by Kimber An
Delano didn’t answer the question directly. “I knew if I ever got married, it have to be to a strong woman. When I first saw your mother, I wasn’t sure if she was a star captain. I only knew there was strength the way she carried herself. She was so beautiful.” He drew a silver rectangle from a hidden pocket and handed it to her. “I knew she would be the mother of my child.”
Junior accepted the gift which turned out to be a folded photograph frame. She opened it, drew a quick breath and broke into a smile. The left photo was of her mother and father in their dress uniforms, flanked by Graham Codetalker, Sachi, and Isaiah. Mom held a white and pink lotus flower. “Was Uncle Graham your best man?”
“Uncle? No. Graham was my best friend, but he actually officiated the wedding on his battleship, the Crazy Horse. Isaiah was my best man and Sachi, of course, was maid-of-honor.”
“Graham and Sachi are my godparents, although they swear they’ll never get married, and Isaiah is my honorary grandfather.”
The photo on the right was of her parents alone. Mom’s hair flowed loose with one side held back by Bells O’ Ireland and Baby’s Breath flowers. Dad’s face was smooth and his brown hair cut to regulation. “You look better clean-shaven.”
Delano rubbed his bearded chin. “Your mother thought so too.”
“Hey!” Junior reached inside her collar and pulled out the gold chain which held her locket and her mother’s rings. She unfastened the chain and slid the rings off. “Mom gave these to me for my fourteenth birthday.”
Delano’s eyes danced to life when she put the wedding rings into his hand. “They belonged to my grandmother. She gave them to me for Olivia when we married.” He studied the Celtic swirls. “Your mother didn’t tell you where they came from?”
“She said they used to belong to my grandmother, but Grandma in Montana wore only a plain gold band and Dad’s…I mean my step-father’s mother never married.” Junior’s gaze drifted to the stars. “I think Mom was trying to tell me. I think…I think she was just…so afraid for me. She tried to tell me about the War and…” sigh “…she never could. Too much pain. Isaiah said the War cost her lot. I thought he meant her friends who were killed, but…” she sent gaze back to him and saw his haunted expression “…now, I see it was much more than that.”
“Here.” Delano handed the rings back. “She wanted you to keep them safe.”
“Yeah. I think she did.” Junior took the rings and slid them back onto the chain. The gold glittered in the lights and she looked beyond them to the past. Chained. My parents are in chains.
After dinner, Junior walked with her father down a corridor, towards her private chambers. As long as she stayed in step with him, her pace remained steady and slow, her thoughts aligned. “You do realize Mom is coming for me, right?”
“Yes.”
“She’s really toasted at you.”
“I don’t want you to worry about it.” Delano turned aside to her door and pressed the panel. The door slid open. “I’ve taken care of everything. We’ll soon be together as a family and you will enjoy everything you’ve ever wanted.”
Junior wondered what he imagined she wanted. She didn’t even know what she wanted, beyond mastering ADHD and getting her parents back together. And a new Alliance fightercraft HRC game.
“Now, carry out the mediation I described to you and you will sleep.” He thumped her shoulder.
Junior watched him walk away, towards the lift. “Good night…Dad.”
Stopping, Delano turned around and looked back. Face pink, he smiled and a little chuckle escaped. “Good night. Sweet dreams.” The whole Dad Thing was so new to him and she hadn’t exactly gone easy on him.
“Sweet dreams.” Junior passed through her door and listened to it close behind her. She had a great dad who was helping master ADHD, her mom was coming and they’d all get together. All she needed to live happily ever after was a boyfriend and she was sure she already had one somewhere. She just couldn’t remember his name, only that he had dark chocolate eyes and a gorgeous dimpled smile.
Of course, her dreams would be sweet.
Chambers now beige and bare, there was nothing to distract her from meditating. She sat upon the floor, cross-legged and closed her eyes.
Minutes later, Junior sunk into her soft white pillow and to sleep soon after.
***
Dreamtime.
The forest was shrouded in darkness when Junior arrived, but lit up as soon as her feet sunk into the moss.
“You’re here!” Ariez jumped up from a fallen log and ran for her.
Junior laughed when he grabbed her and swung her around and clung to her like a monkey. “What are you doing? Wait, let me guess. This is a game.”
“Game?” Ariez pulled back from her neck. “What do you mean?” He cupped her face and slid thumb over her lips. “You’re all right?”
“Of course, I’m all right.” Junior studied his red, moist skin. “Why are you so upset?”
“You’ve been abducted by an evil sorcerer.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” Junior bubbled in little laughs. “There’s no such thing as sorcerers.”
“He is real and he has taken you from your mother.”
Her joviality vanished. “My mother?” She pushed out of his arms and walked away, towards the edge of the clearing. Clouds moved over the sunny sky and shades of gray descended upon them. The more she focused on her mother the darker the forest became. “I miss my mother.” Pain wrapped around her eyes and she rubbed both temples. “She’s…frantic.”
“You have been taken from her. The bond you share with the Sacred Mother is powerful. You would never willingly leave her side.” Ariez enveloped her in his arms. “But, I am coming to rescue you.”
She looked into his intense gaze. “You’ll return me to my mother?”
“Yes, of course, and then I will take both of you safely to Pellosia where the sorcerer cannot go.”
Junior realized that should’ve reassured her, but it filled her with panic instead. “No, you can’t.”
“What?”
“I mean…” She searched the darkness, tried to comprehend. “I don’t think…” Her heart galloped inside her chest and she couldn’t quiet her breathing. “I don’t…understand.” Covering face with both hands, she felt sobs and little cries coming up. “Something terrible is going to happen!”
“Shhhh, everything will be all right. I am coming for you. I will assume command of the Mydis and extradite Delano to the humans. I will protect you from his wrath, I swear it. Once we cross the border and our bond is complete, we can never be parted. You will never see that monster again.”
Junior quaked in his arms, hands shaking to her face. “I…love…you.”
“And I love you. Everything…”
“It…hurts. It hurts!” A scream started up her throat and she shoved him away.
***
Waking Moments.
Junior shot out of bed and landed on her feet, sheet plastered to her chest in sweat. Blue eyes remained before her conscious thoughts, but all memory of their origin fled into the darkness. “I’ve lost my mind…if it ever belonged to me at all.”
Someone was always mad at her for something. She looked at the com panel on her nightstand, half expecting her father’s angry voice to come out.
The blues eyes vanished.
And she missed them.
Chapter 8
Three days after the abduction, Junior charged through her Kaiya Kenpo lesson with Lieutenant Beling. She’d been told Beling was the second best female warrior on board. She couldn’t imagine who the first best could be.
Beling’s staff hooked her heels and WHAM!
Junior’s backside hit the floor for the fifteenth time. She spun to the right and back onto her feet. Facing her opponent, she breathed as her father had taught her – one, two, three. She felt the cool air mix with the fine mist of perspiration on her face. Defeating Beling was unimaginable, but she was very pro
ud of not getting pinned after two hours of sparring.
Beling was winded. Her purple eyes threaded with redness. Black hairs plastered to her face with sweat. Her last thrust left her with hardly the energy to hold the staff up in defense.
Junior couldn’t keep the right edge of her lips from curling. Oh, yeah, she’s going down.
Beling circled out.
No time or she’d recover. Junior wheeled her staff around for a full frontal attack. “Ahhhh!”
Beling raised her staff to block and it shattered.
Junior watched her staff smash into Beling’s face. Too late. She jumped back. “Oh, no! I’m so sorry!”
Naana was already at Beling’s side with a towel. “It is only a bloodied nose,
Milady. Lieutenant Beling will recover quickly.”
Junior helped Naana raise Beling to her feet. “Still, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I’d go right through your staff.”
“You are very strong, Milady, and I was too exhausted to properly block.” Beling breathed hard, hand to chest. “Well done, Milady.” She bowed.
Junior bowed. “I have been honored to receive your instruction, Kaiya-daikoo.”
Delano’s voice interjected from the doorway. “Didn’t I say you’re stronger than you know?”
“I guess.” Junior watched Naana help Beling out the door, bound for the medical bay.
Delano assigned five women to attend her. Though he tried to explain why she needed them, it didn’t make a lot of sense. He seemed to think the Menelaen men would try something, which was ridiculous. They were all really old and, besides, she already had a boyfriend. At least, she thought maybe she did. She couldn’t exactly remember.
Naana was her chief attendant and Beling was second to her. Beling had taken a vow of chastity after her husband was killed in battle. She had a secret doll she babied when no one was looking and grief overwhelmed her. Lali was in love with a security officer, Jae, but wasn’t ready to give up her career to marry him. Junior was glad human girls hadn’t had that dilemma in hundreds of years. Palin and Talya were a couple, but not allowed to marry. At first, she wondered if it was because they were both girls, but Naana said it was because they were incapable of reciprocating the Marital Bond. Must be some legal issue. Palin had a pet Hopper which Talya was allergic to. They argued it about all the time. And Naana’s heart raced whenever Commander Bo walked into the room, but she never showed it.
“I don’t think I’m really a warrior.” Junior propped staff over her shoulder and approached her father. “I don’t like hurting people.” She pulled her white Kaiya tunic from sticking to her moist chest. A pale blue cloth belt secured it at the waist. Blousey white pants fitted into white boots to complete the outfit. The boots had the flexibility of volleyball shoes and the support of basketball shoes. She’d never worn anything which fit her so well.
Delano tossed her a towel and handed her a water flask. “Power is not the ability to harm others, but the ability to control one’s self. The duty of the powerful is to defend those who cannot defend themselves. That is what it means to be a true warrior.”
“Yes, Sir.” Junior proceeded to the wall, set down the flask, tossed the towel and reached for the cloth to rub down her staff. This was a servant‘s task, but she always did it herself. “It was non-lethal combat training. If Beling intended to kill me, she certainly could’ve done so right away. Until she began to tire, I was unable to block her attacks.”
“True. It is good you realize that. An inflated opinion of one’s abilities has stunted the development of many apprentices.”
“Dad.” Junior licked her lips as she rubbed the staff. “Mom’s going to arrive any time now.”
“I know.” Delano started for the door.
“What are you going to do when she gets here?”
“I told you not to worry about it. I’ve taken care of everything.”
“What do you mean?” Junior placed the staff back on the wall and tossed aside the cleaning cloth.
Delano waved her off and walked out the door.
“Dad, please, tell me.” Junior pursued. “Mom’s going to show up with all weapons firing. She’s going to blast your butkis out of the stars if you don’t let me talk to her first.”
“Relations between the Menelaen Empire and the Earth-Intari Alliance are very tense right now. When your mother arrives, I must handle the matter very carefully.” Delano stopped and put a hand on her shoulder. “I promise everything will be all right.”
“You’re planning on coming home then?” Junior followed him down the corridor, but he didn’t respond to her question. “Aren't you?”
“Run along now or you’ll be late for your piloting lessons.” Delano entered a lift and disappeared when the door closed.
Junior’s chin sunk. “And to think, three days ago all I had to worry about was Chef yelling at me in Yiddish.” She walked back into the gym, too much angst to keep her feet still. The door slid closed after her. She paced, hands on hips.
Come to me.
Junior turned around, sure she heard faint words. The four corners of the gymnasium were empty. She was alone. Sleepiness ascended upon her. “Oh, no. What did I accidentally eat this time?”
“My Lady?”
Junior gasped to see Naana standing there in the open door. After trashing the mess hall and terrorizing the crew with swamp-bats, she wasn’t eager to divulge anymore of her faults to anyone.
“My Lady, are you all right? What do you sense?”
“Oh, uh.” Junior glanced around. “Nothing.” The sleepiness fled in her nanny’s presence. “Dad’s making me crazy.”
“The chief pilot awaits Your Ladyship on the flight deck.”
“Thanks, Naana.” Junior followed. She was sure she would miss Naana when Mom came for her and Dad. And Beling. Who will babysit her doll when she’s on duty?
Less than a minute later, she felt a familiar sensation she’d known from the very beginning of her existence.
“My Lady, what do you sense?”
Junior shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing. It’s stupid.” Though Mom conceded to intuition, sensing things the way she did was something she’d learned not to talk about.
“Please, do not be frightened to explain. I have noticed you are more sensitive than your father.”
“My mother. She‘s coming.”
“Do you remember your mother’s womb?” Naana’s tone intensified.
A gentle smile warmed her face. “Yes, but…I’m the only person I know of who does.”
“All Menelaens remember.”
Junior started for a communications interface. “I have to talk to Dad.”
“His Lordship cannot be disturbed while on the command deck.”
“But, I’m his daughter all the time, not just when it’s convenient.” Junior tapped the com panel. “Junior to Dad.” She listened, agitation mounting with each passing second. “Hey! This is the Captain’s brat! Patch me through to my father or I’ll release tyranium gas into the environmental systems and you’ll all be wallowing on the floor laughing like Bomkok dogey-birds within the hour!” Ah, to Hades with hiding my faults.
“Understood,” said a male voice, instantly.
“Rowan, you’re not permitted to…” Her father’s voice said over com a second later.
“Mom’s here.”
“What? Rowan, return to your lesson. I don’t have time to discuss this. I told you everything will be all right.”
Junior folded her arms while Naana waited. “How much time does it take to run a long-distance scan?”
“Fine, but then you’re going back to your lesson. Scanning.” A few seconds passed. “Nothing. Now…”
Junior sighed, dramatically. “Recalibrate sensors to a nine-nine-epsilon-Charlie modulation.”
“A…what?”
“Oh, come on, Dad!” She propped her hands upon her hips. “You haven’t forgotten Deep Space Fleet sensor frequencies. Have you? For crying ou
t loud, I had them all memorized by my sixth birthday!”
“Scanning.” Pause. “Naana, secure Lady Rowan to quarters!”
“Wait, Dad! I need to be there when you talk to Mom!” Junior noticed Palin and Talya draw near. Both petite blonds, no one would’ve guessed they were lethal with fighting knives.
“I’ve ordered my flankships to disable the Maverick’s engines only. I will not permit your mother to be harmed.”
“Sweet, Dad, but I’m telling you she‘s…”
“Rowan! The Maverick…” Delano stopped with distinctive grumpiness. “I don’t have time for debate. Proceed to your quarters at once!”
“But…but, she’ll listen to me if I open communications first and then you can…”
Dad cut the com.
Junior felt very much like she might blast off. Emitting a fierce growl, she stormed away instead.
Once the door closed on her private quarters and she was alone, Junior went to a far inner wall. She laid her ear and the palm of her right hand against it, listening, feeling. Hum. A soft, long beep. She quieted her breathing. “I’m getting better at this commando stuff,“ she whispered. Then, she heard the tiny buzz and her lips curled. She stood up and stomp-kicked the wall in. Pulling off some inner panels, she reached in and began to work the inner rods, listening for the right frequency. “Junior to Maverick!”
“Junior?” Her mother’s beautiful voice.
“Mom! Listen, hail the command deck and tell Dad…”
“Junior, stay where you are! We’re getting you out of there!”
“But, wait, Mom!”
Static.
Her father’s voice came over com next. “Rowan, stay out of the machinery! I promise your mother won’t be harmed. Proceed with your exo-biology lesson.”
“Dad!”
Static.
Junior clenched her fists together, growling. “Geez, Isaiah’s right! People really do turn into complete psychos when the pregnancy test comes back positive!”
