Transmission Lost

by Stefan Mazzara

  “I didn't know if I'd ever see you again...,” Jack said hoarsely. He was holding her hands in his, now, unable to reach up and wipe the moisture from his cheeks for fear of losing her if he let go. “I hadn't heard...I didn't know...I was afraid...” He became aware, out of the corners of his eyes, that some of the news cameras in the room were focused on them, but all he cared about right now was the face of the woman he had never stopped loving for five years.

  Aria leaned forward to him, and her cheek brushed against his, her nose nuzzling at his neck as her purr grew louder. “Jack...,” she whispered. She kissed his cheek and then lifted her head. She was smiling wider than he had ever seen, her feline face split wide into an expression of utmost happiness. Then her smile faltered, and she hung her head, her shoulders shaking as she cried. “I so sorry...Want to send word so many times...but could not...I make you so worried...”

  “Commander Me'lia has spoken of little else beyond wanting to visit Cerelis for the past week,” Li'ren said, breaking the veil of silence surrounding Jack and Aria. “I very nearly had to have Admiral Te'rou threaten her with the brig to keep her at her post.” The Empress chuckled.

  “She would have broken out,” Jack said. He put a hand underneath Aria's chin and lifted her head back up. “I'll forgive the worry. As long as you promise I never have to leave you again.”

  Sniffing, Aria began to beam again, her tail waving behind her. She pulled him in close against her. “Never,” she vowed, just before their lips met once more.

  ******

  Nearly a week had passed since the ceremony on Earth when Jack and Aria walked down the ramp of the small Ailian vessel. The last seven days had been a lesson in patience for the both of them. Aria had wanted to take military leave immediately, but unfortunately she'd had some duties to attend to before that was possible. Luckily, those duties had involved accompanying Empress Amani to Cerelis, where talks were to be held to formalize a permanent alliance between the Ascendancy and the United Nations. Jack and Aria had spent as much time as possible together when she was not carrying out her assignments as the leader of the Royal Guards.

  During their time together, Aria had a lot of stories to tell him about how the final days of the war had played out. He learned what had already been suspected for quite a while: that the rebellion had mostly been driven by the Pteryd, who had recognized the growing divisions between the Ascendancy and the Outer Colonies decades before they became apparent and had approached numerous prominent figures in the Outer Colonies, including Aria's mother. They had made promises of autonomous rule for the Ascendancy in exchange for letting them use their territory to stage attacks against the Nuretans and humanity, with the ultimate goal of expanding the Pteryd Combine to encompass the entire known universe.

  The rebellion had been almost completely suppressed, though several key figures had yet to be captured. Admiral Selina Kris, who had taken over as the rebellion's leader after the death of Ara'lana Me'lia, had been captured in the last days of the war and was awaiting trial on treason charges on Lirna, along with a number of other senior officials from the Outer Colonies. Several human generals and numerous other officers and civilians who had supported the rebellion were missing, and they were presumed to have taken refuge somewhere in the remote areas of human space or even in the Pteryd Combine. The same was true of Tara Shi'ala, the Ailian advisor who had served Ara'lana. She was almost certainly among the Pteryd, beyond the reach of justice for now.

  Once Aria was free from her responsibilities, she had borrowed a small ship from the Ascendancy Navy and gone off with Jack so they could spend some much-needed relaxation time together. The voyage had taken them off into the border areas between the Ascendancy and human space. When they exited hyperspace, they landed on a planet that was familiar to both of them, though it looked somewhat different now. Both of them were hit with a wave of nostalgia as they emerged from their ship onto the grassy plains of the planet where they'd first met. The forested skyline had changed slightly. Signs of civilization could be seen among the trees beyond the plains, with low buildings dotting the landscape and the faint hum of flying craft sounding off in the distance.

  “So you colonized it,” Jack said, walking a little ways from Aria as he breathed the oxygen-rich air. He looked up at the sky, where the sun had set and the stars were beginning to show themselves in the orange-and-pink tinged sky.

  “Yes,” Aria said. She was dressed more casually than she normally did, wearing a green top with a short black skirt, appropriate for a vacation. The top stopped just above her lower belly, and revealed the freshly acquired red gem she wore. Finding somewhere to acquire a bonding gem on Cerelis had been a chore, but the proper application of funds to a skilled jeweler had produced the desired results. “One year ago. Was going to be base, but then war end before they finish. Colony, now.” She came over to where Jack was, and they sat down on the grass together.

  “It feels weird to be back here,” Jack said. “Weird, but...nice. I like it when we're not trying to dodge predators and climb mountains.”

  Aria laughed. “Is nice, yes.” She took a deep breath and let it out peacefully. “So quiet. Will not want return to Lirna.” Jack had decided that he would be going back to the Ailian homeworld with Aria. She had her responsibilities with the Royal Guards, and he had no such responsibilities where he lived. Brooke was independent enough that she could take care of herself quite well on Cerelis, and she was eager to graduate and begin life on her own. He didn't have any reservations about leaving his adopted daughter, knowing that she was ready for it.

  They spent a while sitting on the grass with each other, listening to the sounds of the alien environment. Jack slid over so that he was up against Aria, and she reached over and pulled him into her lap. She nestled her furry muzzle against the top of his head, her tail curling around both of them as they enjoyed being close to each other. She purred softly, and he let the subtle vibration spread through his body, her warmth keeping away the slight chill from the cool breeze blowing by.

  “So what did the Ascendancy decide to name this planet?” Jack finally asked, as he realized that he had never bother to inquire before.

  “Ah, yes!” Aria said. She stroked a finger along his cheek. “Ailian tradition to name planet after first ship which land there.” She hugged him, a little laugh passing through her body. “You ship crash a little before mine. This planet name in Ailian is Sha'lai-ran.”

  “'Sha'lai-ran'...,” Jack repeated. His old ship had been the Star's Eye. His Ailian had improved since leaving Lirna, and he knew that the planet's name translated literally to “gaze of the sun”. Not exact, but fitting for a species that came from the desert, and close enough. He liked the way it sounded. “Good name. I bet my old boss would be honored that one of his ships founded a colony.”

  “Mm...,” Aria murmured. She kissed the top of his head. “Glad to be here with you. Glad to be anywhere with you.”

  Jack leaned back against her breast, closing his eyes and smiling. He felt like he was home again. So long as they were together, he could feel that way anywhere.