by L M Lacee
Penny snarled as she came in. ‘What?’
‘Surly.’ She whispered to Alexx and both couples who hid their laughter. ‘We need a list of land and plant people like Nina, but not Nina.’ She said to the others. ‘She looks after my coffee and chocolate plants.’ Turning back to Penny she said. ‘Also a list of people who work with iron and other metals, and artists. Do we have an available Hex?’
Penny opened her tablet and scrolled. ‘Yes behind Rose’s, why?’
‘Put it down as occupied for the… what do you wish to call your department?’ She asked the five people present. They all frowned in thought, Alexx said thoughtfully. ‘We are preserving their honor for eternity.’
Arron agreed. ‘It will be a tribute to their bravery and passing.’
Fredron translated as Leela signed. ‘Maybe we should be the Honor Guard, protectors of our brave.’
Alexx said. ‘I don’t know about you, but to me that says it all.’ They all nodded in agreement, he said to Peyton. ‘So with your permission Madam, we will call our department. The Honor Guard.’
Peyton said. ‘A worthy name for a worthy group. I would like a plaque at the entrances of each park or garden that says. Memories in memorial. A remembrance of our brave.’
‘That is beautiful.’ Penny said as she entered it into her tablet along with the group’s name as did the others. She then asked. ‘I assume Commander Alexx is the Commander for this group?’
‘Yes.’ He said with a relieved smile. ‘I am.’
Penny smiled in return. ‘Alright, well let’s get you started, if you would all come with me. I will show you to your Hex and…’
‘No need.’ Alexx stopped her. ‘I have it, just send me the lists of office personnel and gardeners landscapers and the others Madam mentioned.’
Peyton stood saying. ‘Well that is all, you are dismissed, go work things out and get to know each other.’
Penny guided them from her office, with Alexx asking the others what they needed. Leela walked with them, a smile on her face because for the first time she could join in on the conservation. As she made the doorway, she turned back and signed. Thank you Star Daughter, I love you.
Then she skipped from the room before Peyton could respond. Smiling, she reached over and turned off the screen by pulling the data drive and placing it in a pocket of her tunic. Having decided as a child she liked pockets, she always made sure her clothes came with many. Her memorial plan was an excellent one with talented people to make it a reality. She could not have asked for a better Commander than Alexx. He had the welfare of the Warriors at heart whether or not they were alive, he would make sure each one was honored. It would be a bittersweet task, but hopefully in the long run cathartic for everyone.
She opened her comp’ and wrote a message to Reeico asking him to design if possible a translator for the deaf and mute. Then she wrote a note to Amelia to have Leela record sign language for the Education center. She also wrote a note to Darby asking her to see if it was possible to convert Earth sign language into Coalition so low tech worlds could use it.
She sighed as she left her office by a secret door that opened into her secret hallway. Which apparently thanks to big mouth Darby, was not a secret anymore because the first person she ran into was Marlo.
‘Seriously, what?’
‘You thinking of going without me?’ He asked as she continued to walk.
‘Am I going somewhere?’
‘Yes you dayam well know, you are?’
‘Well if I was, you would not be coming, none of you would. I’d be leaving the security of the worlds to you, if that is, I was going somewhere. Also, did I not hear you and Brenda say you both wished to stay home?’
That left him nothing to say as they walked along the hall. It did not stop him from frowning heavily, even more so when they ran into Netta who asked. ‘When are we leaving?’
‘Seriously, this is my secret hall.’ She whined, and she did not care who heard. This was her secret hall, dayam it!
‘Really?’ Netta looked behind her. ‘Secret, everyone knows it is here?’
‘Big mouth Darby.’ Peyton grumbled as they kept moving.
Marlo told Netta. ‘If she was leaving, apparently we have to stay and guard the worlds.’
Netta raised her eyebrows. ‘That does not apply to me. So it must mean you, Larson, Alexx and Raley. Because I know for a fact, we… that is Madam and I have had this very discussion, and she vowed I would always go off world with her. Didn’t you, Madam?’
Peyton eyed the toe tapping Netta and then the scowling Marlo and chickened out. ‘See you all in Hawks conference room.’ She ducked into the airlift and skidded out of the lift and into the kitchen to the cheerful sounds of her son and nephew.
‘Mama… Mama. Auniee pey… Auniee pey.’
‘Hi my babies.’ She kissed both boys and cooed to them until she noticed Esther standing with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. Peyton looked at her and then at Helen. ‘What?’
Esther grabbed a cloth and started wiping the face of Draykin. ‘Do not even think you are leaving this rock without me, do you hear me Missy?’
‘But Esther, you were busy setting up Halcyon with Karen and the others last time. It was not deliberate, well it was on your side but not from me.’
‘Finished?’
‘Ahh, yeah.’
‘I know I could not go last time, but I am not busy this time. I am packed and ready.’
Peyton walked over to her and hugged the rigid female. ‘Thank goodness, it will be so much fun if you are with us. Plus I need at least one of you to remind me why I cannot kill the others when they gang up on me.’
Esther hugged her back and laughed, then told Rayvan as Peyton picked him up. ‘Your Mama is crazy, baby boy.’
He sang. ‘cazy… cazy Gammie Esta.’
Draykin, was now in Esther’s arms, he laid his head on her shoulder and said. ‘sasshole.’
Just as Darby walked in, followed by two of the Granite Warriors, she demanded. ‘Please tell me he didn’t say what I think he did?’
Peyton looked at Helen and Esther and they all said at once. ‘He didn’t.’
Draykin grabbed for his mother. ‘Mama sasshole.’
‘Oh my stars, who taught him that?’ Then she asked him. ‘Baby boy who told you that?’
Draykin stuck his thumb in his mouth as though to say he wasn’t saying.
Rayvan cried. ‘Auniee Darby, Auniee Darby.’
Darby’s eyes softened. ‘Greetings warrior boy, who is a little darling?’
Rayvan battered his eyelashes at her and giggled, saying. ‘Arling aniee Darby arling, kiss kiss.’
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. ‘Yes you are.’ Then she kissed Draykin’s cheek.
Peyton waited until she had finished. ‘Are you done?’
Darby eyed her and then narrowed her eyes as she asked. ‘What now?’
‘First; I have not had coffee. Second; I asked Penny to comm you all. Then everyone was in my face about when we were going and can I come with you, not you Esther.’
‘Oh, I knew you didn’t mean me, why would you?’
‘Yep, no reason, none at all.’ She turned back to Darby. ‘Thirdly; everyone knows about my secret hallway.’
At Darby’s look, she hissed. ‘You told everyone and have my office bugged, doncha techno girl?’
‘Bugged is such an ugly word.’ Darby hedged. Peyton with her son in one arm and holding a cup of coffee in her other hand, courtesy of Helen, made for the lift stating. ‘For that you are not coming.’
She then walked into the lift and disappeared, leaving a stunned Darby and her team behind. Esther gave Darby’s arm a pat as she passed her. ‘We will miss you dearle.’
She walked from the kitchen, followed by Helen, who just shook her head and made that noise that Darby hated with a passion. Because it usually meant she had been acting stupid. ‘Tut-tut.’
Darby looked at the Warrior’s as
she asked. ‘She was kidding, right guys?’
Lonn said to Kinn. ‘I wonder if that meant us.’ Without a word to her, they hurried after Esther and Helen.
Honor strolled in and asked. Why are we not going to the meeting?
Darby said. ‘She said I wasn’t going.’
Honor gave a very Prowler snort. Can the new Warbird even move without you on board?
Darby grinned as she realized the truth of her question. ‘Of course not… well, probably not.’ She swung Draykin around as she sang. ‘We are going on a road trip. Come on my boy; we are off to see the wizard.’
He giggled and Darby heard Honor ask. Who is this wizard everyone goes to see?
THIRTY-ONE:
Regular meetings were usually held during first-meal and in Peyton’s dining room, which was now part of the gigantic kitchen of her home. Today’s meeting would be held in what Hawk and everyone but Peyton called Prime’s war room. Located on the second level of the Warriors Administration Hex.
Instead of a communal foyer like at Peyton’s Hex, most of the Warriors Hexes used their courtyards for differing aspects of training. This Hex was completely devoted to offices, conference rooms, and classrooms.
Darby noted since last time she had been here the Hex’s lower level courtyard had been turned into a seating area with tables and chairs like a big common room. Feeling particularly smug as she was the one to have made that suggestion to Melody, she smiled.
Every classroom in this Hex taught some aspect of warfare. Some rooms had floor holo maps, where battles were staged, so that tactical advantages and disadvantages could be taught. There were holo rooms where full simulations of battles past, present and possible future ones were played out then dissected. Melody had introduced some battles from Earth's history, which the Warriors had found fascinating to watch. Especially the ones using horses or land vehicles.
Another Hex was dedicated only to Warrior training in sword and knife fighting as well as blasters and larger weapons training. A Hex was devoted to all types of physical weaponless training, Jenersar martial arts and Peyton’s favorite, boxing.
A new feature on Prime were obstacle courses which were set up outside. Every second lunera, they were to be restructured by Engineers and Warriors. Also, Jarrod’s father Cemeru and Harm’s Uncle Klune were adept at devising new designs to stimulate and challenge the Warriors. There was a Hex dedicated to that alone.
Thankfully the Prowlers no longer segregated themselves and lived with their bonded or in homes opened to them, which was just about every home on every world. They still had their own small Hex created to resemble tunnels until their own planet arrived.
At the moment there were two litters, one of six, three males and three females. They were ready to venture out into the world in a weken or two. Another litter was not long birthed, it was the first litter for the proud mother who was thrilled the kits were all female.
Both females had joined the Pride already pregnant which Fanharr assured her was good for breeding in the future. All the kits were of distinct colors, but they were still young. So far Rave and Rage were the only all-white Prowlers. Rage read the histories constantly, looking for the reason this was so.
When the kits had been birthed, Rage had asked her to visit both litters, which she had duly done and been greeted graciously by their mothers. The kits were adorable. Peyton knew Rage was hoping a bonding would take place so he could train the kit to take over from him, so far it had not happened. So while he waited, he trained his Prowlers on the obstacle courses side by side with the Warriors as they became the Defenders in more than name only.
He and Fanharr had changed the requirements for introducing kits to the Pride. Now the parents introduced them to Rage, Fanharr and Peyton first. Then when the parents felt they were ready, they allowed the kits to be introduced to the Pride. It was very different to how it used to be, but Fanharr told her so far everyone loved the change. Parents no longer feared their kits would be rejected if they did not conform to what was considered by Turqualls to be normal.
Another change was not of Rage’s doing and something he had struggled with, true matings. This was something that was happening between Prowlers on a regular basis now. Fanharr had mentioned to Peyton they had read about the phenomenon in their histories but never seen it in actuality. Peyton had been taken by surprise by her comment and asked Fanharr. ‘I do not understand, is that not what you and Rage have, a true mating?’
Fanharr had looked startled for several mins, then she had shaken her head. Oh my stars, all this time we have been truly mated. She had laughed and skipped from the Hex to share this obvious detail with her mate. And yes, Peyton thought, watching a very large cat skip was weird.
Melody was in constant demand for match-making, thankfully one of Harm’s cousins was discovered to have the ability to see matches. Kenera Hananva was training more from the Senes. Peyton wondered often if the day would come when Melody and Bacon no longer could leave Maikonia. Would her duties as Tocho supersede her life in the Armee?
Peyton grimaced as she watched Melody materialize on the transfer circle, she had a love, hate relationship with the transfer circles. Although she had to admit her enjoyment of being somewhere instantaneously was outweighing her discomfort at the thought of dematerializing and rematerializing. She sighed as she remembered she had no choice now after giving permission for the moving walkways to be removed it was either walking the streets or transfer circles. It was unlikely Prime would ever have land vehicles as no designs for them had been found. When she broached the possibility of vehicles to the others, Kerol had asked. ‘Why bother?’
He was right but Peyton was wary of the circles not that she was concerned for herself. But what if they malfunctioned and someone else was stuck in there or worse fried, the thought kept her up at nights. She had only suggested that concern once to Jean and Darby, their expressions had been enough to silence her into the next Millennia. Seriously, she had muttered to Netta, it was only a question, which apparently she would never ask again.
Rayvan loved the circles and often disappeared if not watched, usually to see his aunts. Which could be uncomfortable, if they did not lock the circles on privacy mode as they did with the airlifts.
On spotting his aunt, Rayvan squealed his pleasure. ‘Auniee mel, auniee mel.’
Peyton pouted as she asked. ‘How is it, he is allowed to call you Mel?’
‘Aww hush up Star Girl, he is my sweet warrior boy.’ She cooed to him. ‘Come to Auntie Melody, warrior boy.’
Causing Rayvan to giggle as she buzzed his neck and kissed him loudly on his cheek. Then Bacon bounded to them because he never did anything other than bound from one place to another.
Mama Peyton, Isa, see you.
‘Bacon, I see you, how are you.’
Isa not hungry
‘Are you telling me the truth?’
I am truly. He giggled, which was such a sweet sound it made Rayvan giggle as well.
She asked him. ‘So you do not want this cookie in my pocket, the one that Penny made.’
Penny… Jade’s Penny?
‘Yep, Jade’s Penny.’
I could eat.
‘Oh Bacon, I love you.’ She said as she passed him the cookie.
Rayvan made a grab for it, and she quickly took one from her other pocket. Bacon looked at it and she said.
‘Baby cookie from Grammie Helen.’
Kay. Then he called to Jade, as she came off the transfer circle. Jade... Jade, I have a cookie from your Mama Penny.
Jade said. She makes the best cookies.
Penny stepped off the circle as Hawk and Dinas appeared from the other circle. Just after them came a Warrior with Kerol. Peyton did not know him, but assumed it was Kerol’s friend, who had not long been released from the quarantine ship.
Heather and Dinas had found after extensive testing, the Warrior had been infected by a parasite that consumed minerals and necessary vitamins from its host�
�s body. The greatest concern for Heather and Dinas had been his inability to gain weight. There were days he could barely rise from his bed, and too many days that he was unable to walk without assistance. The healers assumed the parasite was in the stasis tube or he contracted it before he was placed into deep sleep. It had taken luneras to find the reason for the Warrior’s continued fatigue and loss of strength. While living in quarantine Kerol had been the only one allowed to visit him. Now as Peyton looked him over it appeared he was well on the road to recovery. It must be hard for him Peyton thought and yet he looked happy.
‘My heart.’ Kerol said when he spotted Penny. ‘How are you?’
Penny went pink at his words. ‘Kerol you just saw me a little earlier.’ She slapped at his arm as he slipped it around her, while he whispered in her ear causing her to giggle.
Melody eyed the two of them and said. ‘It is disgusting how a grown female goes all giggly when her mates around.’
Peyton sniffed. ‘I know, I am thinking of banning them from the offices.’
Penny and Kerol just laughed at her. Jade asked. Mama Peyton, does that mean I cannot come see you?
‘No Jade sweetie, I like when you visit me.’
Bacon asked. Me too?
‘Of course you too, you look after Rayvan and Draykin so well, and you make me laugh, that is always good.’
They wiggled with pleasure as Darby and Honor walked from the transfer circle with Draykin, who made grabbing motions for Peyton. She scooped him from his mother’s arms and gave him a cookie from a pocket. ‘Greetings baby boy, did you miss me?’
He giggled then said, ‘aunee pey sasshole.’
Peyton laughed at his words and harder at Darby’s.
‘Really, Peyton, I am cross you taught him to cuss?’
She smirked when a contrite Penny told her. ‘I am so sorry Darby, but it was me, it slipped out.’
Darby smiled. ‘Oh, that’s okay Penny; it happens.’
Outraged Peyton demanded. ‘What the hayd… when you thought it was me, you were all up in my face and all mad and shi... stuff.’
