The Ashes of Worlds - Kevin J. Anderson [245]
How Jess had longed for that. “I wouldn’t change a thing.” He reached over to stroke her long dark hair. “And our work isn’t over — it’s just going to be different.”
“The work of a Roamer Speaker never ends. Isn’t that what Jhy Okiah used to say? She was a smart woman.”
Cesca grinned. “My new role as Speaker will be to help the clans fit in with the Confederation and to encourage plenty of cooperation.”
As they approached the Rendezvous site, Jess and Cesca identified themselves, got clearance, and docked their small ship in a complex where the ambitious workers had established a rugged living dome. Tanks of spare fuel, water, air, and packaged supplies had been set out in a metal-walled oasis. After cycling through the airlock, they met several dozen men and women who had come back, working on a quixotic scheme to put all the pieces back together, as if that would make everything as it had been.
Cesca swept her gaze around, smiling at the people. “I recognize you — clan Rudyear, isn’t it?”
An older woman nodded. Three teenaged boys stared at the two visitors. One short, stocky man paled as he recognized them. “Don’t let them touch you!” He hesitated. “Can you two come in here? Is it safe?”
Laughing, Jess stepped forward and clapped the man on the shoulder. “Nothing to worry about. The wentals are gone from our bodies.”
“We’re nothing special anymore,” Cesca added.
“I beg to differ,” said the older woman. “We’ve heard plenty about the two of you. Even without wentals inside you, nobody’s going to argue that Speaker Peroni didn’t do what was necessary for clan survival during our hardest times.”
Cesca hugged the old woman, who flinched from the embrace, despite her assurances. Jess threw his arms around two of the other people inside the dome. “I hope you don’t mind. It’s been so long since we could actually touch another person, we’ve really missed it.” He shook the hands of the perplexed teenaged boys, who didn’t seem to understand what the problem was.
“Speaker Peroni, are you going to return to Rendezvous when we have it completed?” said an obviously pregnant blond-haired woman.
“I’d like that,” Cesca said. “The clans will always be independent, but we probably don’t want a separate governmental center from the Confederation.”
“I was just thinking of it as a nice place to live,” said the short-statured man.
“We’ll help spread the word,” Jess said.
“Good. We could use any help the clans can spare,” the old woman said.
“For a percentage, of course,” the short man added.
“For a small percentage.” She and the man eyed each other, and finally he backed down.
“Who knows,” one of the workers suggested, “once we get finished here, maybe we’ll figure out a way to reassemble Earth’s Moon, too.”
“Ridiculous,” the woman said. “It would be easier just to haul in a new one from a planet that doesn’t need it.”
“Okay, we can do that, then.”
Jess didn’t think either plan sounded particularly easy. But then again, Roamers specialized in solving problems, regardless of the complexity.
He and Cesca stayed long enough to have a meal, and then flew onward. Their next stop was the Osquivel shipyards, and then Theroc, where King Peter had called a great meeting to relaunch the government of humanity.
Reveling in being among people again, he and Cesca took every opportunity to shake hands or exchange embraces with friends, family, or new acquaintances, relishing the human contact.
They also relished their time alone in their journeys between destinations. “We have a new start,” Cesca said.
“I’m glad we won’t be starting at the beginning.” Jess remembered how unhappy they had been for so long, with Cesca first betrothed to Ross Tamblyn, then to Reynald of Theroc. They had been kept apart, following what they believed to be their duty rather than their hearts, afraid to speak up for what their emotions demanded. They had been so miserable.