by Chogan Swan
“Mama,” Abedabun said with a hint of scold in her tone. “We take care of each other. But the eight of us staying in system Sol for now would still appreciate you looking out for our sisters. And we just want you to know we appreciate having such a badass for a mama.”
Una chuckled. “I’ll do all I can, of course, Amber. But you take care of my partners and their mama too. Please try to come back soon. We’ll all want a state-of-the-galaxy update and the stories of your adventures.”
“I will, and I’ll have plenty of help,” Amber said, nodding sternward where Kest and Ayleana stood watching the preparations for loading Valishnu.
Una leaned close to Amber. “How well does that work out for you guys, having three in a relationship like that?”
“It’s tricky,” Amber whispered back. “But for us it’s worth it.”
Una nodded, pursing her lips.
Abedabun patted Una on the head, dragging her back to the previous topic. “At least we’ll all get a partial update when you come to pick up Azurine and me from the International Space Station after we’ve rescued the astronauts, cosmonauts with all the other kinds of ‘nauts and then established space supremacy for our alliance. That will be fun, don’t you think?”
“It’s always fun when you’re with me, Light of Day.”
“So say we all!” her sisters chorused.
Una could feel Abedabun’s pleased laughter shaking on the back of her neck.
“Look,” Assegai crowed, pointing at the load El Salvador’s crane was starting to lift. “It’s the primary inflatable habitat we’ll be deploying next to the ISS.”
XYMBI had managed to purchase and self-deliver an incredible wealth of ready-to-launch, inflatable space habitats from a private company in the western, USP-claimed territory.
Since the company’s owner and key engineers had agreed to sell it all for the chance to launch it to space and deploy it—along with ‘a piece of the action’ in the business opportunities—getting it all to Vera Cruz had been the biggest problem. Until XYMBI had contacted them, they’d all thought their dreams dead after the destruction of the power grid.
Soon, the primary habitat would be used as a 3D printing and manufacturing facility that would launch an expansion phase for the ISS. Earth didn’t know about that yet, but for some of them it might come as a nice surprise.
The rest of the morning seemed to fly past. Una had the chance to spend some more time with HumanaH. Though they couldn’t talk about some things openly now, they’d had a few more opportunities over the last few weeks while Valishnu was being refitted with XYMBI-made replacements to her systems using parts built by projects HumanaH had started decades ago.
As the new association leader, HumanaH had insisted Una spend the past three weeks meeting and working with XYMBI’s department and project heads to prepare her for taking over as the head of all operations. But for the rest of the day she was on vacation and determined to catch up on all she’d been meaning to accomplish with those she’d be separated from soon.
She’d been watching for an opportunity to talk to ShwydH since their first encounter, but his schedule working for HumanaH’s projects never seemed to leave a natural gap for that. Realizing that this was her last chance, she’d simply gone to Humanah and told her to make it happen.
“He’s about to take the chopper on a trip to shore for a supply order we’ve been waiting on,” HumanaH said. “If you fly with him, that will give you almost an hour.”
Una was waiting in the co-pilot’s seat when ShwydH reached the chopper and opened the door.
It’s strange seeing myself from this angle.
Una smiled. You’re really working on that sense-of-humor, ShwydH.
Someone has to be the funny one.
She smiled at ShwydH—the one at the chopper door. “Evidently this is a very important shipment, requiring a backup pilot or gunner,” she said.
“I truly hope not, but you never know, I suppose.”
He’s concerned. Worried you’ll be an enemy.
“Let’s go,” Una said. “It’s a nice day to fly, and I haven’t had a chance to get to know you first-hand, yet. ShwydH, you should know I trust HumanaH’s opinions a great deal, and she values you highly, so I’m not ill-disposed towards you.”
“Thank you, Una. Would you like to fly us?”
“Yeah, thanks I’d appreciate some air time with this model. I like it a lot.”
“Other than the custom Enduro motorcycles HumanaH and I have parked at the Vera Cruz office, it’s my favorite transportation. If you haven’t had a chance to ride one of those, you should check them out when you’re there.”
For her at least, the rest of the trip was relaxed. She didn’t really need to learn anything about him after all. But she wanted him to know he had a friend.
After a quick topping off as the ground crew loaded the cargo, they headed back to the El Salvador.
On arrival, the sun was dropping into the west now as Una circulated making her last farewells then pushed her six stay-at-home Rodriquez sisters towards the chopper. “They’re about to warm up the engines and go. I thought you all might want to see your sisters as they leave the water from the lift-off location.”
“YEEEAAAH!” shouted all fifteen sisters.
“You five go in the chopper,” said Adalwolfa. “I’m staying here so we can watch all sides of it from the beginning.”
“Good idea!” they rest of them chorused.
Assegai parted the crowd for her sisters with a loud warning whoop and shouts of, “Coming through!” as the six of them sprinted for the chopper.
Una detoured to HumanaH to get a last hug then hugged ShwydH on her way back for good measure. Out of impulse, she kissed him lightly on the lips before hurrying for the chopper. She didn’t want the girls to miss the lift-off.
Una slid her headset on and went through her pre-flight check. In a few moments, she had the chopper in the air headed east. “Please cover your ears for ignition,” said someone over the intercom—an unfamiliar voice from mission control warning those still on El Salvador.
Even a kilometer away, the explosion for igniting Valishnu’s fusion reactor shook the chopper. “Wow!” said Assegai. Her remark streaming into Una’s headset.
“Yeah. I’m glad these headsets work well for ear protection too.”
“Will we get to the lift-off spot on time?” Assegai said.
“Yep, and there’s a barge at the site we can land on, but they’ll go by fast and it will be loud, so keep your earplugs in.”
“Yes, Una.”
Una could almost hear all of them echoing the saucy response—because of course they already knew that.
At the barge, the bay was still calm, and Una landed lightly, with little need of help from the landing crew. The girls piled out and lined up along the railing with the barge crew who’d gathered to watch the lift off as well.
A few moments later, the distant, idling roar of Valishnu’s engine swelled to a scream.
“Oh, God! It’s shaking my entire body.” It was Assegai’s voice, but Una knew she was letting Adawolfa use her mouth. “They’re up on the hydroplanes already.”
“We’re going so fast, everything out the window is blurred.” Again, it was Assegai’s voice, but a message to Una from one of the sisters on Valishnu. All the sisters already shared the perspective.
Una pointed to the approaching plume of water marking Valishnu’s approach as scream of the engine grew into a thunder. Then the sound faded. “Sonic boom incoming,” Una shouted. “Here she comes.”
About 600 meters to the east, the plume of water from the hydroplane skis became a streak across the ocean that cut off abruptly as Valishnu fired her attitude thrusters and left the water. The sonic boom of her passage slammed against them, rocking the barge. The dopplering thunder poured over them. Nothing else could be heard for a long string of moments.
Assegai’s voice shouted over the fading thunder. “Azurine says, ‘
It’s much louder for you than us. Of course the sonic boom couldn’t catch us. The screens are showing us the view of Earth below us now. I don’t know how many Gs we’d be feeling if not for the inertia dampeners, but to us it feels like the Earth is moving and we’re still. The world is so beautiful from up here …’”
Una turned to look at Assegai as her narrative cut off abruptly. Her face held an empty, stricken look. “Oh,” Assegai said softly and began to cry.
Like iron filings to a magnet, the sisters came together—all of them crying.
Una stooped and gathered them to her arms, as much as she could reach, as the plume of seawater from Valishnu’s passing became a warm, salty rain showering them all.
But the sudden salty shower couldn’t hide the truth. For the first time, a portion of the water running down her face was her own.
The End
Main Characters:
HumanaH: first branch sister on Earth
Tiana: AKA Senana Tiana, second branch sister born from crèche on Earth 2016
Ayleana: nii Riniana Tiana third branch sister born from crèche on Earth 2019
Una Niña: AKA One, ¿fourth branch sister? born from crèche on Earth 2025
ShwydH: ¿last niaaH standing on Earth? base memory contributor for Una
Kestrel Tashquinth-Avsar: AKA Kest, AKA Windhover (street name)
Jonah Brandyr: AKA Jonah Galt
Kaitlin Sanhettsdottir: Sherriff of Wet Gulch Territory, Texas
Marian Sanhettsdottir: Kaitlin’s ward
Sisters Rodriguez:
Ambrosia
Adeline
Aphrodite
Alabastra
Assegai
Astrid
Amaranda
Aryana
Aliyah
Abedabun (‘Light of Day’ in Cheyenne)
Acacia
Adalwolfa
Alessandra
Azurine
Abigail
Secondary Characters:
Charles Barton
Calypso: (street name) Kest’s friend and Martial Arts student
Razor: (street name) Kest’s friend and Martial Arts student
Rogue: (street name) Kest’s friend and Martial Arts student
Bernard Handy: Governor of Sun Sea enclave and Kaitlin’s friend
Daniels: AKA Just Daniels
Brian: Kaitlin’s mentor and business partner in publishing
Marlee: Brian’s daughter and Kaitlin’s best friend