by C B Williams
Longwei.
(A pause.)
Greetings, Brother. It has been several days.
(A pause.)
Yes. It has become harder for me to reach you.
(A pause.)
I see. I will reach out to you. What news have you?
(A pause.)
I was wounded by That Which Comes.
(A pause)
And have you recovered?
Sufficiently, yes.
And have you stopped That Which Comes?
Not yet, but we are close. We have found a way to neutralize the threat and are making plans to negotiate.
(A pause.)
The other Sisters, our neighbors from Vela Kentaurus, are still unwell, yet no further deaths.
Good. If negotiations fail, we will still be able to free them, and they will recover as I did. It will take many more years, but it will happen.
(A pause.)
I am pleased. I will relay the information.
I am returning Kalea and Genji to you.
(A pause.)
Are they dishonored?
No. In fact, Genji—
Kalea’s Mate.
Yes, Kalea’s Mate, saved my life.
I am pleased. Kalea chose well.
Yes. Kalea’s Mate will be bringing back the weapon that wounded me. He will learn from it and devise a way to better neutralize the threat. With his knowledge, You will have even greater protection against That Which Comes.
And I will have My beloved Kalea with Me once more.
Yes.
(A pause)
Longwei?
Yes, Brother?
I plan to alter Kalea and her Mate. It will be nearly twenty years until they arrive. With Your permission, I will make it so they remain young.
(A pause)
You have my permission, Brother. I appreciate your asking. I will keep Kalea’s remaining family young as well.
That will bring her much joy, although it is You she yearns for.
This pleases me greatly.
I am also returning to You Wade of the Ancestors. He is unhappy. If he chooses, I will also help him remain young.
Understood.
(A pause)
Where I go, I do not believe I will be able to communicate. This may be the last time we will converse. Tell Entean, my planet, tell Her....
(A pause)
Entean knows, Brother. We all know of the sacrifices you have made. We trust Our gifts, the power We have shared with you, have eased some of the sorrow.
Yes, Longwei. I am grateful.
I look forward to seeing My Kalea and her Mate. They will be treated as great warriors for the rest of their days.
Thank you. They have earned the right.
Chapter 16
Plans
Genji reached for Kalea’s hand, “Kalea and I would like to go home, back to Longwei,” he told the group as they sat together around the galley table. “Our Nuri will be happier.”
Eloch nodded. “Understood,” he said.
“You don’t seem surprised,” Genji said.
“I’m not,” Eloch said with a smile. “And Longwei is looking forward to your return. She told me you will be honored as great warriors.”
Kalea peered at Eloch. “You already told Longwei we were returning?” she accused.
Eloch shot her an apologetic shrug before replying to Genji. “After you and Spider have analyzed it and understand its purpose, take the device with you. Perhaps you can create a defense for the Sisters in case our mission fails.”
“Caution First,” Wren said with a grin. Then she sobered. “I know you need to go home, but I sure will miss you both.”
“Likewise,” Genji said. He was about to say more, then shook his head.
Kalea squeezed his hand.
“I want to go back to Longwei as well,” Wade said. “I know the ship,” he shrugged. “Or I did before Eloch started playing with it, but I can help with the wormhole jumps, and I’m good at troubleshooting. And,” he added, “I’ve been on this rust bucket for a thousand years. That stint on Talamh wasn’t nearly long enough. I would like to end my days dirtside somewhere.”
Mink sucked in a breath. “Wade! You can’t,” she pouted. “It won’t be the same.” She reached out her hand.
Wade gripped it hard. “You’ll get by, Mink. You and Spider have each other.”
Mink glanced at Spider and smiled. “I don’t know what I’d do without Spider. But you’re my Cryo partner. We’ve kept shifts together for so long, it’s like... I don’t know.” She released Wade’s hand with a sigh. “It’s going to be hard, is all.”
Wade grinned and gave her a friendly arm punch. “I’m not gone yet.”
“I’m going, too,” Aiko said.
Grale made a strange choking sound.
She looked quickly at Grale. “What? They’re going to need a pilot.”
“No, we won’t, Aiko,” Genji said.
“But you don’t have the knack to line up the wormholes,” Aiko protested.
Genji shook his head. “I’m not going to let you make this sacrifice, Aiko. I know how much you want to continue with this journey. How many missions have we been on together? How many times have I watched you line up for a jump?” He paused, waiting for an answer. When none came, he continued. “That’s right. Countless times. And I’m smart. I may not have knack, but I’ve got my brain and keen observational skills.”
“And he’s got me,” said Wade.
“And the ship will know what to do,” Eloch said. “I, too, have keen observational skills, and since I feel what the ship feels, I can train the second ship to know when it’s lined up to make the jump without any problems.”
Aiko rested her hand on Genji’s arm. “I just want you to get there safely, Genj,” she whispered.
Grale leaned over to her. “Trust the Knack Man, Kitten,” he whispered. “Your words, not mine.”
She glanced at him and nodded, raising her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Just get him home in one piece, Eloch. That’s all I ask.”
“I love him, too, Aiko. I love all three of them. They will get home safely, I promise,” Eloch said. He looked at the others, studying their faces. “Anyone else want to go home?”
“Not a chance,” Grale said. “We live in a traveling planet. Best of both worlds in my book. Best home I can think of.”
“Best of both,” Spider agreed. He looked at Genji, “Going to miss your brain, buddy.”
Genji grinned. “This is an opportunity to stretch yours, Spider. I think you’re going to surprise yourself at how smart that noggin is.”
Spider snorted.
“When is the best time for us to go?” Kalea asked Eloch.
“I would appreciate it if you stay until we know what exactly we are facing and we’re prepared for when the FN return.”
“Gladly,” Wade said.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Genji said.
“That feels complete,” Kalea agreed.
“I also need to create the ship for you,” Eloch said.
Wade straightened suddenly. “What about the Nuri? Only you can put them to sleep and wake them up in Cryo.”
Eloch smiled. “I thought of that.” He looked at trio. “I can make it so you three will not age. That way there will be no need for Cryo.”
Wade’s mouth pulled into a frown. “But it will take nearly twenty years to get to Longwei. I don’t want to be awake for twenty years. I prefer Cryo.”
“I can provide a Cryo bed for you, Wade,” Eloch said.
“And we can wake you if we need you,” Genji said. “We’re trained.”
“Will you two mind being awake for nearly twenty years?” Eloch asked. “Frankly, I don’t see any other alternative.”
Kalea grinned shyly at Genji. “I know Genji will love having the time to study the stars, especially the parts we missed coming here. And,” she looked at Genji again, “we wish to start a family, and this will be the perfect
time.”
“A Nuri nursery!” Wren exclaimed happily. “I love it!”
“Better make it flameproof then,” Grale said.
“With plenty of room for them to stretch their wings,” Mink added.
“I would have liked to have seen the baby lizard things,” Aiko mused. “Genji and Kalea’s children.”
Grale snorted.
“Me, too,” Perin said. “Children are such a delight.”
“It will be nice to think about,” Wren said. She looked at Eloch. “Is there a way they can send us vids?”
“It’s possible,” Eloch said and lifted a brow at Spider.
“I’ll figure something out,” Spider promised.
“The sooner we make our plans, the sooner this can happen,” Eloch said. “Genji, what have you discovered about the device?”
“Spider, Mink, and I have pulled it apart and put it back together several times,” Genji replied. “We know how it functions. We also know how to activate it, although we won’t prove that to you, Eloch,” he added with a grin.
“Gods, I hope not,” Eloch said.
“I’ll second that,” Wren said.
“Best of all, we know how to jam it. If the FN do not agree to power down these devices, you can do it yourselves and free the Sisters of Vela Kentaurus, although that would mean traveling to each planet that’s been affected.” He rubbed his chin, “If we only knew their function. There must be a reason.” He cocked his head at Spider.
“Mink and I have been analyzing data,” Spider said. “Now we know what we’re searching for and our ship is finally close enough, we’re starting to locate exactly which planet is affected in Vega. Not all planets have received the implant. There is a pattern, a trajectory.”
“Can Aiko and I take a look at what you’ve got?” Grale asked.
“Sure,” Spider said. He slid a portable viewer across the table to where Aiko and Grale sat, where Grale positioned it between them. The two bent over it, squinting at the screen and occasionally whispering together.
“Since not every planet is affected, I don’t think it’s for malicious purposes,” Wren said.
“Neither do we,” Genji said. “We feel there is a scientific explanation for why they need to draw so much power.”
“Looks like a flight pattern to me,” Grale said, studying the portable view.
“You’re right,” Aiko said. “Maybe. It does seem to have a direction.” She looked up. “Have you taken readings from beyond Vela Kentaurus?” she asked.
Spider shook his head. “We haven’t. We will, as soon as this meeting breaks up.”
“Why don’t we ask them what it’s for?” Eloch suggested.
“How are we going to do that?” Wade asked, “Kidnap an FN?”
“Exactly.”
Wade laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not kidding,” Eloch said. “I’ve thought about this. I could access their ship when they return, take one, and bring them back. We’ve got the equipment to communicate with one, so there will be no language issue. In fact, I can make this whole ship so everyone can understand each other.”
“But how do we kidnap one?” Wade asked.
“And how do you know he or she can live in our environment without some sort of life support?” Mink asked.
“They can.” Perin said. “I have seen it.”
“You’ve seen us kidnap an FN and bring them back here?” Wren asked, leaning forward.
“Not that,” Perin answered. “But I’ve seen that I was on their ship, and I was breathing their air without any sort of special life support.”
“Okay, assuming we can do this, who do we take?” Grale asked. “How do we know they all have the same working knowledge of what the spike does? On mining ships, not all the crew knew how to mine.”
“That’s true,” said Aiko. “People are specialized.”
“We take Jon,” Perin said. “Jon will know.”
“Jon,” said Wade looking around the group. “Who is Jon?”
“He is the individual from the FN ship who Perin saw and who saw Perin,” Eloch said. “That makes sense,” he said to Perin. “Since there is a connection already, he might be easier for me to bring through.”
Perin nodded. “And I will go with you to point him out.”
“And I will go to protect you, Perin,” Wren said. “Also because where Eloch goes, I go.”
“Well, that’s decided then,” Eloch said with a chuckle. “Moving on, let’s set our priorities. We don’t know how much time we have before our Frequency Neighbors return.”
“I’ve put together a list of priorities,” Wren said.
“Of course you have,” Grale said with a grin, sliding the portable viewer back to Spider. He looked at the others. “Doesn’t she always?”
Spider grinned and nodded. “That’s our Wren. Always two steps ahead of us.”
Grale found Aiko on the Bridge in the pilot’s chair. She appeared deep in thought as she gazed out the view port at the wide expanse of space. When he cleared his throat, she looked up.
“Hey,” she said. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
He sat in the copilot chair next to her. “Yeah, you looked pretty engrossed. See anything out there?”
She shook her head. “But that doesn’t mean the FNs aren’t out there and heading this way.”
“Think the new scanner system will work?”
“With Spider and Genji’s ingenuity behind it? Without a doubt.” Aiko toyed with the seam of her chair’s armrest. “I’m going to miss Genji. He’s been my right hand for so many years.” She sighed and glanced at Grale with a wistful smile. “But nothing stays the same. I should count my blessings for having had him for so long.”
They were silent for a few moments, lost in their individual thoughts. The silence was broken when they both spoke at once.
Grale laughed.
“Sorry, what were you going to say?” Aiko asked.
He swept a hand and bowed toward her. “You go ahead. Age before and all that.”
Aiko snorted and swiveled her chair to face him. “I was surprised when you didn’t volunteer to pilot Genji and Kalea back to Longwei. I’d think this...what’d Wade call it? Rust bucket?...is cramping your style.”
Grale gave her a crooked smile and ran his big hand over his hair. “I thought about it when Eloch first gave us a choice. But where would I go? Rust buckets are what I’m used to. I’ve lived on spaceships more than I’ve lived on dirt. And this one...well, it’s got the best of both, doesn’t it? There’s a whole world within this vessel, and I don’t see Eloch calling a halt to his expansion any time soon. No, this rust bucket is my home now.”
He cocked his head at her. “’Sides, I’d love to see what this thing looks like when it’s as big as a world.”
“You think it will get that big?”
“I dunno. I hope so. Wouldn’t that be something, Aiko? Piloting a ship as big as a planet?”
“Yeah,” she agreed and smiled. “It’d be fun. But your freedom. You like things your way. You like being the captain of your own ship.”
He laughed. “And don’t you know it, Kitten. I made sure you knew it.”
She grinned and waggled a finger at him. “But I gave as good as I got.” She nodded at his softened belly with a sly grin. “And don’t you forget it.”
Grale patted his middle. “I have to admit that was a cheap shot. Hit me right square in my ego. But I would have done it to me, too, if I’d thought of it. Knock myself down a notch or two.”
She laughed at that. “No doubt.” Aiko leaned back and crossed her legs, relaxing. “So, what were you going to say?”
Grale hesitated.
“You forgot, right?” She smiled again. “And you’ll most likely remember in the middle of the night. Tell you what, if you do, write it down. Don’t you dare ping me and wake me up.”
“No,” Grale said with a shake of his head. “I didn’t forget.” He rubb
ed his face, glanced around the room, squared his shoulders, and said, “Look, this is going to be awkward, so just hear me out. And...don’t interrupt. Deal?”
She sat up straight, searching his eyes. “Sure,” she said quietly.
“Okay, then.” Grale paused and blew out a breath. “So, Aiko. It’s not only the ship that makes me want to stay.” He reached for her hand. “It’s you.”
Her eyes widened, but she allowed her hand to stay in his.
He laughed. “I know. Took me by surprise, too, and I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about it. But when you volunteered to pilot those guys back to Longwei, it hit home that I’d better make my move now or I may never have another chance.”
He took her other hand. “I know that in your eyes I’m just a rock pounder, a spaceport bar trawler, wisecracking womanizer and,” he shrugged, “I guess I am. Or I was. I’m not anymore because you’ve gotten to me, Aiko. You made me want to be a better man so you’d take another look at me.”
She opened her mouth to speak.
“I’m not finished yet,” he said, cutting her off, giving her hands a shake for emphasis. “You promised not to interrupt. Look, I know we’re out here in the middle of nowhere, and you may be thinking it’s the lack of spaceport bars that’s made me...”
He paused. “Well, let’s just put it out there—horny, lonely, in need of some good lovin’. And the gods know it’s true. I mean it has been fourteen years, Aiko, and I’ve never pretended to be a saint. Please, don’t interrupt. You’re making it harder.”
“Just loosen your grip a little, and I won’t interrupt again. My hands are getting numb.”
Grale jerked his hands away, but Aiko reached out and twined her fingers with his. “Keep going,” she urged gently.
He looked at their joined hands and back up to her face. “I think that’s it. I am a rock pounder. I am a womanizer—well, used to be one—and I think that second part’s important to take note of. But I’m also a damn fine pilot, and I want to be a damn fine man. Your man. So, Aiko...” He paused.
“Wait.” He paused again. “Yeah, there’s more.” The rest poured out in a rush of words. “I want kids. I know that may come as a surprise, but I always have. I want to be a good father and give them things I never had. I want to teach them how to use their knack. I want to bust the balls on these FNs so we can get on with our lives. I want to see what else the Knack Man does to this rust bucket. And I want to do it all with you, Aiko. Only you.”