Choice of the Gallant - Paradox Equation I

  ****

  The place looked very different than when he'd left it, but he'd expected it would. He smiled when he saw her, stopped and waited for her to feel him. She almost dropped the bundle she was carrying in the street.

  "Hello, Athena."

  "GALLANT! You've come for him. I think I've always known you would. Oh! Who are you?"

  "Lane. I told him to come. He didn't know. You forgot to mention what you were planning."

  "'Forgot' probably isn't the operable term. I figured he'd argue about it. In fact, I knew he'd argue about it. Come on, Gallant. You know the paths all know you're here. Mick will know by now too."

  "Chervan has already informed me, in no uncertain terms, I'm staying for dinner."

  "Being one of three humans on a world of telepaths has been a very interesting experience. One I wouldn't trade. Mick and Elaine have four kids. Seven full humans on this world now, but with a bit of telekinetic assistance, the human strain will blend in within two generations."

  "I had assumed that was how you'd overcome the inter-species differences. It hurt me to learn my last night with you was... shared, Athena."

  "Oh, Gallant! It wasn't! Don't think that! I... Chervan and I... Before I came to find you, then after you'd gone. We... I wanted... "

  "Athena, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Don't cry. I'm not angry, nor hurt any longer. Feel."

  He held her a moment and then stepped back from her. She would know why. Leaving her had been very hard the first time. Now he would have to do it again.

  "What's his name?"

  "Pericles. We call him Clete. Biggest kid on the planet. Strong as an ox and almost as fast as you are. Gentle and deadly. Strawberry blond curls. Looks just... Lane's your son."

  "From somewhere far in the future. In my future. He tells me his mother's name is also Athena."

  "Dad, we're staying for five days. It's important."

  "He also tells me he sees the future. Handy if you're wondering if you're going to catch dinner. Not a bad cook either."

  "That was a hint. All right. I'll cook dinner one of the days you're here. One of the days."

  Gallant laughed. She hadn't changed. She was a terrific cook, but she disliked it. In the near eight years they'd trained, then fought side by side against Hensk and the bel-Nathans, she'd cooked no more than a dozen times. Always as a special treat for him.

  "Gallant, you're taller. How long have you been gone?"

  "Am I? I hadn't noticed. Not long. Just a few years."

  "That means you got hurt and spent major time healing yourself. What happened?"

  "I fell down a hill and most of it came along. I had pretty good help healing. Must have put more energy into it than I needed."

  "No, it means you broke a whole bunch of bones and your body strengthened itself by getting bigger. And thicker."

  "Athena, I'm comfortable this way. Although, I've a feeling I'm about to get in very good shape. It seems I'm about to take on the job of training my sons."

  "Well, Lane looks like he's in good shape and I've been training Clete since he was two."

  "TWO?!"

  "It was either that or let him hurt himself trying to copy the older kids. To be honest, I was afraid he'd hurt someone else. He's massive, Gallant. Nearly a hundred ninety centimeters and about a hundred ten kilos of muscle and still getting bigger."

  "He'll top out at one ninety-five and one fifty K. It'll always be all muscle. He likes to work-out."

  "Lane!"

  "Sorry, Dad, but Athena doesn't mind."

  "He's right, Gallant. I'm kind of pleased to know."

  "Let's see, that's about six-four-and-a-half and three hundred thirty pounds. Whew! That is big."

  "He's like you, Dad. All of us are. We're heavier than humans. He'll look like about one-thirty K. Two hundred eighty pounds for you."

  "That's still big."

  "Yes, it'll drive Dutch crazy. So will his purring."

  "PURRING?!"

  "In the future. Shouldn't have mentioned it. You're about to meet him."

  "Lane, you're going to drive me crazy."

  "Always did."

  "Hi, Mom, I just heard. You must be Gallant. I've heard a lot... Mother?"

  "You never asked."

  "You mean you didn't tell him either?! ATHENA, YOU'RE HOPELESS!"

  "Gee, Gallant. You haven't yelled at me in seventeen years. Feels great."

  He groaned, Athena grinned and Lane and Clete sat on the ground and laughed.

  Five days passed and he had to leave her again.