors of all the Thousand Worlds of Federation fought for space on the sides of the small official car.

It was a short drive to the Colony Square but it was long enough for a memory, long enough for an old man’s dreams, and long enough for a warrior’s regrets.

Mirane. Mirane. He wondered if he had once been meant to die with her and. if he had done so, whether it would have mattered to any but himself. But he had arrived a short week too late for that, she and Altane had both already been destroyed.

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