by L M Lacee
‘Thank you.’ They bowed their heads, knowing the honor she bestowed on all three of them.
Hawk asked her. ‘You will tell Carrick of this?’
‘Yep, as soon as he wakes from his mating coma. Which is what I’m calling it.’
‘That works.’ Helen said with a grin. ‘We should have bets on who will go into a coma. It would make this interesting.’
‘I like that.’
‘Helen, I think that may be just a little too far.’
‘Well Larson, if you think so.’
‘I do my love.’
Peyton mumbled. ‘Spoilsport.’
Larson laughed at her comment, which didn’t distract Peyton’s attention from Melody. She had a look in her eyes that spelled trouble. Her next words prove Peyton had been right.
‘Where is my apology? I didn’t know about Keylan.’ She looked around the table and asked. ‘Did any of you?’
Most of them replied. ‘We did not.’
Netta said. ‘I had no idea, and I really should have.’
Avana said. ‘I did but could not say anything and no one told me.’
Darby said as she saw Heather open her mouth to say she knew. ‘Yeah, what they said, Heather and I knew nothing.’
Heather looked at her, wondering why she had said that, and received a wink from her.
As Peyton exploded in disbelief. ‘Really! That is what you are gonna say.’ She stared at the unrepentant Darby, while Heather tried not to laugh.
Hawk said. ‘Ladies another time. So to the eggs, is that all finished?’
‘Not quite.’ Darby answered while Peyton continued to stare at her.
‘Where is Esther?’ Dinas asked. ‘I would have thought she would be here.’
Netta answered him. ‘She had to go to Terra.’
‘Oh, I see.’
Jax said. We need to finalize the number of eggs as we need to order incubators and other requirements.
‘What requirements?’ Marlo asked suspiciously.
Cribs and blankets, clothes, toys, bottles, milk suppliants. We need to have Healer Heddro’s help with this.
‘Why?’
Darby asked. ‘Why what?’
Marlo grumbled, wondering how he had lost control of the simple request to obtain an egg. Now not only was he getting two eggs, there was what seemed like an enormous amount of equipment needed and the babies were not even here yet. ‘Why does this need to be done today?’
Jax replied. It does not, we only need a confirmation of numbers. So we can order the incubators, the sooner you have them, the sooner your eggs start incubating. The other details can be decided on over the next three luneras.
Peyton said. ‘It is like this, Brenda, Helen and of course Melody cannot breastfeed their infants. So they are going to need to bottle feed and that takes consideration.’
Marlo rushed to his feet and pointed out the door, visibly shaking with some emotion Peyton could not identify. It may have been outrage, but she was betting on fear. ‘Get out!’
As she cast her eyes over the males, all except Dinas were pale. The females were grinning, at least until their mates looked their way, then they frowned at her. ‘Why... what did I say?’
Marlo growled at her. ‘Leave now, you are not needed for this discussion.’
Peyton rose and stated. ‘Fine, I will be with my children, who I did not breastfeed either.’
She ran from the room as Marlo shouted. ‘I do not want one like her.’
‘You would be lucky to have one like me!’ She said as she disappeared into the Hex.
He grinned and mumbled. ‘I know.’ Then sat back down and sighed. ‘She makes my life interesting.’
Which made everyone laugh. Hawk asked. ‘So where are we?’
Melody and Coraan after talking again to Helen and Brenda decided to do as they advised and decided on two eggs. Then, with the other new parents, they ordered the incubators and discussed what else was needed for babies. Rose and Miko were called and came armed with tablets filled with information on the latest baby products.
Heddro and Heather with help from Kate were to devise a similar formula for the babies that was used on Draygann.
When the talk turned to things that none of the others could help with, Darby, Reeve, Netta and Zenerra as well as Hawk beat a hasty retreat to Peyton’s apartment.
Patty arrived because it had been confirmed she was pregnant. She and Dinas also ordered baby equipment along with Penny and Kerol. As they sat talking, Brenda was contacted by another fifty couples who confirmed they wanted one or two eggs and another possible thirty, who would decide later.
Over the next few days, the inventors were asked to design a new style of high chair and crib along with baby equipment. The fabricators loved the new blanket Peyton had brought back and were producing the material for bassinet and cribs As Darby had stated, they were indeed at the beginning of a baby boom. Rose appointed one of her new traders to purchase the inventory for the new baby and children businesses which were emerging on every world.
After the meeting broke up, Heather and Heddro accompanied the three prospective couples to the egg vault as Melody named it. Only to find Peyton and Darby waiting for them.
Darby said. ‘Today you will choose your sons and daughters. We wish you as much happiness and love as our children have brought to our lives.’
Peyton said. ‘Please take your time, your babies will call to you, if you let yourselves believe they want you as much as you want them.’
Melody asked her. ‘How do you know that?’
‘The Stars told me. Please enter, your children await.’
They entered a plain green foyer, Peyton looked around and murmured. ‘Not very cheerful or inviting is it?’
‘Not really.’ Darby muttered in reply.
Melody waved her hand over a panel next to the only visible door, which slid open. They walked into a large cool room where rows of oval shaped eggs about the size of footballs, three high, confronted them.
Heddro said. ‘The eggs will increase in size as they incubate.’ He pointed to half the room, which was painted blue. The small hammocks that held each egg were made from a soft blue material, making it appear as though the eggs were held within a blue cloud. ‘As you can see, the males are all on this side of the room. And on the other side are the females.’
Again this was obvious as the walls, floors and hammocks were colored a soft pink. It was like the eggs floated inside a pink bubble.
‘Really.’ Breathed Darby as she looked around with dismay. Darby like Peyton did not see the need for pink. Apparently they were the only ones who felt that way, as they listened to the other females all gush at how delightful it was.
Reading their expressions accurately, Heather explained. ‘The decorating committee decided on the colors. They thought it should be nice in here, because it has to stay cool.’
‘Uhuh!’ Peyton said noncommittally.
Darby asked Melody and the others. ‘Should we stay or would you like us to go?’
‘Stay.’ Melody and Brenda said together.
Melody looked over the rows of eggs and queried. ‘They are not all bronze. I thought they would all be bronze?’
Heddro answered her. ‘No, the Darganissa stock piled eggs from every color of Dargann to trade.’
‘So, we have to leave the bronze eggs?’ Brenda asked.
Heather shook her head. ‘No Brenda, all the eggs here are all that are left unclaimed. I swear every egg has been surrendered.’
Peyton told her. ‘We cannot know for sure the people who gave them up, knew what the Darganissa was to do with them. But I know they were unwanted.’
Heddro said. ‘I have checked and can assure you the parents of the bronze eggs are not here. They unfortunately did not survive. You must realize some of these eggs were stock piled for many yentas.’
They all looked relieved, Peyton told them. ‘Remember these were not babies to the Draygonissia they were a polit
ical point scoring commodity.’
Coraan said. ‘Madam is right, it is unfortunate, but this was what occurred on our world.’
Peyton stated. ‘Regardless of what color a Draygon is, they are a Maikonian first and a Draygon second. We will not have distinction between colors here.’
Melody asked. ‘Coraan, do you feel this way or should we only choose bronze?’
‘My heart, we listen and let the infant call to us.’
‘Oh, okay.’ She turned and walked with her hand in his down the rows of eggs.
‘He is the Warmaster, won’t they all to him?’ Darby asked Peyton, who shook her head.
‘No, it is not a calling as we think of it. The essence of what is possible calls, and that is what is answered. An adult feels more than hears the one for them, or so I was told. Let us see for ourselves what actually happens.’
‘I assume a Warmaster is different.’ Heddro asked.
Coraan called back. ‘It is, the young have no choice, that spark which makes us a Warmaster or Warmistress calls, not the infant.’
Heather said. ‘Well, they say you learn something new every day.’
Heddro murmured. ‘I agree with whoever they are.’
The four of them watched the couples as they drifted down the rows of eggs. Peyton watched Brenda as an egg rocked beside her. She could see Brenda did not see it move, but Marlo did. He looked at the egg as it moved again, then turned his eyes to his mate. The egg moved once more and this time Brenda caught the movement. They both watched her face go from her usual serene expression to amazement and then to soft acceptance. She said to Marlo. ‘Our daughter calls to us.’
He held her hand. ‘So she does my heart.’
At the same time Helen listened to a sound that reminded her of rustling leaves or wings rubbing together. When she realized what she was hearing she cried. ‘Larson dearle, can you hear her calling us?’ She walked over to an egg in a pink hammock in the next row to where Brenda and Marlo were.
Heather asked Peyton. ‘How do they do this?’
‘It is a simple procedure.’ She told the couples, ‘Place one hand each on the egg that calls to you.’
Marlo and Brenda, Helen and Larson quickly did as she said, and were surprised when a faint outline of their handprints appeared.
‘As you can see the shell records your handprints. They will fade if you do not replace it after a yenta.’
‘But they know we are here. What happens if we decide not to collect them?’ Brenda asked her.
‘If you do not replace the print, the print will fade from the eggs memory and call another parent; it is the nature of the egg.’
Heddro and Coraan looked at her in shock neither one of them knew this. Heddro said. ‘I did not know this.’
‘Why should you? When you have your eggs they stay with you and you touch them constantly. I am sure you knew your eggs Heddro when you claimed them, this was because you had imprinted as they had on you. We as non-Draygons do not have that ability. So we will have to rely on the egg memory.’
Heddro nodded. ‘My mate and I both knew our young. How do you know this, Madam?’
Peyton grinned. ‘It is information given to me for you.’
He nodded. ‘I see.’
As they had spoken each of the couples had continued to imprint the eggs that called to them. Coraan and Melody printed four boys and four girls they chose a bronze boy and a girl first. Their other six eggs were a mix of colors, and Coraan seemed happy with the eggs that had called to him. He was smiling as they exited the building.
Helen and Larson gave no care to the color that called to them. Their first choosing was of two blue males. They then printed two females. Larson was overcome with joy of his impending fatherhood. Helen walked from the room with an expression of shocked happiness.
A green female and a bronze male chose Brenda and Marlo. They then printed another three eggs, two more males and another female who called to them, all of differing colors. Brenda left happy and in tears, unable to believe that her secret desire had come true. Peyton was not sure what Marlo’s expression said. He was either perplexed or appalled. Darby grinned as she watched the couple leave, nudging Peyton. ‘He just realized how noisy his home will become.’
Peyton laughed at the truth of her statement. Over the following days they saw that dazed expression repeatedly as parents were chosen. Raley and Alexx were thrilled to be remembered and agreed they wanted young. Two days later, both males printed two males and two females each. Melody wanted to tell them their mates would soon be with them, but felt it was not appropriate. She told Peyton if they became desperate or depressed then she would revisit the decision. But for now both males were busy and pleased they had children waiting for them and their future mates.
Not every egg was chosen, Heather and Peyton felt that couples would come who wanted children, so leaving the eggs in stasis would not hurt them. Heddro said the eggs could remain in stasis for yentas.
All the new parents received incubators and their first or only eggs by the fifth day after choosing. Melody and the ladies all had twin incubators, and a frenzy of remodeling was happening in their Hex.
Rose and her traders were from morning to night racing to restock shops and purchasing products for the manufacturers. Frand and all his cargo beasts were busy delivering the supplies to the manufacturers and new businesses.
Jean’s apartment was finished, and the new bedroom and cleansing room for Ipeara just waited for her arrival. It was not uncommon to see Jean, June and Zenerra together, eating, drinking or just hanging out. They always had eve-meal with Peyton and the ladies or whoever was there. They seldom missed the meal, because as June told the others, it was always entertaining.
TWENTY-FOUR:
A weken after Jean’s apartment had been remodeled, and the eggs chosen. Ipeara finally returned home and was ordered to see Peyton in her office.
‘Greetings Penny, I am to see Madam Peyton.’
‘Greetings Ipeara, please go in.’
Ipeara straightened her shoulders and told Penny softly. ‘I am to be excused and sent back to Patamoglian.’
Penny kindheartedly smiled and winked, making Ipeara smile. ‘No, sweetie, you are staying here.’
‘I am?’
‘Not if you do not get in here!’ Peyton called from her office. Ipeara blanched and jerked her eyes wider.
‘Oh dearle.’ Penny grinned. ‘You better go in.’
Jerkily, she nodded. ‘Alright.’
Then straightening her shoulders once more she walked into the office, to find the Star Daughter was not alone. Commander Hawk and Commander Netta were standing by Madam’s desk.
She bowed to them all and said. ‘Greetings.’
They returned the greeting, then Hawk said. ‘Pilot Ipeara sit please.’
Ipeara moved to the chair, Peyton sat behind her desk as she asked. ‘You are no longer at your request a Warbird pilot. I would like to know why? This was your dream, your deepest desire.’
Ipeara took a breath, then said. ‘I passed all the training and can pilot a Warship. Captain Nikolas said I was a natural as did my Commanders. I do not know what went wrong. I found I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would.’ She swallowed and said. ‘Captain Nikolas said it was not a good fit for me, and he is right, it was too far.’ She looked at Peyton with eyes that asked her to understand.
‘Madam, I do not know how else to explain it.’ She bowed her head, unable to bear the look of disappointment or worse pity, she knew she would see on the Star Daughter’s face. It is why she had not told Peneria first. She was ashamed of her weakness.
‘No need to explain. I understand, in fact we all do.’ Peyton assured her.
Ipeara jerked her head up and saw not pity or disappointment, just acceptance in the eyes that stared at her. Surprised, she asked. ‘You do?’
‘Yes, you are not the only one to feel that being away from home and family is just too far. We have all been th
ere and understand. I am pleased you recognized it for what it was.’
‘Thank you, but it was Captain Nikolas who realized it. He said he had seen it before.’
‘Our Nikolas is a wonderful male. So Ipeara, what would you like to do?’
More relaxed now, Ipeara sighed her tension away. ‘I still want to be a pilot.’
‘Good, as it happens, I am in need of a pilot. The position would be full time. There would be loads of down time. You would fly a shuttle, grasshopper and cruiser and it will require you to go off world with me. Is this something you would consider?’
Hawk said. ‘Think hard about this. There will be a lot of responsibility to the position. We would be placing our trust in your silence. There are rules to follow, some strict, some not.’