TimeSlip (11 page)

Finn remembered his own strict religious upbringing in a
tiny village in the West and the sense of liberation when he moved to the city.
“You are so lucky to have her for a mommy,” he whispered to the sleeping
bundle.

He and Ingrid had been best friends since their first year
in college and had drifted into being roommates when he lost an acting job one
Christmas and couldn’t pay his rent. That had been a bad winter for both of
them. Ingrid had fallen apart when her dad died a couple of months later and
she failed her college exams. But they had gotten through it. When she moved
into her father’s old apartment, he had moved in to take care of her. Along the
way they had helped each other through the bad boyfriend breakups and now he
couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

A nurse arrived to take the baby from him. Finn dropped a
kiss on Ingrid’s forehead. “Night, Mrs. O’Leary, see you tomorrow.”

* * * * *

Ingrid had just sat down with her laptop when she heard him
crying. Adam needed changing again. She must have been delusional when she
imagined that she could write a book while the baby was sleeping.

The last six months had been an exercise in crisis
management. They were the worst parents in the world. Neither of them had
siblings to call for advice when the baby wouldn’t stop screaming. Eventually
they caved in and did the inconceivable. Finn rang his mother. Within days, the
apartment was running like clockwork and the baby fed at the precise times arranged
by her. Mari O’Leary, or Madame Defarge as Ingrid liked to call her behind her
back, could have run a small country while simultaneously knitting what she
described as a layette. If she ever saw another knitted bootie she was going to
choke Finn with it. How did she ever have a feckless son like him?

It was two months before Finn’s mother left. By that time,
Ingrid had threatened him with divorce, baby Adam was permanently attached to
one of her breasts and Finn was more than delighted to escape to the theater in
the evenings. By early summer, they had settled in to a pattern of permanent
parental exhaustion.

“Why don’t you save one of these for Finn?” she muttered as
Adam chuckled up at her. Was this how the raped and pillaged coped after a
viking invasion? Ingrid had never actually contemplated the aftermath before,
but when she unwrapped what Finn described as another car-crash diaper, she was
inclined to swear viciously. Strom was off floating in his spaceship somewhere
in the heavens, while she was stuck on Earth with dirty diapers.

“I wish I could send him one,” she cooed to the baby, “a
great, big, dirty hello from his son. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Adam chuckled again. She still hadn’t figured out a way of
getting a message to Strom, but she would, somehow.

Adam’s small pudgy fingers reached for her research notes,
crumpling the edge of one page. “Naughty baba, give that to mommy.”

Ingrid smoothed out the precious page and then it hit her.
Her book, the one she hadn’t written yet, was sitting on Strom’s bookshelf
somewhere in the future. All she had to do was write it. She lifted Adam up
until they were face to face. “Work with me on this, Adam. Give mommy one hour
a day, so that we can let your daddy know that you’re here.”

Adam reached for a handful of her hair and gave it a tug.
Who was she kidding? This was going to take forever.

Summer 2527

Strom poured two mugs of syntho-coffee and handed one to
Jake. What he wouldn’t give for a double espresso. But there wasn’t a planet
within several hundred light-years that had the real thing and it would
probably cost him a month’s salary.

“We’ve received intelligence reports that Raoul is out of
hiding. He’s been lying low on Tarsus Four, but he’s on his way back to
Cyraelia.”

“That’s great, Strom, but—”

“But what, Jake? Soon you won’t have to pretend to romance
Tanith anymore and we can deal with Raoul, permanently this time.”

Jake shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “That’s just it,
Boss. I’m not pretending…”

“Are you out of your tiny mind, Jake? Have you forgotten who
her brother is? How do you know she’s not a spy, for god’s sake?”

“I don’t believe that she is and I’m worried about what
Raoul will do to her when he gets here. I want to move her onto the ship.”

“Onto the ship?” Strom’s chair rocked beneath him. “You want
to move the sister of a Cyraelian terrorist onto my ship?”

“I don’t see why not. You would do it for Ingrid.”

“Don’t you dare bring Ingrid into this.”

How could he? How could Jake mention her name to him? Didn’t
he know that he couldn’t seem to forget her, that every night his dreams were
filled with her? He hadn’t looked at another woman since he’d left Ingrid, and
the thought that she might be with someone else now made him ache.

“The situation with Ingrid was impossible, Jake.”

Strom’s face was impassive, but Jake wasn’t fooled for an
instant. “Nothing is impossible. How many times have you told me that? Have you
been happy for a single day since you left her? Well, I have no intention of
ending up miserable like you.”

The door swished closed behind him and Strom was left alone
in the briefing room. He watched through the porthole as a shuttle craft
departed for the planet below. Light-years away on the other side of the
galaxy, Ingrid was going about her daily life. She couldn’t still love him.
Could she?

Winter 2527

Jake swayed with the drunken gait of someone who had one too
many Cyraelian ales. The streets were dark and slick with rain, and in the
white dress suit he was lit up brighter than Sirius. Strom followed behind,
creeping quietly along the alley, staying in the shadows. They had almost
reached the spaceport. If the Cyraelians were going to make a move on Jake, it
would have to be soon.

Pete,
he commed,
can you see anyone
?

I count two on his tail, Boss
, Pete replied.
Want
me to pick them off?

Not yet. Any sign of you know who?

Negative here. Hold on a minute,
Pete commed back.
I
think we’ve got a third, but I can’t see his face.

Strom took the safety off his weapon. There was no way that
Raoul would send someone to kill the man who had behaved so disgracefully with
his sister. He would want to do that himself.
Take care of the others
,
he commed.
I’ll deal with Raoul
.

Within seconds, the dark alleyway was lit up with laser
fire. Pete winged one of them and watched as the injured man dragged himself
behind a parked hover-pod. Jake was the prime target, and in the white dress
uniform he was dangerously visible.

“Stay down, Jake,” he shouted.

Strom took careful aim and took the second one out,
vaporizing him. “Guys,” he shouted. “Where is Raoul?”

“I’m right behind you.”

Strom turned slowly. Raoul waved his weapon, motioning him
to walk to the middle of the street.

“Drop your weapon and tell the others to do the same.”

Guys
, he commed silently,
no matter what happens,
don’t even think about it.

Jake,
Pete commed.
I can’t get a shot from this
angle.

Jake eased out of his white jacket.
Okay. Let’s see if I
can distract him.

“Why are you bothering with him, Raoul,” he shouted. “He’s
not the one who’s fucking your sister.”

Raoul’s face twisted with anger. He motioned to Strom. “Tell
him to shut up.”

Strom’s fists clenched as he looked at the man in front of
him. After all the months of hunting, Raoul was finally within his grasp. He
eyed the distance between them, wondering if he could tackle and disarm him.
The chances weren’t good. Raoul had the advantage of darkness and he could
probably get two shots off before he reached him.

He didn’t plan on dying yet, and certainly not by Raoul’s
hand. Besides, they owed him for what he had done to Ingrid and the countless
others that Raoul had maimed and killed. He would take great pleasure in
tearing him apart.

In the distance he could hear the sound of sirens as
Cyraelian law enforcement officials raced toward the scene. They would be here
within minutes. He had to end before they arrived. He couldn’t take the chance
that Raoul would get away again.

Jake,
he commed silently,
he’s too far away for me
to jump him. We need to lure Raoul out of there before law enforcement arrives.

Okay,
Jake commed.
I’ll see what I can do
.

“You know, Raoul, Cyraelian girls really know how to please
a guy,” Jake shouted mockingly. “I tell you. Raoul, I’ve had women from all
over the galaxy and your sister is the sweetest little—”

Raoul turned and fired in the direction of Jake’s voice. It
was distraction enough for Strom. Crossing the distance between then, he aimed
a savage kick at Raoul, lifting him off the ground and sending him crashing
across the street into the side of a hover-pod. Jake rose to his feet and moved
steadily toward Raoul’s inert body. Strom’s kick had stunned him, but he was
far from dead. Raoul’s eyes blazed with hatred as his right hand fastened on
his weapon and he fired, missing Jake by inches. Raoul pointed his weapon
again.

“Looks like the pleasure is mine, Raoul. This is for
Ingrid.” Jake took aim and fired.

“No.” A plaintive scream came from up the street.

“Tanith?”

A slender figure ran down the street. She flung herself at
Jake, beating her fists against his face and his chest. “I heard gunfire. I was
so worried about you when you left the reception early. You used me, you
bastard. All this time, you pretended to love me so that you could kill my
brother.”

Jake reached for her. “Tanith, please, listen to me. It
wasn’t like that.”

Her eyes blazed with hurt and anger. “Don’t touch me, Jake.
Don’t you ever touch me again.”

Spring 2528

Strom completed his daily entry in the ship’s log. The last
of the provisions for the return voyage were being stowed, and the crew was
completing preparations for departure. In a few hours time, they would be
setting course for Earth. Jake had been released from Cyraelian custody this
morning and he should have been back on board by now. He was within an hour of
being declared AWOL. More ominously, Pete was also missing.

Tanith Jasson had sworn a complaint against Jake after he
killed Raoul, and then the diplomatic shit had really hit the fan. Although he
was a terrorist, Raoul’s followers had rallied around Tanith, demanding an
inquiry, and Jake had been held in solitary in a Cyraelian prison, while Strom
endeavored to sort out a mess of intergalactic proportions.

The door opened and Jake entered. He was thinner and his
usual tanned complexion was pale. “Good to have you back on board, Jake.”

“I’d like to make a complaint, Sir.”

If Jake was calling him sir, trouble was coming. Strom sat
upright in his chair. “Ship’s Com, please record these proceedings.”

“Affirmative, Captain.”

“What is the nature of your complaint, Lieutenant Svenson?”
he asked formally.

“I wish to report an assault on a Fleet Command Officer by a
Cyraelian civilian, Sir.”

Strom shook his head. Jake couldn’t be serious, he wanted to
charge Tanith with assault?

“I believe I have the right under Star Code 9706.23 to have
the civilian brought to trial before a panel of three officers, of no lower
than the rank of Captain.”

Strom was mystified. “I’ll have to check that one out. But
even so, Lieutenant, I’m the highest ranking officer in this quadrant and the
only Captain.”

“You can’t adjudicate, Sir.” Jake mouth curved at the edges
as he tried to suppress a grin. “You’re a witness to the assault, Sir.”

“Lieutenant Svenson,” Strom said impatiently. ““Let me get
this right. You expect me to take a Cyraelian civilian into custody so that she
can stand trial before a military court back on Earth?”

Jake was grinning broadly now. “Yes, Sir.”

The doors swished open and Pete entered. “The prisoner is in
the brig, sir, and if I might add, sir, she bit me twice, sir.” He rubbed his
left hand. “I’ve never encountered such a little hellcat.”

If Pete was calling him sir, Strom knew that he was in
trouble. “Pete, please don’t tell me you want her charged with assault as well?
Ship’s Com, cease recording.”

Strom looked from one to the other, the devious pair of
bastards. “Jake, this is impossible. I insist that you drop these charges.”

“I plan on doing just that, Sir, the minute I get back her
to Earth.”

“And what are you going to do with Tanith in the meantime?”

Jake winked at him. “I’m going to tame her.”

Chapter Eight

Autumn 2014

“Adam, put your toys away. We have to go now.”

“Mommy, can I bring just one?” Adam reached for his favorite
toy, a small yellow rocket that Finn had bought for him the previous Christmas.

“Only if you promise not to lose it, and please, Adam,
promise me that you’ll be good for Mrs. Ryan. Mommy will be back in a few
hours.”

Adam stared stubbornly at her and Ingrid sighed. There was
no point in asking him to leave the rocket at home. He barely went to bed
without it.

Ingrid’s palms were sweating as the taxi pulled up outside
the bookstore. The poster in the window announced a book launch and she, Ingrid
Sorrenson, was going to sit down inside and sign copies of her book. Well, it
was a very small bookstore belonging to a friend and she would be lucky if she
got to sign a dozen copies. But none of that mattered. The book had finally
been published and one of those copies was going to end up on a bookshelf of a
certain space captain from the future.