The Galahad Legacy by Dom Testa

Author:Dom Testa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

18

Gap stood before the familiar panel in Engineering, talking with Julya Kozlova about the patchwork repairs to the ship’s radiation shield.

“It’s frustrating,” Julya said. “One look at this and it seems as if everything’s fine, no problems.”

“And yet it’s crumbling,” Gap said. “The additional power seems to have bought us the time we need to get out of here. Let’s make sure it’s buttoned up for the ride we’re about to take.”

He noticed Julya start to respond, then grow quiet. She was looking past Gap’s shoulder at something. He craned his neck to see Hannah standing in the doorway, her hands clasped together in front of her.

“Got a few minutes?” she said.

No, he wanted to say. No, I don’t have a few minutes. No, I’m not going to talk about anything right now. Instead he heard himself say: “Yeah, sure.”

After assuring Julya he’d be back in a flash, he walked out with Hannah and let her lead the way toward the lift. He knew where they were going without having to be told. In less than two minutes they stood in the corridor leading to the Spider bay, near the large window that offered one of the best views of the overwhelming star field.

“I don’t expect you to say much,” Hannah said, leaning against the curved wall. “So let me just say what I have to say. Deal?”

Gap faced her from across the hall, and nodded.

She began to speak, but immediately stopped with a nervous laugh.

“Yes?” Gap said.

She looked away when she answered. “Everything I want to say always sounds so good in my head, but sounds so awkward when it comes out.”

He wasn’t going to bail her out. Instead, he waited.

“I guess what it comes down to,” she said, looking back at him, “is that things were never that bad between us, and we somehow let it get worse. I’m sure I overreacted when you said you needed a break, and I think you overreacted when you heard me talking to Merit. Emotions, I guess.”

Gap held his tongue, wondering where this was going.

“You’re free to disagree,” she said. “I know that the last time we talked privately I said some things out of frustration, and I’m sorry about that. I … I guess what I’m trying to say is that I wish it hadn’t turned out the way it did. You got mad, I got mad, and all it did was drive us apart.

“Just for the record, I want you to hear what I’m saying. There was never anything between Merit and me. Nothing. He encouraged me to run for Council Leader, and I suppose I needed you to see me as more than just an ex-girlfriend. I wanted you to know that I had more to offer than just a few scientific equations and some oil paintings. I don’t regret running for the office, but I do regret that it made things worse between us.”

She shrugged. “I look back on it now, and it seems like ages ago. Maybe because Triana’s back, and there’s so much else going on.

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