Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2)

by Jenn Nixon

  They retired back to the den, where Adam showed her some of the ancient marvels of Earth including television, movies and something he called a video game. She attempted to join in, but she couldn’t grasp the concept.

  Lying on the sofa with her head on his lap, Tiva watched the two figures on the television fighting back and forth. Adam’s fingers occasionally ran through her hair, relaxing her and before the game was finished, she’d fallen asleep.

  The next day, they explored the property, enjoyed a picnic near his pond, and spent the afternoon training and relaxing. Later, Adam took her to see some of the wonders Earth had to offer, taking advantage of the zip-shuttle while they had the chance.

  They spent one night in a castle in England and then toured some popular sights of Europe. Making their way across the continent, he showed her the various architecture and natural phenomena in different countries. Adam took her to a land of snow and ice, a country separated by an enormous stretch of brick and stone, and ended the day in the brightest city she had ever seen, Tokyo. The second day, he took her to a desert part of Australia, a continent in the lower hemisphere, then on a safari in an African country and made a few quick stops on the journey home.

  Tiva was grateful for all he showed her, and after a couple of long exhausting days, they returned to Adam’s house as the sun settled under the horizon. Four days was not nearly enough to see all of Earth, but she felt satisfied. She hoped the future would hold more trips here and to other planets of the universe, because there was so much to explore.

  They shared an exotic meal of various delights collected during their trip. Adam disappeared soon after while Tiva was tiding up the house. Knowing he probably wanted to stretch his wings, she decided to run around the property while she had the freedom to do so.

  She arrived back at the house as the moon began to crest, and searched inside and out for him. Disappointed, she made her way to the den only to hear a slight creak of the floorboards above her head. Walking to the back door, she searched the guest rooms then heard it again. High above her head she spotted a round hole in the ceiling. A black feather floated down, landing on a windowsill. There was no staircase or means to reach the ceiling. She knew there was another floor that he hadn’t shown her, it must be his true sanctuary. Thinking he apparently wanted to be alone; she turned to leave, but heard him speak suddenly.

  “You remember, don’t you, Cala? He was always your favorite, right? Sometimes I forget…but you don’t. The spot next to him is for Tiva. I still need to commission it, of course, but this is hers.”

  She glanced up and saw him move over the hole, but could not see what was inside the hidden room.

  “Eric, Andrew, Steven; died in combat, died in combat, died in combat. Is my goddess treating you well?” He stopped pacing. “Tell me, Goddess, do you collect them? The legend says you take the souls of great warriors to fight for you, so tell me: Are you collecting my sons?”

  Tiva felt her heart sink. She was well aware Adam had a long past. He had sons, and lovers, wives and friends, but she never fully understood the impact. Losing so much—fate brought them together, she was certain of it now. No one else could ever understand her loss the way he could.

  “Please, if you can hear me, tell me that you’re taking care of my sons. And tell me that someday, when I join you…I’ll be able to see them again.”

  Hearing him pray wasn’t exactly shocking, what was surprising was the fact that he believed he would join them one day, in the afterlife. Though he claimed immortality, he could die…that added even more weight to the Mystic’s prediction.

  “Allison. Who are you?” A frustrated sigh followed. “It says you were my wife, but I don’t even remember you. Why must it all fade away? Lindsay...” His voice grew soft, the pain was apparent, it was so strong she sensed it through Cala’s shielding. He was obviously looking at reminders of his past. Knowing he would come to her if he needed to, she gave him his privacy, she owed him that much. As she walked away, she heard him sigh again. “Lindsay. You...I remember.”

  Tiva woke early and lay awake for an hour, watching Adam sleep. A soft breeze blew through the window, and she knew where she wanted to be. Creeping out of his bed, she walked out to the balcony to watch the lightening sky. The tender warm breath of air caressed her cheeks; she smiled and stripped off her sleep shirt. This would be her last time to Calm and enjoy the nature around her for a while. There was work to do once they left the safety of the Milky Way. Glancing down, she smiled slightly and jumped over the railing, flipping once before landing firmly on the ground. Nearing the pond, she quietly sighed, as comfortable as Earth was, as free as she felt with Adam, she was still incomplete. The loneliness was unbearable at times, but she was opening up to more people, sharing more of her memories and thoughts with Adam. Her bond with Aries had grown strong, and the majority of the command crew had become close friends as well. Yet, something was missing.

  Once immersed in the cool water, Tiva chanted the words to the Calming one final time. The need for clarity and peace within her mind was paramount. The Union Vexillum needed every person on guard and ready for anything. She wouldn’t let them down; she owed them her life and more.

  When she broke through the surface, Adam was standing on the bank watching the sun beginning its ascent. He sipped something from a mug before turning to her.

  “Mornin’ m’lady.”

  “Hello, Adam.”

  “I brought you a towel,” he quipped and then neared the edge of the water.

  “Thank you,” she replied, blushing. “How long before we must depart?”

  He held the towel open as she slipped out of the water. His eyes never left her face, but she couldn’t help feeling amorous as he wrapped the cloth and his arms around her. “An hour or so, enough time to eat breakfast.” Adam kissed her cheek softly, holding her tight. “I’m glad you were able to relax. I like it when you’re like this.”

  “As do I.” She sighed happily. “I wish we had more time. I wanted to tell you I was ready to…” Pausing, she looked into his eyes and he smiled back knowingly. “I wish we did not have to leave…I could stay here for the rest of my life with you and be content.”

  “Me, too, but there are people relying on us out there…”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll come back here. I promise.”

  She looked deep into his eyes. “Thank you, my love.”

  He smiled. “You’re welcome, Solaeshyl.”

  ~*~

  The atmosphere around the Tolox when she returned was lighter than before she left. However, the sadness of recent events still lingered. Greeting her friends as she walked through the slowly filling corridors, Tiva entered the lift a step behind Aries.

  Business was first, so she gave him a detailed list of the weapons she retrieved from Earth, and he handed her a datarecorder of new personnel the Tolox was getting before departing the repair station. One was for security, a woman named Ala C’arra, the first person to join the Vexillum from Syfark. She was a former Speego Colony chief protector. Tiva remembered the people of the colony were small and fast, C’arra would be a fine addition to the team.

  After a quick review, the lift stopped and she exited. “Did you enjoy your time o-off ship?” Aries asked, following close behind.

  “Adam took me sightseeing around the planet. Our time was limited, but he showed me many wonderful places.”

  “I’m g-glad to hear it. Earth’s a great place to visit; you’ll have to come back some day.”

  “Yes, I believe I will.” She dipped her head slightly then made her way to her area, immediately bringing the station to life. The console was brighter than before, the repairs to the ship, even minor ones, seemed to make a difference. Aliri, Emerala, and Raife walked in soon after, followed by Adam and the captain. Ewan was last to arrive an hour later, but he brought the best news. The ship was jump capable again, and they were ready to return home.

  Maar r
eceived clearance from the repair station to break dock, so Raife climbed up to the hub and prepped the ship for departure. The threat of the Triune was still very close, but the crew was ready to leave the Milky Way.

  As Raife guided the ship away from the repair station, Adam glanced back and winked before turning to the captain and informing him they were clear. Maar ordered them to high warp and moments later the big blue and green globe that was Earth became just another tiny fragment of light in space.

  The engineering crew was able to complete four jumps out of the ship by the time shift ended. Repairs went better than expected, and the engine upgrades were at peak efficiency. Returning to Ovvella would take two days less than calculated.

  Adam had a meeting with the engineering staff to go over the new weapons array Earth Fleet installed. This gave Tiva the free time to train in the VR room and walk the arboretum before heading to bed after an early dinner. Sleeping in her own bed again, she dozed off easily and woke in the morning energized and refreshed.

  The mess was alive with laughter when she walked in. Aliri, Ewan, Raife and Emerala sat together eating stacks of pancakes and waffles. Emerala waved Tiva over. Before she could sit, Adam pulled out her chair and kissed her cheek. “Mornin’ m’lady,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Good morning, Adam.”

  “So, we have something to tell you guys and we don’t want you to be mad,” Aliri announced suddenly.

  “You ate all the pancakes?” Adam joked.

  “No, no…all sensor reports have to be encrypted in ancient Latin from now on, right?” Emerala giggled.

  “Or-or, the VR room will not work unless you pay by the hour?” Raife snickered.

  “Shut up, jeez.” Aliri rolled her eyes. Tiva shrugged, unsure what the news was. “No, um... Ewan and I got married in Las Vegas while we were on Earth.”

  “Vegas? Are you kidding me?” Emerala choked. “I bought a new dress for your wedding!”

  “I’m sorry,” Aliri cringed. “But you can still wear it, we’re having a reception on Ovvella before our next mission.”

  Adam stuffed his mouth with a fork full of waffles. “Are you gonna have cake?”

  “Of course,” Ewan answered.

  “Then I’ll be there.” He winked at Tiva and continued to eat.

  “We didn’t feel like trying to make everyone happy with a big planned event, so we just got married and decided to throw a party and whoever can make it is invited,” Aliri said.

  “Sounds great to me,” Emerala said.

  “Spirited blessings on your marriage, my friends,” Tiva said raising her glass. “May you have many years of happiness.”

  Enjoying the morning meal with her friends was the perfect start to the day. Though she would rather head directly to command center with the others, she had to stop by the infirmary for a checkup. Hino was a stickler for punctuality and Tiva did not want to disappoint. The quicker he checked her the faster she could get to work.

  Luckily, the infirmary was vacant. With everyone on light duties after the battle, no one really needed any medical attention. Hino checked her shoulder and leg, having heard from someone about her previous injury. He didn’t seem pleased with the fact that she had healed, but he made no further remarks about it. After checking her vitals and asking a few routine questions, he cleared her for duty.

  Tiva made her way to the security office to gather the reports from Hemko and Ranndom. After settling into her chair, she reviewed the reports and inventory manifest. Feeling the ship jump was comforting, they were continuing to move closer to Ovvella.

  The computer screen on her desk blinked and she accessed the console. Hill and his crew were on their way to meet the Tolox. All the ambassadors of the council had met and begun planning the next wave of the war. No longer was the Vexillum to remain on the defensive, they were going after the Triune Syndicate now.

  Sighing, Tiva shut down the computer and exited the office. She was not one to make the first move, neither was the Union on normal days. But like her situation at home, the Union faced odds they could no longer defend, they had to be proactive and take the initiative if they wanted to win. She knew and understood this better than most, she was in the same position as leader of Abennelp. When she returned home, she would not sit by and be a defender of the throne…she was going home to end the war and the means to that end was an offensive strike.

  When she arrived in the command center, Maar stood and moved to the center of the room. The captain patted Adam on his back to gain his attention and called Raife down from the hub.

  “In three days the Vexillum will launch an assault on the Triune Syndicate’s main base Chomllie 5. Simultaneously, several task forces will strike various Syndicate strong holds, as well as the two known locations of the global destroyers.” He met the eyes of each person in the room. “Jay and the Venture are meeting us in a few hours to relay our new orders. From what I’ve gathered, the Lexilon and the Hemlock are holding position at each location. Jay will direct the primary task force to the Aillo system; they’ve located the Syndicate base on a distant moon near Bayo. We are heading to the Cobee, it seems the intelligence on the global destroyer near Ovvella was wrong and the other weapon is on a moon a short distance from Uucor.”

  Tiva glanced up, more attentive after hearing his last statement. “Has the planet been notified?”

  “Yes, their military is prepping vessels to join the fight, as are several of the colonies and the majority of the Union planets. The Ambassadors have called all our allies together, this strike against the Syndicate will be unlike anything we have done before. Earth is safe, but the rest of the Union territories are still at risk and we’re not taking any chances this time.”

  “How sure are we about these targets?” Aliri asked.

  Aries turned and glanced up at her. “One can never be c-certain, but the data has been verified through several sources, including t-the information Ms. Boon retrieved from her o-operation.”

  “Yes,” Maar added, “I have confidence that the captured Syndicate members from Chomllie and Mars Colony have corroborated the evidence found elsewhere.”

  “Mr. Hill will h-have more details when he a-arrives,” Aries concluded and the captain took his seat.

  Ranndom and the new security officer C’arra escorted Hill and his crew commander Chettron to the captain’s office. Tiva, along with the rest of the senior crew was waiting when they arrived. He seemed very confident and there was no trace of fear within him. This was a big undertaking for any captain, yet Hill acted as if this were just another day.

  “In any event,” Hill continued, getting to points the crew had not heard, “this strike will cripple the Triune Syndicate. Hopefully, it will be enough to begin negotiations. If we can find out what they want, maybe we can find the road to peace.”

  His second in command rose from his chair with a datarecorder. “These are the locations of all our ships involved. Every territory and planet has been alerted and is using internal resources to protect their borders. The armada of Vexillum vessels will handle the main attack location.”

  “How many are we talking about?” Raife asked.

  “In total, fifty three Syndicate targets have been identified; we are striking approximately thirty of them.”

  “The Union isn’t out for blood are they? We’re being sent to disable and not destroy, right?” Emerala questioned, her voice cracking slightly.

  “Casualties are inevitable, Teer,” Maar interjected. “But, yes, we are to disable and try and force them to surrender. We know ships will be lost, lives will end, and sacrifices must be made for the safety of the Union. But we will do our best to ensure that fatalities are kept to a minimum.”

  “Has anyone taken into consideration the fact that the majority of their ships can bolt out of the area at any given moment?” Adam turned to the captain.

  “Actually,” Hill replied instead. “We have. Over the last three weeks we’ve had our best engineers and s
cientists working on the wormhole devices and we’ve come up with a high yield plasma torpedo that should render them inoperable if executed correctly.”

  “I would like to see the information on that as soon as possible,” Adam requested.

  Hill nodded to Chettron and he handed datarecorders to everyone. “This will have all the information you need for this assignment, including the torpedoes. When you get to Ovvella Base, you’ll be supplied with the weapons. Ambassador Dival wanted us to give you the information before you reached the base, and we’re taking no chances with communications. All ships are to remain comm-silent until you reach your destination.”

  The group collectively nodded, Tiva watched their faces. Though none of them showed any sign of anxiety, they were all feeling it, even Hill now. Everyone returned to stations as Hill and Chettron headed back to the transport ship on the flight deck.

  The Vexillum had ships in three of the four solar systems. In total, over seven hundred ships were ready, all of them were preparing for the next phase. The remaining smaller ships and internal military from the Union planets and colonies were protecting their homes.

  When the ship docked at Ovvella, Aliri had already canceled her reception. Everyone was on edge. Tiva, like many others retired to her room. As she entered the living area, she lit a candle from across the room. Her aim had improved some, and the size of the flame she could create hadn’t grown. The fire remained as big as the circumference of her hand.

  Once clean and changed, she slipped into bed and lit up the room a few times before dozing off.

  She dreamed of home. Her friends and family surrounded her, Bintu and Remock giggling with delight. Kevler and D’laja, looking happy and full of pride, were standing near Harer on the steps to the palace. A bright white aura surrounded them.