Tomys nodded. "He's going to be commissioned as an Astrogator Ensign, as soon as the buyout arrangements are complete. Don't tell me you're having problems finding a replacement on a world like Trimec?"
"No," Jirik replied, "The Guild has a couple dozen of them on file. But I'd like to have Via Telson back. She's smart, she's cool-headed in an emergency, and she's one hell of an astrogator."
Tomys shrugged. "That may be, Captain, but I doubt if she's hung around Alpha all this time waiting for you. She could be clear on the other side of the Empire by now."
Jirik nodded soberly. "I know. But before she signed off, we made an arrangement. She's going to check the Guild offices wherever she grounds. If I ever needed her, I was to leave a message with the Guild everywhere that we visited, as well as leaving copies with every spacer that we met. You could help me with that, especially since we're stuck here for a least a few more months."
Tomys grinned. "Sure, Captain. Record your message. I'll have it copied, and assign it an Intelligence priority. Every Navy vessel in the fleet will be directed to have an officer in civilian clothing deliver it to Guild offices wherever they ground. We'll have the Alliance, and quite a bit of the Empire, blanketed within a few months. All right?"
Jirik finally grinned. "All right. Thanks. I've already recorded it." He tossed a memory crystal to the agent, who pocketed it.
Tomys rose. "Is there anything else that I can do? What about the youngster? How's he doing?"
Jirik's grin faded. "Not good. He participated in the killing of sixteen men, and he's not having an easy time dealing with it." He shrugged. "I've talked to him, but I'm not sure that it did any good. I guess it'll just take time."
"Yeah," Tomys agreed, "It's something that we've both dealt with. I'm sorry that the boy ever had to face it." He sighed. "Look. I'll alert the Base Counselor. He's dealt with this many times before, and he's a good man. If you think that Tor could benefit from talking with him, I know that he'd be happy to help."
Jirik relaxed, and his face cleared. "I appreciate that. The kid's too smart and too tough to come apart at the seams, but he's having a pretty rough time right now. A Counselor helped me a lot after Januvia."
Tomys nodded. "Consider it done. I'll tell the Counselor to expect you. Is there anything else that I can do for you, before I leave tomorrow?"
Jirik escorted his guest to the door. "Yeah. The next time that you need help on one of your capers, Don't shanghai spacers. We've got enough problems of our own."
Tomys grinned. "I'Il try to remember that, Captain. Well, I guess that this is goodbye and good luck!"
Jirik restrained himself from clapping the small man on the back. "I can't say that it's been a great pleasure, Mr. Tomys, but you're not as much of an asshole as I would have expected from a Class I Agent."
Tomys grinned at Jirik's repetition of a comment from their first meeting. "And you're not quite the fat, dumb slob of a rocket jock I expected, either, Captain." He sobered as they shook hands in a final farewell. "I doubt if we'll meet again, Captain, so, once again, good luck!"
Jirik smiled as the door closed behind the agent. Overall, things had worked out pretty well. They had a new ship and a tidy profit. He admitted guiltily to himself that he wouldn't feel too badly about losing Valt. Before Boondock, Valt had been shallow, self centered, and lazy. The adventure had revealed unsuspected depths to the astrogator, but the "new" Valt wouldn't have been happy with the spacers' usually placid life. He was better off in the Navy. Besides, he suspected that they'd all get along better with Via than they ever had with Valt. Besides, he decided, flushing, Via meant more to him than he cared to admit; in fact, he was considering offering her a formal cohabitation contract.
Then there was Tor. He'd done some fast growing up. Sure, he was facing a hump right now, but the kid would make it. As for Bran, Jirik was secretly relieved that the portly Engineer was learning more about combat. It was the only area in which Jirik wasn't satisfied with Bran's knowledge. Strange planets could get ugly very quickly, and Jirik was glad that Bran was preparing himself to better cope with them
Whistling, Jirik set off in search of Bran. They might as well go over to the yards and check out the new Lass. The new Lass! Jirik liked the sound of that!
THE END
About the Author . . .
I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where I achieved nothing notable. I joined the Navy, and for the next twenty years was largely successful in tricking the Navy into thinking that I wasn't really a lazy slob. During this time, I met and married a wonderful woman. We had a beautiful daughter together. My wife passed away in 2008, and I had the incredible luck to meet another amazing woman. We married in December 2010. After retiring from the Navy, I attended the University of Arkansas. I received a BSBA in Human Resources Management, to my utter surprise (and that of some of my professors!).
I seem to be attracted to low-paying government jobs, and upon graduation, I became employed by the State of Arkansas as an Employment Interviewer and Employment Services Supervisor. There, I completed another 20-year career. Since then my life has been devoted to writing and convincing my new wife she didn't really marry a lazy bum.
I retired in March of 2011, and we retired to the Philippines. Yep, I actually Ran Off To An Exotic South Seas Island With A Beautiful Native Girl! How many people actually get to live a cliché?
***
If you enjoyed this book, be sure to discover these other fine e-book titles by William Zellmann at Amazon.com
Death Ship Quest – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053UO7H4
The Emperor's Conspiracy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E8L5QG
The Privateer – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007K6SVX0
Man's Hope – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008C7OM0C