When Kalan stepped back into the hall, it wasn’t quite utter chaos. It was the next best thing to it. There had to be nearly two dozen people milling around Edmus. To the man’s credit, he was chatting, shaking hands, and being supremely gracious. Kalan gave serious consideration to simply slipping away along the edge of the crowd. He didn’t like crowds at the best of times, and he didn’t know Kessellian customs or law. That was dangerous ground when you were standing inside an embassy. A misstep here, however unintentional, could land him in a lot of trouble he’d just as soon avoid. He hesitated a little too long in making a decision. Edmus spotted him and waved him over.

“Captain Rinn, my good man. Please join me.”

Kalan wondered if he could still run for it, judged the crowd of faces that were all staring at him, and decided he’d missed his chance. He made his way over to stand by the Duke. Edmus clapped his hand onto Kalan’s shoulder.

Edmus addressed the whole crowd. “This is the man I was telling you about. Captain Kalan Rinn of the ship Ankala Rising. Now mind you, I didn’t see it personally, but I’m told that this man stared down a mob of fifty people with nothing more than a blaster in his hand. He stared them down, told them he’d execute them all as pirates, and ordered them to disperse. Do you know what happened then?”

Kalan stared at Edmus in stunned horror. What the hell was the man doing? He glanced out at the crowd. Half of them were watching Edmus in rapt fascination. The other half were staring at Kalan like he was some sort of folk legend. For that matter, what the hell had Edmus been saying? Kalan groaned as he realized that he’d never live this down. What would his father think when some mutant version of this story finally reached his ears. They didn’t seek glory. That wasn’t their way. The question Edmus asked finally reached the crowd’s collective mind and people began shaking their heads.

“They ran! They fled before his wrath like the savage cowards they are.”

The crowd burst into cheers that were simply deafening inside the hallway. Kalan found himself once again praying that sweet, merciful death would appear from the heavens and spare him this embarrassment. It seemed the gods were enjoying Edmus’ exaggerated tale too much to notice Kalan’s prayers.

“Now, having defended his ship from these would be pirates, no reasonable person could blame a sane captain for leaving as fast as his engines could carry him. So, what did Captain Kalan Rinn do? Did he take his ship and go?”

The crowd seemed to be growing by the second, and they apparently all understand this storytelling game.

“No!” They shouted.

“No,” confirmed Edmus. “There were innocent men, women, and children who needed that medicine on his ship. So, this man of honor, of integrity, demanded that these mutineers send him the highest legitimate authority on Ariadne base. He demanded that they send me to him.”

More mad cheers followed that last declaration. Kalan did his level best not to blush or grit his teeth. He hadn’t demanded they send him the duke. He hadn’t even known the man existed. Yet, it wasn’t a lie, either. The duke had simply been the highest civilian authority available.

“I checked the cargo myself. Every bit of it was there. Every last dose of the medicine. Do you know what happened then?”

Cries of “No” and “What happened?” rang out from the crowd.

“Then, with his own hands, he unloaded that medicine.”

To Kalan’s eyes, the crowd lost its collective mind at that point. Everyone was cheering or trying to shake his hand or clapping him on the back. People called him a “good man” and “brave” and a bunch of other things he didn’t quite catch. He didn’t even understand why they were so impressed. He’d done his job. He delivered the cargo. Edmus calmed the crowd with a few gestures.

“At this point, Captain Rinn had done all that duty or honor could ask of him. He could have left then and there with clean hands and a clean conscience. I can only thank the gods that his compassion is as steady and pure as his integrity. Rather than return home, where friends and loved ones wait for him, he brought me with him. He nursed me back to health and returned me here, so I could muster aid for our brothers and sisters still on Ariadne Base.”

The sound that erupted from those men and women made Kalan want to take a step back. It was like the hand of giant pressed against his body. There was another round of back slapping and hand shaking. One woman, apparently lost in the heat of the moment, rushed up and kissed Kalan full on the lips. He was so startled that he didn’t even get a good look at her before she vanished into the milling throng of bodies. He glanced over at Edmus, who gave him a big toothy grin. Kalan felt a sudden urge to strangle the man. Edmus continued on in a similar vein, extolling Kalan’s virtues in such hyperbolic terms that it was miraculous anyone took it seriously. Words like “duty” and “honor” figured prominently. Finally, after what felt to Kalan like five or six thousand years, Edmus asked that the assembled horde give him a few minutes with the captain who needed to return to his “fine ship.” Once the last few stragglers came up and shook hands with Kalan, he noticed Captain Berclin talking quietly with Edmus. He caught the last little bit of their conversation.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“I saw you give that speech to the graduating class a few years back. I see you haven’t lost your gift for public speaking.”

Edmus smiled. “People like stories, Captain. They need stories where an honorable man does the right thing for the right reasons.”

“Not quite the version in your witness statements.” Berclin said.

There was no recrimination in the statement, just some amusement.

“Oh, I think you’ll find almost all of it in those statements.”

“Fifty men, sir?”

“Well, I am getting old. The memory slips from time to time.”

Berclin laughed, gave Kalan a nod, and disappeared down the hall. Edmus walked over to Kalan and gave him an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry about that show. I’ve got a reputation as a man who tells a good story, and that is a good story. Plus, it’ll make it easier to get help for Ariadne Base.”

The hard words on Kalan’s lips died a swift death. “How’s that?”

“That story will spread like wildfire. It’ll get back to high command and the throne before our witness statements do. The story of the lone freighter captain and his stand against those traitors will inspire some and shame anyone who doesn’t feel like expending the resources to save a few hundred lives. I suspect there will be a task force headed to Ariadne Base before official word gets back to me. Still, I used you back there. I apologize for that.”

Kalan weighed the offense against the potential gain. His embarrassment against the safety of all those people. He’d been too well-schooled in strategy to come to any conclusion but one.

“I can choke down a little embarrassment if it’ll help all those people.”

Edmus nodded, but his face looked shadowed. “Three men like you on Ariadne. That’s all it would have taken.”

It was Kalan’s turn to put his hand on Edmus’ shoulder. He thought for a moment and settled on a quote he’d discussed with Fresia not so long ago.

“’One cannot fight battles with the resources one wishes for, but only the resources one has.’”

Edmus looked up sharply. “Pernaven. Strategy and Tactics. There is a lot of hard truth in that old tome.”

“Agreed. Hard truth, but also comfort. More men like me might have changed things on Ariadne, but it might have made things worse. It might have meant the same outcome, only with more bodies on the ground. You fought with the resources you had.”

Edmus gave Kalan a searching look, his eyes falling to sword on Kalan’s belt. “Where did you train, Kalan Rinn? You didn’t pick up Pernaven in some backwater sword academy.”

Kalan considered his answer. “You like stories. So, I’ll tell you a story. There was a boy once. His father was a warrior, maybe one of the greatest of his generation. His mother was nearly her husband’s equal. The boy wanted to be like his parents. So, he trained, day and night, relentlessly. You might even say it bordered on madness, but a madness shared by nearly every child on his world.

“Of course, the boy entered an academy, a very special academy, to follow in his parents’ footsteps. The boy grew up in that academy. He learned their rules. He learned their ways. He learned strategies and tactics. He learned to fight. He learned to fight too well. One day, the boy got into a fight with another student and killed him. That wasn’t ever supposed to happen. There were rules. So, the boy was cast out, forever.”

Edmus was silent for several long moment before he said, “Are you saying that you’re…”

Kalan cut him off. “A freighter captain. I’m just a freighter captain who can never go home.”

“Well, perhaps you can never revisit that home,” said Edmus, “but you are always welcome in my home. Although, we should probably get you on your way before my family arrives.”

“Am I that intimidating?” Joked Kalan.

“Oh, it’s not you. It’s them. I’ve just made you a hero of the Kessellian Alliance. I don’t want them dragging you around like some kind of trophy. I’ll have to prepare them for the crushing disappointment that you’re my friend, not their status symbol.”

Kalan actually shuddered at the idea.

Edmus gave him a knowing nod. “Oh yes, it’s exactly as awful as it sounds. Still, it’ll take them a few days to get here. So, that’ll probably be enough of a head start for you to escape.”

“Appreciated.”

Edmus started down the hall and Kalan kept pace with him.

“Where are you off to next?” Edmus asked.

“I have a delivery to make here and then off to the southern continent to pick up a load of,” Kalan tried to remember what the thing was called, “some kind of vegetable. It’s bright orange. I think it’s some kind of tuber.”

“Kelops,” said Edmus. “I don’t care for them. They’re a bit too grainy for me, but I understand they’re very popular some places.”

“Popular enough that someone was willing to pay a premium to get them out sooner than later. There’s a buyer waiting for them back on Cobalt 7.”

Edmus shook his head. “I’m not familiar with Cobalt 7. Is that a good place to reach you if I want to send a message?”

Kalan nodded. “It’s home, or as close as I come outside my ship.”

Edmus opened the embassy’s front door and walked with Kalan down to the gate. The noble offered his hand and Kalan took it in a firm grip.

“You might not have dragged me out of a firefight, Kalan, but I wouldn’t have survived much longer on that base. If you ever need help, call on me. Even if you don’t need help, come and see me.”

“Thank you. I will, Lord Alland.”

Edmus face took on an exaggerated expression of pain. “Edmus. Please, call me Edmus.”

Kalan smiled at the older man. “Edmus. Until the next time.”

“Until the next time, Kalan.”