Vivian looked up at him and raised a single eyebrow.
Quin lifted her right hand to his lips, kissing it softly, “Perfect, my Ehlealah.” She had managed to combine her noble status with the symbols associated with her bravery and particular affinity to their warriors, while giving a nod to her own people, all with a touch of elegance thrown in. No other could pull it off.
There was a rustling on the holovids and when Quin returned his attention to them, he was surprised to see his own mother and father rising from their thrones to bow their own heads in deference to himself and his Vivi, which resulted in several more rulers of planets who were aligned with the Cruestaci doing the same. Zha Quin and Vivian immediately reciprocated. There was again much applause.
“Now that we are all present — I shall get to the main purpose for this conference,” the Chairman continued. “I would like to formally welcome the Cruestaci and all their people to our governing organization. There is no question they are a very valuable addition to us all and our agenda. They will immediately join the patrols in the quadrants surrounding Earth. As their Sirena is human, she will have a unique and personal ability to offer guidance and suggestion wherever needed. I personally welcome you and each of your people.”
Zha Quin’s father, having retaken his seat, answered, “Thank you, Chairman Bartholomew. We have long awaited our chance to contribute to the safety of all peoples. We welcome the opportunity.”
The conference went on for a short while afterward with Bart finally winding up once all had had a chance to ask any questions. “If there are no further questions or comments, I shall take my leave and allow you all to carry on with your respective days. Thank you for joining us for this update.” Bart bowed his head in respect to each governing body as they signed off and broke the connection until finally only the connection between Command Warship 1 and the Consortium remained.
“Are they all signed off?” Bart asked someone off vid.
“Yes, Sir. Only Command Warship 1 is connected.”
Bart's demeanor changed at once, a huge smile in place, his eyes dancing, “Vivian! Quin! How are you?”
“Very well,” Quin answered.
“Great! How are you?” Vivian added. “We miss you! When are you coming for a visit?”
“Soon, very soon. But in the meantime I have a little surprise for you. Bear with me, just a moment…” Bart said before walking out of view. When he returned, he had an older man with him. Almost a direct replica of himself only older. He looked curiously out from the holovid, his brow raising in surprise before he walked slowly toward the holovid podium on his end. His eyes were wide and his mouth open in surprise, while he reached his hand out in front himself. “Aunt Vivian?” he whispered.
Vivian let out a little squeak and mimicked almost his exact behavior, dropping Quin’s hand to approach the holovid podium. “Oh, my gosh! Samuel? Is that you?”
“Vivian!” the man cried, his voice cracking and tears freely flowing. “I can’t believe it’s you. Bart said he’d found you, but I just couldn’t believe it. But it’s true! It’s you!”
“It is me! I’m so happy to see you!” Vivian reached out and placed her hand on the holovid station, causing Samuel to do the same on his side. They stood, basking in the wonder of finally seeing one another again, both crying, until Vivian managed to gain control. Then she said, “Look at you! You’ve grown so handsome!”
Samuel laughed, “I’ve grown old!”
“But I bet it was a wonderful life,” Vivian said softly.
He nodded, “It was. It really was — still is!”
Vivian looked behind herself, and called Quin forward, “Do you know my husband? This is Quin!” she said proudly.
“No, I don’t. But I’ve been told all about him. It is a pleasure, Quin.”
“I am happy to meet you, Samuel. Please, join Bart on a visit that you and Vivian may properly spend time together.”
“Thank you, Quin, I appreciate your invitation.”
Vivian was now looking behind Quin, searching for a chair she could move to the holovid platform, she planned to be there a while and wasn’t moving until she’d finished talking to Samuel. Finding what she searched for, she looked back at Samuel, “Hold on, I’ll be right back.” She darted across the Command Deck, snatching an extra chair from where it sat next to Vennie. “You don’t need this do you?”
Vennie beamed up at Vivian, “No, Sirena, you are welcome to it.”
In the meantime, Bart addressed Quin with a smile on his face, “What is this I hear about one of your men refusing to allow one of the women from Malm’s ship to join the transport bringing the others home?”
Quin stuttered a bit before answering, “He didn’t refuse to allow her to leave; they were merely aboard a lift that did happen to become stuck between floors, preventing her from making her transport on time. Unfortunately, it left without her. And it will be quite some time before we are back within range of another transport. Rest assured, she will be well cared for,” Quin finished with a polished smile plastered on his face.
“Seems to me it sounds a bit familiar,” Bart teased. “But in all seriousness, Quin, I need the proper paperwork. No one will be allowed any unexplained variance from protocol after all that Malm managed to hide from us.”
“I understand. We will, of course, comply with all requirements.”
“Do you mind?” a tiny foot-tapping dynamo snapped at Quin’s side. “I’m trying to catch up with my nephew, and ya’ll are taking over our vidcom.”
Bart laughed, “I believe that it’s the two of you who took over our vidcom.”
Vivian turned her attention to Bart, “That you arranged. For us. To catch up.”
Quin decided to step in, “Perhaps we could take this up in the conference room, Bart?”
“Great idea, I’ll put through a second vid request. Standby…”
Quin turned to Vennie, “Communications Master Vennie!”
“Yes, Sire,” the squishy green male responded with as much force as he could muster.
“Please intercept Chairman Bartholomew’s second vid, transfer it to the conference room.” Then he turned to Bart who was smiling and speaking with Vivian and Samuel, “Bart, I’ll be in the conference room shortly. I’ll bring Lieutenant Kol Ra’ Don Tol. He is the warrior associated with the female missing her transport, and as a result, is directly responsible for her needs aboard this ship.”
Bart’s face registered surprise, “Blue-Dude? I didn’t know Blue-Dude was involved.”
Quin chuckled, shaking his head… Vivi and her nicknames. “Yes, Blue-Dude is involved.”
Vivian interrupted, “The female, as you call her, is Ada Jane. And she’s Kol’s.”
“I see,” Bart said. “And?”
“And she just doesn’t know it yet. But honestly, she’d have already asked to come back to us, even if she’d made that transport. I see her watching him…”
“We have to bring her home if she wants to come home, Vivian,” Bart said seriously, though not unkindly.
Vivian looked right at Bart, and said, “I’m teaching her to ascend. I just need a little time. She’ll ascend, rise above it all, take control and own that shit.” Vivian shrugged her shoulders, “You just have to own it. Grab your happy with both hands and never let go.”
Bart smiled, remembering well the words in the letter he was finally able to deliver to Vivian. “You certainly have done just that, Vivi.”
“Yes, I have. I absolutely have.”
From The Author
Thank you for purchasing this book. I hope that my stories make you smile and give you a small escape from the daily same ole/same ole. I write for me, simply for the joy of it, but if someone else also smiles as a result, even better. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you liked this story, please remember to leave a review wherever you bought it, so that more people can find my books. Each review is important, no matter how short or long it may be.
; See you in the pages of the next one!
Sandra R Neeley
Other books by this author:
Avaleigh’s Boys series
I’m Not A Dragon’s Mate!, Book 1
Bane’s Heart, Book 2
Kaid’s Queen, Book 3
Maverik’s Ashes, Book 4
Bam’s Ever, Book 5
Whispers From the Bayou series
Carnage, Book 1
Destroy, Book 2
About the Author
My name is Sandra R Neeley. I write Paranormal Romance with a small town feel. Why, you may ask? Romance, because who doesn’t love a good romance, and Paranormal because, well — normal is highly overrated, so Paranormal it is. I’m 54, I have two kids, one 32 and one 12 (yes, God does have a sense of humor), one grandchild, one husband, and a menagerie of animals. I love to cook, I am a voracious reader, though since I started writing, I don’t get as much time to read as I once did. I am a homebody and prefer my writing/reading time to a crowd. I have had stories and fictional characters wandering around in my head for as long as I can remember. I’m a Self-Published Author, and I like it that way because I can decide what and when to write. I am by no means a formal, polished, properly structured individual and neither are my stories. But people seem to love the easy emotion and small town feel that naturally flows from them. A bit of a warning though, there are some “triggers” in them that some people should avoid. I’m a firm believer that you cannot have light without the dark. You cannot fully embrace the joy and elation that my people eventually find if you do not bear witness to their darkest hours as well. So please read the warnings supplied with each of the synopses about my books before you buy them.
You can find me at any of these places:
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Haven 1: Ascend Page 32