Marlon was as stunned as I was. "You're what?!"
Lynette sighed. "Calm down, Marlon. You've always known I've planned on leading a mission some day."
Marlon threw his fork down and shoved at his plate. "You're still a child."
She scoffed. "For heaven's sake. First, I reach my majority just next week."
"So? You're still too young."
"And second," she continued, ignoring his outburst. "It won't be for another year yet."
"Oh, right. Because nineteen is so mature," he said in a mocking tone. The news had cut him, hard. I felt bad for him.
"Marlon, it's a position she's earned," said Reginald. "I have every confidence that..."
"Screw your confidence!" he shouted.
"Mr. Donnely, you're here as a guest," said Christophe in a warning tone.
He gave a harsh laugh. "A guest? Please. I'm here because for your little social experiment to put the Qitani in the hot seat."
Ashnahta's eyebrows shot up.
"Yeah, didn't you figure it out? This little dinner is to entertain the bored millionaire."
I could feel Reginald's anger radiate. "Marlon, consider your words carefully."
Marlon was beyond that. He was angry, he was hurt. He was stunned and panicked at the idea of losing Lynette, and he was lashing out. I doubt he could have stopped even if he wanted to. "What's the matter, Reggie? Afraid of the truth? Come on, we're not all chumps ya know. Why else would we be here? Hm? Let's all gather around and see how she handles herself in a den filled with gawking, staring lions."
Ashnahta didn't understand the references, but she did understand the overall idea.
"Come on, don't get yourself in more trouble," I pleaded.
"What more is he going to do to me, Jake? Huh?" He gave a laugh. "He's already got me locked up. He's already made sure I'll never get a decent job outside. Now he's taken away my sister and signed her up to be a whore for science."
"Marlon!" Lynette screamed.
Reginald stood. Christophe moved and gave us the warning to do the same. "Perhaps we should take dessert in the observatory and let the family issues be hashed out in private."
Ashnahta rose quickly. She had enough of dinner with the people and I could feel she did not even want dessert.
"Screw dessert, I'm going to the bar," said Reginald before he stormed out. Christophe followed.
Ralph swore. "Come on Jilly, Karl. Let's go see if we can tie a good enough one on to forget this night." They didn't look like they wanted to "tie one on", but they also didn't want to stay, so they followed suit. I made to leave, but Lynette asked me to stay. Ashnahta ordered me not to. In the mood I was in, it was the wrong thing to do.
I let her know where I stood. I don't want to go back to the ward.
Then come to the observatory you have attempted to get me to.
No.
I could feel her anger, now at me. Then I will go. And you can just...
No words were necessary to tell me just what it was I could do as she stormed off. Lynette's eyes flashed with a quick smugness.
"Well?" I asked, disgusted with the lot of them.
"Yeah. Well?" repeated Marlon. Solidarity.
Lynette took a breath. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Marlon. My name was submitted and we were waiting for approval. I'm to lead Condor X-77, containing five potential parent sets and thirty support staff."
"Potential parent sets," Marlon said flatly.
"Yes."
"Have all the ships been assigned, then?" Marlon could worry about his sister remaining young and innocent forever. I didn't give a crap about that. I hadn't heard anything about the new Condor assignments and in my head, I was promised one. Reginald even shook on it months ago.
"Yes. The preliminary crews have been approved."
And I heard nothing about it. My hand clenched into a fist.
"It's been in the works for a long time, Jake. Reggie was just waiting to be able to pull the trigger."
"So who's the lucky man whore that they 'assigned' to you?" Marlon's words didn't even come close to matching the deep level of bitterness I could see in his eyes.
Lynette looked crushed. "Marlon I really, really want this. I've always wanted this."
"But at what cost? Damnit, Lynette! What about having some time out of your contract to just be you for awhile? Why are you so quick to throw away any other kind of life?"
She scoffed. "Did you see me on Earth, Marlon? Hm? Oh, that's right. You were too busy helping your little friend figure out the very best way to royally screw us over. I forgot. Well, let me fill you in on what you missed. As soon as we got back there, I turned into our mother. Tempt me with the parties and the booze and the drugs and I caved faster than..." her voice choked off in tears.
"Aw, Lynnie," said Marlon with more caring than I thought he had. "It's not your fault. It's his," he said, nodding to me.
"Thanks," I said flatly.
"All the buzz they gave around him and people shoving all the crap at you..."
Lynette wouldn't have it. "No. It's my own fault. And I've known it forever, Marlon. I always have. My life isn't there. It never was. My life is to go out there, to find new places and new people and teach them everything about us. That's my life, not just a job. Not just an assignment. It's what I really, really want to do. We've been over this for years."
He sighed, knowing he wouldn't win that old familiar argument. "Fine. But does that mean you have to do it by popping out space babies to whoever they hook you up with?"
She made a noise and wrinkled her nose. "Don't make it something crass. Don't turn it into something wrong. If I was on Earth I'd be starting to look for a partner, starting to set up my adult life, wouldn't I? This isn't any different."
"Don't fool yourself. It's a contract, Lynnie. It's not you flitting around, dating, sampling until you find someone that you choose. It's hopping into bed with whoever they choose."
She turned to me for support. "Jake, can you please explain to Marlon?"
She was looking for support from the wrong quarter. I was too angry with her. Maybe unreasonably, I'll admit that now. It wasn't her fault I didn't get my own Condor assignment. She was simply the one in front of me. I would have loved to get my hands on Reginald right then. I would have loved to beat the tar out of him for promising me a ship when he knew damn well I'd never get one...for designing a system that could rope immature innocents like Lynette into it...for throwing a dinner where he hoped it would come out and put everyone on the spot for his own entertainment.
I would have loved to get to Ralph right then. Yes, my closest friend Ralph who must have known, who once again said nothing. He was supposed to look out for me, to push for my interests. And where was here? Since we hit Earth, he was right under Reginald's thumb, that's where. And he stayed there.
I would have loved to get my hands on Christophe. I thought we had some connection. Right from the start, I honestly thought we did. Where was he? He gave me no warning, and he allowed them to put Ashnahta through an awful dinner.
Jillian? Don't even get me started! How could anyone be so offensive and not know it? I think the doddering old lady act might just be an excuse to say whatever she likes whenever she wants to.
Not that Ashnahta didn't deserve a good argument herself. It had been far too long since we had one and it had built for weeks.
It was that thought that made me push back my chair and stand. "Sorry, Lynette. You made the decision without asking for the opinions of your friends, you can go ahead and defend it by yourself, too."
She was shocked. "Jake! I thought you of all people would understand!"
I had to give her that. "Oh, I understand, all right. And good for you. Really. Getting your own ship at your age is a big accomplishment. You should be very glad they turn a blind eye where their pets are concerned."