by L M Lacee
‘Yes, Auntie Peyton, very much so.’ Said the now sweetly smiling Enara as Enuru smiled happily beside her.
‘See, dangerous.’ Peyton told Darby sourly.
‘Still no.’
Peyton smirked at Darby as she remembered she would have to give in. If she wanted her to make a speech. Huh bargaining chip. Then she asked the girls. ‘So you are excited about visiting the Warbird?’
‘Why do you call it Warbird, Auntie Peyton?’
‘Because it will fly in space just like a bird, with grace and beauty.’
Darby and Heather smiled at the picture she painted, the girls nodded their heads and said. ‘Oh. ’
Enuru answered quietly. ‘We are very excited about visiting the Warbird Auntie Peyton.’
Darby asked. ‘Is Auntie Heather taking you?’
‘Yes, she said we had been good.’ Enara answered her.
Peyton saw the flashing green light on her desk indicating Harmara was ready to talk again. She said to the girls. ‘That is very good. Now I need you to go tell Auntie Darby why you have to dress as you do. Unlike me, she is confused. Please do that in the kitchen where I know there are cookies, while I talk to the male I have waiting on the comm.’
Darby gave her a look with raised eyebrows as she got up and took the happy girls with her. Which Peyton ignored as she swung her attention to Heather, who frowned but remained against the wall. She was tired again but thankfully not exhausted, once the girls were out of hearing range.
Heather accused. ‘You drugged me.’
‘I did.’ Peyton agreed, unable to read her to see if she was angry or not.
Smiling, Heather said. ‘Thank you. I needed the sleep and I feel better.’
‘You are welcome and you look better.’
‘I feel more balanced.’ She said after a minute. ‘Like I have come out of a long sleep, now who are you talking too?’
‘Ahh! As to that.’ She flicked the button again, and a male stood with Avana. ‘Captain, Avana, you are well?’
Avana answered. ‘We are, Harmara is with his family, they are a little concerned. Whatever you did, upset them.’
She smiled. ‘I reminded him who I was and what I could do. And how precious you all were to me. I became a little annoyed with him.’
Avana tried not to laugh at Peyton’s dry tone. ‘I see, this is Captain Orin Certen. He has been invaluable to my mission.’
A huge Warrior stood with her, Captain Orin Certen had hardened features honed from living on inhospitable planets for long periods of time. A half- moon shaped scar decorated his cheek from his left ear to his nose. His eye ring was blue and like more and more of the Warriors, the kindness he had buried over the yentas was plain for Peyton to see in his eyes. He had brown streaks in his sandy blond hair and was sporting a small goatee. Ever since Frand had come into their lives, several of the Warriors were now wearing facial hair. As he brushed a strand of hair from his face, she noticed he was missing half of his small finger on his right hand.
Smiling gently, she addressed him. ‘I thank you Captain, for the care you have given the people in your charge.’ He was frowning by the time she had finished speaking. ‘You disagree, Captain?’
His voice was filled with gravel as he replied. ‘If I was so good, we would not have been taken in the first place.’
‘Oh I see, you are upset. Is it because you were not hurt?’
He looked surprised at her suggestion. ‘No Madam.’
‘You are upset because you saved your Warriors, and did not have any of them fed to the fodder machine of death, trying to prevent a well-orchestrated plan?’
‘No, Madam. I am thankful no one was killed or hurt. How did you know it was well planned?’
‘Oh Captain, it had to be, for you all to be captured and the Masters to be drugged. I know how you were trained and by who, so Captain?’ She asked. ‘Last question, are you ashamed because you are still alive to look after your Warriors and the Sene and her brothers while they are incapacitated?’
He shook his head and sighed with a small smile. ‘No Madam, I have been many things but ashamed to do my duty, to care for these honorable people. This I can never be ashamed of. Madam, I get your point and thank you.’
Peyton smiled. ‘Happy to have helped, I am very pleased you are all alive and well. They are feeding and looking after you, Captain?’
He nodded. ‘We are being looked after very well. The Solverea family are good people, Madam. We are hostage in name only.’
She smiled. ‘I will take that into consideration, Captain know we await your return. Avana, where is my Koana. I miss her?’
‘Yes, Madam, as do I. These females have apparently never seen a baby before. I hardly see her.’ She grumbled, but a smile lit her eyes.
‘And you know what species she is now?’
‘Yes, and they will not have her returned. Harmara’s Uncle Klune has given me a data drive on her species and other species.’
‘Has he, how interesting.’ She cast a sidelong glance at the door Darby had gone through.
Avana got the hint. ‘I will bring it back with me for Darby.’
Peyton grinned. ‘You know how to make her happy. Oh, by the way, I have a home for you and your family. I have told the ladies not to furnish any of the apartments, and especially not yours and Koana’s. I thought you may want to do that yourself, or would you like for me to let them at it?’
Avana bounced with joy. ‘No, I will do that when I get back. I am so excited, this will be my first home. I wish to decorate it myself.’
‘Alright, I can see the prospect excites you.’ Avana grinned at her amused tone.
Peyton asked her. ‘So is he ready yet?’
She turned sideways and said. ‘Yes, here he comes.’
Peyton told her. ‘We will see you soon Avana, you have been missed.’
‘As we miss you. He is here.’
THIRTEEN:
Harmara came on screen. ‘Star Daughter, what was it you needed to inform me about, that made the Raparthen hunt for us on your behalf?’
Peyton motioned the two girls over as they came through the door. Harmara took one look and shouted words Peyton did not know. His brother and an older couple moved into view, their faces betraying the shock they all felt.
Harmara finally demanded, ‘How is this possible?’
Peyton motioned Avana with her finger. ‘Tell them please Sene.’
‘You knew, you have known this and said nothing?’ Harmara’s brother growled menacingly and advanced toward her. Causing Captain Orin to step in front of her.
Avana stated with her hands folded in front of her. ‘I answer to none but the one I am sworn too.’
The male stopped his advance as he and Harmara turned to Peyton and Harmara asked. ‘You, she is sworn to you?’
Calmly, Peyton told them. ‘So, it would seem, Sene Avana, explain please.’
With a bow toward Peyton, Avana recited the information in the same tone she would use when telling of a prophecy.
When she was finished, Harmara sat heavily, saying. ‘Thank you, Sene Avana.’
He looked at his sisters, gone was the brash, bravado leader of the Solverea family. And in his place was an older brother who wished for nothing more than to comfort his siblings. He begged them to understand and believe him.
‘We did not know little ones; we did not know. We would have come for you if we had. I gesovo.’
When Enara saw the confused look on Peyton’s face, she whispered tearfully. ‘That means vow.’
Peyton hugged her as she whispered. ‘Thank you.’
Then, as if they could not hold back the storm of tears any longer, both girls cried and leaned into Peyton as they talked quickly to their brother. Harmara nodded several times, his eyes on the girls as they spoke. Only once did he flick his eyes to his brother who stood by him, anger in every line of his body. Finally, the girls came to the end of their tearful tale and Harmara’s brother nodded to Pey
ton and bowed.
‘Star Daughter, I am Sedeen, brother to Harmara, Enara and Enuru. We owe you for the lives of our sisters.’ He looked at his sisters and his eyes softened, as he spoke for a few minutes in the same language they had been using. The girls both tearfully nodded, then he turned from the screen and they all watched him leave the room. From the look in his eyes, death was going to be following him.
Peyton sighed for the lives that had been lost and for those soon to be lost in the name of greed.
Harmara rubbed his eyes and soberly asked Peyton. ‘Would it be possible for the girls to be excused?’
Peyton agreed. ‘Of course, girls please go into the kitchen. We have adult business to discuss. We will come for you shortly.’
‘Yes Madam.’ They said, knowing an order for what it was. ‘Brother Harm, we miss and love you.’
‘As we love you girls.’ Once they had left, he said. ‘Their parents... our parents were killed four yentas ago in an accident. As you can imagine, the twins were a surprise not only for Sedeen and I, but our parents.’ He smiled at memories he could only see.
Peyton grinned. ‘I can only imagine.’
He nodded. ‘They are very dearle to us.’
‘I am sure they are. We have enjoyed having them stay with us, they are intelligent, curious and very clean little girls, you should be proud of them both.’
He smiled a little confused at her. ‘We are.’
His voice hardened as he told her. ‘Our mother’s sister and her treasure were given the girls to further their education, as is our custom. This has been a tradition for many yentas, unfortunately it would seem that something has gone wrong. The girls believe they were sold to people for the purpose of being hunted. If this is so, I ask if the people who acquired them are still in the living world. I would appreciate their names and what planet they are residing on.’
Peyton winced. ‘If you are asking after your relatives, I cannot help you. If you are asking about the people who held your sisters, they are no longer a concern. The Star Child served justice for the families of all the victims. I will have the account of what we found on the planet and the justice delivered sent to you, if you would like?’
Harmara nodded as he looked at the older couple. They nodded as well. He then quickly introduced the silent couple.
‘Star Daughter, please allow me to introduce my father’s brother Klune and his mate Rata.’
‘Greetings.’ Peyton inclined her head as they returned the gesture.
‘Greetings Star Daughter, we would like the data please.’ The male named Klune replied.
Peyton looked at Darby, who said. ‘Sending it now.’
She said to Harmara. ‘It should be with you shortly.’
He inclined his head and asked. ‘Star Daughter, if I may, were the girls abused?’ He raised both brows to indicate what kind of abuse the girls may have been subjected to.
‘No, our healer assures me they were not.’
He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath when the older male’s hand clasped his shoulder. ‘Thank all…’
She interrupted Harmara before the little girls who had wandered back in heard what their older brother was saying and could question their conversation. ‘I am truly sorry for the situation you find yourselves in. Family should never betray family.’ She turned to the girls and said. ‘I thought I asked you to stay in the kitchen?’
Enara came over and leaned against Peyton. ‘We were lonely.’
‘Huh nosy.’ She tapped her nose. ‘More likely.’
Enara giggled as Enuru also leaned against Peyton. ‘We are that too.’
Harmara grinned when he heard the giggles and then sobered as he said. ‘In what you say Star Daughter, you speak truth. It will go hard for the ones who did this, because they are family and for what they have broken.’
‘The trust we have for family is sacred and should never be broken.’ The beautiful female Rata stated.
Peyton nodded her head in understanding as Harmara shook his head and shifted his eyes from his sisters to Peyton. It was at that exact moment, Heather moved slightly and Peyton saw the recognition on Harmara face of who she was.
Together she and Darby watched fascinated, as the male’s whole being stilled, and he whispered. ‘Mine!’
Then he quickly stood, throwing his chair out behind him as incomprehensible words poured from his lips. Causing his sisters to clap their hands and squeal with glee as they turned toward Heather. Harmara ran his hands through his hair dislodging the black tie and golden blond hair cascaded around his shoulders. He placed both hands on the console and leaned forward saying. ‘Treasure, I have dreamed of you.’
Heather sobbed as she walked closer to the screen, her hand reaching for his. ‘I have dreamed of you.’
Harmara said. ‘My treasure, my heart.’
Tears fell down Heather’s cheeks as together she and Harmara placed their hands against the screens. And recited words so old, no one knew where they had originated from or who had been the first to utter them.
‘I was lost, now I am found, you are mine to treasure to love and to hold.’
Harmara said; ‘The darkness must hunt elsewhere. You are mine to love, to keep in my heart. Never to be forgotten.’
Heather said; ‘The darkness must hunt elsewhere. You are mine to love, to keep in my heart. Never to be forgotten.’
Together the couple intoned. ‘We are found and are now one. So we gesovo for now and forever.’
Enara whispered to Peyton and Darby. ‘That was a joining vow.’
The couple sat as they held their hands palm to palm, so engrossed in each other they did not see the markings suddenly appear around each of their wrists.
Peyton could see Captain Orin explaining the symbols to the older couple as Darby explained it to the twin girls. When she had finished, she looked at Peyton and asked. ‘Why are their markings gold and purple?’
Peyton smiled softly. ‘Gold for the Solverea family, purple for Maikonia.’
Darby smiled as well. ‘How amazing.’
With nothing left to do, Peyton nodded to Avana and the Captain and told the older couple they would be in contact about transferring the girls.
With one more look at Heather, Peyton hustled Darby and the girls from the room. ‘Come along girls, let us go to the kitchen and talk to the ladies. You can tell them you are truly part of the family now.’
As they left, they could hear Heather explaining the markings to Harmara. When they reached the foyer, Darby looked at her and said. ‘So that was what her dreams were about. Who would have thought?’
‘Yeah, who would have thought?’ Was all Peyton said absently as she remembered what it was she had forgotten to tell Avana all those luneras ago. Although it was obvious Avana already knew about the swearing of a Sene to the Star Daughter. She wondered if Avana knew of the elevation in status that came with it. She would ask her when she came home.
FOURTEEN:
While Peyton had been speaking to Harmara, Hawk had been once more consulting with Kolin about the Warship under construction. He now stood in the office overlooking the ground floor of the Hex that contained the new Warship and what seemed like thousands of workers.
Smiling to himself, he remembered the expressions on everyone’s faces when they had discovered this Hex and the partially built ship. And the room where the data drives were stacked in rows from floor to ceiling. There was not one person who had not been happy that day.
From what they had researched so far, it seems the data drives held blueprints and technology way beyond their current knowledge. When some data drives were decoded, it was discovered that someone or many someone’s had uploaded plans for Warships and Battleships, shuttles, cruisers and one-man fighters.
On other drives, they found a plethora of information on equipment and weapons to be installed on the ships and the planets. Kolin was pleased to find on one of the drives, the final designs and installation plans for the s
hip under construction. It was as though it had been shelved or someone had lost interest many yentas ago.
Hawk grinned as he watched the new Commander walk into the lift. Just as he knew he would, Kolin had stepped up and run with the responsibilities of command. Within days of his promotion he had teams of designers, builders and manufactures each tackling a different part or operation of the Warship. They were very enthusiastic about finishing the forty level craft. Last he heard, Kolin commandeered half of Darby’s tech staff and that was nothing to the number of pilots and Warriors who wished to work for him. He had even asked the ladies’ club to find females to come and look after his people, worried they would not eat or sleep without females to monitor them.
They had their own Hexes in what resembled a compound, incorporating the vast complexes. Where the ships were being assembled, or at least most of the stages of the crafts were built. Obviously not the last stage that was assembled at the spaceport. Which they had discovered when entering and passing through the shield surrounding the solar system.
They had been amazed to see that the port of Maikonia resembled a colossal honeycomb, or at least that is what the human females called it. Layer upon layer of Hexagons held together by a force field that opened and closed on each level for ships to dock. It was armed with weapons unseen before by him and his Warriors. Even the traders did not know what they were capable of.
Kolin had formed a team from handpicked people to discover and investigate everything they could about what they had woken on the port. As of today no data drives had been found for that structure but even there Kolin had thought ahead. He had researchers, librarians anyone who knew how to search for data, downloading information from the drives. Hawk remembered how annoyed Darby had been when several of her data-collectors had transferred into the research department, to go methodically through each data drive.
One discovery they made on a level of the port was a new type of shuttle that carried only twenty people, and could also be used for cargo. They obviously were to go between the port and planets. Sleek and graceful, the young ones had named them the darts, very apropos, as it turned out. They were quick and cut through space like a dart. The little ones had also named the shuttle used to go from one world to another. It was an ugly rectangle style craft, which had six legs that extended on landing and had large flat plates as feet. They were cumbersome and sluggish but withstood the harshness of low-level gravity travel, well.
