Retired

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Once I was at altitude and speed, I had two hours to kill. The truck had its flight path and would guide me in. I set it to alert me at one hundred miles from my destination. Then I thumbed the private call button on the com panel. I typed in my scramble code and then the identity number.

The transmission rang a few times. This was an old throwback. For some reason, man was really comfortable with that ancient sound before making connection with someone, even in this day of instant communications across a galaxy.

"You have reached Cleo, so you must want to talk to meoh," a young voice sing-songed across the light years.

"I always want to talk to my niece."

"Uncle Drake! Oh, thank God you called! I am going crazy."

"What's wrong, little bit?"

"Dad has me grounded because I slipped my body guards. I just wanted a few minutes without someone following me around."

I chuckled. "You slipped your bodyguards, and you want pity from me."

"Uncle Drake, please talk to him! I can't stand having six people around me all the time. The boys won't even talk to me, even if the gorillas will let them get through."

"You're only twenty-one. You don't even know what boys are for yet."

"If I my father has his way, I will never find out what they are for. Please talk to him and ask him to at least lift the restriction. There is a concert this weekend I want to go attend."

"Why not have your dad hire the band for a private performance?"

"That would not be any fun. The fun of a concert is the people. Please, Uncle Drake, talk to him, for me."

"I will talk to him. Now, what is your real question?"

I could hear her pause. The question must have been a doozy. "I want to do a term in the military. Is there any way you can pull a few strings and get me accepted?"

"Little bit, your father would flip out if he heard that. You know he will not even let you consider it. Besides that, how would you ever make it through basic training with body guards following you around?"

"I don't want the body guards! I want to take my chances like anyone else."

"I really do understand why you want to do this, Cleo, but it isn't going to happen. I could pull a star out of orbit, but that would not be enough to get you in. The military would never take the risk to your life."

"Please, Uncle Drake, I really need to become my own person. I have brothers who can become the heir if something happened to me."

"I will discuss it with your father. I won't make any promises on that one, though."

"Thank you, Uncle Drake! I love you!"

"I love you too, little bit."

I disconnected the call and placed another one. This one went to an identity number only a handful of people had.

"Hello," a female voice said softly.

"Hello, Asta. I need to talk to you and Bobby both."

"If this is about what we did on Sial'nief..."

"No, I have just about forgiven you and Bobby for that. This is about Cleo."

"Did she call you to beg for relief?"

"That, and another thing."

"Let me get Bobby and go into his office."

There was a pause in the conversation as I waited. Then Robert's voice came on. "Drake, how did you like the truck and ranch?"

"I haven't seen the ranch yet, but the truck is way too much. Listen, I know I have no right to butt in here, but take it easy on Cleo. She needs to be her own person."

"Did she tell you what she did?"

"She said she slipped her body guards."

"Yes, she did that. She also was missing for almost twenty-four hours. She had snuck off to go to a party at a dance club. If someone in the club had recognized her, and told the wrong people, we never would have found her."

"Bobby, I was told about a young man who tried to slip us more than once, just so he could try to sneak off to a pleasure house." I reminded him of his boyhood, a long time ago. Asta started laughing in the background.

Robert cleared his throat. "That is not something Asta needed to hear."

"Don't worry, Asta -- he never managed to slip out of my sight. He wasn't that good. Bobby, you have to understand she is a young woman and needs a little breathing room. Find a way to give her some time alone. Maybe arrange a party for her in a controlled environment. Better yet, get Angel to gather some of the younger body guards to cover her and let her go to the concert."

"Do you think Angel can keep her safe?"

"I trusted her with you, didn't I?"

"Okay, I will let her go to the concert."

"One other thing, Bobby. Cleo wants to pull a term in military service..."

"Abso-fucking-lutely not!", Bobby and Asta both said quickly.

"Listen to me before you get crazy on me. I know she cannot serve. The danger would be too much. However, under heavy guard she could do an inspection tour for you. That would let her see more of the galaxy and get her out to feel like she is part of what is going on."

Bobby gave a long pause as he considered my idea. "You may be right. She could use a little responsibility and talking with the soldiers would help their morale. It might be a good idea."

"Talk with Angel and see what she would need for security."

"Okay. We will talk it through with her and Cleo. Maybe we can give Cleo a little independence and still keep her safe."

Our goodbyes were heart felt. I talked with Danny and Little Drake before we broke contact. Little Drake was just starting to talk in whole sentences.

I leaned back in my seat and started to doze off.