Encompassing Women: Book Four of the Encompassing Series

by Richard Lord

  “I might kill you long before that happens, but okay.” Destiny snarls in response.

  Harmony steps out of the craft. “We’re listening”

  After a few seconds Destiny nods at the concept. “I’m okay with that. Harmony is not.”

  Harmony screams, “Why should I choose to have someone else’s child instead of the person who I want to be with?”

  Again, thoughts race back and forth between the four of them.

  A month later, by the calendar they keep, Destiny walks into the hangar. Harmony notes the presence of Destiny and quickly exits the craft. She looks at the man next to her. Human, tallish, blonde, which surprises her. He’s very muscular. Destiny, with clear pride on her face gestures to him and says, “Meet Ken.”

  As Ken begins to step forward to kiss Harmony’s hand as a gesture of peace, having some knowledge of the situation, based on Destiny’s explanations, a figure exits the craft behind Harmony.

  Harmony turns and then turns to see her lover. Then she turns back to address Destiny smiling with her own pride. “Meet Alice.”

  Destiny looks at her and focuses hard to state that was not the plan, but she hears Alice’s mind and looks to Harmony for explanation.

  “Yes, Destiny, Alice is fully capable of impregnating me. I know that is what you were considering. Why do you always forget that sometimes I can hear you. Especially when you have emotional reactions.” Harmony steps back into the craft and Alice waves at Destiny and Ken then follows her new lover back into the craft.

  Destiny hears the thoughts, but she is taken off guard and works on coming up with a proper reaction. Ken looks to her for advice on what to do next. She looks at her own lover and says, “Interesting way for the Johnson bloodline to begin.” Her mind has still not encompassed the situation, but she looks at Ken. “Why don’t we go to your place. Do you still have that weird food I kind of like in a strange way? I do still I think it’s disgusting, but also enjoy the flavor because it’s so fleeting and I can’t get a hold of it.”

  Ken smiles at the comment, having seen her face the first time she ate it. “I have a better idea. Why don’t we get some rest in my bed first.”

  “There is never any rest in your bed. Nice try. Your click or mine?” Destiny begins to soften the look on her face.

  Ken looks at Destiny. He knows she is a very strong woman so he chooses his words carefully. “She still loves you. I could tell. You can hear everything, Destiny, so you know. You are just overthinking because you do have emotions.”

  Destiny looks at Ken. “You’re a good man. Thank you for understanding.” Then she reaches a hand to his wrist and they are in his bed. She kisses him as she begins to rub her body against his strong frame.

  CHAPTER 32

  “It may seem odd that my father was ultimately responsible for creating his own nemesis, but it wasn’t the first time. He didn’t think of himself. He could see the future in ways even Destiny could not.” – from the Book of Joy

  “I think I figured out what Destiny has always known.” Joy says, after popping in on her parents again.

  “Don’t tell me. I don’t know yet and you’ll effect time inadvertently if you do.” Renfield pulls the sheet over himself and his wife and then turns to look at his daughter. “You understand why don’t you?”

  “You haven’t already heard my thoughts?” Joy asks

  “Nope, I was kind of concentrating on your mother’s thoughts, but thanks for the visit.” Adam looks at Tomorrow and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

  Tomorrow sits up in the bed. “Joy, have you ever heard of boundaries?”

  “This speech again? I know you tow are like bunny rabbits, but it’s kind of important.” Joy clicks and returns with the fruit bowl from the kitchen.

  Adam grabs Tomorrow and clicks her to the kitchen. Joy again appears as Adam is wrapping himself in the sheet they were previously using. Then looks at joy with a bit of a scowl, but also awaiting what she has to say. Besides the fact that she is annoying, he does love his daughter very much and respects her insights. But he thinks out to her, “Don’t tell me the ending.”

  “Dad, it’s not like I know. I’m guessing. Destiny won’t ever say.” She throws a grape, but her father stands still and it bounces off of the wall behind him. “Well you’re not very playful today. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” She says knowing he is irritated with her for several reasons.

  “Just give us updates.” Renfield looks at her the way he did when she was young in that way that means, “Don’t annoy make me mad, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!”

  Joy knows the look well and doesn’t doubt it so she goes on, “Harmony gave birth. She named her son Joseph. My daughter has yet to become preggo, but she says she’s working very hard at it. The Ken guy is nice, but I don’t think that he is for her. That’s about it. They visited two days ago to give me the news. I got to hold him. I tried hard not to show my mixed reactions, but I suspect it may have been obvious. I know Destiny could hear my thoughts. It’s not easy raising a child that can do what she does.” Then she looks up at the ceiling, “I don’t think my husband and I are going to have another child. I think he is worn out worrying about Destiny, but he still does his job.” Destiny makes a gesture.

  Renfield shakes his head at his daughter. “Glad to hear the two of you are getting along so well. We’re going back to bed.” He doesn’t click, he looks at his daughter and blows her a kiss to take the edge off his anger towards her being so overt.

  Joy considers much and then says, “Oh yeah, I’m sorry. I will try to be more respectful.”

  Tomorrow rolls her eyes and says, “Wow, novel concept, Joy!” She gestures to the her own nudity and her husband wrapped in a sheet in his own kitchen.

  Something hits Renfield. “Joy, do you think you have traveled more time than Destiny?”

  Joy throws a grape into the air and catches it by clicking to it. “Yes. Destiny has a way of knowing things. She and Harmony are alike. Neither of them completely get that about each other. It’s interesting to get the updates on them from Destiny when I realize they don’t’ get each other and yet so completely do.”

  “Can you approximate how many years you’ve been?” Renfield asks.

  “Not as long as you, old man. Maybe a lot more. I flitter in and out of times. You tend to stay for the show. So I know you are much older than I will ever be.” Joy throws another grape. Renfield clicks and grabs it and crushes it before she can get to it.

  “I’ve survived. There are no guarantees. You saved me. I don’t forget that. But I am not so sure I will always be able to save you. We don’t share my rare condition.” Renfield remarks.

  Joy thinks very deeply about his statement. “I have to return to my husband. I just wanted to let you know that I love you two and thank you for such a beautiful life.”

  Tomorrow immediately says, “It would be less without you, for both of us.”

  Joy listens and then looks at her mother. “I understand. I’ve a daughter of my own out there trying to run the universe.” Her head goes down for a moment and then she raises it and says, “Speaking of which, you and I are doing amazing things for the three cities! Kind of weird to think of the fact that you are here now and yet there then or is that vice versa?”

  Renfield laughs. “Time is confusing!”

  CHAPTER 33

  “My daughter was many things. She was always cold, but also caring. She loved doing what she did because she always wanted to make a real difference in the universe. The difference between us was that I watched, she did.” – from the Book of Joy

  As the riot intensified, Xaltuth was doing his best to calm everyone by taking a stand at the podium, knowing it would be broadcast plant wide. “There is nothing that can come of this except to tear down the work that has been put into helping us grow as a planet. Please stop. I am asking that we all use judgment about what we wanted to accomplish in a multi-species planet.” His voice echoed th
rough the PA of the hall where people had come to hear his speech. Nothing is wrong and therefore nothing to rebel about. We can do this together.”

  A single shot rang out as a large lizard like creature wit wings swooped in and grabbed Xaltuth. “I thought you were doing other things?” Xaltuth commented while being held in a swoop in mid-air.

  “I am. I thought you knew when to lay low.” Brutus comments in return.

  As they land Xaltuth notices the blood running from Brutus, “That doesn’t look good. We need to go back and get one of the physicians to look at that, right away.”

  “That was an energy weapon. It left no actual projectile. For me, I’m fine. It may leave a scar. For you it would have been lethal.” Brutus thinks to Xaltuth, “This is your home away from home as you had always planned in case of emergency. Be well my friend, I have children to get Harmony to move.”

  Xaltuth smiles, “Congratulations. It’s been a while. I’ve heard Harmony has her own child now too.”

  “Indeed she does. I don’t quite like the look on his face, but then again, I’ve always thought the blue of your skin was odd.” Brutus raises his head and then knocks Xaltuth over with it.

  “Love ya too man?” Xaltuth says choking on the fact that he not only was about to lose his friend, but had to face his new reality. He really was in danger and only because he was the leader. He turned as Brutus flung himself into the air. Then he was truly shocked. “Destiny? How did you know about this, oh yeah, never mind.”

  “You did well. Now it’s time for me to speak. I wanted to thank you.” Destiny bows to the man she put in charge in absentia.

  Xaltuth bows back, but adds, “It’s too dangerous. While most are on our side, there are radicals on the other side. I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

  Destiny gives a hard stare at Xaltuth, “The people on ‘our side’ as you put it need to know they chose well. It is my job and I plan on doing my job.”

  Xaltuth understands. He simply turns and walks to the shelter he has setup so he can remind himself of how many supplies he has stowed.

  Destiny clicks. She uses time but wants to avoid issues, so the rewind is mere seconds and then she grabs Ken and clicks again. Again, she uses a time click and subtracts the seconds it took to grab Ken. As they appear she says, “You will introduce me since Xaltuth isn’t here. No prep, just go out and say as few words as possible. Be cheerful.”

  Ken walks to the podium cheering, “I don’t have to introduce Destiny.” He announces. “She is a the woman who caught my eye and I am sure all of yours. You made her planetary reagent for a reason. She’s made great choices for trade, she’s made great choices for keeping us all on the same track and she’s made great choices to make sure we all eat. Whatever, that may be for whatever species you may be or wherever you are from. So let’s all giver her a warm welcome and a thanks from the heart. I bring you Destiny!”

  Destiny begins to walk towards the podium. Another shot rings out. Ken goes down. She runs to him grabs him and clicks to the nearest care center. As they appear, she realizes she is too late. She looks up and Harmony is there. “I’m so sorry, Destiny.”

  “How did you know I would be here?” Destiny looks down at her mate with a sad look on her face.

  “It’s the place you brought me when I was in labor. It’s the same room even.” Harmony realizes she shouldn’t have mentioned that. Destiny never became pregnant and she was the one who wanted it most.

  “Am I that obvious?” Destiny turns with a stark look on her face.

  “I love you. To me, you are very obvious.” Harmony kneels next to her.

  “He’s gone, Harmony.” Destiny looks down trying to wrap her mind around the reality.

  “I know.” Harmony hugs Destiny then pulls her in tight. “I’m so sorry for you.”

  “He was there and now he’s not. I didn’t see that. What’s wrong with me that I can’t see things like that anymore?” A tear forms in the corner of Destiny’s eye as she looks at Harmony quizzically.

  “There’s nothing wrong with you Destiny. You’re growing out of the horrid curse that has been upon you. No one should be able to see so many things before they happen. If you had known he would cease, you would have never spent time with him. You and Ken both got to enjoy that time because you didn’t see this one. Do you understand?” Harmony hopes she has chosen her words well.

  Destiny begins crying, but looks up at Harmony, “Yes.”

  Harmony begins to lean in to kiss Destiny, but then she looks down at Ken’s body and decides it is inappropriate timing.

  Destiny hears the thought and reaches to Harmony’s chin and pulls her face into her own. After a few minutes, she releases her kiss and looks at Harmony, “Thank you. I still feel the same about you too.”

  Harmony looks back down at Ken’s body with a furrowed brow and then says, “So how does this all end?”

  Destiny looks at her, “You know I only know the possibilities. I don’t know. It’s either good or it’s bad.”

  “Yeah.” Harmony sighs and lowers her head in honor of Ken.

  “How are things with Alice?” Destiny asks to change the topic, which she finds very hard to do while they are leaning over the body of the person she spent countless nights with.

  “Alice is Alice. She is even more compliant than I am.” Harmony laughs.

  “So basically, boring as hell?” Destiny laughs but she is staring at Ken wondering what his burial wishes were.

  Harmony picks up on the look and says, “I assume he was from Earth, unless his parents were on our planet before he was born.”

  Destiny catches that Destiny is now calling it “our planet”, but she remains silent.

  “Either way, at some point he had have told you about a place he remembered fondly. I can get us there if you think of it for me.” Harmony reaches for her hand.

  Destiny smiles, for a moment. “I would like that. I do want to honor him.”

  They click and arrive on a farm. Destiny says, “We don’t have shovels,”

  Harmony says, “He was a clicker too. Watch this. I think it would be a heck of a goodbye and I think he would appreciate it.” She reaches down and picks Ken’s body up then she disappears and then her hand comes up out of the soil and reaches for help. Destiny looks down and grabs at the hand and pulls with all of her might as she sees Harmony’s head come out of the soil. She keeps pulling as hard as she can, wondering why Harmony didn’t just click out. She can see Harmony rising up. As her knee breaks soil, Destiny sees Harmony is kicking downwards and gasping for air.

  “Well I suppose that’s one way to do it. It is honorable, but I can’t lose you too.” Destiny stops, realizing that Harmony was as panicked as she was at the move. Destiny notes she didn’t hear the plan before Harmony out it into action, but that isn’t too unusual when it comes to Harmony. Harmony is still unpredictable, even for Destiny.

  Harmony begins spitting dirt from her mouth. “It was a lot worse than I thought!”

  They both laugh and then Destiny asks, “Can you get us back? You have a son.”

  “Actually, I let Alice bring him here. I’m now single and available if anyone is interested.” She brushes the soil from her hair with her fingers.

  “I am too, but I need time Harmony. It’s been mere hours. We weren’t’ married, we had no plans to marry, we weren’t in love, but Ken was a very nice man. I cared about him very much and he I. We had an understanding. Do you understand?”

  “Who said I was talking about you?” Harmony says with a grin.

  “So why would you let Alice take your child?” Destiny face winces at the thought.

  “Because, I know what Renfield is up to and I agree with his assessment. The universe would not be if it weren’t like it is. Radical changes would make it not what it is. Therefore, we make sacrifices to allow the universe to stay the same even if we suffer. Otherwise, we wouldn’t exist at all.”

  Destiny considers the thought and remembers a lesson a
bout the moon and waves and oxygen and ammonia that her mother learned from Renfield. “There would be no nitrogen cycle if the moon didn’t stir things up and by changing everything constantly, keeping everything the same. She looks at Harmony, “I see.” Then she looks down at the makeshift grave, takes a breath and says, “Well, I guess we are done here.”

  Harmony looks at her with absolute compassion knowing Destiny is blaming herself, “You can sleep in my bed tonight.”

  “Thank you, Harmony.”

  “You are my Destiny.”

  CHAPTER 34

  “I understood what my mother saw in Destiny. It had nothing to do with what she could do, it was how she went about doing it. She was strong willed and yet open at times. We came up with the plan together.” – from the Book of Harmony

  “Hey, ‘big tits’!” Destiny yells over her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  “No ‘small ass’, and neither are you.” Harmony had become a much more direct person over the year.

  “Okay, on three.” Destiny holds up two fingers over her should and begins the count, “One!”

  Harmony thinks to her as she clicks, “Well, why waste time I guess.”

  Destiny lands in the middle and her leg sweeps out to kick the first one. Harmony lands at the doorway and punches the first one to run in that direction in the solar plexus. As he goes down he produces a blade and finishes him while arcing the blade up and to her right to take the throat of the one trying to stop her. Several of the people in the room begin clicking. Harmony then rushes to Destiny and grabs her hand, “Did you memorize all of their destinations?”

  “Of course. Let’s go.” Destiny and Harmony click and appear in a bar. Destiny holds up her hand at the patrons, “Your all fine, but he’s not.” She throws the knife in her hand and watches to be sure her aim was true. It pierces the man through the heart and he falls before he can click again. Destiny reaches for another blade with one hand and for Harmony’s hand with the other. “Next!” They click again.