by S. H. Jucha
Terese laughed quietly and shook her head. She could visualize Alex shaking off his brush with death in good humor, as he compared the personalities of Miranda and her. Truth was, the man had a good point.
“I have to admit, Pia, it’s taken a long time for me to find happiness again after our awakening in New Terra, but I finally have it, and I covet the love and security Tomas and I have together.”
“And you deserve it, Terese,” Pia said, gently shaking her friend’s hands. Mickey and I will accompany our enormous New Terran and work to keep you and this planet safe so that you can enjoy your lives. Pia hugged Terese one last time, wondering if she would ever see her again.
* * *
Emile Billings sat down with his wife, Janine, and daughter, Mincie, after the evening meal. Alex had given him permission to speak of his invention, in general terms, but not to expose the details.
Emile was overcome with excitement about the potential the new opportunity represented — the incredible discovery itself, his success as a biochemist, the future profit potential, and the thought of participating in an adventure beyond his wildest imagination. Only two problems he could foresee, his wife and his daughter. He considered the possibility that they might not share his enthusiasm, and he was right to be worried.
Mincie’s adjustment to life on Haraken was challenging, the making of new friends and the adoption of her implant. As for Janine, she was torn, wanting to make both members of her family happy.
The break came for Emile’s hopes when Mincie lamented that she missed her new best friends, who had helped her adopt her implant, Jodlyne and Ginny. As transplants to Haraken themselves, the pair understood the challenges Mincie faced and worked to smooth her entry into Haraken life.
“Edmas and Jodlyne will be aboard the Freedom,” Emile said gently to his daughter.
“Jodlyne will?” Mincie asked, wanting confirmation. “And what about Ginny?”
“Edmas and Jodlyne will be working closely with Mickey Brandon and me on our new project. And the Freedom will be headed to Celus-5, probably before the survey mission is complete. You’ll see Teague and Ginny there.” Emile knew the Sojourn would remain in orbit around Celus-5 until Alex returned, but he kept that part of the situation to himself.
“Promise?” Mincie asked.
“Promise,” Emile agreed.
While Emile wrestled with his family, Mickey made arrangements for procuring and shipping into orbit anything that could accommodate the spray construction of ships with Billings’ methods. Claude was busy moving the remainder of Z’s avatars and his manufacturing equipment for avatar construction. What delighted the Méridien tech specialist was that he managed to confiscate one of the Freedom’s gigantic bays for himself.
“I have a challenge for Z and you,” Alex had said to him. “I’m wondering what sort of practical avatars can be designed and built that the SADEs might employ in some of our future challenges.”
“What sorts of challenges?” Claude asked.
“Oh, you know, the usual and some of the unusual,” Alex said and left Claude’s office.
Claude commed Mickey to share Alex’s request, and the engineer laughed until he ran out of breath.
“Looks like we’re going to busier than ever, Claude,” Mickey said, cutting the comm without ever contributing a single idea.
Between trips to the Freedom, Julien and Cordelia spoke to their children. They were hesitant to take them into an unknown future, but the SADEs underestimated them. They weren’t typical Haraken children, but orphans, who had survived by their wits and handouts from the rebels, who fought the forces of United Earth for decades. In the children’s minds, Julien and Cordelia came to their rescue and saved them from orphanages, and there was no way they were getting separated from their adopted parents, danger or no danger.
Julien and Cordelia spent moments in person with the other Haraken SADEs, who would remain on the home world. This included Mutter, whose delight remained composing and singing for the hives. “One day, the People will produce their own Singers, and my work will be done. I might join you then,” Mutter told them.
Alex contacted Julien to set up the transfer of his house and land. For the price of one credit apiece, Alex’s parents, sister, and son, received quarter shares in the wide swath of land along the coast that the Assembly had awarded Alex and Renée. Christie was staying on Haraken. Her media company was growing, and she couldn’t be happier. Alex’s parents, Duggan and Katie, were staying too, hoping Christie might give them grandchildren one day.
Julien checked database records across the planet and ensured that Alex and Renée’s names were cleared of Haraken ownership titles. Even their Exchange account name was changed from Racine to Dassata. Every effort was made to support Alex’s statement that he would no longer be a Haraken citizen.
At Alex’s request, Julien contacted each human who was accepted to accompany Alex, making them aware their Exchange accounts would be accessible aboard ship. While most were initially surprised by that fortunate news, it reminded them that Alex and his associates were thinking far into the future and preparing for more than a simple expedition.
* * *
The Exchange and SIF directors did collude on one aspect of their arrangements with Alex. It was agreed that each group would make an annual contribution of a half of a percent of their income from the Freedom’s endeavors into Alex’s personal accounts.
Julien sent,
* * *
Tatia and Alain were readying for bed, and she was replaying a conversation she had with a pilot, who graduated at the day’s academy ceremony. Despite having just received his wings, he’d spoken to his training commander that he wished to resign his commission and apply to travel aboard the Freedom, and the commander thought it was worth involving her in the conversation.
Tatia had said to the new lieutenant, “You understand that Ser Racine has only four travelers, and he’s got senior people seeking a place on his ship.”
“Understood, Admiral,” the lieutenant replied, “If Alex Racine doesn’t have warships today, he’ll have them tomorrow.”
“And how do you think that will be possible, Lieutenant, if he’s aboard a city-ship and away from the Haraken Swei Swee?” Tatia thought her question would have sobered the young man, but she was wrong.
“I have no idea, Admiral,” he replied. “I don’t doubt he’ll find a way.”
To that, Tatia had to agree, but she kept that thought to herself.
Alain watched Tatia shuck her uniform and enter the refresher. So much woman to love, he thought. He’d wrestled with how to approach Tatia on the burning subject of Alex’s expedition, and he couldn’t have been more conflicted. At present, he was bored with work. In contrast, he’d never felt more alive than when his twin and he guarded the madman. But he loved Tatia, who commanded the prestige position of Haraken’s admiral, and he was desperate to find a way to have both.
To make Alain’s decision more pressing, Étienne and Ellie announced they would be aboard when the Freedom launched. Alain knew Alex would never extend him an invitation. The man didn’t wan
t to come between Tatia and him, and he appreciated that. On the other hand, the job was his for the taking and he knew that too.
Crawling into bed, Alain waited for Tatia to join him, before he signaled the lights off. The Haraken moons shone brightly through the window. Snuggling in each other’s arms, sleep failed to come for both of them. Instead, they lay awake, thoughts of their possible futures rolling through their minds.
“Would you go without me?” Tatia asked, breaking the silence.
“Direct as always, my heart,” Alain replied, brushing a blonde curl from Tatia’s face. “No,” he replied, his voice thickening.
“Hmm,” Tatia replied, snuggling closer. “Then it’s a good thing I submitted my resignation today. I wouldn’t want you to regret your decision to stay.”
Alain pushed up on an elbow, anxious to see Tatia’s face. She was grinning at him. “Then why did you ask me if I would leave you?” Alain challenged.
“Sometimes a woman wants to know where she stands,” Tatia replied.
“But did you resign your commission for my sake or for your own?”
“Truth be told, I was getting tired of reviewing, signing, and sending documents, not to mention the endless meetings. I’m not cut out to be an armchair administrator.”
“Neither am I,” Alain admitted.
“But let’s understand each other, Alain. While I’ve missed discovering new worlds and the universe’s mysteries, I haven’t missed the nearly dying part of Alex’s adventures.”
“So would you have gone without me?” Alain asked.
To Tatia, Alain’s question sounded part tease and part earnest. In reply, she swept Alain’s slender form over the top of her heavy-worlder body, and proceeded to demonstrate her answer.
— Alex and friends return in Omnia. —
Glossary
Celus-5 Swei Swee and Ocean Creature
Dives Deep – Member of Wave Skimmer’s hive
Long Eyes – Member of Wave Skimmer’s hive
Maga – Large predatory fish
Wave Skimmer – Hive First
Dischnya Soma and Nests
Chafwa – Queen of the Mawas Soma nest
Cysmana – Nyslara’s personal attendant
Foomas – Chafwa’s wasat
Fossem Soma – Nest that kills Haffas
Haffas – Emissary from the Tawas Soma nest
Hessan – Young warrior in Tawas Soma nest
Homsaff – Heir to the Mawas Soma nest
Mawas Soma – Chafwa and Homsaff’s nest
Nyslara – Queen of the Tawas Soma nest
Posnossa – Heir to the Fossem Soma nest
Pussiro – Nyslara’s wasat, a commander
Regents of Queens – Leaders on Sawa, home world of Dischnya
Sawa Messa – Celus-5, Dischnya second world
Simlan – Older warrior in Tawas Soma nest
Sissya – Queen of nest near Tawas Soma
Tawas Soma – Nyslara’s nest
Dischnya Language
Bessach – Woven mats
Ceena – Dischnya term for a sea creature, the Celus-5 Swei Swee
Chona – Nest queen
Dassata – Peacemaker, name for Alex Racine
Dischnya – Dog-like species on Celus-5 and Celus-4
Diss – One
Emissary – Hunter or warrior, wearing a mask of peaceful intent
Ené – Pronunciation of Renée
Feedwa – Queen’s dogs
Fellum – Pronunciation of Willem
Fissla – Council of queens
Fossar – Animal by-product used as a lubricant
Hira – Pronunciation of Keira
Mess – Two
Nessila – System’s star, Celus
Sawa – Celus-4, Dischnya home world
Sheck – Unit of measurement, approximately 1.6 meters
Soma – People
Thile – Unit of time, approximately 0.14 Haraken hours
Wasat – Warrior commander
Zhinni – Pronunciation of Ginny
Harakens
Alain de Long – Director of security, twin and crèche-mate to Alain, partner to Tatia Tachenko
Alex Racine – Partner to Renée de Guirnon, Star Hunter First (Swei Swee name)
Amelia – Close friend of Christie Racine
Assembly Hall – Chamber where Assembly members meet in session
Asu Azasdau – Captain of the Sojourn
Bartlett – SADE, recent immigrant to Haraken
Bethany Latimer – Security escort, sergeant, New Terran, ex-TSF
Bibi Haraken – Matriarch of Haraken clan
Bobs A Lot – Swei Swee
Bright Shell – Swei Swee, First
Cedric Broussard – Z’s New Terran avatar
Central Exchange – Haraken financial system
Christie Racine – Alex Racine’s sister
Claude Dupuis – Engineering tech, program manager for SADE avatars
Cordelia – SADE, Julien’s partner
Dane – SADE, Exchange director, Assembly SADE
Davi – Swei Swee medical specialist
Duggan Racine – Father of Alex Racine
Edmas – Young engineer, works with Emile Billings and Mickey Brandon
Edward Sardi – Earther physicist and mathematician, Willem’s mission second
Ellie Thompson – Wing commander, partner to Étienne de Long
Eloise Haraken –Bibi Haraken’s daughter, friend of Christie Racine
Emile Billings – Biochemist, emigrated from New Terra
Eric Stroheim – Assembly Speaker
Espero – Haraken capital city
Étienne de Long – Director of Security, twin and crèche-mate to Alain, partner to Ellie Thompson
First – Leader of the Swei Swee hives
Flit – Single person grav-drive flyer
Francis Lumley – Captain of the Rêveur
Franz Cohen – Wing commander, partner to Reiko Shimada
Giant sphere – Nua’ll transport and former prison of the Swei Swee
Ginny – Little Singer to the Swei Swee, close friend of Teague
Hive Singer – Mutter, sings to the Swei Swee in their language
Janine – Wife of Emile Billings
Jason Haraken – Bibi Haraken’s son, Assembly member
Jodlyne – Crew member, Teague’s friend
Julien – SADE, Cordelia’s partner
Katie Racine – Mother of Alex Racine
Keira Daubner – Security escort, corporal, Méridien
Linn – Confederation SADE
Little Singer – Ginny, sings to the Swei Swee in their language
Marie Soucis – Security escort, lieutenant, second in command, Méridien
Mickey Brandon – Senior engineer, partner to Pia Sabine
Mincie – Daughter of Emile Billings
Miranda – SADE
Mutter – SADE, Hive Singer to the Swei Swee
Nua’ll – Aliens who imprisoned the Swei Swee
Oliver – Confederation SADE
Orly Saadner – Traveler pilot, New Terran
People – Manner in which the Swei Swee refer to their collective
Pia Sabine – Assembly member, medical specialist, partner to Mickey Brandon
Racine Talk Time – Media show created and hosted by Christie Racine
Reiko Shimada – Captain of the Tanaka, a sting ship, partner to Franz Cohen
Renée de Guirnon – Partner to Alex Racine
Rosette – SADE
Sadesville – Enclave of SADEs housing
Sand Flipper – Swei Swee
Security Directorate – Haraken security forces, twins are co-directors
Smitty Lange – Security escort, corporal
Star Hunter First – Swei Swee name for Alex Racine
Svetlana Valenko – Wing commander
Swei Swee – Six-legged friendly alien
Swift Claws – Swei Swee
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Tatia Tachenko – Admiral, ex-TSF major, partner to Alain de Long
Teague – Sixteen-year-old son of Alex and Renée
Terese Lechaux – Medical expert, partner with Tomas Monti
Terran Security Forces – TSF
Tomas Monti – Haraken president, partner with Terese Lechaux
Trixie – Confederation SADE, original ID was Lenora
Ullie Tallen – Senior scientist, Méridien
Verlan – Expedition pilot
Whistles Keenly – Swei Swee
Willem – SADE, mission co-commander
Xavier Escobar – Security escort, captain, ex-TSF officer
Yaki – Medical specialist
Z – SADE
Méridiens
Confederation – Collection of Méridien worlds
Council – Organization of Méridien Leaders
Didier – SIF director, SADE
Esther – SIF director, SADE
Hector – SIF director, SADE
Independents – Confederation outcasts, originally exiled to Libre, rescued by Alex Racine
SADE – Self-aware digital entity, artificial intelligence being
SIF – Strategic Investment Fund of the Confederation SADEs
Winston – SIF director, SADE
Planets, Colonies, Moons, and Stars
Celus – Star the Sojourn visited
Celus-4 – Fourth planet outward from Celus
Celus-5 – Fifth planet outward from Celus
Haraken – New name of Cetus colony in Hellébore system, home of the Harakens
Hellébore – Star of the planet Cetus, which was renamed Haraken
Libre – Independents’ ex-colony, now home to Swei Swee hives
Méridien – Home world of Confederation
New Terra – Home world of New Terrans
Sol – Star of solar system where Earth is located
Ships and Stations
Allora – SIF’s liner, operated by Confederation SADEs
Freedom – Haraken city-ship
Our People – Haraken city-ship
Rêveur – Haraken passenger liner
Sojourn – Haraken explorer ship
Sternenvagabund (Star Voyager) – Passenger liner
