“Beautiful Place in My Heart: crown jewel Earth”
Have you ever been away from a familiar place for a time— say, a year, or even a week— and then come back and expect that everything has drastically changed? In reality, everything has gotten along perfectly well without you, and whatever changes have been made are easy to adjust to. This is what the handful of natives felt when they returned to their Earth: both anxious to see what had transpired in the few months since they left, and eager for news concerning these changes. Of course, a few months is nothing compared to thirty years— or fifty— or six-hundred.
Earth’s greatest recent change happened about two generations ago, during the final years of her last war. Countries were already obsolete and barriers had been erased in favor of “regions”, such as the African region, the Middle Eastern region, the Russian, and so on. Diehard still kept some of the old names (like Riene), but most people had adjusted to the change easily enough. But it was not names or boundaries that brought about the last war: strife between the present ruling class and a small but significant rebel faction had stirred the embers of discontent into all-out conflict which spread across the globe and threatened to throw humanity into permanent ruin. The war had ended well, though, or as well as a war can end, and now the Pax Terran governed the livelihoods of Earth citizens. All that had happened fifty years ago or so, and as such, there were very few survivors.
But the peace had lasted, and so for the past half-century, not a single major conflict had risen up. The people were too afraid of war, and were constantly reminded of its consequences as they went about their lives: the previous generation insisted that many of the ruins remain as monuments to discourage further fighting. Twenty-five years after the last shot was fired and the treaty was signed— three decades ago by modern reckoning— Earth finally decided to take its space exploration seriously, and proposed the creation of twenty-six exploration “Squads” to search the heavens. Perhaps the absence of war inspired humanity to invest its energies toward a higher calling, or maybe the advent of the plant-based Hyperion drive, given to Earth by benevolent alien life, was the catalyst they needed. Either way, they had finally climbed out of their cradle and joined the stars; one of its citizens had even been promoted to director of the United cosmic Military, an unprecedented feat.
Of course, now that Earth was investing more of its time and energy into space, its population had changed drastically. There were fewer people on Earth now, more space and more resources to share, and their social structure had changed to inspire the Group Dynamic instead of individual achievements. “Aliens” were also part of the population as well— not just Merovians, Mer-folk, and the Quercus, as it had been in the beginning, but a vast number of other races and species, no longer making Earth a place solely for humans. Naturally, there were xenophobes, racists, separatists, and extremists of all kinds, but the majority welcomed the outsiders, coexisting and even cohabitating (half-breeds were not as uncommon as one would think). Perhaps this unity, the lengthy absence of war, and the returning abundance of natural resources was responsible for the UCM nominating a woman from Earth, but Astor had a good personal record as well, and seemed like a natural choice.
Now that the Dauntless had arrived, her crew was split on what to visit first. Most of the women merely wanted to tour the world and search for treasure, but a few had very specific goals.
“I’d like to follow Marsa on her journey,” Alala said.
“And wherever you’re going, I’m coming along,” Yenae smiled.
“I’d like for all of us to go,” Allegra said, “but I also wanna stop on by and see the young’uns, if I can.”
“Sharyn and I are going to the European region to search for the last of those relics,” Lyara said.
“Aye, and how befitting it should be hid on ‘the Emerald Isle’!” she grinned.
“Drop me off in Naples, Italy while you’re there,” Riene asked. Kay and Tee yanked on their hair, confused by all the requests.
“One at a time, one at a time!! First let’s figure out where we are.”
“Looks like the ocean,” Eve said as she peered out one of the observation windows. “You got me on which one, though. Hey, if ya could, could ya please try and avoid Washington, DC? My old man lives there and I’d rather not get within range of that rat bastard.”
“It’s the Atlantic,” Kay murmured as she checked their coordinates. “We’ll be over Africa soon, so I guess Italy’s our first stop.”
“Do you just want us to drop you off at the closest spaceport?” Tee said to Riene.
“Yes, if you don’t mind. I can just take a taxi the rest of the way.”
“How long do you think you’ll be?” she smiled and pulled out her phone.
“I’ll call you when I’m finished. Really, don’t bother waiting up. I’ll catch up later.” The twins shrugged and opened up a channel so they could get landing clearance.
“It’s your decision.”
……
“Oh, they’re almost finished.”
The very first thing Riene noticed as she emerged from the spaceport was that the construction project that was halfway finished when she left the Earth was now almost complete. There was still a mobile suit overseeing the finishing stages, but the building looked ready for business. Little touches like this are what make a journey most endearing: you realize what has changed since you left, and what has not. She smiled fondly and hailed a taxi.
“Naples, please.” Cab fare had gone up a little, too, but Riene had plenty of money. None of her companions knew it, but the Latoli family was quite wealthy, and some people said they controlled most of Italy and had been in charge ever since the Mafia had died out. Her ancestors had been so wealthy that her father could literally spend his whole life without working and have enough for his grandchildren to share the same privilege— but of course this didn’t happen, and as far as she knew, he was still at the daily grind, and mother as well, and perhaps a few of her siblings were being groomed to take over. Riene had a classical Italian family— large, proud, close-knit, and very traditional— and it came with its share of blessings and curses.
The taxi took her as far as a Tran station and she left the driver a tip for his efforts. No cabs came close to the Latoli estate, so she had to take public transportation and then walk or get a ride the rest of the way. Riene hesitated, though, as the first Tran came by. Why was she in such a hurry? Was she so determined to “get it over with” that she’d rush headlong into it and boldly stare down anything in her way? That wasn’t who she was, and she knew it. Even at her best, Riene Latoli was a little spineless: a meek, insecure, doubtful, spoiled woman yearning for someone strong to take care of all her problems for her. She had very little courage except in diplomacy, and very little stomach for offending others; as such, she had been labeled as something of a doormat in school. In spite of her good grades and clean record, nobody really respected her, and her family saw her as something of a black sheep who would one day turn into a doddering old maid unless she got her act together. They were right, of course, but…
Something sparked inside her soul that was determined to lead her own life, in her own way. Unfortunately, this inner dialogue caused her to miss the Tran, but that was probably for the best. The old Riene, the doormat, would have rushed to make it there as soon as possible and would’ve endured their barbs with the same quiet grace and dignity she always carried. Today she would explore the city and really get to know Naples for what it was. She would procrastinate and enjoy it, and if her family raised a stink, nuts to them!
Her stroll led her down charming suburban streets, where familiar stores, schools, parks, and gardens blossomed out of the background to greet her. A few of the pedestrians even recognized her, and smiled or waved, though none of them approached her, too afraid to shatter the social barriers. Riene slipped into a restaurant for lunch and ordered something she had never eaten before; she even asked for dessert. She played some hopscotch with a group of children and perused a bookstore for the trashiest romances she could find. Her face was bright red when she purchased some lesbian erotica, but she also felt exhilarated and even liberated as she walked outside (remembering to tuck her prize in a safe spot so that her family would not discover it). She spent half the day finding a secluded place to read her book, and the rest of it immersed in her tale. Her heart caught in her throat the more she read, but she couldn’t turn away either. It was early evening by the time she caught a Tran, and getting dark when she walked the rest of the way to her family’s estate. If she had timed it right, she would hopefully arrive just after dinner, when her folks would be too fat and sated to bother her.
The Latoli estate had been bought back when Europe still had countries, and had a long and rich history behind it. It had been an Imperial stronghold during the last conflict, and had played an important part in reviving European welfare in the aftermath. Riene’s grandfather insisted on investing his stock “on the planet and not in space” (in his own words), and this turned out to be a wise move when Hyperion plants were introduced. The Italian climate was particularly healthy for them and so he made a bundle on top of his initial inheritance. Riene’s father took over the business and now Hyperion was being used for standard planetary transport and fuel; it was the best source of renewable energy since Heliotrope crystals, which had been all the rage during the war.
The estate proper was surrounded by a veritable forest: a greenhouse, several gardens and arbors, a fountain, a scenic walking trail, an outdoor pool, and a small barn that held the lawnmower and various tools. The Latolis had never had servants, since they believed “if you can do the job yourself, you should”, and Riene remembered sharing the workload with her many siblings. She approached the estate from the side and immediately heard loud, bombastic conversation and laughing. How could such a joyous noise put such a large pit in her stomach?— yet she knew her family had probably just sat down to dinner, and she had miscalculated her arrival. There was nothing for it, though: she had came all this way so it was better to get it over with. Riene firmly opened the door and stepped inside.
Her arrival was greeted by an arresting silence.
“Uh…I’m home,” she announced softly.
……
It was her mother who spoke first. “Oh, Riene!” She got up from the table and padded over to her prodigal daughter, half-holding and half-caressing her, as if she were a vague dream that needed time to be recalled. “Why didn’t you tell us you had arrived? I would’ve sent someone out to get you! Oh, you look so thin! Haven’t you been eating?”
“I’m fine, mother,” she said, attempting to smile. “I just felt like taking a look around.”
“You should’ve called your mother and told her you were here,” her father grumbled, more focused on his meal than his daughter. “Jumping in out of the blue isn’t polite.”
“Hurry up and sit down; you’re just in time for supper!” called one of her brothers. “Mama cooked especially for you, so stop being ungrateful and dig in!”
“Yeah, gonna need to put some meat on your bones!” another shouted.
“You never were much more than a beanpole, Ree,” grinned one of her sisters. Riene felt the quiet grace and dignity approaching, and absorbed their barbs patiently. She had four brothers: Dominic, Niccolo, Lorenzo, and Stefan; and she had three sisters: Antoinette, Gabriella, and Mireille; of the eight, she was somewhere in the lower half in terms of age, a middle child amidst a throng of middle children, a face lost in a crowd of other Latolis, of no more concern or merit to her folks than any of their other children: just another Jane or Mary, albeit one of their own. There was also a team of husbands and wives present as well; all of the children were presumably in another room, or else at home. The main dining room was large enough to hold this immense clan, yet the only seat available was between Dominic and Gabriella, the siblings she had the loosest bonds with. Riene knew that all eyes were upon her as she sheepishly took her place.
“So tell us again where you’re been all this time,” Stefan demanded. “It’s been a few years since you’ve left university. Are you a teacher now, or what?”
“No, she said she’d be traveling somewhere,” Antoinette corrected. “Was it to another country, Ree? I know you studied languages so you could be an interpreter.”
“I actually went into space,” she replied meekly.
“What for?” her father wondered.
“To find myself,” she answered profoundly. The implications were lost on this bunch. Some even laughed.
“Find yourself? You’re right here, Riene. You already know who you are and where you come from— what more do you need?”
“That’s not what I meant, daddy. I just wanted to push myself, to experience something different.”
“You don’t need to do anything so extravagant for that,” Niccolo pointed.
“It was probably some guy,” Gabriella snickered. Dominic chortled.
“Ha! That’s likely! She never had a boyfriend here, so she went looking for one in outer space!”
“So are we going to have an alien for an in-law?” Mireille teased.
“How about a half-breed for a niece or nephew? Wouldn’t that be rich, dad?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Riene insisted, although her words fell on deaf ears.
“You’d better not fall in love with something that isn’t even human,” Father grumbled.
“Dear, if she loves him, what does it matter?” Mother said.
“Riene, are you in love?” Lorenzo asked.
“That’s not what I went away for,” she declared. She couldn’t bring herself to tell them the truth. Her mother smiled and raised her glass at her.
“Well, whatever brought you away, you’re back now and that’s what’s important.”
“Yeah, so tell us what space is like!” Stefan grinned. Riene tried answering him, but she was completely drowned out by the burbling din her family always created when they got together. It became impossible to distinguish one conversation from the next, and so she gave up and was forgotten, lost once again in the crowd.
“I wanna know about that last deal you made.”
“Oh, it was harder than I thought it’d be, and at first, I didn’t think being persistent was enough!”
“So when’s the baby due?”
“In another four months or so. The doctor says it’s going to be a healthy boy. How’s your girl?”
“She made the honor roll! We’re very proud of her. We’re thinking about putting her in the band.”
“I mean, could you believe it? I certainly can’t. He seemed like such a reliable guy, too.”
“I woulda slapped that no-good ratfink and kicked him to the curb. Hey ma, could ya pass the wine? We’re getting thirsty!”
“There’s plenty for you all,” she said. “Make sure your sister gets some. Riene, would you like some wine?”
“A little bit, please,” she shouted. Dominic elbowed her and started giggling.
“Seriously, so how’s it like? Any little green men?”
“I am well-acquainted with a green-skinned woman, if that’s what you mean.”
“Crazy!” he laughed, already a little tipsy. “What else? Have you been on many worlds? Are there any like Earth?”
“A few,” she attempted, picking at her food. Riene had a big lunch and wasn’t in the mood for her mother’s cooking, regardless of how much effort she put into it (or how much the family insisted she start eating).
“Eat up, dear,” Gabriella said. “You’ll never get a boyfriend looking that skinny.”
“I’ve actually gained some weight during my travels. I have some muscle now, believe it or not.”
“Ugh, you know that there are two things men dislike in women? A strong mind and too many muscles. Maybe that’s why you never got married.”
“I’m just not interested yet,” she half-lied.
“You do look much healthier than you used to,” her father admitted. “It’s good that you’re getting lots of exercise. I trust my, uh…special training’s paying off?”
“Oh yes, every now and then. It gets a little dangerous sometimes, so having a firearm helps.”
“Oh gracious!” her mother exclaimed, fretfully crossing herself.
“Now I really have to know what line of work you’re in!” Antoinette said.
“I’m just traveling right now,” Riene murmured bashfully. “I’m seeing places and making friends.”
“Friends? You?! How many?” Riene thought about that for a moment. She couldn’t possibly describe everyone aboard the Dauntless as a friend, but…
“Oh…some fifteen or so people. There are a few ladies from Earth with us.”
“Any guys?” Mireille grinned. Riene smiled sadly.
“No, just us women.”
“Boo-ring,” she sang, returning to her meal.
“So is this a…company that visits other worlds? Like a diplomatic thing?” her mother attempted.
“Not exactly.”
“Sounds more like something from that ancient Star Trek show,” Niccolo muttered. Riene smirked; he was closer to the truth than he imagined.
“Sort of. I’m never lacking for good company, and sometimes I’m paid for my services.”
“Sometimes? Ree, you might be a doormat and an old maid, but you’re not a sucker.”
“Yeah, don’t you have a reliable income?”
“We just take what we can,” she murmured. “Don’t worry, all my needs are— ”
“So you’re mercenaries!” Stefan exclaimed. Mother put her utensils down forcefully and crossed herself.
“Sweet Mary and holy Lord Jesus, don’t tell me my daughter’s gotten mixed up with a bunch of hooligans!”
“(At least it’s a nice way to meet men,)” Dominic joked.
“No, mother! They’re all good people! Well, most of them. I told you they’re my friends.”
“But still, mercenaries! Augh!! Why can’t you just quit this childish behavior and settle down with a nice man, huh? It would give me so much peace of mind.”
“I agree!” Niccolo said. “We actually brought a friend of ours over here a little while ago and were going to introduce you, but you took so long getting here that he ran off!”
“Maybe that’s not what she wants,” Lorenzo said.
“But what about what she needs?”
“Mother,” he said calmly, “not once has any of us ever asked what Riene really wants with her life.”
“Probably because she herself barely knows— or knew,” Antoinette shrugged. Father cleared his throat and tapped his fork on a wine glass.
“All right, that’s enough. It’s time to change the subject. Gabriella, have you decided on a name for the baby yet?”
“No, papa, and for the last time, I’m not naming him Christophe, Jr.”
“It’s a good name,” he grumbled. “Please consider it.”
“(But really,)” Dominic whispered to Riene, “(think about it. Our friend’s very nice and quite the looker. He’s not very rich, but you couldn’t ask for a better man. Give him a chance at least!)” Riene smiled feebly but could no longer bring herself to interact with these people. Finally, she excused herself from the table on the pretense that she wasn’t feeling well and wanted some fresh air— but the truth was that she just couldn’t take it anymore.
……
Riene sighed deeply as she distanced herself from the noise, the stares, the rumors, and the presumptions of her stupid but well-meaning family. Everything that once defined her as a person was silenced now, and she was left in isolation— lonely but now much happier. She hadn’t realized how much they suffocated her, and how wise her decision to leave them was, until she returned and got a good look at them with more experienced eyes. As she sat down on the porch and admired the stars, the door behind her opened and a welcome sight smiled down at her.
“I managed to swipe something for you.” It was Lorenzo, the brother closest to her age and the only person on Earth Riene could confide in. He had been silent through most of the dinner; he knew better than to draw attention to himself. He empathized with his sister greatly and have her a beautiful, sad, understanding smile.
“Oh, Lorenzo, thank you! I needed that.” He presented her with a glass of beer and a plate full of snacks, then sat down next to her. Riene drained a third of the glass before sighing with relief and speaking again. “They haven’t changed one bit, have they?”
“No, not a single one. They’re older, crankier, fatter, and more complacent than before, of course, but other than that… So just how have you been, Ree?” They both knew the answer she told him would not be the same one she told the rest of the family. Now at last, she could be frank.
“Generally speaking, a little flustered. I was also, as expected, pretty nervous about coming here. I almost didn’t make it. All the experiences I’ve had since I left have really distanced me from this place. Sometimes I felt like I was in over my head, and I was challenged beyond my capabilities. I’ve seen very horrible things, and very beautiful things as well. I’ve made lots of friends but I’m not what you would call close to any of them— not as close as I’d like. Sometimes I just feel useless. And how are you?”
“Busy,” he grumbled, staring mindlessly at the inky horizon, “and not very content. But I’ve chosen this path and there’s no room for me to turn around in. My, uh…wife and I are thinking about adopting.”
“Oh, that’s good news! So…you’ve grown accustomed to each other?”
“Yeah. She’s more like a friend I live with all the time, and I do love her, but…well, you know, mom and dad really needed me to step up, and at the time, I couldn’t say no. Have you found…anyone you could see yourself living with?”
“I have,” she replied serenely, “though it’s taken a lot of work and a lot of strife for me to come to that realization. I truly do love her.” Lorenzo smiled warmly. They were so close that she could even reveal That, and not feel shamed.
“You know, when you told me you’d sign up for Dr. Miracle’s expedition, I couldn’t believe it. You were the very last person I ever expected to take a leap of faith like that!”
“Am I really so pathetic?” she grinned. He smiled and nudged closer.
“No. But you used to be more reserved and unsure of yourself. You were so close to going through with that last arranged marriage that I thought we’d be in the same damned boat. And yet here you are, a seasoned traveler, come back to show the family what living one’s dreams looks like. I know I asked this before, Riene, but I’m going to say it again. Do you feel like you’re making the right choice?”
She smiled lovingly at her brother and sipped half her drink down.
“I know it sounds conceited, but I was never really sure until somebody needed me. Once I had that, everything became clear. Oh— it was the same with you, wasn’t it?”
“Mm-hmm.” And even though he said he was relatively happy, Riene knew that Lorenzo regretted his marriage and his life. Something good still came out of his sacrifice, of course, but perhaps what he gave up was greater than what he received. The look in his eyes said it all: I came back, and now, I can’t ever go back. She drew a very deep breath and leaned against him.
“It is kind of odd when you think about it,” she murmured. “The meekest of the bunch gets to have all these adventures, and all the boisterous people are stuck in a daily grind. We always get caught up in the situation we least expect ourselves to be in, don’t we?”
“Ain’t that the truth, sister,” he whispered, putting his arm around her.
……
Since it was too late to go anywhere, Riene decided to sleep in her family’s estate and leave the next day. She had just enough time to draw a hot bath and call her friends regarding their destination. It appeared that the Acherons had sent a handful to Ireland but the rest were in China, willing to tag along with Marsa Rosemont on her travels. Riene said she’d take the first flight there and then went about the process of arranging it. Many worlds still had air travel as well as space, but only for short flights; the longer ones were taken into space. As Riene undressed and slipped into the steaming water, she pulled out a book on Chinese from a shelf and started brushing up on her Mandarin.
“And Hindi, I can’t forget that,” she reminded herself. The bath was exactly what she needed after what felt like a long day (even though dinner had barely lasted forty minutes), and the fuzzy salmon-colored robe with her initials on it was the proverbial icing on the cake. As she toddled to her old room (which had been converted to a guest room since she left), Riene spotted her youngest sister, Mireille, apparently on her way to bathe as well.
“Feeling better?” she asked.
“Oh yes, very much.”
“That’s good. You going to bed now?”
“Yes, it’s been a tiring day.” Mireille was silent for a moment.
“Will you be leaving tomorrow?”
“Mm-hmm, first thing. I’ll be off to China.”
“Oh, cool. For business?”
“And pleasure,” Riene smiled. Mireille grinned shyly.
“I envy you,” she whispered. Riene blinked at her and she faltered. “Uh, well anyway, pleasant dreams.”
“Yes, you too. Goodnight.” Riene slept soundly, dreaming of the time she went fishing with Lorenzo, and woke up to a pink and purple sky, the sun gently peeking over the horizon. No amount of persuasion could convince her to stay another day: Riene had accomplished what she came here to do and seemed more confident about her choice as she embraced her large, overbearing family.
“You take care,” Lorenzo said as he kissed her. “And give my love to you-know-who.”
“I will. Write to me. You too, Mireille!”
“Sure.” Riene felt the urgency in her hug and drew back, a little startled. For such a long time, she had believed Lorenzo to be the only other “deviant” in the family (probably because he was the only one who had been treated as such), but who knows how many of her siblings, cousins, nephews, nieces— or even her own parents— wished that their lives had turned out differently? The possibility that they were all envious of her gallivanting crossed her mind, and she felt an overwhelming sense of new love for these people, who only acted as any of us would around a celebrity or somebody they admired: clumsily, without many good form or graces, sometimes roughly but never without their charms. She realized she had been too critical of them, and was fearful for nothing.
“Don’t be a stranger now, young miss!” her father shouted. “If your, uh…pastime turns out to be too much for you, feel free to come back anytime now.”
“At least feel free to write us more often!” her mother said. She smiled and promised she would, but she had a plane to catch and couldn’t stay another minute. She had some tears as she got into her cab, but Riene Latoli certainly did not look back.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Preview of next chapter
Vimmy: Do I really get some lines, it’s high time, remember I’m a member of this crew as well, yes, the wealthiest and probably most influential, so what if I’m not a sexual goddess like half the crew or an expert in some field like the other half, and does it really matter if I’m annoying, I need some screen time too, damn it!
Aseria: In the next chapter, everybody ignores Vimmy! That’s an adventure in itself since it’s not an easy thing to do.
Lyara: I thought we were going after Sharyn’s treasure.
Sharyn: Nay, I possess all I’ll e’er need in thee, dearest. (snuggles Lyara)
Aseria: Aww…
Allegra: Stop stealing my shtick!
Vimmy: Oh yes, and Sharyn’s treasure, yes, can’t forget THAT, I mean, just because she’s an adorable and beautiful woman who could most likely be a match for that traitor Mink in battle, we needn’t completely ignore me, and didn’t Sharyn already get a chapter or two dedicated to her?
Lillianne: Yikes, better make that TWO adventures! In the next chapter, we head to Ireland and try our hardest to pretend Vimmy doesn’t exist. Don’t miss “Beautiful Place in My Heart: treasures of the Emerald Isle”. My question is, why hasn’t someone squished her yet? I mean, she’s even smaller than Shana!
Aseria: Aww…
Allegra: Stop that!
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