The Amelioration Expedition
Chapter 2
At first, Dr. Oriana didn't know what to say. She was flattered that the Galactic Exploration League had requested her to lead an exploratory expedition on planet Opus, but she was hardly the best qualified. Once she recovered from the surprise, she spoke into the radio microphone.
"I appreciate the offer, but there are better qualified people. Have you asked Donte?"
"The Ruler of Bergen on the planet of Purlieu?" Mr. Bennett asked in a surprised tone. "I doubt he would be interested."
"Maybe not, but I don't think you would find anyone more qualified. He's the one who pulled Purlieu together."
"Oh, I'm familiar with his credentials, but that was twenty years ago. He's in his 60's now."
Dr. Oriana sighed. Was this the attitude she would be fated to five years from now? She had lectured about Purlieu when invited to Oriel, but she had been clear about the fact that she had never set foot on the planet. She had treated Donte and even before that had been considered one of the best galactic doctors. She had increased her knowledge and skills since then. She'd never had an opportunity to practice leadership skills with more than a few people and had very little knowledge on the subject of colonization. She was in excellent health, but being confined to a spaceship for years didn't afford much opportunity for the kind of exercise that built the stamina required for trekking across unfamiliar country. If she was going to go, she wanted someone beside her who was experienced, and Donte fit that requirement.
"Donte is a Mascot." She said. "His life expectancy is nearly 400 years. He's still a young man. He has the ability to sense things that we couldn't. I can't think of a better way to make the expedition safer and more successful."
"When he came to Oriel, he insisted on bringing his wife and children with him. We couldn't accept the financial responsibility his family would create."
That much was true, but Donte's children would be grown now and Rianne was past the ability to have more children. In addition to their need for him, she had a feeling Donte would be intrigued by the expedition.
"How long is this expedition going to take? I have patients, you know."
"Probably a year and a half – maybe more. Someone can take on your patients. You're the one the panel wants and we'll make it worth your time."
They had no idea what they might be facing. They knew nothing about the vegetation and indigenous life forms. Of course, neither did Donte, but she was still certain that he would be valuable. If they had already decided on her, maybe she could use his inclusion as a condition.
"It's only three weeks beyond Purlieu, isn't it?"
"Yes, you'd be passing close to Purlieu. What do you say? Are you interested?"
"Actually, I am, but…I still think Donte's presence would make the mission safer."
Mr. Bennett sighed. "I don't know him and I really don't want to ask him."
"If I asked and he agreed, would you put him on the team?"
"Well…I'm not the one who makes that decision. I'd be agreeable…and to be honest, I can't imagine anyone having an objection."
"Good. I'll contact him and see if he is interested."
"Only him, though. We don't want this planet polluted with Mascots the way Purlieu was."
"The Mascots didn't pollute the experiment. Fontalo did." She stopped. She didn't want to get into that argument with a Fontalo employee. "I'll call you back when I know something."
After Dr. Oriana disconnected her call with Mr. Bennett, she asked the communications operator to connect her with Commander Adriaan on the spaceship Moeder, orbiting Purlieu.
A few minutes later her radio buzzed. She pressed the button.
"Commander Adriaan? This is Dr. Oriana on the GEF medical spaceship Taurus from Oriel. Could you patch me through to the Ruler of Bergen?"
"Yes. I can do that, but you can radio direct now." He gave her instructions on how to reach the Groot Thuis. "I'll transfer you now."
After a brief wait, a male voice answered. "Gerritt here. What can I do for you, Dr. Oriana?"
"I was trying to reach the Ruler of Bergen."
There was a slight pause. "I am the Ruler of Bergen."
"Oh." She paused, confused. "What happened to Donte?"
"He resigned about three months ago."
"Why?"
There was another brief silence. "For personal reasons." His voice sounded impatient. "Can I help you?"
"Actually, it's Donte I need to talk to. Where can I reach him?"
"I think he's at the farm now. Give me a few minutes to contact him on his communications medallion."
Gerritt had been Donte's second in command when Donte's group visited Oriel. At that time Donte had been the most popular leader on Purlieu. In fact, all the colonies had elected him to represent them, making him the official representative for the entire planet of Purlieu. Gerritt said Donte was on the farm now. He had talked about resigning and moving to an abandoned farm with his mate and children.
A deep voice interrupted her thoughts. "This is Donte. What can I do for you Dr. Oriana?"
"I don't know if you remember me…it has been twenty years…."
"Of course I remember you," he responded in a warm tone, as though it had only been a few weeks since they had last seen each other.
"How are you doing? I was surprised to learn that you were no longer the Ruler of Bergen. Did you decide to retire to that abandoned farm?"
"No, I…actually, my daughter lives on that farm now with her mate."
"Oh…of course Petra would be a grown woman now, and little Andras would be a grown man. Wow. That's hard to picture. What about Rikki?"
"Rikki and Arabella are in the service now. Rikki is serving on the spaceship Baigh and Arabella is on the Moeder."
"Arabella? What a beautiful name. I didn't know about her. So you had four children. That's wonderful."
"Yes." He was silent a moment, obviously ready to conclude the conversation. Why? He had always been ready to talk about his children. But then, they weren't children now. She sighed.
"Well, the reason I am calling is that I have been invited to lead an exploration team on the planet Opus and I thought…it would be safer if you were with us…of course, if you're not feeling up to it…."
"I'm fine. How long would this expedition last? I'm Garrett's second now, so I'd have to get his approval."
Dr. Oriana frowned. "How did that come about?"
"It was part of the deal when I resigned."
"Why did you…." She caught herself. If he resigned for personal reasons, he certainly didn't want to discuss them with someone he hardly knew. "I was told the expedition could last a year or more, but you wouldn't be expected to stay that long. We haven't had anyone on the planet yet and we don't know what to expect."
He was silent again for a while. It was difficult to believe he wasn't interested. Of course, people changed and Donte was a lot older.
"I'm sorry. I thought you'd be interested, it being a challenge, but…."
"I am interested. I was thinking…well…is Fontalo involved in this?"
Why hadn't she thought of that? The purpose of his visit to Oriel was to break free from Fontalo.
"Yes, that's who I'll be working for, but the company is different now. They're even working on a serum that will increase the child-bearing years of the female Mascots. They realize how important the Mascots were to the colonization of Purlieu. They want to increase their numbers."
"Why would they want to do that?"
"Because they now recognize that you are an improvement to the human species. You're stronger, more intelligent…you know all the attributes."
"Yes. We live longer." His tone was dry.
"I'm sure that is a big plus, but that isn't all. They want more people like you."
He laughed without humor. "I believe Captain Pacilio referred to us as mutants. He said we weren't supposed to be breeding. He thought we were animals – or worse."
It wasn't like Donte to linger in the dark past. What had happened to him? She sighed. "That was twenty years ago, Donte. He's dead and he didn't represent Fontalo even then."
"I know. I killed him. I'm sure they haven't forgotten."
"Look. They're a research company. Yes, they are involved in this experiment, but they aren't like the people who created the mascots. That was hundreds of years ago. What happened to Purlieu and the Mascots was wrong. They know that, but the people running it today had nothing to do with that."
He was silent a moment again. Finally, he sighed. "I know, and they shouldn't have to pay for what their ancestors did."
"If it's leaving your family that bothers you, I understand."
"It isn't." He paused again. "Let me talk to Gerritt. If he has no objections, we'll talk about it. I would like to be included, and I appreciate being invited."
After they concluded their call, Dr. Oriana lifted a binder from the book case next to her desk. She ran a hand over the worn cover and paused before opening it. The binder contained her collection of magazine covers and articles about Donte and Rianne's trip to Oriel. She opened it to her favorite page. The picture was taken when Donte and Rianne performed as entertainment during an ice-skating competition. They were dancing across the ice, side by side. The picture caught them each with both their feet off the floor. They had their hands on their hips, Donte smiling down at Rianne and she smiling up at him. They adored each other. She frowned. Did they still? Donte spoke about all his children, but he didn't mention Rianne. He said it wasn't leaving his family that bothered him. Was Rianne still alive? Was she his personal reason for resigning as Ruler of Bergen?
***
Gerritt didn't mind relaying a message to Donte, but people needed to stop bothering Donte. He was no longer the Ruler of Bergen. On that note, Gerritt wished people would start acknowledging him as the ruler. It had been three months. Of course, he didn't expect them to call him Monomi like they did Donte. That term was intended to be used from one Mascot to another in high office. It was a term of respect. In Donte's case, it was much more. Even the colonists called him Monomi. They all adored him. Even though he had made it clear that Gerritt was now the ruler, people still turned to him for advice. It would take time. Donte always referred them back to the current ruler. Eventually they would accept him. Donte said they liked him and he certainly got that impression. Maybe he was being too impatient.
Still, apparently even Oriel didn't know that Donte was no longer the Ruler of Bergen. Why was Dr. Oriana contacting Donte after all this time? What did they want? He should have asked before he transferred the call to Donte.
Someone knocked on his office door and when he invited them in, Mai entered with two hot drinks on a tray and a smile on her face.
"I thought you could use a break."
He smiled as he stood. "That sounds like an excellent idea."
He had exchanged vows with Mai shortly after Donte returned from Oriel. Until six months ago, Donte and Rianne had lived in the Groot Thuis. After Rianne left, Donte hung on. Donte had always been a great ruler and nothing had changed in that status after Rianne left. He was far too professional to let something like that interfere with his work. Gerritt had been shocked when Donte resigned. It was a good indication of how much he was suffering. He had lost a lot of weight before Petra invited him to stay with them at the farm. He had gained back the weight and looked much better. Still, Gerritt couldn't help but think Donte hoped – even believed - that Rianne would come back to him.
Mai sat the tray on the desk and handed Gerritt a hot drink. He waited for her to sit in a chair before he sat at his desk. He looked at her.
"I transferred a call to Donte this morning. It was Dr. Oriana."
Mai's brows lifted. "From Oriel? What did she want to talk to him about?"
"I don't know. She didn't say, but she didn't know he was no longer the Ruler of Bergen."
Mai gave him a sympathetic smile. "Well, it hasn't been that long. It takes longer to get through the channels on Oriel. We aren't exactly their first concern, you know."
Gerritt grunted. "That's a good thing."
Mai sighed. "I thought Rianne would have contacted Donte by now. Surely she knows why he resigned. It's hard to believe she doesn't care."
Gerritt shrugged. "I don't know. I pretty much wrote her off when she walked out on him that way. It was a cowardly and calloused thing to do – go to Bosvrouwen for a meeting and then send him a message that she wasn't coming back."
Mai nodded. "She stood by him for over thirty years. I know they're both over sixty years old, but it's different with Mascots, Gerritt. Considering their life expectancy, they're still young. Their children are all grown and there won't be any more. Rianne felt their life had become stagnant. She wasn't happy so she did something about it. Donte understands that."
Personally, he doubted if Donte had any idea why Rianne left. "He still loves her."
Mai nodded. "When Donte gets something into his head, it's nearly impossible to get it out. He said he only wants her to be happy."
"Donte wants everyone to be happy and he does everything in his power to make it happen – even when it means he won't be."
"I know, but don't you think that's part of the genetic engineering of mascots? They were created to guide and protect the colonists."
Gerritt squirmed in his chair. He didn't like being reminded that Donte had animal genes. "All the mascots have been genetically engineered. They all aren't like Donte."
Mai smiled. "I know. He is a special person and that's why everyone wanted him to be their leader, but you're special too. Donte saw that from the beginning. That's why he chose you as his second. He'll get over Rianne. What he needs is time – and a challenge. He was already feeling unnecessary before she left. Maybe working on the farm will help."
Gerritt didn't respond. Rianne and Donte were acting like their lives were over now that they no longer had children at home. He was glad when his left home. Sure, he missed them, but he was finding new freedom with Mai now that they didn't have to plan their days around children.
Someone knocked on their outside door and Mai stood. "I'll get it."
Gerritt watched as she walked to the door. He liked the fact that he could see that door while seated at his desk.
Mai opened the door to Donte standing in the hall. She stepped back. "Come in, Donte. How are you feeling?"
Donte entered and gave her a wry smile. "Why does everyone want to know how I'm feeling?"
She lifted her brows. "I don't know about everyone else, but I simply wanted to know."
Donte laughed. "I'm fine." He directed his gaze at Gerritt. "Do you have a few minutes to talk to me?"
Gerritt stood. "Sure, come into my office."
Donte strode across the hardwood floor with his usual fluid grace. He looked tall and lean in dark gray trousers and shirt. Mai's gaze followed him absently for a moment before she turned away.
At sixty, Donte was in remarkably good condition. He had always been so good looking that people stared at him. His physique and facial features were flawless. Even now his skin was a healthy golden color completely free of any age lines. At forty, Donte had looked twenty-five and now at sixty he didn't look a day over thirty. Mascots aged proportionate to colonists, but even in this, Donte was exceptional. The fact that Donte would outlive him by a couple hundred years was something Gerritt had resigned himself to long ago. At only forty-five, Gerritt already had a paunch and gray hairs sprinkled through the blonde on his beard.
Donte paused at the door and lifted a dark brow.
Gerritt shrugged. "Leave it open."
Donte walked into the room and waited for an invitation to sit in the office that had been his for over thirty years."
Gerritt held out a hand and Donte shook it. Gerritt nodded at a chair. "Have a seat, Monomi. What's on your mind?"
Donte was his second now, but he would always be Monomi to Gerritt. Gerritt had served under Donte for three years on the Moeder and in that time they had become good friends. Donte had always seen the potential in him, long before Gerritt realized it was there. Gerritt had been shocked when Donte asked him to be his second. Back then, all the colonies were ruled by Mascots. Now Bergen and Lochfowk both were ruled by colonists.
Gerritt sat down only after Donte was seated. He leaned back in his chair and waited for Donte to open the subject, which he did instantly.
"As you know, I talked to Dr. Oriana today. She wanted to know if I could join them in an expedition to Opus."
Opus wasn't a newly discovered planet. In fact, Lyra, the spaceship received in the settlement of the lawsuit with Fontalo, had used Opus for military maneuvers in the past. They hadn't actually landed on the planet, but had made practice runs with shuttles and airships. The Lyra belonged to Purlieu, but all the colonies had decided Donte should select its commander. He chose the person he felt had the most experience, Nieke, from the colony of Vlaktes. Nieke was a colonist, but she had exchanged vows with a Mascot - the king of Anialwch. King Neirin had resigned and his daughter, Celyn, was now the queen. Nieke wasn't one to remain idle. As far as Gerritt was concerned, she was the best commander they ever had. She was the one who had decided that their practice sessions should include an unknown environment. If Oriel decided to colonize Opus, they would have to find another planet to use for practice. Nieke was now commander of the completed Anialwch spaceship, Elw, and the Lyra was searching for a permanent commander. They wanted Donte. Gerritt didn't like that idea any more than the cabinet did and it wasn't likely that Donte would want to live on a spaceship. Adriaan had finally got what he wanted – a second in command in the image of Donte – Andras, Donte's oldest son."
Gerritt frowned. "Are they getting ready to colonize Opus?"
Donte nodded. "Apparently. They want to know what challenges they will face."
Gerritt nodded. "And they want you to guide them because you can sense things around you."
Donte didn't respond. There was no need to. It was obvious why they chose him. Without a doubt, they would be getting far more value for their investment than they knew. Of far more importance to Gerritt was the fact that Donte probably needed the mission more than they needed him.
Gerritt leaned back in his chair. "Are you going?"
Donte shrugged. "Am I?"
Gerritt grinned. "If you're asking me for permission, I hope you know you have it. I should have asked if you wanted to go."
Donte looked uncomfortable. "I would like to go. I think they need me."
"Those two statements are independent, you know. Whether or not they need you is irrelevant. You can't be there for everyone who needs you."
Donte looked away and spoke under his breath. "I've been made well aware of that."
Warmth crawled up Gerritt's neck. "I'm sorry, Monomi. I wasn't being critical. I was referring to how valuable you are - to all of us."
Donte looked at him. "I know. I appreciate that. Maybe I need this one for me."
Gerritt nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised. You have my support. I hope you find what you need. You deserve better than you have received so far."
Donte's smile was weary. "I doubt that, but thank you anyway." He stood. "I'll let you know when I have more details."
Gerritt stood and walked Donte to the door, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Be careful. We all want you to come back safe."
A touch of the old humor sparkled in Donte's eyes. "I'm partial to that idea myself."
Gerritt stood in the doorway and watched Donte until he reached the lift. Gerritt closed the door and turned to Mai. "I hope I haven't made a mistake."
***
Donte contacted Dr. Oriana to let her know he had permission to join their expedition. They were still a few months out, so there was no rush about making plans. Still, he went to the message center to let Rianne know.
He left without sending a message. He was the one who wanted to retain contact, not Rianne. At first, he couldn't accept the fact that she wasn't coming back. She was understandably upset when Arabella left. That was her baby. She moped around the Groot Thuis for weeks before she left for her regularly scheduled meeting in Bosvrouwen. He thought seeing his grandmother might help Rianne, but apparently Saskia was unable to console her. Instead, Rianne had sent a message that she wouldn't be returning. Thinking that the cold Bergen winters were the culprit, he had offered to resign and move to Bosvrouwen with her. He could still feel the sting of her brief answer.
"Please don't resign. I want to make a new life here. I release you from your vows."
Apparently, it wasn't Bergen that she found to be so cold and uninteresting. It was embarrassing to think she had been so unhappy and he hadn't detected it – or had blamed it on something else. Rianne had given him four children and thirty years of excellent companionship. What had he given her? She needed her position as representative of Bosvrouwen to feel worthy.
The campaign tour in Lochfowk - especially that last week - had reminded him how much he missed the creativity involved in pioneering. With the children grown, he could travel with Rianne – even start a new life on a farm of their own. He studied on that idea for a while, unsure if Rianne would still enjoy it. He would have to resign as Ruler of Bergen, but Gerritt could easily take his place. Had he studied too long on it and neglected Rianne at a time when she needed him?
It had been six months since she left and he still felt the same about her. Even Petra had told him that he should get on with his life. There were other women. Maybe she was right, but he still wanted Rianne back in his life.
The expedition to Opus would provide the distraction he needed, but it would also give him the opportunity to actually be useful. As Ruler of Bergen, he had been busy, but there were a lot of people who could fill the position. Gerritt had been his second for twenty years. He was not only qualified, but if he was ever going to be the Ruler, it would have to be when Donte either stepped down or died. Donte would rather not die to make the position available. It was time for Bergen's colonists to rule. Mascots had been ruling it for hundreds of years.
Donte had wanted to go to Opus ever since his oldest son had been in service on the spaceship Lyra. Andras sensed things the way Donte did. It was something Andras didn't want everyone to know. Andras didn't embrace the ability and he didn't want the responsibility. Donte understood. There had been times in his life that he wished he didn't have that superpower. The reality was; he did have it. Eventually Andras would come to that conclusion. Andras had sensed a presence on Opus that he couldn't identify. To Donte, it wasn't a question of whether there was life on Opus, but what kind of life. That was what he wanted to find out.
***
When Rianne heard that Donte was going to Opus, she hoped he would contact her. If he invited her, she was going to go with him. She had been a fool long enough. She knew Sima wanted Donte, but hadn't thought about Donte wanting Sima until he accepted her invitation on a three-week campaign tour in Lochfowk. Donte had invited Rianne to join them, but she didn't want to spend three weeks watching Sima drool over Donte. That was her first mistake. When Donte sent her a message that they had decided to go to a remote village and he would be gone another week, he didn't invite her. She would have gone with him at that point. She was too proud to ask him if he wanted her to go. That was her second mistake. After Donte returned, he was often distant. He'd never been that way before. He seemed restless and she was certain he wasn't content with their relationship. They had always discussed things, but he was keeping something to himself.
Their home had been silent and cold. It was the coldest part of winter, with days on end with no sunshine. She felt detached and unproductive. She thought the meeting in Bosvrouwen would cheer her up, and it did. She had grown up in Bosvrouwen and she was their representative. Life promised purpose again. She convinced herself that Donte was pining for Sima and decided to let him have her. She wrote him that she wasn't going to return. That was her third mistake.
Donte was nothing if not honorable. He sent her a message - he would resign his position and come live with her in Bosvrouwen. She couldn't let him resign and she wasn't willing to go back and compete with Sima. At that point she must have taken leave of her senses, because she told him she wanted to make a new life and she released him from his vows. That was her final mistake. Dead people don't make mistakes and she stopped living that night. Now she merely existed. Life without Donte had been temporary up to that point. That night she did something that she hadn't done since the day they received a letter from Nyumbani that Donte was going to be executed; she cried herself to sleep. She stayed in her apartment all day for days, not eating and giving into sobbing bouts. Donte was very much alive, but he was officially no longer hers.
She started a downward spiritual spiral that resulted in the loss of her position as representative. Word got around about what she had done to Donte and people shunned her. Saskia stood by her, but doing so would eventually ruin her position on the cabinet, so Rianne put an end to that relationship as well. That left her alone. She retreated to her little apartment and buried herself in manual labor in the fields.
When she heard Donte had resigned as ruler of Bergen, she had been certain that Sima was the reason. She expected him to go to Lochfowk, but he didn't. Instead, he moved to the farm with Petra. Rianne must have written a hundred messages to him, asking for his forgiveness, only to burn them. If Donte still loved her, he would have contacted her. She had walked out on him – betrayed him – and she couldn't think of one reason why he needed her now.
Donte had honored her wish. Of course he would. She finally accepted that and began putting her life back together. Even if Donte welcomed her return, Bergen wouldn't. She had made the worst mistake of her life and she was going to be mature enough to accept the responsibility.
She thought that she had reached bottom and started back up until the latest news. The final blow came when she got the news that he was going to Opus on an expedition team. She fully understood why they had asked him. She certainly understood why Donte had accepted. It was the kind of thing that Donte lived for. If only she had stayed with him, they could have gone together. She wanted Donte and that mission more than she could find words to express. She waited, hoping he would ask her, but he didn't. In fact, he never even said goodbye. That was when she knew it was over between them. That was when she went back to her fast and seclusion. She cried most of the time. A future without Donte was merely an existence.
Soft Science Fiction
