by L M Lacee
Bringing Peyton back to the conversation Helen asked. ‘Is that alright with the Commander?’
‘What?’
Helen arched her eyebrows and asked again. ‘Is that alright with the Commander?’
‘How would I know, I haven’t asked him yet?’ Declared an exasperated Peyton.
‘It is.’ Hawk quickly stated as Helen’s eyebrows rose higher.
Melody whispered. ‘Good one.’
He grinned in reply as Peyton said. ‘Good, so my question is, who leads here?’
Hawk rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Technically, the Star Daughter does, but as I have thought on it and been assured you will be unoffended. I think I should say… that is not happening.’
They all smiled at the unusual turn of phrase from the Commander. Peyton gave a deep sigh. ‘Thank you, I was so afraid you were going to say I had to do it.’
Kerol frowned. ‘No one can make you do anything Madam, you are the Star Daughter.’
‘You obviously don’t know my family.’
‘But Madam…’
‘Hush boy or no cake for you.’ Esther nudged Kerol, who snapped his mouth shut. He liked Esther’s cakes.
Peyton hid her smile and said. ‘Can we say all military matters belong to you and the other Commanders? Let me clarify here.’
She looked at Melody and raised her nose a little in the air and refused to acknowledge the surrounding sighs.
‘I want you Hawk to be my First Commander so there is a distinction between you and the other Commanders. Melody would then be my Second Commander, will that be alright?’
‘It’s okay with me.’ Melody agreed as Peyton smiled with her.
Kerol hesitated, then said. ‘Madam, Commander Hawk is an Elite.’
‘I am well aware what that means, Captain Kerol.’
‘I am not a Captain.’
‘You are now.’ She said with a smile. ‘The reason I will not single Commander Hawk out as an Elite is, I will not allow him to become a target. And he will be if they think we have found out that he is much more than a Commander. So for a little while, with your agreement Commander Hawk, you will be known as First Commander Hawk. Like you will be known as Captain Kerol and Melody is now Commander Melody. Netta wherever she is will be Captain Netta and the rest you can figure out. Is that acceptable?’
Melody and Kerol both nodded as Hawk stated. ‘Immensely.’ A feeling of warmth invaded his needar, as he gently reminded her. ‘All females are addressed as Lady.’
‘Of course, thank you.’
Helen told them. ‘Except me, I am known as chef. I feel I will need the distinction, as it seems I am in the position of Executive Chef for the worlds.’
‘Are you okay with that position?’
She smiled. ‘Peyton, I am. I spent years learning my craft. Helping our worlds eat well and sustainable, validates all those years of sacrifice.’
‘Okay, so you will be known as Chef Helen.’
‘I thought you weren’t going to do military?’ Heather asked Peyton, who shrugged and replied as she worried that something she had said or done had upset Heather.
‘Regardless of what I want, I am in the position of Commander- in- Chief. I will not do the day-to-day operations, which is their job.’ She indicated Hawk, Melody, and Kerol. ‘But let’s be honest here, I know stuff. The Stars give me information. Are you angry at me for something? Was it because I said you were chief medical officer, don’t you want to be?’
Heather rubbed her eyes. ‘It’s not that. I know I am good enough. It is just…’
Darby cut in. ‘You should have asked.’
Peyton looked at Darby, then Heather. ‘Darby is right. I should have asked, Heather, I apologize. There is no one I would trust more than you, but I should not take any of you for granted.’
Heather waved her hand as though brushing the feeling away. Having the words she thought spoken out loud, showed how petty they were. Embarrassed, she said. ‘No, it is fine. I was being precious. If you had chosen someone else. I would have been annoyed with you.’
Peyton asked with a smile. ‘So what you are saying is, I could not win here?’
‘Funny, but probably true.’
‘Peyton dear, it is alright. Sometimes you have to take for granted that what you say will be done. It is the price of leadership.’ Helen told her as she looked around the table at all these wonderful women and men, young and old and said in the only way Helen could. ‘Ladies, buck up. This is a whole new life we are entering with a whole new set of rules. So get on board or get off. This is the only choice we have, we are all taking on new roles and they will be for the betterment of Maikonia and our people. And for ourselves and these wonderful men, we have forced into freedom with us. Are these not some of the reasons we are here?’
Peyton asked quietly. ‘Is Helen right, are we all agreed on this?’
They all answered together. ‘We are.’
Peyton nodded, then went on to something else. ‘Now, as for uniforms, I leave that for you Commanders and Captains to work out. Also, we have over fifteen thousand female army personnel and they will not be side-lined. If you need admin, we have females and Warriors that can and will do that job willingly and probably happily, so use them. The female Warriors need training, so train and deploy them. They earned the right to help secure our people and home worlds, get them and the Warriors used to each other. You will know better than I, how to do that.’
‘Yes, Madam.’
‘Darby, how long do the nanos stay in the system, what happens to them?’
‘Until the download is complete, anywhere up to an hour, then they breakdown into minerals and join with the body’s own system. I have designed two, one for the humans and one for the Warriors.’
Hawk asked. ‘Why?’
‘Different physiology. I have to tell you; we are not sure it will work completely for the Warriors, so if you would like not to have them…’
‘No, we will try until you get it right. We trust you, Lady Darby.’
‘Will the children receive the same one?’ Esther asked quickly, saving everyone having to listen to Darby tell Hawk her title was not Lady Darby, which he would ignore.
Because none of the Warriors could decide what she was a specialist of, they collectively just called her Lady, which irritated her but seemed to have stuck.
Darby told Esther. ‘No, they are too young. I have a contact transfer.’ She pulled it from her pocket and showed them the small device. It looked like one of the hand-held medical scanners, but smaller.
‘Press this against their temple right here.’ She placed it beside her eye. ‘Then press this.’ She showed them the red button. ‘It will give them language and some protocols when meeting and addressing people. The rest they can learn in school or like we all did.’
Brenda asked. ‘This is used up to what age.’
‘Ten, after that there is a modified adult one. We are still developing a better delivery system. This is the first generation.’
‘Great.’ Peyton said. ‘When can you roll them out?’
‘Immediately, I have enough for everyone on board the ships and more.’
‘Okay, secure the rest and Heather, guess what you and Darby are doing.’
‘We will need help?’
‘Not a concern, show us what to do, and we can have it done today.’ Hawk told her.
Melody said. ‘We can recruit some women with medical backgrounds as well.’
Peyton asked. ‘Alright, any other business?’
‘Oh, doesn’t she sound all professional?’ Brenda smiled as she nudged Helen, who smiled as Peyton grinned. ‘I am trying, enjoy it while it lasts.’
Darby asked. ‘So do you need the download, Peyton?’
‘No thank you, Darby. I will adapt, it’s all in here.’ She tapped her temple.
‘Oh right.’
No one had anything else to discuss, so she announced. ‘Alright, I am calling this our morning meeting. So eac
h morning about this time, bring whoever needs to be here and come if you can. Are we agreed?’
They all agreed with her, then she said as they made to get up. ‘Oh, one more thing sisters, your gifts, shall we open them now?’
Melody smiled as she agreed. ‘Good idea, we will go get them.’
They all left together to retrieve the gifts Sunshoona had presented them with. Peyton had hers with her and when she lifted it onto the table.
Helen said. ‘Oh, look, we each have one of those. They were on our beds when we arrived.’ She looked at Peyton. ‘I did mean to ask, why you had gifted us with them.’
Peyton smiled as she told her. ‘It wasn’t me. Sunshoona gave each one of us these.’ She pointed to her gift.
Surprised, Helen asked. ‘And none of you have opened them. How is that possible?’
‘We agreed to wait.’
Brenda told her. ‘We have not opened ours either.’
‘And for the life of me, I cannot think why.’ Esther murmured.
Peyton told them gently. ‘I think our gifts are really from the Star Child, and they wished you to wait until we were all together. Esther your cakes will have to wait a little longer, I think this is important. Ladies please go get your gifts.’
When they had gone. Peyton with Hawk, Kerol and Netta, who arrived shortly after the others had left swapped out the table with a larger rectangular one that would seat thirty.
FORTY-SIX:
Peyton sat sipping a fresh cup of coffee Netta had retrieved for her as the others started to come back.
‘Oh, by the way Netta, you have been promoted to Captain in the new Maikonia Military.’
A little startled, she said. ‘Thank you, I think.’
Peyton nodded. ‘Now, if you would like and only if you consent. I was hoping you would be my personal assistant or Captain and help me out with military things and stuff like that.’
Melody said as she arrived back and sat down. ‘She needs someone to kick her ass when she gets out of line and I said you would be perfect for it.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t go that far, there should be no ass kicking. She may gently tell me I am doing something not right.’ Peyton stipulated, which brought copious amounts of laughter from the returning females.
Hawk and Kerol looked a little confused as they listened, not understanding the reason for the laughter.
‘What… why is that worth laughing at?’ Peyton demanded of Melody, who was grinning in what Peyton considered an evil sister manner.
‘That is so not going to happen Star girl, our Netta does not know gentle.’
‘Well, then maybe…’
‘No… no, too late.’ Melody told her. ‘You wanted her. Do not say you didn’t, so if she agrees, she is all yours. I taught her well.’
‘Oh, that is… I am unsure what that is?’ Peyton looked worriedly around at the others who all smiled or snickered into their hands.
She frowned at them, while Melody looked at her with a challenge in her eyes. Peyton sniffed and looked at Netta, who was eyeing them all as though they were crazy and growled. ‘I am not a secretary.’
Peyton blinked twice before she shook her head, ‘Good stars, no… that would be just… no… not a secretary. I was thinking a buffer, a military translator.’
Netta smiled, and it reminded Peyton of the one Melody used when she was about to throw her on the mat again in training. ‘Okay then, yeah, that sounds fun.’
FORTY-SEVEN:
Peyton smiled and said. ‘So we should look at these gifts.’
Helen declared. ‘We will go first.’
Together the three women opened the flat boxes made from agar-wood, to reveal, nestled on a cloud of burgundy, a flat length of gold.
They all just stared at them and did not seem to know what to do.
Adee! They had Adee. Hawk hissed out a breath in surprise, then with a swift look at an equally stunned Kerol, he explained to the amazed females. ‘This looks like gold but is the furthest thing from what you know as gold and still look like it. This is called Adee. What it is made from no one knows, only the Stars, because they are the only ones to bestow Adee as gifts. Ladies, translated, Adee means living rope.’
He picked it up and placed it on the palm of his hand as he said. ‘Adee will form to what the wearer desires, but only if the wearer is the true recipient. As you can see it will not move for me, it stays the same.’
They could see it lay across his hand in the form of a golden rope, reverently, he said. ‘Now when I place it in Lady Esther’s hand, it will become what she wishes for.’
Esther whispered. ‘How do I know what I want?’
Hawk placed the length of golden Adee on her palm. ‘That is the interesting thing about Adee; it senses what you wish for, watch.’
They watched as the Adee seemed to wiggle, then shift, and within seconds it molded itself into a golden pendant on a fine chain. On one side of the pendant was a picture of a star with written words. The other side held a depiction of Esther’s husband, Harry.
She blew out a puff of air as she said. ‘That is my Harry.’ She looked into Peyton’s green eyes and saw love and flames in their depths. ‘Isn’t that amazing, they know my Harry?’
‘He was truly a giant among men.’ Peyton softly told her.
Esther agreed. ‘He was, he really was. Now can you tell me what it says?’
Peyton gently took the pendant between her fingers and held it still as she smiled. ‘It says, heart of Maikonia.’
It dangled from her fingers and spun in the air. She gently placed it back in Esther’s hand. The necklace moved up Esther’s arm and settled around her neck, she grinned. ‘It feels warm.’
‘It is lovely.’ Brenda said admiringly.
Esther nodded and said. ‘Brenda, your turn.’
She took her length of Adee in her hands and like Esther’s it warmed and wiggled. Then it too became a necklace, except hers became three finely entwined chains.
Peyton told her. ‘On each link are the words, Soul of Maikonia.’
‘Oh.’ Her eyes softened in thought as Helen picked hers up and they watched it become a hair net of fine lace. It shaped her hair into a sophisticated knot, which was startling in its simplicity.
Peyton told her. ‘Each link joins to read. Body of Maikonia.’
Helen smiled. ‘I think I find that comforting, as though we are on the right path.’
Peyton told them simply. ‘I think that was the point, these gifts tell everyone how important you are to us all, each of you feed the people of Maikonia. Esther their hearts, Brenda their souls, and Helen their bodies. Between the three of you, there is not one part of the whole you do not care for.’
All three of them had tears in their eyes by the time she was finished. Esther asked. ‘What of their minds, who feeds them?’
Peyton smiled softly as she said. ‘Someone will come to do that for us.’
Hawk finally explained. ‘I know of no one in the Universe who wears Adee and yet we all recognize it when we see it. I have only ever seen pics of it or read about it in the histories. I should tell you that many royalty may wear the metals you know of as gold, silver or bronze, but Adee never. It is an amazing gift.’
Kerol said. ‘I have seen pics as well, but also never in life. Adee is as beautiful as stated, and it proves what we all know. You are ladies of worth.’
Darby asked. ‘How does one know the difference?’
Kerol told her. ‘We know because we recognize the hum.’
‘There is a hum.’ Helen asked as she touched her Adee.
Hawk nodded. ‘Yes, Adee has a signature hum. I am sure in time you will hear it. Until then, Lady Esther, if you will remove the Adee please.’
She did and passed it back to Hawk once it was in his hands it became a plain rope of gold.
‘Oh, it has gone.’ Esther cried as she looked at Hawk, sadness etching lines on her face.
‘Oh no.’ Brenda cried as Hawk placed it b
ack on Esther’s outstretched hand and it once again formed the same necklace.
‘I apologize, Lady Esther.’ He said softly, upset he had caused her to become sad.
She waved his apology away. ‘No, do not be, I overreacted.’
Hawk inclined his head in acceptance of her words and said. ‘You should know it is said you can ask your Adee to take on another form, it may or may not.’
‘Well, that is a little disconcerting.’ Helen said. Brenda smiled. ‘It’s like a pet.’
Helen grimaced. ‘Please do not say that.’
At her expression, Hawk hurriedly explained. ‘Ladies, you realize gold denotes rank in most royal courts.’
‘It does?’ They said together, not understanding what he was trying to tell them.
Heather looked at Melody and Darby with a sparkle in her eyes. ‘Should we?’
Together they opened their boxes, snuggled within the folds of a cloud of royal blue material was the exact same rope. Except these looked like Palladium. Hawk breathed out on a sigh, knowing he would have to tell them that by wearing the Adee, they were declaring themselves royalty of Maikonia. He mind-sent to Kerol.
What do I do? Tell them others will see them as our royals. We know them well enough to know they will be mortified to think people see them this way.
Kerol laughed silently. We do not tell them anything. It will be better for them to find it out for themselves, we will just make sure they are treated as they are now, with respect. It is all we can do.
For now. Hawk agreed and tried once more to explain to the females what people would assume. He was left with the same impression that they either did not understand or did not care. ‘This substance looks and feels like the precious metal Palladium that is prized so much on Earth. Even though it may look like Palladium, it is in fact Luslian. In our Universe it is a rare precious metal, and it denotes the highest rank of royalty. Empresses, and Emperors wear Luslian, as do some rulers of very wealthy worlds.’
They all nodded their heads but did not say anything and as he and the others watched. Melody lifted the Adee from her box. Again this Adee seemed to warm and then wiggle for a second or two. Everyone held their breaths waiting to see what it was going to form into. Then it flattened into a long band that split into two. Slowly the bands wrapped each of her forearms from wrists to elbows and as they watched script appeared.