Nate's Fated Mate(40)

"No more than usual, but it never hurts to be cautious. Let's hope the Guardians don't have to make more clones of them. That work takes years."

"You never answered my question, Mother."

"The Provost doesn't have to answer you, Admiral. We're talking business. Remember?"

"I see," Nate said, not really seeing at all, but he definitely heard an echo of his mother in his voice. Is that who'd he become? A selective liar? "So I'm worthy of protecting the aliens and their potential brides, but not worthy of knowing what's going on outside this vessel. Is that what you're telling me, Provost?"

"I'm not liking your rebellious tone, Nathaniel. Four generations of our family still directly serve the Guardians. You should be prouder of your birthright."

Nate stared. "Birthright? I prefer to think I earned this role by being the best person to do it."

"Stop being so sensitive. You did earn it. You were born and raised a Tiberius. It was inevitable that you would serve the greater good and not just as a lowly healer. Now enough of these rhetorical musings. How are the clones of the matchmakers doing?"

Nate couldn't say why his mother's lecture irritated him so badly, but it did. "They've asked to hold formal marriage ceremonies for the alien matches. They want to hold them at the castle. John has agreed to sponsor their request. I think he genuinely likes the idea."

"John and the board of directors would like it if we let the aliens roam around all over. Some would be dead within a week and we'd be fighting off an intergalactic attack from their home planets. The Guardians will never agree to such a request."

"Angus and Erin are very convincing."

"No, their programming is convincing. They're still clones no matter how sophisticated they seem, Admiral. Let's not personify them too greatly. We can honest, you and I. It's not like we have to deal with the originals any longer. Thank the stars. The original Angus was a giant pain in my ass."

"He was a brilliant scientist and a talented futurist. The planet owes Angus MacNamara a huge debt, Mother. I will not forget that."

"Look-I know the man was like a father to you. Your own father has been very busy, but he loves you as much as that old blow-hard ever did. He's very proud of you."

Nate snorted. "If Father is proud, he hasn't told me. In fact, I haven't seen the man in over fifty years. When was the last time you saw him?"

The stunned look on his mother's face was priceless. She had no idea. She and his father were pretty much estranged and had been for over a hundred years. They just hadn't made their break official. He decided letting her off that particular hook was prudent, so he asked an easier question.

"When can Carleton and Elsa go back to the castle?"

"Uncertain. The castle is being watched by two dangerous groups. Best you keep them on the airship for a while."

"Are they any safer here? We both know that many are not honoring the world-wide peace agreements any longer. I'm not sure why the AAS airship hasn't been attacked yet."



       
         
       
        

"That's my worry, Admiral, not yours. Your role is the same as it's always been. Keep the matchmakers making matches, and see to it that the aliens are constrained. Your father and I have the rest covered. This is the best life I can give you, Nathaniel. Be grateful for it."

"Speaking of aliens, I need to go check on things," Nate said, looking for the end to this conversation.

"That's my ever-diligent son. Goodbye, Nathaniel. Let's try to see each other in person soon."

And then she disconnected her com, not waiting for a proper good-bye from him. That was unusual, but he was too full of questions to puzzle it out.

Why had the Guardians chosen to keep the truth about the matchmaker abduction to only a select few? Hearing about their planned abduction from a mirror universe was the last time he'd spoken to his father, if you could call that angry, terse phone call any sort of genuine communication.

Nate still wasn't sure why John and the council hadn't told him about the retrievals. The truth of the new matchmaker origin was obviously not a secret with them. His father had acted resentful, which had seemed strange to him at the time, but the shocking news had kept him from dwelling on it.

Then the arrival of the first abducted version of Erin had claimed his attention.

Nate shook his head remembering, but it wasn't as easy to shake off his growing unease. Sheena was probably right about others lying to him. His concern about her comments to him had obviously been enough to prompt that strange dream he had last night.