Garrant Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  The Story Continues...

  Available Now

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  NELL HAD ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE SPACE Station large, looming out of the blackness of space as she and Mikey rode in one of the shuttles towards it. But the structure they were approaching now would have dwarfed it. Nell pressed her face close to Mikey’s, the two of them staring out of the window by their seats, eyes wide.

  “It’s massive,” Mikey said.

  Cael turned round in his seat in front of them, shooting Mikey a smile. “I told you you’d be impressed. In a few minutes, we’ll finish deceleration, and we can go get a better look.”

  For the acceleration and deceleration phases of the journey, they’d been restricted to a room not unlike an aeroplane interior - rows of three or four seats in a narrow space, windows on each side, central aisle down the middle. All it was missing was a hostess with a megawatt smile telling them the emergency exits were here, here and here. Nell had been almost disappointed to see something so mundane and familiar when they first boarded the transport shuttles.

  The Medium Distance Transport Shuttles, her brain corrected automatically. Mikey had a typically boyish fascination with vehicles and wanted to know everything about all the different types of space craft - a fascination Cael had indulged with endless patience, answering Mikey’s questions long after Nell would have given up and distracted him with something else. The facts rattled around in Nell’s brain now. The shuttles they used to get between the Station and Earth were technically called Sub Orbital Transport Pods, only designed to move between the planet’s surface and an orbiting structure like the Station. Medium Distance Transport Shuttles, like the one they were on now, were for Interplanetary travel, not Interstellar travel, which was travel between different solar systems, different galaxies. There had been talk of other kinds of transports - long haul shuttles, warp gates and multipurpose craft, but at that point, Nell had zoned out the conversation.

  A tone came over the intercom and then the captain’s voice sounded. “We have now completed the deceleration phase. We will be docking with the Olympia in approximately half an hour. You are free to leave your seats if you wish. I would recommend going to the observation deck - it’s going to be a pretty spectacular view.”

  “Slow down,” Nell said, grabbing Mikey by the arm as he attempted to climb over her. “The pilot said half an hour, there’s no need to rush.”

  “I want to see!” Mikey said, bouncing up and down in his seat as Nell unhooked her own seatbelt.

  “Be patient,” Nell said, prompting him to collapse back into his chair with a groan.

  Asha peered over the top of the chair in front of Nell. “It’s hard to be patient when you’re five.”

  Five. How was it that her baby was five?

  Nell rose from her seat and took Mikey’s hand, more out of fear he’d knock someone over in his excitement than out of need to keep him close. He’d had full run of the Medium Distance Transport Shuttle for the forty-eight hours they’d been travelling, everyone on board being more than happy to keep an eye on him, and there being a lack of places he could get into any trouble in. He’d even been taken up on the bridge at one point by a crew member charmed by his enthusiastic interest in the ship. That night as Nell tucked him in to bed, he’d told her he wanted to be a space pilot when he grew up.

  On the Observation Deck, a broad window overlooked the direction the ship was travelling in. Most of the time, it had been a blur of darkness outside. Now, the Olympia Station filled most of the view. An enormous transparent dome stretched over a wide, circular disc, structures jutting out underneath it, giving it the appearance of a giant, robotic jellyfish. As they got closer, the insides of the dome started to resolve into buildings, streets, and, at the very centre, a stadium.

  “Wow,” Angela said, coming up next to them. “It looks incredible.”

  “They built all this in six months?” Nell said.

  “Refitted it,” Asha said. “It belonged to a theatre company. Think travelling circus, but on a galactic scale. The committee bought it and repurposed it for our needs.”

  Nell looked down at her younger sister. Sometimes, she barely recognised Asha any more. And it wasn’t the way her brown hair now turned blue at the ends, moving of its own accord like Cael’s did. It went much deeper than that. It had started with a lightness, a weight lifted off her shoulders. She stood straighter, smiled more, a brightness inside her that had always been there, just dim, suddenly able to shine. Over time, she’d grown into the space her worries used to fill.

  “I don’t want to just ride out my life in comfort knowing Cael can take care of everything for me,” she’d said to Nell one time. “I want to be his partner, in every way possible. I don’t know a damn thing about leading people, but I’m going to try to learn.”

  The Olympia was the result of her efforts. A project that had taken up much of the six months since Asha met Cael. The Intergalactic Community had been looking for further ways to engage with the Human population, and after the success of the Universal Translator program - Asha’s idea - they’d looked to her for more suggestions. Asha had introduced them to the idea of the Olympic Games.

  Now, they were moments away from arriving at the result of all her work. The Olympia Station would host the first Intergalactic Olympics, Humans and Intergalactic Community members competing, separately for now, in a range of events. Ten thousand Human attendees had been invited by lottery, and ten thousand Intergalactic Community members would join them. Everyone else would be able to watch broadcasts of the event at home.

  “Are you feeling a little proud of yourself right now?” Nell asked.

  Asha laughed. “Actually, I’m mostly feeling a bit nervous. I hope it goes well. All the logistics and the planning… everything is in place. People just have to enjoy themselves now.”

  “They will,” Angela said.

  Nell glanced down at Mikey, who had his whole body pressed against the window, his mouth wide, every breath steaming up the glass. “If they don’t, Mikey will enjoy himself enough for all of them.”

  Asha grinned. “That would be enough for me.”

  The shuttle docked a short while later, connecting to an outstretched arm of the Olympia with a gentle clunk. They left their suitcases on board, to be delivered directly to their suites later, and headed out into the Olympic Park. Mikey kept his rucksack with his pencils and notebooks in, and a few carefully selected toys, just in case he needed entertaining.

  The boarding area funnelled them out into a large open space. At the centre of it, what looked like a fountain turned out to be some sort of three dimensional projection device. A woman appeared in the middle of it, Human looking, but for the slightly purple colour of her skin.

  “Welcome to the Olympia, I am the station AI, Athena,” she said, her voice light and musical. “I am here to assist you in any way you require.”

  She faded away, replaced by a three dimensional map that showed where they were and indicated paths to take to get to different sectors of the station. There was a Shopping District, a Residential District, an Entertainment District, and others that rushed by too fast for Nell to take in, all round the central point of the Arena. Looking round, she could see several pathways branching off from the courtyard they were in, each with
their own signposts and maps, projecting in the same slightly purple tone as the AI.

  “The Olympia is hosting the first ever Human and Intergalactic Community Olypmic Games,” the AI said, back to her person-visage. “In your suites you will find comm devices with guidebooks and information about all the various different events that our athletes will be competing in. These comms will also contain information about the station, maps, shopping and restaurant guides. You can use your comms to ask me a question any time if you require assistance.”

  “Hmm, maybe we should go to our rooms first,” Nell said to Mikey. “Get those comms so we don’t get lost.”

  Mikey pulled a face like he couldn’t imagine anything more boring than going to their rooms.

  “I want to explore!”

  “There will be time for exploring later,” Asha said. “Right now, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” She turned to Cael. “Is Allendi on her way?”

  Cael had stopped next to them, frowning at his comm and shaking his head. “I would tell you if I could get through the barrage of messages Tarkken has sent me.”

  “Tarkken?” Asha asked.

  “He’s still concerned about the adequacy of the security team here on the Olympia.”

  Asha rolled her eyes. “He’s the one who vetted them all.”

  Cael sighed. “He’s still not forgiven himself for everything that happened on the day we met. I fear he will continue to be overbearing until he feels he’s atoned.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive?” Asha said. “None of it was his fault.”

  “Yes, well, every sensible person has that figured out. Tarkken hasn’t quite got there yet.” He shot her a smile. “Don’t suppose you could get Marta to hack the Station or something? Give him something else to worry about so he forgets to worry about us.”

  Asha laughed. “I don’t think you want to encourage that sort of thing from Marta.”

  “Probably not.” Then he smiled. “They’re waiting for us just off the main entrance here, at the beginning of the Shopping District.”

  Asha turned to Nell. “You okay to come and meet Cael’s sister and her family?”

  “Sure,” Nell replied. She’d been harbouring a hope that Mikey and Cael’s niece, Sassi, would bond enough that there could be some sharing of childcare duties for the next two weeks. Angela had invited Nell out for a meal one evening, and Nell really wanted some grown up girl time. She knew she could ask Asha, but this was Asha’s big moment. Nell didn’t want to stop her enjoying the culmination of all her hard work.

  They walked down one of the paths. Ahead, it opened up into a walkway wide enough to cope with three lanes of traffic. On both sides, shops stretched up at least five storeys - clothing stores, souvenir shops, toy stores. Everything you would normally find in a shopping centre on Earth, only with an Intergalactic twist. On the ground level the vendors were mostly food related - a street market style cacophony of crackling and sizzling foods to suit all tastes. Everywhere, people were walking round, taking in the sights together, or sitting on benches to admire their new purchases.

  “Can we go look, Mummy?” Mikey said, gazing up at her, his eyes wide with awe and excitement. “Can we buy something?”

  Nell eyed the vendor closest to them, which appeared to be selling battered lizards - whole lizards, claws and eyes and teeth included - on sticks.

  “Soon,” she said, directing his attention to Asha and Cael, who had been flagged down by a woman with long green hair, holding a small girl in her arms, her Match stood beside her. “Let’s go say ‘hi’ first, okay?”

  “Okay,” Mikey said.

  She hung back a little, giving Cael time to greet his family and introduce Asha. When Cael waved them forwards, she nudged Mikey ahead of her. He seemed nervous and she gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  “Hi, you must be Nell,” Cael’s sister said. “I’m Allendi. It’s so good to finally meet you. This is my Match, Ardan, and our daughter, Sassi.”

  They were a good looking family. Allendi, like her brother, was incredibly attractive - fine features, bright green eyes and that dramatic long hair, light brown at the top fading in to the same green shade as her eyes. Her Match, Ardan, looked a bit older, streaks of grey in his dark hair. But like a lot of men, the grey made him look refined, helped by the sharp clothes he was wearing - something akin to a business suit, but in a style unlike anything Nell had seen on Earth. Sassi had his dark hair and skin, and Allendi’s bright green eyes, the ends of her little ringlets green. Something about those ringlets made Nell have a sudden, unexpected desire for a daughter of her own.

  “She’s adorable,” Nell said.

  “She absolutely is not,” Allendi said, laughing. “Don’t let the cuteness fool you.”

  Almost everyone on the Station was Unmatched, so there were no children around. Mikey was something of a novelty when he visited, and he enjoyed a lot of attention because of it. Nell wasn’t sure how he’d react to suddenly not being the only child, and not having exclusive right to Cael’s attention. But as she looked down at him, he was just staring up at Sassi with awe. Allendi noticed and dropped down to Mikey’s height, setting Sassi down on the floor.

  “This is Mikey, your new cousin,” Allendi said to her. “Are you going to play nice?”

  Sassi looked from Mikey to her mother and back to Mikey again, little eyes narrowed. Mikey waved, far more shy than he normally was. Finally, Sassi gave an imperious little nod.

  “I brought some toys from Earth with me,” Mikey said. “Do you want to see?”

  Sassi nodded again and the two of them moved aside, Mikey pulling his rucksack off his back and opening it to reveal the treasures inside.

  Allendi rose from her crouch, watching them, surprise mingled with happiness on her face. “She doesn’t normally do that.”

  “Do what?” Nell asked.

  “Voluntarily engage with other children,” Ardan said, also watching his daughter with a look of disbelief.

  “She’s very particular about who she keeps company with. Stars, I’m glad she wasn’t horrible to him,” Allendi said.

  “There was really a risk of that?” Nell said, looking at the two children playing together exactly as most children would.

  “Yes,” Allendi and Ardan said together.

  Cael laughed. “I told you it would be fine. The extended family of Matched couples usually get on well,” he said to Nell.

  “It was the ‘usually’ part of that sentence that concerned us,” Allendi said.

  Then it was Randar and Angela’s turn to be introduced. Nell stood back, watching, a hollow sensation growing in her chest. Cael and Asha. Allendi and Ardan. Angela and Randar. Now even Mikey had a little partner in crime. Not a Match, but extended family, destined to get along.

  And Nell had no one.

  She shook herself before the feeling could overwhelm her, stamping it down and trapping it inside a very small box to be stuffed right at the back of her mind. Dwelling on things that couldn’t change never helped anyone. She was here, on her first family holiday. Six months ago she figured she’d one day get to take Mikey camping in Wales, once she’d finished her training and got a proper job. And now she was here, about to witness the first ever Intergalactic Olympics. She refused to mope just because the kind of happily ever after her sister had found was not something she could have.

  There was more than one way to be happy. More than one path to fulfilment.

  And how could she possibly be selfish enough to want for anything else when she already had Mikey. The best thing that had ever happened to her.

  “Are we going to go have look round, then?” Allendi said. “They didn’t fully open up any of the Districts until today. I’ve been looking forwards to having a proper explore.”

  “Actually,” Cael said, glancing at his comm. “As it’s the Opening Ceremony tonight. I thought it would be nice for the four of you to go and get dresses. So I took the liberty of booking you in. My trea
t.”

  “The four of us?” Angela said, surprised.

  “Of course,” Cael said. “It’s a boutique on the fifth floor - Ishny’s. They come highly recommended. We’ll take Mikey and Sass to the shops, keep them entertained.”

  “I already packed a dress,” Asha said.

  Cael just grinned. “Ash, you’ve worn that same dress to every single function we’ve been to together. Go and pick yourself something new, then in the future you can alternate.”

  Nell had also packed a dress - a high street number she’d actually paid full price for. Over a hundred pounds. Though she had a reasonable income now, and didn’t have to pinch every penny like she used to, it had still been an almost physical pain buying something that cost that much for herself. She didn’t even want to think about how expensive a dress from a highly recommended boutique would cost.

  “You’re too kind, baby brother,” Allendi said, planting a kiss on his cheek.

  “You won’t say that when he’s spoiled Sassi rotten and filled her with sugar,” Ardan said, a little half smile on his lips.

  “In exchange for some girl time?” Allendi said. “Totally worth it.”

  Chapter 2

  HE FELT THE FIRST TWINGE DURING the warm up - a not-quite pain deep in the muscle of his shoulder. Garrant dug a thumb into the spot, feeling for any knots and found none. Rolling his shoulder back and forth, he did another couple of warm up stretches and decided to ignore it.

  The training grounds were quiet today. The first events started tomorrow, and most of the athletes were resting, but there were a few going through the motions. A big Vritish woman ate up the running track with bounding steps, her body solid muscle, lapping the two delicate Ferenae every other lap. Fair competition was one of the biggest challenges of Intergalactic sport. There were a lot of rules and regulations about who could compete with who that Garrant was glad he didn’t have to keep a track of.

  Not that any of it would matter to him soon. The red mark on the calendar that was his retirement date kept edging ever closer.