* * *
Devin had expected Shiva to fight them about the Fleet Academy wanting nothing to do with the military establishment, but Vala had known that Shiva would only want her to be happy, and that had been enough to convince her to take a deeper look. Shiva's remaining concerns had faded away when Vala had explained her reasoning and at the start of the next term they were included in the student body as first year cadets with a few privileges. Neither of them would be staying in the dormitories, being less than an hour away from the Dome and their family if they took the tunnels connecting Anslaw and Aerisa together. As long as the completed the class requirements for each year, both of them would advance at a pace of their own choosing. With a psychology program on par with the best schools on Earth, Vala had more than enough motivation to push herself a little. For Shiva who was almost constantly at her side, she had more than enough motivation to slow down and let Vala set that pace as she glided through virtually ever class.
While their classmates were surprised by the relationship that the two of them openly shared on campus, they were even more confused by the 'unusual' rules that applied only to the two of them. While they played the part of a cadets according to the rules, Shiva would never salute anyone lower than a teacher and sometimes neglected honorifics for days at a time. All it would take was one of her scary looks for most upperclassmen to get the idea that she was best left alone and Vala lingered under that protective umbrella of the rage that rested beneath the surface. Shiva might have been annoyed by Vala's near unilateral decision, but had relented under the knowledge that Vala had a guaranteed position with either Devin or Alex when she reached the time of graduation. For her part, Shiva would probably be court-martialed the moment she reached the end of her time at the Fleet academy, since insubordination was a source of amusement for her. But the brass had been pleased that she would willingly linger in the safety of a controlled environment that they hadn't even put Shiva under any restrictions when they finally closed their discussions of her case in the tribunals.
"You've been quiet today." Vala commented to her as they wandered towards their last class of the day and the flight simulators waiting for them nearby. Shiva made a curious noise and then smiled in a far off sort of way.
"I was just thinking that we haven't really discussed children before this." Shiva commented to her. It wasn't hard to guess why this was coming up since Kali had officially announced her pregnancy to all of them at the Sanctuary earlier that week to a stunned crowd and a proudly smiling Shiva. Her son would be the first child of a mixed Series 6 heritage, but by no means the last, that much was certain in Vala's eyes.
"Because of Kali.." Vala murmured speculatively, knowing that there was perhaps other reasons.
"And the twins." Shiva agreed with a brighter smile. "I was figuring out what it would take for me to really want a child of my own.."
"And?" Vala asked far too familiar to not know her fiancee had not failed to come up with an answer to that.
"It would have to be our child.. and our daughter would be something amazing.." She chuckled at that.
"A daughter.." Vala whispered surprised by the idea and deeply amused by idea of adding to the Imp-lets of trouble at the heart of their new family.
"Combine our DNA.. double X chromosomes no Y's around here, automatic girl." Shiva told her with a giggle at that thought.
"You're right, our girl would be something amazing, just like her mother." Vala agreed as she suddenly found something for her to look anticipate in the years to come. "We'll definitely be discussing this later, but how about we slip away before we get home and see if we can't get you barefoot and pregnant the old fashion away." Shiva laughed brightly and nodded eagerly as the two of the hurried it up to make it too class on time.
*~ ~*~ ~*
A few notes from the Author
I'd like to begin by thanking you the reader for enduring through one of my never ending epics. Typically novels are about 80,000 words and I unfortunately have not yet managed to write a short story I liked much less a novel that was anything less than 100,000, and this particular 'opus' is just over 133,000 words. So congratulations on surviving through it to reach the end. Above all else I hope that you enjoyed the book, and enjoyed all the time you spent reading it, because overall that was why it was written for my own enjoyment and the hope that it would be enjoyed with all you people out there.
Please note, aside from our first and (eventually) last names, the main character of this story and I have almost nothing in common. Her character was based on a friend of mine who has all too often jealously threatened to steal my name before she was to run off on her whirlwind of adventures. So 'Shiva' was actually named for her, thus allowing my good friend to complete her long prophesied theft of my identity, while giving her some other-worldly adventures in a far different time. While I seriously considered changing the character's name so there would be no confusion over this issue, Shiva the Hindu god of destruction was perhaps too aptly a namesake for the character, even if he's a bad namesake for myself.
(Future time-line author steps in to drop in some changed knowledge.)
Believe it or not but this was my first book ever released, but far from the last. My published works, as of this edit, now number close to a dozen books that I have written and released with plans for more in the future days, including a third book in this series. In addition I have two other series just beginning or well under way which are the Salak'patan Series, and the Relics and Remnants Series, both of which are part of my ongoing efforts and ever-changing focus. So if by that one in a million chance you read this book and actually liked it, than please visit the sites listed below for more information about my ongoing efforts and the other works I have already published.
Blog: https://shadowed-dreamz.tumblr.com/
Author's Website: https://shivawinters.wix.com/home
Anyways, I said 'a few notes' a whole page ago so I will cut myself off there, thank you for reading. ^^
The Sixth Line of Defense Page 41