CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One ∞ 2: A Captain's Journey

82 ∞ So Little Time

"He's military."

"Oh. Then Williams really is in trouble."

"Possibly. I'll have to talk to Harlin. But... do you want to return with me?"

"I'm not climbing a rope, Gareth. I don't think I can do that anymore."

"You wouldn't climb. We'd winch you up."

"Oh. But the quad is a rental. I have to return it."

"That's the least of our worries. Let me go talk to Harlin and see what he says. The question is, do you want to come with me or return home by yourself?"

"You're not coming home? Why?"

"The sooner I go in, the sooner I come out. Besides, I'm kind of in hot water over this. Look, I got the very best top medical help being offered to you. When I get back, we can take a few days before cold sleep. If that's what you want."

Caitlin reached out to touch his arm and scrutinized him. "What did you do? Did you do it over me?"

Gareth pulled up the other camping chair, sat down, and took her hands. "I'm in deep trouble, if you want to know the truth. I accidentally screwed up in a big way. I can't go into it, but Harlin may be here for me just as much as he's here for you. If it gets you the help you need, then I don't care. Everything will be alright—we'll get through this."

Pulling her hands out of his, she leaned back. "Can't you tell me anything?"

He averted his gaze in shame and found a trail of ants to stare at. "I may have ruined an LS."

"What? How did you do that?"

"One of them has taken an interest in me. It's a long story," he met her gaze, "and it was entirely accidental. But it's also why I'm here, it's why I can get you the medical help you need, and it's why I can get you into cold sleep until a cure is found."

He watched her consider his words, a flicker of hope within her doubt, a longing to believe within her resignation, her despair. An idea popped into his mind, and he filed it for later, for when he'd get to talk to Mayfine again.

"Caitlin, I can do this. I have a seventy percent chance of survival, and that's not bad odds."

"Excuse me, Captain Levant," said Harlin from a distance. "May I have a word with you?"

Gareth hadn't noticed him approaching. A gun belt hung from Harlin's hip. It had all the equipment—military issue pistol in its holster, flashlight, nightstick, radio.

When did he put that on? "Of course. I'll be right there." Gareth turned back to his wife. "Well, Caitlin, what would you like to do? Return with me or go back the way you came?"

"If I go with you, will you be going to jail?"

He chuckled. "I can't become a captain if I do that. Does that mean you're coming with me?"

"Yes."

Yes... Stunned at how much of a relief that one word gave him, he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

He got up and walked over to Harlin. Harlin led him out of Caitlin's earshot and turned to him. "What's your plan?"

"She's agreed to wait for me to go through the ENS. Can I depend on Mayfine to keep his word?"

"Absolutely. I've never seen him not keep his word."

"Any chance he can get Caitlin into cold sleep early?"

Harlin swiped his hand through his hair. "Mayfine's already moving planets for you, so don't push it. There's a lot of politics involved here—he can only do so much for you."