by Max Jager
Everyone was there. Cheering and shouting, Liam, Gabe, Gandric and Amber, the Dyson's, Walter, Clath, Rekton, and Brand. Even Kaitlyn and Tiag. As Matt looked down upon all his friends, Kaitlyn was the one that stood out. He silently formed her name as he smiled at her. As they started down the ramp, his high school friends immediately spotted Liam and Gabe shouting their names. He only had a moment to focus on Kaitlyn, but her appearance was completely changed. Her hair was now a very pronounced red but it looked completely natural. Her skin looked tanner than when he last saw her but most of all she looked simply ravishing. Managing a quick word before the introductions began, he told her;
"Thanks a load for coming Kaitlyn, you too Tiag. Man you sure look great Kaitlyn."
She gave him a big hug then replied,
"I figured you would stop at the fort first so we had them alert us the moment you showed up."
"My brother wasn't able to come," said Tiag, but he sends his best wishes, tell you more later."
The first thing he wanted to do was introduce both Doctor Frick and Westcott, along with all the NASA people to Clath, Brand, and Rekton.
"I believe we've met before," said Rekton as he shook hands with Doctor Frick, "I believe it was on earth." Major Morford and Kathy Steel were standing next to him and took note. Both Frick and Westcott felt completely vindicated as they were standing in the presence of living proof of "life out there." Major Morford and his people awed by all these "beings," as well. The effect was as Matt hoped it would be, all the old ideas and long held beliefs vanished here on an alien world a million light years from home. Later, Doctor Frick told him,
"Matt you will never know the feelings I have about this. The vindication, and the revelation of the truth it's all come home here on a planet named for a fictitious world born of man's belief in life out there. The work doctor Westcott and I face has only just begun but we look forward to it with an excitement we've never experienced.
"Well there's a Selantrian professor I want you two to meet I think he'll have all the answers you're looking for," replied Matt.
In all the excitement, he didn't notice her at first. She deliberately stayed back; this was his time and his glory. When he caught sight of her everything stood still, all time stopped.
"Holliqua," he whispered to himself. They came together in a desperate embrace their lips quickly finding the other. They held each other tightly until Holliqua whispered,
"Everyone's watching Matt, this is your time, I'll see you at the party tonight." With that, she gently pulled away and disappeared into the crowd.
Finally as the excitement died down, he was able to organize a work party to help unload the ship, but first, Liam insisted on giving Matt a progress report.
"Well I see you already know Holliqua is here. Gandric told me your ship has been fixed as well. Oh yeah, according to Tucker, there's a Neistrian couple living by a small lake west of here. He, Rekton and Clath flew out there to check them out. Talk to them for more information. We also got the power grid up and running, everyone has power now. Say, I hear Patricia came with you, but that she decided to stay down in Dinocki, how did you manage that?"
"I honestly don't know," replied Matt, but I don't think she was happy in school. She will not say, but I also have a sneaking suspicion her folks don't know that she's here. But yeah, she and Ellen Macy had been talking to Captain Black the NASA doctor who's down there as well. The elves really got 'em excited you know how girls are over elves, fairies and those damn unicorns. Well Roy was happy to have them so I'm fine with it."
"Ellen came too eh?" asked Liam,
"Yeah, she and Patricia have gotten to be best buds. Oh, you remember Mike Justice?" "Yeah, Mr. Deer hunter," said Liam.
"Well he's down there too, thinks he's gonna hunt deer or something all the time with the elves," replied Matt.
"I didn't know this planet had deer on it?" said Liam.
"As far as I know it doesn't, so far just kasroc's and welk's."
"One more thing," asked Liam. "Can we store all those guns and ammo you brought back in that wrecked raider ship. Gandric and Walter ripped all the usable electronics and engine stuff out of it and it would make a good armory."
"Yeah good idea," replied Matt, "Park those trucks next to it as well until I figure out what to do with everything."
"By the way, how'd you get all those guns anyway?" asked Liam. Matt just grinned,
"I'll tell you guys later it was pretty wild."
Islos stuck around for the party but left early the next morning.
The party kicked off at dusk, and with a young welk provided by Tucker, roasting over a fire in the center of town. It was like a small town street party, everybody was enjoying themselves, the newcomers were getting to know the early settlers and vice-versa. Right now, he had only one thing on his mind and she was standing across the street talking to Liam and Brand. Both of them saw him coming before she did and excused themselves.
"Thanks for coming Holliqua," said Matt, let's sit over there and talk." He offered her a chair as he sat down next to her.
"I missed you," he said softly as he gently brushed her long hair away from her scared face. Holliqua was visibly upset with tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Oh Matt, you'll never know how much my thoughts of you kept me going."
"Look, you don't have to say a thing about what you went through if you don't want to," he replied. "I'll understand." He then took her hands and held them in his.
"I'll be all right," she confessed, "I just need some time to work things out for myself, someplace to be by myself. Matt, would you mind if I stayed here for awhile?"
"Absolutely, Holliqua," he replied, "Stay as long as you like, I'll tell people not to bother you. Would you like for me to stay away as well?" She thought for a moment then replied.
""Umm maybe at first, just knowing that you're safe and nearby, will be enough at first. It will take time, but I'll get through it."
"Does your family know you're here?" He asked. She shook her head,
"No but I've spoken to Lieutenant Skobra who will be leaving in another centon, he will let them know as well as not to worry." She then remained silent as well-wishers and friends greeted them.
"I'm so glad to see that everything is working out so well for you Matt."
"Well so far, so good, my fingers are still crossed."
"What do crossed fingers have to do with it?" She innocently asked. Matt leaned over and kissed her,
"Nothing, it's just something we earth people do when we worry about things going right."
Chapter 127
Titan Stand Chapter 127
It was a wonderful party on a wonderful night. Matt really wanted to just sit in front of the fire and hold her, but duty called.
"Come with me Holliqua, meet my friends, maybe it will help take your mind off your problems." She hugged him along with a simple nod. Together, they made the rounds, first up was the group of his high school friends minus Patricia, Ellen, and Mike. It was just guys sitting with Liam and Gabe who were giving them an idea of what to expect. Matt introduced Holliqua who in turn greeted everyone with a pleasant reserve. Liam then asked if she had heard from Ilmi lately.
"Don't worry Liam; she replied Ilmi will be along as soon as she's able. I haven't spoken with her for some time as I've been…well, rather busy myself, don't worry." Then time was spent with the group of volunteers who came from Nevada.
Brad Cummings, Walter Topping, James Sylvia, Meghan Cook, Charles Tucker, and Tracy Kepler. These were the "doer's" that were going to get new homes built, some sort of production, and farming set up. According to Walter, they were scheduled to meet with a team from the trading company who would school them in everything from construction techniques, farming, and the set-up of a basic production facility based on the natural resources Endor had to offer. Brad, Walter, and Jim were planning on walking over to Facility 605 tomorrow, then later accompanying Clath, and Brand over to Mindia
to observe the construction now going on there. Donald Falkner was also meeting with Brand and Clath to work out a security plan for Endor.
"Would you mind Matt if I joined them?" Asked Holliqua. "I believe I might be able to make some suggestions."
He agreed immediately because he knew the kind of experience she had was hard won, and the fact that she was still alive indicated that her "suggestions" would have real merit. Taking Falkner aside, he laid it out.
"Listen to what she has to say Mr. Falkner." Then lowering his voice, he added.
"I'm going to tell you this only because you are going to be our head of security.
Ever see the Godfather movies?"
"Yes, but not lately, why?"
"Holliqua is a Malhazar; they are the equivalent of the mafia Don Corleone. I kid you not. I watched as one of their ships literally destroyed a whole planet. Falkner couldn't believe what he was hearing as Matt continued.
"I've come to realize that I'm in love with a ruthless assassin, but you know I don't give a shit so there it is. The Malhazars are a ruthless race, but they're not going to go away, so I figure it's better to have them on our side."
"Are you really sure about that?" Asked Falkner. Matt shrugged,
"Like I said, they are here to stay. I really wouldn't worry about it, Holliqua knows where I stand, and we're not the sort of thing the Malhazars get involved with anyway. However, I think she can offer us considerable help in protecting ourselves from raiders. All I ask is that you never lie to her and be up front in all you're dealings with her. Better yet, let me handle that department. Listen to her though on all matters dealing with raiders." Falkner remained apprehensive over the matter, but promised to include her in the security discussions.
Then it was on to the NASA people, along with doctor's Frick and Westcott. Brand, Aesil, Rekton, Clath, and his wife, Gandric, Amber, Jezang, and Tucker were there as well. For Frick and Westcott, these were the people they were ridiculed for claiming to exist. These weren't monsters, or evil aliens bent on invasion. Sure, they looked different, but they were thoughtful beings just living their lives like everyone else. When he joined them, major Morford had already been invited by Clath for a flight in his ship. Clath was whom he wanted to talk to; the report of two more Neistrian's living on Endor had been living in the back of his mind all day.
"So Clath, I hear you've spoken to those other Neistrian's, what's their story?"
He finished the beverage he was drinking, and shrugged.
"Not much to tell, they are Bris and Ceari Rerjem. Somewhat younger than I am. I've never met either of them before, although I remember the name Rerjem. Like me, they just got tired of all the bloka, but rather than stealing a ship, they just slipped away and disappeared for awhile."
"Any chance they might show up here?" Asked Matt. Once again, Clath shrugged.
"Hard to say. I told them that our people had finally discovered the way home, and that as far as I knew, we were the last three Neistrian's left on the planet.
If they should wander in here don't think they will be especially friendly," added Clath, "They seemed rather skeptical of you humans. Not exactly enemies, but not friends either. They appear to be perfectly happy where they're at."
"Well just as long as they don't attack the elves down there."
"Well I'm not sure they think much of them either, but if those elves keep their distance I don't think there will be any trouble."
"I'll be sure to tell Roy about them when I see him again," said Matt, "We certainly don't want any "incidents" down there. By the way, what did they think of you?" Clath snickered,
"Well let's just say they knew who I was and the things I did. We talked, they told me things, I told them…things, that's about it. Go ahead and warn the elves, but just leave those two alone."
"One last thing, Clath, where do you stand on the matter?"
"Are you suggesting that because I'm a Neistrian that I'm automatically siding with them?"
"I didn't say that," replied Matt, "All I want to know is where you stand on this matter?" Clath thought for a moment searching for the right words, then replied matter-of-factly.
"The fact that we're of the same race makes no difference. If you're curious as to what my race is really like go talk to those two. You see Matt, although I may be a Neistrian, I happen to be more "worldly" than they. I've traveled, been around, or as I've heard you say, "Been there, done that."
Gradually, Matt began to realize what Clath was telling him.
"In other words your basic Neistrian is rather provincial." Clath looked at him, thought a moment, then chuckled as he pointed at Matt.
"You got it my friend."
The conversation was over, as others were demanding Clath's attention.
Rejoining Holliqua who had been talking to Kathy Steel, they gradually moved away from the crowd for a little privacy.
"Tired?" He asked. She looked at him nodding.
"C'mon, girlfriend, time to go home.
They just sat and looked at each other at first. He studied her features noting the weary look in her eyes; clearly, she had been through the mill.
"Anytime you're ready to talk I'll be here to listen," he said in a soft voice. Holliqua just sighed,
"I don't know what your friends have told you about us, we're not exactly a race everyone looks to for enlightenment. We are who we are, I make no apologies. Normally Matt we simply don't talk about our business or all the other things everyone thinks we do its all part of the code we live by. For you however I'm going to break that code just this one time and only because of you. You already know something of what I do but I think before this affair continues any further you'd better hear the rest of it.
He started to object but Holliqua quickly touched his lips with two fingers.
"Sit and just listen, if at the end you wish to break this affair off I will understand.
She talked into the wee hours of the morning, at times, he thought his heart would break but he remained seated listening to a story he had always suspected her of but was afraid to ask. Finally, he decided that her past, as well as the things she did, really didn't matter to him any more. In for a penny, in for a pound. When she finished, Holliqua quietly stood, and started for the door.
"Don't…" She turned to him as he stood and pulled her to him.
Matt held her tight as their lips met.
"I don't care about what you do Holliqua. It took me a long time to accept what you are, and the things you do, all I'm looking at is a girl that I love. Let our relationship grow or die on its own merits. When you come here as far as I'm concerned, you're just Holliqua Karlnoti. It's probably just as well that I not know anymore than that. One thing though, let's agree that whatever happens on Moriedia stays on Moriedia."
No words were spoken; however, both fell into bed making love until well past dawn.
Matt woke first, propping his head on his hand studying Holliqua's sleeping form.
"Looks like I'm in for the long haul. Let's face it old buddy, you love her, and you love her a lot." He then vaguely remembered an old Mel Gibson picture called,
"The year of living dangerously."
"Well guess that's the boat I'm in with no way to get out," he mused.
"Guess I'm going to be living dangerously for some time to come."
He listened as New Coryville began to come to life. Sounds of people talking, an engine starting up,
"I wonder who's taking the gator" he wondered. A low rumble indicated that someone had taken off,
"Probably Clath and Major Morford," he thought.
Suddenly, Holliqua came awake, all her senses coming online at the same instant. Matt had never seen anyone do that before. Some people take a few minutes to become fully cognizant of their surroundings but not Holliqua; he guessed it was her training.
"So what do you want to do today babe?" He asked. She gave him a half smile,
"Don't you have a lot to do?" He grinned,
&n
bsp; "A ton." Not being sure what he meant by that, she replied anyway.
"If you don't mind, I'll just come with you, I promise not to get in your way."
"Awesome," he replied, "Let's have a quick bite first." After eggs coffee and pancakes, they were out on the street with Liam and David Coulson catching up with them.
"All those NASA people are already up and gone," explained Liam, I told that Mr. Stamford he could borrow the gator as him and that Steel lady wanted to check out a couple sites out a little farther. Major Morford took off with Clath, and Rekton, and Kaitlyn's around here someplace."