by L M Lacee
He and Draykin were still inseparably and adored by their family. In truth, there were few people who met either boy and did not fall under their spell.
Esther leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed taking in the scene, she hid her smile at the pic they made. She knew when the kits came roaring back into the lounge where her two charges had scampered off to.
‘Boys, I am sure I told you to leave your Auntie Netta to sleep. You know she came on board very late last night, and she and Knife need their sleep.’
Rayvan nodded. ‘You did Grammie, but we missed Auntie Netta and Knife.’
Draykin popped his head out from under the covers and said with a cute smile and flutter of his eyelashes. ‘I smelts you Auntie Netta, I can do that now and I love you.’
‘Oh brother.’ Netta groaned. ‘You are such a little flirt and so cute.’
Rayvan hurriedly told her. ‘Me too, Isa cute.’
Netta kissed his cheek and hugged him as she said. ‘Yes, you are too.’
‘I told Draykin you was mine, weesa gonna get mated when I grow up.’ He frowned at Draykin as he pushed his way into Netta’s embrace. Draykin returned the frown as Rayvan said. ‘He said you was his.’
Draykin stuck his chin out and stated. ‘Mees and Rayvan love you lots and lots, so I says we are gonna share you. Kay Auntie Netta?’
Netta hugged both boys saying. ‘I love you both, and please let me tell your Mamas about our mating, I am sure they will be surprised.’
Rayvan and Draykin giggled as Esther grinned with raised eyebrows. ‘No doubt they will be beyond words! Now my boys come with me, you must not do this again. What if Auntie Netta had been naked?’
Their little eyes opened wide and Draykin said. ‘Ohhh.’
Rayvan went. ‘Yuck, Auntie Netta.’
She laughed at the faces they made as Esther declared. ‘Yes, we don’t want that. Now boys let Auntie Netta get up. Greetings Knife would you like to come with us?’
Greetings Grammie, me come with you, where is Grammie Lott?
‘She is with the kits.’
Oh. Knife sounded sad on learning this, his ears and tail drooped.
Esther smiled at the despondent kit and told him. ‘She is waiting for you, before she goes to first-meal.’
He wiggled in pleasure. Me come, bye Mama Netta.
He and the boys jumped from the bed and quickly left the room. Esther nodded to the flat wooden box on the bedside table. ‘It appears you have a gift.’
Netta looked to where she did. ‘Oh!’ Her eyes went wide as she said again. ‘Oh my! What do I do with it?’
‘What does it say to do?’
Curious, Netta held her hand over the box. ‘I feel like I have to wait.’
‘Well do that, it is usually the way.’
Netta grinned as she said. ‘Thanks Esther, I am up now.’
‘I’ll leave you to it, we are going to first- meal see you there.’
‘See yah.’ Netta replied as Esther left, closing the door behind her.
Moving from the bed to the cleansing room, Netta allowed herself to mull over why she had been given the Adee. As far as she knew she had her gift of the Rie, why now was the Adee here? Dearle stars, she hoped she was not going to ascend as Melody and Avana had. What the hayda was happening?
THREE:
Dressed in her off duty uniform of jeans and a coffee-colored long-sleeved button style shirt. Netta walked from her room into the dining area to be confronted by her sisters.
Peyton handed her a cup of tea before telling her. ‘We thought we would have our first away from home meal here.’
Netta jerked up the box in her hand. ‘Because of this’
‘Partly.’
‘Tell me, am I ascending or something?’
‘No, it is a gift only.’
‘Good, I thought we were going to the diner.’
Peyton shrugged. ‘We felt this was an occasion for you and us to enjoy alone.’
‘Unless you would like to be alone or in the diner.’ Heather said as Darby scowled at Peyton and Heather said archly. ‘You were meant to say that as well.’
‘I know Heather, but I decided not to just in case she said yes.’
‘Do not Heather me in that tone sister! It was the polite thing to do.’ She flounced to her seat and Peyton grumbled.
With raised eyebrows, Heather asked. ‘You have something to say.’
‘Nothing… not a thing, let’s sit.’
Netta said as she took her seat, knowing she could stop the argument that Heather and Peyton were warming into by letting them all know what Rayvan and Draykin had told her.
‘Did you know Rayvan and Draykin have decided I am their mate and as they cannot decide who loves me more, they will share me?’
She raised her own eyebrows now and looked first at Darby then Peyton and gave a very long sigh before saying. ‘I guess that would make you both my mother-in-law’s.’
‘That should do it.’ Melody murmured from behind her napkin, causing Netta to grin as Helen burst out. ‘Oh my stars, that is priceless.’
‘Are you for real?’ Darby asked, amusement threading through her voice.
Peyton shook her head. ‘There is no way you are going to call me Mama, female. So no… just no.’
‘Oh yeah!’ Darby scowled. ‘Not happening.’
Brenda commented with a smile. ‘Although I would love to see Reeve’s face when you call him Papa for the first time.’
Esther murmured. ‘I would love to see that.’
Heather chortled as she reached for her cup.
‘Oh my stars, I so want to see that too.’
A plate of toast was placed in front of Netta by Esther as Peyton finally finished laughing at Darby’s outraged expression. Returning to the original conversation, Peyton said. ‘Netta the gift as always is yours to accept or reject.’
‘Why would I reject it?’
Peyton quietly explained. ‘It will make you a target, you more than most. Because, as you know, just about every world considers Adee is for royalty. So as we are going into the belly of the beast…’
Brenda moaned. ‘Really Peyton, so graphic first thing in the morn.’
Darby said. ‘She is right though, we are doomed to see the…’
Heather pleaded. ‘Doomed, stop Darby please.’
Darby grimaced. ‘Well okay, not so much doomed as…’ She looked at the ceiling in thought. ‘Nah, I cannot think of a better word.’
‘So anyway.’ Melody said to Netta, ignoring her gloomy sisters. ‘This will paint a bigger target than you already have on your back.’
Netta sipped her tea then said. ‘Got it, so not enough I am the Star Daughter’s Commander Elite and a Terran female. I now have the added bonus of being recognized as part of Maikonia’s royal family.’
‘In a nutshell, yes.’ Helen agreed, while everyone else nodded their heads.
‘Okay, well that makes it simple then. I accept the gift.’ She opened the box and nestled on a dark purple cloud of material was a flat piece of gold Adee. ‘Oh my.’
Peyton said. ‘Pick it up, it will shape to your desire.’
‘I don’t know what I desire.’
‘Funny that.’ Esther told her. ‘It does, pick it up dearle girl, it waits for you.’
Netta stroked the length of golden Adee and finally picked it up. She placed it on her palm where it remained still. ‘I think I broke it.’ She whispered to a chorus of gentle laughter.
Melody told her. ‘No, it is thinking, listen to it with your senses.’
‘Use the Rie.’ Peyton gently reminded her. ‘It is waiting.’
Netta did just that and slowly the gold split into two and then the pieces began to shimmer and suddenly she was holding two exquisite knives. The handles themselves were works of art with intricate designs of battles on each of them. Suddenly, the scenes shifted and the design were now warriors engaged in combat. Surprised, Netta drew in a breath. ‘Well!’
‘Wow!’ Darby said as surprised as everyone else. ‘I wonder how many there are?’
‘I’ll let you know.’ Netta placed one knife on the table and sliced a napkin with the other. ‘That is sharp.’ She looked at Peyton. ‘I am guessing I will never have to put an edge on them and they will never deteriorate.’
Peyton agreed. ‘No, they will remain as they are today.’
Heather touched her necklace and asked, not expecting an answer. ‘How do they do that?’
Darby said. ‘You will have to fashion sheathes for them.’
‘Yes.’ Noticing the etching on the blades, Netta asked Peyton. ‘What do the words say?’
Peyton read aloud the words on the first blade. ‘Protect and Serve.’ Then she lightly touched the second blade and read. ‘Honor and Cherish.’
Brenda looked at Melody and softly said. ‘Well, that pretty much sums up our Netta.’
Helen smiling, said. ‘Isn’t that fitting, we get jewelry, she gets knives.’
Melody looked at Netta worriedly. ‘They will be seen, they will be impossible to miss.’
‘She could always leave them in her room.’ Heather pointed out as she sipped her tea.
Netta touched each blade lying on the table and felt a welcoming warmth. She could almost hear a hum of contentment from the Adee as she traced each word with the tip of her finger. ‘I could but that sort of defeats the gift, don’t you think?’
Esther told her. ‘I think they are exactly as they are meant to be. The Star Child has made sure you are blessed with the protection of their Adee.’
Netta sighed with delight. ‘Still pretty!’
Stunned silence met her statement, she looked away from the knives and toward the silent females. ‘What?’
‘Pretty?’ Heather asked with a touch of astonishment in her voice.
Melody wiggled a finger in her ear. ‘Did we hear right?’
Darby grinned. ‘Such a girly comment.’
‘Will wonders never cease?’ Peyton asked, wide-eyed.
Netta eyed each of her smirking sisters and growled. ‘Seriously, shut up the lot of you, or I’ll have you on the mat.’
‘So scared.’ They all said in unison.Laughing Brenda said. ‘And the moment is gone.’
Helen placed a platter of food on the table. ‘Let’s eat.’
Esther raised her cup in a toast. ‘A salute to Netta.’
Brenda raised her cup as well. ‘Netta, we love you dearle.’
The chorus of sweet Netta’s, had her tearing up.
FOUR:
Shipboard life is like living in any small town with its own structure and rules. The first-meal was for the morn meeting. Afterward, the children and kits went to lessons while the adults worked or trained until second-meal. Afternoons were for naps and play, usually supervised by Dana and the other nannies to give Esther and Carrick time off.
The adults would go back to work or catch up on projects they had not finished from the morn. Evenings were for friends and family, space gazing, story times or vids.
On one of those nights an occurrence that had not happened of late, found Rage and Peyton alone in the Star Lounge.
Peyton rolled her head and watched Rage stalk into the room. ‘Greetings Rage, I have not seen you since we boarded.’
Greetings Beloved, I have been busy settling the Prowlers we have brought with us.
‘You look annoyed.’
He sat next to her couch, much as he had the first time they had been on board ship together. Except this time he was healthy and double the size he was then.
I wished for all the kits to have remained at home, this will be no place for them.
Peyton sighed as she sipped from her cup then agreed with him. ‘I agree, I know you denied as many as you reasonably could. Fanharr told me you worried over allowing the ones you did to come. I have to tell you I feel better knowing that my little ones have another line of defense to protect them. Not that I like that thought any more than you do, but still I thank you.’
His only reply was a deep growl of discontent.
‘I was right. You dislike that thought as well.’
I do, they are kits, not Warriors.
‘I know my Chosen, I know. The kits and the children are not warriors, although you like everyone else calls my son, little warrior.’
I do, but we do not mean him to be so.
‘And yet he is and will grow to be a fine one, as will all the kits. It is as Helen says our life now.’
He sighed deeply. Yes.
‘So you see my dilemma.’
He growled. I see something!
Peyton grinned as she said. ‘It is hard when we are a parent or becoming one, to struggle with the possibility that we may place our young in the way of danger.’
Rage stepped back from his argument, looked at his feelings, and the feelings behind what Peyton had said. And because he did so, he could see she wrestled with the same concerns he did. She knew what she may have exposed the children too, when she allowed them and the kits to come.
He sighed and softly told her. It is something I had not considered before.
‘I know and it is something that made the decision to allow them all to come harder.’
She said as she rose from her couch. ‘It is unfortunately a burden that we must carry as leaders and parents.’ She rubbed her hand over his head and down his back as she passed him. He watched her reflection in the window as she walked toward the door and realized he worried about the kits, while she worried about them all. He sighed again, she really was so very young.
Beloved.
‘Yes, my Chosen.’
We will protect them.
She smiled slightly. ‘Yes we will. Good-eve Rage.’
And to you as well Peyton.
FIVE:
Five days into the trip, just after what would be three o’clock in the morn on Prime. Everyone was woken when the alarms sounded, alerting them to the fact they were under attack.
Ipeara went to her cruiser and prepped it, ready for the Star Daughter and her family.
Efficiently as they had drilled, Carrick and Esther with several nannies escorted the children to their escape cruiser as Lott and Honor did the same for the kits. The cruiser powered up and remained on standby to take the children and kits to safety if needed.
Peyton stood in the war room, Rage entered with Fanharr and Salmah, he told her.
Beloved, we are here.
‘Good, what about the others?’
They are with Artar Kate and the kits have gone with Lott and Honor to the cruiser under guard.
Peyton looked at Fanharr and said. ‘Fanharr, maybe you should have gone with the kits.’
Rage growled in exasperation. That is what I told her.
And I will tell you Beloved, what I told him. No!
They waited for her to say more but after a min realized that was all she was going to say. Peyton looked at Rage, who looked back at her, and she was sure he shrugged.
‘Ahh… okay.’
Darby and Melody arrived and stood either side of her as Melody murmured. ‘Heather and Patty are in the medical unit with Dinas, making sure all is ready as Kate is for the Prowlers.’
‘They have guards?’
‘Stationed outside their units. They know what to do. Harm and Dinas came to an arrangement before Harm left.’
Relieved, Peyton let the breath she had been holding ease out and watched the Battle Cruisers and Warships, blocking their way to the wormhole separate and take up defensive positions. Suddenly an alarm sounded again, Darby grabbed her hand as Peyton searched and found Melody’s.
Netta and Reeve entered, escorting Brenda and Helen, their faces tight with fear. Larson and Marlo hurried in behind them. Together their hands clasped each other’s as they watched the scene unfold on the large screens.
Peyton asked. ‘Where is Hawk?’
Karen said as she and Amelia walked in, escorted by Jorge. ‘On the br
idge.’
She asked, never taking her eyes from the large screen. ‘The Mystics and Solverea’s?’
‘We are here.’ Jarrod said as they entered along with Kenera, Cemeru, Rata and Klune.
‘Willian and Peneria?’
Jax told her. On the cruiser with your pilot.
‘Jax is everyone where they should be?’
Jax told her. Madam, do not worry. Everyone is secure.
The ship trembled as it took several hits, causing the shields to flare around them and obscuring the screens each time with a blue light. Jax reported. There are fifteen ships firing upon us. So far they have not been able to penetrate our shields.
‘Will they?’ Asked a trembling Brenda as she held tightly to Marlo’s hand.
Jax gently replied. No Brenda, I have reinforced the shields. We are about to launch our counter-attack. The Commanders of the Prowler are very skilled in warfare, do not fear.
Then it seemed like the entire ship stilled, seconds later explosions flared as the opposing Battle Cruises and Warships erupted in flames. Jax lowered the shields over the large viewing windows and they watched in real time as single combat fighters poured from the crippled ships. Before their eyes, hundreds of single fighters emerged from the Prowler and a quick and dirty space battle commenced. In a matter of minutes, the opposing fighters were decimated.
Reeve told them. ‘The Commander will now give them the option of surrendering or else they will be destroyed.’
‘How many will do that, do you think?’ Brenda asked him.
Before he could answer, small explosions appeared on the remaining ships. Then suddenly larger explosions filled the screen.
Helen demanded. ‘What is happening, I thought you said the Commander would allow them to surrender?’
Larson replied. ‘Helen, he did dearle. Sadly, they took the third option.’
Brenda whispered. ‘What option was that?’
