by I. Christie
Queen M'Lu, her sister and Queen Mother smiled.
Alexandra made the introductions in case anyone had not met in person. The group then moved to the feast, where those of importance would discuss higher matters that Alexandra and JG were grateful they did not have to be a part of.
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Hadrian found Alexandra and JG sitting on a stone bench that overlooked the ocean.
"So, Hadrie, are staying for a few days or leaving soon?"
"I leave tonight." He looked apologetic. "You may be able to absorb this energy, but I'm finding a headache doesn't make a good companion when sightseeing."
"You all arrived through the portal," Alexandra guessed.
"We did at the invitation of Arnica's portal guardian. I won't bother to offer you to come back with us."
"Good. And thank you for making it possible for us to travel back on Rouster and not Butterflies or Emperors."
He smiled, looking for a moment worried. "You'll stay within hailing distance of those two, won't you?"
"Of course," Colonel Zohra told him, taking offense at his over protectiveness.
"Don't ask for things that may not be possible to give," General Aglauros said behind him. She gave a hug to Alexandra and then JG.
"I'm leaving Lt. Vanstar with you, to make sure you remember you have a home to be heading to. Don't drive her crazy." Aglauros winked at JG.
"More than likely she'll drive us crazy. That woman is an adrenalin junkie, Mother," JG teased.
Alexandra looked at her new spouse and a smile curved on her lips. They had two weeks to visit Arnica with Kiuzi guards showing them the sights and then they would catch up with Catching Butterflies and Emperors Last Chance, or so the plan was.
Chapter 26
Alexandra stood on the rock facing the roaring waterfall.
"That is awesome," Gari whispered.
"I don't care how many waterfalls I see in my lifetime, this will be the most magnificent to witness," Alexandra agreed. "Can you feel the energy it is putting out?"
"Like something tickling my arms?"
"No, that's the spray. Look its leaving tiny rainbow bubbles on you. Come on.
Let's get up close and personal," she leaned in to enjoy Gari's lips.
"Helgas moon, woman! I thought this would lessen," Gari groaned as her legs shook with passion the touch of Alexandra's lips sent through her.
"Come on. I want to see the waterfall before we leave…" She was interrupted by a passionate kiss from Gari. "Hmm. We keep this up and we'll spend the night up here,"
she whispered, though not minding it at all.
They both laughed and started down the trail. At the bottom they stood at the bank of the river.
"Alexandra? Have you tried to contact the Sha'Kar that came with you?"
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"The day of our joining. I felt she was there but it was a light touch." She looked over at the fast moving water. "Want to try again?"
Gari nodded and turned to make her way over the boulders that framed the river.
Alexandra followed.
"That is a strong current," Gari remarked as she balanced on a boulder. She sat and removed her foot wear with Alexandra. Holding hands they sat quietly with their feet dangling into the water.
When the day's heat was no longer felt on their faces, both women realized that they had been visiting for a long time. They looked at each other and smiled.
"Well, I guess that answers our questions," Alexandra remarked.
"Uh huh. At least we don't have to worry about them asking us to take that Djed back with us."
"A lost Sha'Kar. Who would have guessed?" Alexandra stood up, and pulled Gari with her. "I'm hungry."
"Uh huh. Me too," Gari waggled her brows.
"Then come on my lovely. I have something planned for your entertainment."
"You know, Vanstar was delighted to come back with us," Gari mentioned.
"I heard. Do you think she's happier with us than on a big ship?"
Gari laughed. "Maybe. But, we're gonna have to restrict a lot of our activity to our cabin…"
"It's just across the corridor from her cabin, isn't it?"
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"We'll use the Yanaba if things get too noisey…or she can sleep in the Yanaba."
"With her feelings still as they are about empaths, she couldn't be assigned to Captain Malchi's group or Butterflies. That would leave Emperor and they have too many yahoos that would be challenging her to a fight every hour. Very unsettling. I'm sure we can make her voyage interesting. How many possible planets for visiting did CatchingButterflies identify on the way here?"
"We can't visit all of them. Besides, I don't want to run into their crew on shore leave or the Emperors." Gari said. "Gawds, that's all we need too. Damn dinners with the ships captains."
"Here, here," Alexandra agreed heartily. "When Vanstar seems to be going crazy, we can stop by at one and give her an adventure."
"Hmm."
"And you too love. So, what happened to Horiku?"
"Very hush, hush. No one would talk about her. My guess is that they have plans for her. I saw her leave with the Kiuzi that you met in the sacred caverns."
"Ahh. A different type of warrior. They have a different feeling than the Kiuzi of the Queen's guard. Did you notice that?"
"Yeah. The hairs on my arms stood up." JG shivered.
"Look at the rainbow!"
They both stopped at the grassed shelf and admired the play of light until a kiss was shared.
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Epilog
"All systems ready to go," Vanstar reported as she watched the screen on the ship's vitals.
"Blessings have been made and forgiveness given for landing in their pond,"
Alexandra reported.
Vanstar was happy to be leaving. She was beginning to feel sick on the planet.
Headaches and stomach aches from undigested meals was from what Cpl. Wetfoot told her, typical of a person not adjusting to the vibration levels on the planet.
"Okay, let's get back to our home away from home. We have a galaxy to explore!" JG sang out happily.
Alexandra held onto her seat as the shuttle banked to the left, over a mountain and then up into the gray sky. Once they broke orbit, JG began hailing the Rouster. She and Alexandra had decided that Alexandra would be captain of the Rouster while Gari was Colonel when they flew shuttle missions. It sounded simple. When Vanstar heard their decision by her blank stare both women knew she was seeing impossible vignettes where in one case she took direct orders from JG and in other cases from Alexandra.
JG had to assure her that her CO was Alexandra until they reached home port.
Vanstar thought it wise not to ask what they thought home port to be, since they both owed allegiances to two different galaxy powers.
"Coming about for docking," Vanstar informed the two officers.
"Docking bay is open. Security has been lowered. It's a go," JG reported.
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"Hey, sweetheart, you didn't leave a mess did you?" Alexandra asked as her hands moved over her screens to verify what the other two reported.
"He's got four fully functioning bots. If the place isn't cleaned…" she looked over at Alexandra and smiled, "that falls under your command."
"Uh huh. Just want to know what you're handing over, ground pounder," she replied.
"Docked and air breathable," Vanstar reported. Rolling her eyes was not permitted. She remembered that in her cadet class. It was considered insubordination.
"It's been upgraded, so I'll give you both a tour. It's also got the latest program on weapons training, or about six stan months ago the latest. It has a master teacher that gives 'owies' if you don't catch on quick en
ough."
"Now that is worth being a third wheel," Vanstar blurted.
The two women laughed as Vanstar blushed and then joined in.
Dinner was eaten while examining chart maps. Rouster was running an in depth diagnostics on itself. As much as they all wanted to leave quickly, protocols were followed on making sure their ride was shipshape. Both of the larger ships had already departed. They would all be keeping in touch.
"Captain on the bridge," the ship intoned. "Diagnostics completed and enginesare ready to be engaged."
"Yessssss!" three voices whooped. Abandoning their food they raced to the bridge.
Alexandra sat in the captain's chair, JG in the second, and Vanstar covering navigation.
"Captain to crew. Fasten you seatbelts. We got a lot of sightseeing to do before we get home. Navigator, set our course to the first acceptable port and send our intentions to Butterflies and the Emperor," she ordered.
"Aye, aye Captain. Plot entered and engines engaged. Message has been sent."
"Hang on, everybody, here we come," JG joked.
"Are you sure they said it's alright for us to take these detours?" Vanstar dared to ask.
"Yep. As long as our fuel lasts, was what I heard." Alexandra verified.
"Do they know that this prototype does not run out of fuel?" Vanstar asked.
"Not our problem," JG informed her smugly.
Vanstar smiled and rechecked the space around them. It was wide open for adventures.
