Daughter of Ethos

by L M Lacee

  Heather nodded to her and hugged her quickly as the others had done, she kissed the baby and said. ‘I will miss you too, stay well.’

  ‘Thank you Heather.’

  ‘Are you sure the baby cannot stay, I could name her for you?’ Peyton asked wistfully as she took the baby from Avana again, and cuddled her. Not noticing Melody whispering to Avana, which caused her to smile as Netta laughed.

  Avana turned to Peyton who was making baby noises to the wide-awake infant and asked. ‘Did you just whine?’

  Peyton’s eyes rounded and her mouth dropped open. ‘No!’ She almost squealed but a look at the smirking Melody stopped her, as everyone laughed at the look of consternation on her face. She modulated her voice and said. ‘No… So rude. I do not whine.’

  ‘Sounded like whining to me.’ Melody told her.

  ‘Well it was not.’ She stated with narrowed eyes. ‘So the baby?’

  Avana shook her head. ‘No, she needs to come with me, and I will name her, as I am her mother.’

  ‘Well, yeah, but I am her Auntie Star Peyton.’

  ‘You are?’

  ‘Of course we are… right aunties?’

  ‘Yep!’ They all said together, Avana blinked and said faintly. ‘Well, it is still no.’

  ‘We are boarding.’ A huge Warrior announced in a deep voice as he passed them. Avana took her baby back and with a final farewell and wave, she walked onto the shuttle that would take them to the Battle Cruiser.

  Darby spluttered, trying to speak as she laughed. ‘Auntie Star Peyton?’

  ‘Yep, Auntie Star Peyton.’

  Netta proclaimed. ‘Nope, never going to work!’

  ‘Will so.’ She said as they moved from the hold just before the alarm sounded to say the huge outside doors were to open and the shuttle was leaving.

  Darby snorted. ‘Never, it is to long for little ones to remember, Star girl.’

  ‘Huh! Never thought of that.’

  ‘Thought you might not have.’ Heather stated as she and Melody grinned at her disgruntled look.

  ‘Well, I will find something.’

  ‘Sure you will!’

  Netta grabbed Peyton’s hand as she stopped and looked out at the empty shuttle hold. ‘She will be okay Peyton, they know how to navigate this universe. We are the novices remember?’

  ‘Yeah, I know you are right.’

  ‘She is a Sene and smart, really smart. Do not forget that.’ Darby added.

  ‘Yeah, it is just something is niggling me. Like I didn’t tell her something.’

  ‘Surprise... Surprise!’ Darby sang as she entered the lift. ‘Peyton forgot something!’

  ‘So rude!’ Yelled Peyton as Darby shrugged before she disappeared with a grinning Heather. Melody and Netta left in the other lift but not before Peyton heard them laughing. She wondered what it was she had forgotten. Well, whatever it was, she would find out soon enough.

  The next day Darby heard from the Raparthen, they still had been unable to locate the Solverea family but would continue seeking for them. They had heard whispers of Warriors in tubes hidden on a world but as of yet had not confirmed it. They would keep in contact and notify her if they found the rumor to be true or made contact with the Assaens.

  FIFTY:

  Later that week Peyton was woken by an urgent summons from a distressed star as they came into range of a small planet.

  Star Daughter help!

  I am coming. She assured the star as she quickly dressed in dark jeans and tee-shirt with a pair of well-worn cowboy boots. She wrapped a dark blue cloak around herself then made her way carefully through the passageways of the ship and down to the level that housed the shuttles.

  She crept along the walls of the shuttle bay until she came to the shuttle she wanted and realized she had two dilemmas. She could not ask for a pilot because this mission was very dangerous, and it needed to be kept simple. And as much as she loved them all, she had discovered her people did not do simple well.

  The second problem she had was twofold, firstly technology was not working well for her at the moment, and secondly she had absolutely no clue how to pilot a shuttle. Which might make flying a shuttle a little intense. Still she had no choice, so she slipped onto the shuttle, sat in the pilot’s seat and looked at the console as she muttered. ‘Lessons would not have gone amiss, this must be addressed. Surely it cannot be hard to drive a shuttle. I can drive a magbike and a land vehicle, how much different could this be. Well first, I think there should be a button or control panel somewhere.’ She leaned nearer to the blank screen before her and whispered. ‘Hey ship wake up!’

  After receiving no response, she grumbled. ‘I am not an idiot I can do this. Dayam Nikolas, he makes it look so simple.’ Suddenly a green light pulsed on the screen. ‘Huh, knew it. I am so good at this!’

  Grinning, she tentatively hovered her finger over the blinking green light as she mumbled. ‘Green for go, that seems right, just tap the screen, and I’m flying. Simple!’

  Just as she was about to touch the flashing green indicator, a voice said by her ear. ‘I would not do that Madam Peyton.’

  Peyton pulled her finger back and clamped her other hand over her mouth to stop the scream escaping and leapt from her seat all at once. It was just as well Nikolas had good reflexes as she missed hitting him with her head by inches. ‘Nikolas, why are you here?’

  ‘Madam!’ he said with a raised eyebrow. ‘Why are you here?’

  Peyton looked at him, indecision in her eyes as she asked suspiciously. ‘How did you know I was here? I never saw you when I came in.’

  Nikolas almost laughed at her avoidance of his question. He did not want to tell her Lady Darby had alarmed all the shuttle bay doors in case something like this occurred, then sworn them all to silence.

  ‘Madam, why do you wish to take a shuttle?’

  ‘Nikolas, I need to help someone but the planet is very dangerous and I cannot land on it.’

  ‘I see, and you thought you could do this by yourself, never having piloted a shuttle before?’

  Peyton squirmed in her boots as she said. ‘When you say it like that, it sounds like I did not think it out.’

  Nikolas allowed himself a grin. ‘Would you like for me to help you Madam?’

  Relieved Peyton smiled at the young pilot. ‘Yes please, if you could just point out the right switch.’

  ‘Oh I think not, I shall pilot, and you shall sit and watch.’

  ‘Nikolas that is not happening. I will not risk your life.’

  ‘I see! Well shall we ask Commander Hawk then?’

  ‘That is blackmail Pilot Nikolas!’

  Peyton’s eyes narrowed at the unrepentant male as he agreed it was, but he would not be swayed on this. He would never be able to live with himself if he allowed her to leave with a shuttle and got hurt, it did not bear thinking about. ‘I agree it is Madam, but these are my terms.’

  ‘Oh alright but Nikolas you will do as I say. I think there is something terribly wrong with this planet. I would be devastated if you were hurt or worse.’

  ‘I swear Madam. I will do as you ask.’

  ‘Then thank you pilot Nikolas, will you please take me to the planet?’ She showed him the location as they changed positions.

  Within minutes Nikolas had done a pre-flight check and received permission to leave the Warship. Apparently he was not the only one who knew the Star Daughter was trying to leave. He refrained from telling her, her attempt to leave undetected had been unsuccessful as the outer doors slid open. Then he smiled as he wondered what she would have done when the Commander on watch refused to allow her to leave the ship.

  Nikolas took only seconds to clear the Warships docking bay doors, then their shuttle was speeding toward the small brown ball spinning in the distance. As they powered along, Peyton turned in her seat and asked. ‘Nikolas, what is wrong with Willian?’

  Nikolas’s hands fisted on the screen. ‘I do not know what you mean Madam?’


  Peyton smiled and softly admonished. ‘I think you do, but I understand if you do not trust me enough to tell me. It is alright.’

  ‘Madam!’ He sighed. ‘It is not that... I do… we all do, you are... I have no words.’ He sighed again and frowned. Peyton left him alone, he would tell her or not, she would not push anymore.

  After a few minutes of silence, he sighed again, and his voice, when he spoke was soft, almost hesitant, as though he was remembering something he wished he did not have to.

  ‘Not all of us were lucky to be assigned to worlds that did not view us as expendable machines. I have heard some people on worlds even paid more if the Warrior could be used for anything they deemed acceptable.’

  ‘Oh, I am not liking the sound of that! Willian was sent to a world like this?’

  ‘Yes Madam, of a kind. I was told it was an aberration, what happened to him. I do not know if that is true.’

  ‘He was hurt?’ Peyton exerted extreme control over herself, so she would not glow and reveal her anger.

  ‘Yes Madam, it was his first assignment, we are young, there are many who are.’

  ‘I know Nikolas, it is alright. I am already aware of that.’

  He nodded his head and blew out a breath of air in relief, something he had picked up from the females.

  ‘We were mixed in with the older Warriors, on worlds to hide our age, Willian to a planet that was meant to be safe for us. His mission was a simple assignment, the guarding of shipments. As I said I was lucky, I was not sent away and stayed with Commander Hawk and Captain Kerol and learned to fly.’

  ‘That was good for me.’ Peyton told him, he smiled at her earnest tone. She said thoughtfully. ‘Willian went to a world where someone on that world hurt him. Severely enough that he cannot train or work as a Warrior, which is why he is with Commander Hawk’s squad.’

  ‘Yes, Madam.’

  ‘This was how long ago?’

  ‘Almost two yentas or maybe a little more. I am unsure.’

  ‘Thank you Nikolas, I will find out what happen on that world to Willian for myself. I am sorry if I placed you in an awkward position.’

  ‘Madam, please. I do not know what to say.’

  Peyton grinned at him. ‘Say nothing, especially to Lady Darby, as if I would not know the place was alarmed. She thinks she is so smart?’

  ‘She is Madam. A very smart Lady, am I not with you?’ He asked with a smile in his voice.

  ‘Oh you, hush!’

  A few minutes later he said. ‘Madam, we are here?’ As they came into orbit above the planet, Peyton laid a hand on his arm to quieten him. Then with her eyes closed she gave him a destination. ‘Go to these coordinates... thank you Nikolas. Hover do not touch the surface please. No matter what happens or what you hear. Swear?’ She squeezed his arm to let him know she was serious. She need not have worried, Nikolas believed her about the planet being dangerous he could feel it.

  ‘I so swear Madam, will you be alright?’

  Peyton smiled and the Star Child answered him.

  Your concern is noted Warrior Nikolas, a favorite of our Daughters. We will watch over her, as you do.

  ‘That is good.’ Nikolas said, hoping they did not hear the quiver in his voice.

  The planet was dark and uninviting, the feeling of malevolence washed over her when she jumped down from the hovering shuttle. She once again warned him. ‘Do not under any circumstances land, until I say you can.’

  ‘As you wish Madam.’ He agreed, ducking back inside and closing the door.

  Good, I will not be long.

  She surrounded herself in a shield of starlight, keeping back the oppressive darkness as she crossed the terrain. She walked slowly across the dusty ground and let the cruel horrifying voices and images swirl around her as they tried forcing an entry through her shield.

  So you are always here then?

  No Daughter, only on occasion. We, as you would say, stop by to see what you are doing.

  Well, we are doing okay.

  You are taking a long time to arrive at Maikonia.

  Are we? It seems fast to me.

  You are annoyed!

  Huh! You picked up on that, did you?

  Yeesss! We are not sure why?

  Have you fixed Earth yet?

  Oh! Yes… well! We have also been busy!

  I see, well why don’t you get back to me when that is done?

  Peyton grinned as she felt them leave, seriously they only had to eradicate the Virus, so no one else died. It was after all, part of their agreement.

  Suddenly she felt an itch between her shoulder blades as though she was being watched and realized it was the planet following her progress over its surface.

  She stared around her at the unfinished world and felt a deep well of sorrow for the planet and the suns above him. Although she could not help the bubble of laughter as she watched the planet Inferr, send ghostly fingers along the edge of her shield. Every time a finger of darkness touched the light it flinched away, only to return and try again as though he could not help itself.

  Finally, she came to a ship, unlike anything she had seen so far on her journey. It was like a squashed box, obviously the craft had crashed on its nose and then toppled over. One side looked like someone had used a sledgehammer and banged deep dents all along its length. The other side lay on the planet’s surface, she could only imagine the condition it was in.

  It appeared as though no one was home but Peyton had it on good authority, two people were alive or at least one was. She had been seen on the surface running around the ship. Peyton knocked on the door, it was after all only polite. No one answered, so she knocked again harder this time, a tired voice reached out to her.

  ‘Go away you poho. I will blast you. I swear I will.’

  Peyton grinned, at least the female wasn’t crying in a corner. She knocked again but this time she called out. ‘Greetings! It is me, Peyton, I have come to rescue you.’

  ‘Liar, go away.’

  ‘Oh okay, see I cannot go, I really have come to rescue you. Well, it is not just me, I mean there are heaps of us but they are up in the ships. Only Nikolas and I came, he is my pilot. You see, I had to enlist him to help me as I do not know how to drive a ship or is it pilot? Either way, I cannot do it. So Nikolas my pilot is with me and he is very nice. Anyway, we snuck away from our Warship because you have no idea the amount of trouble I would have had if I had not. Seriously my people, the ones up in the ships, they would have wanted me to take guards and there would have been crying.’

  Peyton screwed her face up as she thought about what she had said. ‘Well, okay, not crying but the drama. That sometimes is so much worse.’

  ‘Please stop talking!’

  ‘Well that seems a little rude, although if you have had no one to talk to for a while, I am sure my voice would be unnerving…’

  ‘Please stop!’

  Peyton grinned as the door cracked open and a female’s voice said. ‘You are glowing?’

  ‘I know it keeps the darkness away, he does not like the starlight.’ Peyton answered softly.

  ‘How do I know you are not a poho trick?’

  Peyton looked down at her body, she was glowing soft starlight and then looked at the face in the doorway and blinked. ‘You know, I have no idea?’

  The door opened wider as the female said tiredly. ‘You must be real, he would have had an answer.’

  ‘Good point.’ Peyton agreed, as she walked in, she turned when she heard the female slam the door close and hit the button to lock it.

  ‘How are you doing?’

  The female’s face went through several expressions, finally settling on bewilderment. ‘I am not doing well.’

  She was taller than Peyton by an inch or three and was very much like a female from Asia. With her fine coal black chin length hair and black eyebrows over oval amber eyes, which should not have worked with her skin tone of light green. On Earth she would have been a pretty green Asian
woman. Peyton almost broke out her rusty mandarin on seeing her. Instead, she looked around and was quite disappointed at what she saw. The ship had the most basic interior she had ever seen, sadly it was as depressing as the outside had been. Ugly was the only word to describe it.

  ‘Wow, you guys don’t go in for decorating much, huh?’

  ‘We are traders; this is a trading vessel, not a luxury cruiser.’ The female shot back, defensively.

  Peyton bowed. ‘I apologize, no business of mine. I am here to take you off the planet and see you are returned to your people. You do have people right?’

  ‘Yes, I am Rose Leesungha of the trading family Leesungha. My brother Frand and I crashed here two wekens ago, and it has not been good. I know you told me your name, but I do not recall it.’

  ‘No problem.’ At Rose’s confused look, she continued to introduce herself again. ‘I am Peyton St. Hill, recently from Earth, on my way to Maikonia. So trader Rose how did you crash?’

  ‘Where is this Earth, I have not heard of it?’

  ‘I am not surprised, it is in another universe.’

  ‘I see, well where is this place Maikonia.’ She asked and Peytin could hear the suspicion in her voice.

  Peyton grinned. ‘It is a hidden solar system far, far away from here. It is a long involved story which I will gladly tell you, but we really should leave first. How did you come to be here trader Rose?’

  ‘Oh!’

  Peyton let her think, Rose brushed her fine hair from her face and finally said. ‘I do not know how we crashed, we received a comm` saying we could trade with a trader on this planet, when we came into land, we were pulled onto the surface and crashed.’

  She eyed Peyton, her clothes, hair and the crystal rope in her hair, which gave her pause. Peyton could see her trader mind ticking over, evaluating and costing her outfit, just as a trader would. With even more suspicion in her voice she asked. ‘Do all your people look like you?’

  ‘Oh no, we are all very different.’

  Rose kept her eyes on the strange female but her tired, fear filled brain was unsure if she should be frightened of the small pale female with the long white hair and clear green eyes or not, even though she seemed to be wearing what appeared to be Star Crystal.