Pullman used.'
Carr looked surprised. 'You don't mean that, do you? Pullman chose to spy on all of his fellow officers and his country. He did it for ego and for money. You were reluctantly convinced to spy on two other officers because you'd seen convincing evidence one of them was engaged in serious wrong-doing. You did it because of your sense of duty. There's no comparison. You did good and you did right.'
'Then why don't I feel like a hero?'
'Do you think anyone else does?' Carr leaned back again, sighing. 'This isn't fun work and it isn't pleasant. It has to be done, so somebody has to do it. But at the end of the day it can leave you feeling like hell. You did a good thing, an important thing. Odds are, only a few people will ever know what you did to help this case along, and I'll bet that doesn't bother you.'
'No, it doesn't.'
'You're lucky to have someone like Ms. Shen who you can confide in and who'll stick with you. Don't lose her. I mean that. If I know anything about people I know she won't leave you unless you give her real good reason to leave.'
'I'd never do anything like that!' Paul protested.
'Not premeditated, no, I'm sure you wouldn't. Paul, half the cases I deal with involve people who never intended doing anything wrong when they started out. It just sort of happened to them and before they knew it they were in deep. That applies to marriages breaking down, too. Do you think anyone plans to fall in love with another man or woman when they're already married? Some do. Most don't. They start out dipping a toe into bad acts and end up swimming in the deep end.' She slapped her desk for emphasis. 'I've talked to JAGs who've served on Mars. They handle a lot of long-distance divorces. A word to the wise, Paul. Don't let your marriage become one of the casualties on Mars.'
'I'll remember that.'
Alex Carr rose and held out her hand. 'It's been good working with you and knowing you, Paul. Good luck until we meet again.'
He shook her hand, feeling the strength of her grip as he realized that despite all the time they'd worked together this was one of the few times he and Commander Carr had actually had any kind of physical contact. 'Do you think we'll meet again?'
'Yes. I've got a real strong feeling this isn't the last case we'll see together.'
Paul stepped back and on impulse saluted. 'Thanks, ma'am.'
Carr returned the salute with one of her quick smiles. 'Thank you. Take care of that woman of yours.'
'Yes, ma'am.'
Paul found his brother back at the hotel. David greeted him with a rueful smile. 'You were right about that military lawyer, little bro. Alex Carr is a real fireball.' His smile faded to a look of approval. 'You won this one.'
'It wasn't about me winning.'
'But you don't mind me being on the losing side, do you? Hey, you beat me. It happens.'
'David, it really wasn't about beating you. I wish this hadn't had to happen. I'm glad the espionage has been stopped, but I wish Pullman had never started doing it.'
His brother nodded. 'Yeah. Ugly stuff. Cases like this don't generate a lot of happily-ever-after endings. I wanted to tell you something, though. I've got to admit, from what I've seen up here, you've really got your stuff together. Very impressive, little bro.'
Paul considered his brother, then nodded. 'Thanks.'
'I can't imagine driving that ship of yours around. You really do that?'
'Yeah, I really do that. Did that, rather. I detach the day after tomorrow and I won't be driving any ships again for a while.'
'Oh, yeah. You'll have to tell me what Mars is like. As for Alex Carr, try to keep her up here, okay? I don't need challengers like that practicing law in my city.'
'I don't think I'll have much control over that. When are you going back?'
'Two days. I couldn't book a seat on an earlier shuttle because of uncertainty about the end of the trial. Why?'
Paul hesitated. Get over it. 'You know Jen and I had to move up the wedding on very short notice. It's tomorrow. Most of the guests and members of the wedding couldn't make it.'
'Yeah. Raw deal. I'll be there, though.'
'I know. The point is… I'm looking for a best man.'
David frowned. 'Are you asking me?'
'Yeah, I'm asking you.'
'Well, damn it all.' David made a fist and punched the nearest wall. 'I was thinking it was past time we stopped acting like kids with grudges and was planning on making the first move. You beat me again.'
'I'll try not to make a habit of it.'
'What, you think you have to go easy on me?'
'No.'
'Good.' David smiled broadly. 'To properly answer the question put to me, I'll be proud to be your best man. I understand this Jen of yours makes even an Alex Carr pale by comparison.'
'Now that you mention it, she does.'
Jen had, to Paul's surprise, chosen to wear a white wedding dress instead of a dress uniform. She looked like a dream come true, he thought, as she came down the short aisle of the Interdenominational Religious Worship Facility on the arm of Captain Kay Shen, and never mind that the phrase was a cliche because that was how he thought she looked. Captain Shen was staring straight ahead as he walked. Jen had discussed not inviting her father to the wedding, but Paul had talked her into it, insisting she'd regret it for the rest of her life otherwise. In the end, the argument that cinched it was that watching his daughter marry Paul would be a worse ordeal for Captain Shen than missing the wedding.
But Captain Shen managed to refrain from yelling out objections and the ceremony went off without a hitch.
There wasn't room for a sword arch outside the chapel, which was just as well considering that officers didn't carry their ceremonial swords along into space, and considering that Jen had threatened to murder anyone who carried out the traditional slap on the butt of the bride with the flat of one of the swords. Everyone held up small party favors which broadcast holographic images of butterflies flitting around the couple. Paul flinched as he discovered that the realistic images of insects had a tendency to appear to fly straight at his face, which was particularly disconcerting after spending three years in pretty much insect-free environments. Jen rolled her eyes at the butterfly display but laughed and chatted with friends who crowded around them.
'Paul! Congratulations!' Pam Connally was there, hugging him again. Paul stared at her, then at Jen.
Jen smiled back. 'I just had to invite an 'old friend' of yours to the wedding, Paul.'
'How did you-?'
'I knew where she worked.' Jen and Pam exchanged high-fives.
Paul grinned, watching the two women talk. How do you like that? It looks like Jen and Pam Connally are going to be friends. Maybe having a cop for a friend will help keep Jen out of trouble while I'm gone.
Paul's mother stepped close, eyeing him suspiciously. 'What's going on?'
'Excuse me?'
'Why are you and David getting along? What are you two up to?'
'Oh, that. We just wanted to see if we could freak you out.'
'You're succeeding.' His mother sighed. 'I've hardly seen you for three years and now you'll be gone for another four.'
'You've got a new daughter-in-law who'll be a bit closer.'
'That's true. What a woman you chose!'
'She reminded me of you.'
