Kayla Rhinehart was going. She hated Kindred worse than even Kandiss did. Although it was Leo’s unspoken opinion that Kayla would be a pain in the ass wherever she went. Kayla raised the question, though, of Austin. The kid kept yelling that he wasn’t leaving Kindred, and then the next minute watching his mother like he had to take care of her no matter what. Terrible to make a kid responsible for a parent like that—it should be the other way around. Not that Leo had ever personally known either arrangement.
He didn’t know what would happen with Austin. And that raised the question of Isabelle, who had also always taken care of Kayla. Leo and Isabelle had avoided each other these past weeks. A lot of the time she was gone, working on the Council of Mothers to rebuild Kindred’s government. Leo supposed she was also grieving for Salah Bourgiba, as well as for her planet. He’d gotten his language instruction from Austin, which gave the kid something to do since he refused to return to school and nobody had actually made him do so.
Noah Jenner, his wife, and their little girl would stay on Kindred, of course.
And Zoe? She had looked Leo straight in the eyes and said, “You tell me first, Leo.” He could have pushed her for an answer, but he didn’t. He already knew it. She had had at least five conversations with him, spread over their weeks on Kindred, about how tough it would be to skip twenty-eight years on Earth. Maybe more than five, if you counted sideways hints. But Zoe was a soldier—if her CO told her to return to Terra, she would. If not—
The wind picked up, that wind that had saved so many lives, bringing to Leo the same spicy scent of fruit and leaves as when he arrived. Weird to have no seasons. No seasons, no other continents, no other languages, so many restrictions on having kids and not having normal tech and not making too much money. Weird to give away a big chunk of what you did have, every illathil. And still pay taxes. Weird to live by bu^ka^tel, which Leo still didn’t really understand. Weird and unnatural and—
Isabelle came across the starlit field toward him.
He knew it was her long before he could make out her face. He knew by her gait, by the way she held her head, by her Isabelleness. His heart began a slow, steady thud like a dance beat, or a dirge.
“I greet you, Leo,” she said in Kindese.
“I greet you, Isabelle,” he said in the same language.
Then, for what seemed a very long time, neither spoke. Finally Leo could stand it no longer. His lips felt dry, but he got out one word. “Austin?”
“He’s staying here.”
“Poor kid.” Leo meant it.
“You understand, don’t you, his dilemma. Either choice, he loses something.”
“Well, that’s always how it goes, isn’t it?”
For answer, she moved into his arms. Her lips were soft and full and sweeter than anything had ever been before in his life. But after one long kiss, he held her slightly away from him and braced himself for another loss. If that had been a good-bye kiss….
He said, “Your sister?”
“To Terra. You knew that.”
“And if Austin isn’t going to take care of her, are you?”
“No. I belong here, Leo. And… and you?”
“I’m staying. I sort of think I’m needed here. Even though that sounds so full of ego shit.”
“It’s not. World does need you. And so do I.”
So not a good-bye kiss. Leo seized her again and held her close. They would stay here, and he would learn this planet and organize some sort of army that could protect it if the Russians ever returned. Or if the Kindred “no war” tradition changed. This planet needed an army; it just didn’t know that yet. He’d have Lu^kaj^ho to help him recruit, and Zoe to help train new units. If he stayed, Zoe would, and it would be a good thing to have your best friend as second in command.
Owen…
No. This was different. Owen was over. This was a new day, and he and Isabelle had places in this new world and work to do. Separately, and together.
The ship lifted. Marianne watched a planet fall away below, as she had twice before. On the Endeavor, on the Friendship, and now on the Return.
She had no idea what she, what any of them, might find on Terra. Twenty-eight years would have passed there by the time their ship landed. She had left a planet facing political, economic, and environmental struggles so violent that they mirrored the Darwinian arms race of R. sporii verses its virophage. Not an unapt comparison, not at all.
Branch said, “I wonder how long before we jump.”
Neither Marianne nor Claire answered him, because there was no answer. All they could do was wait and see.
She had a headache, right behind her eyes. Well, no wonder—little sleep, too much stress, and anyway she was too old for this. From now on, she would stay put.
“I have a headache,” Branch said.
Claire frowned and touched her own forehead. Had they all caught a last bug, the Kindred equivalent of a cold? Well, it didn’t matter, not compared to the bigger adventure. Some of their band—she’d almost thought “lahk”—had stayed on Kindred to rebuild, because humans always do.
She wished them well.
The stars blinked out, and the ship jumped.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my beta readers, all three of whom were a tremendous help with this noveclass="underline" Douglas Pressley II, US Army, for his help with military matters; Dr. Maura Glynn-Thami for sharing her medical expertise and providing me with “doctor words”; and my husband, Jack Skillingstead, for his always valuable literary insights.
I would also like to thank my agent, Eleanor Wood, for her indefatigable efforts on my behalf.
TOR BOOKS BY NANCY KRESS
Beaker’s Dozen
Beggars and Choosers
Beggars Ride
Crossfire
Crucible
If Tomorrow Comes
Maximum Light
Probability Moon
Probability Space
Probability Sun
Steal Across the Sky
Tomorrow’s Kin
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nancy Kress is the bestselling author of multiple science-fiction and fantasy novels, including Beggars in Spain, Probability Space, and Steal Across the Sky. Kress is the recipient of the Nebula, Hugo, Sturgeon, and Campbell awards. Her fiction has been translated into multiple languages, including Klingon.
@nancykress / nancykress.com, or sign up for email updates here.
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