Mako (The Mako Saga: Book 1) (63 page)

Stunned speechless by the spectacle of it all, Lee turned to see their fellow honorees—Noll, Wyatt, and the rest of the 51
^st
Squadron—standing in a single-file line along the far wall to his left, chatting with another man whose back currently faced them, his hands casually tucked into the pants pockets of his distinguished navy-blue suit.

With slightly grayed hair and a slender build, he was in remarkably good shape for someone in his late fifties or so, and Lee had a pretty good idea who he was. His suspicions were confirmed when the man turned to address them.

“Markus, it’s always a pleasure, my friend,” President Wylon beamed, extending the admiral a hand.

“Indeed, Mr. President,” Katahl said with a reverent bow. “It’s been far too long.”

This drew a mild chuckle from Wylon. “You know, there was a time—not so long ago, I might add—when I saluted you, and you had no problem calling me Rick. You do remember that, right, Admiral?”

Katahl threw him a wry smile. “Longer than either of us would like to admit, sir,” he corrected. “Sadly, however, those days on the Kanaan are long since behind us.”

“Oh c’mon, Markus,” Wylon chided. “We’re not that old… not yet, anyway.”

The Auran president then turned and extended a cordial hand to Lee, those same brilliant blue eyes—the familiarity of which Lee still couldn’t shake—glinting back at him. Perhaps from the game?

“Let me say what a pleasure it is to finally meet you all in person,” Wylon said warmly. “I know you’re probably pretty eager to get home, but thanks for postponing your trip so we could do this.”

“The pleasure is all ours, Mr. President,” Lee fumbled, though impressed with the man’s humility. In his experience, so few politicians had it. “Please, allow me to introduce my team. This is Daniel Tucker, Evelyn McKinsey, Hamish Lunley, and Lincoln Baxter.”

The group stepped forward, and Wylon made his way down the line to greet each of them individually.

“I must confess,” said the president, “when all of this started, I never expected to see you even step foot on our soil, much less wearing those uniforms.”

Now a bit self-conscious to be a civilian in an ASC uniform, Lee scrambled a reply. “Oh, um…” he stammered. “Well, sir, Admiral Katahl and I talked about it, and he thought it was appropriate because—”

“The admiral was correct,” Wylon stated. “At the moment I can’t think of anyone more worthy of those than the five of you. As I understand it, there’s a saying in your world that very much holds true here, that ‘actions speak louder than words’… or affiliations, as it were.” He gestured to the pins on Lee’s chest. “The way you’ve all conducted yourselves as members of this project, and the way you so selflessly put it all on the line up there… well,” he shrugged, “those things speak for themselves, oath or no oath, and believe me, I know because I’ve taken it myself. So take it from me, as both a soldier and the man tasked with keeping the Auran people safe, what you’ve done here will never, ever be forgotten. Now please,” he concluded, motioning toward the adoring crowd, “enjoy this. Heaven knows you’ve earned it. All of you have.”

Hearing a light commotion behind him, Lee turned to see the cluster of guards and government officials standing inside the archway part as Madisyn Reynolds—dressed in an elegant, ivory-colored evening gown—wove her way through the crowd. Casting a glance at Danny, who was obviously happy to see her, Lee watched the young doctor move quickly to Wylon, only to be swept into the older man’s embrace with a noticeably affectionate kiss on the cheek.

Perplexed, Lee turned back to his friend, whose entire demeanor flatlined.

“Sorry I’m late, Daddy, but—”

Daniel Tucker’s face couldn’t have flushed any redder.

“
Jackpot!
” Link coughed profusely.

Absolutely dumbfounded, Danny snapped around to Lee—who had nothing—then over his shoulder to Reiser, who shot him a tight smile and a slightly guilty look.

****

Several hours after the ceremony, where the members of both squadrons had been presented with the Auran Medal of Valor for bravery under fire, the group reconvened in the open air of the Praetorian’s topside upper deck for the black tie reception banquet, held exclusively for military personnel, government officials, and a select number of other VIPs. Circled around a white-clothed hightop table toward the back of the gathering, they basked in the warm, sunny breeze while taking stock of all that had happened.

“Well, I gotta hand it to these folks,” Link said, kicking back his third glass of Auran champagne, “they sure do know how to throw a shindig.”

“I’ll second that, ma friend,” Hamish laughed, clinking his crystal glass to Link’s.

“It does make you kinda wonder, though,” Mac mused over a sip. “Who would want to go to war with a people like this?”

“Some men simply can’t exist in a world without war,” Katahl said, as he, Ryan, and Noll stepped through a group of statesmen to join them. “When they’re bred into it, and that’s all they know, they view their lives as meaningless without the conquests and spoils that accompany it.”

“Masterson,” Lee noted, sullen.

“Precisely.”

“Hey, what’s the story on that guy, anyway?” Danny asked. “Did we manage to get him with Lee’s little fireworks show or what?”

The admiral shook his head. “Our survey ships have finished sifting through the debris, and we never found any hull fragments matching the Kamuir, so we have to assume that he got out before the blast.”

“I take it that means he’ll be coming back for seconds, then,” Link huffed.

“Unfortunately, yeah,” Ryan replied. “But, we dealt his fleet a major blow at Dulaston, and he’ll be licking his wounds from that one for a while. So on the plus side, that should give us the time we need to rebuild the ships we lost in the fight.”

“Of course that still leaves the matter of who will fly them,” Katahl murmured past the rim of his glass.

“Mimic guys, right?” Danny surmised. “I mean, we’re living proof that the program works, so sign ‘em up, train ‘em up, and go take care of business.”

“True,” said the admiral. “The Mimic project has shown impressive results—far greater than we could’ve ever hoped for, in fact. But it’ll take time to get the program up and running. And then…” He broke off, his suggestive tone turning obvious. “Who will train them?”

Lee surveyed the similarly amused looks of his friends. “We appreciate the thought, Admiral,” he offered, “but I’d think there are more qualified people than us for that job, right? Folks with actual military training and credentials?”

Katahl tilted his head. “Perhaps, but who better to teach the second generation of Mimic trainees than the first? Besides, you’d operate out of the ASC academy right here on Aura, so it’s not like you’d be called into the field.”

“If I had a nickel…” Mac muttered across the table.

“I don’t know, Admiral,” Lee shrugged. “If it’s all the same, we’d like a few days to think about it and talk it over, if ya don’t mind.”

“Absolutely,” Katahl agreed.

“Hey sir?” Link asked. “Hypothetically speaking, of course, but… would I get a hat with that job?”

The group stared at him, not following.

“You know… like the classic drill sergeant hat with the big, flat rim? You know…
a jelly doughnut!”
he yelled in his best R. Lee Ermey.

This time the others just groaned.

“Oh c’mon,” Link persisted, “you know it’d be awesome! Throw some speakers on the Tuskan—maybe a little ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ or some Slayer even… admit it, this could
totally
be a thing!”

“Take your time,” Katahl concluded. “Your transport to Earth isn’t going anywhere, and there’ll be plenty of time to discuss this later.”

“Thanks Admiral,” said Lee.

****

“So what do you think?” Danny asked once Katahl and Ryan had gone.

Lee stared into his glass. “I dunno, Danny. I really don’t. I will say this, though… the offer’s a lot more temptin’ than it woulda been two months ago.”

“You know, I actually get that,” Danny said in earnest.

“That’s quite the change of heart ya’ve had there, ma friend,” Hamish crooned across the table. “I don’t suppose it would have anything to do with a certain talented, young, red-haired doctor we all know and love, now, would it?”

“Apparently rich, too” Link added.

“How’s that Amazonian lovin’ workin’ out for ya there, Link?” Lee jumped in to defend his friend. “Because your random question about the Ermey hat had absolutely nothin’ to do with stickin’ around for her, I’m sure.”

“Boom, roasted!” Mac piled on. “Now that you mention it, Lee, Shorty here has been quite the ghost of late.”

“Ain’t seen him puffin’ on a heater lately either,” Lee remarked. “Looks like somebody’s tryin’ to kick the habit.”

“Yeah well, it’s… whatever,” Link grunted, tipping his glass and wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Then peering through the crowd—past the buffet line and the gaggle of officers packed around the carving station—Link caught sight of the raven-haired pilot at the bar, who gave him a wink and a smile.

“Okay, fine,” he said in a wistful murmur, eyes locked on those show-stopping, carmel legs that went on forever below the hem of her uniform. “I’ll admit it… warrior chicks are kinda friggin’ awesome.”

“Hamish? What’s your take on all of this?” Danny asked, happy to see the conversational spotlight shining on someone else’s love life for a change.

“It’s tempting, to be sure,” said the Scot. “On one hand, I really do hate to be this far away from ma mum, or ma shop for that matter, though it’s a relief to know that both are set for life with the PGC money coming in. Plus, I must confess,” he chuckled, “getting ma hands dirty on the flight deck with Kris is quite the thrill. I mean, working on a Thresher is a long bloody way from turning a wrench on a Hog, vintage or not, and I’ve already been approached by the Auran Corps of Engineers if I stay.”

“You Lunleys do look sharp in uniform,” Lee noted over a bite of hors d’oeuvres. “Just sayin,’ man…”

Hamish threw him a grateful nod.

“What says the Com-Spec?” Danny went on.

Mac drummed her fingers on the tablecloth and considered the question. “Well, the bar’s obviously taken care of,” she thought aloud. “Now that I can afford to buy Tom out of his Pittsburgh deal, he’ll stick around to run the Tally location, which oughta make Dad happy… don’t know how much he and Mom will like the idea of me taking up residence this far away from home, though, temporary or otherwise.” Mac paused, shifting her gaze to the blue sky overhead, then back down to the palm of her hand which, just hours ago, had controlled the single most exhilarating feeling of her life. “Still,” she insisted, “kind of in line with what Hamish was saying, that brand new Mustang back home is a far cry from a Mako.”

Lee nodded in wholehearted agreement beside her.

“What do you say, Lee?” Danny asked. “Now that all is said and done, think you’d actually consider hanging around?”

Lee’s expression turned thoughtful, then coy. “I think the admiral said we’ve got some time to ponder it over, and I don’t know about y’all, but I plan on takin’ him up on that offer.” Then, hearing the three-piece jazz band behind them roll into a swanky little number in three-four time, he turned to Mac, bowed, and extended a formal hand. “Right now, though, boys… I think I’ll just settle for a dance with the prettiest girl in the house.”

“
Oh, great Caesar’s balls, that’s horrible!
” Link moaned, seeing her blush and take his lead. “Seriously Lee, a Ph.D. and that cheesy, Dean Martin crap is the best you’ve got?
Hell,
I’ve had popcorn farts that were sexier than that!
”

Danny glowered at his friend. “Classy, Counselor. Real classy,”

****

Danny, Link, and Hamish made their way into the crowd after that, mingling with friends and fellow officers for a bit before eventually ending up right back at the table, running over all the usual topics to pass the time… college football, the summer concert series back home, and of course… the matrimonial future of their favorite new couple on the dance floor.

Swallowing down the last of his drink, Danny looked up to see Madisyn emerge from the crowd, a pair of fresh champagne glasses cradled in her right hand as she joined them at the table alongside Layla, who wrapped an arm around Link’s waist and pulled him to her. Seeing Link’s head barely at her shoulder, Danny stifled a laugh with his fist, while Madisyn clinked her glass to his.

“You know, your doctor probably wouldn’t be too happy to see you mixing alcohol with your meds,” she observed with a slightly incriminating eye.

“She’s a real shark, that one,” Danny simpered. “But I won’t tell her if you won’t.”

She smiled back, her father’s bright blue eyes shimmering in the sunlight. “Mum’s the word. Just not too many, alright?”

“Yes ma’am,” Danny nodded.

“Hey?” Hamish asked, breaking from his conversation with Wyatt to scan the now-empty dance floor ahead of them. “What happened to Lee and Mac?”

No sooner had he asked the question than a lone Mako rocketed out of the flight deck below, sliced through the cloud cover overhead, and tore off into the distance.

“Oh, something tells me they’re off having a little fun, is all,” Danny chuckled, feeling Madisyn’s fingers in his as the silvery machine vanished into the skyline. “Let ‘em go. We’ll catch up later.”

****

Once safely away from shore, Lee dove the Mako back to the ocean’s surface and pulled back on the stick, sending the fighter screaming into the distance ahead of a frothy wake of churning surf below. As Mac sat cradled in his lap—her face drenched in the same speed-induced elation as his—Lee maxed out the Mako’s engines for one final run before bringing it to rest in a hover over the endless aquatic expanse that now met the sky in every direction.

Retracting the canopy and scooting out onto the ledge, with Mac still in his lap, Lee wrapped his arms around her—their fingers tightly knit—and marveled at the breathtaking sunset as the light spray of salt water misted onto their skin in a moist cascade of iridescent crystal. Basking in the sheer perfection of the moment, having never felt so completely at peace, Lee tilted her olive chin toward his—her emerald eyes blazing with anticipation—and kissed her.