Quiet Invasion(166)
“Our future?” Michael’s voice cracked sharply on the second syllable. “Our future based on what? Murder? Deception? Wounded pride? Don’t you see what you’re doing?” He swept out his hand. “You are demanding that the people of Venera give up their lives, their freedom, their futures, their families so you can keep your pretty toy. At the very least, you are going to prison. You might manage to get killed if the U.N. troops decide to come in shooting, and if you don’t stop this disaster right now, you are taking five thousand people with you.”
“What’s happened to you Michael?” Helen searched his face, looking for something she could understand. “The only way we’re going to lose is if they divide us. By leaving, you are going to let them walk in here and take whatever they want to, without understanding what’s really at stake, without caring—”
“You just don’t see it anymore, do you Helen?” His hand swept out, encompassing the corridor, the crowds, the whole of Venera. “You don’t care what anyone does or who they really are.” People were starting to murmur, starting to stare. Michael didn’t seem to notice. He stabbed a finger at her. “All you care about is your vision and your pride, and your pride is Venera!”
Helen’s fists clenched. This was not happening. Michael could not be leaving her. Not when she needed him.
“If you’ve got a problem with me, you take it up with me. But right now—”
“If I have a problem.” Michael barked out a short, sharp laugh. “That’s almost funny.”
Helen’s whole body trembled. “Why are you doing this?”
He met her gaze without hesitation. “Because I will not leave my family to help you start a war.” He shook his head. “You need fanatics to help you now, Helen. I’m sorry to say you’ve got them.”
Fear sent another spasm of pain through Helen’s chest. “I don’t need fanatics, Michael. I need you.”
“No, you don’t.” He shook his head sadly. “You want me because I’m a v-baby and I fit your picture of what Venera ought to be. You’ve lost your ability to see what it is.”
“No,” said Helen softly, firmly. “This is not about me. This is about Venera’s survival.” She gripped his arm, as if she could transmit understanding from her flesh to his. “This is about the U.N. This is about the People flying through the Venusian clouds, looking for New Home.”
This is about you abandoning your position and your responsibilities.
Helen met his gaze and held it. “If you won’t fight for your home, for your people, maybe you should go.” She released him and stepped back.
Even through her anger, she saw how the years of life and service weighed him down, pressing him into the deck and demanding he remain there. “I was going to stay, Helen, I really was, but I can’t.” He stretched both hands out to her, pleading. He was still so young, really. Younger than she’d been when she first flew through the clouds of Venus. He’d given his heart to so many things. He wanted to do right, but with so much to love, how could he see clearly what was most important?
“I can’t stand what’s going on here,” Michael was saying. “Grace was the last straw.”
“Grace…” Helen felt the blood drain from her face. “She’ll be punished on Earth.”
The look he gave her was pure, stunned disbelief. His hands came up as if he meant to strangle the air between them. But his fists closed on emptiness. “Earth,” he breathed. “Mother Earth can’t be trusted. Mother Earth is the villain. But Mother Earth gets to decide how to punish the woman who killed two of our own.” He looked back at Jolynn and his children and shook all the years of his service off. “Good-bye, Helen.”
Helen just stood there and stared. Michael reached his family just as the line began to move again. Michael picked up his bulging satchel. Jolynn wrapped an arm around his waist, almost as if she meant to pull him along if he faltered. He put his arm back around her shoulders and together they and their children walked onto the shuttle.
Helen’s balance rocked. Her knees buckled and she had to put one hand on the wall to steady herself.
“Dr. Failia?” said someone timidly. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes.” She pulled herself upright. “I’m fine.”
She turned away from the crowds that were working so hard to get away from what was coming and started down the stairs to the Throne Room.
She did not have the luxury of time to mourn Michael’s leaving right now. No matter what else happened, Venera still needed taking care of. Venera needed her. Venera could not betray her. She would not give it away as she’d been forced to give away Venus.