Star Minds Next Generation

by Barbara G. Tarn

  "But he was born before you," he said, trying to soothe her.

  "Oh yeah? And why didn't she tell me? She told everybody she never had a man!"

  "So you're mad at her," he said, thoughtful. "Because she lied to you. She must have been very young when she had him..."

  "My age," she grumbled. "I'’m not really eager to get pregnant, though."

  "Maybe it was an accident. A true Sylvanian wouldn't know about birth control. They don't have men on their planet, why should they take the pill or request their partner use condoms?"

  She scowled at him.

  "Why are you defending them?" she protested. "You don't know my mother and you don't know that cop!"

  "True, but I know shit happens. A friend of mine has discovered he has a half-sister his father never mentioned... which is more or less your case. Your mother had two kids. So what? You're still her special one, I'm sure..."

  Dadina sighed and relaxed. Of course she was her mother's special one, although now Maela often doted more on Kelikana and Selinda, but then, she was older now. And she'd grown up on a mixed planet, unlike her mother.

  "Do you think she was raped?" she asked Hiro.

  "You'll have to ask her," he answered. "We're almost there anyway..."

  ***

  Bess-lin slapped Shan-leo, hard, as soon as he got off the starship.

  "How dare you, you..."

  "Calm down, Bess-lin," Kol-ian said while Shan-leo covered his stinging cheek, glaring at Bess-lin who had grabbed Kay-low as if he were a doll.

  "Mom!" the child protested as she held him too tight.

  "You stay out of this," she told Kol-ian, glaring at him. "And you..." She seemed to be ready to insult Ker-ris as well, but couldn't find the words. "I told Shan-leo to stay away from us, can't you even control your own son?"

  "Bess-lin, I'm twenty-two," Shan-leo retorted. "I don't need my father's permission to do anything anymore."

  "Really?" she scoffed. "And that's one more reason to keep my son away from Sire like you!" Her finger jabbed his chest. "What happened to tradition, huh? Respect for elders?"

  "Shan-leo is nice," Kay-low protested.

  "Shut up, Kay-low. Let's go home now," she snapped. "And you," she pointed her finger at Hiro, "you're fired!"

  She stormed away, dragging her son with her. Shan-leo sent reassuring thoughts to his cousin to keep him calm. Everything will be all right, Kay-low, your mother will relent!

  The captain of the mini-cruiser rushed after Bess-lin, while T'ymi'chel smiled amused at Shan-leo. Dadina held Hiro's hand protectively, and Kol-ian and Ker-ris waited for the Galaxy Police captain to come back and release Shan-leo, Dadina and Hiro.

  Chibi kept staring at Kay-low, who had stopped with his mother to talk to the policewoman and looked back longingly at the Haiduc.

  "Chibi, do you want to stay with Kay-low?" Shan-leo asked.

  "I'd love that!" the little robot answered promptly.

  "Then go," Dadina said. "Kay-low lost Hiro today, hopefully his mother will allow him to keep you."

  "Really?" The robot blinked, making them laugh. He didn't have a mouth to smile with, but he oozed happiness. "Kay-low, wait for me!"

  His sturdy legs brought him to the child's side the moment the captain nodded and came back towards them. Shan-leo and Dadina watched Chibi walk away with Kay-low and Bess-lin.

  "You may go," the captain told Shan-leo and Dadina. "Lady Meraini has canceled the accusation of kidnapping."

  "Thank you," Shan-leo said, hearing his father's sigh of relief. "Can we take your man, here, inside the palace? I think he needs to meet someone."

  The captain glanced at T'ymi'chel. She obviously knew what this was about.

  "The Warp Phantom will leave in twelve hours," she said. "Try to be onboard by then."

  "Aye, captain," T'ymi'chel answered with his brightest smile.

  ***

  Dadina entered the apartment still holding Hiro's hand and with T'ymi'chel towering behind both of them.

  Kelikana and Selinda were in the living room, but Maela was nowhere to be seen.

  "Oh, you're back," Kelikana said, a little puzzled. "I heard there were problems with the Haiduc's maiden voyage..."

  "The starship is fine," Dadina snapped. "Is my mother on duty?"

  "No, or you'd have found me in the hangar with Kol-ian and Ker-ris." Maela emerged from the bathroom in tank top and sweatpants, her silver hand shining. She stopped a few paces from them and raised her eyebrows. "New boyfriend?"

  "Ah, no, yes, well, Bess-lin fired him, so I was wondering if he can stay here until we find him a place in the Vaurabi Labs," Dadina answered, letting go of Hiro's hand.

  "I was supposed to take care of Kay-low, but allowed his cousin to kidnap him for a trip to Fantasilandia," Hiro explained, since Maela looked puzzled. "Lady Meraini didn't appreciate my gesture, but her son greatly enjoyed the trip, and the company."

  "So you're a babysitter?" Kelikana asked. "Come and meet Selinda!"

  Hiro smiled and joined her, while Maela looked at T'ymi'chel.

  "I sure hope you're not under arrest," she chided, staring at Dadina.

  "You should be arrested for abandoning your son," Dadina grumbled, lowering her eyes. "And for lying to me."

  "What?" Maela protested.

  T'ymi'chel came forward.

  "My name is T'ymi'chel M'aran, but my birth certificate says I was born on Sylvania from a Maela Cora. Is that you?"

  Maela's eyes widened in shock. Dadina stared fascinated at her mother's reaction.

  "How old are you?" Maela asked bluntly.

  "My birth certificate is from twenty years ago, but when my aunt Z'oel'iana picked me up I was already thirteen. My father's name is D'ony'dondy M'aran."

  Maela's expression softened. "So you survived."

  "Away from Sylvania, of course." He grinned. He had a beautiful smile. And caramel skin like N'ell'onera.

  "And how is your father?" Maela asked.

  "He's fine. When the war with the Reptilians ended, he got married, so now I have younger siblings. Even on this side of the family." He smiled at Dadina who was too lost in thought to return the smile.

  "What was it like for you on Sylvania?" she asked. "Do you remember anything?"

  "I remember everything moved so slowly around me. My brain grasped everything, but couldn’t really process it until I was on the starship with Aunt Z'oel'iana. That's when I actually started speaking – I was finally moving at the same speed as everybody else."

  "It was so weird watching you grow before my eyes," Maela said, thoughtful. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get you off planet in time. It was very traumatic for me, and I had forgotten you for my own mental health."

  "I still remember your face, like a photograph in my head," T'ymi'chel said with a smile. "I'm glad we met again. I'm with the Galaxy Police now, if you need anything..." He offered a card with his contact information.

  Maela took it and smiled at last.

  "Thank you, Tim... sorry, Ulba'wissian names are so hard to remember!"

  "T'ymi'chel."

  "Thank you, T'ymi'chel, for bringing back my daughter – your sister."

  "I was coming back on my own!" Dadina snapped. "I don't need a babysitter anymore!"

  Maela raised her eyebrows and stared skeptically at her.

  "We'll talk about that later." She turned back to T'ymi'chel. "When do you need to leave to go back on duty?"

  5. BESS-LIN AND KELIKANA

  "Did you have to become an outlaw?" Ker-ris complained as he entered their apartment with Kol-ian and Shan-leo.

  "Temporary outlaw," Shan-leo replied. "I have established a bond, I can work from here now."

  "Good, because no matter what you told Bess-lin, you're still under my roof, since you don't work and don't have money of your own!"

  Shan-leo turned to look at his father.

  "I will find work," he assured. "Probably at the Sire Library. But not yet. I'll let you know
as soon as I have a plan."

  "As long as it doesn't involve kidnapping Sire children and wandering around on a starship..." Ker-ris grumbled, slumping on the couch with Kol-ian by his side.

  Shan-leo rolled his eyes. "I told you, I established a link, I don't need to kidnap him again. Anyway, I didn't know Bess-lin's brother died in a flying car accident. It must have been pretty bad if they couldn't save anything..."

  He thought about Izzy-lee's artificial body and glanced at his own prosthetic, then looked at the two seated men. Ker-ris was frowning, Kol-ian was thoughtful.

  "There was nothing to save," Kol-ian said at last. "His brain was gone. They took some organs, but there was no mind left."

  "Oh. So he died."

  Kol-ian nodded. "Shortly after my mother."

  Shan-leo sighed. "I think we should all visit Bess-lin and Kay-low. We have Sire stuff to discuss."

  "Didn't you have enough?" Ker-ris protested. "Do you want to be slapped again?"

  "I might slap her back and teach her some manners," Shan-leo retorted. "No wonder Kay-low was so angry with such a haughty mother! He's very sweet when allowed to be." He looked at Kol-ian. "And he doesn't hate you anymore. I told him what you did for us. You should meet him."

  Kol-ian smiled. "I'd love to, but I doubt Bess-lin would let me."

  "Why don't we go right now?" Shan-leo suggested. "Let's get this off our chests, shall we?"

  He noticed his father was more reluctant than Uncle Kol-ian – some kind of guilt oozed through his mind shields.

  "Did you know Kay-low Meraini?" Shan-leo asked as they walked out of the palace and headed for Bess-lin's apartment.

  "Yes, but we weren't friends," Ker-ris muttered. "Leo-will knew him better. And he told me he thought Kay-low was killed because he dared to reject Lin-sun."

  Shan-leo smiled ruefully. "That's very possible. But he also broke her heart."

  "I doubt my sister ever had a heart," Kol-ian said.

  "She did," Shan-leo insisted. "But it was well shielded."

  "So I could have mind linked with her," Ker-ris mused.

  "No, Father, she didn't love you."

  Jarred, Ker-ris stared at his son who flashed a smile at him.

  Shan-leo wasn't born when all that had happened, but his bond with his father had shown him a lot through the years. Ker-ris had shared his last conscious memories, his crush for Lin-sun – Kol-ian's gorgeous sister, Heir to the empire – and his conversations with Leo-will and his father, warning him about the woman he'd chosen and who had become available after the death of her betrothed, Kay-low Meraini – Bess-lin's older brother. When Kay-low had died in a flying car accident, Bess-lin had been betrothed to Kol-ian and then Lin-sun had chosen Ker-ris as husband, controlling his mind for the duration of their marriage.

  They reached Bess-lin's door, and Shan-leo rang the bell.

  "You again?" Bess-lin glared at him.

  "We need to talk," he answered, determined. "Let us in, unless you want your neighbors to hear about Sire private matters."

  She frowned, but let them in.

  "Kay-low is in his room with the robot," she said, grumpily pointing at the couches. "Is that a creature of the Vaurabi Labs?"

  "Dadina built it when she was twelve to keep her company." Shan-leo chuckled. "I was fifteen and suddenly she was reminded she's an only child. A couple of years later she reprogrammed it to sound like me at ten – when she first met me."

  "Mm. What did you want to talk about?" she asked, crossing her arms on her bosom.

  "You should allow Kay-low to bond with his father," Shan-leo answered.

  "What? Why? He didn't even want him!" she protested.

  "I didn't want you, Bess-lin. I'd be delighted to spend some time with my son," Kol-ian replied.

  She scowled at him.

  "I told him the Vaurabi are evil, and Shan-leo wouldn't even exist if they hadn't killed his namesake uncle. Kay-low Meraini was supposed to marry Lin-sun Vaurabi, not Ker-ris Shermac!"

  Shan-leo saw his father pale, but Kol-ian looked unfazed.

  "You were so eager to become a Vaurabi yourself," Kol-ian said. "Even when I broke the betrothal you came after me to get those Vaurabi genes for your son..."

  "By then I knew what you'd done to my brother," she replied. "You unlocked the Vaurabi database, remember? That's when I discovered Kay-low was already dead when he crashed with his flying car. So I decided you would provide me with a replacement, hence Kay-low was reborn, and he will make the House of Meraini great again."

  "Bess-lin, you're crazy," Kol-ian said. "There is no House of Meraini, House of Shermac, House of Vaurabi. The Emperor is dead, the Sire are not the masters of the galaxy anymore. There won't be any greatness in one single Sire aristocrat – we have a Council of Five, in case you forgot. And we chose it precisely because we didn't want one family to have the power."

  Bess-lin glared at him, then looked at Ker-ris.

  "You married Lin-sun because she killed my brother. I hope it was worth it," she spat.

  "Oh, it was great," Shan-leo said suavely. "Eleven years of mind control, because your brother had broken her heart and she chose my father with her mind."

  Bess-lin was about to slap him again, then she narrowed her eyes.

  "How do you know?" she demanded.

  "Before accessing the Vaurabi mainframe, I accessed my mother's mind," he answered. "I tried to establish a blood mind link, but failed because she'd lost all empathy."

  "You what?" Ker-ris stared at him, shocked. "How did you learn about blood mind links since you never saw your paternal grandfather?"

  "I went to him to ask for help in freeing you," Shan-leo replied. "He told me I had some kind of natural blood mind link with you, and when I went back to the palace, I probed Mother to see if I could do the same with her. Maybe an adult would have succeeded and healed her, but I was only eight..."

  "What's a blood mind link?" Bess-lin asked, nonplussed.

  "It's not as symbiotic as the love mind link," Shan-leo answered, pointing at Kol-ian and the still shocked Ker-ris, "but it can be done with any relative."

  "Are you telling me you abducted Kay-low so you'd be able to create some kind of mind link with him?"

  "Yes, that's exactly what I did. And you can't undo it. It looks like your generation wasn't too well versed in Sire powers, thanks to my grandfather's mind control program, but as soon as I could, I learned everything from Lisa-mae and Leo-will Khamisi."

  Bess-lin gaped at him.

  "That's because my father had forgotten all his training during his marriage," Shan-leo added with a wink. "And that's why you almost killed both when they mind linked."

  Bess-lin shook her head, incredulous.

  Kol-ian chuckled. "First time someone stuns her speechless!"

  You established a blood mind link with your cousin? Ker-ris's tone was tender.

  Yes, Father, I'm preparing for the love of my life by bonding with lost relatives.

  Sadness and love reached him from his father's mind. He too wished Grandfather Uwe-yuri was still alive, especially since he'd barely met him. What he'd seen through his father's mind about the head of the House of Shermac had made him wish he could have stayed with his father's family. Although two firstborns getting married meant the union of two houses. If the grandfathers had survived and the Galactic Empire was still in power, he'd be Emperor Shan-leo Shermac-Vaurabi by now.

  And you'd be great, his father transmitted. Much better than I could ever be.

  I want a mind link, Father. That symbiosis will make me weak – like it did with you. Unsuitable for government.

  That was at the very beginning, when I did it wrong and almost killed both myself and Kol-ian. Don't you see how good he is with the Five himself? I look forward to seeing you in one of those seats...

  I don't! I sure hope I'll have time to find someone to love before I get stuck into politics and government!

  "Shan-leo!" Kay-low burst into the room and rushed to
hug him. "I thought I'd felt you close!"

  "And we'll always be close from now on," Shan-leo assured, squeezing him. "But now I want you to meet your father. For real."

  Kay-low let him go and stood serious in front of him.

  "You don't have to if you don't want to, Kay-low," Bess-lin snapped.

  The child glared at his mother. "You lied to me. I want to hear his story now."

  "I didn't lie to you. Ask him. Did his family kill your namesake uncle or not?"

  Kay-low looked at Kol-ian, hopeful.

  "Yes," Kol-ian answered. "The Vaurabi did a lot of nasty things to the Sire and the galaxy. And that's why I took them down."

  "Really?" Kay-low asked, beaming.

  "Yes, with the help of Ker-ris, who later became my other half. Since we're two men, we can't have children as a couple, but he already had Shan-leo and I sort of adopted Dadina..."

  "Dadina is cool! She made Chibi!" Kay-low exclaimed.

  Kol-ian chuckled. "She's the smartest girl in the universe, I give you that! My family of origin was a bunch of icy Sire, so I surrounded myself with real people afterward. Would you like to join the extended family with your mother?"

  "What?" Startled, Bess-lin stared at him.

  "You haven't married and haven't had any other children, so I assume you still have some kind of crush on me," Kol-ian told her with a smile.

  "You're welcome to join us with your son," Ker-ris added. "The Imperial Apartments are quite huge, as you well know..."

  Bess-lin hesitated. "I will think about it."

  "Oh, Mom!" Kay-low pleaded.

  She smiled against her will and opened her arms. He rushed to nestle against her.

  "I guess someone has already decided for us both," she said with a new tenderness, holding tight her son who giggled.

  "When you want," Kol-ian said. "We'll wait for you with open arms."

  "But Shan-leo must promise me something," she warned.

  "I won't kidnap him again if I can see him when I want," Shan-leo replied with a grin.

  ***

  "Why do you think my mom is so mad at yours?" Selinda asked, curling up against Dadina on the living room couch. Kelikana's screams came from the bedroom she shared with Maela, mostly colorful insults in Ypsilantian that Dadina barely understood. In fact it had been Selinda's puzzled translations into Intergalactic that had allowed her to understand how upset Kelikana was. Maela's voice was a murmur compared to Kelikana's protests.