by L M Lacee
Nina said. ‘Okay, my older sister radar is going off. What say you older sistees?’
‘Yes to that.’ Declared a drunk Rose.
Miko kept having to prop her up on the couch because she kept slipping sideways. She and Rose were not used to drinking alcohol or at least not in the quantities the others did on girl’s night. Miko confirmed Netta’s suspicions when she suggested. ‘She wants something.’
Karen broke in. ‘Very suspicious, my older sister radar is pinging also, same as when Amelia tried to sneak out of the house without me, and no, she never made it.’
‘So true.’ Amelia lamented.
Patty asked Karen from deep within her comfy chair. ‘Karen, are you okay?’
‘Not sleeping well, change of world maybe.’ Karen grinned, but everyone could see she was tired.
Patty smiled in return. ‘Sad to say, you are not the only one. If it goes on for too long, come see me.’
‘Will do.’
Netta wobbled her glass around. ‘So back to the devious female. Miko is right, she wants something.’
Amelia crowed. ‘Shoot, no one needs radar for that.’
‘Agreed!’ They all shouted, and the betting was on. Netta proposed. ‘Shots if we are wrong.’
Patty called out to everyone’s delight. ‘Shots if we are right.’
‘Done.’
‘Alright, now hush females, let us see what she has up her sleeves.’ Netta called out as she turned the screen back on. ‘Thanks Peyton, so what can I do for you?’
‘Huh, why do you think I need anything?’
‘Because it is around 22:00 here, so that means early there.’
She grumbled. ‘That doesn’t mean I need anything.’
Netta raised her eyebrows as she said. ‘Peyton, I can disconnect.’
‘So rude.’ She swiveled around as her door opened.
‘Greetings.’
They could all hear the false sound of cheer in her voice as she greeted Darby and Melody, who asked or more rightly Melody asked. ‘Whatcha doing?’
Netta and her group all watched and hid their laughter as they saw and heard Peyton try for innocent nonchalance. ‘Not much, just talking.’
Darby asked. ‘Why have you comm’d Netta, are you asking her to comm Nina?’
‘Well, not yet.’ Peyton retorted. ‘I was getting the small talk out of the way. Now you have ruin that.’
Melody growled. ‘Listen Star girl, put your big girl panties on and comm her yourself.’
Peyton pouted. ‘She will bitchre at me.’
‘You deserve it. We did tell you.’
Netta asked. ‘Peyton, what did you do?’
Melody grinned at Netta, saying. ‘Greetings. How are you?’
‘I am fine. How are you both?’
‘We are good.’
‘We miss you.’ Darby called to her.
‘I miss you too.’
Darby told her. ‘You will love our Turqualls.’
‘So I have been told.’
Netta eyed Peyton and asked. ‘So Peyton, what did you not do?’
‘Well… I just sort of forgot. We were rushed before we left.’
‘You had six days!’ Netta stated when she heard numerous snorts and laughs of disbelief from behind her.
Peyton thought about it. ‘Really. It seemed shorter, are you sure?’
‘Yes, now what happened?’
‘Well, I sort of… maybe… I may have…’
‘Spit it out for stars sake.’
‘No need to be rude.’
Nina walked over, drink in hand, and stood behind Netta so Peyton could see her. ‘She was supposed to let me know about the mission. So I could have a botanist go with her. We agreed all missions are to have a botanist as crew. Is not that right Peyton?’
‘Greetings Nina, how are you? I have really missed you.’ Said an effervescent Peyton.
Nina glared at her. ‘I am annoyed with you.’
‘Greetings Nina.’ Darby and Melody called out.
Nina smiled at the sisters. ‘Greetings to you two as well.’ Netta widened the screen to show the rest of them all scattered around the room.
‘Oh wow, are you having a girl’s night?’ Peyton asked, and she could not help the pout on her face. She loved girl’s night.
Netta was going to say no, especially when she saw the sad face Peyton wore, but Nina boasted. ‘Yes, and you deserve to miss it, bad Peyton. Not you Darby and Melody, just her.’
She pointed at Peyton, who nodded contritely. ‘I know I really am, me bad, forgive me.’
‘Fine.’ Nina shook her head at the pitiful female on the screen, before she tossed back one of her drinks.
‘So how are my coffee plants?’ Peyton asked with a bright smile.
Nina slowly lowered her glass and asked. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Too soon?’ Peyton asked out the side of her mouth to Darby and Melody, who snorted in disgust.
Darby grimaced. ‘Stars, even I knew that.’
‘Oh, well, the reason we agreed to call…’
‘Not we girl, just you.’ Melody told her.
Peyton hunched her shoulders, ‘Fine… just me.’ She frowned at the unrepentant Melody, who grinned back. ‘We have been given some plants for home, for the Turquall and us.’
Melody interrupted. ‘Nina, they are amazing, they smell like lavender and honeysuckle combined with a little wisteria and roses thrown in.’
Once they explained about the plants they and the Turqualls had been given and then the honey berry trees. Nina became all business. She placed her drinks down and pushed her sleeves up as she issued instructions on how to preserve both plants and trees. Then when they all stared blankly at her, she demanded Darby show her the plants.
Which fortunately were in the lounge of Darby’s cabin and luckily, Willian and Lukkas were passing Peyton’s cabin. So Darby persuaded them to help her as she hurried into her cabin. They spent the next ten or so minutes making sure they had packed the plants well enough, and then Nina needed to see about the twelve young berry trees. Peyton and Melody chattered with the others while Darby was talking with Nina.
‘I hate you so much right now!’ Fumed a yellow dirt smudged Darby, when she returned to Peyton’s cabin
Bewildered Peyton asked. ‘Why, what did I do?’
‘It is what you did not do. I am going for a shower.’
Peyton scowled at Nina after Darby had stormed from the cabin. ‘Sheesh Nina, why did you get her so mad?’
‘Peyton, go away. I need to get drunk.’
‘But I want to be there. Don’t we Melody?’
Melody grinned at Netta as she said. ‘We miss you all, see you soon.’
Netta said. ‘We miss you.’
Peyton sighed. ‘Netta you okay?’
‘Still holding.’
‘See you soon.’
‘And you, stay safe.’
They disconnected and Netta, Nina and the others burst out laughing. Rose sat with Karen and Amelia while Miko, who had become good friends with Penny and Jean, mused.
‘It is quiet without them. I mean, we make plenty of noise…’
Nina interjected. ‘Yeah, it is a different type of noise, though.’
‘Energetic fun.’ Patty declared. ‘They have fun energy, it makes you laugh and feel good.’
‘Yep.’ Rose agreed as Miko asked. ‘So what else happens on girl’s night?’
Nina grinned. ‘Serious fun, pure fun.’
‘Oh yeah.’ Patty grinned as she tipped her glass back and downed the contents, then she told them. ‘Games.’
Netta turned from shutting down her computer and laughed at Patty, as her mind turned over what Dinas had told her earlier this morning in training. She had finally got around to asking him what Peyton had suggested.
FORTY:
Her training session that day had been harder than normal. When Dinas called an end to the pounding, she was receiving. Netta had laid covered in sweat a
nd panting on the floor of the training room.
Dinas sat sweating as he gulped down his tube of water. He looked at the prone female and said. ‘You are getting better.’
‘You think so?’ She croaked out as she struggled up into a sitting position. He threw her a cold container of water.
‘Yes, very much so, in one maybe two luneras you will be almost unbeatable.’
Netta gulped the water, reveling in its coolness, and almost laughed. Dinas had just spent the last hour beating the tuap out of her, and he said she was getting better. She thought about it and supposed he was right to a point. Wekens ago she could barely last a round, which amounted to almost ten minutes. Now it was an entire hour with him. So stamina was improving, good.
Her hand kept hold of her sword, so good. Shame she could not feel her arm, but it was still there, so still good.
‘Can I ask you a question?’ She asked to distract herself from sore muscles that were starting to scream at her.
‘Of course.’
‘Peyton said to ask you what it was to be an Elite, so here is me asking.’
He laughed before meeting his Patty he would not have recognized Netta’s sense of humor. He did not rush his answer, rather he thought about her question then slowly stated. ‘To be an Elite is to be better, greater, and deadlier than all others. We are gifted with abilities not endowed to Warriors and with that comes great responsibility’
Netta nodded. ‘Yeah, I see that, but what does it mean?’
Dinas thought about his answer for another few minutes as Netta tried to settle into a more comfortable position. Finally he said. ‘Kardan, our brother. The Elite would tell you it means nothing, and it means we are a target. We live harder and faster than other Warriors and he is right, but he will also tell you. The Rie gives us an enormous reason to survive, to make sure we all survive because sweet, lovely, deadly Netta.’ She smiled at his description. ‘Kardan would also tell you as he told us. We the Elites bring balance to the Star Daughter or Son. In all the histories we have read, and some we were not supposed too. We are here to protect, to kill, and to die for her or him. It is why you, Hawk and I are with her, why we will find the others and why she found us.’
‘So you are saying Elites have been with Star Daughters and Sons forever.’
‘So it is written. Now you see why the yoke of ownership hurt us.’
‘Oh, I do, so who made us?’
He shrugged. ‘I do not know. Like you, I have my suspicions, we all do.’
Netta nodded and returned to what he said earlier about Peyton. ‘She will not ask that we die for her, fight yes, but die never. It is not in her to do so.’ Netta reasoned as she stood. ‘She will not allow that to happen, she cares too much for you, for us. We are more than fodder for her.’
‘So we are finding out.’ Dinas agreed with a smile in his voice as she moved closer to him, he told her. ‘In all the histories we have read, they never mentioned a female Rie bearer. Netta do you realize what that means?’
Netta looked up at him and shook her head. ‘No, what?’
‘It means someone, somewhere has decided the Universes need to be changed. The one you came from and the one we now reside in.’
‘I find that frightening.’
‘As do I.’
‘Sometimes change is not good.’
Dinas said thoughtfully. ‘I suspect they do not know what to do with the consequences of their meddling or with her.’
‘She scares them.’ Netta hypothesized.
Dinas shook his head. ‘No. It is more like confuses, as she does us. Netta my Rie is evolving and growing once more. I know Hawk’s has as well, and then there is you. Oh yes, they are very confused.’
Startled, she asked. ‘Are you saying this is all because of Peyton?’
‘Yes, that is what I am saying. She has unbalanced the balanced Universes and the Star Child with it. We all are in flux and Netta.’ She looked at him as he smiled again. ‘It was a very good day when you were blessed with the Rie and came here.’
Netta dipped her head at his praise. ‘Thank you Dinas.’
She started to walk from the training room, trying not to groan as her leg muscles protested. ‘Remind Patty it is girls’ night.’
‘I will and Netta.’
‘Yeah.’
‘See you for training tomorrow.’ He smiled when he heard the loud groaning as she stepped into the hall. He called. ‘Get a rub down.’
‘Yes, Dinas.’
He stood and looked out the window and hoped he had answered Netta’s questions correctly. He shook out his hands and stretched his body. Netta was strong and fast, so very fast. He constantly had to use his Rie to defend against her attacks. She was so much more than he had thought she would be, as he told Patty the previous night. He feared for her, if she did not get the training she needed. He could only train her body, the training for her needar and Rie, he could not do. He hoped they had time and seriously doubted they did.
Netta worried her Rie was changing too fast, every day she seemed different, as though she was herself in flux. She hoped Peyton hurried home. Instinctively she or her Rie knew she needed the presence of the Star Daughter to balance her until she could do the same for herself.
To distance herself from her thoughts for a little while, she called out. ‘Hey girls, did I tell you what Penny’s Kerol has done?’
FORTY-ONE:
Peyton and Darby stayed with the Turqualls on the moon for the first three days. Then decided to remain on the ship unless called for. Due mainly to the constant tension the Turqualls felt around her. It seemed their focus on who she was caused them anxiety, especially the kits.
Kate kindly but firmly told her on the third day that as much as she knew she wanted to remain, she was not helping her patients to recover. So Peyton reluctantly left the moon and her new citizens of Maikonia.
Darby decided her time was better spent conferring with the engineers and Commanders of the ship. About the improvements, Commander Kolin and his people had made. Peyton thought she was hiding in work rather than confronting Heather’s imminent departure.
Kate sent daily reports about the Turqualls who were all benefiting from the medical treatment, clean air, sunlight and the constant supply of food. The Warriors made sure they received. Personally, Peyton believed it was the relaxed atmosphere and the lack of fear that resolved most of their issues. They seemed to blossom in the days they were there.
She smothered another yawn as she finished reading Kate and Melody’s reports and thought about having another cup of coffee before retiring for the night. She had just made up her mind to finish the one in her cup and call it quits when Hawk walked in to the Helen’s diner.
Peyton smiled, he looked so much healthier since she had first met him and happier, almost carefree. Well, as much as someone as tense as Hawk could be. Her smile widened as he raised his customary one eyebrow on seeing her. She thought he was getting rather good at wordless expressions, and it sure made him appear dashing. Now that was a word she needed to try out on Darby, dashing…
‘Greetings Peyton.’
‘Greetings Hawk. What do I owe for the pleasure of your company?’
Hawk shrugged as he sat and said. ‘A cup of your special coffee.’
‘You hate coffee.’
He smiled as he agreed. ‘True, so I will take an explanation for what happened to Melody on Porquiel.’
‘Ahh, I see.’
She wondered when someone would ask her about that incident. Amusingly it was Hawk and not Darby or Trina. Peyton sipped her coffee as Hawk waited, finally she said.‘In short, I don’t know.’
He raised both his eyebrows at her claim. ‘No really, I don’t know. From what Fanharr told me and your report as well as the other witnesses. She seemed to go into a trance and answer my call. Which, as Fanharr said, she should never have been able to hear. Just like none of you heard it. Believe me that song is for Turquall only.’
Ha
wk pulled on his bottom lip. ‘Rage, said the song called to the Chosen.’
‘You think she is a Chosen?’
Hawk shrugged again, he really loved this expression it relayed so much without words.
Peyton looked mystified as she said. ‘Oh, come on, is that even possible?’
Hawk raised an amazed eyebrow as he stared at a female who was a myth come to life and almost laughed. Instead, he said. ‘Why not, stranger things have happened? We have an Earthling as the Star Daughter.’
‘Ha-ha, so funny, but seriously is it possible?’
‘I guess we will find out.’
‘Seriously, Melody a Chosen.’ Peyton muttered to herself. Then a slow smile spread over her face.
Hawk shook his head, he knew that smile it meant trouble for Melody. ‘To me this says she could be developing an ability.’
Peyton nodded as she said thoughtfully. ‘That is also possible. Netta has, so yeah, I can see that.’
‘Perhaps you could look to find out. This way we would have some warning.’
Peyton was shaking her head before he stopped talking. ‘I cannot, I am not that skilled, and I do not know what I should look for.’
Hawk smiled at her honesty. He loved that she was so honest with her abilities and never boasted she could do more than she was able to. It was refreshing to know she would not lie to him. He drummed his fingers on the table, the only outward sign, he was agitated by what they were discussing.
‘We could have one of the new Specialists talk to her, if she consents.’
‘Good idea. But let’s leave it until we get home. Unless she starts showing any more symptoms.’
‘Peyton, Melody does not have a disease.’
She shrugged one shoulder as she said. ‘You say ability, I say disease.’
She laughed as Hawk shook his head and looked out at the passing stars. ‘I feel she is safe at the moment, but she is very dearle to me. I will not hesitate to have a Specialist speak to her if I feel she is in danger.’ With a stern look at her, he growled. ‘I protect what’s mine and Melody like you and your sisters are mine.’
Softly she said. ‘I know Hawk. Its hayda being a big brother, isn’t it?’
