by M. A. George
CHAPTER 2
I snapped back into reality with the disturbing realization that quite a few things could be direly important right now. For one, civil war was threatening to tear Onontí apart…Though we were still a solid three months of space travel away, Aeron was overseeing everything from afar. What if our side was falling to the rebel forces?
Secondly, we were traveling faster than light in a ship that was pushing 126 years old. It didn’t look at all rickety—but what did I know about space ships? I visualized random parts breaking off the ship’s hull, tumbling into the void of space, exhaust sputtering in our wake. We didn’t exactly have the option of pulling into an intergalactic service station.
Though we were already the better part of a day away from Earth (at this speed, that would be pushing sixteen billion miles), I still thought of it as home. And we had left a fair trail of chaos behind in our departure. Aeron’s ship exploding in the Montana Rockies was surely going to make history. And although I hoped it wasn’t true, there was the distinct possibility that an Onontian assassin had remained behind on Earth. My brother-in-law Dominick had only seen two of the rebel soldiers as they swooped in and abducted my father from his own home…That left one soldier unaccounted for.
Which brings me to the most pressing worry on my mind at present…my father. I looked to the door, my expression frozen in terror, as I predicted the reason for the sudden intrusion.
It must be about Father.
I had no idea how…but I was certain that one of our group was standing outside the door, waiting to break the bad news to me. Maybe my sister Sabela had sensed that he was no longer on the enemy ship we were pursuing (though I was fairly certain we were too far away, even for her keen senses). Perhaps Aeron’s sister Ewenami had received a transmission from Imai Odele—the trusted contact on Onontí, who also happens to be the man she loves. One way or another, I was convinced that this unexpected visitor at my door came bearing bad tidings.
Aeron read the trepidation in my expression as he took hold of my hand. “Don’t be distressed,” he spoke soothingly, “I’m sure it’s nothing serious.”
He was always so optimistic, part of me was tempted to believe him. It was the other more pessimistic part—still the greater fraction of my conscious mind—that was inclined to expect the worst. I’m not actually a pessimist by nature, but 117 years of cumulative life experiences have taught me to respect Murphy’s law. Maybe that does make me a pessimist by nature? I’d have to work on that. Some other time…Right now I was busy preparing myself for the worst.
I half-cowered behind Aeron, my hand still in his, as we proceeded toward the door. The panel slid open to reveal Ewenami standing in the corridor. She seemed relaxed as she addressed Aeron, “Imai needs to talk to you.”
Worry crinkled my forehead as I peered around Aeron’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Palta,” she reassured me, “It’s just his routine report.” I wasn’t sure if Ewenami had read the anxiety on my expression or in my thoughts…Either way, her casual assurance did put me at ease.
Aeron turned to examine my face as I stepped to his side. “Forgive me, Palta,” his expression was sincerely apologetic. “I’ll have to step away for a few minutes.”
I erased all traces of apprehension from my face as I encouraged him to answer the call of duty. “No apology necessary, Aeron. Your people need you.” I gave him a supportive smile.
“Our people,” he reminded me, as he kissed my cheek.
“Our people,” I echoed. I liked the sound of that…I’d never belonged to a group larger than my own family (at least not without concealing my true identity). I knew it would take time, but there was a possibility I would grow to find a home among my native people. The look of sheer determination on Aeron’s face told me that he would make certain I felt at home on Onontí…I hoped he wouldn’t go to extremes to accomplish that task. Surely he wouldn’t try to reconstruct an American city, or change the official language of Onontí to English? Though I would never invoke it, I had the distinct impression that my wish was his command.
He reluctantly released my hand as he exited my suite, making his way to the upper deck that constituted the control bridge. Ewenami stayed behind to invite me to join her in the dining area—it was approaching dinnertime.
As we made our way there, she caringly acknowledged the reason for my anxiety, “I know you are beside yourself with concern for your father’s safety, Palta. I sincerely want to avoid violating your privacy; but I can’t help but notice that he is constantly in your thoughts now. I can see that it’s not like you to be this preoccupied. Is there anything I can do that would help to ease your distress?” Her compassionate expression was sincere. I was reminded of her own tragedy—the unexpected assassination of her parents just prior to her travel to Earth.
“Thank you, Ewenami,” I was genuinely grateful. “I wish there were something that any of us could do right now…It’s this uselessness that is driving me crazy. The only thing that will calm my mind is seeing my father alive and well. And for the moment, that is an impossibility,” I brooded sadly.
“I understand,” she patted me comfortingly on the back. “I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”
I smiled in appreciation as we arrived at the dining area and began preparing our food. Though the ingredients were all unappetizingly freeze-dried, we managed to put together a fairly decent spread…Too bad my appetite was ruined by the continual gnawing in my stomach. I had honestly never before experienced quite as much stress as I had in these past few days…I had no idea how much my nerves affected my stomach.
As I picked at my food, a thought occurred to me. I looked up to address Ewenami, seated across the dining table from me. “In all the chaos since we met,” I began, “I have neglected to offer you a sincere apology.”
“For?…” Her expression turned puzzled, as she tried to resist the temptation to read the explanation in my thoughts.
“For the way I spoke to you that night we first met,” I cringed. “It wasn’t like me at all—I don’t know what got into me. I was inexcusably belligerent.”
“Trust me, Palta…It’s already forgotten,” she smiled graciously.
“You’re too kind, Ewenami,” I shook my head. “I can’t imagine how you could ever tolerate me—let alone befriend me—when I was such a jerk without cause.”
“You had a cause…I appeared to be standing between you and the man you love,” she reminded me. I cringed again at the embarrassing realization that she knew exactly what my juvenile motivation had been. It would be one thing if Aeron had been my boyfriend…but at the time, he was barely even classifiable as an acquaintance. I blushed with humiliation as I recalled the intensity of my loathing when I’d thought she was romantically involved with him.
Ewenami tried to assuage my guilt with a reassuring smile. “Believe me when I say there is no apology necessary…I would react the same way if some mystery woman tried to steal Imai.”
“But that’s normal…Imai loves you,” I responded. “Aeron barely even knew me at the time.” I blushed again as I recalled my obsession that bordered on stalking.
“I assure you, he knew exactly who you were,” she gave me a meaningful look. “You occupied his thoughts more than he cared to admit. He tried to hide it from me—but as soon as I met you, it became glaringly obvious. Why do you think I was so excited when he worked up the nerve to tell you the truth? It would have broken his heart if he had to leave you behind.”
“I’m flattered, but…” I couldn’t mask my bewilderment, “I’m sure he would have forgotten me when he returned to Onontí…Surely he has his choice of much more appealing women.” I frowned as I contemplated the thought.
“He’s had a lifetime of opportunities to fall for one of the jillion women who expressed their interest,” she shook her head. “You are the only one who has caught his attention, Palta…You are his perfect match.”
I
delighted in the idea, knowing Ewenami had an insider’s view into his true feelings…yet I couldn’t help but envision a line of a ‘jillion women’ forming in front of me. “He is so flawlessly perfect in every way, Ewenami,” I shook my head in disbelief. “It’s only a matter of time before he realizes he has better options.”
“Now, you know I love my brother more than anything,” she responded, “but he is most definitely not perfect…No one is. And you forget that I can see a person’s true nature in their thoughts with very little need for conversation…You are far too self-conscious, Palta. You habitually sell yourself short.” Though she was almost forty years my junior, her expression reminded me vividly of my father when he disapproved of my tendency to focus on my shortcomings. “Aeron has as much reason to love you as you do him.” Though her tone of voice was gentle, her expression made it clear she wasn’t going to let me argue. I was reminded of her royal footing—and Aeron’s description of her tenacious willpower.
I might have chosen to stubbornly refute her claims, had I not wanted so badly for them to be true. “I hope you’re right, Ewenami,” I mustered an awkward smile. “I love him more desperately than I care to admit.”
“I know you do,” she smiled warmly, “almost as desperately as he loves you…”