Lost Flyght – Chapter 4

Located just off the bridge and the captain’s ready room, the private dining room is a lavish treat.

“What a beautiful room,” I gush as we walk in. Dark wood floors, butter yellow walls adorned with Earth antiques painted in gold and black, a dining room table that looks like it’s been shined every day for the last three hundred years, an elaborate red tufted rug, and windows to space complete the statement of Lee wealth. This room screams ‘old money.’ When the Lees left Earth centuries ago, they had money, and they never let it go.

This kind of money intimidates me, honestly. With Hera’s eyes on me, I wonder if she’s sizing me up, trying to decide how I feel about her wealth. How do I feel? Out of my league.

I pause in front of the wall painting. It has to be almost three meters wide and half that tall. A white bird soars out over a quiet lake with a full moon hanging in the sky. Ah, it’s gorgeous. I press my fingers to my lips.

“Is this… lacquer? Excuse my poor knowledge of art. I don’t know what anything is; I just know it’s beautiful.”

Hera had passed right by the painting, not thinking twice about it. She returns to stand next to me.

“Yes, it is lacquer.” She crosses her arms and leans back. “Hmmm, and gold too, I believe. Then these shiny areas here are inlaid with the inside of shells.” She points to the flowers blooming around the lake. “Mollusk shells from Earth. The original species, not what we grow now.”

I breathe in through my nose, close my eyes, and cement the image in my brain. I like to hold on to moments like this for later.

“Please come sit,” she says, touching my elbow. A door to the side opens, and an attendant walks in to set glasses of water on the table and a bottle of wine. Wine with lunch? I should be careful. “You look ready to fall over if you don’t mind my saying so.”

I exhale a laugh. “Is it that obvious?” I stop a groan as I lower myself into my chair. When I’m tired, my whole body hurts. The memory of Gus’s fingers on my neck is so strong, I close my eyes for a brief moment before coming back to myself. I could really use a massage, but with a sip of water, I’m able to normalize my face and posture.

“Asteria indicated you might be under some stress. Hopefully, you can get some rest while you’re here.” I recognize the motherly look on her face. The one that says it’s time for bed or to eat my broccoli.

I square my shoulders as if I can power through anything. “It’s fine, really. There’s so much to do. I just need to do it.” I clear my throat and change the subject. “Thank you for the card you sent my mother. I don’t know how you did it, but it was most appreciated. My mother was really touched.”

Hera’s smile is small and humble. A waiter returns to the dining room, uncorks the wine bottle, and pours us each a modest glass.

“Thank you,” I mumble, staring at the wine glass. Should I refuse it? I’m not sure I can handle even a small amount of wine now.

But Hera raises her wine glass to toast, and I hurriedly pick mine up to match.

“To new friendships,” she says, and I think she means me. We touch glasses and drink.

The wine is delicious, light and grassy. I hum as I let it roll over my tongue. What winery is this from? Casa Aravena. Ah, I’ve heard of them.

Hera pulls me back to the present. “And how is your mother doing?”

“She was at my graduation party on Palo Alto, actually. She looked much better. I think she’s going to be fine.”

“I’m glad to hear it, and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. I’m glad we’re meeting here for the first time.” In her territory where she can control things. If she had met me at my own party, it would’ve been disastrous, I’m sure of it. She would’ve seen me as one of those haughty society girls in my pretty dress and fancy shoes. This is the first impression I want to make, though I wish I were more rested and settled.

Her stare is penetrating, laser-accurate straight to all my worries and insecurities. But the moment is over before it can linger.

“I hope you like pasta,” she says, grabbing her napkin and draping it over her lap. “I asked for a pasta dish with plenty of fresh vegetables.”

Right on cue, the kitchen door opens and in walks her private chef, head to toe in chef’s whites and carrying two wide and shallow bowls of pasta. He stays for a moment to chat about the vegetables, where they grow them onboard, and how he’s prepared the meal. He tops both bowls off with freshly grated cheese and departs.

I’m jealous. I’m going to hire a chef as soon as possible.

“Jin was telling me about your farm. It sounds like a lovely place.” Hera takes easy portions of her pasta and sips of wine.

“He told you about the farm?” I cover my mouth with my hand before I swallow.

“He did,” she says, nodding and setting her glass down. “You took him on a tour, right? He told me about everything you grow and how skilled you are with hydroponics and…” Her eyes narrow, and she looks to the ceiling. “Something to do with fish?”

“Aquaponics.” Wow. Jinzo has been telling his mom about me? Ai kept all that secret before she exploded. “Um, it’s a system like hydroponics, but it includes the cultivation of fish. The two systems work in tandem, in a symbiotic relationship, one feeding off the other. It’s very efficient and easy to maintain.” Well, if you don’t have to chuck all your fish into a cryocontainer on short notice, that is. “At home, I had been preparing to build a large aquaponics system after I graduated, but well… Anyway, it’s a passion of mine.”

Hera chews her pasta, listening, and not interrupting. So, I take the opportunity to tell her a little about my schooling, what I was studying, and what I intend to do with the farm when I get it back. After the haze of my love for the home farm lifts, I realize I’ve been talking nonstop for at least ten minutes. Oops.

“Sorry,” I say, returning to the meal. “I’m sure it’s boring to pretty much everyone else but me.”

“No need to apologize.” Her slight smile returns. “It’s nice to meet someone who’s not into ships. If you don’t mind my saying so, I thought it was a little odd to find out Jin had decided to date a grounder.”

I try not to take that as an insult since it wasn’t meant as one. I cover my ambivalence with a sip of wine.

“It was a little out of the blue,” she says, and though I don’t hear malice in her voice, I feel it in my heart.

I nod and spear more pasta with my fork. The silence lingers a little longer than I want it to. I think my first impression is over, yes? If she hates me, she hates me.

Time to clear the air.

“Well, I’ll admit it was a concern for me, too.” I take a moment to sit back and adjust my hair. I want to fidget and drum my fingers on the table. “He’s a mechanic. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.” I hold up my hand. “He’s brilliant, and I’m in awe of what he can do. I just thought, how can he be happy with my farm when he’s meant to be…” I gesture to the starry vista outside. “Well, here, in space?” I shrug. “I said as much to him. I didn’t want to start a relationship on a lie.”

“And what did he say?”

I think back to my earlier panic attack, to his hands holding mine. “He said he wants the farm just as much as I do.”

This elicits a much broader and happier smile. “I’m relieved to hear that.”

“Really?” I sigh, relieved as well. “I thought maybe you’d want him here.”

She waves her hand and returns to her meal, so I return to mine. “I have daughters for the business. I love Jin. He’s my favorite boy of all the children.” She winks at me. “But he deserves so much better than what he’s had…”

Her smile fades, and the good cheer I had been drumming up in my heart swiftly dies.

“After Cressida…” Hera shakes her head, and my stomach shrinks to the size of a pebble.

I set my fork down and push my bowl away from me.

Cressida. I’m so tired of her ruining everything. Even when she’s not here, she’s here.

Hera’s eyes widen as I tighten my fist on the table. Rage rushes through me blinding fast, and my vision turns red for a moment before my body calms down. I breathe out a long exhale and straighten my hand, relaxing it to my lap.

“How did they meet?” I ask, no longer willing to just brush Cressida aside. It’s time I dealt with her, and I need details.

“Jin and Cress?” Hera eyes my abandoned meal. “Vivian, dear, please eat. I didn’t mean to ruin the meal.”

“I’m… I used to eat when I was stressed, and now stress only makes me queasy.” I swallow hard. “Yes, Jin and Cressida.” I won’t call her by the diminutive.

Hera silently signals for someone to assist us. “Please take away the plates and serve tea.”

I’m grateful for the pause in the conversation while the staff clears the plates and sets the table for tea. Hera probably thinks this tea will keep me soothed, but I am far from calm. I’m sick and tired of Cressida messing with my life.

Vindictive Vivian has had enough.

Hera sits back in her chair with a steaming cup and muses. “Jin and Cress were a chance meeting,” she begins. “If I knew then what I know now…”

I scoop a spoonful of sugar into my tea and wait for my hands to stop shaking before I pick it up.

“Jin is my master of ceremonies,” Hera says, chuckling and shaking her head. “Back when he was small, he knew everyone, knew every damned thing about this ship and the people on it. Never malicious, just knowledgeable.”

I nod and think back on our first lunch in hawker central in Ossun Orbital Station. He knew the good noodle vendors and their names, and he knew exactly where to go to avoid being followed too.

“If I needed anything, I always asked him where to go or what to buy. So, naturally, once he was old enough, I started asking him to meet dignitaries or guests instead of me or one of his sisters. He was too charming to keep behind closed doors.”

“How old was he when he started that?” Hera’s trip down memory lane relaxes me back into the chair.

“Hmm, about fourteen? We allowed him to do whatever he wanted as long as he completed his course work. If he wasn’t in school, he was rebuilding ships or taking people on tours and talking their ears off.”

She laughs, and I smile at the picture of young Jinzo, life of the party.

“So, he was about sixteen when the Briar-Stevenson family showed up, and I asked him to do his usual tour.”

Here it comes.

“Jin and Cress hit it off right away. She was in his territory, marveling at his charms and the wonders of this ship. She’s always been in love with ships, just like him.” She rolls her eyes. “A rich person’s passion, not that I’m one to talk.”

I sip my tea and shake my head. “My Aunt Fusako loves ships too, and she handed that passion down to my cousin Skylar.”

“I’ve met Fusako. She’s what I term ‘good people,’ and it’s the main reason why I encouraged Jin to talk to Marcelo when he called me. I may not know you, Vivian, yet, or your mother, but I have done business with your family.”

Her stare is pointed and sure. “Which is more than I could have said about the Briar-Stevensons when Jin and Cress first met. I heard they were Avenal elite. New money. Mining for precious metals we use in things like ships and electronics. But beyond that, I didn’t know much.”

She pauses for a second, gathering her thoughts, before she sees my almost full teacup.

“How’s the tea? Is it to your liking? Would you prefer coffee?”

“Oh, no, please.” I glance at my teacup. “I love tea and coffee, but I’m trying not to rely too much on stimulants. I don’t sleep well, and I need to be exhausted when I lie down, or I’ll never fall asleep.”

Her expression is neutral. I’m being more honest than I usually am with most people, but I’m following Marcelo’s advice here, not my own. If it were up to me, I’d lie my ass off and pretend everything’s fine. Everything’s fine, no need to worry.

“So, Jin and Cressida were about sixteen when they first met?” I ask, returning to the story.

“Yes, they were. Jin’s maybe a few months older than her?” Hera thinks for a moment staring out the window. “Yes, that’s right. They clicked immediately, bonded over ships and other such things. She left that first time, and I could see the change in him.” Her voice becomes sweet and dreamy. “The starry eyes, the dopey smiles. I knew he was in love right away.”

I rein in my jealousy. That was a long time ago, and I can’t fault Jinzo for a first love.

“But our family rarely travels. Jin’s father is a homebody, too, so Jin never went to Avenal to visit her. They vidcalled each other all the time, and she came here about once or twice a year. By the time he was nineteen, he was sure she was the one for him. Cress already had two men in her network, and she wanted him too.”

“How did you feel about her?” This is dangerous ground. I don’t know this woman, and I’m trying to make a good impression. But Hera doesn’t hesitate. We’re like best friends gossiping over drinks at the bar.

“Well, at first, I enjoyed Cress’s company. But the more time I spent with her, the more I realized she was obsessed with money and fame. We’re Lees,” she says, placing her hand on her chest, “and we do not talk about money unless we’re family. I just” — she shrugs — “lost my taste for her. It took a long time for Jin to lose that taste as well.”

“He said they’ve been separated for about a year.” And if that’s so, then they would’ve been together for almost a decade before they split. That’s a long time with someone.

Hera purses her lips and pours more tea for us both. I don’t refuse it.

“More or less. When Jin turned nineteen, I encouraged him to get a job and work for a while before devoting his life to the Briar-Stevenson family. He took a job at Rio Orbital Station and commuted between there and Avenal for two years before he signed the contracts with Cress. The first few years went well. He was number four by that point, and he enjoyed his time on Avenal. Cress, though, thought his job made him too… common, so she urged him to quit and come live with her full time. Considering the Briar-Stevensons had plenty of ships he could work on, if he got bored, he figured it would be fine.”

The air in the room chills. I pick up my cup to warm my hands.

“But once he got there full time, he realized just how superficial and unfulfilling Cress’s life was. Parties are all fine and good occasionally, but he’s a worker, happiest when his hands are dirty or when he’s entertaining.” She sweeps her hand out. “Who can blame him for leaving? They fought constantly because he wanted his own life away from her glamor. The contract expired, and I took him back home, where he belonged until he was ready to work again.”

And that’s how he ended up on Ossun Orbital Station.

I mull this over while clicking my teeth together and looking out at the stars. Points of light cruise by while the Lee home ship stays rooted to its spot. I’m sure it moves, just not today.

“I’m surprised Jin hasn’t told you any of this.”

I sigh. “To be honest, I haven’t asked. Everything I learn about Cressida makes me see red. She’s constantly goading me, talking about me, and she’s never met me.”

Hera nods. “I’ve seen the newscasts.”

“Jin and I have talked about his youth here on the ship, his family, you, and his time at the Orbital Stations. But he’s always been careful to skirt right on past Cressida except for the broad strokes. I’m not sure what to do about her.”

Hera’s assistant enters the room and whispers into her ear. She nods, and he leaves.

“Unfortunately, I have to call this lunch to an end.”

I turn my wrist and glance at the time. We’ve been talking for over ninety minutes now.

“Oh my. I’m so sorry to have monopolized your time like this. I know you’re a busy woman.” I stand up from the table and set my napkin next to my almost full cup of tea.

She turns on her warm motherly smile. “It was my pleasure to have lunch with you. I wish we could talk all day, but I have a budget meeting to attend. I would rather sneak off with you.” She winks, and my stomach jumps. She’s a flirt. I see where her son gets it from.

“I have one piece of advice for you before we part, and I promise I’ll see you again soon.” She grasps my hand. “Cressida is not someone you placate or ignore. She fights dirty at all times. The only way to beat her is with bigger guns.” She squeezes my hand and lets go. “Jin is not the only person she’s crossed. You do have allies out there who can give you the ammunition you need. Once she was older, past eighteen, she always came here with friends, and those friends shifted over the years. If you want help, I would look there. I’m sorry I don’t know any of their names, but you seem like a resourceful woman.” Her eyes connect with mine. Point taken. I need to do some research.

She leans in, and we air-kiss to the cheek.

“It was good spending time with you, Vivian. I hate to hear you’re not resting. I’ll see what can be done to get you the relaxation you need.”

“Don’t worry about it, Ms. Lee. I’ll be fine.”

“Call me Hera.”

She glides out of the room, and I breathe a long sigh of relief.

That went better than I expected it to.