"It will all work out. I can only assume that the Alarics and Montgomeries are planning a way to manipulate me into a new trade route. This may be our last trip to Malta for some time."
"Hiroshi, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Someone else will take over delivery to Malta, and I am sure, whatever our new family is planning will be too good for me to pass up. You forget. Simon, Eliot, Eric, and I have been friends for many years. They know me well. They know Yukihyo and Phillip, and we know them. Enjoy this trip. I have already been offered an amazing deal on Arachnean silk, should I return Tora first to Arachne, before continuing to Malta. Now, sister, you may wish to clean up before your husband finds you."
"What? I don't look and smell pretty?"
"Chitter chitter."
"Fine."
"Oh, Teagan. I came to give you this." Hiroshi held out a new small vid-screen. "It has all of the files from the previous device, which I saved for you in case you wish to keep it. Ettie did hold it in her hands long ago."
"Thank you, Hiroshi."
"You may hug me when you are no longer damp," he said. I let out a deep breath.
"Great." He went back to wherever he had been on deck two, in his private engineering domain. "Come on, boy." We went to my room where I had another shower and got a change of clothes.
While in bed looking up at the stars in Yukihyo's arms, he told me what had bothered him. Yukihyo wanted a child. "We have only been married a short time. It may be years until we are blessed with a child, but knowing this does not prevent my irrational hopes." The thought of kids made me nervous.
"I don't know anything about kids or mothers, Yukihyo." He squeezed me to him.
"We have three new female family members who would enjoy telling you everything you need to know. Do not forget Phillip. He and Hiroshi would compete for the title of over-protective uncle." I moved my hand across his chest.
"Well, thanks for telling me what upset you. I'm glad it wasn't because you were totally grossed out this morning. That's what I thought was wrong." Yukihyo patted my back.
"It was quite gross, lady wife."
"Chitter." I put my arm over my head.
By lunch the next day, I had the habitation deck sparkling once again. We were all eating an Uncle Lee feast, and I made a grab for the last spring roll before Phillip could take it. "I was wondering. Who cleans the transport and cargo areas on deck one?"
"I clean the transport area and maintain the transports. Their systems are so simple compared to humanoid physiology that I find it relaxing," Phillip said.
"I manage the cargo bay," my husband answered.
Hiroshi said, "You know deck two is mine. I make sure Tora's systems are repaired and maintain that deck." I puckered my lips.
"So, when it seems as though each of you has disappeared, you are just on other decks?" Nods answered my question. "Are you ever going to let me see deck two? I asked.
Hiroshi frowned, "I suppose, but do not touch anything."
"I want to come, too!" Phillip said.
"What? He doesn't let you down there either?"
"Not very often, but he lets Yukihyo down there."
"He only lets me into weapons to ensure our safety. He becomes rather obnoxious, if I venture too near anything else."
"I'll keep my hands clasped in front of me, and I won't touch anything, brother. I promise." I tried to give him the sweetest face I could make. Hiroshi made a stern face and placed his hands on his knees.
"I will give you a brief tour, but no touching. Understood?"
I smiled and said, "Yes, Captain Hiroshi." As Hiroshi took us down in the lift, I was bubbling with curiosity. The first things to capture my attention were the two massive cylinders across from and down a little from the lift. I turned my head to the right and saw next to us two other cylinders that were identical to them.
I pointed and asked, "What are those big things?"
"They contain Tora's fuel," Hiroshi answered. I walked closer, but kept my hands clasped. The cylinders were made of a thick clear plasti-glass, and I could see the fine black powder inside of the tubes.
"Why is the ceiling so low? Can you reach it?" I asked.
"The floor is raised. Under your feet are panels that can be removed to grant me access to things that need repairs. The panels spread across the entire deck and are elevated by two feet to provide cover for systems that usually require very little maintenance, but require occasional access." To the sides of each set of powder fuel cylinders, were triangle shaped compartments that went from floor to ceiling.
"What are these things?"
"Those are housings for our landing gear."
"I had never thought about where those went. I thought they just stayed down." To the left of the lift was a triangular section which I thought would be directly under the bridge. A chair sat in the center of the space. Vid-screens were to either side of the chair which had controllers at the ends of each side of its semi-circular arm rest. "That must be weapons." Hiroshi nodded. I turned my back to the weapons station. The deck had no rooms or partitions. From where I stood, I could see all the way to the back. The only obstruction, which reached all the way to the ceiling, was a large square set so that one of its corners pointed toward me and weapons rather than a flat side. Its position allowed me glimpses of the control panel lights on the two sides nearest me. "What does this big thing do?" We walked what I assumed to be the length of the corridor on the habitation deck to reach the device. Standing in front of it, Hiroshi pointed at it.
"Each side controls a primary system." He pointed them out as we walked around the square, "shields, life support, propulsion systems, and power supplies."
"Don't you control those things from the bridge?"
"Yes, but if something stops working the way that it should, this is where I come to fix it," he said. Hiroshi shot Phillip a stern look, when he got too close to something.
"What are those things in the very back?"
"Those are also weapons and controlled from the bridge."
"Unless something goes wrong?" I asked. Hiroshi nodded. He escorted us back to the lift. "Well, that wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be a big work room with tools and little mechanical parts laying around." Hiroshi smiled.
"Those things are stowed under the panels in special compartments. I keep replacement parts for key systems located under each section so that I can repair any problem quickly and effectively."
"Hiroshi, how did you learn how to do all of this?" We stepped off of the lift and onto the bridge.
"My father taught me from a very young age. I have many fond memories of learning from him."
"Where is he? Does he live on Earth with Uncle Lee?" I asked.
"He and mother have a home on Earth, but the last I heard mother forced him to go with her to visit some of her cousins in a different system," Hiroshi chuckled.
"Why is that funny?"
"Mother's family, the Uchidas, did not approve of father. He has not forgotten."
"How come?"
"Mother's parents did not think life exploring the galaxies appropriate for their daughter."
"Oh." The others dispersed. "Thank you for showing me what it looks like in engineering."
"You are welcome."
"Chitter chitter chitter chitter!" Someone was mad at me for leaving him behind.
"I'm sorry, but it was Captain's orders. Let me make it up to you. Do you want to go watch our trees?"
"Chirp."
"Okay, come on."
I filled the vid-screen with our forest. Then, I sat with my grandmother's recipes on my couch. Some of the first recipes Ettie had learned to make with her mother, while simple, contained some ingredients of which I had never heard. The first contained something called ceshoosh that was peeled, boiled, mashed, and mixed with egg and flour, formed into cakes, and fried in animal fat. It sounded disgusting. I searched ceshoosh on my vid-screen. It looked kind of like a sweet potato to me, but I had no id
ea if it tasted like one. Maybe Gram had been coerced into tasting the recipe. I found a nice normal sugar cookie recipe and went off to the kitchen to try it out. A short time later, the kitchen was filled with the smell of warm cookies. I filled a platter with them and set out plates and coffee. Then, I carried a cookie with me and used it to lure the guys into the kitchen.
As the trip to Scipio neared its end, I began to feel more comfortable with the idea of having so many new family members. However, the thought of all of my expenditures while on Arachne made me uncomfortable. So many things had been on my mind that I had lost track of my credits. I had business with Felicia, and I feared I had spent over three thousand credits while out with Simon. I decided to go find someone and ask for help checking my balance. The three of them were pounding each other into the mat in the exercise room with their feet, fists, and knees. I didn't interrupt. Instead, Thunderdrop and I went to the kitchen where he went to his web, and I had a cup of coffee. "Are you okay, baby? You've seemed quiet since we left Arachne."
"Chitter."
"Do you miss Cass and ZeeZee?"
"Chirp." I finished my coffee and went to my quarters. Thunderdrop followed behind me and climbed up into his tree.
"Do you want to try and call Cass and ZeeZee?"
"Chirp!" I found Simon Montgomery in my menu and pointed at his name with my controller. After a moment Stewart appeared.
"Lady Teagan, it is very nice to see you. Please wait a moment while I find Lord Simon."
"Thank you, Stewart." Thunderdrop and I looked through our vid-screen into Simon's living room.
"Chirp!"
"Yes, see Simon's house? We play in that room." Simon came into view smiling broadly.
"Sweet cousin, what a wonderful surprise it is for you to call me. I've been jealous of Gram."
"Hello, Simon. How are things?"
"Terribly boring without you, and Cass misses his playmate." Cass climbed into view on Simon's large well-muscled shoulder. Then, he began to chirp wildly back and forth with Thunderdrop. Simon and I exchanged wide eyed stares and listened as they continued to chirp and click with each other. Cass blinked oddly while making his sounds.
"Is Thunderdrop doing anything weird with his eyes right now?" I asked Simon.
"Yes, and it does not appear to be random."
"Cass is doing it, too. They really are communicating with each other, aren't they? I wonder what they're saying." Thunderdrop and Cass slowed down their chatter and each wandered off to play. "Thunderdrop has seemed kind of sad since we left. Is it okay if we call every now and they?"
"You may call as often as you like," he said with a smile.
"Okay. Bye, Simon." I ended the transmission. A sweaty Yukihyo came into the room.
"Were you looking for me, lady wife?"
"My question can wait until after your shower." Yukihyo stalked toward me on the couch and spread his arms. "No, I don't want your sweat all over me." He came closer with a mischievous expression. "Yukihyo! No, get back." He grabbed me and tackled me back against the couch. "You're all wet." Then, he kissed me passionately and lifted away from me enough to remove his shirt. He kissed me again and pulled away to look at my eyes with a question in his. I answered by removing my shirt as well.
A shared shower and sets of clean clothing later, and we sat in the kitchen together enjoying some lunch. "So, what was your question?" Yukihyo asked.
"Will you help me check how many credits I have to spend on Scipio? We'll be there in the morning, right?"
"That is correct. What are your plans?"
"I have some shopping to do at Felicia's and hope to spend a day at the baths. Would you like to join me?"
"I believe I will join you at the baths," he said.
"Really? That's great! You can meet Tina and Patna!"
"Chirp!"
"Yes, Thunderdrop. You will get lots of attention from the ladies." Back in our quarters, Yukihyo showed me once again how to check my credit balance. I thought I had left Malta with close to ten thousand credits. I hoped to have over six thousand credits left. Not knowing when we would visit Malta again, I thought I should bring as much as possible. Any extra clothing I brought could be kept in Mr. Gregory's store room and brought out as needed. I also wanted to buy presents for Gina and Sydney. Yukihyo pulled up my balance. I looked at it and then looked at it again. "Something is wrong. That isn't right. I should have somewhere around six thousand. There is no way I have twenty-seven thousand credits."
"Lady wife, recently we have done well in our trade agreements. I placed the credits into your account. I wish for my lovely bride to have the freedom to spend as she wishes."
"Yukihyo, this is too much. Did you give all of the credits you earned to me?" He chuckled.
"No, did you ever read our marriage contract?"
"No, why?"
"You married a very wealthy merchant, who has had nothing on which to frivolously spend his credits. The credits in your account are only for your amusement."
"Thank you," I said, somewhat shocked.
"Let me know if you require additional funds. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some work to complete before we arrive. I will be in my quarters should you need me." He kissed me and left.
"With that much money, we could buy our own housing unit and spend a few nights on our land when we visit Arachne, Thunderdrop."
"Chirp!" Thunderdrop sat on my lap and we began looking at units on our vid-screen, but our search changed when we discovered how cheap housing units were and how nice deluxe aluminum tents were. The type of housing unit I had lived in was marketed as emergency shelter and was listed alongside sheds. That was embarrassing. Thunderdrop and I began looking at all manner of sophisticated camping gear. We found a nice two-bedroom tent that could withstand the storms of Arachne and with a portable waste unit, foam mattress, and portable cold storage and heating unit, the credits totaled up to a little over twelve thousand. "Oh, Thunderdrop! Wouldn't it be amazing to stay on our very own land with trees that belong to us?" He chirped and lifted his legs up and down in excitement. Yukihyo came in.
"What is going on in here, wife? Both of you are so excited that I find concentration elusive."
"I'm sorry, husband, but sit, and we'll show you!" Thunderdrop jumped to the top of Yukihyo's head. "Have you ever been camping?"
"Many times. Have you?"
"No, but I've been homeless. Camping looks a lot easier, especially with a roof, bed, and everything. Look what we found." We showed him everything we wanted. "And look! We found a perfect spot in the trees where we think the tent would fit." I pulled up our forest, and Thunderdrop chirped excitedly when I pointed it out. "What do you think?"
"I think it sounds relaxing and like a great deal of fun. Please allow me to see to the purchase of the tent and gear. I know a man in that business and can get a much better deal."
"Okay, but use the credits you gave me." Yukihyo frowned.
"I will not. I think this is the first time since I have known you that you have expressed an interest in buying something that isn't a necessity." He left again to go work on his contracts. Thunderdrop and I blinked at each other. That night after dinner, we told Gram and Sydney all about our plans and that Yukihyo was going to buy us everything. Thunderdrop hopped around and chirped happily. Gram clapped her hands and smiled.
"That is a wonderful idea, dear! The three of you will have so much fun. You mustn't worry about water or food. You will let Gram see to that."
"Thank you, Gram."
"Teagan, did you remember to put your end date into your calendar?" Sydney asked.
"No, I forgot."
"Well, do it now before you forget. It needs to become a habit," Sydney told me.
The next morning, we had docked on Scipio by the time I woke up. Yukihyo and Hiroshi had gotten an early start. Thunderdrop and I had breakfast with Phillip before he went off to handle his own deals. "Are you ready to go see Felicia?"
"Chirp!"
&
nbsp; It seemed like forever since I had driven my land transport. I wore the pale blue dress with the side laces and matching shoes that Gina had given me and all of my beautiful jewelry. I was excited to see Felicia and hear how things were going with Soren. Also, I had a gift for her from Arachne. When we parked and entered Felicia's store, she was busy helping a Galaxic Militia soldier and his wife. Thunderdrop and I stayed out of the way until they were finished. As the man took the bags and the couple turned from the counter to leave, I saw their faces and my heart began to beat wildly.
"Mary! Is that you?" My hands had flown to my mouth, and my eyes had begun to fill. Mary looked surprised and curtsied to me.
"I am Mary, but I don't believe we have met, my lady." Tears had started to fall from my eyes.
"If I were dressed in my reclamation jumper and met you for lunch at the Sun Palace, you would know me." Mary's face changed from surprised shock to one of glee, and she made a happy screeched as we threw our arms around each other. We rocked each other from side to side. We pulled apart to look at each other. I wiped at my tears with my hand.
"Teagan Green, is that really you? I can't believe it. I tried to find you at the housing community months ago, and they said you were gone. Paul couldn't even find you." Mary had tears on her face as well and threw her arms around me again.
"Chitter chirp!" Thunderdrop jumped to my head, and Mary jumped back.
"Teagan, what is that?" Mary yelled in fear.
"Chitter chitter."
"Don't be afraid. He won't hurt you. This is Thunderdrop, and he is very dear to me. He is an Arachnean Silk spider," I explained. Mary's eyes were large in her face, and her eyelashes were wet with tears from our reunion.
"Does he bite?" Mary asked.
"Thunderdrop would never hurt you, Mary," I said.
"Chirp." Trusting me Mary relaxed and came close again.
"Paul, it is nice to see you. That uniform looks good on you," I said. Paul bowed to me.
"Teagan, it is a relief to see you. I'm glad you are doing so well. We were unable to discover your location."
Felicia said, "That must be because my sweet friend changed her name when she married. Teagan, are you going to introduce me to your friends?" Felicia came around the counter to hug me and kiss my cheeks.
The Space Merchants Page 34