Tales From The Triple Suns (Chapter Four)

I rolled over in bed, and open my eyes when I realized I was alone.  I grabbed my housecoat and walked into the living room.  Looking around, I noticed Craig standing by the patio enclosure, looking out at the cityscape.  I walked silently onto the patio, and waited. I could see our reflection in the patio window, and saw his eyes flicker to my image.1

He stood there for a few more minutes in silence.  “Ever hear of Tactical Assault Command?” he finally asked.  I nodded as he watched my reflection.  2

I walked up, stood beside him and took his hand in mine.  He squeezed it slightly.  3

“I hated it,” he continued in a quiet voice.  “But back then we were needed.”4

I squeezed his hand in reassurance, not knowing what, if anything, I should say.  He was right though, they were needed at the time.  Not too long ago, nearly the entire system was at war.  Treaties were finally worked out, and had kept the peace for over fifty years.  Some planets, although still distrustful of each other, joined the Alliance Of Planets.  Others refused to joined, and still bickered amongst themselves occasionally. Anytime one of those planets strayed outside of their disputes, and attacked or threatened an Alliance signatory, it fell under the jurisdiction of the Tactical Assault Command.  They were authorized to do anything and everything to keep such disputes from boiling over into the entire system again. 5

It surprised me that he hadn’t told me until now, but it didn’t really shock me.  I still had things in my past that he would never know about, and this seemed to be one thing he had intended to keep quiet.  I squeezed his hand again, feeling a little guilty.  He was telling me something he wanted to forget because we were starting a life together.   I knew all about his time in the army…it was nearly a basic requirement in some areas of the planet that you served in some capacity for one year.  Craig had grown up in one of those areas, did his one-year term, but decided to stay in for seven more years.6

Approximately ten years ago, which would have fallen on about Craig’s third year in the army, an A.O.P transport was destroyed.  Retribution had been swift and efficient, and had set off a new wave of distrust.  Another system wide war was narrowly averted, and although most of the information was released, some was wrapped so tightly under the highest classified rating that it would never see the light of day.  Craig never talked about those months, now, I knew why.  I also knew that I would never ask him about them… it would be best left alone.7

“I should have told you a couple years ago,” he whispered.8

“You didn’t have to tell me at all.”9

“Yeah, I did.”  He bent his head down and kissed my forehead, then walked back inside.10

But, as I thought about him being a T.A.C. members, and all the unsaid things it implied…well… it did explain a few things.  I knew he hated it when he got angry and especially hated it when, on some rare occasion, he had to defend himself.  He preferred to work the tension off at the Gym, and at times startled me with how vicious he could be on the mats or in the ring.  I blinked at my reflection as the past made it’s way to the present.11

~~~~~~~~~~12

It had been nearly three weeks since I got back from vacation.  I had filled Sindra in on everything and I think she was a little jealous that I had met a guy there.  Craig had left the resort world two weeks before I did, and although nothing had really happened, I found myself thinking about him often while I was there, and even more so since I arrived back home. Imagine...me...dwelling on some guy I had gone out on one date with.  It really wasn't a date anyway...just a beach party where he didn't want to be the only guy without a date. 13

Tonight, some friends and I were going to a new nightclub that had opened while I was gone.  My shoulder had no further aches, and I was actually excited about going out and just having some irresponsible fun.  We all met at my apartment to get ready, and soon there were five scantly clad women making their way to the local club scene.14

Everything was great, the music, although a bit too loud for me, was excellent.  The drink were not watered down, and surprisingly not that expensive.  Then, I saw him.15

My beer stopped mid drink and slammed down on the table as I saw him coming towards me.  Anger showed on my face as he stopped beside me.16

“You’re a little closer than fifty meters, Tony,” I said loudly.17

He smirked.  “Guess you didn’t get the notice yet.”18

“What…notice?”  I asked, knowing that he was probably baiting me.  He loved to do that while we were dating.19

“Well, since you left planet, my lawyer convinced the courts that the stupid order was null,” he said, obviously enjoying my discomfort.20

“Get lost,” Sindra growled at him.21

Tony glared at her.  “You shut the fuck up, bitch.  This is between me and my lady.”22

I got up so fast that I startled him, and stood so I was not even a hand’s length away.  “Pay attention, you Neanderthaletic moron.  I am not your lady.  And trust me, the restraining order will be slapped back on you tomorrow.”  To my discomfort, I noticed quite a few tables watching us.  I hated scenes, but I was quickly getting to the point of not caring who watched.23

He grabbed my arm, and turned towards the door.  He stopped when someone stepped in his path.  I looked up from trying to pry his fingers off my arm, and stopped in shock.  What the hell?  Where’d he come from?24

“What the fuck do you want?”25

Craig stared at him coolly.  “Let her go and walk away.”26

“Get lost, asshole,” Tony said as he tried to walk past him, his maneuvering bringing us so we were facing my table.  “Cali and I have some unfinished business.”  His grip loosened slightly, and I jerked away from him, praying that I didn’t reinjure my shoulder. 27

“No, we don’t,” I stated and headed back to my table.28

“You heard the lady.”  Craig stood directly in his way.29

Tony sneered at me.  “Trust me, she’s no lady.”30

“Why you…” I tried to lunge at him, but an arm blocked my way.  Craig gentle pushed me back to where I had been.31

Tony laughed.  “What’s the matta baby?  You want me that badly?”  He blew a kiss at me, and my stomach crawled.32

Craig snorted in amusement.  “That is such a lame line…it’s a wonder you’re not still a virgin.”33

Tony’s eyes widened in amazement, then narrowed in anger as those near us fell silent.  He looked around, noticed some people laughing, and then faced Craig again.  He swung out with his fist, which Craig easily blocked. Then tried the same with his other hard.  34

Craig pushed the man away. “Just go away,” he said.35

Tony glared at him.  “Whatever…she’s not worth it anyway.”  He turned to walk away.36

Craig turned sideways and looked at me.  “You okay?”  He saw my eyes widen, and turned in time to catch a full body check to the chest from Tony, which sent them both against the wall.  Craig linked his hands together and brought them crashing down on the other man’s back.  He then lifted his knee and sent Tony flying into a table.  The table and man collapsed on the floor.  Tony stayed there, moaning. 37

Craig turned and walked back to me.  “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” he said in a hard voice.38

I nodded in slight shock, and waved a bye to my friends.  Sindra grabbed my arm.  “Who was that?”39

“Craig.”40

“The Craig?”  she asked.  I nodded.  “Then get your ass moving before he gets away…GO!”41

I made it outside, and I had to hurry to catch up with him.  We walked in silence for a block or so.42

“Sorry,” he said without looking at me.43

I looked up into his set face, noticing the anger still in his eyes.  “Craig…stop.”  I stopped walking.  He took a few steps further, then stopped, and looked into the night sky with a sigh.  “Want to tell me about it?”44

He stiffened slightly, then turned.  “About what?”45

“About why you’re pissed at yourself for …defending my honour.”46

His mouth turned up slightly at the side.  “It’s not that…well, it is that…” he sighed in aggravation.  “I’m…it’s…”  He stared at me for a few moments.  “Never mind.  Let’s just go.”47

He held his hand out, and I took it.  We started walking again.  I was just starting to realize how complex Craig was.48

~~~~~~~~~49

We talked while we walked, and I was pleased to discover that he actually lived a few blocks from the club, which put him about eleven blocks from my apartment.  I was surprised that I had never run into him before, until he told me that he had just moved here a few weeks ago from clear across the continent.  His work had transferred him, and that was why he was here.  He subtly asked about Tony, until I told him nearly the whole story.  I left a few things out, things I wasn’t comfortable enough telling someone I had really only known for a short time.  But damn, did my hand feel good in his.50

We sat on one of the park benches for an hour or so, talking about things.  He told me about his ex wife, and the how it had ended a few years ago.  He had finally decided to leave the armed forces, and came home to discover a six-month pregnant wife…only problem was that they hadn’t seen each other in nearly a year.  He had already lined up a great job with a planetary relocation company, and decided to keep the job and move out.  His wife filed for divorce a month later, and then married the father of her baby.  51

He loved his job…I could tell by the way he talked about it.  Then, he asked what I did for a living.  “I’m a…freelance writer.”52

His eyebrows went up in surprise.  “A reporter?”53

“Hell, no!  I do freelance.  Right now, I’m with a major online magazine.”  I paused.  I hated being referred to as a reporter.  “I do in-depth pieces about …well, anything.”54

~~~~~~~~~~55

We stopped in front of a rather exclusive looking high-rise apartment.  Elaborate designs scrolled over the sides, weaving in with each other, portraying an intricate sketch of Apollo from Old Earth’s Mythology.56

“You live here??”  57

I nodded as he looked at the exclusive apartment building.  “Hell, I gotta switch jobs …freelance writing is the way to go.”  I stopped walking.  “Sorry,” he said.  “I was joking.”58

I smiled slightly.  I hated telling a guy that I was wealthy.  It made certain cretins like Tony stick around and weasel their way into my life through charm. 59

“You want to come up?” I asked, then stopped.  “Not what I meant…”60

“That’s okay,” he said with a smile.  “Yeah, I’ll come up…bet you got a helluva view of the skyline.”61

~~~~~~~~~~62

Craig accepted a beer from me as he stared out at the ‘helluva view’.  “This,” he motioned, “is unbelievable.”  He turned away and sat in the patio chair beside me.  “Great place.”63

“Thanks.” I smiled, then spoke out loud to the in-house computer.  “Patio windows, inverse opaque.”  The patio enclosure changed slightly. We could still see out, but no one could see in.  “Guy lives two buildings over,” I explained.  “He’s rather fond of watching people on their patios.”  I motioned to a building, and to one of the lit windows.64

“Charming neighbours,” he said.  He glanced at me, then went back to the view.  “I have a rather picturesque view of the river from my place…including the dockyards.”65

“Sounds…noisy.”66

“Very.  Noisy roommates, too.”  He took another drink of his beer.  67

We fell silent, but it was a comfortable silence.  I liked being in his presence…it was soothing.  He finished his beer, but made no move to leave.  I got up to get another beer, came back and set two down on the table between us.  I looked at him, and laughed softly.  His eyes were closed, and he was fast asleep.  Instead of waking him, I went to my bedroom, got the duvet off the bed, brought it back out to the patio and covered him with it.  Then I sat down, finished my beer and then went to bed.68

~~~~~~~~~~69

The next morning, I was up early and on the vid-phone to my lawyer.  Craig was still sleeping on the patio, so I was trying to be quiet…it wasn’t working.70

“How the hell did the restraining order get dropped?” I demanded.71

“Calinda,” my lawyer began, “you left planet, and there was no need, in the eyes of the court, for the order to remain.  Now, if things get problematic again, you can…”72

“Again?!” I yelled.  “Just what the hell am I paying you a retainer for when you can’t even keep him away from me?!”73

“Calinda, calm down.”74

“I will not calm down,” I said loudly.  “Tony basically assaulted me last night, thanks to you not telling me about the order being pulled.”75

“He did?  That changes things.”76

“You’re damn right it does.”  I put my hand on my forehead in frustration.  “If you think I’m gonna wait around for him to send me to the hospital again, then you’re crazy.”77

“I’ll see what I can do about…”78

“You’ll see that the order is reactivated…now!”  I ordered.  “I don’t need another broken shoulder, thank you.”  I reached out and stabbed the off button with my finger.  “Fucking jerk,” I said to the blank screen, then reached out and made another call.  79

Sindra’s face appeared on the screen.  “Hey…how ya doing?” she asked in concern. 80

“I’m okay,” I replied.  “Getting the order reactivated.”81

“Good,” she said, then smiled slyly.  “So, uh…how’d the rest of your night go?”82

“I’m hanging up,” I laughed.  “Just wanted you to know that I wasn’t coming in today.”83

“You’re the boss,” she said, then hung up.84

I turned from the phone, walked to the food-preparation unit and punched in the codes for my favorite breakfast: toasted bagel and scrambled eggs. I paused for a moment, then changed it to two orders of the same breakfast, and a pot of hot coffee.  I took the tray and brought the food out to the patio.85

Craig rolled over on the chair, and opened his eyes.  He blinked in confusion, then sat up straight.  “Uhhh…morning,” he said.  86

I laughed and started to eat.  He ran his fingers through his hair then grabbed the cup of coffee.  “I think that’s the best night’s sleep that I’ve had since I’ve been here,” he said as he took a bite from his bagel.  He glanced at his watch, then got up quickly.  “Damn it…can I use your phone?”87

I motioned to the living room, and he hurried in to make a call.  He came back a few minutes later and sat back down.  “Everything okay?” I asked.88

He nodded as he ate.  “Hadta call work.”89

“You in trouble for being late?”90

“Naw… told them I was going to work from home today.”  He leaned back in his chair, and finished his breakfast and then poured himself another coffee.  “You on days off?”91

“Nope…did the same thing you did and called in.”  I poured another coffee for myself.  “I’m sort of the boss, so…”92

“Sort of?”93

I laughed.  “Okay, so I am the boss.”  He didn’t have to know that my father had been part owner the business.  When my parents died, it became mine, but I sold it soon afterwards to my Uncle, who had been the other partner.  The only condition was that I could get my own little “corner” and write what I wanted, and hire a small staff of twenty.  I loved working there, and always wrote under a pseudonym; the same one I had originally started with. (My father had been both angry and impressed at how I had managed to get a piece submitted and printed without him knowing.  The next day, I had a full-time job.)94

Craig smiled that charming smile…the one that made me week in the knees, and made my thighs ache.  He sighed.  “Well, I better get going…I actually do have to work from home today.”  He paused as a confused look came across his face.  “If I can find my computer, that is…still got boxes everywhere.”95

He stood and stretched slightly.  “Thanks for the cot and the hot,” he said.96

I stood slowly, wishing that he didn’t have to leave so soon.  “Invite me out to dinner,” I said suddenly.  My eyes went wide, and I slammed a hand over my mouth.  “Did I say that?”97

He smiled again as he nodded.  “I was going to ask you that at the door actually,” he said.  “But, now’s just as good a time.”  He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “I’ll pick you up at seven,” then he kissed my cheek and walked off the patio.98

~~~~~~~~~~99

I jumped as arms enveloped me, and spun around to face Craig.  “Coming to bed?” he asked softly.100

Nodding, I let him lead me back to the bedroom, and into a sleepless sweaty night before I became his wife.101