What Kate Found in the Fringe

by Nemo West

Table of Contents, parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

conclusion

Tension held the camp on edge. Whenever footsteps passed among the tents at more than a casual pace, Kate’s heart hammered; she was certain that someone was rushing to deliver panicked news that the gunship had broken through. She and Quince often hovered near the edges of their tent, desperate to overhear something — anything — that might indicate what was happening above Oberon. Was the otter holding? Had the Colonial Administration sent word? Could they dare to hope they might survive?

Eventually, Janco came back to their tent. When he’d visited several days earlier, to hear Kate’s proposal, his demeanor had been grim. But now he walked with a relaxed stride. “Well, it looks like we’ll all live to make good on our deal,” he greeted with a toothy grin.

Kate and Quince shared a wide-eyed glance. “You mean Colonial troops will make it in time?” Kate asked.

“They’re already here,” Janco replied. “The cartel gunship broke orbit as soon as Colonial cruisers entered the system. Now it’s trying to outrun a flight of Thunderbolt fighters to escape into the Beyond.”

Even as he sagged with relief, Quince hunched his brow and wondered, “How close did we come?”

“What do you mean?” Janco asked.

Quince glanced toward the sky. “How close did the gunship come to cracking the otter?”

“Ah.” Janco nodded and his expression sobered. “Very close.” He turned to Kate. “We should all be very grateful to Miss Blue Star. Without her help, this story would have had a much different ending.”

By that evening, Colonial troops had taken Bucknam and the entire Terra Novus security detail into custody, pending an investigation. Quince then went off with Janco to correspond with Ramustrasse lawyers via the Net. After a few days in seclusion to deliver his deposition and finalize key details of his arrangement, he eventually reappeared on the doorstep of the tent he shared with Kate.

“Oh, you’re back!” she said. “How... how did everything go?”

Quince sat down on his cot, opposite her. “Well, Raumstrasse agreed not to prosecute me for my part in any of this.”

“Okay. Well, that’s good, right?”

“In exchange for my cooperation against Bucknam and the rest of the cartel goons, Raumstrasse’s lawyers will offer Federal prosecutors a deal: to enroll me in witness protection.”

“Witness protection?” Kate balked. “It’s that serious?”

Quince nodded. “Apparently this particular cartel has a reputation. If I don’t want to get assassinated, then it looks like I’m going to need to disappear for a while.”

“Oh. Well, will you be able to... stay in touch?”

His shoulders slumped, and he slowly shook his head.

Kate sat back. “Oh.”

Uncertain what to say next, they both fell silent. After several moments, Quince cleared his throat. “Although the lawyers told me that most witness protection programs offer a stipend to cover living expenses.”

Kate glanced at him but didn’t know how to respond to such a statement.

“And Raumstrasse is going to honor my expedition contract and pay me in full,” he continued. “Between that and a stipend, it looks like I might be able to finish my degree.” He shrugged. “Maybe I could finally have some version of the life I wanted, back before everything went wrong.”

“That sounds really great,” Kate managed to reply. “I’m happy for you... I guess.”

With a curious look on his face, Quince added, “You know, I’ve heard Burroughs University on Mars has a really good Q-Sys program.”

Kate blinked. “It does?”

A grin tugged the edge of Quince’s mouth.

Her eyes widened. “Oh!” Then she smiled. “You know, I think I have heard that, actually.”

“Cool.” Quince nodded. “Then, if everything shakes out the way the lawyers are hoping, maybe I’ll look into enrolling there after all the dust settles.”

“Yeah.” Kate shuffled her feet. “That’d be cool.”

Quince folded his hands in his lap. “Here’s hoping.”

* * *

Kate smacked his arm. “You seriously thought I was going to die?”

“Come on, it’s not like I hoped you’d die,” John said as he flinched. “I was just really worried something bad would happen to you. Everybody knows it’s dangerous out in the Fringe.”

“Oh, please.” Kate rolled her eyes and took the flask from her brother. “What do you know about the Fringe?”

John shrugged and cupped his hands to light his cigarette. “I’ve heard things.” An autumn breeze rustled the nearby trees, briefly covering the clank and clatter of dishes being washed in their parents’ kitchen.

“Well, of the two of us, I’ve actually been to the Fringe.” She took a sip. “So, we’ll take my word on how dangerous it really is.”

“Okay, okay.” He exhaled a drag and narrowed his eyes. “So how dangerous is it?”

Kate returned the flask and narrowed her own eyes. “I know that look. You’re probing.”

“We all heard the stories you told Mom and Dad about your trip,” John replied. “But you and I both know you’re very good at... selective storytelling.”

Kate arched an eyebrow. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you’re a master at making sure our parents don’t hear the parts that would upset them.”

She allowed a grin to dimple her cheek. “Guess it’s a good thing you and the garage can keep a secret.”

John took a sip of bourbon and passed the flask back to his sister. “So, did anything happen on this trip that you only want me and the garage to know about?”

Kate threw back a swig. “Maybe a few things.”

“Such as?”

“Well, you remember how I told Mom I met a guy?”

“Yeah.” John chuckled. “And this time you told her he couldn’t make it because he’s in witness protection.”

Kate pursed her lips and shrugged sheepishly.

John balked. “Wait, you were serious?”

She grinned and passed the flask.

“Okay, are you going to make me ask for the story, or are you just going to tell me?”

“Well, it’s a long one, but the highlights include a stolen Eschbach drive, a wanted hitman, corporate commandos and a cartel gunship.”

John took a long drink from the flask. “I’m not going to like this story, am I?”

“Nope.” Kate paused to light her own cigarette. “But before I get into the ugly details, I can tell you some good news.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m finally going to finish grad school.”

“Oh, yeah?”

She nodded and exhaled a drag. “I just got accepted at Burroughs University.”

John blinked. “Burroughs University?”

“Yep.”

“The Burroughs University on Mars?”

“Yeah.”

“As in the one that’s just an hour from here?”

“Unless there’s some other Burroughs University I don’t know about.” She smirked at the look on her brother’s face. “What?”

“Kate, I’ve never seen you sign up for anything this close to home before.” John narrowed his eyes. “What’s changed?”

She shrugged. “Maybe I’m growing up a little.”

“Really?” He cocked an eyebrow. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a guy you know in witness protection, would it?”

Kate took a long drag to hide a bashful smile. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

John nodded. “I’m sure you don’t. Well, before you tell me a story I’m going to hate” — he raised the flask — “here’s to the last unhitched Carter; may she find everything she’s looking for.” He took a drink and passed the flask.

Kate accepted the bourbon and returned her brother’s toast. “And here’s to all the rest of the Carters, who’d better not make me regret this.” She took a long drink and chased it with a drag.

John grinned. “Welcome home, Katie.”

She smirked as she exhaled. “We’ll see.”

Copyright © 2021 by Nemo West

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