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Chapter Eighteen
Paige finished the email to her parents. She tried to write once every few days and they generally responded with the same frequency. Given the vast distance, as the letters had to travel in time and space, for a few minutes she felt as if she was in the same room, hearing her father’s deep voice and her mother’s soft tones. She also wrote to Katie and while her parents described little, almost inconsequential events in their lives, Katie was the gossip queen.
She smiled as her friend bashed a mutually despised classmate, one who had a reputation for cheating in exams. To Paige’s delight, following an investigation, she’d had her degree disqualified. Katie threw a party in celebration, which was typical of Katie—any excuse to party. Where she was less informative was her new job working in the city hall. She’d taken an internship, one similar to Paige’s, but given her reticence to provide details, Paige concluded Katie was not happy.
She tried not to enthuse about her own s
uccess. The previous day, the emperor had signed into law the legislation Jamen had drafted to protect freight convoys in the outer regions of the galaxy where the pirates trawled for loot. Paige was pleased that her suggestion to use the wormhole near Earth as an alternative route for some cargo vessels had been approved. It meant more trade with Earth, too, which had to be a good thing for improving relationships.
Now that the law was made official, Jamen could redirect his attention onto his district. He’d not visited since Paige’s arrival on Halos and his prolonged absence had been noted. Even the usually courteous Atlas had expressed concern to Jamen. What kept him in the capital was no longer an excuse. He made preparations to visit home, including his mother.
* * *
The next morning, Paige retrieved her suitcase from storage and packed it with clothes. She was excited about visiting the boundary region, but nervous about meeting Jamen’s mother, Astrina. What if she didn’t like Paige? Would she be horrified that her son’s hanjin was human? Jamen had reassured her, countless times, that his mother was not inclined to judge people she’d not met.
“But,” Paige had whined, fretting over a bowlful of food that she’d picked at during the evening meal, “she’s your mom.” When anxious, she often slipped into using English.
Jamen wore his nonplussed expression, one he often used when she resorted to emotional responses. It meant he didn’t see what the fuss was about and would expect her to pull up her panties and deal with it. He’d said nothing until that morning when he’d walked in on her packing the case. She had been trying to ram a heap of clothes inside it without success.
He folded his arms across his chest and parked himself by the doorway. “Take them out. You’re not taking all that. It’s a visit. A few days.”
She’d huffed, unloading the clothes. “It’s just, I don’t know what we’ll be doing. You’ve not said much.”
“The usual petitioners with their lists. So that means an outfit suitable for work. That blue one.” He pointed at a dress she frequently wore. She folded it and laid it in the suitcase.
“What else?” Perhaps if she poked him about clothes, he might reveal some more details.
“Something cool. It’s even warmer out there.”
She selected two skirts and skimpy tops. “These?”
“Fine.” He smiled with a nod of approval.
“And? What about your mom?”
“What you wore to see the emperor?” he suggested.
A good idea, why hadn’t she thought of that one? She found it in the closet. Pushed to one side were her Earth clothes. She’d not worn them in weeks and weeks. She’d been on Halos for half of her allotted time and forgotten all about them.
“How about I take something to show her what I wear back at home?” She held up black pants and a stripy shirt.
“I’m sure my sister will be keen to see what you wear.”
She nearly dropped them. “Your sister! You didn’t mention your sister would be there.” She shot him a disgruntled stare, which he rebuked with a narrowing of his eyes.
“I only just found out. Tonya is home, too. She’s finished her training.”
Tonya had joined the equivalent of the police and was supposed to be stationed on a colony somewhere. “She’s back?”
“To receive her commendation. She apprehended some nasty gang terrorizing women on the colony. She’s doing good.” Jamen might not see his sister often, but he was clearly proud of her achievements.
“I’d like to meet her.” Paige packed the jeans with the rest and added a few personal items, including her music player. Perhaps Tonya would like to hear some songs, too.
Jamen left her to it. He always seemed to know how to calm her.
The journey to the other side of Halos took half a day and involved the planetary transit—a vast stratospheric network of shuttle trains that coiled around the planet connecting major cities.
Atlas travelled with them, but not Gawen. Since Rasser’s downfall, she’d not minded Gawen’s footfalls following her to the Yulta. She appreciated why he was there and was quietly grateful. As for Elga, she’d returned, and as Sava had anticipated, Elga was over Jamen and smitten by Lapak. The transition completed, the bad feelings between her and Paige finally began to thaw. During their most recent visits to the Yulta, Elga had joined her and Sava and there had been no unpleasant jibes about swimming naked.
