The Space Merchants of Arachne

by Wendie Nordgren

  Eli bowed. Thunderdrop chirped at him. “Yes, Thunderdrop. Eli sent us pretty flowering bushes. We like them very much.” I plucked at the sleeves of the long sweater that Grandmother had helped me put on over my dress. Dr. Fotri came with Papa. I scowled at him.

  “Teagan, the doctor just needs to make sure you’re okay. You aren’t acting like yourself,” Abbie said.

  “He keeps making me sleep. And I am acting like myself.” When Dr. Fotri came toward me, I yelled, “If you make me sleep again, I will leave, and I won’t come back. I swear it.”

  Dr. Fotri patted at the tears on my face. “I never intended to upset you. Is this how you slept on Earth?”

  “No, I worked all day and got really tired, so I could sleep. All I can do here is read and go for walks.”

  “I see. These are vitamins. May I give this to you? It won’t make you tired.”

  I nodded. Grandmother and Rolf showed Abbie and Orson to a room in my wing. They put Eli in one, too. I held Neema and looked out over the lake through the windows. Abbie had brought what the jeweler had made for her. Rather than ankle bracelets, he had created tiny gold bracelets with tiny balls inside of them that chimed when she moved her hands. Thunderdrop touched the strings of his harp from the floor. I brushed at her soft grey hair with my fingers. Grandmother sat beside me and called Gram and Sydney. I smiled and waved, but didn’t pay attention to the conversation. Days and nights turned into each other.

  I looked out over the lake and felt a soft presence under my ribs. Neema was asleep, and Abbie was brushing my hair. As the hours passed, it grew stronger. Then, I heard several footsteps approaching my wing. I felt warm large hands on my wrists and looked from the window into white eyes streaked with orange and grey. “You came back.”

  Yukihyo picked me up and carried me to our room. He held me against his chest, and I listened to his heartbeat until I fell asleep. He was still underneath my ear, and my hand rested on his chest when I woke. I felt Nico’s warmth behind me. I cried hard until I got it out of my system. I felt calm flooding into me.

  Phillip came in with a scanner and a cup of coffee which he handed to me. Yukihyo kissed me before getting out of bed and entering the bathroom. Nico slid his long strong arms around me, careful not to spill the coffee I sipped. Thunderdrop climbed the blanket and chittered at Phillip. When Yukihyo returned with Neema, he chittered incessantly at him.

  At breakfast, Yukihyo laughed at Neema each time she gazed at her musical wrists in wonder. He and his mother had long conversations in their own language. Nico ordered a large breakfast of steak, pancakes, and eggs. Then, he fed it to me.

  While in the bathroom washing my hands, I noticed the dark circles under my eyes. “You okay in there, Cupcake?” I opened the door.

  “I’m fine.” Phillip took a walk down to the dressing room and brought a sweater to me. He held it while I put my arms through it.

  “Everything is okay now. We won’t leave you again, and I mean ever. You’ve had Emperor Probus and everyone else terrified.”

  “Why?”

  “You’ve been in a deep depression.”

  “No, I was fine. I just needed time to get used to it again.”

  “There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” Papa said. He placed my hand on his arm and walked with me to the sitting room. Concerned eyes watched me as I entered. “We all need a change of scenery, and Parvac has begun to grow cooler. What do you think of an extended stay on Thalassa?” I nodded. Grandmother and my mother-in-law chose to remain on Parvac. Abbie, Orson, Eli, Violet, and Kaoti were coming with us, and so was Dr. Fotri.

  “I hear you’ve been giving Fotri a hard time,” Phillip admonished.

  “No, he’s been mean to me.”

  “According to his notes, he gave you a few sedatives, because you stopped sleeping. Is that why you’re angry with him?” I shrugged. “Try to be cooperative. We will be spending the morning in the infirmary checking every single one of your molecules before either one of us approves your trip to Thalassa.”

  I stared at him. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

  Phillip smiled and bent down to look into my eyes. He kissed my forehead. He stood and tapped at his vid-screen. Then, he showed me a lemon cake. “The Palace chef made this for you. If you are sweet, you get sweets. If you don’t complain, you get coffee to go along with it.”

  “Could I have steak, too?”

  “I suppose.” He took the picture away.

  “Do you mind some company? Neema just made a stinky, so I handed her back to Yukihyo. If I go back, he might make me change her,” Nico said with a sly smile. He gave me his arm. Then, he kept me company during scans innumerous. He detailed the rescue of Simon and Hiroshi. “Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

  “Do you think they will ever forgive me?”

  Nico’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “For what?”

  “Getting them imprisoned.”

  “Sweetheart, they aren’t upset with you. Phillip, does pregnancy cause irrational thinking?”

  “In Cupcake’s case, yes. She could accidentally shoot Hiroshi with a blaster, and he would worry about his baby sister’s finger being hurt by the trigger. Simon is even worse. Once she catches up on her sleep, she should begin thinking more clearly.”

  I stared at them in confusion. Dr. Fotri stared down his nose at Phillip. “Princess, I believe my behavior toward you is far politer and more respectful than Phillip’s, yet I am the one with whom you have become angry.”

  Feeling ashamed of myself, I said, “You’re right. I’m sorry, Dr. Fotri.” He turned on a monitor and showed us the baby. Mesmerized, Nico began attempting to count fingers and toes.

  “Our baby is beautiful, Teagan.”

  “I agree.”

  “Would you like to know the baby’s sex?” Dr. Fotri asked.

  Nico looked at me expectantly. “I do. Do you?” He clutched my hand and nodded. His palm felt damp.

  Dr. Fotri pointed and said, “It’s a boy.”

  Nico let out a whoosh of air. “It’s a boy? I’m having a son?” He jumped up and ran for the exit. Then, he ran back to me and kissed me. His eyes sparkled. Then, he ran from the room yelling.

  “I’m going to teach you all about the ladies and how to drive,” Phillip said to my stomach. Dr. Fotri chuckled.

  Papa rushed in and looked at the monitor. “I sense another framed baby scan in our future, junior,” I said.

  “Daughter, do you realize what this means?”

  “Yes, I learned all about it on the Hadrian. Cover before removing the diaper all of the way, and keep your mouth closed.” Phillip laughed.

  “Are my daughter and grandson both healthy?”

  “Yes, Emperor Probus,” Dr. Fotri reported.

  Nico brought Abbie with him, who called Grandmother and Aunt Seyla, and Yukihyo, who grinned and patted him on the back. “How long before we can take him hunting?” Nico asked.

  “What was that? He doesn’t like hunting. He wants his own starship,” I said.

  I got my cake and anything else I wanted. Papa made an official announcement later that evening. Then, he broached an uncomfortable topic, Commander Quaid Bosh. He sent the contract to Yukihyo and Nico to read. I declined. Instead, I read about feudal Parvacian warlords and how they dispatched of their enemies. From what I did gather, I said, “This seems more like a business arrangement between you and Consul Bosh than a marriage agreement between Quaid and me.”

  “Will you agree to this for me, Daughter? This union between the two of you will create stability and solidify the bonds of peace. It will in no way impede your personal freedom. However, it will assure you a place in Parvac history as the woman who ended Parvac and Laconian hostilities. You would not have to worry about Hiroshi or Simon again.” I looked up at that. “Clan rights will be extended to your husbands and children.” Yukihyo wanted that, whatever it meant.

  “Would Bosh be able to tell me what to do?”

  “N
o, my darling.” Papa sat beside me and held the scanner out for my palm. I frowned at him but held out my hand. I looked at Yukihyo and Nico who nodded. “Fine, but don’t expect me to get along with him. He makes me angry.” As soon as my palm touched the screen, I wanted a divorce. Yukihyo laughed.

  I was happy to have my immediate family returned to me. I kept staring at Yukihyo afraid he would disappear. I lowered my eyes when he caught me for the fourth time. He covered my hands with his and kneeled down in front of me. “I couldn’t feel you anymore. You were just gone.”

  “When I had to leave you on Arachne, my child was inside of you and kept you centered. Now, I understand what I must do.” Yukihyo turned gravely serious.

  Frightened, I asked, “What?”

  “I must keep you pregnant with only my children. The next son will look like me.” I tilted my head at him. I expected him to grin at me. However, he seemed serious and kissed my nose.

  “You left me on Arachne because we feared being torn away from each other by my mother’s father and never seeing each other again.”

  “Yes, my assumption was wrong. It was not your mother’s father who sought revenge against Nathan Green and for your return. It was her husband, your father. Our fears were pointless.”

  “We may have nothing to fear from the Parvac Empire, but what about Cleto Dano?”

  “Lady wife, put such thoughts from your mind. Enjoy what we have. All will be well.” I tried not to notice the strikes of color that had entered his eyes.

  The End