Thank for Editors’ Choice Award! Previously on Quest for Onepus… Larson rescued Tawni from her dying cruiser, and while they were working on getting it fixed, they ran into more stranded people. A family, to be specific. Larson invited Able, Blessing and their three children to dinner so he could get to know them. Now…
All in all, the evening with the Rysons was pleasant. I had made Tawni happy by letting her host a bit, and I’m sure the Rysons were as pleased with Tawni’s meal as I had been. When it was time for the Rysons to go, Able sent his family ahead of him so he and I could talk.
I presented Able with this solution: I would accompany the Rysons to Galindor, the nearest planet, and every night they could come eat with me. If they ran out before then, I was able to provide more for them. Able liked the idea, but I could tell he was a little skeptical. I guess I had surprised him with such a generous offer. To be honest, I had surprised myself.
“How will we pay you back?” he wanted to know.
“I don’t know. I don’t really want anything back. Just keep your family safe.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Now that was a hard question. Why was I doing this? Other than my dead hyper-drive, I had the resources to help. And they were a nice family. I didn’t want to just leave them stranded. Which led me to the conclusion that I wanted to help them. This also surprised me.
“I want to,” I admitted honestly.
“Well, we appreciate your generosity,” Able shook my hand. “Blessing will be happy, as I am.”
“By the way, when is she due?” I asked. Mostly because I was afraid of her going into labour on their ship. Partially because I was starting to take a personal interest in this family.
“Not for another two months. No worries, Larson,” he said and smiled.
I told Tawni of the arrangements I had made with Able. She was as surprised as Able was. But she was also thrilled that she would get to spend so much time with the Rysons. Why was I so happy that Tawni was happy? All these people – I didn’t know any of them, but I felt a pang of longing to belong. I hadn’t felt such a thing since childhood. The feeling was familiar and entirely unwanted.
“Larson?” I realized Tawni was speaking to me.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” I’m sure I blushed.
“I was just wondering if you expected me to continue cooking for you?” she asked. When I didn’t answer, she went on, “Because, I figure it’s your ship, your kitchen and your food, and since you are the entire crew –”
“Ok, I get it. Tawni, will you please cook dinner for us until we reach Galindor?” I asked politely.
“Well, I’d be delighted to, Larson. I guess that means I’m sticking around for a bit.” I expected Tawni to say goodnight and leave, but she didn’t. She was still dressed in that lovely green dress and was sitting on a couch in the common room.
“You didn’t tell me you were from Onepus,” I commented.
“You didn’t ask,” she shot back.
I smiled. Apparently she wasn’t leaving anytime soon. I sat down in the chair opposite her. “I guess I didn’t. So why aren’t you there now?”
She shrugged. “I wanted to travel. See other worlds, I guess. I really did become a lieutenant though, about a year ago.”
“I misjudged you.”
“You mean I’m older than you first thought?” she laughed.
“Well that, too.” I didn’t know how to explain what I meant, so I kept quiet.
“Where are you from?” she asked after several minutes.
“I don’t know.” She raised a questioning eyebrow. “I honestly don’t,” I tried to convince her. It was the truth. “I was raised mostly on Semerde.”
She now sat up straight. “You’re an orphan?”
I laughed a little at the question. She was so serious. “I guess you could say that, although that term is usually reserved for people twenty years younger than me.”
“So what was your foster family like?” Oh, I really wish she hadn’t asked me that.
I looked down at my hands and answered, “Which one?”
“Oh, Larson,” she came over and took my hand.
“Don’t Tawni. I’ve had enough sympathy in my life,” I told her as gently as I could.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
That night, I had difficulty sleeping. Tawni’s questions had caused me to recall memories I had shoved to the back of my mind. Being shuffled to different cities, even different planets. Always having to come back to Semerde when it turned out a family didn’t want me for whatever reason. I thought about the kids I had to put up with, both in the orphanage and in the families I’d been placed with. The system on Semerde was horribly disorganized. I had always known that. But living through it was amazingly frustrating.
By the time I was fifteen, I realized no family would ever take me permanently. I requested to just stay and work until I was eighteen and no longer had to live there. I worked hard. I didn’t do things the other kids did, like partying and slacking off. I had always felt this lingering motivation to succeed in whatever I did so that I wouldn’t be dependant on anyone or anything. I didn’t even really ever hang out with other people my own age.
The person I spent the most time with in my life was this old retired captain, Captain Falloway. Most people would have just looked the other way, passed him by. Probably mostly because he was cranky and hard to get to know and to work with. But I had a tough exterior. I could take his criticisms. We eventually developed a sort of friendship. When I was nineteen, he offered me this ship, and I took it. Shortly after I left Semerde, I heard he died. I came back, but there was no service or anything.
To be honest, Falloway was the closest thing I had to a father figure, although I had never really felt any sort of fatherly love from him. Actually, I hadn’t even felt any type of love from anyone in my life. So, I took what I could from my odd relationship with a crotchety old man. He really wasn’t all that bad. He actually named me in his will. Gave me his ship and even said he “enjoyed watching me grow from a gangly boy to a fine young man.” Of course, I already had the ship by then, but still the recognition touched me along with words I never would have heard spoken.
Ever since then, I’ve wondered if maybe he died because of me. They say he was just old and “it was his time.” But I still can’t help thinking that maybe I was keeping him alive and when I left he had nothing left. That may seem presumptuous, but I’d been carrying that guilty burden around for ten years now. Maybe that’s why I didn’t particularly want to get close to anyone.
But now there was Tawni and the Rysons. I wanted to keep my distance and yet, I didn’t. They were lovely, beautiful people, so full of life and what I figured was love. For some reason, it was hard to keep away. I felt like a moth attracted to a flame. And I wasn’t comfortable with the feeling. And when I was uncomfortable, I had a tendency to withdraw within myself. Where I felt safe. Safe was good.
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We had dinner with the Rysons tonight. That was a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed getting to know them all. Rahli is quiet and smart, Cammer is fun, Annia is very polite and sincere. When she asked if it was love at first sight for me and Larson, my heart skipped a beat. We certainly aren’t in love, but I have to wonder if that’s what the Rysons think, that we’re in love. We never really did address the question. I just wouldn’t want to compromise Larson’s reputation or my own.
Personally, I don’t know if Larson’s ever been in love, but maybe I’m just making wild assumptions. I have no way of knowing that and it’s not my place to ask. I can’t help being curious though. I’ve always been that way and it’s no different with Larson. He’s so quiet and mysteriously alone. What does he do with all his free time? I mean, other than restore old ships and save people’s lives? Well, I guess that doesn’t sound like such a bad life.
I thought I had Larson figured out until he told me what he was doing for Able and his family. He wasn’t merely wishing them luck, or giving them a bit of food. He was inviting them on his ship every day until we reached Galindor. He was basically taking them there. It’s an extremely generous offer. I’m sure it takes amazing strength of character to decide that so quickly.
I’m ashamed to admit that I thought Larson would just immediately send Able away. That’s why I brought him on the ship instead of just telling Larson. But I realize that was the wrong thing to do. Larson helped me and I’m only a guest here. If he would do that for me, I should have trusted him to at least hear Able out. And yet, Larson was the one that apologized. Not me. I still feel a little bad about it.
Now he knows I’m from Onepus. I really hope none of them figure out the whole family-line thing. I don’t really want them to know. But I would like to repay Larson for his kindness. Although somehow, I doubt he would accept it. I do know he has to make his way to Onepus. Maybe I’ll secretly invite the Rsysons to join me in welcoming Larson when he comes. I wonder if he’d like that.
I can tell he’s still trying to figure out how old I am. I wonder how long I can keep him guessing.
Tawni out
Read Part 4 here
Read Part 6 here
Fair enough, Bennett. You’re right, I like that wording better, so I went ahead and changed it. Thank you!
I like your suggestion Jerry, I think I’ll do that when I get a moment. Thanks.
I am enjoying this read. I offer only a minor quibble: I would use the word ‘presumptuous’ in place of ‘pompous.’ I think that the character is far too humble and likable to actually be pompous. In my mind pomposity includes a flavor of ostentation, which is not present in Larson.
I realize now that we don’t have an easy way for readers to visit or re-visit earlier episodes of a continuing story. Until we come up with a scheme for this you can place two links at the end of each episode, one to the next episode and one back to the first episode.