Naero's Valor

by Mason Elliott

  One of the Three Cosmic Champions would also need to give up their Lifespark itself.

  To put it bluntly–one of them would need to die.

  And if that happened, one among that champion’s offspring would then be chosen, and become the new Champion of that Cosmic Wisdom.

  Neveab and Aij were only beginning to discuss having children at this time.

  To complicate things even further, the final Guardian of Order had yet to be selected.

  Lost Xanathar and its Cosmic Obelisk of Order Wisdom had yet to be located.

  Together they had all accomplished more than enough for one day or at least several hours of study and practice within the KDM. They all needed to rest and recharge after that.

  Naero and her beloved Khai emerged, and took they regen period together in the arms of one another.

  After they awoke, and a bit of canoodling, they felt more than ready for a good meal, and then on to the next challenge awaiting them.

  “Besides,” Naero told him in private. “How would we explain it all to the kids? And we do have another set of twins on the way. Haisha, Sharrah would be furious with us!”

  Khai grinned. “I must say, our little ruse and the fake show we put on afterward seem to have completely convinced our foes. The attacks on our family have stopped, because the enemy thinks they succeeded.”

  “Just as we planned,” Naero said. “Now, because of our deception our kids and our friends are all relatively safe. Because our enemies think that they are already dead and gone. There won’t be any further attacks because there is nothing left to attack—at least the way they see it.”

  “We provided them with the victory they wanted, for our reasons. The enemy wouldn’t have stopped coming at them otherwise. But was all of the elaborate prep work so necessary? The genetic replicants, the mourning, and the wake, the elaborate funeral. I’m not as good of an actor as you are beloved one.”

  Naero laughed and touched his face with one hand. “My heart, we scammed the Great Adversary. We deceived the deceivers. You don’t think their spies and slaves followed up on their triumph to make sure of their victory? The same agents who kept watching our family and organizing these attacks? We had to sell it, and sell it hard. It had to be convincing on every level. Those lifeless genetic reps that I created to burn up on that were gruesome, but shuttle that enemy shuttle attack did the trick.”

  “As long as our family is safe now,” Khai said, lifting both hands, “that’s all that matters. You were right. I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

  “As do I, my heart. Now come with me. Let us dine together and celebrate. We’ll be seeing everyone tomorrow in secret. You know what an important time this is going to be for Shetharra.”

  Khai nodded. “Indeed. Our shining girl will finally train to become a Mystic.”

  “That must take place, even though it is all but a formality. She will still benefit and grow greatly from all of that discipline and training. She is already the most powerful Dreamer to exist, even far greater than myself. She does not know it yet, but I think her guardians, the spirits of the Kexxian Seven knew that all along. Even the Great Mystery has taken an interest in her development, and we cannot even imagine what a boon that will be.”

  “On a lesser note,” Khai mentioned, have you heard that a new Galactic Fighting Championship has started up? Now that a good portion of the Galaxy is linked together, the Fighting Circuit is back, and bigger than ever. Your parents would have been intrigued.”

  “As am I,” Naero said. “But let that ride for now. We have no time for such things. Have you seen the specs on what our Mystics and our allies have helped prepare to test our oldest daughter?”

  Khai laughed. “When have I had the time for that, my heart?”

  “It’s all going to be amazing, Khai. The Mystics and our allies have outdone themselves. Nothing like these testing procedures have ever existed before. You’ll see. And Shetharra is still going to stun them all.”

  23

  Naero and Khai secretly traveled to the carefully guarded Sologene system.

  Sologene was Spacer Intel’s and the Mystics’ new hyper-secret synthetic training system, created with Drian and Kexxian tek, Naero’s current mastery of the Songs of Making, and even a little help from Shetharra herself.

  This was an entire synthezoid system–including a small synthetic star–the first of its kind, with a synthetic world created to revolve around that solitary star in a perfect habitable zone.

  Sologene-1 was a Cosmic energy construct planet, sheltered within a pocket dimension between the Astral Plane and the Interdimensions by the Dimensional Council after six long years of constant development.

  Not only was it a living world, but it was also an extremely unique training location where almost any scenario could be programmed, executed, and experienced. It was also perhaps one of the most secure areas within the Alpha Quadrant.

  The constructs on that planet could be pweaked to fulfill almost any training function that could be imagined. Each element could be directly linked to and controlled by various Spacer and Alliance forces, and play out scenarios remotely on almost any scale.

  New tek and weapons could be tested on a firsthand basis, without any actual danger to the remote construct operators. Test combatant Remos did not need to hold back in any way. They could go full on and all out. Damage assessments could be made directly on the construct Remo troops, vehicles, equipment—even entire construct warships and fleets up in the aether.

  Mystics could test their most powerful techniques and abilities without hurting anyone.

  Various hypothetical situations and strategic and tactical situations could play out on small or large scales.

  There was hardly anything that the construct energies and fabricators of this synthetic, responsive world could not synthesize and simulate.

  If the programmers and participants could imagine it, they could run a simulation on it.

  For example, Naero and the other Alliance Champions had already run simulated combat Remo sessions against projected versions of what they imagined the Six G’lothc Champions might be like.

  They could only base these simulations on their past battles with Elazethrek, the least of the Six. They extrapolated from there, by scale, in an attempt to create worthy opponents.

  Thus far, the GSA Champion constructs and Remos had fought against all of the Six, separately and in various team-up combinations.

  Unfortunately, almost all of those scenarios ended very badly for Naero and her companions during those remote testing phases.

  Even in simulation, most of the Six were simply too tough for anyone to defeat.

  It was still a very bleak wake up call.

  The Alliance Champions did all that they could thereafter to increase their abilities and step up their game.

  Naero, Khai, and Baeven had only just begun to teach other fledgling Mystics and Dreamers about tapping into the energies of brown dwarf, red dwarf, and other higher spheres of Cosmic energy. Naero and her people were still learning to do all of that on their own.

  It would be a long time before many of them could channel Cosmic energies at anywhere near the same level that the actual Six might, even if such things were possible.

  Except for the one instance that had occurred with Elazethrek, the other five of the G’lothc Six had not been given new vessels yet, and everyone needed to be hyper thankful for that.

  In any case, GSA Champion Cosmic powers and abilities functioned completely differently and could not actually be realistically duplicated in any proper way by mere Remo simulation.

  That made the crushing defeats of the simulated GSA Champion Remos by the simulated enemy Six even more humiliating and frightening.

  For one thing, the Alliance Champions could never use the Darkforce without being corrupted themselves or outright destroyed by such volatile powers. Naero and Baeven had proved that much inside the KDM.

  If such face off
s did occur, the Alliance Champions would have to develop their own ways to not only survive, but to rise to the challenge, face down those potential threats, and win out.

  Due to many factors, they were informed that there would be a slight delay before Shetharra’s testing could begin.

  Naero and Khai’s reunion with their family and friends during that time was both emotional and very special.

  Within so many days, however, soon that time would come. Once her actual training began, each day would be all about Shetharra getting a good start, and showing everyone exactly what she was capable of.

  That was the very reason that they were all there, in that special place, at that unique time in history. Much had been made ready to test this highly awaited young savant.

  Naero referred to it as the Pre-Dreamer, and Post-Dreamer moment and transition.

  Mystic Dreamers from among the Spacers and the GSA in general were going to very shortly make huge contributions to history from that time forward.

  With the powers, abilities, and enlightenment that they were being groomed for, and forced to master, how could they not?

  Naero and Khai met with their oldest daughter in private first, less than a day after re-uniting with all of their hidden family together.

  These days were still mostly taken up with the preliminaries during the delay.

  How young she was, a miracle at the age of ten.

  How bright were her eyes when she sensed them near, and then turned and spotted her beloved parents.

  “Momma! Dad!” She blazed with happiness, smiling and glad. She shot into their embrace and almost knocked both of them over.

  “My brave little duck,” Naero said, stroking her oldest daughter’s long shining hair.

  “We’re so proud of you, sweetie,” her father added.

  Naero enveloped a living, breathing star in her arms, and Khai enfolded them both in his mighty arms.

  This was their child of light, soon to be the hope of their future, and the futures of an infinite number of sentient beings.

  Compared to Shetharra, Naero fully realized that she was a toad struggling in the mud, struggling to accomplish what she could.

  In every sense, Shetharra was a Dreamer of the first order.

  The spirits of the Seven themselves recognized that, and through them, the Great Mystery itself.

  And Shetharra was still only ten standard years old.

  In the next three years thereafter, how much further would she continue to grow, mature, and develop?

  What mighty powers would she have after all of that was said and done?

  For the most part, the Seven had only spoken to Shetharra—from birth. It was clear now that these fantastic beings had become her protectors, mentors, and spirit guides.

  What magnificent destiny were these mighty beings preparing her for?

  In order to keep their family and friends safe and hidden, Naero and Khai had already decided to keep all of them close to Shetharra on the three Mystic homeworlds while she trained and advanced.

  The time dilation factor would surely aid in this process, yet it would also effectively keep Naero and Khai mostly away from their family for three consecutive years, while all of their kids would age a total of nine years by the end.

  In order to assuage some of those negative effects from all of that, Naero was prepared to keep a portion of herself in replicant form on Kalathar, Oorrii, and Tae’ha. Using the splitting technique, Naero could still possibly manage to visit her family from time to time, when she was able.

  If and when Khai could master that same technique, he could do the same thing. Naero also kept a portion of her husband in rep form frozen in sleep on those key worlds.

  Khai had also finally agreed to allow Naero to create a replicant of himself, in order to give Sharrah and her team of caregivers and their tutors and guards further assistance.

  Tarth would live his life as a regular Clan Williams Spacer, without Khai’s half-Oden heritage and genetics. Even Sharrah agreed that like most of Naero’s reps, Tarth should be his own person and make his own decisions.

  They also agreed to shape his mind and existence to be a natural, potential love match for Sharrah herself.

  Tarth ended up with short light brown hair, and dark gray eyes. He was shorter than Khai by nearly a full head, but still much taller than Sharrah.

  The attraction between the two of them was clear and immediate from the very beginning. Even Khai took to him and treated him more as a younger brother, and not a rep. Tarth was more lighthearted, humorous, and easy-going than Khai.

  Nor did he have Khai’s many responsibilities and burdens as the Mystic Enforcer and the Cosmic Swordsman.

  As everyone expected, a deep bond quickly developed between Sharrah and Tarth. There would clearly be a wedding between the two one day soon, and they would go on to have their own family. They would go forward to be their own people, and live their own lives as Spacers.

  Naero and Khai’s children would not need caretakers forever.

  But in this way, if Khai did not see his children for most of those nine years, Uncle Tarth would be there to help and assist them.

  Naero could also link and merge the minds of Khai and Tarth, so that they could share experiences if they wished. In the same ways that Naero herself merged with her other reps, and made their experiences her own.

  Naero and Aunt Sharrah did that all of the time, so that Naero knew exactly where her kids were and what was going on with them.

  After the coming twins were born, they would join their siblings in hiding, in order to keep them safe.

  And if the other kids stayed close to Shetharra, in the end, she might turn out to be a better protector that Naero and Khai ever could.

  Shetharra was still being interviewed and going through preliminary testing by all three of the current Mystic High Masters and many of the up-and-coming High Masters for the GSA Mystics.

  All of them thus far continued to be quite astonished with this true Cosmic prodigy. Everyone agreed unanimously that the newly finished Sologene-1 would be the optimal place for a good deal of her training.

  Further calibrations and adjustments to the Sologene system had to be made.

  Shetharra spent three hours of private time, enjoying her parents all to herself before the preliminary testing would pick up again.

  What a joy that time was.

  Naero and Khai wished that they could give her months of just being together and happy with them. But that would not be fair to the other children, all of whom they loved and missed just as much.

  Even Shetharra recognized this fact. She wanted for them all to be together as one big family.

  Khai and Naero had already submitted a holiday request and waited for their leaders to grant them what time they could.

  While Shetharra cooperated with the Mystics once more, Khai stayed with her.

  Naero took a few hours to check in on Saemar and little Hikaru. They were also happy and doing well.

  When the final word did come down, the GSA and the Spacer Mystics afforded them all two weeks. Nor was the High Command happy with approving that much of a holiday.

  Two weeks of time together as a family, and for the birth of the new twins. It seemed like a luxury, but it really wasn’t very long at all.

  Yet that was all the time that they would have, while Shetharra was still being prepared, groomed, and counseled for her rapidly approaching Mystic Training.

  Their family group committed to making the most of those fourteen precious days.

  The future was going to continue to change and most likely change immensely both during and after that time period. No one could say what was going to happen. Once more Naero and Khai had to accept and deal with the fact that by the end of Shetharra’s Mystic training, all of their current kids were going to be nine standard years older.

  Many would become adult Spacers or near adults and tweens within that time frame.

  For Naero an
d Khai, every precious day with their family group was a celebration, filled with laughter and wonder.

  Each meal became a feast and a party.

  They enlarged Naero and Khai’s nanobed so that they and all of their kids could sleep together within the same room. The parents had to sneak off here and there into separate alternative quarters in order to have private time for each other as a couple while the kids were busy.

  A fortnight—two standard week’s happiness went by so fast.

  Yet together, they all filled those hours with love and bliss.

  Five days in, Naero arranged to give birth at the end of that time to two little girl babies with long golden hair like their father, and blue eyes all their own. The oldest, by a standard minute or two, was only slightly larger than her younger sister.

  Khai and Naero named them Arrienna Maharra Maeris, and Melenda Elyssa Maeris.

  For the rest of their time together, everyone in the family was able to enjoy and fully welcome the new additions.

  Naero also amazed her children by finally showing them more of her shapechanging abilities.

  Soon the kids were eagerly asking her to turn into this or that creature, all to their great delight.

  When Poly, Princess Hippolynna of the Shai came to visit them all, including her kin among the family guards, Naero revealed to them her own Shai form of Liella.

  The kids demanded fun rides.

  As the days passed, together they all knew gladness heaped on top of gladness.

  Then the day finally came at last, once all had been made ready for Shetharra’s Mystic training.

  Shetharra prepared to descend to the surface of Sologene-1 and begin her testing.

  She set her teeth and clenched her fists on one of the observation decks of her mother’s flagship.

  “I’m going to show them what the White Tsunami can do, Momma. I’m going to make you and Dad proud.”

  “We already are proud of you, Shetharra. Nothing in this or any universe will ever change that. Don’t worry about anything about us. Do these things for yourself, and to be able to help others. Always do the best you can. You cannot do anything more. Believe in yourself, and what you know is right. Always strive to be a better person than you actually are. I love you, my duck.”