Gateway to HeVan

by Lucy Kelly

  “I won’t lie to you, Addie; there were a few who had a problem with it at first. However, as time has gone by, they’ve all become so involved with their Ankida and their new futures, the unhappiness didn’t last. None were so unhappy they contemplated terminating their pregnancies. It was just a case of emotional overload. I’m closely monitoring all the women—not just during their pregnancies, but also afterwards—both their physical and mental health. I’m concerned about post-partum depression,” said Catherine.

  “While I think it’s a good idea to prepare, don’t borrow trouble. You need to spend time on the good things and not dwell on problems which may never come to pass. Now, we need to change the subject. When, exactly, am I going to hold these babies in my arms instead of my belly? How soon can I expect to engage in monkey sex with my Ankida?” asked Addie.

  “You’ve actually reached the point in your gestation when most people carrying sextuplets either go into labor or have a planned Cesarean. Since we’re lucky enough to have this advanced medical technology available to us, every day we keep those babies inside you adds to their chances of being born with healthy lungs and a better birth weight. It’s even more vital now for you to consume enough calories. You should be eating about six thousand calories per day,” Catherine reminded Addie.

  “Yeah, yeah, nag, nag. I’m eating so much I’m worried about wearing down my teeth. Those special shakes are over a thousand calories each. I’m remaining calm and avoiding stress. Well, except for this morning. I plan to hold out as long as I can. My daughters are going to have the best possible chance for full term growth. The guys are giving me massages daily to help my circulation and keep my skin moist and pliable. I’m counting on you to do some real magic with flabby skin and stretch marks once these babies are born. I’m going to need to look sexy for all the monkey sex. Oh, and I’m going to need condoms, too,” said Addie.

  “Sounds like you’re doing everything you should be doing. Let me do a quick scan on the girls, take your pulse and blood pressure. Then I’m going to tell your Ankida it’s safe to come back in and you can have a modified make-up session. No acrobatics,” she said, getting up from the chair she’d been sitting in.

  “Have two and call you in the morning?” joked Addie.

  Catherine just laughed and headed out. She wasn’t surprised to find Rune waiting in the hallway. She would have been more surprised if he hadn’t been there.

  “Rune, I’ve given her a prescription. I’m expecting you to take care of it,” she said.

  “Of course,” he said, before quickly turning and entering through the doorway.

  He was only a little curious as to why Catherine was laughing as she walked down the hallway.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Natalie woke up; it took her a minute to figure out where she was. She was alone in bed, which was unusual. Peet or Reeko were usually there with her. The fog in her mind cleared and she remembered what happened, again. Tears gathered in her eyes but she didn’t let them fall. She needed to pull herself together. She’d never felt her babies move or kick. She knew they didn’t have arms, legs, hearts or brains, but she did believe they had souls. Now she prayed those lost souls would come back into her life.

  Part of her wanted to stay in bed and lose herself in sleep but life had to be lived. The one thing she knew for sure, though, was that if she became pregnant right away and lost another baby, it would destroy her. Using condoms didn’t work. While she loved the sex and the closeness she felt with her Ankida when they came together, she knew she was going to have to put the brakes on sex for the time being. It worried her a little; they’d only been together for a couple of weeks. So far, sex had been a large part of their relationship. Would they still want her when they knew she had no plans to put out?

  She decided to get dressed and find her friend, Jennifer. She felt a little guilty because since meeting Peet and Reeko, she and Jennifer had spent so little time together. Up until then, they had been best friends since college. First, sharing a dorm room, then an apartment—they were total BFFs and she knew Jen would help her get her emotions under control.

  She went to the bathroom to shower and take care of her other personal needs. Then she put on her softest and most comfortable jeans. After adding a tank top—she didn’t need a bra—her boobs were on the smaller side and very firm; she walked over to the other side of the room and opened the closet her Ankida used. Even if she wasn’t having sex with them, she needed to be close to them right now. Grabbing a shirt at random, she held it under her nose for a moment before putting it on, hmm—Peet. Luckily, it was short-sleeved and the cuffs hit just past her elbows, the hem falling to her knees. She didn’t bother using the front closures, wearing it like a coat instead.

  Lifting it up for another sniff and a rub against her cheek, she brushed her hair and put on some mule slippers and left. One look at the clock and she knew Jennifer would be in her restaurant prepping for lunch service.

  In the medical bay, Peet and Reeko were lying on beds side-by-side. They were being treated with an antidote for the poison, which had entered their bloodstream when they went for a swim after joining with Natalie. Peet was also treated for a broken hand. When he had been told of the cause of his mate’s miscarriages, he blamed himself. He’d also been wearing the condom which broke.

  In his anger and misery, he’d punched the wall. Fist meets bulkhead and bulkhead wins. He’d broken fifteen bones in his hand and jammed his wrist. The surgery had been delicate. His hand was going to be immobilized for the next ten days to allow it to heal. Then he’d need to perform special exercises to make sure he didn’t lose any mobility. Other than feeling like a complete idiot, he worried he wouldn’t be able to give Natalie the help she needed because he’d acted so rashly.

  The treatment for the poison meant they wouldn’t be able to have sex for a couple of days and they would be sterile for a week or ten days. It didn’t bother them at all; knowing they would no longer bring harm to Natalie was most important.

  “I know she was sedated, but who is staying with her?” Reeko asked Delpha, the head medical officer.

  “Catherine asked Gilda if she would sit with her. She is an older woman who has been through much in her own life. I agreed with her assessment,” said Delpha.

  “Good, I hate the thought of her waking up alone,” said Reeko.

  When Gilda arrived at Natalie’s quarters, she used the passcode to enter. Only she found the bed empty. Being an older woman with a great deal of experience of the world and young women, she correctly guessed where young Natalie would be. In the mood for a good cup of coffee and perhaps a pastry of some type, she gathered up her sister, Carol, and followed Natalie to Jennifer’s restaurant. Maybe she would give Jennifer her mother’s recipe for Kugel.

  Gilda knocked on the door and wasn’t surprised to see Natalie and Jennifer sitting at a counter in the kitchen of Jennifer’s restaurant.

  “Hello, girls, would you mind some company? Carol and I would enjoy some coffee and some girl talk,” said Gilda. She walked over and gave Natalie a hug. “Carol and I have both been in your shoes. As hard at it is, you get through it and you go on, yes? You are strong. Take the time you need to grieve for what you lost, have a good cry, yes? Also, isn’t it wonderful you know what caused it? Me, I blamed myself for a long time. Was it something I ate? Was it something I did? The guilt—Oy Vey! However, we know your troubles were caused by that nasty man. Aren’t you glad you killed him?”

  Natalie was listening to Gilda ramble on, even as she gave her a hug. She then stepped away and picked up the coffee pot. Carol had already put out two additional cups and spoons. It took a minute, but Gilda’s words started to finally penetrate her brain. When they did, she gasped.

  “They know what caused it?”

  “I’m sorry. I should have realized they didn’t have a chance to explain it to you.”

  Gilda took her hand and told her of BianCa’s discovery and the antidote. Her Ankida
were even now being treated for the poison in their bodies.

  “It is my fault! I asked if we could go to the planet to join!”

  “No! If anyone is to blame, it’s that horrible man. You are not at fault, believe that.”

  Suddenly, Natalie missed her own mother. She died when Natalie was twenty. At this moment, she wished her mother were here. Tears began to fall and her body shook with her sobs.

  Gilda simply walked over and quietly took her in her arms. She lightly brushed her hand down over Natalie’s hair. “That’s right, little one, cry it out.”

  Carol and Jennifer, seeing the tears as a catharsis that Natalie needed, drank their coffee and waited, giving silent support. Finally, after several minutes, the storm of tears ceased. Easing her up from her bosom, Gilda handed Natalie the handkerchief she kept with her.

  “Blow your nose. Good! Now, have a nice cup of tea with honey and lemon for your throat. Don’t be surprised if you need to cry again. Everyone is different. Don’t let anybody else tell you how to grieve or for how long. Only you know, here in your heart,” Gilda said, placing her hand between Natalie’s breasts and giving her a pat. “For now, we will help Jennifer chop and mix things while we talk. Maybe we make some Challah, yes?” she asked with a smile and Natalie nodded her head.

  “Good girl,” Gilda answered at her nod.

  “Gilda, I think you should give Jennifer our mother’s recipe for Kugel,” said Carol.

  “We will try the Challah first and then see what happens, yes?”

  “Yes, sister,” said Carol.

  Natalie took a drink of the hot tea Jennifer had prepared the moment Gilda suggested it.

  “Gilda, did you say the duke is the one who made me lose my babies?”

  “Yes, love; he’s actually the reason why the women of the KowLer didn’t get pregnant and why so many of them had miscarriages. He put something in the water, which caused sterility in the men. If they did manage to get their women pregnant, they miscarried. He was a horrible man,” said Gilda.

  “I was feeling bad about having to take a life. I wasn’t sorry I did it. He needed to be stopped but I was wishing I hadn’t had to be the one to do it. I’m so over it now. I’d like to kill him all over again,” said Natalie with a sniffle, her voice still catching on unshed tears.

  “Don’t dwell on him now. He’s gone and good riddance. Just remember you didn’t do anything to bring this on yourself. There is nothing wrong with you or your Ankida,” said Gilda.

  Natalie’s head shot up. “Are they all right? I should go to them.”

  Gilda put a hand on her arm, giving her sister a look. “No, they are fine. Men don’t like to have women around when they have to have medical procedures involving their schlong. You stay here for a time and then bring them some nice chicken soup later, yes? I’ll show you how to make it. Do we have some alien chickens?” she asked Jennifer, causing Natalie and Carol to laugh, just the way she planned.

  It was a start.

  When Natalie kept picking up the edge of the large shirt she was wearing and burying her face in it, Gilda knew she would be alright in time.

  Chapter Twenty

  Malpha was nervous. For the first time in three hundred years, she would see the men she thought would become her Ankida. Now it would never happen. Instead, they had fulfilled the destiny the Goddess meant for them and she was being pushed onto an alien king who could probably have any woman he wanted. In addition, he was probably shorter than her in the bargain.

  Cassandra came into the room, took one look at Malpha and knew what she was thinking.

  “Pity party?” she asked. “Is it pot luck?”

  Malpha, engrossed in her own misery, didn’t notice Cassandra at first. “What? Oh, it’s you. Did you ask me something?”

  “It doesn’t matter; I was just being snarky. Everything is going to be okay, you know. Seer girl, remember?” asked Cassandra.

  “I believe you, Cassandra. I also know the future can be changed,” said Malpha.

  “Yes, it can, by you. You need to decide what type of relationship you intend to have and then work toward making it your reality. My mom gave me this advice a long time ago and I didn’t listen. I don’t think I even understood what she meant. I do now and it was good advice. You aren’t an idiot, so you already know that,” said Cassandra.

  “Thank you,” Malpha said in a dry voice.

  “So, other than the ‘woe is me’ thing, whatcha doin’?” asked Cassandra.

  “Just making notes on all the information I know about the various Council members. I wasn’t able to spend enough time with Glynnis and both she and the Nam-Nin will need to know what they’re dealing with.”

  “Well, you’ll be able to tell her in person because we’re going to be docking in about an hour. You know, I thought traveling in space was going to be exciting. What it is, if you don’t have a job, is boring. There isn’t a lot to do and the scenery doesn’t really change. So I’m going to be happy to be back on the bigger ship. At least there’s stuff to do,” she said.

  “What do you do?” asked Malpha.

  “There’s a movie theatre and they even have movies I haven’t seen yet. Sometimes I help out Jennifer in her restaurant. Who knew I’d be getting a job as a waitress out here, of all places? Then sometimes, I’m a greeter for people wanting to see the queen, you know? Sometimes I just hang out with my friend, Marta. She makes the most amazing jewelry and I like to watch.”

  “It sounds like a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever done any of those things in all my years,” said Malpha musingly.

  “If you want to try, I’ll show you. Though I don’t think you’re the type to be a waitress. You’re hostess material.”

  Malpha had no idea what a waitress or a hostess was but she knew if she wanted to be a waitress, she would succeed. There was only one thing at which she had never succeeded and now she knew it was never meant to be.

  Cassandra thought she had distracted Malpha but realized it hadn’t lasted for long. Oh, well, she’d tried. During the time they’d been traveling back to the ship Addie was on, she’d gotten to know Malpha. She knew she’d been unhappy for a very long time. She was too skinny for her height and showed all the signs of stress.

  Cassandra had been worried about her dad and had read up on all the symptoms of heart attack and stroke. Her dad was fine; but she had learned to recognize killer stress when she saw it. Malpha was hanging on by a thread.

  ****

  Arjun came into the room where Addie was drinking a protein shake and watching a movie with her sister. In deference to Grace’s injury, they were watching an action movie instead of a comedy; it still hurt Grace to laugh.

  “Addie, the shuttle is docking. Lady Malpha has arrived. She will be here shortly,” Arjun informed her.

  “Good, is everything ready the way I asked?” Addie answered.

  “Yes, all is arranged. I’ll get my brothers and we’ll meet with Grace’s Ankida. Jett has some new invention he wants to show us.”

  “Wonderful! Go now, and make sure the guards in the hallway act appropriately,” she said.

  While she wasn’t snapping at them anymore, she was still a little upset about the situation. Arjun and his brothers felt guilty, but they also felt manipulated. The Council members were in for a surprise when they all arrived on HeVan.

  When the shuttle pulled into the docking bay, Cassandra and Malpha were both ready to disembark. The shuttle would refuel and then stand ready to take Malpha and her possessions down to KowLer. Until then, Malpha carried one small bag. She didn’t think she’d be on the ship for more than one day, if that.

  “Follow me. I know what cabin you’ll be staying in,” said Cassandra as they left the shuttle and started walking toward the door. Cassandra also had some luggage, but she hadn’t unpacked it all for her trip to HeVan.

  Even Cassandra was surprised to open the door from the shuttle bay and find Natalie and Maggie in the hallway talking. Both of the women
looked up and smiled when they saw Malpha and Cassandra.

  “Hey, Cassie—is this Malpha?” asked Natalie.

  “Yes. Malpha, this is Natalie and Maggie. They are both joined to Nephilim,” explained Cassandra.

  Before Malpha could say anything, Natalie stepped forward and gave her a hug. “Welcome aboard, sister,” she said before stepping back.

  Malpha might have said something then, but Maggie stepped forward next and also gave Malpha a hug.

  “Thank you so much for keeping the home fires burning. We’re going to have so much fun!”

  Cassandra quickly picked up on what was happening and had a hard time keeping a straight face. Natalie grabbed Malpha’s bag and led the way.

  “We’re all meeting at Jennifer’s. Even Addie got permission; they carried her in a couple of hours ago. Grace is on bed-rest, too, so they’re watching a movie. They decided a marathon of sci-fi B-movies was called for, so be prepared for humongous insects and death by high-voltage power lines. I had a lot of woman time a few days ago and—let’s just say I really needed it. So when I made the suggestion to Addie, she went for it,” said Natalie.

  “You’re looking good. How are you feeling?” asked Cassandra.

  “I’m better now. I still get weepy but it’s better now since we found out the cause. My guys are restricted to the medical bay for another day. Peet is because of the injury to his hand—and Reeko, because he had a reaction to the antidote. I have orders to stay away so I’ve spent the day at Jennifer’s place. She and Gilda are the ones who came up with the girl’s night out idea.”

  “Oh, wow, this will be my first one. Malpha, you’re in for a treat. With so few women still on HeVan, girl’s night out must not happen too often, huh?” Cassie asked.

  “I’m unfamiliar with this term,” said Malpha in a strange voice.

  She was sure she’d entered an alternate reality. Everyone was behaving so strangely. A few minutes later, when they entered what the female named Natalie called a restaurant, she was sure of it. Stretched across the wall on the other side of the room was a banner which said, WELCOME, MALPHA. She had barely taken it all in, when more women than she had ever seen in one place together at one time rushed over and started hugging her. All of them were pregnant.