Vrehx's Quest

by Elin Wyn

  The jump into the unknown, the crash landing, the Xathi…

  "Renna." Climbing out from the shuttle, I felt the crunch of a soft autumn's carpet underneath my boots. Renna sat on a flat rock by the edge of the clearing, three wicker baskets resting at her feet. She was looking at me with an amused smile, a soft breeze whipping at her silver hair. Despite the deep lines on her face, slashes that dug into her skin around her lips and eyes, she had a kind of timeless beauty. Just like Jeneva.

  "Grab those, will ya?" Pushing herself off the rock she was on, she smoothed out the front of her rough dress and pointed at the baskets. "And careful not to break anything."

  I picked up the baskets dutifully, and heard a dozen glass jars inside each one of them. It seemed like Renna hadn't been kidding when she mentioned 'herbal boosts'. The woman was a walking pharmacy.

  "How have you been, Renna?" I asked her. Despite her age and diminutive size, I found her intimidating. She had the same fiery personality as Jeneva, and she wasn't the kind of woman that would suffer fools gladly. I figured that a life spent in the wilderness, all by herself, had toughened her.

  "Better than ever." Looking back at me over her shoulder, she climbed the small ramp that led up into the hovercraft. I followed after her and, punching the panel after I climbed aboard, I waited as the hydraulics pulled the ramp up.

  "Do you need any help strapping in?"

  "I might be old, but I'm not useless." Smiling, she plopped herself down on the passenger's seat and grabbed the two pieces of the belt. Instead of sliding the metallic tab into the appropriate slot, locking the belt in, she wrapped the two ends around her waist and knotted them. Not exactly standard protocol, but I decided to keep my mouth shut.

  I placed the wicker baskets in a compartment in the back, to ensure they wouldn't break during our flight back into the city, and then sat in the pilot's chair.

  "Do you get nauseous when flying?" I asked Renna. "I can go slow, if you prefer."

  "You must be driving Jeneva crazy," she said, ignoring my question. There was an amused glint in her eyes, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips.

  "And what's that supposed to mean?" Turning the engine on, I watched as the sudden burst of power coming from it made the trees in the clearing bend slightly. Slowly, I started lifting the shuttle off the ground, the engine roaring its way back to life.

  "C'mon, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," she laughed. "You must be annoying her to no end."

  "Annoying her?"

  "Knowing you men like I do, you're probably treating her as if she's sick and dying."

  "What? That's definitely not what I’m doing."

  "Are you sure?"

  I frowned. I had taken over all household duties, including cooking ones, and I did my best to pamper Jeneva every waking hour of the day. That didn't mean I was treating her as if she was sick. Of course, Renna's words were oddly familiar. After all, Jeneva had developed a habit of telling me she wasn't sick whenever I tried to convince her to get back in bed and let me handle all the cooking and cleaning.

  "Your silence is deafening," Renna continued.

  "I'll have you know I'm doing my best," I said.

  "I hope you are."

  "Of course I am."

  "Is that why Jeneva kicked you out for the day?"

  "She didn't kick me out for the day," I threw back at Renna. "I just left her because I had to come and pick you up."

  "Of course."

  Sighing, I directed some power into the thrusters and started the flight back into the city. Neither Renna or I spoke for quite some time, but eventually I broke the silence. Even though she was a nice old woman—at least when she wanted to be—it was slightly unnerving to sit in complete silence with her.

  "It'd be so much easier if you humans were in control of your emotions," I finally breathed out. It was getting harder and harder to predict how Jeneva was feeling, and that always resulted in the weirdest of situations. I now found myself having to leave the house at three in the morning just so I could find canned pineapples, and Jeneva sometimes started furiously arguing with the characters in her favorite holo-show. Attempts to calm her down only resulted in having the might of her fury thrown my way.

  "What?" Renna chuckled. "Don't tell me Skotan women show no emotions. Are they as robotic as you are?"

  "I’m not robotic,” I protested, but quickly shook my head and gave up on that. “Skotan women show emotion, yes. But with Jeneva, there are always a lot of emotions. It's just that...sometimes I don't know how to deal with her."

  "Of course not." Her tone was an amused one, but there was also some kindness in her words. "Jeneva's pregnant, Vrehx. There's a life growing inside her. Her body is a melting pot of hormones. Just be happy she hasn't bitten your head off."

  “Now that’s a lovely thought,” I chuckled. In the distance, the tall spires of the city gleamed under the light of the setting sun. “Maybe the herbs will help,” I continued, and that just had Renna laughing again.

  "The herbs will help, but not with that.” She rested her chin on the palm of her hand, and looked at me as if she were appraising me. “Jeneva's changing moods might be like a rollercoaster, but there's little anyone can do to change that. It’s just the way of the world, kid. You’ll have to be patient and do your best to understand."

  "Well, I do try to be understanding."

  "I bet you do." That amused tone, again. Renna was having her fun teasing me, no doubt about it.

  "What?" I frowned, looking back at her for a second. "Do you think I'm a bad husband?"

  "No, not at all," she smiled. "I just think that you are a husband."

  Six

  Vrehx

  "What are you doing?"

  Pushing herself to her feet, Jeneva gave me a smile.

  "Cleaning," she said, a glint in her eyes. I didn't like to see her down on her knees, scrubbing the floor of the bathroom as if that was the most important thing in the world, but I bit my tongue and remained silent. Renna had accused me of treating Jeneva like a sickly woman, and I wanted to show her that I wasn't doing anything like that.

  "Jeneva, dear," Renna walked past me, her sassy tone suddenly gone. Despite her advanced age, she was still fast, and closed in on Jeneva like a pouncing cat. "You look amazing," she continued, hugging her granddaughter tightly. Taking one step back, she looked down at Jeneva's belly and let a bright smile take over her face.

  "She does look beautiful, doesn't she?" I heard someone say behind me, and I turned on my heels to see Amira standing in the kitchen's doorway. She had her hair tied back, a few stray locks falling over her face, and she positively ignored me as she walked toward Renna and wrapped her arms around the older woman.

  The three of them started talking fast, their voices high-pitched, and I simply stood there awkwardly, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. There was something about pregnancies that made women—even the ones that weren't pregnant themselves—act strangely.

  "Vrehx, could you please go and grab us some tea?" Jeneva asked me, and I spun around fast, eager to actually do something other than stand around idly. I put the kettle on, grabbed a few cookies and crackers from the cupboard, and laid it all out on the counter. Five minutes later and I was stepping into the living room, carrying three cups of tea on a tray, along with the biscuits.

  "You trained him well," Renna nodded approvingly as she took a sip of her tea.

  "Vrehx has been amazing," Jeneva said. "He's taken over household duties. I barely do anything these days."

  "Oh, I can imagine," Amira laughed, glancing at me with a grin.

  "Vrehx, why don't you leave us to our tea?" Jeneva rose from the couch and waddled toward me, one hand draped over her belly. Going on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips against mine and cupped my face with both hands. "You deserve to take a break, and Renna and Amira are here in case I need anything. Why don't you go and meet the guys?"

  "Are you sure?" I asked her. As much as I
trusted Renna and Amira, I had to be sure.

  "I'm positive," she chuckled. "You go and relax, alright?"

  "Alright." I kissed her once more, one hand at her waist, and then gave the other two women a slight nod. I grabbed my comms unit from the kitchen counter and, as I made my way down the stairs and out of the building, I reached out for Tu'ver. I was about to step into the hovercraft when he picked up and told me he was at New Hope, a small bar that was within walking distance.

  I made my way there, both hands in my pockets, and stepped inside to see Tu'ver and Axtin sitting at one of the tables by the corner. Although the bar was an old one, it had undergone renovations, as well as having its name changed. The Xathi had laid waste to the building, but instead of giving up, the owners simply rebuilt their business. Hence the name, New Hope.

  "How's it going, dad?" Axtin smiled, a pitcher of beer in his hand. Although most of us could drink like a regular human would, from a glass or a mug, Axtin enjoyed his beer in the largest container available. I was actually surprised to see him drinking from a pitcher and not a barrel.

  "Very funny." Sitting beside them, I waved at the bartender and ordered a mug of beer. When I realized that both Axtin and Tu'ver were almost done with their drinks, I then decided to order a round.

  "Not in a good mood, huh?" Tu'ver asked me, looking straight at me over the rim of his mug.

  "What are you talking about?" I frowned, pursing my lips into a straight line. "I'm in an excellent mood."

  "Sure, looks like it," Axtin laughed. "Leena tells me that pregnant women can be complicated creatures.”

  "She's right about that," I muttered, and then reached for my mug once the waitress laid it in front of me. I took a sip, which turned into a long gulp, and soon enough there was nothing but foam sloshing in the bottom of the mug. I looked down at it, watching my reflection on the glass, and sighed. "Make it a pitcher," I told the young waitress, and she let out a small giggle before leaving our table.

  "How is it, really?" Tu'ver asked, and this time he wasn't teasing me. He was genuinely curious. His curiosity, though, wasn't an innocent one. I knew some of the guys were already thinking of taking the next step in their relationships—fatherhood—but they were holding back before talking to their mates about removing their contraceptive implants. They wanted to see how things went for me and Jeneva before making the jump. I didn't blame them for that. We weren't the same species, and there were a lot of things that could go wrong. I tried not to dwell on it, though. All the medical exams Jeneva had done indicated a healthy baby boy, and I had to trust the doctors.

  It was either that or go insane.

  "It's not easy, I’ll tell you that." Grabbing my full pitcher, I took another large gulp. I leaned back in my seat, the beer making me feel warmer, and sighed. "The mood swings, the late-night cravings...women transform when they're pregnant."

  "Late night cravings?" Tu'ver asked, narrowing his eyes.

  "Yeah," Axtin laughed. "Remember that time when we were leaving the bar and came across him?"

  "Oh, right," Tu'ver nodded, looking at me with amusement. "You were carrying a giant haunch of Luurizi. I thought that was weird."

  "Sometimes I think I work at the market," I admitted. "I've been there so many times, looking for all kinds of stuff, that I know where everything's stocked. But it's not just about the late-night cravings...the mood swings are what terrify me."

  "C'mon, aren't you exaggerating?"

  "I wish," I said. "Sometimes she's happy and we're goofing around...and then she gets mad at whatever's happening on the holoscreen. I'm telling you, one of these days, she's going to throw the damn thing out the window."

  Tu'ver and Axtin exchanged a quick glance. They looked scared, and that was enough for me to realize that I had been right. The two of them were already considering fatherhood.

  "But I wouldn't change any of it, you know?" I continued. "There's nothing quite like watching your woman's belly grow, and to know that soon enough you'll be holding your kid in your arms."

  "Aren't you scared?"

  "Scared?" I hesitated before replying.

  "Yes. I mean...we're all soldiers, and it's not like we have people around that are experienced on how to raise a Skotan boy."

  "It's going to be a challenge," I admitted. "And, yes, sometimes it's frightening to think we're so far away from the place we used to call home. But, at the end of the day, I have Jeneva. And with her as the mother, I know it'll all work out."

  "Spoken like a true father," Tu'ver laughed, and then he grabbed his pitcher and held it up. "To fatherhood!"

  "To fatherhood!" Axtin echoed, and the three of us clinked our pitchers.

  "To fatherhood," I whispered. It was hard to believe that, after fighting the Xathi, there'd be something even more challenging in my life. But fatherhood...well, that was an adventure I was more than willing to embark on.

  Seven

  Vrehx

  "What are you doing here?"

  Leaning back in my seat, I swiveled the chair around to find General Rouhr staring at me from the doorway. His arms were folded over his chest, and there was a serious expression on his face.

  "Just finishing some reports, sir," I replied, but that didn't seem to impress him. He arched one eyebrow and, holding my gaze, shook his head slightly. He looked disappointed.

  "It's late, Vrehx," he said. "Shouldn't you be home?"

  "It's not that late..." I started to say, but trailed off once I saw the time in the corner of my holoscreen. It was already past dinner time, and I had promised Jeneva I’d be at home on time. "Skrell," I muttered, and then quickly cleared my throat and straightened my back. "Sorry, sir. I lost track of time."

  "You're not trying to put in more hours because of the baby, are you?" Sighing, the general's expression finally relaxed. His disappointment gave way to concern. "Right now, the important thing is for you to be there for your family."

  "I appreciate that, sir," I smiled. Even after all this time, it still felt weird to hear people refer to me and Jeneva as a family. It also felt amazing. "It's just...there's a lot of work to be done, and we're extremely understaffed. I don't want to burden the others. I know that Jeneva's pregnant, but it wouldn't be fair for me to—"

  "It wouldn't be fair for you to leave your woman waiting," he cut me short. I was about to reply to that when he held one hand up, silencing me. "Go home, Vrehx."

  "Yes, sir." I nodded. "Thank you."

  Raking one hand over my face, I pushed myself up to my feet and followed the general out of the office. We parted ways in the corridor, and I made my way out of the building and toward the hangar where I had my hovercraft.

  When I finally got home, I started hearing the three women's voice even before I had the door unlocked. They were talking loudly, the laughter coming from the inside enough to put a smile on my face. Even though Renna could be annoying at times, I still liked having her around.

  "Look who decided to show up," Renna said as I stepped into the kitchen. There was flour all over the counter, and the three of them were wearing aprons.

  "Don't you have a watch?" Amira said, backing Renna. "Dinner's getting cold. And to think, poor Jeneva would dine alone if we weren't around.”

  I did my best not to frown. These two were always taking shots at me, but I didn't take it personally. It seemed like whenever women were together in a group, their sassiness levels increased tenfold. Especially when a pregnancy was involved.

  "Don't mind them," Jeneva chuckled, kissing my lips. She laid one hand on my face, and I felt the flour on her fingertips sticking to my skin.

  "What are you doing?" I looked at the oven, curious as I saw an orange glow coming from it.

  "Lemon cake," Jeneva replied. "I don't remember the last time I had one. Renna has some herbs that blend with it perfectly."

  "You're lucky you have us." Closing in on me, Amira poked me in the ribs with her elbow. "What would become of Jeneva without her man around?”


  "I didn't choose to be late," I said, and this time I couldn't stop myself from frowning. "There's a lot of work to be done, and we're massively understaffed as it is. I can't shirk my duties and responsibilities, and—"

  "C'mon, Vrehx," Amira laughed, patting my chest with her flour-covered hand. My frown deepened as I saw a thin mist of the white powder covering my uniform. "I'm just messing with you. I know you guys have been working hard. Dax always gets home late, as well. I can't remember the last time we had dinner together."

  Clearing my throat, I suddenly felt slightly embarrassed at my prickly attitude. Dax was one of the guys working extra shifts all the time, and it was obvious that Amira knew we were all drowning in work. She was just joking around, and I had started growing irritated, like an idiot.

  "Just wait until the baby's born," Renna added, that teasing glint in her eyes.

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "You'll stop working late soon enough," she explained. "I mean, you're going to be up all night."

  "Up all night?" I blinked at that, confused. "Why would I do that?"

  Renna arched one eyebrow, looking from Jeneva to Amira. "He doesn't know?" She asked them, and then she burst out laughing.

  "I didn't want to scare him," Jeneva admitted. "He told me Skotan babies only cry when they start dropping their first scales, so..."

  "Oh, Vrehx, you're in for a surprise then," Amira chuckled. "Human kids are always up during the night. You'll have to sleep in intervals."

  "That's not going to be a problem," I told them. Military life had prepared me for that. Hopefully, enough. "Is there something else I should know about?"