Carlton Phinne

[Combiseries]

NAME – Carlton Phinne
SHIP DESIGNATION - LR-ECTHELION
ALLEGIANCE – LIBERTY ROGUES

Born on New London, Brettonia to a working class family, to Patricia and Derek Phinne. Both parents worked in a factory making components for flight computers. Derek Phinne died in a factor accident when Carlton was very young. Patricia lived as a single mother off the insurance payout, bringing Carlton up on her own.
When Carlton turned seven years old, Patricia started seeing another man, whom she refered to us Carlton`s uncle, Travis Perkins. He used to tell Carlton stories of pirates and adventure, and as he got older of the corruption of governments and the fight for Liberty. Travis would stay for three months and would go away for three months and then come back. This went on for years until Carton turned seventeen.
One day Carlton overheard his mum and his uncle talking in upraised tones.
“Why didn`t you tell me?” Travis raised his voice, waving his arms around in a show of frustration.
“I don`t know, I didn`t want to hurt you.” Answered his mum, she was tearful and couldn`t get her words out straight, “You and Derek look so much alike, I thought, I wasn`t sure.”
“What did you think Patricia? You shouldn`t have left it so long. I could have brought you to Liberty, to Alcatraz. You could have told us both and we could have all gone to Alcatraz, we would have been safe there.”
“I`m sorry!” cried Patricia, “I thought we cold just carry on, we were so happy; but you were away for so long and your stay here was a risk. I was afraid you`d be caught if you stayed longer for that reason.”
“Oh Patricia. You can`t tell him, but you could have told me.”
Carlton walked in, “Can`t tell me what mum.”
Patricia took hold of her son, “Nothing son, everything is fine, please go to you studies, I will be with you in a minute.”
Travis stood looking at Carlton, his son, “I have to go Patricia, if the Brettonian Authorities scan my ship they won`t like what`s in there.”
“Where is your ship Trav?” asked Carlton, “What`s in it?”
“Ships in orbit, I got a shuttle taking me up in half an hour. There`s government secrets on t. I`m gonna send for you soon, for both of you. You`re going to come and live with me.”
“Cool Trav, when?” asked Carlton.
“A couple of months, but I`ll send messages.”
Travis hugged him and moved toward his mum, “Trav, I`m sorry.” She said.
“Can` t be helped now, as soon as I call you, can you, you know.”
“Yes I will.”
Travis Perkins left. That was three years ago. The messages stopped after two and half years. He visited before that but not for long and never as often.
Carlton enrolled in flight college and graduated. Went to the university of space flight, and commerce and passed with honours. His mum was proud.
“If only your father could see you now.” She would say.
When it was time for him to leave home and go to work on a freighter he went to see his mum in the kitchen.
“Travis. He`s my real father isn`t he mum.”
She turned to him, her face had the hint of grief in it, “I`m sorry Carly, I wanted to wait for his call. I don`t know whats happened. I`m so worried. You need to go, I`m very proud of you.”
“Mum. Is he my father?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Why didn`t you tell me? You could have told me.” Said Carlton, sitting down.
His mum sat across from him, “We both wanted to. We couldn`t, you were in flight school, we couldn`t risk the police taking an interest in your skills and you going off deciding you wanted to join the Navy. Your father was a pirate, that`s what he did for a living, he was a freedom fighter.”
“What, I thought they were just stories.”
“No Carlton, he was fighting with the Liberty Rogues, fighting against the corrupt government.”
“And dad mum, I mean Derek. Did he know about me?”
“No he didn`t.” Said Patricia, “I loved Derek very much, as far as he was concerned he was your father. I loved him very much, but I`d had a fling with Travis before I married your father. A night of stupidity. Travis was your fathers friend, I didn`t want to hurt them both.”
“I`m sorry.” She went on, “It`s all such a terrible mess.”
“Where is he mum?” asked Carlton.
“I don`t know, but he left you a message. I`ll send the access codes to your shuttle, you can read it on the way.”


// work in progress, see stories section for the rest. Comments and ideas are very welcome as is critisism.

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In actual life every great enterprise begins with and takes its first forward step in faith...

Friedrich von Schlegel