Chapter 43

 

"If I have to sit through one more session of whining, greedy, selfish, immature, grasping—"

"Long day?" Clark asked. Jasyn was volatile at the best of times and the Council sessions had strained her patience far past its normal breaking point.

"I hate them all," Jasyn said as she flopped into a chair. She pressed her hands over her eyes. "I am going crazy. Why did you let me agree to this? Why couldn't someone else do it?"

"Do you want an answer or would you prefer dinner?"

She lifted her hands and peered up at him. "Where's Louie?"

"Twyla took him out to the park for a while. While this apartment is very nice, it is a bit small."

The apartment had come with the understanding that it was theirs until Jasyn was through with the trade negotiations.

"How did it go today?" Clark moved a pot off the stove.

"The first draft is done." Jasyn sniffed the air. "That smells wonderful."

"The first draft of what?"

"Entry requirements. At this rate, I might be through in about ten years."

"Jasyn, we can find someone else. I don't want to live here for ten years."

"I don't want to be grounded that long either, but I can't see any other way around it, Trevyn. I let Leon do everything possible, but I still have to be there. I'm the one they named as the Council leader. I can't just leave it. Even if I want to."

He wanted to smooth away the frown on her face. He wanted to wipe away the sadness in her eyes. He was helpless to do either.

"At least they let you go home," he said, trying to joke. It didn't work.

There was a knock at the door.

"Tell them to go away." Jasyn didn't budge from the chair. "Seven straight days, fourteen hours a day, is too much. I'm not going back until day after tomorrow."

The knock came again, imperative and urgent.

"I think they know we're here," Clark said. "Hiding won't help."

He opened the door. He was too quiet as he let in the people waiting outside. Jasyn glanced over, suddenly very nervous.

Garvin came in first, followed by Leon and Shonteroy, the older councilwoman who had spoken in support of Jasyn.

"What?" Jasyn snapped. "Is there a problem with the requirements? I'm not rewriting anything."

"That's not why we're here," Garvin said.

"What now?" Jasyn asked suspiciously. She looked at Leon. "Tell me it doesn't have anything to do with the Council."

"It doesn't," Leon answered. "But I don't think you're going to be very happy about it." He held out a news sheet to her.

She looked over it, skimming the headlines. It was a week old, straight from the Inner Worlds of the Empire. She saw nothing that caught her eye.

"It's what's not there," Leon said.

"I'm supposed to read between the lines now or is it your mind I'm supposed to read?"

"According to Lady Rina, you could." Shonteroy stopped when Jasyn glared at her.

"I don't care what Lady Rina said about my abilities." She waved the news sheet. "I'm tired and frustrated and I am not in any mood to play games with you."

"Dace isn't in there," Leon said.

"She's gone to Shangrila," Garvin said. "Vance and his mother took her there a couple of weeks ago. And before you ask, she's in trouble. We were deliberately keeping her in the news. As long as she was headline news, people were watching her and she was relatively safe."

"She could easily disappear and no one would notice," Leon said.

"Why are you telling me?" Jasyn demanded. "I'm stuck here. There is nothing I can do."

"You're her clan leader," Shonteroy said. "She is your responsibility and she takes precedence over Council business."

"But," Jasyn began.

"You can delegate," Shonteroy said. "The others will understand. Clan loyalty supersedes all other responsibilities."

"Why didn't you let me use that excuse when I first arrived here?" she said, turning on Garvin.

"Because Dace was safe then," Garvin said. "She isn't now."

"But we're outlaws in the Empire," Jasyn said. "Isn't that what you told me? We'd be arrested on sight?"

"So I exaggerated a bit," he said.

"Why do you care so much about her anyway?" Jasyn couldn't help asking the question.

"I can't talk about it," Garvin answered.

"The Patrol aren't the only ones looking for traitors," Shonteroy said. "Your friend has stirred up the entire government of the Empire. Because of her, we know where to start looking to put things back. At least far enough to stabilize things."

"Why are you arguing?" Leon asked. "I thought this was what you wanted."

"You keep telling me I can't leave, that I'm needed here."

"We'll manage without you," Shonteroy said. "Now that things are rolling, it should be easy to keep it going. Quite frankly, you aren't very good at the finer points of diplomacy." Her smile was gentle, taking any sting out of her words.

"And I thought I was pretending nicely," Jasyn said.

"How do we get through the border?" Clark asked.

Garvin glanced over at him. "We have a new ship id chip waiting for you at the station. Along with a packet containing information on border codes and ship routes and our contacts on the other side. You'll be given priority status all the way to the Inner Worlds. After that, you're on your own."

"Shonteroy and I will keep the talks moving," Leon said.

"Keep him legal," Jasyn said to Shonteroy. She turned to Clark. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

"After dinner," he said. "I spent all afternoon cooking for you. Besides, we really should wait until Twyla and Louie get back."

"By then, we should have a shuttle cleared and waiting to take you up to the station," Garvin said. "Do you want to notify the rest of your crew or do you want me to do it?"

"I'll handle it," Jasyn said.

"Good luck," Garvin offered. "We'll get you supplies, everything you need."

Jasyn nodded.

"You'll have to come back long enough to ratify the trade regulations," Shonteroy said.

"By the time you finish writing them, I'll be ready to come back," Jasyn said.

Garvin and Shonteroy left. Leon lingered behind.

"You waiting for a dinner invitation?" Clark asked him.

"I'd love to stay, but I got people to see, places to visit, that kind of thing," Leon said.

"What, Leon?" Jasyn asked.

"I wish I were going with you," he admitted. "I miss her."

"So do we," Clark said.

"Bring her back safe," Leon added.

"That's the plan," Clark said.

"Good luck, then," Leon said, offering his hand to Jasyn.

She didn't shake. She hugged him instead. "Thanks for everything, Leon. And if we need a lawyer, we'll be sure to call you."

"Only in the Federation. I wasn't lying about the Patrol wanting to arrest me."

"You want us to fix that for you? While we're there, we may as well," Clark said.

Leon shook his head. "I think I like it here. They've got some great tailors." He waved and left.

"I think he's delusional," Jasyn said, "That suit was the most hideous yet."

Clark looked at the table, set for dinner. "I'll call Twyla. You call Ginni and give her the good news. Dinner can wait."

It took them just over an hour to pack and find the shuttle Garvin promised. Louie fussed the whole way there only to fall asleep as soon as the shuttle lifted.

"He's happy to be back in space," Twyla said.

"We all are," Jasyn answered.