Obligations

by Cheryce Clayton

  “We will send a nursery team back. They can run genetic tests. I thank you.” Morgan moved away from the native and joined Iedonea where she stood listening beside the Bystocc aircar.

  “I have no skill with this craft,” Iedonea said.

  “It will be my honor to fly you.” A new native moved from the group that followed them from the field. She waved them into the car and began to run a preflight test on it.

  “What is our travel time? And can you notify my flagship of our location?” Morgan asked as she struggled to fit her slim form into a seat designed for an even narrower species.

  “If speed is required, my Lady, then perhaps it would be best if your flagship sent down a shuttle,” the pilot deferred.

  “No. I will sleep during the trip, my friend. Thank you for taking us.” Morgan leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

  “I think that I will sleep as well,” Iedonea said. With a side grin to Amigo, she climbed aboard as the pilot fired the engines.

  #

  “We will wait here. I want to talk to the natives that helped me. We can catch the shuttle when it comes down for the infants,” Enrico shouted into the craft’s open hatch, and secured it without waiting for a response. The Bystocc craft was far louder than the damaged Sansheren craft had been, at any point.

  It was Aldera who found him sleeping, curled into a ball with Amigo, in the hangar office late that night. And Aldera who returned from drugging and caging Neavillii’s three death children to wake him for the shuttle’s arrival. No words were said between the three as they embraced.

  Epilogue - Wergol - 2013

  Morgan smiled across the ground car cabin as Isaac twisted at his House banner.

  He wore it over his shirt as a sash.

  “Leave it be, child,” Tansea said with a good natured laugh as she reached over and put the banner back where it was before. She also wore the single banner of the House America, as did the car’s two other occupants.

  Enrico wore an apprentice banner crossed under his House banner.

  “When will the drugs take effect?” Tansea asked as she turned her attention to straightening Morgan’s banner.

  “It can take weeks for the hormone levels to build. I told you to start sooner,” Isaac answered as he again twisted at his banner.

  “Hush, child,” Tansea said as she frowned at Isaac.

  “It’s okay,” Morgan said, meaning the crooked banner as much as her lack of physical development.

  “The lead car is slowing,” Amigo said from her vantage point in the pilot’s seat.

  “We’re here,” Morgan said, and bent to clear the car’s door as it opened.

  Banessa also exited her car before the door completely opened and now stood waiting for Morgan, holding the tavern door for her.

  “Close the fucking door!” was shouted from within as Morgan neared the building. It took her a few steps to realize that the sentence was spoken in a pidgin of Sansheren and English by a very recognizable voice. She stood in the doorway, knowing the sunlight pouring in behind her would give the room’s inhabitants trouble identifying her.

  Greg, Sam, and a very pregnant Denise were sitting around a single table, playing cards in hand. A fourth card hand lay face down before an empty chair and Morgan looked around before spotting Tim.

  “I said, please close the door,” Tim growled as he walked from the bar, bottle in hand. He set the bottle on the table amongst his friends and moved toward the still open door.

  “With pleasure,” Morgan said as she stepped clear of the door, forgetting the entourage that waited behind her.

  “Morgan?” Tim mouthed when her voice registered, and she moved from the doorway into the room.

  Denise dropped her glass with a gasp and Sam spun his chair around to see behind him.

  “Tim?” Morgan whispered in a voice that brought tears to both their eyes.

  Tim crossed the remaining distance to stand in front of her, and Morgan did not dare ask for the hug she wanted. Long sleepless nights had convinced her to let things go, to accept anything that came her way and hope that time would bring the rest.

  Tim sank to his knees before her. He placed his hands across his chest, in the symbol of fealty appropriate to the head of one’s Sansheren House.

  Morgan swallowed against the threat of tears and bent to help him stand, only to be stopped by a small sound and a fierce look from Greg.

  “I would be honored to bear your children, my Lady,” Tim said in clear but heavily accented Sansheren as he brought his eyes to hers.

  Morgan found herself sinking to her knees and reaching for him blindly, her tears being more than she could handle.

  “Now?” she asked, and her small smile exploded into a fit of cathartic laughter that was joined by Tim’s.

  The other occupants of the room watched with amusement as Morgan lost her balance laughing and pulled Tim to the floor beside her.

  Isaac played out Tim’s hand of bridge before they regained control of the laughter that worked to heal them.

  “I brought someone for you to meet,” Morgan said.

  “Amigo,” she called and waved the rest of her party to join them at the table. Tears sprung in her eyes anew when Tim barely hesitated before he shifted his chair to sit beside Banessa.

  “It is my deepest honor to meet you, my father,” Amigo said in clear English as she bowed to Tim.

  “Now that’s one paternity suit I want to hear all the details about,” Greg said with a laugh at Tim’s expense.

  “I am the daughter of Tadesde, caused by your hands.” Amigo kept her head down, and Enrico moved to stand behind her.

  “My apprentice saved her life and fostered her. If you wish, the situation can continue,” Morgan offered into what she knew would be a tense silence.

  “No. Hell no. A kid needs a dad. Hey you know how to play baseball?” Tim reached forward and ruffled Amigos now pale orange head fur.

  “Ball? Catch? I can play catch.” Amigo looked up into Tim’s eyes with unconditional love and Enrico found himself forcing away the jealousy trying to build in his gut.

  Morgan reached out to slip her free hand into his with a smile only he noticed.

  Thank you for reading.

  I have a webcomic:

  http://zombpocalypse.cartoonistsleague.org/

  https://www.facebook.com/TalesfromtheZombieApocalypse

  And you can find me on FaceBook at:

  https://www.facebook.com/cheryceclayton

  The artist can be contacted at:

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