by C B Williams
Wren cocked her head at him. “To not be frozen. That’s a very tempting offer,” she said. “What about the others? Can you keep us all young?”
“I believe so.”
Wren tapped her lip. “I think we should discuss this with everyone. Get their opinions.”
For the next several years, life settled into a harmonious pattern with a comfortable balance of companionship and solitude. Wren noticed with satisfaction how the crew seemed to sense when one of their members needed to be alone and would respect one another’s needs. Conversely, when she felt there was too much self-appointed solitude, she would organize a gathering where the ten of them could share their discoveries and what they had been up to. She had discovered long ago that Eloch wasn’t the only one who had a favorite place on the ship. She still ran the ever-expanding corridors that ran just inside the ship’s perimeter.
Sometimes she ran them alone. Other times, Perin accompanied her. Wren also continued practicing with her knives or sparred with Aiko, who was almost always either in the gym or on the Navigation Bridge, staring out at the stars while she monitored the ship’s vitals.
Grale and Wade had formed a friendship and could be found in the lounge, playing one game or another, and usually betting was involved. Mink, Spider, Kalea, and Genji were constantly in the science labs which, she was informed, had been expanded, courtesy of Eloch and his growing mastery of his power.
As for Perin, she could be found either on her garden bench or in what Wren called the Blue Room, a cozy music room with deep, comfortable furniture upholstered in a dark blue-green velvet, the color reminding Wren of the tide pools on Longwei.
Today, when she went looking, Wren found Perin in the Blue Room. “Knock-knock,” she said, even though the sliding door panels would have alerted Perin of her presence. “May I come in?”
Perin turned her sightless eyes toward Wren and smiled. “Wren! Greetings.” She set down the lute she had been strumming. “I’ve been expecting you.”
Wren plopped down across from her. “You have?”
Perin nodded. “I had a True Dream last night. You and I were discussing Eloch.”
“And so we shall,” Wren said. “I’m going back into Cryo soon, and I’m a little worried.”
“Don’t be. He is finding his way, Wren. When next you wake, you will see a remarkable difference.” She hesitated. “I don’t mean this the way it will sound, but you have been a distraction at a time when he really needs to concentrate his will and creativity within.”
“Uh-huh, I agree. That’s why I elected to take the sleep when what I really want to do is stay awake this time.” She shuddered. “I hate the whole Cryo process, and I love watching Eloch explore his boundaries.” She paused. “I do feel better knowing you monitor him so he doesn’t disappear into his creating. Thank you for that.”
“You’ve already thanked me several times, but there’s no need,” Perin said. “I’m his Seer. I look after his welfare. I know this is a sacrifice for you and appreciate what you’re doing, Wren. Hopefully, this is the last time you will need to distance yourself this way, but Eloch needs to fully understand what he is. For his sake. For all our sakes.”
Wren leaned forward. “Have you seen something? Is Eloch in danger?” She paused. “Or does he endanger others?”
“No. Nothing like that. It’s just that I sense his need to turn inward for a span.”
Wren sat back again. “Good. That’s a relief.”
“Let me clarify something, Wren,” Perin said after a pause. “As Eloch’s Seer, I only see what needs to be addressed for his benefit and for the benefit of those he values. That’s why I dreamed we were to meet today and have this conversation,” Perin explained. “This conversation puts you at ease, which allows Eloch to relax and be okay during your next Cryo sleep. Our conversation benefits him.”
“I get it, Perin,” Wren assured her. “I do understand. But I want you to know it really puts me at ease while I’m in Cryo, knowing someone is making sure he’s not always turned within, that he engages with the others from time to time. I know I’ve thanked you before and there’s no need to, but I want you to fully understand how important it is to me. I’m not sure,” she swallowed, “that I’d be able to do Cryo if I didn’t know you’ll be there for him.”
Perin chuckled. “Of course. Rest assured, I will be watching over him.”
Wren studied Perin’s lovely face, noticing the signs of age around her mouth and eyes. Perin not been a young woman when she arrived on the Valiant nearly ten years ago. “You know, Perin, if you’d like, Eloch could make you young again.”
Perin laughed, the creases around her eyes winging up. “I don’t fear age.” She hesitated, then smiled a secret smile. “Besides, I am sensing Eloch will be keeping me young with or without my consent. I think it’s in his nature to keep us all thriving.”
Wren flashed back on a memory of when Eloch, as Spur’s Champion, changed Max back into a young man.
“No doubt,” she said. “He’s aching to do it, and I suspect he’s already been secretly playing with my wrinkles. It’s been subtle, but I think I’m looking a little more youthful than before.”
Perin laughed. “The good thing about you being in Cryo is he will miss you while you sleep, which will motivate him to work harder on understanding and practicing all the ways in which he can use his power.”
“Now, if he can only come up with a way of dealing with the boredom. I’m not bored yet, but we’ve many, many, many more years before we reach our destination.”
“I’m afraid alleviating boredom is up to the individual,” Perin said. She gently touched the lute resting quietly beside her. “Do you like music, Wren?”
“I love music. I just don’t know how to play an instrument. Never had the chance to learn.”
“You have the time now,” Perin said. “I would gladly teach you.”
“And I would gladly learn.” Wren shook her head. “Growing up, I never thought I’d have time to ever worry about becoming bored.”
“You never talk about yourself, Wren. I would like to know more if you would care to tell me.”
“My life has been so different from yours, Perin. I don’t mention it because my childhood was full of danger, pain, and violence.”
Perin nodded, her expression sorrowful. “It made you strong, though,” she offered.
“That it did. And determined to keep others from experiencing the same childhood as mine.”
“Tell me, then, and I will tell you about myself. Although my childhood was an easy one, once I had a True Dream, everything changed.”
“How so?”
“I was sequestered, shut away from everyone I knew and loved. None of my friends from my old life could visit.” She paused. “Actually, I don’t think they wanted to. I was different, after. I knew things. I saw things. And I was blind to normal sights, so I was helpless on my own. Although I was coddled and pampered, I felt I like was in a prison.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“Yes, it was. Thank you for understanding. I was surrounded by people and rarely left alone, but I was so lonely. My only confidante was Rayne, The Lady’s High Priest. And of course, anything I told Rayne was discussed with The Lady or other priests. Therefore, I kept my own counsel as much as possible.”
Wren touched her hand. “I hope you know you don’t need to keep your own counsel with us. We’re Kinfolk, here. A small band of Kin, and we look after our own.”
Perin smiled at Wren, her eyes bright with tears. “Thank you, my friend,” she said as she placed her hand over Wren’s. “I’ve never felt free enough to express my loneliness before.”
“Well, it’s time then, isn’t it?”
“Beyond time.”
Wren gave Perin’s hand another squeeze before she disengaged. “About this lute,” she said, picking it up and holding it the way she’d seen Perin do. “Is it hard to learn?” She strummed it. “Can you show me a few chords right now?”
Chapter 7
Eleven Years into the Mission
Eleven Years into the Mission…
When Wren opened her eyes and gazed into Eloch’s, she immediately noticed the shift in him. He seemed calm, in control, more...focused.
This was the Eloch she remembered before Spur and Longwei had gifted him in such a careless, harsh manner with more power than his body could contain—so much power Longwei had to rebuild him, to strengthen him.
Now he gazed at her calmly, a trace of a smile on his mouth and around his eyes. Deep in his eyes, she saw the power—the knack—but its fires were banked and contained. “Wow,” she said through chattering teeth as she reached for him. “You’re back.”
Eloch’s chuckle rumbled through her. “I don’t quite know what that means, but I’m happy to see you, too.” He pulled her in, warming her, and tugged on the hood covering her coilmats. “I didn’t tamper with the length this time,” he said, smoothing his hand over the springy auburn masses.
Mink cleared her throat. “Back on the bed, Wren. You two can cuddle as soon as I check you out.”
With a sigh, Wren did as she was told, lying as quietly as she could in spite of the shivering and chattering teeth while Mink ran the scanning wand over her. She pouted up at Mink.
Mink laughed. “Very nice sad eyes, Wren, but I think Grale has already patented that look.” She checked her wand. “Okay, you’re checked out. Go back to your cuddling.” Mink turned to Eloch. “I will need you in about forty-five minutes to help with the Nuri.”
Eloch scooped Wren up. “I will see you then,” he said and carried Wren out of the med lab.
Wren wrapped her arms around Eloch’s shoulders and burrowed her nose into his neck, inhaling his scent. When she felt his warmth begin to saturate her, she sighed. “The cold sucks.”
“I’ve mastered a new process so you will never have to experience Cryo sleep again...unless, of course, you want to,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
She looked up. “Yeah?”
“I now completely understand how the body ages, and I can definitely prevent it.”
Wren laughed, “You’ve been experimenting on Perin. She said you might.”
“Perin and everyone else who wanted to be part of the experiment.”
“Mink and Spider?”
Eloch nodded. “Mink and Spider, too.”
Wren frowned. “I didn’t notice much change in Mink just now, but then,” she smirked, “truth be told, I wasn’t really looking at her. How about Grale?”
“Um-hum. Grale.”
Wren’s brows shot up. “Grale? You don’t say?”
“I do say. And he’s now not as challenging.”
“Really? You got on with him better this time around?”
“I did, especially after I let him win some of the games he likes to play.”
Wren laughed. “You’ll make a KinLord yet. So, we’ve solved the aging process. What about boredom of long flights? Although,” she added, “I do like learning to play the lute.”
Eloch grinned. “I’ve been making changes. I think you will find it difficult to be bored.”
The panel to their shared quarters slid open, and Eloch carried her into their sleeping area.
Wren gasped.
Curled up in the center of the bed was a miniature sniffer.
The sniffer lifted her head and watched with intelligent eyes while Eloch set Wren down.
Wren looked at Eloch and back at the sniffer.
“She is not Little Sister, but I think she will fill that void,” Eloch said.
“But I thought you could only create life when there was a need,” she said, the whole of her attention remaining squarely on the sniffer.
“I think there is a need, don’t you?” Eloch asked softly. He crossed his arms and surveyed the pair, looking satisfied.
Wren slowly extended her hand, and the elegant creature nestled her head against Wren’s outstretched hand. As Wren stroked her ears, the sniffer began a deep rumble in her chest. “Such a big rumble from such a small body,” Wren whispered. She looked up at Eloch. “A tiny Little Sister. She’s perfect.”
“She doesn’t eat as much, either.”
Wren laughed. “I would think not.” Her voice was still filled with awe. “You made this sniffer? Created her from nothing?”
“Not from nothing, no. From aminos and other elements found on the Valiant. She is a part of the ship. This is her natural habitat.”
“So she won’t be unhappy like Little Sister would have been,” Wren guessed.
“Exactly. Welcome back, Wren. Ready to take your shower and get warm? Your new friend isn’t going anywhere.”
“Little Wonder,” Wren said.
“Little Wonder?”
“That’s her name,” Wren told him as she rose from the bed, already shedding the Cryo sleep suit as she headed to the bathroom. “Come with me,” she said over her shoulder. “Didn’t Mink say you have forty-five minutes? I’d like to begin to thank you properly.” She winked before disappearing into the shower.
Eloch listened to the sound of running water and glanced at Little Wonder, who yawned, her pink tongue curling. “I think she likes you,” he told the sniffer with a grin. His clothes dissolving, Eloch turned and followed the sounds of running water to join his mate.
Forty-five minutes later, Eloch left Wren sitting on their bed with a vid pad on her lap and Little Wonder curled up beside her. She had three years of messages from Mouse, and he knew she was eager to catch up with her friend. But before he left, he made her promise to meet him later at the Solar Farm. He was eager to show her how much it had changed since she last saw it and to share with her everything he had learned about his powers and abilities while she was in Cryo.
When Wren and Little Wonder joined him in the Solar Farm, no sooner had Wren settled herself beside him than the sniffer let out a hunting cry and disappeared into the undergrowth.
“I take it we don’t need to worry about feeding her,” Wren said, trying to see into the thicket where the sniffer had vanished.
Eloch chuckled. “She definitely can fend for herself.”
“She’s so much like Little Sister, although it’s strange to have her shoulder at my knee rather than my waist,” She sighed happily and tossed her coilmats over one shoulder. “I feel like I’ve bonded with her already.”
“I’m glad, my love.”
She peered around him, and behind them. “So what else have you created?”
“A lake. Fish.” In the distance, there was a squeal, then silence. “More pigs for our Nuri.”
Wren nodded toward the squeal. “Sounds like there’s one less, although it must have been a smallish one.” She tilted her head back. “It seems larger in here, too.”
“I expanded some. Spider and Mink came up with a way to capture the space debris we come across. I can break it down to its basic components and use it to increase our size.”
“Our size?”
“That’s another thing that has happened while you were sleeping. I’ve completely bonded with the Valiant. We are one entity.”
Wren’s eyes widened. “Any repercussions?”
“None that I’m aware of,” Eloch replied with a shake of his head. “Although if there are any, I’m sure Spider and Mink can find out. They’ve taken to studying me along with their other projects.”
Wren laughed. “You’ve become one of their pet experiments?”
“It appears so,” Eloch said, sharing a grin with her.
“Spider and Mink,” Wren mused. She lifted an eyebrow at Eloch.
He nodded. “It appears to be so.”
“Hmmm,” Wren said. “Cozy.”
“Hmmmm, yes. Cozy.”
“I’m happy for them.”
“You enjoy your vid messages?”
“There are so many, it’s going to take me at least a month to watch them all. I think Mouse must have made them weekly.” Wren smiled, then sobered. “They�
�re getting older, Eloch. Max’s brows are as bushy as when I first met him. And Mouse…”
Her voice trailed off. “But their children are lovely, and even though Little Brother and Little Sister are gone, they had more than one litter together. Sniffers are alive and well on Talamh.” She sighed. “I’ve missed so much I would have liked to experience with Mouse and Max.” She held up a hand, “I don’t regret it at all, Eloch...you must know that...but I feel sad about it.”
Eloch gathered her to him. “As do I. As do I.”
Wren snuggled against him, wrapping her arms around his middle. “I love you, Eloch.”
“And I you. Everything feels right again now that you’re here with me.” His arms tightened around her, and they rested quietly in each other’s arms. After a while he said, “Would you like to explore my domain with me? I made some running trails for you.”
Wren looked up and grinned. “More paths to explore! A creator after my own heart. What are we waiting for?” she asked as she hopped to her feet, hauling Eloch up with her. She called to Little Wonder, who came leaping out of the thicket. “Lead the way, Eloch.”
For the next two hours, Wren and Eloch explored the world he had created.
The lake was a marvelous addition, with its sandy bottom and clear water. Wren made plans to swim in it later and have a picnic on the shore. The older trees had grown bigger, and there were plenty of saplings. Bees buzzed, and birds twittered and sang.
Eloch showed her where Perin had demanded a beehive near a field of clover to capture honey, and the field bordered a little stream that drained from the lake. Eloch explained that the stream fed into the lake as well, a closed system.
He showed Wren the new trails and paths that were already being used as shortcuts to traverse the length and width of the ship, pointing to the signs at the intersections that Grale made so no one could get lost.
