by G. E. Stills
“Oh Gina, we’ve been so worried about you. Mom and Dad were almost beside themselves with worry. We all were.”
Their hug tightened and they covered each other’s cheeks with kisses. Finally, Gina broke the embrace and turned to him. Her eyes glistened. “Joren, I’d like you to meet my younger sister, Becky.” Turning her head, she said to Becky, “We won’t be needing the extra room, Joren will be staying here with me. He’s my boyfriend and will be my husband whenever he gets around to asking.” She chuckled.
“Becky, nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.
Becky brushed it aside. “A handshake? I think not.” She swept him into an embrace. When she stood back, she smiled at Gina. “I approve. He is definitely a handsome man. Certainly a keeper. And you, Joren, congratulations. I was wondering if I would ever see the day a man was able to steal the heart of my sister. She’s so feisty and has a heart like a damn ice cube.”
“Not anymore. I’m still feisty, but he melted my ice cube heart. I love him deeply.”
He shuffled his feet and felt his cheeks heat.
“And she has very little tact. Gina, you’re embarrassing the man to say nothing of putting him on the spot. I’ll have your clothes transferred over to this room.” Becky cocked her head. “Unless you prefer to run around half naked like you are, which I will not complain about. You may be my sister’s boyfriend, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look.”
“Talk about no tact,” Gina said.
Becky winked. “Welcome to the family, Joren. You’ll find we are all wild and crazy, including our mother and father. I’m certain you know by now that Gina has a very aggressive nature. She gets that from our mother. Just a warning.”
“Becky don’t scare the man to death. He hasn’t even met her yet.”
“Forewarning.” Becky laughed.
“So why is this fleet here? And don’t try to tell me that all these ships were looking for me,” Gina said, changing the topic.
Becky’s expression turned serious. “Yours were not the only ships destroyed in this sector. There have been others. Many others. We figure the Men-gar lie in wait and attack small convoys with overwhelming superior numbers.”
“You figure right. At least that’s what happened to me.”
“Anyway, we’ve discovered a major populated Men-gar planet unknown before. We think the raiders are coming from there. We’re going to take them out. All of them.” She glared fiercely. “Of course unlike them, we will give them a chance to surrender first, but you know how that usually goes.”
“Wow. You intend to destroy the population of an entire planet,” he asked. His voice carried a touch of disapproval.
“You have no idea what the Men-gar are like. You have little idea of how lucky you are they haven’t discovered Ormel,” Gina said in defense.
“I’m not sitting in judgment, dear, I’m just amazed that your people have the capability of destroying an entire planet’s population.”
“You have so much to learn about us. You have much to learn about the Men-gar too.”
Becky jumped in the conversation. “The Men-gar are an old and vast empire. As far as we know, we and our allies are the only ones that have stood up to them. When they discover a planet with intelligent life, they either destroy it completely or kill most intelligent life on the planet and subjugate the remainder. Many millions of years ago they tried to exterminate our race.”
“We on the other hand,” Gina said with pride, “Offer the ones we encounter to join us. If they refuse, which hasn’t happened yet, we’ll go away.”
“I think we better change the subject. Talking about the Men-gar is getting me angry. I liable to start casting lightning bolts at things.”
He smiled at Becky. “So I guess you have…talents like Gina here. Do you have an AI in you too?”
Becky glanced at Gina.
“He knows,” Gina said.
She looked back to him. “Yes. I can cast lightning and heal wounds. My AI’s name is Randy. All of the children of the Old Ladies have abilities and most of us have AI’s.”
The door chime sounded and moments later, a mechanical voice issued from the door. “One of the housekeeping bots is outside requesting permission to enter.”
“Permission granted,” Becky said.
The door slid open. The machine in the hall was about five feet tall with multiple arms. The dome on top contained a single camera-like lens. “You requested service, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, move all of Captain Joren’s belongings into this room.”
“As you wish, ma’am.” The machine swiveled and trundled away.
“I’m going to leave you two alone so you can get settled in, but I’d like it if you joined me later for dinner at twenty-hundred hours.”
“Of course. We’ll be ready,” Gina answered.
The door closed behind Becky and Gina turned to him. “Well what do you think so far?”
“I think I’m totally overwhelmed,” he gathered her in his arms, “and I’m so happy you’re here.”
“It doesn’t matter where I am as long as you’re there, Joren.”
As was the custom of his people, he dropped to his knees. He placed his hands on the backs of her thighs holding her tight and rested his forehead against her knees. A moment later, he gazed up at her. “Gina, my love, I ask you to be my life mate. My wife I believe you call it.”
“Oh my God.” She shivered. “Are you proposing? Oh my God. You are. Oh my God.” A tremendous tremor rolled through her legs. “Yes. Oh God, yes. I accept. Get up here and kiss me.”
****
At dinner the conversation was buzzing with Becky and Gina discussing his proposal. Often Gina cast loving glances at him. During their conversation, he learned about an engagement ring.
“I’m sorry I didn’t have a ring to go with my proposal, Gina.”
“That doesn’t matter. Not in the least. I’m thrilled. Wow! I still can’t believe it.” Her eyes became misty. “If you’ll both excuse me, I think, I need to go to the restroom and fix my makeup. Seems like my eyes are all watery suddenly.” Gina slid back her chair and left.
“Becky,” he looked at her after Gina had left, “I’ve a big favor to ask. Will you help me pick out a ring when we get to Teelan? I have no idea what I’m doing here.” He grinned. “I’m an alien remember?”
Becky smiled at him. “If I’m assigned to go to Teelan, I’d be delighted to help. I’m nearly as excited about it as my sister. If not, I’ll be certain to message one of our other sisters to help you. I still can’t believe the spitfire is engaged.”
With fresh makeup applied, Gina rejoined them.
****
Gina and Becky rose from their dining table and came to stiff attention when Admiral Lucinda approached. Her gaze darted to the left and she smiled inside when she saw that Joren had followed suit.
“At ease. Sit down,” Lucinda said and slid into the empty chair at the table. “I’ll just be a moment and then I’ll let you continue your dinner.
“You’re welcome to join us, ma’am,” she said.
“Thank you Commander, Gina, but I have business to take care of.” She smiled. “I’m detaching one of my cruisers to remain in this system. Clandestinely of course.” She looked at Joren. “Leaving a single cruiser to stand guard is a risk, but I don’t want to reduce the numbers of my fleet further. The cruiser will only be here alone for a few days. The PD Shark battleship and another cruiser are headed this way from the sixth fleet.”
“Thank you Admiral,” he said, “From what I’m hearing, the Men-gar are not a hospitable race.”
The Admiral dropped formality. “They’re not. To continue, I’m also detaching a fast destroyer to take you home, Gina. You, Joren, will of course accompany her.” Lucinda smiled. “I smell your mom’s influence in that order. It’s pre
tty hard to refuse one of the Old Ladies.”
All of them chuckled at the term.
“Becky, you’re to accompany your sister and Joren until further notice. The three of you leave tomorrow morning. Have a safe flight.” Lucinda rose to her feet and strode away.
“Wow, just like that. How powerful is your mom?” Joren asked her.
“There are six Old Ladies. They are the most powerful people of our civilization. Aunt Katrina is the most powerful among them.”
Becky grinned. “And I get to be there to see mom and dad’s reaction to sir Hotness, here. I can hardly wait.”
She saw Joren color at the term Hotness. “Becky behave. You’re scaring my man half to death.” She turned to Joren. “Don’t worry a bit, hon, my parents are going to love you.”
“I hope so.”
“They will,” Becky assured.
Early in the morning, a shuttle from the Sacramento delivered them to the destroyer and within thirty minutes, they were underway toward Teelan and Earth.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Gina chuckled when she saw the look of awe on his face as he viewed the many massive structures in space that circled Teelan. A number of the orbiting structures were over two kilometers in diameter.
Even though she had schooled him on what to expect during the two-week flight, actually seeing them was moving even for her.
“I’m still impressed when I see this and I’ve grown up with it,” she said.
****
“I still can’t believe this.” Everywhere he looked through the clear bubble that enclosed the spaceport he saw spacecraft of all sizes and shapes moving at what appeared to be breakneck speeds. They darted between the structures like the busy bees around a hive. The clear dome, Gina had explained, transitioned from clear, like it was now, to dark, depending on how much sunlight it had to filter.
Joren came to a halt and gazed down at his feet. He was standing on a clear circular area of the floor. The spaceport circled the planet below in synchronous orbit. At the edge of his view was the tube like structure that connected Teelan to the station in which they stood. The tube was nearly an eighth of a kilometer in diameter. Gina had explained it.
“The Tormel connects the planet with this spaceport. There are many elevators inside. Some smaller ones for passengers and the larger ones for bringing freight up from the planet. It’s more efficient than shuttling back and forth with spacecraft.”
He glanced around. The huge room was filled with many people wearing all manner of dress from the silver and black uniforms of spaceship crews to a myriad of bright colors in all types of styles. Each person seemed to be rushing from here to there on important business. Very few strolled casually as they did.
When he finished gawking down through the floor, Gina took one of his arms and Becky on the other. They led him once more toward the lift elevators. The elevator they entered already had half a dozen people inside. Not long after they took their place standing in the center, the doors slid closed. He could not feel it, but he knew they were moving and at an incredibly fast rate. Ten minutes later the doors slid open again. Bright sunlight filtered in when they stepped out into another domed structure. This time outside, he saw green foliage and looking up, the spaceport, tiny at this distance.
We’re on Teelan. His nervousness increased. And one-step nearer to meeting Gina’s parents. A shudder passed through him. Bad enough meeting her parents, but they just happen to be some of the most important and powerful people in existence.
“It’s going to be fine, dear,” Gina said. No doubt, she had felt his shudder.
“Gina, Becky,” a female voice called out.
He glanced in the direction of the voice to see a beautiful ebony skinned woman with long blonde hair approaching. He was confused because he was expecting their mother, but this woman could be no more than early thirties.
A sister maybe?
“Mom.” Gina released his arm and rushed forward. The two embraced and tears flowed down their cheeks in torrents. When they broke the embrace, Gina took her mother by the hand and walked the few steps to join them. Becky was the next to embrace her and finally they turned to him.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet Joren, my fiancée.”
At the word fiancée, Emma’s eyes grew larger. He thrust out his hand, which she brushed aside. Stepping past it, she pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheeks.
“Handshake indeed. That is an insult to ask me to shake hands in greeting with my future son.” She chuckled and whispered in his ear, “I should burn your ass for even thinking of shaking hands. I could you know.”
She drew back, all smiles.
“I know you could. I’m sorry. I’ll try not to insult or anger you again.”
“You no doubt will though, because you’re shaking like a leaf. Don’t be afraid of me, Joren, no matter what these two have told you and no matter what you hear from others. I have to be pretty angry to use my fire unless, ordered to do so by Kat.” She slipped her hand in his and turned to face Gina when she spoke.
“So where is father?” Gina asked.
“He planned to be here and would have been, but there was a last minute rush order up at the factory. He had to stay up there to supervise. He’ll meet us at home soon. I just now got his promise of that over my implant communicator.” She turned to face him. “Aden says hi and he can hardly wait to meet you.”
The four of them threaded their way through the bustling crowd to enter a waiting ground car outside. It whisked away and Joren gazed around in amazement. Planar was one of the largest cities on Teelan and yet the building housing the Tormel was by far the largest. The surrounding ones could not be home for more than ten-thousand people.
He turned to Gina. “I thought you told me this was one of the largest cities here.”
“It is,” Gina answered. “There are about a quarter million people living here.”
He glanced around at the surroundings. “Where?”
Emma joined the conversation. “Underground. There are seven levels. In the beginning they moved below to avoid discovery from space, but now it is more an environmental thing. It vastly reduces the impact on the plant, as well as the wild life.”
With even greater appreciation, he gazed at the tall leaf filled trees, the rolling grassy meadows filled with large patches of colorful flowers. He tried to envision that underneath all of this splendor, thousands of people lived. His view cut off abruptly when the car entered a wide, well lit tunnel. When they exited several miles later, they drove into another small looking town.
“This is Kiesar, the capital city of Teelan,” Gina explained.
“Another vast underground population I presume,” he said.
“There is a small community underground, but nothing in comparison to Planar or the other cities. This area is sparsely populated and mostly by,” she glanced at her mother and winked, “The Old Ladies and their families.”
Acting surprised, Emma said, “Lord, even my own daughter is calling me an old lady.”
“You’ll pardon me, ma’am,” he said, “But you don’t look old enough to have adult daughters.”
A brilliant smile spread across Emma’s face. She leaned across and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.” She twisted her head to face Gina. “I’m loving him already, Gina. If you don’t marry him I might just warm your backside.”
A few minutes later the car halted in front of a house that was predominately green and brown and blended in with the surrounding foliage to be nearly invisible. Although the house was large, it was not extravagant.
“You have your room, Becky,” Emma said before turning to them. “We’re not prudish around here and since you’ve been living together in a cave for some time I assume you’re sleeping together, too,” she cleared her throat, “therefore I’m going to place you in a room to
gether…unless you would rather it be otherwise?” Emma cocked her head in question.
“Together will be fine, Mom.” Gina smiled.
“That’s what I thought. Joren from now you will address me as mom or Em, if I hear you call me Ma’am,” she winked at Gina, “or even worse, an old lady, I’ll burn your butt. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’a…Em,” he corrected.
“Better.” Em grinned.
A man with wavy brown hair and bronze tanned skin, walked in the door. It didn’t appear that he could be more than early thirties. Emma dashed across the room and flew into his open arms. After covering his face with kisses, she took him by the hand and led back across the room.
“Joren, I would like you to meet my husband, Aden. Aden, this is Joren…our daughter Gina’s fiancée.”
Aden’s eyebrows raised and as he shook hands, he glanced at Gina. “God help you, Joren. Best of luck trying to tame that spitfire.”
“Da––ad,” Gina complained.
“Oh she’s here. Oops,” Aden said, pretending this was the first he had seen her. His grin was enough to brighten a room. His arms flew open and his eyes got misty. “Come here, sugar. I can’t even begin to tell you how worried your mother and I have been.”
Gina and Aden embraced for a long time and then he did the same with Becky. The silence between them spoke volumes. When he finished hugging and kissing, there wasn’t a dry eye.
****
The days passed in a whirlwind of activity. The tour Gina provided him of Earth was extremely satisfying. Unlike Teelan, Earth was much closer technology wise to his home. Joren peered down at his new clothing. The pants, shirt and shoes were a vast improvement over the loincloth or the uniform that had taken its place.
They slid into the ground transport car and after Gina spoke their destination to the computer, the two of them sat back and relaxed. “So what are the plans for today, my dear?” he asked Gina.
“Today we visit my aunt Kat and then later I want to ride up and check progress on the new ship being built.”
