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On board the Swiftsure, Caroline and the children were locked inside a cabin in the bowels of the ship where she was desperately trying to calm her children. “Hush little ones your daddy will be coming after us soon, and then that awful woman will wish that she had never landed on Orion, or asked to meet your daddy.” Caroline said.
“Mummy, does daddy have to go on that scary trip to save that woman`s daddy, because if he has to go then Mummy, can I go with daddy to look after him?” Callisto wanted to know.
“I`m sure that will help your daddy a lot Callisto, knowing that you are willing to accompany him.” Caroline said smiling down upon her youngest child.
They had been on the starship for just a few hours when the cabin door opened and the android entered.
“Excuse me for bothering you but I felt that I must warn you and your family that we are about to enter a vortex that will catapult us over to the other side of the galaxy, the effect of going through the vortex can be quite scary I am told, if you are not expecting it.” The android said quite pleasantly.
“Just what can my children and I expect to happen?” Caroline asked.
“The starship will rush forward at a terrific speed and you will be thrown backwards and when you exit the other side you will find yourselves being thrown forwards. I suggest that you all stay sitting on the bed that you are on now, but move back against the wall, oh and as the children are so young you had better hang on to them. I will stay here with you until our journey through the vortex is over, to be of whatever assistance that I can to your family.” The android said, again sounding quite pleasant.
“That sounds like fun mummy.” Apollo said, he was aged seven and had been named in honour of his godfather Appolon.
He was normally very mischievous, but up until now he had been very quiet. His blue eyes cast down towards the floor rather than look at the people who had kidnapped his mother, his younger brother and his baby sister. Caroline knew that one day he would be the darling of the village.
“I`m sure it will be Apollo, but let`s sit back against the wall like the gentleman says.”
Callisto was sitting on Caroline`s lap and Caroline had an arm around her to ensure that she wasn`t thrown forward onto the floor. Perseus was on her right squashed up against the corner wall of the cabin, he was aged just five and named after a chieftain who had died bravely at the hands of the barbaric Heliots who had attempted to enslave the planet years before. Perseus was trying hard to be brave like the hero who had also been called Perseus, a man that his daddy told him about; he had been alive a long time ago, even before his daddy had been born. Perseus had kept close to his mother during this awful time, he was a little scared by what was happening but vowed to be brave for his mummy. Caroline looked at him and smiled for his blond hair always looked so unruly. His blue eyes were still wet, for he had cried earlier on when the angry guard had looked in on them and shouted at them to sit down while he had their food brought in. Finally there was Apollo who sat on Caroline`s left and her other arm was about him hugging him to her side to keep him safe. He was a little annoyed at being treated like a baby, but sat and bore it just like his daddy had told him too.
The android wasn`t sure just how welcome he was, but he sat down on the corner of the bed so that he could help if he was needed. He instinctively knew that there should be more to his life, but couldn`t for the life think just what it might be, soon he would find out.
The initial fear had left the children, now they were just waiting for their daddy to come to take them back home. Which was not how Tyler, felt for he was terrified that his family might be harmed.
Trial by Ordeal Page 6