Aaron relaxed into the bunk. Undoubtedly, Lee had mixed some sort of relaxation aid into the concoction. His eyelids felt like they had dumbbells attached to them. Either Lee felt he needed rest, or he didn’t want him aggravating his injury.
All the mean things he could think to call Lee for knocking him out at a time like this dissolved in a swirl as consciousness left him.
Chapter 22 – Proud Mother
Santiago
17 years earlier (2458)
Her most prized possession stood silently facing the mirror.
For the past five minutes her baby boy—no her young man—fidgeted with his dark uniform. He pulled it down at the front trying to smooth out any appearance of a fold. He grumbled as he took a step back and ran his fingers through his thick dark-blond hair. She never could get him to use a comb. He looked even paler now than when he left for the Academy. His features had hardened somewhat but his soft green eyes and dimples rivaled his father’s features.
Anna tried to contain her smile while she looked upon her only son. He was lean but muscular. At 5”9 she might be considered tall but she still had to stare up into her son’s eyes. He stood a complete head above her.
“Aaron, would you stop that. You look fine,” she said.
He grumbled. He was eighteen now and last year with her and Patrick’s permission he’d enrolled in United Star Systems Fleet Academy’s officer candidate program. From the age of twelve, Aaron had shown high aptitude in deep space navigation and starship engineering. However, he’d grown eager to learn about the military aspect of starships. Particularly tactical systems. Having scored in the top one percent in the entrance examination, the Academy had accepted him into its four-year program without hesitation. It wasn’t a common occurrence for seventeen-year-old boys.
He’d been “home” for the past six weeks on leave. Home for Aaron was aboard Santiago where they’d raised him from the age of nine. They would soon leave the five-kilometer-long passenger freighter behind. Patrick had secured a position as a congressional aide on the Border Worlds’ capital Atlas Prime, and she successfully applied for an opening at the planet’s primary healthcare facility.
Aaron finally turned from the mirror and looked at her.
“It just feels a little loose,” he said, staring down at her.
She stared into his adorable green eyes.
“Oh stop it, Aaron. It fits perfect.”
Aaron had left with her complete blessing. However, although Patrick signed the waiver document due to Aaron’s age, he grumbled sometimes about his son “stomping around on some military warship light-years away and in possible danger”. No, there’d definitely been some tension between them when Aaron left. They spoke often enough when Aaron had the time, but Patrick worried excessively for his son. Anna told him that’s her job. Patrick had to be strong. She’d always been the disciplinarian. Aaron had always run to Patrick to escape punishment. It was a good balance in the end.
What Aaron couldn’t sense over the time-delayed messages was that Patrick was now the proudest father in all the universe. Every new picture he sent of himself aboard a ship or in his uniform, Patrick proudly displayed it in their quarters and on the bridge to the rest of the crew. He never stopped talking about his boy, the future starship captain.
“What do you really think, mom? I know nothing about my training ever seems to bug you, but what about this?”
He was referring to his specialization path, after he’d just completed a year of general training.
“Like I told you before you arrived. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll have a proud mother. If the tactical specialty is where you feel you belong then go for it. I suppose boys’ fascination with guns transcends time itself.”
“You make it sound like it’s just about shooting something. There’s far more to a tactical officer than that. It is the ultimate responsibility. That’s why many tactical operators get their own command so quickly. You just become resolute and comfortable with your decisions much faster. I’m excited. My instructors tell me I’m on track to have my own ship by the time I’m 30.”
“Oh, Aaron. Don’t get cocky! You’ll get a command when the time’s right. No sooner and no later.” She straightened his Fleet insignia on either side of his collar. “My little man, the United Fleet officer.” Water welled in her eyes. “Do you at least promise to come and see your poor old mother when you get your own ship?”
Aaron held her cheeks in his palms and wiped a tear with his thumb.
He grinned his old silly toothy grin. “Wherever you and dad are, mom, if you call, I’ll come no matter what. Even if I have to take over the ship as a cadet.”
She buried her face in his chest and sobbed softly. He squeezed her and rubbed her back.
“Mom? What’s really bugging you?”
She leaned back looking at him. “It’s nothing. I’m so happy you’re following your dreams. I just hadn’t realized how hard it is with you gone. I kept this inside when you left. I didn’t want you worrying about me. And seeing you is just overwhelming.”
From the look on his face, she knew he didn’t have a clue it had been so hard to let him go.
“I tell your father not to worry all the time. Yet as you get closer to graduation and posting, I find my mind roving endlessly. What if this or that happens. What about pirates? What about the Baridian Empire? It’s just hitting me all at once.”
“You remember what you told dad all those years ago when we moved aboard Santiago?”
She shrugged. Nothing particular came to mind.
He smirked. “You told him ‘no one lives forever’.”
She half laughed. “How fitting. I have no idea how you remember that.”
“Oh I remember alright,” he said. “I remember the look on dad’s face that day and then how he suddenly burst out laughing.”
The hatch parted and Patrick stepped through.
“Boy! Are you all set?” He paused likely taking in the somber mood in the quarters. “Oh now, none of that. Anna, we agreed, no tears until after he left.”
It was true. They had agreed. But six weeks had come and gone so fast.
She straightened. “I Know, Pat. I just couldn’t help myself for a moment. I’m fine now. I promise.”
“Good,” Patrick said. “Aaron, come let me look at you.” He moved and stood in front of his son and held each of his shoulders. Looking over his uniform, he nodded. “Very good. Cadet first class. Ensign next year right?”
Aaron nodded. “If all goes well.”
Patrick chuckled. “Why wouldn’t it?”
“Just saying. Don’t want to get cocky. Right, mom?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“Okay. Well, the shuttle pilot is waiting on the hangar deck. I told him we’d be coming down shortly. Don’t mind your old folks coming down to the hangar to see you off, now do you?”
Aaron smirked. “Not at all, dad.”
A junior technician was passing the hatch in the corridor the same time and Patrick stopped him and gave him a handheld.
He reached to Aaron. “Come close. He’ll take a photo.”
They stood together with Aaron in the center. All three smiled as the junior technician nodded and indicated he’d snapped the shot. Patrick took the handheld and pocketed it. They exited the quarters together and walked through the ship to the hangar deck to the shuttle which would return Aaron to the Academy. For most of the way, they remained silent. Anna asked about a couple last minute things to make sure Aaron had everything. They entered the hangar and stopped in front the ramp to the shuttle.