The Star Captains' Daughter

by Kimber An

  Thankfully, emergency medical technicians were right there.

  Chapter 2

  Olivia ran behind a hover-gurney into the habitat‘s medical facility. “Where’s Isaiah?”

  Before Junior, Sachi never missed a beat or lost her breath. “Still on his date with the blue lady from the banquet!” Her chest heaved and her rosebud lips tensed into a white line.

  “I didn’t grant shore leave to the whole damn crew!”

  “I’ll post guard, Captain.”

  "And find Isaiah!" Olivia chased the Intari doctors through the sliding doors. She knew they were competent enough, but Isaiah had caught Junior when she was born.

  Hours later, Junior’s green eyes fluttered open, waking in a medical bed. So much like her father, except for the hair. She had his strong nose and pouty lips.

  “How do you feel?” Olivia brushed a red curl from her daughter’s ruddy cheek. She’d failed. All those years of so desperately wanting to be a mother, and she‘d failed her only child.

  “Fine. Where am I?”

  “Hospital. Do you remember sliming Admiral Jackson and falling from the ceiling?”

  “Oh, yes!” Junior laughed, a few red curls popping down the middle of her forehead.

  “You were nearly killed!” Olivia rubbed her right temple, memory racing. Fighter pilots. She should’ve known better than to mix her genes with one.

  “Yeah, completely crackling!” Junior busted up with new laughs. “Did you see Jackson’s face?” She mocked the shock and busted up some more. Holding her sides, she fell right over laughing, a tray of medical instruments clattering down on her. "I'm sorry!" She tried to put the instruments back, but knocked over a hydration pole with her elbow. It crashed down on a medical monitoring computer. Sparks flew.

  Olivia hoisted her daughter into the bed, wrenching out her back in the process. “Oh, God…” Her baby was growing up. Way up. She grabbed the side of the bed with one hand and her lower back with the other and wondered if she’d ever stand up straight again.

  The girl was over 20 centimeters taller than her, and still growing. Her feet and legs grew at a faster rate than the rest of her body, giving her a lanky, colt-like appearance.

  Nurses rushed in. Glancing around, they went right to work, cleaning up.

  "Junior, Junior… " Olivia grabbed her daughter's hands.

  The girl cried, face trembling red. "I'm sorry!“ A far computer distracted her. “Is that a new kind of internal imaging device? Why am I freaking out? What’s to eat?”

  "Junior, listen to my voice." Olivia breathed relief when the girl looked up. “You suffered some neural trauma and the Intari physician needed to neutralize your ADHD meds. This isn’t your fault. Do you understand?”

  “I want Isaiah.” Junior’s lower lip trembled, tears dribbling on it.

  “I know. I want Isaiah too. He’ll be here soon and everything will be all right.” I’m the worst mother in the galaxy. “Are you hungry?"

  Junior nodded. “May I have some banana pancakes please?”

  “Chef is bringing them from the Maverick. He blames himself for not making sure you ate a good breakfast before we left the ship this morning.” Olivia smoothed a finger over the girl’s forehand and watched her slump over in the pillow.

  Junior frowned. “There was a boy.”

  “A boy?” Olivia took her hand. She’s fifteen years old. Of course, she met a boy. “What was his name?” Oh, God, I hope she didn’t forget The Talk.

  Tears gathered and spilled over Junior’s eyelashes. “I can’t…I can’t remember.”

  Memory loss. Olivia’s stomach twisted into knots. Again.

  “I liked him very much.” Junior looked up. “I can see him with my waking eyes. I can see…” her head slumped the other way “…him.” She swallowed. “I can’t…I can’t remember his name. I can’t…” Sniff. “I want to remember.”

  “Well.” Olivia took in a deep breath and let it go. “You make friends so easily. I’m sure you told him your name and what ship you live on. If it’s meant to be, he’ll find you.”

  “I miss him.” Junior sniffed a tear. “I miss him a lot.”

  I know how you feel. Olivia squeezed her hand and said nothing aloud. I will do what I must to protect you. There is nothing more precious to me than you.

  Around midnight, Olivia collapsed into the sofa after Junior finally fell asleep. A minute later, the door opened.

  Isaiah looked from her to Junior, his dark chocolate eyes showing tired redness too. He slipped in and silently walked around the bed, pausing to check the medical monitor.

  “The Intari physician noticed an unusual neural pattern,” whispered Olivia. “He doesn’t have much experience with mammalian brains, however.”

  “Accessing it.” Isaiah studied the brain waves snaking across the black monitor in pale blue. Groan. “Not again.”

  “What again?”

  “Doecheon Prime.”

  “Ooh, no.” Olivia pressed hand to face and wiped it down her moist cheek. “Is she allergic to telepaths or something?”

  Isaiah’s bushy brow lifted, but not his face. “There are no telepaths at this conference. The Arion delegation cancelled. Emola Plague outbreak on the Crystal Sea.” He pointed a thick finger at the neural pattern. “This is not Junior’s brain pattern here. She was in telepathic contact with someone and now she’s suffered memory loss again, just like on Doecheon.”

  “The Arions are the only telepaths…”

  “No, they’re not and you know it.” Isaiah shuffled over and sunk into the sofa. A long, groaning yawn rumbled out of him as he went down. “The De-Militarized Zone is only a parsec from here and the Intari would still very much like to get it back from the Menelaens.”

  Olivia stiffened in chills. “Authorize Junior’s immediate release and take her back to the Maverick.”

  “You really think Edward sent someone to kidnap her?” Isaiah gave her a hard look.

  Olivia really did not want to get back into the old argument. “If he found about her…”

  “He’s her father!”

  “He’s a Menelaen warlord.”

  “No, he’s a human who’s forgotten the way home because his wife divorced him over trumped-up charges.” Isaiah rubbed his brown face with both hands and leaned forward, elbows on knees. The lit panels of the medical computer shone on his thick, salty hair, neatly buzzed to regulation.

  “Isaiah…” Olivia shook her head “…you didn’t see the report I did. Edward Delano is a war criminal and defector.”

  Isaiah rested face in hands. “This is a very old argument.” He blinked heavy eyelids. “Dr. Karana Williams is at this conference too. She’s a neurologist. I want her to take a look at Junior.”

  “Karana?” Olivia’s heart lightened. “Isn’t she an old girlfriend?”

  “Ex-fiancé.” Isaiah harrumphed. “And I deserved it when she kicked me to the curb too.”

  “Right. Sorry.” Olivia remembered him lifting her squealing, slimy baby directly onto her chest following birth. She remembered how her daughter, all of two minutes old, found a pink nipple to nurse. She’d planned to bottle feed, but Junior would have none of that. “You’re not the same person you once were and she’s a smart, compassionate lady.”

  He took her hand and squeezed. “We’ll figure this out, Olivia, one way or another.”

  Olivia studied his face’s wise lines. “There’s a reason you’re her honorary grandfather.”

  “Yeah.” Isaiah pointed at Junior with his thumb. “The job required a medical degree.”

  She smiled, helplessly. “Run along home now.”

  “All right. See you in morning.” Isaiah pulled his exhausted muscles up, and shuffled from the room.

  Olivia scooted down and lowered herself to lie on the tiny sofa. She curled up and rested her head on her hands. The minutes ticked by and her eyes closed in sleep.

  Junior lingered on the Threshold between Waking Moments and Dreamtime. She
saw a green face and a knife. Terror froze her in the bed.

  A sword drew in silence and pressed to the green neck.

  “Delano has a long reach,” the green face said.

  The guardian angel said nothing. Her presence remained serene and firm.

  The green face backed away and vanished.

  The guardian angel blurred into invisibility.

  And then Junior crossed over the Threshold completely.

  ***

  Dreamtime.

  Junior rose up from the forest floor.

  Darkness clung to the redwood trees looming above her. Pain. Fear. “Ariez?” She got to her feet and looked around. Patches of gray provided no illumination among the black.

  She did not need to see. His presence drew her through the woods. She knew every rock and rotting log by memory. Feet squishing into the moss, mud between her toes, she picked her way through the darkness until she came to a rockslide.

  Dirt and rock collapsed into their brook. A body laid half way in the water below.

  “Ariez!” Junior slid down the dirt and rocks to him. On her knees, she drew his head into her lap. Suddenly, golden hues broke through the trees and the darkness began its morning retreat.

  Ariez created Dreamtime, but it responded only to her.

  Dawn illuminated his bruised and battered face. She brushed blond tendrils from his moist brow. “Ariez? I’m here.”

  His eyes blinked open. “You are all right.” He touched her face and his own bruises faded.

  “What happened?”

  “What do you remember?” Ariez sat up and pulled her into his arms.

  “Something bad…a green face with a knife…”

  “A green face? An Intari assassin!”

  “What?” Junior lifted her chin over his shoulder when he hugged her tightly. “It’s all right. My guardian angel protected me.”

  “Your angel?” Ariez lifted her chin from his shoulder and studied her face. “Guardian angel…a celestial being in human culture. Who was he?”

  “He was a ‘she’ and I don’t know who she was. I couldn’t see her. She was strong and serene.”

  “The Guardian of the Holy Bennu. Your time is at hand if the Guardian has found you.” The tension eased from his face and then from his body.

  “Why did you get hurt?”

  “I always hurt when you do.”

  “But, not this badly.”

  Ariez trembled, lips curling. “Our bond is strengthening.”

  “But…we’re not together in Waking Moments.”

  His lips lost their happy turn. “I failed. We knew you would have difficulty remembering Dreamtime.”

  “Oh.” Profound sadness sunk Junior back to his shoulder.

  “I won’t fail next time, I promise. I know your true identity now. You are the daughter of Star Captain Olivia O’Keefe Delano.”

  “Delano? Is that my birthfather’s name?”

  Ariez’s face darkened when she looked at him.

  “Who is he?”

  Ariez reddened with anger. “He is an evil man.”

  “No.” Junior shook her head. She pushed his arms away and stood. “No. My father is a good man. He must be a good man. My mother loves him.”

  Olivia!

  Junior spun around and saw a bright light cutting through the evergreen boughs.

  “No, My Love.” Ariez leapt to his feet and took her shoulders into his hands. “You know I speak the truth. You can feel it.”

  “I also feel…” she licked her tense lips “…other things.”

  Ariez’s warm breath caressed her cheek. “Forgive me. I should protect you from unpleasant feelings.” His long, dark eyelashes rested. His lips touched hers. Energy from his fingers tingled her face and swept over her head, down her neck and throughout her body.

  Junior slipped her fingers through his hair. She loved him. From the moment he first stepped into her dreams when they were children, she loved him.

  Ariez rolled her lower lip between his own and finally let go. “I sense your presence at all times now. There is no place you can go where I cannot find you. We will be together again soon in Waking Moments and you will remember me.”

  Junior smiled. “Of course, I will.” Sunshine broke through the towering redwood trees, warming them in glory. “Let’s go swimming.” She gripped his hand. “Come on!”

  Chapter 3

  “Keep going. You’re doing fine.” Isaiah tapped the computer control and another boy’s picture came up.

  “No.” Junior tapped the control rapid-fire, images of every boy on Intari flashing before her. “No, no, no.” She slammed both fists down. “I can’t remember! I can’t!” Jumping out of bed, she rifled through the duffle bag he’d brought from the ship.

  “All right. Just tell me everything you do remember about the boy.”

  Olivia folded arms and listened from the doorway. She wondered how long her daughter’s new leggings and pink brocade dress would last. Maybe they should’ve brought a straight-jacket instead.

  “He had blue eyes. He got hurt. I miss him.” Junior jerked on her boots and slung the duffle over her shoulder.

  Olivia met Isaiah’s look. “No human-looking boys with blue eyes were admitted to the hospital yesterday.”

  Isaiah heaved a big sigh and got up. “Junior’s like you. She’s highly intuitive. If the boy meant her any harm, she would’ve picked up on that.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Olivia studied her daughter.

  Junior grumped.

  “Just because you lost faith in your own intuition, doesn’t mean Junior has to.” Isaiah winked at her.

  Olivia gave him a right, sturdy glare. She knew he would never say anything about Edward without her consent. Still, sometimes his role as honorary grandfather did clash with his duties as a subordinate officer.

  “Can we go now?” Junior started for the door.

  “Ensign Ashley can keep an eye out for a message from the boy,” said Olivia.

  “You’re not going to read the message!” Junior spun around. “Are you?”

  “No.” Olivia guided her out, hand to back. She looked back at Isaiah preparing to follow. “If he meant you no harm, there is no need. We only want to know what set you off.”

  Isaiah thumped Junior’s shoulder. “In the meantime, try to remember your breathing exercises and stay away from anything sharp or breakable. You’ll be burning energy on the rocketball court before you know it.”

  Out on the landing, Isaiah and Sachi drew the short straws on who escorted Junior back to the Maverick while Olivia finished business on Intari Prime.

  Sachi held up her straw. “Someone to fly the shuttle and someone to make sure Junior doesn’t fall out.”

  “It’s not her fault,” said Isaiah. “Dr. Williams wants to keep her off meds until morning so she can accurately monitor her natural brain patterns and chemical responses. We can put up with her bouncing off the hull until then.”

  Junior rushed towards a landing console. “A type-2 micro-generator!”

  Isaiah gave chase. “Don’t touch that!”

  But, Junior already had the cover off and climbed inside, nothing but her boots and brocade skirt showing as she tossed things over her shoulder.

  Taking her elbow, Isaiah dragged her out.

  Junior came up with a phase discriminator in hand and face lit up like the sun. “Crackling!”

  “Now put that back.” Isaiah grabbed the discriminator.

  “I only want to see if I can cut through…”

  Isaiah jerked the discriminator back, but Junior wouldn‘t let go. “You’re going to fry your eyebrows off again!”

  Olivia watched the tug-of-war with Sachi. "As long-winded as Intari politicians are, I ought to have plenty of time to complete our pitch for the technology exchange.” Squaring her shoulders, she spoke in her most firm because-mama-said-so voice. “Junior.”

  Junior’s expression instantly went innocent. The phase discriminator flew
out of her hand.

  Sachi caught the phase discriminator and tossed it to Isaiah who put it back.

  Olivia kept gaze locked on daughter.

  “What? I’ll be good now. I promise!” Puppy dog eyes.

  Olivia curled a lip. Barely housebroken… just like her father.

  Junior bounded up the gangplank and into the white pill-shaped shuttlecraft. She rushed to the helm. The little panels of lights against the black grids excited every nerve ending in her body. “May I fly?”

  “No, Junior.” Sachi dragged her out of the pilot’s seat.

  “But, I’m going to be a fighter pilot!”

  Isaiah took her from Sachi and guided her into the monitoring station. “Here, you keep an eye out for gaseous anomalies.”

  “Gaseous anomalies?” Junior burst into hilarity, laughing so hard she held her sides and almost fell out of her seat. “Did Chef Bot make chili again last night?”

  Sachi rubbed her temples before returning hands to the piloting controls. “Ooh, my head.”

  Junior froze for a second while the sub-light engines fired up. “Port engine’s field matrix is off by point-five nichrons.”

  Sachi checked her monitor and let go of a breath. “How do you do that?”

  “Can‘t you feel it?”

  “Space Brats,” grumbled Sachi.

  Isaiah chuckled and thumped the security chief’s shoulder. “You were the one who used to walk Baby Junior through Engineering to get her to sleep.”

  Junior twittered in her seat and flashed her fingers over the starry grid. “Oooh, there’s a solar flare at coordinates 1-15-charley!”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Isn’t it pretty? Oh, another one - brothers!” Junior glanced to make sure he was paying attention only to her.

  “Mm-hmm.” Isaiah sat back and folded his arms.

  The shuttle rose off the landing pad beneath them.

  Junior quieted. They whooshed up into the atmosphere and a wave of rapturous joy surged through her. “Woo-hoo!” Her head fell back in laughter. “Soooo knotty!”