Fourth Vector Ch. 25

"Dopey?" repeated Jack mockingly. "How do you figure dopey?"

Jocelyn grinned. "That's how I thought about it in my head."

"And you were just my bratty sister," he teased.

"And look at us now. Thicker than blood." Jocelyn reached out to squeeze his hand. "We may not be blood-related but you are the closest thing to family I have, apart from them of course." She gestured toward the house.

"And no matter where I go or what I do, there will always be a place for you with me," said Jack. "I may not know what happens once I leave Java, but nothing will ever change. You'll always be my family, Joce."

She stood up from her chair and embraced him tightly. When she pulled away, there were tears in her eyes but she wiped them away quickly. After changing topics to something much more lighthearted, they soon reentered the house, finding Abigail on the floor chasing the boys while Roger and Kat laughed at the sight.

The visit went on for a few more hours until it was well past the boys' bedtime. With heavy hearts and sad eyes, they said their goodbyes to each other, the air rife with promises of staying in touch and staying safe.

"I'll come see you before you leave," promised Jocelyn as she hugged him one more time. "And we'll be at the parade, of course."

"I wouldn't dream of leaving the country without saying goodbye," he said.

He gave great big hugs to each of his nephews and a firm handshake to Roger, all the while Jocelyn told both Kat and Abigail to keep him in line along the way.

"Don't worry, we know just how to handle him," said Abigail with a small smirk as she ran her hand along his thigh.

"Maybe I don't need to know that exactly," cautioned Jocelyn, putting her hands up.

"It's probably better that you didn't," said Kat with a laugh. "I'm sure that might be mentally scarring in some way."

Jocelyn nodded. "Don't I know it."

It was dark once the trio stepped out of the house, and with one final wave back to his family, Jack turned them firmly back to the street to begin the walk toward theDestiny.

"I feel like I know so much more about you now, Jack," teased Abigail, elbowing his side softly. "And seeing your family like that was just wonderful."

"Well, you can consider us official now," said Jack with a chuckle. "You've met my whole family."

"Guess it's my turn next," said Abigail before her voice went sullen. "Some other time. Now is not great timing."

Jack didn't ask her to expand on that. With the Wainwrights losing a daughter already, it wasn't the best time for something of that nature. He didn't ask the same thing of Kat either, knowing the situation with her family. The girls didn't bring up the subject again, and the three of them walked arm-in-arm back to the ship.

Jack was torn on the way back by his thoughts. Even though he thought he was being paranoid, he had to wonder if it was safe to leave Jocelyn and the family here in Java. It wasn't like nobody knew who they were. The emperor himself knew she was his sister and so did Bancroft. If the state ever turned on him, they could very much be at risk.

He dismissed the thought as they neared the docks. Surely, it wouldn't come to that.

Surely family was sacrosanct, right?

*****

The next day was devoted to family as well but in a slightly different way. After Jack and the ladies ate a meager navy breakfast on theDestiny, they made their way into the city and grabbed a cab that would take them just beyond the outside borders of Belfort. It was a dreary day, with heavily overcast skies and low visibility thanks to some early morning fog.

Jack supposed that the weather today matched the mood of the entire group. Kat's face was expressionless as they neared the open clearing of their destination while Abigail looked to be barely holding it together. He reached down to take her hand, giving it a brave squeeze and earning an appreciative look from her.

"It'll be okay," he whispered, causing her to nod.

The cab pulled up to the main entrance of Belfort National Cemetery a minute later, stopping a good portion from the main building. That building was an old mansion, donated to the state centuries ago for the sole purpose of giving its warriors a final resting place. The large marbled columns loomed large on the sloping hill of the mansion before the ground gave way on the other side, opening up to a large field dominated by the markers of the dead.

They were there today for a good reason. All of those that had perished at the Battle of Aberdeen had been moved back to Belfort for internment here at the cemetery. A good portion of the grounds had been set aside for that particular battle, and all of them thought it was fitting to visit their eternal homes.

Jack helped both women out of the cab and found that Abigail had quickly latched onto his arm for support. She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment. For that reason, they took their time going inside the old mansion and emerging out onto the main graveyard minutes later.

It wasn't hard to tell where those members of the battle were being interned. It was by far the busiest section of the cemetery, a steady stream of family and friends trying to find their missing person. Jack spotted a widow who had sunk to her knees in front of one grave, heavy with tears while her young son hugged her shoulder. It was heartbreaking to know they'd lost a husband and a father.

But it was devastating to see the scene played out a hundred times over with everyone else.

The search began right away to find those graves that meant the most to them. Jack was the first one to spot a familiar name.

"Hey, Vicky," he said quietly, stopping in front of the marker for Lt. Commander Victoria Carter. He bent at his knees, using his fingers to trace her name and that of theTiger, his long companion that had traveled to the other side of the world with him.

He took a moment to close his eyes, remembering the last time he saw her face, so full of confidence at the thought of the upcoming battle. She'd been a reliable lieutenant, a good person, and an even better friend. Finding it hard to swallow the lump in his throat, Jack found a way to put a small smile on his face.

"I'm going to miss you, Vicky. You were the best damn destroyer commander in the Javan fleet," he said, tracing her name again. "No one could ever replace you."

He tried not to think about the fact that there was nothing under this marker but an empty coffin but he couldn't quite shake the thought from his head. There had been next to nothing recovered from theTiger. Only small remains of debris and the occasional body. Vicky wasn't among those that were recovered, and a piece of her would remain forever entombed in Aberdeen bay.

The same could be said for her division head officers, and these were the graves that could be found next to hers. Brian Xavier, Lance Harris, and Beth Pollock would remain next to their leader for eternity, as much a team in death as they were in life.

Jack felt Kat's hand on his back, a consoling touch as he pushed himself up from his knees and looked down at their graves. She wrapped her arms around him.

"It'll be okay, Jack," she whispered, training her sky-blue eyes on him.

He nodded before he noticed that Abigail wasn't with them anymore. He searched around, trying to find where she went before he noticed her about two hundred yards away, bent down in front of another grave.

"Come on, let's go this way," said Jack, gesturing to Abigail. "I bet she found Anna."

She had not found her just yet, but instead found the grave of Bill Norman, weapons division head of theValiant. Like Anna, he had perished in the same explosion that had broken Kim's legs and wounded Luke.

"Anna always said Bill was one of the best at what he did," whispered Abigail as she pushed into Jack's side. "She would always sing his praises."

"I remember him well," said Jack. "Bill was a professional in every sense of the word. He wasn't the most charismatic guy but he always had that quiet competence that put everyone at ease."

He felt Abigail pull out of his embrace suddenly and she began to rush across the way. Jack made eyes with Kat, and the both of them filled with dread at her sudden reaction. They followed quickly in her wake, finding Abigail stopped in front of another marker. This one was unmistakable.

"Lt. Anna Wainwright," said Jack softly as Abigail sank to her knees in front of them.

"Anna-bear," she whispered as the first tear descended down her cheek.

Jack joined her on her knees while Kat leaned low to grab Abigail's hand in support. It was hardly any good, as her tears began to flow more freely down her beautiful face.

"I miss her so much," cried Abigail as Kat handed her a handkerchief. "It's just n-not the same without her. She was so young, and she had the whole world in front of her. It's just not right!"

Jack said nothing in response, knowing that she just wanted to get everything out that she'd been bottling up. Instead, he squeezed her other hand, and he remembered all those times with Anna. He remembered when they were first introduced to each other, by Abigail nonetheless. Anna had been flirtatious right from the start, and Jack soon found her sneaking into his bed. The sex with Anna was always passionate and always fulfilling, even if their relationship lacked a genuine quality that he found through Kat and Abigail.

Their breakup had hardly gone to his plan, and she transferred to theValiant shortly after. Jack supposed it was to separate herself from having to see him and Abigail together, and he didn't blame her for it. Even the last time he saw her, she had expressed her own happiness about his relationship with Abigail, a true coming-to-terms that showed how they'd both moved on.

To call Anna a fine officer was to miss the forest for the trees. She was a fine person, a friend that didn't waiver, and a sister who would be missed above all else.

"My parents were still so distraught," said Abigail, blowing her nose in between. "I visited them shortly after the battle and they were barely holding it together."

Jack nodded, remembering her short stay at her family home, which was a short distance outside of Aberdeen. He found out after Abigail's depression that she had gone to see them one of the days he thought she was just locked up in her quarters. If anything, it made matters worse for her. She had vowed to protect her sister through everything, and even though this was something so far outside her control, the guilt consumed her.

"Have you heard from your brothers?" asked Jack quietly.

She shook her head. "Just some simple messages from them but that's it. Both of them have taken postings on ships now. Alex is part of Admiral Strong's fleet while Anthony is in the east with a task force that's outside of Worchester. I haven't seen them since the last time I was home. I can tell they are in a similar place as me though."

Abigail put her head on his shoulder. "She counted on me to protect her, Jack. Ever since we were young, that's what I did. I just feel so rotten that I couldn't help her. I feel like I've let her down, and that I'll never get over this."

"You did everything you could, Abigail. You were a great sister to her, and Anna loved you," said Jack. "You can't go down that path. There's no coming back if you do."

"I just feel so helpless."

He forced her to look at him. "We almost lost you once, and I'm not going to take that chance again. It's not your fault. It was just her time."

"Do you think she'll ever forgive me?" whispered Abigail.

"I don't think she has anything to forgive you for," said Jack. "You were her big sister and her role model. You have nothing to be sorry for."

It took some more talking to bring her back from the edge, but with Jack and Kat on either side, Abigail's tears started to dry up. She took several deep breaths to steady herself, resolving to sit in what remained of her sister's presence as long as she needed. Jack was happy to stay with her throughout the whole ordeal, knowing she would need to heal at her own pace. For a moment though, he'd been worried that she was going to descend back into that depression that had so scared him back in Aberdeen.

For now, she seemed to be faring better than expected. It was only after some time had passed that the three of them became aware of another person behind them, a man whose eyes were locked on Anna's grave as intensely as they were. He was in full uniform, and Jack could tell that he was a naval officer, a lieutenant, just by looking at his shoulder patch. He was a young man, about ten years younger than Jack, but his face was heavy with sorrow. It didn't take them long to figure out why.

Jack moved away from the women to the young man. "Jack Easterbrook," he said, extending his hand to the newcomer.

The man stiffened instantly before offering a crisp salute. "I'm sorry, Rear Admiral, I didn't realize that it was you."

"At ease, Lieutenant," said Jack. "I take it you are here to see Lieutenant Wainwright."

He nodded quickly. "That was my Anna, yes. I'm sorry, I'm Lieutenant Ray Tucker, sir."

"I take it that you and Anna were dating?" asked Jack as Abigail overheard the conversation and came over to see for herself.

"More than that, sir," said Ray. "We were in love. About as deep and as genuine as it could possibly be."

"You're the Ray that she was talking about," said Abigail, studying the lieutenant closely. "She'd mentioned you the last time we were together in Lockhaven. Said you had a family farm that you would be inheriting."

Ray nodded. "That was the hope at least. Now? I have no idea what to do about it. I had hoped to be discharged from the navy and take her with me. Marry her and spend the rest of our lives on the farm raising children." Ray sniffled as his eyes turned red. "Some plan that it was."

Abigail shared in his misery. "I know how you feel. Anna was my sister. Not an hour goes by that I don't think about her."

"That's the truth," said Ray as he wiped his cheek. "Anna told me a lot about you. You must be Abigail then?"

She nodded.

"Anna looked up to you more than you might know. She loved you dearly and she was constantly comparing herself to you," said Ray before managing a small smile. "Almost to the point of frustration sometimes but that was how she was."

Abigail let out a sad smile. "That was Anna all right. If anything, she was always competitive with me. I don't think she meant anything bad by it but our whole lives, she always liked to measure herself against what I did. It's the real reason why I think she became an officer to begin with."

"I think she realized that toward the end," said Ray. "Whatever satisfaction she derived from being an officer seemed not to matter as much."

Abigail touched his shoulder. "That may be more because she found someone who could give her a real future. When you find something or someone serious like that, it tends to make everything else just melt away."

Ray let out a deep breath. "And now it's all for nothing. We'll never get a chance to put together all of our plans. It would almost be funny if it weren't so sad. How quickly life changes, especially when you least expect it."

"It's the nature of what we do though," said Jack. "We have a dangerous profession. Death is just something that's part of it. Anna knew that. I think that's part of the reason why she tried to live every day like it mattered. Like the rest of us, she knew that any day could be her last."

"That she did," replied Ray before managing a chuckle. "I think that love for life was the reason we initially decided to get together. You'll never imagine how it all started."

"I bet I would," said Jack, remembering the first time he found Anna in his bed.

Ray launched into a long story that involved her being the senior officer for disciplinary action regarding two screw-ups that worked the boilers. It was the first time Ray was around her, shortly after she transferred to theValiant. The first impression had been enough to get them started, and they soon found reason to keep seeing each other.

"You should have seen the look on Commander Ravencross' face when he found out," said Ray, laughing at the memory. "You would think we told him we were planning to have an orgy, that's how shocked he was."

"I'm not sure why," said Abigail with a small laugh. "It's not exactly a secret about him and Kim after all."

Ray nodded. "How have they been by the way? Any word on when they'll be back in Belfort?"

Jack shook his head. "Not yet." TheValiant had departed Aberdeen shortly after the rest of the task force, mostly due to the extra work that was required to repair the bridge. She was being run by officers on temporary assignment for Luke and Kim's roles, and she just received new officers to fill in for Anna and Bill. It wasn't the veteran ship that it had been on the morning of Aberdeen, but Jack would be happier once Luke and Kim were back aboard.

"That's a shame," said Ray. "They're good officers. I'm just glad they're alive though."

"And healing, which is the most important part," said Jack. "They'll be back in command before you know it."

"I take it then that the plan is to go back across the ocean?" asked Ray. "Even with all that's going on with the Ruthenians now, are you planning to go back to the Vector?"

Jack nodded. "That's the idea at least. We still have a lot to do over there, and this part of the world isn't the only one with escalating tensions. It's going to be a rough time for everyone here soon. But we can't let all that we've accomplished become undone in the meantime."

Ray swallowed heavily. "I hope you get to do what you need to do over there," he said vaguely. Jack studied him for several moments as there appeared to be something left unsaid on his lips.

The way he phrased the question almost seemed to suggest that he wasn't going to be part of the return journey.

Ray and Abigail continued to exchange stories for a bit longer until she excused herself to spend a bit more time with Anna before they left. Ray understood immediately, although before he could leave, he gestured to Jack.

"Sir, if I might have a word with you before I go?"

"Of course," said Jack with a nod, moving a few steps away so they could speak privately. They moved to a small grove of trees that stood out as the only island in the sea of graves. At this point in the day, the skies were still heavily overcast and the chill in the air seemed to be getting worse.

Once he was settled against the trees with Ray, the man turned to him and swallowed heavily. "I'm sorry, sir, but I wanted to talk to you away from the others."

"What's on your mind, Ray?" asked Jack.

Ray looked at the ground. "You see, sir, I really used to enjoy my time in the navy. Enjoy probably isn't the best word to describe it. I loved it, sir. I loved being on a ship, and I loved feeling apart of something bigger than me."

"The feeling affects many people in different ways," said Jack. "Some love the feeling of camaraderie while others begin to hate the extra responsibility. It always seems to manifest itself in different ways."

"I never thought it was a problem until I met Anna, sir."

"Why Anna?"

Ray looked up at him. "For the first time in my life, I wanted to be apart of something that was bigger than the navy. I wanted to be with Anna. I know you know how that feels like. Anna told me about . . . you. And your time with her."

"She offered you full disclosure?" asked Jack.

Ray nodded silently.

"Well, as you know it didn't end quite well for us."

"That's okay though, sir," said Ray with a small smile. "If not for you, she never would have moved to theValiant and I wouldn't have met her. It was good fortune that brought us together, and I really believe that."