by AZ Kelvin
“Try not to eat the planet while you’re there, Bernie.”
“Vegetables grown in actual dirt. Ugh, I can’t wait.” He was so excited; his stomach echoed his comment—audibly.
The Altered Moon closed on Revellia a short time later and established an orbit around the planet.
“We are clear to land, Captain,” Boss said after he received clearance from Burgeon, the capital city of Revellia.
“Very well.” He stood up to face GABI. “GABI—”
“I understand, Captain.”
“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“You were about to inform me I should remain behind due to the VerNeer doctrines against artificial intelligence.”
“You know I don’t give a shit about any doctrine against AI; fools wearing blinders, as far as I’m concerned,” he said with a slight scowl. “You played a key part in Cai and Andi’s recovery, GABI, and I for one, am proud to call you crewmate and friend. And, no that’s not what I was going to say. I want you to keep tabs on us at all times using the locator strips Katy worked up. Cal, I want you up here, too. Run tactical scans continuously and call me if you get so much as a ghost of a blip on those screens.”
“You got it, Cap. You suspect something?”
“I’d be an idiot not to.” CJ moved to the hatchway. “Katy will remain on board as well; the rest of us will be going down to the planet. GABI, you have the conn.”
“Aye, Captain, I have the conn.”
The flight in to Burgeon took Moonshadow over acres upon acres of raised terraces filled with produce. The industrial aspect of farming took place underneath the gigantic terraces. When the crop was ready for harvest, the entire terrace would be lowered and a new already-germinated terrace was raised in its place. No skyscrapers stood in silhouette along the horizons on Revellia. No smoke-spewing factories ate away at its resources. Everything here was recycled and reused, filtered and cleaned. The cities and towns were almost too numerous to count, but were small in size and built in and around the natural landscape. Revellia was one of the most beautiful planets in the Marlacuer Empire.
A man in a bronze tunic crossed with a red-and-gold sash waited with a small entourage on the principal landing pad of the VerNeer family estate to welcome CJ’s party to Revellia. A dozen or so family members or other important people stood around him, and they in turn were backed with a line of ornately uniformed guards. A perimeter barrier was lined with crowds of people who had somehow already heard of the unannounced arrival of ‘The Lost Ones,’ a moniker put on Malicai and Andrea when they couldn’t be found ages ago. The return of the twins was a historic event for the VerNeer family and for all of Revellia as well.
Gina set Moonshadow neatly down on the landing pad and powered down the flight systems. CJ stepped out with Boss and they went down the ramp ahead of the others. The man in the tunic and sash came up with two others to greet CJ and Boss.
“Captain Evermore?” he asked. “I’m Tarrian VerNeer, Chancellor of the VerNeer Family Counsel. Welcome to Burgeon.”
“Yes, thank you, Chancellor, it’s a pleasure.” CJ grasped the man’s outstretched hand.
“The pleasure is mine, Captain,” he said gratefully. “This is incredible news. After so long, I’m afraid we never expected that Malicai and Andrea would ever be found. We had no idea that anyone was actively searching for them anymore.”
“We really weren’t,” CJ answered with a shrug. “We were on what we thought was an archeology hunt in fact when we found the chambers. May I present my Science Officer and second in command, Bernard Keltzer.”
“Good day to you, sir.” Tarrian shook Boss’s hand. “These are my cousins and fellow Chancellors, Diana and Ereaus.” He introduced the woman and then the man, who both greeted them happily. “You’ll take no offense gentlemen, but we’ll need to confirm the DNA results.”
“Of course, of course,” Boss said. “We’re just lucky to have gotten them out in time.”
Tarrian was intrigued. “Out of where in time?”
“A tale that will take some time to be told, I’m afraid, and I hate to keep the kids waiting any longer,” CJ said, to which the others agreed readily. CJ signaled Cat over the comms to bring out Cai and Andi. The small group around CJ and Tarrian turned toward Moonshadow to watch, which caused a hush of anticipation to fall over the crowd as everyone in sight held their breath.
Murmurs ran through the crowd when they saw activity at the shuttle; it turned to a roar of applause and cheers as Cai and Andi stepped into view. Cat walked out with them, as did Pene, and Gina followed close behind them. Tarrian greeted them with respect and honor, as he introduced himself and the other chancellors. Cai and Andi turned to Cat when Diana requested to scan their DNA signatures. Cat assured them it was normal and that everything would be fine.
Diana’s reaction to the scan was all that was necessary for everyone to know The Lost Ones, after all this time, had finally come home. The roar from the crowd rose to near deafening as the word spread like wildfire.
“There is someone who has never lost hope you would be found,” Diana said to Cai and Andi. “Do you remember Meredith?”
“Yes, she’s our sister,” Cai said as if it was common knowledge.
“She waits for your visit,” Tarrian added.
“How?” Cai had trouble with this news.
“Their sister is still alive?” CJ even had to ask.
“Yes, she is our Grand Matriarch,” Ereaus told him. “She is the oldest of the old among our people, at one hundred and seventy-three years.”
“Then, she was three when Cai and Andi were abducted,” Boss reasoned.
“Yes,” Ereaus answered.
“Please, you all must come,” Tarrian said to the group. “The visit must be kept short. Meredith is near to the nightfall of her life, but she has asked to see all of you.”
The bedchambers of Meredith VerNeer were ornate beyond imagination. A representation of the entire galaxy, complete with stars that actually twinkled, was spread across the vaulted ceiling. The bed itself was magnificent, stocked with many pillows, soft sheets, and warm blankets. The magnificent bed stood empty, though, as it had for many weeks now. A medical bed sitting next to it held Meredith’s fragile body in its caring embrace. A team of nurses saw to her every need and made sure she was as comfortable as possible.
Meredith opened her eyes when a nurse informed her that she had visitors. Diana brought Malicai and Andrea up close to the med-bed so Meredith could see them.
“Cai—Andi?” her voice was no more than a whisper. She shed tears that filled the wrinkles of her cheeks. Meredith held out a bony hand.
“Mere?” Andi, who began to cry as well, stepped up to take Meredith’s hand.
“Oh—you’re both so young,” Meredith whispered. “I always hoped someday you would come home.”
“We miss Mom and Dad,” Cai told her, with a quiver in his bottom lip.
“They never stopped looking for you,” Meredith said, with sadness in her eyes. “Nathan or Garrett, either,” she said of their brothers. “Who was it that found you?”
“Grand Matriarch, this is Captain CJ Evermore,” Tarrian stepped up. “It was he and his crew who found them.”
“CJ? I cannot thank initials, young man. What is your given name?”
“Crucible Johannson Evermore, ma’am.”
“Forge of the gods,” she whispered.
“Yes ma’am,” he said, with a smile for his own mother.
“Do you know God, Crucible?”
“No ma’am,” he answered honestly.
“I do,” she said and patted his hand, “and I thank him and every other god in the galaxy for you, my son. You have returned my brother and sister to me. Ask anything, Crucible, and it is yours. Tarrian, you will see to it.”
“Of course, Grand Matriarch.”
“Thank you, Grand Matriarch,” CJ replied. “It’s been our pleasure to have them on board the Altered Mo
on.”
“Now, you will excuse us, but I would like to spend some private time with Cai and Andi before I run out of it,” Meredith said to everyone.
“But Pene—” Andi spoke up and looked at her new friend. “Can she stay? I don’t want to say good-bye.”
“It’s not good-bye yet, Andrea,” Diana told her, turning to CJ and the others. “We have a celebration dinner planned for tonight and a grand ceremony for the morning. Please, Captain, you and your crew must allow us to honor you at dinner.”
Boss cleared his throat. “It would unforgivable to refuse such a gracious invitation, Captain.”
CJ slipped a glance at Boss, but said to Diana with a laugh, “I guess that means we’re in. Of course, it would honor us to be there.”
The group left after they bid farewell to Meredith VerNeer. Tarrian led them back to the landing pad.
“How can we repay you, Captain?” Tarrian asked directly, along the way.
“Well with an open mind to start with,” CJ stopped and looked at him. “I had help from a group of Blood Stars, actually a group within the Blood Stars. They deserve a share in the credit for Cai and Andi’s recovery. She could have screwed us royally, but she helped us instead when they found out who was in the chambers.”
Tarrian didn’t look too happy about the Blood Stars’ involvement.
“Tarrian, they fought against the guy who wanted to recover and re-ransom the twins. She wants to—un-pirate the Blood Stars and go legit, so I don’t know, maybe they won’t be as much trouble in the future. Just FYI.”
“That would be an unexpected happiness, Captain,” Tarrian said earnestly. “I will gladly keep an open mind on that point, but I can’t believe you didn’t incur any costs in this venture. At least accept the standing reward that was posted for Cai and Andi’s recovery many decades ago.”
“Tarrian, I wouldn’t think of insulting you by refusing. I’m sure it will cover some of the expen—”
“It’s five hundred thousand gold bars,” Tarrian smirked back.
CJ was speechless. Cat and Pene couldn’t believe their ears. Boss ran into Gina’s leg with his chair because she stopped but he didn’t.
“Hey!” she said.
“Ooh, sorry,” he said back.
“I don’t think that will fit in my shuttle,” CJ said, in a bit of a daze.
Tarrian laughed. “I think we can manage a secured transfer to the financial center of your choice, Captain.”
“Yes, of course.” CJ blinked a couple of times and then looked at Tarrian.
“No, it’s not a joke,” he assured them. “I’ll have the papers drawn up and ready by the time you return tonight. See you then.”
The stunned group boarded Moonshadow and went back to the Altered Moon to tell the others about the quick trip to Revellia. The part about the twins’ youngest sister still being alive thrilled Katy the most. The news of the reward amount shocked everyone else just as much when they heard the story.
“So, there’s a dinner tonight in our honor,” CJ told them. “Get cleaned up, slip into some finery, and let’s not be late.”
“Captain, if you don’t mind, I request permission to stay aboard the Altered Moon,” GABI said.
“GABI, if this about the VerNeers versus artificial intelligence—” CJ started.
“Actually, logic would dictate that a commanding officer remain on board the ship while in active orbit,” she explained. “The situation being what it—
“Okay! You’re right, as usual,” CJ relented. “As you wish then, permission granted. The rest of you, the bus leaves in two hours.”
The dinner on Revellia was much different than the one at Cantankerous Base before the wedding. Splendor and elegance were on display everywhere from the entryway, through the antechambers, and all the way into the immense ballroom.
The meal was gourmet at every level, but the comfort factor left Boss a slight bit disappointed. Tarrian noticed Boss’ expression and with a word to the headwaiter, the table around the large man was soon filled with prime meats, game birds, and vegetables of every color and consistency.
“Ahhh, that’s more like it,” was all Boss had time to say, as he launched into the sea of food surrounding him.
After the dinner was cleared and drinks were served, the pomp and circumstance relaxed. CJ noticed Boss, Cal, and Gina ringed with VerNeer military commanders, star pilots, and technical engineers, and many others. CJ couldn’t help but laugh as they enthusiastically regaled the throng with the events and exploits leading to the whereabouts of The Lost Ones. Cat and Katy were both talking quietly off to one side of the ballroom with Diana VerNeer and several other women. Pene had run off with Cai and Andi and a group of other VerNeer children who were at the dinner. CJ found he was suddenly eager to be on the bridge of his ship, heading off to somewhere else.
A bell rang throughout the ballroom to announce a speech by Tarrian VerNeer. A respectful silence fell over the room as Tarrian stepped up to a dais with a microphone hovering in front of him.
Tarrian told of how members of the VerNeer family over the years had been lured into deceit and crime in one effort after another by the Blood Stars to harangue the family for generations. In turn, he told of how the VerNeer Vendetta hounded the league of miscreants and continued to chase them to this very day. Tarrian went on about how the family poured a fortune into finding The Lost Ones and fighting the Blood Stars. He told how the family fortune had been lost and rebuilt more than once since the twins were kidnapped and how the family agro businesses had prospered by the family’s hard work on three planets.
Tarrian VerNeer continued his speech with the tale of how Malicai and Andrea had been rescued and returned to them by the crew of the Altered Moon. Surprisingly, he finished with what CJ had confided in him regarding a possible reduction of hostilities with the Blood Stars. Tarrian praised CJ and the crew of the Altered Moon for the return of The Lost Ones and hoped it would usher in a new era of prosperity for everyone.
Tarrian brought Malicai and Andrea up on the dais with him and introduced them to the audience. A lengthy round of applause and cheers resounded through the ballroom until Tarrian lifted his arms for quiet. He announced a ceremony scheduled for the next morning, which would officially welcome the twins back to the VerNeer family. Diana took Malicai and Andrea to the forward antechamber to give the many media companies of Revellia a chance to put the twins in the camera’s eye.
Tarrian made good his promise to have the reward arrangements ready to sign by the evening’s activities. CJ and Tarrian talked quietly in the chancellor’s office, as Boss went over the papers with Tarrian’s financial agent. Boss signed as president of West Becreth Trading Company and the process was complete. Tarrian opened a cabinet lined with several bottles. He pulled out a bottle of clear liquid from the cabinet and poured a glass for everyone. Aware of how space farers felt about their star traveling homes, Tarrian raised a toast to the Altered Moon and her fine crew. CJ raised the second glass to Malicai and Andrea’s health and the health of the VerNeer family.
The group concluded their business and rejoined the festivities in the ballroom, where Pene waited for CJ with a group of children of all ages.
“Captain, they’re having a—” Pene was unsure of what to call it.
“A sleepover,” a girl who stood nearby filled in.
“They wonder if I can stay and then go to the ceremony with them in the morning.”
CJ looked up at Diana who stood with the group. “She’s more than welcome, Captain. It would truly be a pleasure if she could stay.”
“Very well then.” CJ nodded his head and smiled.
Pene pumped her fist. “Yes!” She gave him a quick hug and ran off with the cloud of children.
“Hey,” he called after her, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow after the ceremony then.”
“Okay. Thanks, Captain!”
CJ, who suddenly had an odd sense of what being a parent must feel like, shook his head to
clear it.
“She’ll be fine, Captain, I assure you. You and your crew are more than welcome to attend the ceremony as well.”
“Thank you, Diana, and its CJ, please. I can’t tell you how glad I am things worked out this way.”
“As are we all, CJ, as are we all.” They chatted about the VerNeer family and how CJ became captain of the Altered Moon as the evening came to a close.
CJ called his crew to the shuttle and the group returned to the Altered Moon for a night of well-earned sleep and a chance to rehash their most recent adventure.
All in all, things turned out pretty well, CJ thought to himself while he listened to his wife snore softly from where she slept beside him. Pick up Pene in the morning and then on to Outlook to meet Nelson. He thought about Boss’ procedure and hoped he’d come through it okay. CJ drifted off to sleep while he wondered at how the Keect’na could create bone from crystals.
Damage repair had the crew busy the next morning, so CJ flew Moonshadow down himself to pick Pene up. She met him at the landing pad as he arrived.
“Hey, Cap,” Pene said, with an uncomfortable smile.
“Hey, Pen,” he shortened the already short name. “You okay?”
“Can I talk to you a minute?”
“Yeah, sure. What’s up?”
Pene glanced around at all the people nearby.
“Here, let’s walk a bit,” he said.
CJ walked with Pene over to a balcony overlooking over the ceremonial hall.
Pene looked down and fiddled with her fingers. CJ hooked a finger under her chin and lifted it up. “What’s going on?”
Unsure of how to tell him, she fell back on her tendency to blurt things out. “They’ve asked me to stay.”
“Stay here on Revellia—permanently?”
Pene nodded her head.
“Oh…”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you want to stay?”
“I don’t know. I used to dream of being a long-lost princess.”
CJ was concerned that Pene may think of herself as a princess of sorts now, but may find herself a prisoner of obligation later.