Sentinel fic | Star-child Final Part
SEE PART ONE FOR WARNINGS AND HEADER INFORMATION. Part one of Star-child
Part Two of Star-child
Chapter Seven
Jim kept in touch with Simon after he was deployed to his next assignment. Well, he did until everything went to hell. He spent eleven months trying to complete his mission by himself on a planet that was a pimple on the backside of space. The rest of the team had been killed when their airship crashed in the tundra.
It was sabotage. He'd examined the wreck after he'd buried his team. He'd expected a rescue mission to come as soon as they missed their check-in. When one didn't come, he figured the sabotage had been more extensive than just damaging an airship.
He met up with the people of this protected, but mostly ignored planet. They were aware of the pirates who mined their sacred grounds, and had done their best to stop them. Jim explained that a team had come to help them, but that he was the only survivor. He taught them everything he knew about guerrilla tactics.
The Na'man were fast learners and drove the pirates out. Jim was offered a place with the Na'man as long as he stayed on their world.
He was beginning to believe he'd live out the rest of his life with them, when the long-awaited rescue mission arrived.
* * *
Jim's service hitch had been up three months before he left the Na'man. He'd had the option of re-enlisting but decided he was ready for something new.
He avoided going back to Cascade, though. Sure, he'd gotten through the bond dissolving without smashing his skull to stop the pain in his head. He'd just really, really wanted to do it. He'd reverted back to being a very low-level sentinel as soon as the bond frayed into nothing.
Maybe Blair wasn't on Cascade anymore, but Jim wasn't going to take a chance on running into him. When he'd been stranded, he'd thought a lot about Blair. He till wondered if he'd done the right thing by letting him go. Those useless thoughts always ended the same way by Jim reminding himself that Blair hadn't wanted a permanent bond; Blair hadn't wanted to stay with Jim. And Jim hadn't wanted anything permanent with Blair, either, as lovers or being bonded.
Blair had been grateful, sure, for Jim's help. And the sex had been great. That wasn't enough. Besides, a beautiful guy like Blair would have found a lover by now.
He could thank Simon that the Space Service had finally figured out what had happened to him. Simon had been skeptical about the official report on his demise. He made his own investigation and discovered that the records had been doctored to make it seem like Jim's ship had been busted down to atoms during the flight to the Na'man. No bodies. Oliver might have been brought down by Jim, but he'd still had allies. Jim had been the target, the team just collateral damage. Jim didn't sleep some nights, knowing that the deaths of good men and women were on him.
At loose ends after the final briefing before his discharge, Jim had put a star chart on a wall, spun around three times and closed his eyes before throwing a dart at it. It landed on an isolated star system, with one habitable planet that Jim vaguely remembered was famous for its dried fish.
So, what the hell. He'd move to Lutana. If his plan to become a peace officer fell through, he could always hire out on a fishing boat.
He explained about his plans to Simon when they'd met up for drinks and dinner after Jim had attended the official discharge ceremony from the service.
Simon had just rolled his eyes and gotten Jim drunker. He'd dumped Jim in the hostel bed, and left him a glass of water, headache pills, and a note telling him goodbye on the bedside table. He'd fucking missed his flight and had to wait a week on the moon that housed the main headquarters for the Space Service before he could book another flight to the lut fishing capital of the galaxy.
* * *
Jim trudged down the ramp into the waiting area on Lutana. This was a cold planet, not all that hospitable for human beings but ideal for lut fish. Maybe deciding to move to a planet named after a fish wasn't a good omen. Well, Jim could always emigrate if things didn't work out here.
He looked over at the exit gate and blinked. There was a guy there who kind of looked like Blair. He resolved to have a stern talk with his subconscious. Blair was history. There was no point in tormenting himself by imagining he saw him in crowds.
Still, this guy really did look like his temporary guide. He was the right height, and allowing for the bulk of his coat, about the same build. He was scanning the crowd of passengers who were flowing toward the gate. Jim couldn't see his hair because he had on a ridiculous hat with enormous ear flaps. The hat was too big for this guy, and Jim held back a laugh. Ridiculous or not, the guy looked cute in it. But there was no tattoo on his cheek of a blue star.
Jim stopped watching him then. He really didn't want to remember Blair today. Nor tomorrow, either. Actually, he couldn't think of a time that he did want to bring up his memories of Blair Star-child.
He was surprised then, when a warm voice said, “Hey, Ellison,” at the same time that a gloved hand landed on his arm. And something inside of him whispered, “Guide.”
He stopped walking because there was no mistaking that voice.
He turned a little sideways and Blair's dark blue eyes looked up at him.
Jim lifted the silly hat off Blair's head, and the reddish-brown curls tumbled down.
“Chief,” he said, surprise making his voice sound rough and edgy.
“Hi.”
“I didn't think that was you. Your star?”
“First thing I did when I got to Cascade was to go to a skin man and have it removed. I'm not a Star-child any longer, Jim.”
“What's your name these days?”
“Blair Sandburg.”
“Why Sandburg?”
“Carl Sandburg was my mother's favorite poet. She had a little ritual. She'd recite this old poem of his before we would step foot on a new planet. She'd say, “I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on the way.”
“Isn't it a Maven custom to name female children after famous ancient earth women?”
“Yes. But not the boys. The boys don't get special names like that. I decided I wanted a special old earth name, too.”
“I like your new name, Blair Sandburg. What are you doing here?”
Blair moved closer to him. “I'm taking a chance, Jim.”
“What kind of a chance?” Jim felt his mouth curve up in a smile.
“That you might want to date an anthropologist.”
“Dating implies not jumping straight to sex, Chief.”
“I like sex. I like you. But I'm not here to be your stress relief. I'd like to know if we can really build something together. If we can't, then we'll say goodbye. But I want the chance.”
“I was sure you'd be involved with somebody by now.”
“I saw people. I didn't click with anybody like I clicked with you. Want to find out if we'd be good together now?”
Jim pretended to think about it. “Maybe. Let me do a little test.” He pulled Blair to him and kissed him. Sweet stars above, Blair kissed him back and it fired up every one of Jim's nerves.
Jim wiped a smile off his face with a hand, and said, “I'll give it a shot if you will, Chief.”
“I'm good with that. But one more thing; I'm not talking about bonding. I'm not ready for that conversation.”
“I can live with that. Let's just figure out how Jim and Blair work for now, and leave the sentinel and guide stuff alone.”
“Great.” Blair looked around. “I don't know what it is about this planet that drew you here. All Simon would say was that it had to do with fish.”
Jim grinned widely. “Ah, I might have been drunk when we talked. I just threw a dart at a star chart, Chief. I didn't want to go to Cascade because, well, just because.”
“I'm in school there. I'm getting my doctorate in Anthropology.”
“Good for you, Chief.” Jim kissed him again and then slung an arm around Blair's shoulders. He started walking toward the baggage claim area, Blair right beside him. “You know, I think we should go lut fishing in the morning, and then catch the next flight out of here and head to Cascade. It's my home planet, and this guy I'm seeing is going to school there.”
“I'm down with that.”
“Ah, want to go on a date tonight?” Jim asked, thinking that there must be something for sailors on leave to do here.
“Sure. And Jim?” Blair shot him a mischievous look. “I'm the kind of guy who puts out on the first date.”
Jim laughed. “Me too, Chief. Me, too.”
The End
Part Two of Star-child
Chapter Seven
Jim kept in touch with Simon after he was deployed to his next assignment. Well, he did until everything went to hell. He spent eleven months trying to complete his mission by himself on a planet that was a pimple on the backside of space. The rest of the team had been killed when their airship crashed in the tundra.
It was sabotage. He'd examined the wreck after he'd buried his team. He'd expected a rescue mission to come as soon as they missed their check-in. When one didn't come, he figured the sabotage had been more extensive than just damaging an airship.
He met up with the people of this protected, but mostly ignored planet. They were aware of the pirates who mined their sacred grounds, and had done their best to stop them. Jim explained that a team had come to help them, but that he was the only survivor. He taught them everything he knew about guerrilla tactics.
The Na'man were fast learners and drove the pirates out. Jim was offered a place with the Na'man as long as he stayed on their world.
He was beginning to believe he'd live out the rest of his life with them, when the long-awaited rescue mission arrived.
* * *
Jim's service hitch had been up three months before he left the Na'man. He'd had the option of re-enlisting but decided he was ready for something new.
He avoided going back to Cascade, though. Sure, he'd gotten through the bond dissolving without smashing his skull to stop the pain in his head. He'd just really, really wanted to do it. He'd reverted back to being a very low-level sentinel as soon as the bond frayed into nothing.
Maybe Blair wasn't on Cascade anymore, but Jim wasn't going to take a chance on running into him. When he'd been stranded, he'd thought a lot about Blair. He till wondered if he'd done the right thing by letting him go. Those useless thoughts always ended the same way by Jim reminding himself that Blair hadn't wanted a permanent bond; Blair hadn't wanted to stay with Jim. And Jim hadn't wanted anything permanent with Blair, either, as lovers or being bonded.
Blair had been grateful, sure, for Jim's help. And the sex had been great. That wasn't enough. Besides, a beautiful guy like Blair would have found a lover by now.
He could thank Simon that the Space Service had finally figured out what had happened to him. Simon had been skeptical about the official report on his demise. He made his own investigation and discovered that the records had been doctored to make it seem like Jim's ship had been busted down to atoms during the flight to the Na'man. No bodies. Oliver might have been brought down by Jim, but he'd still had allies. Jim had been the target, the team just collateral damage. Jim didn't sleep some nights, knowing that the deaths of good men and women were on him.
At loose ends after the final briefing before his discharge, Jim had put a star chart on a wall, spun around three times and closed his eyes before throwing a dart at it. It landed on an isolated star system, with one habitable planet that Jim vaguely remembered was famous for its dried fish.
So, what the hell. He'd move to Lutana. If his plan to become a peace officer fell through, he could always hire out on a fishing boat.
He explained about his plans to Simon when they'd met up for drinks and dinner after Jim had attended the official discharge ceremony from the service.
Simon had just rolled his eyes and gotten Jim drunker. He'd dumped Jim in the hostel bed, and left him a glass of water, headache pills, and a note telling him goodbye on the bedside table. He'd fucking missed his flight and had to wait a week on the moon that housed the main headquarters for the Space Service before he could book another flight to the lut fishing capital of the galaxy.
* * *
Jim trudged down the ramp into the waiting area on Lutana. This was a cold planet, not all that hospitable for human beings but ideal for lut fish. Maybe deciding to move to a planet named after a fish wasn't a good omen. Well, Jim could always emigrate if things didn't work out here.
He looked over at the exit gate and blinked. There was a guy there who kind of looked like Blair. He resolved to have a stern talk with his subconscious. Blair was history. There was no point in tormenting himself by imagining he saw him in crowds.
Still, this guy really did look like his temporary guide. He was the right height, and allowing for the bulk of his coat, about the same build. He was scanning the crowd of passengers who were flowing toward the gate. Jim couldn't see his hair because he had on a ridiculous hat with enormous ear flaps. The hat was too big for this guy, and Jim held back a laugh. Ridiculous or not, the guy looked cute in it. But there was no tattoo on his cheek of a blue star.
Jim stopped watching him then. He really didn't want to remember Blair today. Nor tomorrow, either. Actually, he couldn't think of a time that he did want to bring up his memories of Blair Star-child.
He was surprised then, when a warm voice said, “Hey, Ellison,” at the same time that a gloved hand landed on his arm. And something inside of him whispered, “Guide.”
He stopped walking because there was no mistaking that voice.
He turned a little sideways and Blair's dark blue eyes looked up at him.
Jim lifted the silly hat off Blair's head, and the reddish-brown curls tumbled down.
“Chief,” he said, surprise making his voice sound rough and edgy.
“Hi.”
“I didn't think that was you. Your star?”
“First thing I did when I got to Cascade was to go to a skin man and have it removed. I'm not a Star-child any longer, Jim.”
“What's your name these days?”
“Blair Sandburg.”
“Why Sandburg?”
“Carl Sandburg was my mother's favorite poet. She had a little ritual. She'd recite this old poem of his before we would step foot on a new planet. She'd say, “I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on the way.”
“Isn't it a Maven custom to name female children after famous ancient earth women?”
“Yes. But not the boys. The boys don't get special names like that. I decided I wanted a special old earth name, too.”
“I like your new name, Blair Sandburg. What are you doing here?”
Blair moved closer to him. “I'm taking a chance, Jim.”
“What kind of a chance?” Jim felt his mouth curve up in a smile.
“That you might want to date an anthropologist.”
“Dating implies not jumping straight to sex, Chief.”
“I like sex. I like you. But I'm not here to be your stress relief. I'd like to know if we can really build something together. If we can't, then we'll say goodbye. But I want the chance.”
“I was sure you'd be involved with somebody by now.”
“I saw people. I didn't click with anybody like I clicked with you. Want to find out if we'd be good together now?”
Jim pretended to think about it. “Maybe. Let me do a little test.” He pulled Blair to him and kissed him. Sweet stars above, Blair kissed him back and it fired up every one of Jim's nerves.
Jim wiped a smile off his face with a hand, and said, “I'll give it a shot if you will, Chief.”
“I'm good with that. But one more thing; I'm not talking about bonding. I'm not ready for that conversation.”
“I can live with that. Let's just figure out how Jim and Blair work for now, and leave the sentinel and guide stuff alone.”
“Great.” Blair looked around. “I don't know what it is about this planet that drew you here. All Simon would say was that it had to do with fish.”
Jim grinned widely. “Ah, I might have been drunk when we talked. I just threw a dart at a star chart, Chief. I didn't want to go to Cascade because, well, just because.”
“I'm in school there. I'm getting my doctorate in Anthropology.”
“Good for you, Chief.” Jim kissed him again and then slung an arm around Blair's shoulders. He started walking toward the baggage claim area, Blair right beside him. “You know, I think we should go lut fishing in the morning, and then catch the next flight out of here and head to Cascade. It's my home planet, and this guy I'm seeing is going to school there.”
“I'm down with that.”
“Ah, want to go on a date tonight?” Jim asked, thinking that there must be something for sailors on leave to do here.
“Sure. And Jim?” Blair shot him a mischievous look. “I'm the kind of guy who puts out on the first date.”
Jim laughed. “Me too, Chief. Me, too.”
The End