Space Cadets

Colin felt like he was finally starting to get past Eliza’s armor. She certainly wasn’t nice to him, but her teasing felt more playful than it did mean spirited. More importantly, she wasn’t trying to actively get away from him or scare him. Over the next few days, he took her back to different archives and libraries to give her access into restricted areas. He didn’t seem the harm in it, anyways. She didn’t plan on trading government secrets. She just liked to learn.

Over those days, he found that she talked to him more as well. She asked him about his work with the cartels and actually listened when he told her about the operations. He never considered it very exciting beyond the few times it ended in a shootout, but she seemed genuinely interested.

They sat on the floor of her room, surrounded by some reports and files she had been able to borrow from the archives, after the historian in charge was charmed by her interest in learning. She handed a paper she was looking at to Colin.

“Team 192,” she said. “They took down Anthony Zykel’s secret sex ring. Looks like it happened while you were on active duty. Were you on that team?”

“Not this one,” Colin admitted, looking over the paper. “I knew someone who was, though. Mirabelle Gent. She was... one hell of a woman. She was one of the leads. She took a job as a waitress in one of the clubs, just so she could get close enough to the women to gain intel on the business and help them all escape safely.”

“You speak highly of her,” Eliza noted. “Girlfriend?”

“No,” Colin chuckled. “Just an acquaintance. I admired her commitment to her work, though.”

“Oh.”

“She was gunned down.”

Eliza paused, glancing back up at Colin. He sat up, sighing with a sad smile before continuing.

“It wasn’t too long after this operation,” he said. “She wasn’t even on the job. She was out at a bar with some friends, and one of the goons from the gangs she had helped shut down ended up getting to her. Took her down right then and there. Poor girl.”

“That’s sad,” Eliza frowned.

“It comes with the job,” he shrugged. “We work shifts, but we never really get to catch a break. When we put ourselves on the front line, we know that our names and faces are going to be out there. And if someone wants you dead, then they don’t care whether or not it's a bad time for you.”

She didn’t say anything, shuffling quietly through the papers.

“So,” Colin said, “In hiring a guard for you, your father is making sure that doesn’t happen.”

“I told you, it wouldn’t have happened anyways,” Eliza said. “No assassin cares about me.”

“Did the assassin tell you that?”

“They didn’t need to, I just know.”

“Mirabelle Gent thought she knew, too,” Colin said. “Clearly not.”

“Well, I’m not her.”

Colin stood up, gesturing for Eliza to do the same.

“I’m kind of doing something right now,” she said.

“Trust me, you’ll have more fun with this,” Colin said.

She gave him a wary look, but stood and followed him out of the room. He led her away from the fineries of the palace and to the lower levels of the palace, where the servants worked and lived. They got a few curious glances, but Eliza didn’t dress in the glitz like her sisters and didn’t attract any suspicious attention. She stayed by Colin as he led her to the guard’s quarters and into a private training room. He marked the room occupied and flicked on the lights. Targets whirred to life, taking positions around them. Colin reached for the pistol on his belt, holding it out to show Eliza.

“This is an energy pistol,” he said to her. “For the most part, it’s non-fatal. That’s why they gave them to us. I guess they didn’t want a scandal if someone shot the wrong person. However, it can knock an attacker unconscious in an instant if you aim right.”

“Did you bring me here to show off?” Eliza asked.

“No,” Colin said. “I know where my training puts me. I came to show you how to use it.”

She blinked a few times in surprise.

“Really?” she asked.

“You seem pretty adamant on not wanting a guard around,” he said. “So when you inevitably find a way to get rid of me, I’ll feel at ease knowing that you can handle yourself against an attacker. Now, hold this very carefully. The trigger can be sensitive.”

She carefully took the pistol from him, keeping her finger off the trigger as she admired it.

“This knob on the side determines how you want the energy blast,” he explained, gesturing to it. “Turn it right for one strong, high energy blast. Turn it left for a lower energy blast that comes in small bursts. It depends on the situation. I’m going to start you on the right, so you can start with working on accuracy. You’re not trying to kill anyone yet.”

He spent a few minutes showing her how to aim at her target and draw the pistol from her belt with a certain degree of speed and confidence. He was nearly shot a couple times too, but Eliza seemed determined enough to take things seriously so he continued to show her the ropes. He showed her how to firmly plant her feet as she aimed the pistol at one of the targets.

“Just a little bit higher,” Colin said, gently placing a hand on hers to lift it up an inch.

She tensed slightly and he quickly drew his hand away, awkwardly clearing his throat.

“Okay,” he said. “Line up your shot like I showed you, and whenever you’re ready you can go for it.”

He had just finished his sentence before she fired three shots in a row. Colin raised a brow at her and she gave him a cheeky grin. One shot missed, while another hit the target in the chest and the other hit square in the forehead.

“Not bad,” Colin chuckled. “Now we can try-”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Colin took the pistol back from Eliza before unlocking the door. Kieran stood there, peering inside curiously. He glanced from Eliza to Colin.

“Showing off, are we?” Kieran asked.

“Something like that,” Colin said. “Do you need something?”

“Actually, you’re being called to the general’s office,” Kieran said. “They’d like to see you immediately. Miss Rothschild, if you could please come with me. Your sister has some shopping plans this afternoon, and I’ve been instructed to bring you along with us until Colin is available again.”

“Right,” Colin said, giving Eliza an apologetic look. “Go ahead. I won’t be long.”

She seemed a bit uncomfortable as she followed Kieran out. Colin headed in the opposite direction to the General’s office. He couldn’t imagine he was being called for anything good. Personal guards were rarely taken away from the people they guarded to be praised for their hard work. He started wondering if it was because of the gun carrying practice. Then again, it wasn’t against any rules. He could argue that it was part of protecting her.

When he entered the office, a stern looking secretary was waiting for him. She immediately pointed to a phone on the wall.

“You have a personal call,” she told him. “Hold the blue button to connect. Service isn’t very good across the galaxy, especially a place like Corron. You might have to speak up.”

“Corron?” Colin frowned. “Personal call? Is everything alright?”

“All I know is that you have a personal call and that you were cleared to take it,” the secretary said. “Now hurry and pick up before it drops the long distance connection.”

Colin frowned and reached for the phone, then looked back at the secretary.

“Do I get some privacy?”

“No.”

He sighed, picking up and pushing the button to connect. There was a brief beeping noise, and then he heard Rebecca’s frantic voice.

“Colin?” she asked. “Are you there?”

“Becca?” Colin said. “Yes, I’m here.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed in relief. “You don’t know how hard it was to get a hold of you. A distance call is costing me an arm and a leg, so I have to keep this quick.”

“Is everything alright?” Colin asked.

“Papa is hurt,” she told him. “There was an accident at the factory.”

“What happened?” Colin asked, feeling his blood turn to ice.

“I always knew those machines were deathtraps,” Rebecca said. “They’re just so old. A piece of metal got stuck in one and the emergency stop failed. The whole thing blew to bits and metal went flying everywhere. Three people got impaled, Colin. Three dead, and seventeen injured. And now workers are popping up with radiation poisoning.”

“And Dad?” Colin asked impatiently.

“He was thrown back by the blast and hit a wall,” Rebecca explained. “It completely shattered his right leg. The doctor isn’t sure if he’ll ever walk without crutches again. And now he’s fallen ill, and we think he’s been poisoned by the radiation, too. He’s not contagious, thankfully. But Mama is taking triple shifts at the factory to pay for the medical bills. I might have to leave school to work.”

“No,” Colin said firmly. “Don’t do that. I’ll come up with the money and send it over.”

“Actually, your general spoke to me,” Rebecca said. “They’re letting you visit.”

“Visit?”

“Papa isn’t doing well, Colin,” Rebecca said slowly. “He could recover. But he could also… not.”

“Don’t say that,” Colin told her. “And don’t make any sudden decisions. I’ll see you all soon, alright?”

He finished up the conversation and hung up, feeling his entire body go ice cold. This was the last thing his family needed. Like Rebecca said, Colin was given five days leave to visit his family. A day to travel, three days to spend with his family, and a day to come back. Three days was all he got to somehow turn the situation around.

When he got back to Eliza, she seemed about ready to pass out while her sister sat and tried on handbags in every color of the rainbow. As soon as she saw him, she shot up from her seat.

“Oh, too bad,” Eliza said. “Looks like I have to go. Have fun, you two.”

She rushed out with Colin, sighing in exasperation.

“A minute later and I would’ve died,” she said dramatically. “Don’t leave me with them ever again.”

“Uh, I can’t make that promise,” Colin said. “You might have to stay with Kieran and Bianca a little longer. Just a few days.”

“What?” Eliza frowned. “How come? I mean, not that I want you around. But... why are you leaving me with them?”

“I’m going back to Corran tomorrow,” he explained. “I’ll be gone five days for a family emergency. My father is in bad shape from a factory accident.”

“Five days?”

“Not too bad, I’ll be back before you know it,” he assured her.

“No,” she said. “What I mean is, all they’re giving you is five days?”

“Yeah,” Colin said, shifting his weight awkwardly. “Just enough time to say hello. Or goodbye. Depends on whether we can scrape up the money for the treatments.”

“And if you don’t?”

“I’m trying not to think about that,” Colin said, giving her a reassuring smile.

“I’ll come with you.”

Colin’s brows shot up in surprise.

“Why?” Colin said. “I don’t have permission to take you, but why do you even want to go?”

“You need the help,” Eliza said. “Five days is nothing. I’d rather be of help to you than wasting away here, shoe shopping with Jocelyn.”

“I have my sister,” Colin said. “And again, I can’t just pick you up and take you with me.”

“Leave the permissions to me,” she said. “I’ll take care of it. How should I pack, warm weather?”

“Eliza-”

“I’ll just bring a light bag.”

She was off before Colin could argue any more.