Aberrant: The Long March - SanTropez

[Ulric Reikspar]

San Tropez, April 1950

Dominic had lent him the Sea-side estate for his good friend’s private use. Ulric, that good friend, set on the rocky jetty that led out to the sea and the yacht that was anchored out there.

‘I’m a long way from a dockworker’s Son,’ Ulric mused. Indeed, he was. He was the first League President and now he was about to step down into a well thought out retirement. Many of the commentators that monitored all things political didn’t think so. Ulric found their confusion on his latest choice amusing.

‘They don’t know why I’m giving it all up … but like all good parents, I’m letting my child – The League – grow up on its own. It shouldn’t need me anymore, if I’ve done my job right,” Ulric told them. He felt proud that he was no longer needed. It was a planned obsolescence that made him the first archaic member of the Cabal … and the first one really free. Freedom meant marriage and hopefully children now that one of them would have the time to raise them. Of course, becoming a stay-at-home father would be something new, but not a post, or position that frightened him.

The waves crashed against the rocks. The water lapped against the sandy beach farther down the strand and Ulric was alone for the moment. Joani would be here soon and then it would just be the two of them on a romantic getaway.

I’m going to get married. I’m going to raise a family. I’m going to grow old watching the World reach for the stars.

……………………………………………………………………………..

October, 1963

“Why isn’t Mommy here?” Kara asked him.

“Mommy’s out saving the World, Honey. Now let’s get back to your spelling homework. You have a test tomorrow.”

Kara frowned up at her Daddy, Ulric. She wanted to find a reason to NOT do her homework and to NOT take the test tomorrow. It wasn’t that she wasn’t a gifted student – she was. It was just that she was uncomfortable being one of the best in the class. Kara knew that her heritage made education easier for her, even though she hadn’t manifested a node yet. She was something special and what she wanted was to be something un-special.

Gabriel was playing on the rug. A breeze blew in from the Sea. Ulric got up and turned on the Television. He surfed through some channels until he come across one that fitted his needs.

“Hey! Mommy!” Gabriel exclaimed.

Kara looked at the screen as well and a small smile escaped her forced frown. Sure enough, there was SuperGirl saving some people from a natural disaster in Russia.

“See,” Ulric told Kara as he turned away from the screen to stare down his daughter, “Mommy’s busy right now and so are you. Time to study.”

Kara had no good argument to counter Mom being out there saving lives and how it weighed against her own homework assignment, so she went with her Father to tackle her unwelcome chore.

In the dinning room/family study room, Zoe was helping Naomi study while Lee studied alone. Lee smiled when Ulric came in. The two men were still sharing a post-game hi from Lee’s performance at the Football (for American’s read: Soccer) match. With Joani being gone so much with the Paragons, Zoe had stepped up and helped her father the most with the family-raising duties. Naomi was stepping up as the problem child – the middle child – the one who acted out for attention. Naomi was the one most likely to hear “Wait until your Mother gets home”, and at the same time she had the richest sense of humor amongst the brood.

Ulric did a balancing act between his two youngest. He egged on Kara to finish her work while juggling – sometimes literally – Gabriel. He kept this up until the cook let the gang know that dinner was ready, so the kids all helped clean the table and put their books away before the meal was served. A place was left at the other end of the table for Joani, but there was no doubt she wouldn’t make dinner tonight. Instead, they said grace and asked that Mommy, or Mother for the older children, be kept safe and keep saving the people that needed her too. That was the way in the Reikspar household.

…………………………………………………………………………………

April, 1998

The two men sat at the end of a jetty. There were no more words for them to say, and none necessary. The two men shared a special bond since the younger man’s childhood. His father had been the one who had raised him. His father had been there when he scored his first goal, when he won his first science prize, and when he went out on his first date. They shared those priceless moments, the youngest child and his father.

Mom was the living Icon. Mom was the Special amongst Specials. He loved his Mom without reservations and he got to love her in a way beyond almost everyone else on the planet, but the truth was that while his Mother had provided him with love, his father provided him with a parent.

“I’ve got to be going Dad.”

“I know. I’ll miss you.”

“Besides, I will be back in a year and it’s only the Moon.”

“You will be based at the Moon, I know. Your ship will be heading out toward Mars and back again testing all kind of new stuff for the Enterprise Project.”

“I should have known your ears in the League would have heard more than I have,” the younger man laughed.

“You’re my youngest … my youngest son,” the older man said in a calm even voice that belied his strong emotions to the Baby of his family.

The younger man stood up.

“I need to get going. Do you think Mom will meet me for lift off?”

The older man stood then nodded.

“She said she would. I’ve never known her to break a promise to any of you kids, have you?”

The younger man smiled. He shook his head.

“Nope, but she often cuts it close. Some times I swear she teleports.”

The older man smiled at the secret, but said nothing. Together the two men walked up the jetty and up to the house. At the back door the two reserved men shook hands. The younger man took a step back and raised one had up in the air.

“Up, up and away,” Gabriel Reikspar whispered to his father, Ulric. Then the younger nova rose up in the air, gaining momentum until he ripped off at nearly half the speed of sound toward the European Launch Site for the League Navy. From there, Space awaited.