by Renee Duke
Ramsweir was told to take Cholar at all costs, and so, at what proved to be great cost, he attacked with the forces he had. Appalled by the resulting decimation of their forces, Shavo and Orec retreated with what was left and repudiated their AUP memberships. With the exception of Lurgos (whose fleet was completely destroyed), every other AUP-member planet in the Zaidus system did the same, and the leaders of Yaix had recently proposed the formation of a new planetary association, with a different name, different rules, and different values. Cholar had been asked to help set it up and the Supreme Council had the request under consideration.
Whether or not the new association would extend beyond the Zaidus system was not yet known, but quite a lot of planets in other star systems had expressed interest. AUP’s membership was shrinking daily and the Directorate’s latest machinations were sure to strengthen the position of the secret envoys from Heltiga, Delveck, and Ralgon who’d been working to undermine AUP’s negotiations with its most recently contacted worlds. There was a good chance the old Association was soon only going to be comprised of the Directorate’s home worlds and pet planets, and Anti-Directorate feelings were even starting to emerge on some of them. Including, according to Nate and Leo’s father, Earth.
As to Nate and Leo, Chief Rupin said Leo had tried to bring the zoomer down intact to increase the chances of finding the pods, but soon realized he couldn’t and knowing Nate wouldn’t leave without him, joined his brother in the last two-person pod. It ejected just in time and landed in the wasteland, where they could see smoke from the zoomer billowing up past the lone mountain. They headed for the wreckage and were picked up by a rescue patrol that was also making for it. Overjoyed to hear all the pods had ejected, Taz ordered a full-out search of Chorathase.
With electronic search devices being of little use, he had to rely on air cars and ground patrols. There was no shortage of volunteers for either, but he refused to risk people who were not experienced pilots, like Trithox and his son, or experienced Chorathase guides like Ezrias’s parents and Ezrias himself, who had been trained by them in his youth. Mardis cited his successful expeditions into Chorathase as proof he was qualified for ground search work too, but both his mother, Dowager Queen Zelara, and Verim threatened to call the ghost of his father down on him if he even thought about it, and he’d had to be content with riding in an air car with Varthox.
Brak and Grak were not considered experienced enough to join the ground patrols either and got packed off home. They weren’t too happy about it and were even more miffed when they found out Leo and Nate, who were only three years older, were being allowed to help. But then, Leo had proved himself a pretty good pilot.
“Young Leo was quite adamant about going out to look for his ‘little buddy’ and the rest of you, and we didn’t want him taking off without being under supervision,” said Chief Rupin. “His brother has been assisting law enforcement officers with the apprehension of those who engineered Drazok’s return to Cholar and helped him remain hidden here. The boy seems to have a keen insight into where fugitives might seek refuge, and most have now been rounded up.” He paused. “To be honest, I never thought Drazok would dare go directly to Cholar to oversee his proposed takeover in person. But that was exactly what he did. I should not have underestimated his arrogance. I only knew myself to be in error when tracers showed the missiles being fired at you were coming from the planet’s surface. Though my men quickly located the launch site, Drazok had gone. It would seem that, rather than try to escape, he chose to pursue you into Chorathase. I am eager to hear what transpired between you but am willing to wait until others are present. You must be weary and won’t want to keep giving account of it.”
We were weary, and completely unprepared for the reception we received at the palace. A lot of people were waiting outside it when we landed and Taz and Vostia barely let the air car stop before they ran forward to clasp their offspring to their bosoms. Closely followed by Prince Mardis, Princess Zovia, Maranta, Sub-Ruler Tolith, and Sub-Queen Galya. Even Lord Verim and Lady Atrellia came at as fast a pace as their years allowed. Beneath their jubilation, they all looked like wrecks, and I was a little shaken by the depths of feeling they had acquired for us in such a short time as our guardians.
Zovia and Mardis were so distressed by Simon’s wounds — which by then included a facial bruise that was beginning to show — they took him straight to their apartment to have them fully attended to. They even summoned the royal pediatrician. Unused to having people make such a big deal over minor injuries, he looked torn between gratification and bewilderment as he was carried — literally carried — off.
The same applied to Arlyne. She appeared quite breathless after a bear hug from Tolith and was moved to tears by Galya’s gentler kisses and caresses. They also lamented over missing her birthday and vowed to make it up to her with a huge, belated celebration as soon as we recovered from our ordeal.
Kirsty came in for affectionate, but more refined hugs from Verim and Atrellia, and was shortly called inside to respond to a video communication from her parents, who had resigned from AUP’s service and were on their way to Cholar.
Having been out on a ground patrol, Ezrias did not arrive until later, but I got my share of kisses and caresses from Maranta. Brak and Grak were there too, and although we’d never met seemed just as thrilled to see me as she was.
She also bestowed a smile on Jip, but Jip had her own welcoming committee. Her parents and brother had been brought to Cholar by a high-speed Sustran ship and they hurried forward as well, eager to embrace her and do that mutually comforting mental exchange thing Vorlans do.
Challa was quite a chatterbox at any time, and soon had her parents hanging on her every word, since, despite Taz’s prediction of early speech, Kadi couldn’t talk yet. That he could now crawl was, they said, a source of both reassurance and regret. Reassurance that he was achieving his developmental milestones and regret they hadn’t been there when he achieved that one. Back in his mother’s arms, he was his happy little self again, though I did warn everyone he’d shown himself capable of expressing displeasure in a big way.
“As I’ve long suspected,” Verim said with a sigh.
Encouraged to talk about our adventures, we told almost everything to everyone. But Jip had mentally proposed, and the rest of us had agreed, that Taz should be the first to hear about the Zguri. And since three-year-olds can’t provide much in the way of real detail, he was glad of our account of the ‘pretty flowers’ when we were summoned to him the next day. Upon hearing it, and about Drazok’s real intentions — something else we’d held back — he took us before the Supreme Council and had us repeat it all to them, as well as Chief Rupin, Ezrias, and Mr. Skoko.
All of them were astounded, and Ezrias ready to resign his position over not having known of Drazok’s lineage.
“Do not reproach yourself, my friend,” Taz told him. “Do you think I expect you to be familiar with of the ancestry of everyone on Cholar?”
“No. But I should have been familiar with that of everyone on the Supreme Council. To be ignorant of the fact one of them was descended from the only royal house to ever be expelled from it is inexcusable.”
“Not to me,” said Taz. “But if he indeed was, I wonder how he planned to get around the decree regarding AUP membership. As a non-royal, he might not have had to uphold it, but as a royal, he would.”
“I’m sure he would have thought of something.” Ezrias looked around. “Be advised, from here on in, I shall be making it my business to trace the family allegiances of all seated here.”
“A wise precaution,” said Mr. Skoko, and then, looking directly at us — this time with no hint of a smile — added, “It is always advisable to know your enemies.”
“I’m sure he will find no enemies,” said Taz. “The Council was purged of Drazok’s adherents last year. And being descended from a family that once opposed Beom cannot be considered a crime. Most of them did, at first.”
&nbs
p; “Including mine,” said Tolith, “But the House of Kurth is loyal to the House of Beom now and was one of the first to become so. We never got on with the House of Jexl and my ancestors exulted in its removal from the Supreme Council.”
“But you never actually suspected Drazok of being of the House of Jexl, did you?” Ezrias asked, now on full alert for family antipathies and allegiances.
“No. Just never liked the fellow.”
“Neither did I,” said Sub-Ruler Halid. “I am indebted to the Zguri for ridding us of him. And on Zerrix’s Ledge, too, which was most appropriate.”
“What of the Zguri?” Crown Councilwoman Ophala asked. “How shall we proceed as regards them?”
“Mardis and I will go and speak with them,” Taz replied. “Thank them for the care they took of my children. And both of us over the years. I will also assure them that any contact between the First and Second Nations of Cholar will be in accordance with their wishes. They will not, for example, be subjected to busloads of tourists going out to view their cave.”
Crown Councilman Tebris chuckled. “I would imagine Chorathase will remain too inhospitable for that anyway. And after what happened to Drazok, I wouldn’t advise anyone to go against the Zguri’s wishes.”
I wouldn’t, either.
Though Kirsty spoke with her parents several times over the next few days, mine didn’t get around to contacting me and my siblings for almost a week, when we, Taz, Vostia, Kirsty, Jip, Jip’s family, our guardians, and Chief Rupin were assembled for a farewell meal with Mr. Skoko, who was returning to Ralgon. The meal finished, we were all sitting in the parlour listening to him tell us about the recently determined workings of the self-destruct mechanism on the two Lurgosian ships that had attacked us. Their captains’ resolve having been somewhat less fervent than Zyoth’s, they’d been considered spoils of war and hauled back to Ralgon, where engineers had been quite intrigued by the device. And possibly irked that they hadn’t come up with it first.
“Is your government now going to have them make a new, improved model?” Chief Rupin asked.
“No, it’s going to have them make something that will either disable that one or counteract its effects. Perhaps turning them back on enemies, much like your domes.”
It was at that point a servant entered the room. “Excuse me, Your Majesties. Mr. and Mrs. Brent are aboard a ship heading to Earth and are asking to speak to their children. Shall I have the call put through to them in here?”
“Yes. Unless you would prefer to converse with them in another room?” Vostia looked at me, the eldest, inquiringly.
“No,” I said. “In here is okay.”
Knowing our parents’ probable mood, I didn’t really want us coming face to face with them on our own, even if it was just onscreen. Still upset by their callous disregard for our safety, I suspect Vostia didn’t want us to either. Arlyne and Simon didn’t challenge my decision, and both squeezed my hand for support when we went to stand in front of the communications console.
That our parents were coldly furious was evident from my father’s first words.
“So. Supping at the royal palace. You’re doing well for yourselves. Which is more than we are, now that AUP’s ruin is imminent.”
“You’ve got Ramsweir and the rest of the Directorate to thank for that,” I said.
“Oh, no. No, we have you to thank for that, once more placing alien interests ahead of those of your own family.”
Emboldened by the near presence of our guardians who, sensing our apprehension, had moved in behind us, I came back with, “Must be following in your footsteps then, because you’ve always put AUP’s interests ahead of ours.”
“AUP’s interests were your interests. Or should have been. AUP had a chance to return to its former power. Power you and Simon were instrumental in diminishing in the first place. And now, along with Arlyne — the one child we thought might eventually become a credit to us — you have destroyed any chance of that. But I don’t expect that to be of concern to you.”
“Why should it be? You didn’t have any concerns about what might happen to us when you told Ramsweir where we were and knew he’d tell Drazok. He tried to kill us, incidentally. Would have, if some new friends of ours hadn’t come along.”
My mother’s response to this was a contemptuous sniff. “As usual, Andromeda, you are falling prey to your tendency to be overly dramatic. Ambrose assured us you’d come to no harm. Drazok had no reason to hurt you. Or the royal children either. He simply wanted to use them as leverage to obtain certain concessions from Cholar’s Supreme Ruler.”
“He wanted a lot more than that. Such as to become Cholar’s Supreme Ruler. And was prepared to do anything to make that happen. Sort of like you. Everything’s always been about you, and how far up AUP’s ladder you could climb. Well, we’ve broken the rungs. Again. Sorry about that. But, if I had to, I’d do it all over again.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” my father replied. “But your disgraceful Cholarian sympathies are no longer of account. If the Association is disbanded, as I believe it will be, we will find other ways to make a success of ourselves. Nothing along the lines of what we had planned, of course, but we’ll get by. And just to be certain, we will not be picking you up and taking you back to Earth with us. We have no intention of subjecting ourselves to further betrayal by resuming custody of ungrateful offspring with no sense of filial duty. As of now, all three of you are hereby disowned.”
Every Cholarian in the room gasped in horror. So did Kirsty. And Jip and her family. I suspect even Mr. Skoko recoiled a bit.
I didn’t. But then, I’d already started to disown them sitting on an island in the middle of Chorathase.
I think Simon had as well, and Arlyne possibly even before that, because she threw back her shoulders and said, “Good. I didn’t want to go back to Earth with you anyway.”
“Or anywhere,” said Simon.
“Neither did I,” I asserted.
Taz stepped in from the side. “And I had no intention of returning them to your custody unless they desired it. Which it would appear they do not.”
“Mutually agreeable, then,” said my father, using one of his favourite recruiter phrases. “I will supply any papers required. Maybe you can talk their guardians into taking them on permanently.”
Moving forward, Mardis placed his hands on Simon’s shoulders and said, “Persuasion will not be required, sir. That we are childless has been a source of great sorrow to Princess Zovia and myself. We are well beyond delighted to have a son to call our own.”
“And Maranta and I a daughter,” Ezrias avowed.
“I never did think one daughter was enough,” said Tolith. “My wife and I are not too old to raise another.”
My father shrugged. “Once again, mutually agreeable.”
“And we wish you joy of them,” said my mother.
“That I know they will have,” Taz assured them as, without as much as a side glance at us, they ended the transmission.
As we turned away from the console, Verim said, “I believe Atrellia and I are too old to raise another daughter. Particularly one as…vibrant as Kirsty. But since her parents will soon be here to reclaim her, that will not be necessary. And you do not have to worry about losing contact with her as the MacGregors have requested, and been granted, permission to remain on Cholar and become Cholarian citizens.”
Kirsty, who had known about this but hadn’t wanted to say anything, now beamed and turned to Mardis. “I’ll have them pick up that kitten and puppy for you when they stop by Yaix to sort oot oor things.”
He smiled. “That would be much appreciated.”
But I could tell from the way he and Zovia were looking at my brother that those additions to his household would never be as precious to him as Simon already was.
Kirsty looked at Jip. “Och, maybe your family should move here too.”
Jip shook her head. “No. We are much too fond of our own world for that. But I will
definitely still come here for visits.”
“Preferably, less harrowing visits than you have experienced to date,” said her mother.
“No guarantee of that,” said Mr. Skoko. “Not while she has these other young people for friends.” But I swear his eyes were twinkling.
Jip’s father smiled at Kirsty. “Jipthidovrillavorimvaisse will still be here for a while yet. As will we, for Professor Lur-Rithos has told us of some very interesting ruins we would like to examine.” (Translation—help fellow archaeologists dig up every inch of.)
There was a bit more talk, but eventually people began to take leave of their hosts, and this time, three of us weren’t just going back to temporary lodgings provided by people serving as temporary guardians. For the first time in our lives, Arlyne, Simon, and I were going home.
Because home isn’t always the place you come from. It isn’t a specific planet, country, or town. It isn’t even the house or apartment you live in.
Home is where the people who love you are.
We have that now.
We also have weekly sessions with a counsellor to help us handle any resentments or insecurities we might be harbouring over being rejected by our biological parents. Which we probably are, but I’m sure that, in time, we’ll get over it.
All three of us have been legally adopted, and since adopted means ‘as born to’, Simon is now a Prince of Cholar, Arlyne a Sub-Princess, and me, well, until my titles and offices become more than symbolic, I’m still a commoner, but the name Andromeda Anne Lur-Rithos is one I’m quite content with.
I think it suits me.
The End
Books by Renee Duke from Books We Love
The Time Rose Series
