by L M Lacee
‘Not bad yourself.’
They both nodded at Willian and followed the now confused Warrior to where Patty and Dinas and their teams waited. Now that the tension was removed by the small fight with Netta. Peyton could think again. It was, she supposed, a good thing her family and friends nearest her knew when she was sinking into her own thoughts and the gifts of the Star Daughter.
She did not think she gave any indication that it was happening, but they just seemed to know, and each had their own way of bringing her back to the here and now. Netta’s was usually with an argument, and as she thought on it, so was Melody’s.
‘Madam, are you listening?’ Netta asked, and Peyton detected tone with that question. ‘Of course, who said I was not.’
Netta snorted indelicately and did not reply as Willian opened his link to Melody who sounded irritated, Peyton bet it was the vegetation that was doing it. Melody snapped out. ‘We have the Warriors but we have a problem, the vegetation is so dense, and the land is bogged, we cannot land or hover the shuttles anywhere close. We will have to bring them out across land, and that will be difficult. Most are in a serious condition, and they are severely weakened. We are seven hard Kilto’s away, more or less. The terrain is not flat, there is a fast-flowing river between us and the Warriors. So it will take time to remove all the Warriors and they need the medics ASAP.’
‘Alright, give me a min.’ Peyton said as she closed her eyes and started sorting through the information in the depths of the vast library given to her from the Stars. Not opening her eyes, she said. ‘Warrior Willian, ask them to wait, I am searching for an idea. It will just take a few mins.’
She could hear Willian relaying her message as she kept looking and discarding ideas with her eyes still closed, she asked Netta. ‘Captain Netta, please find out from Lady Darby if she has located the sleepers yet.’
A few murmured words later, Netta said. ‘She has, but they are deep in a cavern beneath the surface. They are working on solving the problems for removing them.’
‘Captain, tell her I have taken care of it.’
Netta her eyes staying on Peyton relayed her message to Darby, who stayed silent for a moment then she asked. ‘Is she really glowing, like silver white glowing?’
‘That would be a yes.’
Darby’s panicked. ‘Move... move now!’
An order they all instinctively obeyed.
SEVENTEEN:
Peyton opened her eyes, which were no longer the eyes of Peyton the Terran, now they were black orbs that held the stars of the universe in them. Her voice when she spoke was the song of the Stars that they had heard before. Netta opened her link to everyone as she addressed the Star Child. ‘Greetings Star Child.’
Netta and Willian stayed between the Star Child and the others, she hoped everyone listening got the message that the Star Child had fully arrived.
They looked at all the people there and said. We thank you sweet Netta for your greeting. We have once again come to help our Daughter. Know we are pleased with all her people. The Star Child looked around at the dense vegetation and stated. We will make a path for the vehicles to pass to the ones in need.
Netta asked. ‘Do you need the coordinates to where they are?’
No, we will follow sister Melody’s trail.
With that, the Star Child held their arms wide and started to walk through the jungle. Everything shriveled to dust for half a kilto on either side of the glowing figure. Netta could hear Melody making noises that sounded suspiciously like. ‘Trail, like a woue scent, is that what she said?’ Then there were muffled sounds, like someone had placed a hand over her mouth.
Everyone could hear the shuttle engines powering up and Willian was on his link telling Darby what was happening as she monitored from above. Netta instinctively started to run behind the Star Child, when Willian grabbed her from behind. ‘In the shuttle Captain.’
‘Oh of course, I got caught up there for a min. Thank you, Willian.’
He grinned as they ran for the shuttle and jumped on board, just as the doors closed. The medics were all staring out the windows as she took her seat. Patty tipped Netta’s face up to hers. ‘Burned.’
She sprayed a mist over her face and hands just as they started to tingle with sunburn. Patty said in answer to the unasked question. ‘She would have been upset if she knew.’
Netta eyed her and the others. ‘Let’s not say anything then?’
Patty smiled. ‘Sensible female, you will have a very nice tan. Darby erase this please.’
‘Done, but if she finds out, you take the crap.’
Patty laughed as she said. ‘Done.’
They turned their attention to the blazing trail the Star Child was making. Awe coated Patty’s voice as she exclaimed. ‘Exciting isn’t it, and not something you see every day?’
Willian murmured while he gazed out the window. ‘Just as well Lady Darby is recording this. They will never believe what is happening at home, it is truly amazing.’
‘It truly is.’ Whispered Patty and Netta together.
The shuttles crawled behind the living torch, kilto after kilto as the glowing figure created a pathway, turning the vegetation to ash. Making it easy for the shuttles to skim just above the moon’s surface. Eventually they arrived where the Warriors and an annoyed Melody waited. The shuttles stopped and expelled the medics along with Netta and Willian.
Hawk, Melody and the Warriors had not been idle, they had fashioned a bridge over the fast-running river. The Star Child halted and brought their hands down as they turned to Netta.
Sister Netta, we have accomplished the first obstacle. We have made it easy for the Warriors to be transported from the moon. We go now to finish what our Daughter has asked of us. Come with me, those that wish to retrieve the ones you call sleepers.
With that, the Star Child turned to the right and once again started burning a path through the vegetation. Melody and Hawk rushed to Netta and Willian.
‘What’s up?’
Netta relayed the Star Child’s instructions. Melody asked Hawk. ‘You or me?’
He answered without hesitation. ‘You, I will stay with the Warriors until they are placed on shuttles and then come to you as soon as I can remain safe. Squads, Albey, Delling and Zebber, with Commander Melody. Rage send who you think.’ With a nod to everyone, he took one long look at the back of Peyton, as the Star Child walked her body away from them. Then turned back, crossing the bridge to the Warriors that were in need of his help.
Patty and Dinas split the medics between them. Patty going with Netta as the Warriors would be more at ease with a male. Dinas’s was not happy about it but kissed his mate and left her to hurry over to Netta.
Melody with Patty on one side and Netta and Willian on the other left at a quick jog, with the squads following them as they followed the wide ash trail left by the Star Child.
Patty asked. ‘Why are we running and not using the shuttles?’
Melody chuffed out a breath as she said. ‘You and Peyton, lazy females, you need more exercise.’
‘You didn’t think of the shuttles, did you? Because you were annoyed with the Star Child saying trail, admit it?’ Teased a grinning Patty.
Melody ran harder, out distancing the healer as she called back. ‘I admit nothing.’
Patty shouted. ‘I am right.’
Netta agreed. ‘Of course you are.’
‘Knew it.’
The Turqualls ranged ahead and behind, covering the small party from stray frightened animals that wanted to attack anything that came near them. The Star Child led them along the side of a river until they came to a waterfall. Then they all watched as the Star Child pulled and levitated iridescent pink and green rocks from the riverbed and made a slide up into the mouth of the falls. Next they cut a ledge into the mountain where the water tumbled off the rocks, when they had accomplished that, they floated up the slide and ordered Melody and the others to, Stay and wait.
When they
reached the top, the body of Peyton looked like a glowing Star. Make ready to receive the ones you call sleepers.
One min the Star Child was standing against the side of the mountain, then within a blink of the eye Peyton or the body of Peyton seemed to melt into the dirt and boulders and was gone.
Melody turned to the awed Warriors. ‘You heard them get ready. I have a feeling two thousand tubes will be sliding down to us any min.’
They hurried in to formation, taking up positions at the bottom of the slide, then making a chain to pass the tubes along. Melody spoke into her link to Darby, organizing a relay of shuttles. Which came in and landed now the vegetation was no more or at least cleared away. While several others hovered in a waiting pattern.
Each shuttle could safely take forty-eight tubes, when they had rescued the first sleepers it had taken too long and too many shuttles to get all the sleepers from the planet. The second recovery was better, but there were still too many shuttles used. Peyton had set her engineers to come up with a better way for the shuttles to carry as many tubes as they could for a quick recovery.
This was the first time their new idea was going to be used, they had rigged up harnesses like netted hammocks that the tubes could be slipped into. There were to be eight rows, six high, to a shuttle. Kinn had estimated it should take only forty-one shuttles to remove two thousand tubes.
They heard a rumbling sound just as Hawk, and Kerol arrived with the rest of the Warriors. The Turqualls all sat in a line watching the opening to the waterfall.
Melody nodded her head. ‘Commander Hawk, Captain Kerol, Warriors. The Star Child asked us to wait while they entered the mountain.’
They all looked to where she pointed. ‘Captain did they make that?’ Hawk asked Netta, pointing to the slide and ledge. Kerol grinned. ‘Impressive.’
‘Yes Commander.’ Netta answered. She was rattled, and it showed in her manner and clipped answer.
Melody took a long look at her. ‘Hey Netta, what is it?’
She shook her head, her eyes followed the trail back and then returned to the slide. ‘She is not here, our Peyton, only the Stars. Where does she go, will she come back?’
Melody smiled. ‘Well hayda, she is there just you know cloaked. This was her idea she probably asked for their help. We have to believe she knows what she is doing. I know it’s scary.’ She turned to Hawk, looking for assurance or agreement. Melody was not sure which one she wanted, she just knew she had to believe her sister was alright. ‘She is okay, right?’
Hawk assured Netta and the others present, not realizing Melody’s forgotten link was broadcasting.
‘The Star Daughter has many aspects to her nature, I know of only a few. She can summon and direct the rays of the Stars. She can defend and protect with star fire. She can talk to Stars and sentient planets and I suppose moons. Not apparently this one. The Star Child can enter and take over the Star Daughter at will, they can come within her and walk on our worlds as you have seen here. They can communicate through her and issue blessings and gifts through her. They can also punish and destroy through her. You have all witnessed their power. This is some of what it means to be the Star Daughter.’
Melody asked, her voice tight. ‘Can they burn her out?’
Hawk bowed his head as he told her. ‘Of course but I have never read of this happening. They choose their Daughter or Son very, very carefully. Not just anyone can be a vessel for the Star Child, and not every being selected will survive the initial touch of the Stars. Only a very special person can become the Star Daughter or Son. Peyton St Hill is a very, very special being.’
He grinned in wonder as he said. ‘Madam Peyton as you know is the first Star Daughter to exist in millions upon millions of yentas. She will outlive us all, many times over.’ He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, his voice sad as he said. ‘It is a lonely life for her, she will never mate and she will never have a child from her body. In all the histories I have read a Star Daughter or Son, lives and walks alone always.’ He searched the faces of the people around him and saw that they had not known this, even it seemed his Warriors. ‘I do not understand, you did not know this? It is in the histories Lady Darby downloaded.’
Melody and Netta shook their heads. Willian asked. ‘Commander, does the Star Daughter know?’
‘Yes she knows, it was told to her before she agreed to accept the honor of becoming the Star Daughter. It is always told to the Star, Daughter or Son.’
‘And she still went through with it?’ Netta murmured to herself more than to anyone else.
‘Of course she did.’ Melody answered sadly. ‘How else were we to leave Earth, what was the deal?’ She asked Hawk, who smiled at the abrupt tone.
‘Ahh yes, well as to that, when I asked her, she told me. She accepted the position as Star Daughter, if the Star Child would actively keep the Maikonia solar system safe and protected. She would then bring justice and fair trade to all the universe with our help, of course. She would fight injustice for all people of the Indorino universe and beyond. She made them swear to hunt for our sleepers and repair the world known as Earth, also she made them concede to allowing her to live her life on her own terms and deliver justice her own way. I like you, am sure there were many more conditions from both sides of the agreement which we will never find out about. What I do know is, the Stars apparently enjoy being part of our lives as you see today.’
A rumble was heard again, and all looked toward the waterfall, watching the water stop and start in spurts. Then they heard Darby’s fierce response, which amazingly enough, given the subject, lightened the heavy atmosphere surrounding them, which was not all from the oppressive vegetation.
‘Well, guess what? The histories are about to change, this Star Daughter has us. All the people and Turqualls of Maikonia, as well as everyone else that will be coming home with us. She will never be alone, ever. She will have a mate and if she cannot have children from her own body, she will guardio as many children as she wants. We will not let her fade off into the dark by herself. Do you all hear me?’
Hundreds of voices roared their agreement, Hawks included. Tears ran from Darby’s eyes and she swiped at them thinking of a lonely Peyton in the future without them, her sister, had made a deal to save them, now she… No they would save her, she was not in this alone.
A cloth was passed to her. ‘Lady Darby cease this leaking, Madam Peyton will not like it if she finds you had water running down your face.’ Kinn one of her Graynite Warriors told her.
‘They are tears, which you are well aware of, you big male… you. So stop making out you don’t know.’ She snarled at him, but her tears stopped and her voice held a smile. She looked up into his worried face, then around at the others of her team who had the same look on their faces, and softened her tone, they were such overprotective males. She had only known them hours and already they trusted and accepted her cranky nature. They liked her, and she liked them in return.
‘I am alright. It was a shock I did not care to find out about. It was my fault, I forgot to read the information in the histories about the Star Daughter but I know to do so now. We will fix this. Yes?’
They agreed and returned to their seats in front of their comp’ units. Darby stuffed her remaining thoughts into a corner of her mind along with the cloth in her pocket. She and the others would be having a talk soon, but right now she had things to do to keep all her people safe.
EIGHTEEN:
Another rumble sounded from the mountain, then a watcher sounded the alarm. ‘Tube coming.’
Melody let Darby know, and within seconds a tube came sliding down the slide followed by another. How the Star Child did it, they all gave up trying to figure out. They timed the sending of the tubes, so that the tube was cleared from the shoot before the next reached hands ready to carry it to a waiting shuttle. Thanks to the cooling suits everyone wore, no one became dehydrated or overheated.
The Turqualls kept the animals at bay with their presence
and when that did not suffice. The Warriors used blasters. In the end, forty-eight shuttles and one hundred Warriors and medics helped to convey two thousand sleepers to the Warship overhead.
It was an exhilarated but tired company of people who stood talking and waiting for the Star Child to appear. When they did, they glowed even brighter than they had before. An Ethereal vision glided from the falls. The slide collapsing behind them.
Thank you for waiting. It was not necessary.
‘Yeah it sort of was,’ Melody replied, ‘we understand that you are more than we are. More than everything, probably, but Peyton is ours. Our leader, our sister and our friend.’
‘Our Madam.’ Hawk stated when she looked at him.
A voice called out from the jungle. ‘Just like we are hers, we will live for her and we will bring life into the universe for her. We will fight for justice with her, and we will die for her if we have too. What we will not let her be is alone. She will never be alone.’ Darby said as she came forward, a small curly headed pit-bull of a female surrounded on each side by tall, serious looking Warriors.
Standing before the glowing figure, she said. ‘Star Child please understand she was ours first. You made a deal with her and we… all of us understand why she agreed to it. We did not, so get this straight, we did not agree for her to live her life alone. She will find a mate, she will have babies if she wants them and she will have us. All of us, in her life, we are her family. Now in saying that, we do not want you to be alone either. We welcome you to be a part of what we and your Star Daughter are building. Try something different from what you have known, see if it will give you a new perspective as it did me when I joined with my family and friends.’
The Star Child glowed brighter and flared into a column of white flame. Darby cried out and reached for her as the Graynite Warriors dragged her back away from the burning figure. She struggled against their might, and when they would not release her, she sobbed into their chests. ‘Oh... please let me go.’
