And now, the conclusion of the Kit-Kat story.
Dressed in her NPI Navy dress uniform, Lieutenant Katarina "Kit Kat" Castro once again looked at the monogramed card in her hand.
You are cordially invited to 'A Taste of Achenar' for dinner and conversation.
-C. Inga Stevenson
She had almost turned down the invitation. Despite her father telling her that the "issue" had been resolved, she had still felt a shiver of fear at the idea that she'd been identified by someone from back home. Still, she
was curious what her idol had to say to her, especially given their only interactions to date.
Not to mention that "A Taste of Achenar" was one of the best restaurants on Leonard Nimoy Station, and normally
way above of her paygrade.
She had no sooner passed through the entrance, when the hostess greeted her. "Lt. Castro? Welcome to 'A Taste of Achenar.' I am Mariko Vasylyshyn, your hostess for the evening. Your party is waiting. Follow me, please." The woman spoke with an imperial accent, which Katarina had always felt made one sound a
bit like a petulant child.
Nether the less, she found herself instinctively slipping into the same accent. "Thank you."
As they approached what was obviously her table, two women stood up. The first was obviously Cmdr. Stevenson. Unlike most of her race interviews, she was dressed in an elegant flowing dress that showed off the muscles in her shoulders and upper arms. A string necklace of alternating emerald and jade gem stones, with a single fire opal at its center, adorned her throat.
The second was a darker skinned woman, wearing an elaborately embroidered sari, tiny beads of emerald, jade, and fire opals set along its edges. She felt a second sliver of fear enter her spine as she recognized the woman: Roshni Narang, Patron of Fort O'Brian and its suburbs, head of the extremely wealthy and influential Narang family, and the daughter of the man responsible for her father fleeing the Empire, his 12 year old child in tow.
"Lt. Castro? May I present my good friend and Patron, Roshni Narang of Emerald. Roshni? This is Lt. Katarina 'Kit Kat' Castro, expat of Jade, currently an officer in the New Pilots Initiative Navy. I've taken the liberty of ordering pinnekjøtt. I'm sure you've missed it over the years." Unlike her interviews, where she spoke with what was typically referred to as Galnet Standard, Cmdr. Stevenson also affected the more noticeable imperial accent.
"Uh... yes! It's nice to meet you both. And... uh... thank you." The three women sat down, one a little more unsteadily than the other two.
"While we wait for our meal, let's get the unpleasantness out of the way. First, I'd like to say that there are no hard feelings on my part. You were simply doing your duty, and I can respect that. I hope you had as much fun during our brief rivalry as I did?"
"Uh... yes I did."
"Good. Now, I believe Roshni had something to say?"
"Indeed I did, Inga. Lt. Castro, first, may I offer my deepest apologies for the wrongs my family has done to you."
Katarina stared at the woman in shock. "What? I don't understand... dad always implied he'd stolen something from your family."
Roshni Narang shook her head. "Not exactly. Your parents and my father had an agreement. After the... death of your mother, your father had a change of heart about his role in that agreement. When I learned about that agreement upon my father's death, I felt his actions were a stain upon our family's honor. As such, I feel we owe you compensation for the wrongs we've done to you."
"What was this agreement?"
"You'd have to ask your father that question. I will not say. Now, before they bring our dinners, would you like to discuss your compensation?"
"Yes, of course."
"First and foremost, I'm giving you ten doses progenitor cell treatments. I'm well aware of what happens to people who have been subjected to high-g adaptations, especially when they're subjected to long periods 'Earth normal' gravity. Use the treatments to reverse the damage, or if you prefer, to remove the adaptations completely, or however else you see fit.
"The second is to offer you a choice: if you wish to remain here, I'll give you 100,000 credits..."
Katarina stiffened. Assuming she was talking about the "Bank of Zaonce" credit, that was a fortune. She could easily live off the interest alone if she invested it wisely, and live well if she used said interest to supplement her income as an officer in the NPIN, or in the private sector if she decided not to renew her contract at the end of the year.
"As an alternative, if you wish to return home, I've got an offer for you from the Cemiess Home Guard, at the equivalent of your current rank. I will, of course, cover the expenses of transporting you and your family to Cemiess, as well a home on the planet of your choice."
She frowned at that. Her mother had served in the Cemiess Home Guard before her death, and growing up she had hoped to follow in her mother's footsteps. Her service in the NPIN was a poor substitute in comparison.
"Finally, if you wish to blaze your own trail across the universe, there's always joining the Pilots Federation. I'll cover the relevant entry fees."
That was also a tempting offer. Her father had been a member of the Pilots Federation, but had fallen on hard times. This was well before the invention of the FSD, and before it had morphed into entity it had become today. As a child of a member, she was eligible to join at a fraction of the cost an outsider would have to pay.
As she contemplated her options, the servers arrived with their meal: salted rib of lamb, stuffed baked potatoes, and a mix of vegetables. It was a simple meal served during special occasions in the pressure domes on Jade, but as expected the presentation was
much fancier.
Katarina "Kit Kat" Castro took her first bite of the heavenly seasoned meat, contemplating the futures she suddenly had before her. She'd need to talk things over with her husband, of course, but she still missed the life she'd left behind, all those years ago.
Perhaps it was time to return home.
canonn.science
