by Tigertalez
Cheers and standing applause roared through the crowed. Juno looked at him in shock, since she hadn’t been told about this detail, and she was the one who’d told him the endearment that had been given their planet. He turned to her and gave her a quick wink, before turning back to the crowd, waving. She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.
“With the name, comes a new symbol.” He tugged on a rope that dropped a cloth that draped over the front of the podium. Juno had been allowed to see the new symbol already—minus the name—so she wasn’t surprised with how it looked. She was able to view it as the camera feed projected on the large screens erected on either side of the platform. It was rather beautiful, depicting their solar system amongst the stars, and rings around the sun depicting the colorful planets in their orbit around the flaming orb, including Pluto. No one would let them leave it out.
Adam continued. “I’ll turn you over now to Earth’s Advocate, Tasid, and his mate, Juno.”
Adam sat down while the crowd cheered and applauded again.
Juno tried not to think about how many there were looking back at her as she stepped up to the microphone. Tasid stood by her side, undeniably proud of her. It warmed her chest and threatened her control over her emotions.
“Fifty-four days ago, I was standing in my living room, with my roommates, watching the news conference that told us aliens existed and were on their way to Earth. Shock and fright coursed through my body that the life that I knew was going to be forever changed. I could only hope it was for the better. Just over a month later, falling naked from thousands of feet in the air, I felt sure that it really wasn’t for the better.” Juno briefly paused, sending Tasid a reassuring look as she heard the dense crowd laugh.
She smiled back at the crowd, as she continued. “However, since that very moment when Tasid caught me, he has made me feel cherished and adored. He led me past my fears, and has continued to make me feel, every day, as if I am his greatest treasure. I have met and become friends with many other women who were taken as mates, and they all feel the same way. These males are everything we consider noble and honorable.”
Juno started to tear up at what she was going to say next. She looked down and took a moment to get her emotions back into place, then looked around at the expectant faces staring back at her.
“Just over a week ago today, we were heavily attacked. Many lost their lives, both human and alien. On the ship I was on, I saw males risk their own lives to shelter and protect a female. I have seen males refuse medical treatment, even as their blood was dripping onto the floor, to insure that an injured female was treated first, even if the injury would be considered minor. I’ve seen males getting treatment for burns they received after they had rescued a trapped female. And I have seen and heard of their bravery for each other, too.
“During the time of the attack, many talons were destroyed in the bombing that took place on the ship I was on, but we were able to get just over seventy flyers sent out. We were fortunate many were being stored in the cargo holds, which protected them from being destroyed in the blasts. They joined the one hundred flyers that were sent out from the space station. And there were twenty flyers assigned to the station being built on the moon. Out of the one hundred and ninety-three flyers, only seventy-one flyers survived in all. Their heaviest losses weren’t from defending their bases.
“Seven heavily armed enemy ships were in various positions around Earth, guarded by swarms of enemy fighters. In spite of the insurmountable odds facing them, our flyers didn’t doubt or hesitate to follow what could have to others seemed like a questionable order. They valiantly charged the seven enemy lead ships, successfully placing tracking devices on them. We are still searching for two of those enemy ships, but because of the unwavering sacrifice of those flyers, we have been able to safely retrieve five of the enemy ships, along with those they abducted that were on them.”
Juno paused again, as the crowd applauded. Then she continued.
“I have been given the honor of naming the Advocate’s ship. In the honor of those fallen on that day, we christen her Ardent Flyer.”
Juno couldn’t stop a tear from escaping as humans leaped up and cheered, while the aliens looked on in a mixture of emotions. She saw gratefulness, grief, joy, and pride.
It took a minute for the crowd to quiet down enough for her to resume her speech.
“From what I’ve understood, even though our Earth governments have made a galactic council, with their own seal, Tasid’s position as the advocate has to stay neutral, so he was asked to create his own seal, or mark as they call it. The job landed on me, so I got together with the other girls, and we came up with one.”
Juno felt nervous as Tasid pulled another rope that dropped the cloth draping over an easel. The round blue, green, and brown earth shone brightly with the silver and grey moon attached to the upper right corner of it, reflecting the sunlight. “Advocate Little Blue” was written in golden letters around the sides.
After the applause died down, Juno finished her speech with their final announcement.
“On board the Ardent Flyer is going to be a government unto itself. So with the insistence from every female mate on board, we have asked for, and been granted, two things. First, a wall dedicated to those who have lost their lives in service to the Advocate, or to Earth. This will begin by including every heroic male who died defending Earth during last week’s attack.”
Juno paused to take notice of the responses. For humans, it wasn’t so curious of a thing. In fact, it was often expected, and many times demanded. But since the attack, when she first inquired about something like this, she was shocked to learn that other races didn’t do the same. Still, she and the other women wanted to commemorate those who lost the precious gift of life for them, and Earth, so she insisted that Tasid approved their request to show the other races that their lives mattered to them.
Around her, the foreign races were clearly shocked, and she could tell with most of them, that they understood her message.
“The second thing we wanted was special medals to be given, awarded by the Advocate himself. We have in the making, four kinds of medals being designed that will honor those for outstanding service, or other such great accomplishments. One has already been made. It is going to be our highest medal, the one for acts of the greatest sacrifice and heroism.”
Juno held up the medal to show everyone. She held it still so that the camera zooming in on it would show it clearly over the screens. She saw the astonished looks cross over everyone’s faces and heard awe ripple through the crowd. The medal was a golden phoenix with diamond set eyes, with key feathers finished in an iridescent rainbow of titanium filigree. In the phoenix’s claws it held a laurel with leaves crafted of different metals and crystals to symbolize different elements. It hung on a short, wide ribbon made from a fabric that looked like liquid fire that they were given from another race, so it was very fitting for the piece. When the fabric moved, it even looked like flames in motion.
“This is our Medal of Exalted Valor. For those who have died, their medal, in commemoration, will have their names engraved on it, and will be placed on the memorial wall. For the rest of you, when I call your name, please step up to receive your commendation.”
Juno heard the cameras clicking feverishly as she began to call out names. Every male called had barely contained emotions of pride and gratitude as they stepped up to Tasid, and accepted the crafted medal. It was pinned on their new uniforms, and then they returned to their seats. She could have sworn that they all walked with a bit more pride in their step.
Most of those awarded were from their ship, the space station, and moon station, but they even added a few humans from earth. Those men were exceptionally shocked, and tears shamelessly ran down their cheeks as they accepted their commendations. Some had already been offered jobs on board the ship, and apparently they thought that was their reward.
Hehe, surprise. Juno smiled at each of
them as they made their way past her.
Juno saved a special four for the last. First she called Yewma. After he received his medal, Juno stepped up to him and gave him a hug in gratitude.
“Thank you for shielding me, Yewma,” she whispered to him, just low enough that only the three of them could hear.
Yewma gave her a bow. “It was my honor,” he responded, then returned to his seat.
Next, Juno called Nahsee. The Malastant male had been badly scarred, which on the semi-clear skin of his kind, turned into something solid and lumpy, making him self-conscious of his looks, but Juno wasn’t about to let him hide in the shadows. When the male stepped up to receive his medal, Juno gave him a hug as well.
“You are a courageous male, Nahsee. Thank you.”
Nahsee also gave her a bow, before returning to his seat. Juno wiped away a stray tear and looked out over the crowed once again.
“The next recipient recently flew in The Catch that took place here on Earth. His fierce determination saved his now current mate from a potentially abusive mating. When the other male had retaliated, this hero used significant skill to safely return him and his new mate, to the ground. With that same passion and skill, he led several other flyers on a successful mission against three of the enemy lead ships, before losing his talon when he used it to shield one of the other flyers on approach to a fourth. It is because of his extraordinary abilities and integrity that we have named Oduz our lead officer in charge over all of the flyers.”
Juno watched Anna wrap her arms around the shocked Oduz, and she gave him a fierce kiss before pushing him forward. Those around them chuckled and slapped his shoulder as he went by to receive his medal.
With one more to call, tears immediately started falling, and she couldn’t stop them, but she kept her voice steady enough to do the job.
“Finally, I am proud to call the first female to be awarded this honor, someone whom I consider a sister. Jeri, please come up here.”
Through partially bleared eyes, Juno saw her best friends leaping up out of their seats and hugging Jeri. When Jeri finally broke free, she stepped up and accepted the award. Jeri was wearing the same uniform as Sharrow, so Tasid pinned it in place as he did all of the others. After, Juno took Jeri in a tight hug.
Chapter Twenty
With the ceremony over, Tasid led Juno, his parents, and the other officers into the transport. He listened quietly to the buzz around him, filling the air with excitement and a good kind of pride.
Jurresh beamed down at Juno. “Juno, you have amazed me, and I am proud to call you daughter,” Jurresh told her affectionately, then looked around at the others, “all of you.” Adonna giggled. “Yes, you have all of my sons jealous of Tasid and the other males. They have been harassing Tasid to allow them to take part in the next mating ceremony. And many other males who were reserved, at first, about taking a human mate have changed their minds, and are also begging to be allowed to take part in the next mating ceremony.”
“I know I do.” Burren laughed, slapping Horo on his shoulder. “What say you, Horo? You going to enter the next mating ceremony?”
“Yes,” Jurresh said, as he helped Adonna into a seat. “Jonfeer was telling me his son was inquiring about doing so.” He pointed to Horo’s medal, then sat next to his mate as he continued. “I shall have to caution him about participating in any which contain one of the awarded males. That is an honor none of the other males can compete with.”
Horo looked at them aghast. “I do not understand why you would think I would participate in a mating ceremony. My kind is never welcome.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Burren smiled.
“What do you mean, ‘my kind’?” Kaycee asked from her seat. “I’m mated to your kind, and I’m completely happy. I don’t recall any of the girls being unwelcoming to any of the others.”
Norlo gave Kaycee a sad look. “That’s not the kind he meant,” he told her. “Many in our culture—”
“The old, stuck-up, closed-minded ones,” Burren put in.
Norlo agreed and continued. “Believe being born with the brighter colors, like red, orange, yellow, and white is a serious mutant birth defect, and they are therefore considered undesirable and unsuitable to breed.”
“And in their culture, that’s a serious taboo,” Yebiri said. “Nearly all of them, if they’re lucky, are given up to out-world adoptions.”
“If they’re lucky?” Benny asked.
“Yes, the unlucky are put to death as soon as they’re born, or shortly after,” Yebiri answered.
Tasid noticed all of the human females gave looks and sounds of horror.
Jurresh nodded. “Many are persecuted or shunned. They flee to other worlds to try to make their living in peace. The military for UPALE doesn’t care what they look like, so long as they are good soldiers. Many, like Horo, are well liked in other communities, but they are forbidden to do many things on their planet, including taking a mate. I am curious, Burren. Explain what you said. What have you heard?”
“I’ve been hearing rumors spreading of a rare and beautiful exotic Nanstrahi variation.” He laughed. “From the sounds of it, he’s becoming a legend, and I couldn’t miss the many admiring looks and sounds he got when he went up to receive his medal. Even with a medal of my own, I wouldn’t stand a chance next to him, in a mating arena. Well, not on Little Blue anyway.”
Horo shook his head, and he had a look of anger written on his face. Tasid knew that even though he was well liked and respected on his ship, he still had hang-ups about what he was.
Juno’s sweet voice quieted everyone. “Horo, you really are a work of art. It’s because of you that I came up with the idea for the symbol for the Medal of Exalted Valor. You look so much like the phoenix, which has so much meaning to just about all of the cultures on Earth. It represents grace and beauty,”
“Strength,” Jeri added.
“Life and rebirth,” said Benny.
“Perseverance,” Kaycee put in.
“Protection,” Maggie said.
Tasid was surprised to hear all of the different meanings. Many of the other girls in the transport added a new and different meaning they had for the phoenix, as their craft lifted off of the ground and began its ascent. Tasid watched Horo’s face closely. He saw disbelief, but pleasing him most was that he also saw hope. Tasid had known Horo a long time. He knew Horo had always wanted a mate and young ones, and Tasid truly believed he deserved them.
Tears streaked down Horo’s face. “You are serious?”
Tasid didn’t take offense to Horo’s unspoken insult to his mate. He spoke to him with a confident tone. “Horo, my mate doesn’t lie, and if you remember their reaction upon seeing you for the first time, the day of the mating ceremonies? You should take their advice and enter in the next Earth mating ceremony. You deserve what I and the others have been blessed with.”
Horo’s eyes showed emotion, but he didn’t vocally answer. Horo jerkily nodded his head, then looked away. The females took in excited breaths.
“Look, there it is!” Juno said. She pointed through the porthole at the view of their new home. “Wow, it’s huge.”
Jeri snorted. “It should be. We made sure it had everything, and in bigger sizes, like a full medical facility that is now really a hospital, and we included several offices, a library that can be used as a school, a two deck promenade that really looks more like a mall that will feature several shops, a club, and a movie theater and a two-story gym, with a rock wall that reaches to the top, and thanks to their measurement differences, it is more like four stories. Oh, and let’s not forget the ship will still have enough living quarters to house a city’s worth of people, and still have several rooms empty that can be used for anything else we decide on. Heck, the flight decks alone are each the length and width of an aircraft carrier. I can’t believe they call it a ship instead of a space station.”
“The size isn’t what decides the class. There are several differen
t factors and variables, like speed and function, that decide it,” Tasid told them as he looked out at the ship, with them. He had to admit it was very beautiful. He could see the glass dome that ran along the top for the galactic garden observatory. There were two other smaller domes for smaller gardens.
“The largest garden in the main observatory is going to be made up of plants from Earth,” Juno told everyone. “The other two are going to consist of plants from other worlds.”
“It looks like a futuristic space cruise liner swallowed the Defiant from Star Trek,” Anna said.
“With a vertical halo strapped to the back end,” Benny giggled.
The girls laughed. Tasid looked at the other males questioningly, but each of them had the same look of confusion.
“I think it is a fine looking ship,” Jurresh said. “You girls did well. I can see it is more heavily armed than the current space station.”
“If I remember correctly, there are five landing bays,” Juno said. “Which one are we landing in?”
“The forward one,” Sharrow answered her. He pointed, and Tasid looked in the direction indicated. “It’s the one in the nose of the ship. It’s the bay that will be the most restricted.”
They made their approach and began to enter the landing bay.
“I can’t wait to see the inside of the new ship,” Anna said.
“They should have all of our stuff there already, right?” Juno asked him.
“Yes,” Tasid nodded. “We took everything over last night when we inspected the ship. All mated couples have larger quarters, and the unmated males are assigned rooms they will be sharing by sixes. Everyone is to wear their holo-bands, and if you want directions to anywhere in the ship, the information can be more easily obtained through them since the ship’s interface works cohesively with them, than the Sundaric Stardust. And during an emergency, it will direct you to designated areas. This ship is far more advanced than our cargo ship. This one won’t even need a full crew on deck at all times. Especially since it’s just in orbit.”