Downing sighed. “Yes, we’re done.”
Trevor rose quickly; Caine took a moment longer. Downing made his way to the door, shook hands with Caine—who seemed, if not sympathetic, at least accepting—and then extended the same hand tentatively to Trevor. Who took it, but with even less warmth than Caine had.
“I’ll miss you, Trev,” Downing said lamely.
“Have a safe trip, sir.”
Downing turned and tried to put Trevor’s stony expression out of his mind.
And kept trying all the way to his ship.
Unsuccessfully.
ODYSSEUS
Caine and Trevor did not follow Downing back up into the subterranean hangar, but they had to pass through it on the way to their own debriefing. As they navigated the black-and-yellow-dashed safeways, they saw a familiar object amidst all the esoteric military hardware: a secure canister from the module they had inhabited during their time at the Convocation Station.
“What the hell is that doing here?” Trevor wondered aloud.
Caine considered its size, hermetic seals, and profuse marking labels: it was the container for the biological samples they had gathered at the party. It was also just large enough to be— “Maybe Alnduul is using it as his own personal Trojan Horse?”
Trevor turned to stare at the gray shipping module as it was loaded onto the same shuttle that Downing would soon board. “You mean, you think Alnduul’s breaking the rules and going to Earth anyhow?”
“Somehow, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
As they watched the secure canister disappear into the shuttle’s hold, Downing’s spare, slump-shouldered silhouette appeared, moving steadily through the pre-boarding checkpoints.
Trevor became very quiet. “I guess I was pretty hard on Uncle Richard.”
Caine knew to tread carefully. “Well, if you were, it’s understandable. He dropped some pretty big family bombs back there.”
“Yeah. Dropped a few on you, too.”
Caine shrugged. “It’s been a busy day.”
Trevor’s answering smile was a bit quizzical. “You know, Richard and I thought you’d make a fuss.”
“About what?”
“About being impressed into service. He said you haven’t exactly been an eager foot soldier for IRIS.”
Caine shrugged. “When I’m hijacked or hoodwinked into service, I tend not to be happy about it. And it wasn’t always clear that Richard’s missions were, in fact, service to my country. More often, it seemed like they were serving his agenda. And although your uncle may have noble intentions, I don’t equate his agenda with my country’s needs.”
“Fair enough. And I’m not sure I do, anymore, either.” Trevor sighed. “But I have to hand it to him: he and Dad were right about the threats to us. God knows we got a nasty surprise at the Convocation.”
Caine nodded. “Worse than nasty. After what happened there—well, now we’re just living from one pivotal moment to the next.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that we are on the crest of one of history’s waves. Whatever happens next, it will change our lives—and our species—forever.”
Trevor stared at him. “Huh. Sounds like you were already thinking about volunteering.”
Caine nodded. “At a time like this, events trump individual wants, even needs. We just do what we have to do to protect those who depend on us.”
Trevor nodded. “I remember reading about the Allies in World War Two; a lot of their soldiers felt that way, too.”
“I think—I fear—there may be more than a few parallels, Trevor.”
Who smiled down from his 6’2” height at his slightly shorter companion. “So, wordsmith, what’s your advice for the times in which we live?”
“‘Hope for peace, prepare for war.’”
“Whoa; now you’re sounding like a career officer.”
“Not my intent, I assure you. ‘Going career’ is a life choice. I’m just stepping forward to do my part.”
“Well, career or not, you sure are starting to sound like a soldier.” Trevor looked him up and down. “Now we just have to determine if you have what it takes to be a soldier.”
Caine smiled. “Let’s find out.”