For a moment, Van studied the medcenter room. Nothing special, just a space perhaps four meters wide and not quite four deep with smooth walls. The window to his left revealed a view of the hills to the west of Valborg, deep in snow, but from where he half lay, half sat, Van could not see much of the grounds around the medcenter, just the upper portions of evergreens, also covered in deep and powdery snow. The scene outside the window brought a different kind of chill. The last time he’d been truly awake, it had been midsummer.
His fingers felt simultaneously weak and stiff, but he fumbled with the handscreen, letting it project a holo image before him, one large enough that he didn’t have to strain eyes that still seemed to blur small objects and details.
The first few messages were from the ambassador and the embassy staff, all wishing him well. Those from Rogh and Hannigan were slightly warmer than perfunctory, but not much.
The third one was from Cordelia Gregory, and it was short. He read and reread the key words.
…your actions at the Keltyr embassy showed great courage, and that did not surprise me, for it has always been clear that you have never lacked courage. What warmed and surprised me was the way in which you drew fire and tried to save others. From your effort and example, I think that I can finally put the Regneri tragedy in perspective, and for that I thank you…I regret that I cannot tell you that personally, because I am being sent to Keshmar as second secretary…
Drawing fire? Van certainly hadn’t intended to draw fire. He’d just wanted to make sure that none of the ambassadors or the premier had been shot. He smiled bemusedly. Whatever.
Then, much farther down the queue, were the messages from his fathers. Dad Cicero had wished him well, said he was praying for Van’s full recovery and hoping he could come home before he was posted somewhere else, and concluded:
…As always, we love you, and worry for and about you. Also, as always, you have gone beyond duty, and that is an example that impresses your brother and sister, but I would hope that you have done so for reasons deeper than mere duty…we look forward with great joy to your next visit, whenever that may be…
Dad Almaviva had been more verbose.
…all the Sulyn media nets have scanned stories about your heroism in saving the ambassadors and the premier of Scandya, and about your career as one of the shining lights in the RSF from Sulyn. That’s probably partly because of your friend Ashley, but even he couldn’t make bricks without straw. There’s even a scholarship that’s been started in your name at the Shennon Academy…We’re all so proud of you, but we have worried, and were so relieved to hear that you are expected to make a full, if lengthy recovery…Your cousin Aeron has done a portrait of you in your uniform. He used old-style oils. He claims that is the proper medium for an old-style hero in a time when ethics and duty are falling by the way…I fear that in a larger sense he may be right. The arts are receiving less support, and what support there is goes into those venues where the presentation overwhelms the content, just as the media has emphasized the results and vision of your actions without showing or explaining the reasons behind them. We know your reasons, but who else will know?…Still, we all love you, and miss you, and look forward to seeing you…
Van wasn’t sure he truly knew the reasons for his actions. He had just known that he had to act.
When he finished reading the screen messages, he picked up the topmost of the old-fashioned envelopes on the table beside his bed/crib, opening it and reading over the words from Ayrllis Salucar.
…now been posted as commanding officer of Research Station Epsilon, out in the middle of nowhere. I’m still not sure whether to damn you or thank you. If you hadn’t stopped the last assassin, I’d have been court-martialled or retired. Since you did, the Review Board decided that anything that looked overtly punitive was best avoided. So I’ll finish out my shortened career at Epsilon…but I will have a career, and after retirement, no one will care or remember…
Van smiled sadly. Salucar had been set up almost as badly as he had, if not worse. The Keltyr high command had clearly figured that something bad was going to happen in Scandya, something that they could do nothing about, and had posted a scapegoat as military attaché. Had the RSF thought the same? Van wouldn’t have been surprised. In fact, he would have been surprised if they hadn’t, after the way matters had developed.
He yawned, but still picked up the next envelope. It was from Emily Clifton. He frowned. Why the envelope, rather than a screen message?
Commander,
I truly hope this finds you well and recovering. Although we only worked together for a short time, it was memorable and rewarding.
When you read this, I will be on Meroe in the Kush system, once more as the third secretary. I’m certain that someone will have briefed you, but after the Independence Day incident, everyone was detached. Dr. Hannigan took an early retirement. The ambassador returned to Tara to collect his pension as a former senator. Cordelia Gregory was posted to Keshmar, and
