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BA’SH
Ba’sh awoke feeling more rested than he had in a long time.
Maybe it was just the fact that he had actually eaten his dinner, something he often failed to do. He knew not eating made him grumpy, but it was hard to prioritize his own belly when a whole world was waiting for his help.
It might even have been because he managed to get through his checklist before bed.
But he suspected the real reason was his talk with Yasmine.
He thought about what she had shared as he headed out for his morning run in the woods.
The air was cool and sweet, and the morning birds sang as he sprinted down the fresh path the gardeners had cleared for him.
His head of security was jogging along behind him, just outside of his sightline, but at least he had the illusion of privacy in the trees.
Ba’sh didn’t enjoy running, but had trained himself to do so anyway, for his health. As a world leader, he knew it was important to demonstrate physical fitness to reassure the populace. But he also found that it helped to clear his mind.
Though it was a thicker and denser jungle here, it reminded him of the great park in the city where he first learned to run, back when Breeta was still alive.
The thought gave him a pang of sadness. The two were a team for so many years, Breeta and Ba’sh, conquering the world between military service, training for global work, raising Jax, and the surprise pregnancy that had brought them little Pia.
Maybe that was what had felt so special about his talk with Yasmine. It wasn’t just her insights, which were brilliant. It was the honest way she spoke to him, strategized with him, and the quiet but intense energy she had, talking about something that was meaningful to her.
Lately, everyone in his circle was thinking about the spin on what they should do before they even decided how to do it. It was all about optics, never about just getting results.
But Yasmine wasn’t a politician or a civil servant. She had no ulterior motives. She was just young, enthusiastic, and good-hearted.
She reminded him of how he and Breeta used to be, before the war took her from him, before this job added layers of stress and responsibility between Ba’sh and the good he wanted to do in the world.
There was a tender place in his heart for those days, and he treasured this newfound link to his old self.
He completed his run determined not to lose sight of his priorities again. Sure, he had to play the game, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t remember what he really stood for.
Later, standing under the pounding heat of the refresher, he decided to keep an open mind while doing Madge’s hiring interviews for her today. If he could surround himself with more young and hopeful minds, maybe he could get more done.
He dried off and dressed quickly and made it down to the meeting hall well before his first interviewee was set to arrive.
But when he pushed the door open, he was surprised to see his candidate was already there.
“You’re bright and early,” he said. “I like that. What’s your name?”
The man looked like his people had probably immigrated from Drath just enough generations ago to stunt his horns. His skin was the classic golden color of a Drathian’s, but he wore a cap pulled down over his forehead, as if he didn’t want anyone seeing the stumps that should have been a shining rack of onyx.
“Myles Jenx, My Ruler,” the man said, hopping up respectfully, but not removing his cap.
Though his speech was not animated, the man’s hazel eyes were alive with interest. Ba’sh could see that the man was younger than he had first thought. Ba’sh wasn’t getting any kind reading from him, but that wasn’t so unusual. The circlet blocked out all but the strongest emotions.
“I see you’re applying for a post in the garden, is that right?” Ba’sh asked, sitting down again and scanning the file that floated over his holo-desk.
“Yes, My Ruler,” Jenx said. “I love plants, and you’ve sure got a lot of ‘em.”
“That I do,” Ba’sh said, unable to hide his smile. “I like people who are passionate.”
“That’s me,” Jenx said with a shy grin.
Ba’sh nodded, feeling pleased. He kept scanning through each section of the application so he could tell Madge he had, but he was definitely hiring this kid.
Jenx shifted in his chair and adjusted his cap.
