Chapter 2

   
Barbara felt warm as she gave her visitor a hug. Seeing Idhitri Keitel brought back a lot of memories and most of them were of the kind that Barbara could use more of these days. She closed the door to her room, behind them, and invited the tiny little woman to have a seat. Barbara sat in her desk chair and was anything but official with her posture. She felt good and was quite eager to talk, “how’s your Dad? I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

Idhitri laughed at that as she sat her briefcase down, “then you’ve seen him more often than I have Barbara. I just made planet fall a few hours ago and I have not had a chance to get out there to see him. I have been really, really, busy.”

Barbara chuckled and sat back in her seat, “I can imagine. It’s really good seeing you again. I wish you were still here.”

Idhitri bounced her head around and said, “I do miss it in a way. Course I wouldn’t trade the job I have now for anything.”

“I can imagine,” Barbara replied serious but happy, “it’s what you always wanted. You get to travel. You get to rub elbows with important people. I was happy for you when you left.”

Idhitri played it down, “oh it’s not everything you think. I mean the travel, yes, I always wanted to see other planets. I suppose that I have had opportunities that most people never will. Still, those important people I rub elbows with, they don’t even notice I am there. I’m just an advisor and, not too important a person.”

Barbara could see that her old friend and partner was a bit squeamish at the moment. So Barbara stuck to some easy questions for now, “how long are you going to be around for, this time?”

Idhitri shrugged, “I don’t know. Whenever the commission finishes it’s work I suppose. You’ve got quite a mess here right now. You do realize that it was the American’s who called us in, right?”

Barbara’s back straightened and she raised a brow, “no I wasn’t. That’s, um, very interesting.”

“Back on Earth,” Idhitri explained, “in New York. When word of the terrorist attack reached the Security Council, I thought there was going to be a war. The American’s threatened to land their Marines if the Germans did not back off. The Germans were plastering the pictures of their slain all over the media.”

Barbara did find that a little interesting. It was certainly more so now than she might have thought about it last month or, the month before that and so on. What amazed her was how these two great powers thought of her home as nothing more than a bargaining chip to seek concessions for things that, at least, to the people here meant nothing at all.

As Idhitri told her story she finally got around to asking, “what is the IFOR garrison doing now?”

Barbara could only shrug, “as far as I know, the same thing they always have. That’s not to say they aren’t bad on the best of days but, surprisingly, Horst has been holding back.”

“If you want my opinion,” Idhitri replied, “and I really don’t know because it’s been over a year since I’ve been home but, the Germans are just waiting.”

Barbara felt like that was a slap in the face, “for what?”

“Their time,” Idhitri replied almost at once. “As long as the commission is here they will not retaliate. After we leave…” Idhitri just shrugged. Barbara took a hard breath, went into deep thought mode, and sunk in her chair. Idhitri shrugged again, “I could be wrong. I have never met this Colonel Horst. They say he is a proper Prussian gentleman but, the German’s are under pressure, at home, to act.”
Barbara almost laughed at the thought of Horst being a gentleman. All that confirmed for her was that he was really good at snowing people back on Earth. He was as proper a drug dealer if there ever was. It made Barbara wonder and she accidentally let slip, “and they call us bumpkins.”

At first Idhitri seemed confused by what she just heard. Then she seemed to dismiss it and changed the subject, “but I do not think he is the military officer that you are interested in. Am I wrong?”

“No you’re not,” Barbara sat back up and became very attentive. She asked, “I take it you got my letter?”

“Oh yes,” Idhitri replied with an expression that looked like that of a child with a new toy. Barbara recalled that the girl loved to gossip.

This time, Barbara was more than happy to oblige. She hung on every word. Idhitri seemed to have plenty, “this Jake Barton is a decorated veteran.”

That was old news and Barbara told the former ranger just that. Idhitri shook it off, “I don’t think you follow my meaning Barbara. Publicly, Major Barton won the silver star along with many minor awards from his military.”

Barbara’s brows narrowed, “what do you mean publicly?”

“He was a secret soldier,” Idhitri replied.

Barbara nodded, “a green beret, special forces, whatever they call them. I know Idhitri, what’s the point?”

“The point is,” Idhitri rolled her eyes in frustration, ‘that this might not be everything. His record is sealed according to a friend of mine. He says, all the ones in that branch of their military are sealed. He further told me that your Major Barton is rumored to have won the honor of congress.”

Barbara blinked, “the what?”

Idhitri did that cute little dumb blond routine she had perfected over the years. No amount of acting could hide her dark hair and complexion though, and, she was not even remotely dumb. Barbara knew that from first hand experience. The ex Ranger just went on by saying, “I don’t know what is really called. It’s their highest honor or, at least, I am told.” As Barbara considered exactly what that meant and compared it to the man she knew, all the while, Idhitri went on by saying, “and the story is that he retired with a heart condition.”

Barbara snapped back out of her head and commented, “he said he broke his leg.”

“All I know is,” Idhitri told her, “they said something about his heart having some strange discoloration. They said it turned purple. Given what else I found out, I do not believe this to be the case.”

Barbara started thinking about it for a minute. Barton went on those morning runs like clockwork. She never heard him complaining about his heart. She’d figure that part out later. Barbara then snapped out, “ok, what else?”

“I think that his medical problems were just a front,” Idhitri said in a loud whisper. The girl acted like someone else was in the room, “right before Major Barton retired, in America, there was a lot of news about the trial of this terrorist. His name was Philippe San Telugar. His lawyers were attempting to get him out of the trial because they claimed that he was seized illegally.”

Barbara thought about that and asked, “and you think Barton had something to do with it?”

“I am sure of it,” Idhitri replied. “He was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital only a few hours after Telugar was officially detained by the American Government, in New Arizona.”

Barbara only shrugged, “you’re going to have to forgive me, Idhitri. I don’t know why that’s important.”

“It’s the American state that is right across the border from El Paso, that is, El Paso in the Republic of Texas. Telugar was rumored to live in that area.”

That led Barbara to wonder, “so was this guy, Tee whatever, was he a terrorist?”

“The American’s think so,” Idhitri replied quickly. Then after some thought she went on more thoughtfully, “I know that not everyone believes that. Texas was furious about it and they say he was a prominent business man and philanthropist. Of course, they did not believe it enough to actually do anything to help the man.”

It made Barbara wonder, “does this Tee…”

“Telugar,” Idhitri said for her.

Barbara continued, “does he have any connection with our colony?”

“I do not know Barbara,” Idhitri had to admit. “I somehow doubt it. What goes on back on Earth, well that is all those people seem to think is important. Most of them are as ignorant of us as we are of them. Sure they moan and complain about the status of Beta Canaan and some of the more populated worlds but, in all, they think we exist to serve them and little more. If anything, my time at the United Nations has taught me this lesson very well.”

Barbara replied with great sarcasm, “always nice to know.”