Chapter LXIV

Arianna allowed her gaze to roam her lover’s body as her hands traced their own path over the skin and muscle that held hidden strength.  She was firm but gentle in her touch, knowing that though Eli’s dragon needed to dominate and possess after being challenged, the woman needed to be treasured and cherished.  It was the best way she had of reassuring Eli of her acceptance of her feral half.

So now she caressed the skin beneath her fingertips, smiling as goosebumps skittered their way across green skin in the wake of her touch.  She lowered herself from her kneeling position, until her heat and wetness were bathing Eli’s abs of their own accord.  She grinned when she felt Eli shudder, gasping slightly at the effect it had on her still sensitive body.

“You make me crazy; you know that?” she asked in a whisper, as her hands continued to map Eli’s body inch by inch.  “All you have to do is look at me sometimes, and I just want to….”  She paused, then snorted.  “Well, it depends on the day, really, but rest assured, we’d be a public spectacle.”

Eli laughed, then moaned when Arianna began to seriously tease both nipples in a completely random pattern.  “Only sometimes??  Gods,” she hissed.  “Jake would probably love that, but I don’t share well, remember?  Arianna,” she moaned again when one breast was covered by wet warmth, and a frantic tongue started flicking it rapidly.

“Only sometimes,” Arianna replied, pulling back enough to blow cold air across the turgid nipple.  “I do actually focus on my work when I’m down in engineering, you know.  Not really a place to lose my focus… especially considering the trip we’ve had so far.”

“Umm,” Eli agreed, tugging at the ends of Arianna’s dark hair until she could slide her hands into its full body and wind the strands between her fingers.  “Less talk… more action,” urging Arianna down into her until their lips met again. She growled when Arianna pulled away… until she realized her intent.  Then she closed her eyes and let herself be swept along for the ride, though her hands never stopped their movement along every bit of Arianna’s body that she could reach.

Arianna brushed her lips along and around Eli’s torso, nipping occasionally and delighting in the moans and shivers she elicited.  But it wasn’t until she settled herself between Eli’s legs that Eli began chanting her name - a chant that ended with a full-blown scream when a flick of her tongue pushed Eli over the edge and into release. Without pausing, Arianna slid her fingers through the copious wetness and heat… causing Eli to shudder and bow as a second, more powerful orgasm washed through her.  Arianna pulled her fingers from Eli’s warmth and leaned down, but before she could reach her target, she felt a sharp tug on her hair where Eli’s hands were still wrapped. She glared, then frowned when she saw Eli shaking her head.

“You don’t get to say no.  It’s still my turn,” glaring harder when Eli tugged again, though with much less force.

“It can still be your turn while I have my turn, you know.  Turn around and come up here.  I want to taste you too,” loosening her hands and crooking a finger at Arianna, offering her a wicked smile.

Arianna just laughed aloud and moved to hover over Eli.  It promised to be a long, gratifying night.

************

Aphrodite smiled as she felt the slightest thrill skitter along her spine.  She might not be a goddess any longer. nor an immortal, but she could still tell when love was in the air.  And by the feel of things, it was going to be a pretty good night on that front.

She climbed into the bed and shut off the light, closing her eyes and letting a smile slide across her features.  Despite everything, she was glad to have met the kids on this ship.  They had been a joy to get to know, and she was grateful to them for many reasons.  She only hoped the rest of her family had survived the blast that sent them tumbling.  She wasn’t sure what she would do if they hadn’t.  

Putting those maudlin thoughts firmly out of her mind, she deliberately turned her back to the door and let her mind focus on the warmth she could feel emanating from all over the ship.  And she let those thoughts and feelings lull her to sleep.

************

Eden crossed the threshold into the infirmary and hesitated, noting that both Naomi and Jacob appeared to be sleeping soundly.  She stood in the entrance for several moments, unable to leave, but unwilling to disturb the rest the two so sorely needed.  Before she could escape unnoticed, Mordecai motioned her into the room and over to the corner where he sat monitoring both patients.

She frowned at him.  “What are you doing out here, Kai?  Eli has a perfectly good office….”

“Yes, and it’s *Eli’s* office.  We tend not to go in there unless we absolutely have to… even Luke.  That’s kind of like her personal space, ya know?”  He shrugged.  “I feel better being out here anyway - like I can actually do something if I’m needed.”

Eden nodded.  “I can respect that.”  She jerked her head towards the occupied beds.  “How are they?”

“Surprisingly well.  Mimi should be able to go back to her quarters tomorrow, and to limited duty in another day or so.  Jake’s already been awake briefly a couple times.  He’s coherent, though in considerable pain, and he’s already laid down the law to Eli.”

Dark brows flew into an equally dark hairline.  “Seriously?” chuckling at his nod.  “Wish I’d seen that.”

“Apparently it was pretty spectacular.  He was quite keen to brag about it to me when he woke up earlier.  Speaking of… I need to go check on him again,” looking at his chronometer.  “It’s about time for another dose of painkillers.”

“She got him on the good stuff?”

“No.  He asked for the regular - with the understanding that he was eligible for the good stuff if the pain got beyond his ability to cope.”

Eden snorted.  “He’ll never admit to that.”

Mordecai offered a crooked smile.  “Maybe, but Doc’s pretty good about reading those things.  You know that.  You want to come with me… in case he wakes up?”

“I’m going to check on Naomi first.  If he wakes up, let him know I’m here.”

“You got it.”  Then he stepped away and began to run the checklist Eli had left with him.

Eden walked to the other side of the room, doing a visual examination of Naomi before stepping closer.  As if she sensed her presence, Naomi’s eyes blinked open slowly, then widened perceptibly when she realized who was standing next to her bed.  She managed to control her reaction otherwise, and kept her mouth shut, waiting for Eden to speak.  Eden cleared her throat awkwardly as she slid right up next to the bed, hand reaching out tentatively to cover Naomi’s.

“How’re ya feeling?”

Naomi blinked again and cleared her throat, causing Eden to reach for the water.  She eased Naomi into a more seated position and let her drink for a long moment, before a movement from her signaled Naomi’s satisfaction.  She released a slow breath.  “Thanks,” she replied.  “Um… better, I think.  The pain is mostly gone - for now anyway.  I’m just really tired… like I ran a race across through swamp grass and knee deep mud in my bare feet,” smiling when Eden wrinkled her nose in disgust.  “Yeah, that’s about the way I feel too.  I will be so happy to get out of here and go to my quarters.  Pretty sure that sonic shower is going to be the closest I’ve been to heaven in a while.”

Eden chuckled.  “Probably.  I remember how I felt after Eli fixed me up in the mountain compound, and it wasn’t even that long - less than a day.  I can’t imagine how you feel at this point.”

“Itchy,” Naomi replied without hesitation.  “Very itchy.  But also exhausted.”

“I’m sure.  You lost a lot of blood.  You’re going to need to take it easy for a little while longer.”

Naomi’s eyes widened, though she couldn’t help the twinkle of mischief nor the gleam of tears that shone from her eyes.  “Why, Eden… is that concern I hear in your voice??” her smile belying her nervousness.

“No!” Eden barked, though quietly enough that she didn’t draw Mordecai’s attention from Jacob.  “And if you tell anyone you thought so, I’ll have to do something drastic!  Got me??”

Naomi met the black eyes that gazed at her with nothing but fondness and disquiet.  “I got you, Eden.  No one will hear a word from me.”

“Good,” Eden nodded in complacency.  “I do have a reputation to uphold, you know.”  She squeezed the hand she still covered.  “I’m glad you’re gonna be all right, Mimi.”

Naomi swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded slowly.  “Thanks, Eden.  Me too.”  She cleared her throat again, and Eden reached for the water cup.  Naomi just shook her head.  “No, I’m fine, thank you.  I was just wondering how Jake is doing.”

“Well, Kai seems to think he’s holding his own pretty well right now.  He’s not taking the good stuff, which says something - although that may just prove his hardheadedness,” smirking when Naomi broke off a chuckle with a slight groan.  “Sorry,” she muttered.  “I’m actually waiting for Kai to finish up with whatever checkup type stuff he needed to do.  With a little luck, Jake will be awake for a few minutes so I can talk to him myself.”

“I’m glad he’s going to be all right.  You two are a cute couple.”

Eden chuckled wryly.  “We’re something all right,” seeing Mordecai motion her over to Jacob’s bedside.  “Get some rest, Mimi.  The more you rest, the better you’ll feel.. Trust me - been there, done that.”

“Night, Eden,” was Naomi’s response, and she closed her eyes even as Eden walked away without a backwards glance.  Mordecai met her halfway across the room.

“He’s awake and in a bit of pain.  I just gave him his next dose of meds, so you’ve got a few minutes to talk to him before they start making him sleepy and incoherent again.”

She squeezed his hand.  “Thanks, Kai.”  He squeezed back before releasing her hand, walking around her to get back to his corner to make the notations necessary in Jacob’s chart.  He expected Luke to be in shortly, and he wanted everything in the records before he turned them over.

Eden moved slowly towards Jacob’s bed, smiling slightly when he reached out his unencumbered hand toward her.  She placed her hand in his and let him tug on her gently, walking forward as though by his
strength.  He gave her a silly grin, and she cupped his face with her free hand.

“How ya feeling, Stud?”

“Not very studly,” he replied with a grin.  “I feel like I was on the losing side in a fight with a dragon.”

“Well, you’ll be thrilled to know you weren’t on the losing side, nor were you in a fight with a dragon.  A flagship star cruiser, on the other hand…”

“Damn - if I wasn’t on the losing side, I’d almost hate to think how that sorry bastard feels… ‘cause this thing is killing me,” flexing it just slightly and wincing in reflex.

“Pretty sure that asshat is burning in the depths of hohonu hahana ahi.  And the souls he took with him?” she smiled evilly.  “I imagine they will only add to the flames of his torment.”

“I have to say - I get a little bit of pleasure thinking about that.”

“Yeah, we all do.”  She clutched his hand tightly and met his eyes squarely.  “How are you doing, Jake… really?”

He sighed.  He knew Eden, more than anyone else, would call him on his bullshit.  “I’m sore and I’m tired and I hurt.  And I’m angry and sad and frustrated.  But I’m also thrilled I could be a hero and help someone who has unfailingly helped all of us.  And I’m intrigued and fascinated about this new tech I’m wearing.  There’s a lot going on in here right now,” raising both of their hands to motion around his head, “and I’m really not sure what to do with most of it.  Like I told Eli, she’s gonna have to let me feel the things I feel and work through them.  Pretty sure there’s gonna be some serious anger directed at her and myself in the next few days; there’s liable to be some pity parties too.  I’ll get through them, but I have to be allowed to feel these things for a little while.  I’m sure when I get accustomed to the fact that I can almost give you a run for your money in the strength department - at least as far as that one arm is concerned - we’ll have some fun with it.  But right now?  I’m exhausted and in quite a bit of pain.”

“Would you do it again… even if Az didn’t ask?”

“In a freaking heartbeat.  This is family - it’s what you do for family - and I’m proud beyond words that she asked… that she trusted me enough to know I could do this.  I just… I don’t think I’m just going to be able to smile and act like everything is all right… not at first.”  He gave her a crooked smile.  “Of course, I could surprise myself and everyone else.”

“Remind me tomorrow to get you the specs on your new arm.  Maybe seeing what it’s capable of will help make things more bearable.”

Jacob frowned, eyes half closed.  “Why tomorrow?” he asked, starting to slur.  Eden just smiled.

“Pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to read the fine print at this point.”  She lifted their hands to her lips and brushed a kiss over the back of his knuckles.  “Go to sleep, Jake.  I’ll stop back by when my shift is over.”

“Night, Babe.”

“Sweet dreams, Lover.”  She waited until his breathing slowed and deepened, then she loosened his hold on her hand.  Then she offered Mordecai a tiny wave, and walked out of the infirmary.

************

Jake didn’t see the specs the next day, nor even the day after that.  He’d had to break down and ask for the good stuff, as the reality of losing a limb came home to him in a very tangible way.  There was phantom pain despite the fact that he had a new arm, and it was excruciating.  That alone was nearly unbearable, but the fact that he was weak enough to need to ask for the good stuff was just fuel to the fire of his anger.  He was taking it out on everyone that came near him - including Eden, but most especially Eli, because she was usually the one closest to him, and she simply let him have his head.  She more than most understood where he was coming from and how he felt, but it didn’t lessen the impact of the words and vitriol he hurled in her direction.

This day - three days after his surgery - had been the worst of all, and her only saving grace was she alone had been present to hear the anger and hatred directed at her as he reminded her she was the freak Isaac claimed she was, and accused her of deliberately causing his injury to make him less than her.  The words had hurt, but Eli had stood there stoically, remembering his words about needing to process his emotions in his own way and time.  She chanced to wonder, however, how much of what he was spewing in the heat of the moment was based in what he believed was truth and not the desire to hurt her like he was currently hurting.  That thought made his words even worse.

She wouldn’t get the chance to ask, though.  Arianna had seen and felt what this was doing to her, and she was going to put a stop to it… one way or another.

************

“So, do you feel like a big man now, Jake?” she asked without prelude as she stepped through the door an making a beeline for him before Eli could interfere..  “Does it make you feel better to take out your anger and frustration on the one person who truly doesn’t deserve your attitude??”

“Stay out of this, Az.  She did this to me.”

“No,” glaring at him before he could interrupt.  “No, I’m not staying out of this and no, she didn’t do this to you.  She is my mate, and it is my right and my privilege to stand up for her… especially when she won’t stand up for herself because she thinks you deserve the right to vent no matter how much you’re hurting her.  Also, if anyone did this to you, *I* did.  I’m the one who sent you out after her when Mischief managed to knock her for a loop.  So if you’re going to blame anyone, you better start with me.”

“Because you could have made me go?” he snorted.

“Because I sent you, and you went without hesitation.  She didn’t do anything but try to protect us all.  She would have died for us, Jake.”  She grasped his face in her hands so she could look directly into his eyes.  “But you’re killing her with what you’re doing to her now.”

He teared up then, and turned away.  “I don’t… I’m not….  It hurts so much, Az.  And even when I touch this one - even when I can feel it with the same nerve endings I could with my real arm - I can still feel my real arm like it was still there.  And the good stuff - it’s giving me nightmares.  I see her coming after me instead of going after Mischief.  I see her causing the destruction of this ship instead of the Storm Surge.  I hear his laughter and I see her face….”  He shook his head.  “It’s all messed up and twisted and I can’t even tell what’s real anymore.”

“Then you need to talk to someone.  If not Eli, then Luke or Eden or even me.  But you need to let us help you, or you’re going to destroy us all.  We’re going to come apart at the seams.”  She turned his head towards her again, and wiped his tears.  “It’s okay to feel, Jake.  It’s okay to be angry.  But you can’t keep taking it out on Eli or anyone else.  You need to channel that focus into getting better.”

“Listen to her, Dude,” Aphrodite said from the doorway.  “That kind of hatred is what poisoned Ares, and what allowed Mischief to become what he did.  You don’t want that; you don’t need that kind of crap in your life.  I might not be able to fix things, but I guarantee I’m a great listener, and you need that right now.”

Jacob nodded slowly.  “Maybe I do,” he agreed.  “But first, I need to get off this medicine, and I owe Eli some kind of an apology.”  He looked around.  “Where is she anyway?  I’m surprised she didn’t come out here the minute you walked in.  She has every other time someone’s shown up.”

Arianna grinned. “Isaac was kind enough to have a minor emergency, and fortunately, Luke was up to his eyeballs in an experiment.”

Jacob’s eyebrows went into his hairline.  “You tricked her?” asked with a smirk.

“Only a little.”

“Only a little what?” Eli asked as she stepped back into the room, giving him a hard look trying to determine what was really going on.  She turned to Arianna, satisfied that whatever it was, Jacob had been smart enough to leave her alone.  “Is there a problem?”

“I want to take a look at his arm.  I think it needs some adjustment.  That might help with his pain levels, and I think if we can get that straightened out, a lot of the rest will solve itself.”

Eli stared at her for a moment longer, then nodded briskly.  “Do what you have to.  I’ll be in my office if you need me.  Aphrodite, could I speak to you a moment?” suddenly realizing she was there, though not as surprised by it as she should have been.  Aphrodite nodded, and reached Jacob’s hand.

“You let me know when, and I’ll make myself available, all right?”

“All right,” he agreed softly before she walked off into Eli’s office.  “Doc?” he spoke before Eli could turn away to follow her.  “Could we get me off the good stuff and back onto the regular meds?  It’s giving me nightmares and hallucinations, and I’m having a real hard time figuring out what’s real and what’s not.”  She nodded shortly, and move to swiftly change his pain meds back to something that wouldn’t erase the pain, but would make it manageable.  Before she could disappear, he clutched at her arm and she froze.  “I’m sorry, Eli.  I know that’s not nearly enough considering what I’ve put you through the last few days, but maybe it could be a start.  And maybe we could talk when you’re done with Aphrodite.”

Eli stared at him a moment to gauge his sincerity, then she said quietly.  “All right, Jake.”  And without a word she walked back to her office.  Jacob laid back, and let Arianna start to work on his new arm.


Chapter LXV

“I asked you all here,” Jacob started quietly, motioning around sick bay with his undamaged hand while not actually meeting anyone’s eyes, “so you can all hear the apologies I have to offer.  I have no excuse for the things I said.  Yes, I was in pain, and yes, I was having nightmares and hallucinations, but the fact was, I could have said something.  I could have talked to Eli or Luke or hell… any of you, and we could have fixed the situation before it got so out of hand.  Instead, I let my pride get in the way, and I hurt every single one of you in some way.  I said horrible things, knowing I could hurt you with them, and taking some sort of twisted delight in watching you squirm… because then at least I wasn’t alone in my pain.  And all of you took it at first, trying to understand, but eventually, each of you but one called me out on it, and you stopped coming by.  Well, all but three of you quit coming by, but I’m fairly certain Luke was only here because of his schedule, and to give Eli a break.  Otherwise, I doubt he would have been here either.  Eden… Eden I expected to be here, though I have to give her credit - she was a lot more patient with me than I would have been - but even she told me off… right before Az came in and read me the riot act.  Eli’s the only one who took every mean remark… every cruel jab… every hateful and hurtful word I uttered and continued to not only treat me as her patient, but also as her friend.  She never once showed I was getting to her at all, and that just made me want to hit harder and more painfully.  I knew it was her guilt over what had happened that kept her from reacting, and I took advantage of that.”

Jacob sat quietly with his head bowed, concentrating on his breathing.  Eli reached a hand over and covered his wrist, jumping in surprise when his mechanical hand lightly covered her own.  She stilled, and for a long moment, he didn’t move either.  Then he raised his head to meet her eyes.  “I’m sorry, Eli.  I know it doesn’t fix anything or make anything better or right.  But I am really, truly sorry - for what I did; for what I said; for general asshattery and dickishness.  I have no excuse.”  He looked down and cleared his throat, then brought his eyes back up to meet hers.  “Aphrodite and I have been talking a lot in the past couple days, and I know I have a lot to make up for.  Apologies are just so many words, and nothing is going to make it better until I’ve got some actions to back them up.  But for now, I’m offering you the most sincerest apology I know how to give.  And I promise, I will do everything I know to do to win back your trust… and your forgiveness.”

Eli dropped her eyes to their hands and bit her lip.  The truth was, she was more than a little angry and hurt.  She was furious, and part of her ached with utter sadness from Jacob’s spiteful words.  But the rest of her - it knew that they were going to have to get around this.  They were family and teammates, and they were stuck with one another.  The only way they were going to be successful was if they got past this and learned to trust each other again.  She sighed.

“I’m not going to lie, Jake.  Some of the things you said….”  She trailed off for a moment and closed her eyes before opening them again as she caught his.  “They hurt… a lot. But the fact of the matter is, they were just words.  They were mean, spiteful words, but they were still only words.  And you were under the influence of something beyond your control.”  She sighed.  “I wished you’d said something - about the pain and the nightmares.  Maybe we could have avoided all this.  But the truth is, we’ve faced a lot worse than this together and come through all right.  We’ll get through this too.  We have to.  We can’t afford to let something like this come between us.  We need each other.”

Jacob clasped her hand gently between both of his and brought it to his forehead.  “Thank you… thank you, Eli. You don’t know what this means to me.”

She lifted her free hand to his head and stroked his hair lightly.  “Yes, I do, Jake.  I’ve been where you are, and I was given a second chance as well.  Besides, what kind of leader would it make me if I expected us all to be perfect… especially when I know perfectly well I’m not?  I think you need to talk to everyone one-on-one and sort your things out with them first.  I know none of what you said is truly significant, but that’s how big issues start - little ones left untended.  Take care of Eden; apologize to Arianna.  When you’re done and you feel up to it, come to me and we’ll talk.  Who knows - maybe all this will make us stronger together.”

“I think it will,” Arianna piped up.  “Because we are too damned fool stubborn to let it beat us,” drawing a laugh from the rest.

“Besides,” Isaac chimed in, “if I can be forgiven, you sure can.  You just said some words.  I tried to separate Az and the Doc - almost physically.  Pretty sure mine was way worse.”

“Either way, it’s gonna have to wait, Cap’n,” Paul said as he looked up from his Pad where he’d been monitoring the bridge.  “We’re within range of the Nebula, and it looks like we’re not alone.”

At his words, the rest scattered to their posts, though Arianna gave Eli a lingering hand clasp before she exited the infirmary.  Eli closed her eyes for a moment and centered herself, focusing until she felt Arianna settle.  She smiled.  It was good to have that bond back in place, even though they were back to the much more natural progression they’d experienced before the whole god-thing had interfered and ramped things up beyond reason.  A light touch on her hand brought her back to her current reality, satisfied that Arianna would be able to feel her at least.

“Sorry,” she apologized to Paul even as she patted Jacob’s mechanical arm as a way of saying thank you.  “Got caught up thinking.  What have we got, Paulie?” extending her hand for his Pad.  He handed it to her without hesitation, and she frowned at what was on the screen.  Jacob tapped her shoulder.

“May I?” holding his hand out.  She hesitated only briefly before she passed him the Pad, the Captain winning out over the Doctor.  Jacob’s brows crawled into his hairline as frown deepened.  He turned to Paul.  “Can you out this up on a bigger screen… or maybe the wall?”

Paul took the Pad back from him and with a few adjustments had the picture on the wall screen that Eli normally used for explaining diagnoses to them.  “Better?”

Jacob continued to frown, but nodded, sitting up and starting to slide from the bed.  A hand on his chest stopped him.  “What are you…?”

“I need to get closer,” he told Eli.  “I think I know….  Can you help me, please?  I need a better look.”  Without a word, Paul went to one side while Eli held up the other, and together they got Jacob on his feet and slowly shuffling towards the screen.  Jacob studied them for a moment, letting his hand trace the outline of the two ships he could see.  “Those are Alliance ships - Black Ops, if I’m not mistaken.  There is every chance they are there for Mary, but if they’re not….”  He looked at them both, met their eyes squarely.  “If they’re not, it might be prudent to have a couple planet killers ready and waiting… just in case.”

Paul let his eye slide to Eli who gave him the barest nod of her head.  He immediately moved away from them to contact Arianna and Isaac, letting them know to put the emergency measures in place.  Meanwhile, Eli turned back to Jacob, whose focus had returned to the screen in front of him.

“What are you thinking, Jake?  What does your gut tell you?”

Jacob sighed in relief, realizing with those words that Eli still trusted him, and feeling a burden roll from his shoulders with her faith in him.  “My gut says they are probably out here at Mary’s behest.  After all, we’re not anywhere near where they expected us to be by this point, and we haven’t been in contact with them at all since we left.  Common sense says if we ran into trouble, the Nebula would likely be the cause, given its history with spacecraft, so I’m guessing she’s hedging her bets trying to find us… or at least trying to find out what happened to us.  She knows, knowing our final destination, that this phenomenon is on our most likely trajectory, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some scientific person somewhere is monitoring the Nebula and witnessed the explosion that took place.  She’d be one of the few with the resources and knowledge to have ships come looking for us… if only for her peace of mind, and that she could offer to our parents.”  He looked up and noticed the grimace on Eli’s face.  “What’s the look for?”

“If she’s looking for us, and she knows about the explosion, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble when she gets over her relief of knowing we’re all right.”

“Oh shit,” he mumbled as Paul came back toward them.

“Everything’s set, Boss,” he announced without noticing their unease.  “I need to get to the bridge.”

“Help me get Jake back into bed, please, and then….”

“If you can set me up a small station or let me stay close to this screen, I can help monitor things from here.  I can’t do much else, but I need to do something to contribute.  Please, Eli.”

Eli met his eyes, and after a moment, gave a reluctant nod.  She knew how frustrating it was to feel useless, and another pair of eyes - especially as sharp as Jacob’s - couldn’t hurt.  “Help me get him into bed, Paulie.  Then I’ll get him set up and join you on the bridge.”

Paul nodded, and in just a moment, Jacob was ensconced once more in his bed, wide-eyed and excited for the first time in days.  He didn’t even ask for pain meds; instead, he impatiently waited for his Pad  to be handed to him, smiling in something akin to relief when it was in his hands once more.  He was still extremely careful with his mechanical hand… mostly because he was unused to the strength of it, though he already had far greater control than he’d expected, thanks to Arianna’s adjustments.  Still, he didn’t want to destroy the opportunity he had to get back to work by crushing his own Pad, so for now he kept it mostly on the table Eli had brought over for his use.

“I’ll be on the bridge,” Eli reminded him as she placed a couple food packets and some water on the table beside him.  “And everyone else is at their emergency duty stations.  Someone can be here in minutes if you need….”

“Eli, I’m fine.  I promise.  And if I really need help that badly, I’m sure someone who is in one of the labs down here will be able to give me a quick hand.  Go do your Captain thing, Cap’n.  We can’t go home until we finish up with this, and to be honest?  I’m ready to go home.”

Eli gave him a crooked, little smile.  “Yeah… I think we all are.”

“Good.  Now go assure Mary’s little minion’s that we’re all all right, and let’s get the hell outta Dodge.”

Eli didn’t even question his euphemism, but simply nodded her agreement and headed to the bridge.

************

“So the good news is we’re all in much better shape than we had any right to expect to be.  Given what we’re seeing of the Nebula… or what was once the Nebula,” Matt corrected, “we should have been blown to kingdom come.  As it is, we suspect - and Gray and her scientists agree - that we were protected by the Nebula itself.  It put some kind of force field in place that kept our engines from overloading and exploding in the aftermath of whatever happened here.”

“And you don’t know what happened?” Mary asked, shifting uncomfortably with a wince.  Eve made a move to help, but she shook her head minutely.  They could worry about the pain she was in when this transmission was over.  She didn’t want to chance any distractions when she finally had two of the three captains she’d had looking for the Alpha Team face-to-face in real time.

“With eyewitness certainty?” Grayson asked.  “No. We’re still having a bit of difficulty cleaning up the interference all the activity caused in the buoys we left.  “But I feel pretty confident saying the Nebula protected us when it took the Storm Surge out and the subsequent explosion helped form the new solar system we’re seeing now.”

“We agree over here, Chief,” Matt confirmed.  “The only thing we can’t explain are the life signs on the planet down there.”

Mary sighed.  “Well, it stands to reason that if the Nebula could protect you three and hopefully those kids, it certainly could have protected whatever life forms it had kept hidden within its folds for however long.  Are you certain the kids got away?  And where is Hank?”

“We both saw some sort of bright flash - like engines engaging - just before everything else went to hell.  And apparently, Hank got thrown further out than either of us did.  We expect him here in the next couple days at his present speed.”

Mary nodded and pinched the bridge of her nose.  “All right.  I think you two need to check out that new system and whatever life is there. We all know that the Council is going to want as much pertinent, first-hand information it can obtain, and since you’re already right there….”

“How are you going to explain that, Chief… if they ask, I mean?”

Mary grinned.  “I’m pretty confident they won’t ask,” her words causing Even and Caleb to chuckle in the background.  Matt and Grayson exchanged amused glances over their viewscreens.  “They’re learning that sometimes, it best just to accept the providence that God provides and move on.  Too many questions usually bring answers they don’t want or can’t handle.”

This time there was outright guffawing from both sides of the screen, before Caleb patiently wiped his eyes and shook his head.  “Ah, Chief… your mastery for understatement is truly unmatched.”

“Gotta concur, Chief,” Grayson said, even as Matt nodded vigorously. “However, I’m not one of those people.  Are you all right?  I mean, no offense, but you look like… <ahem> let’s just say the last few months seem to have taken a worse toll than normal… even for a screwed up mission cluster like this one has been.”

Mary smirked a little.  “Ah, Gray - still as blunt as always, hmm?  The truth is, this assignment has been more than a little harsh for me.  There were some… complications from the wound I suffered when we were trying to get those kids out of the mountain several months ago.  The good news is that Eve here seems to be on top of things, and they think they’ve got me all straightened out now.  I just need a little more time for rest and recovery.”

“Wow, I don’t envy her or anyone else assigned to that particular task.  We love you, Chief, but you’ve never been good at that whole ‘resting’ thing.”

“Still not, but I am trying.  I’ve got too much living left to do to allow something like this take me out.  Besides, I’m as anxious as the rest of you to find out about those kids.  And that reminds me - did we hear you all say something about seeing a dragon?” Feeling Eve’s gaze snap up and over her, but keeping her focus on the two captains in front of her.

“We did,” Matt confirmed.  “It was… we’re still not positive where it came from - whether it was from the Storm Surge or if it was part of the Nebula or….”

“I got the impression it was from the Outreach, though I don’t recall seeing anything like that in the specs we saw.  I suppose it could have been one of those things that those kids came up with as an unorthodox means of defense.  I’ll admit it scared the crap out of me when I first saw it… mostly because it was completely unexpected.”

“Why do you think it was connected to the Outreach?”

Grayson shrugged.  “Mostly because the Nebula seemed intent on protecting it.  It actually knocked it back towards the Outreach shortly before everything blew.”  She shrugged again.  “It was just a little bizarre, because there seemed to be a concerted effort on the part of the Nebula to ensure that the dragon was safe along with the kids.”
“This dragon,” Eve cut in, stepping into the frame.  “Can you describe it?”

“It was beautiful - iridescent green skin and scales that tapered into blue, then purple, then black.  The wings were black feathered.  I couldn’t see the eyes very clearly, but they appeared to be golden from a distance.  I know it has some kind of fire power; that was what jumpstarted the engines on the Storm Surge.  Pretty sure that’s what caused the explosion, actually.”

Eve covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to keep her reaction to herself.  Mary reached out and caught her free hand, and she squeezed tightly.  “You’re sure the dragon got away?” Mary asked.

“As much as we can be sure of anything,” Grayson replied.  “The Nebula seemed intent on protecting everything but the Storm Surge.”

“Do we know the reason behind that?”

“Other than the ship seemed intent on destroying everything in this region?  Not a clue.”

“All right.  You two stay in the area for a little while - do some surveys; study the life forms, and make contact if you feel it’s prudent.  Gather as much information as you can on the new solar system as a whole.  A week… maybe two, unless it seems like you need more time to find some answers.  Otherwise, collect your data and send it on.  Then you can go back to your regular patrols.”

“What about those kids?”

“Don’t wait for them.  If they were blasted safely away, they should be on their way to their new home, and they won’t be returning to the Nebula.  If they didn’t, there’s nothing left to wait for.  Either way, we should know eventually… because either they will show up at their new home base or they won’t.”

“And your gut feeling?  C’mon, Chief… you’ve gotta have some idea of what you expect to happen.”

“I expect they’ll be settling on that moon soon enough.  Both of you are insistent that they got away, and I’m inclined to believe you.  Besides, a little positive thinking won’t hurt anything,” watching them nod their agreement.  “I want this channel kept live and open while you are doing your investigations.  I want to know everything that’s going on.  I’ll expect reports at regular intervals - say every four hours - and of course immediately if something of interest happens.  There’ll be someone monitoring here constantly, and I can be reached in minutes.”

“Will do, Chief.  How long do you want us to stay here?”

Mary sighed.  “Give it a week, and we’ll revisit this topic.  You’ll probably have all the information we need then, but just in case….”

“You got it, chief.  Meanwhile, let Caleb and the Doc there take care of you.  You’re looking a little rough around the edges and if it can be fixed with some rest….”

Mary laughed aloud.  “Gray, only you would be ballsy enough to say that out loud.  None of the boys would dare.”

“Because we like how we live just fine, Chief.  No man with sense would ever say that to a woman.  Another woman, however….”  Matt chuckled as he shrugged.  “There’s a reason I’ve been happily married as long as I have.  However, we’ve got work to do.  We’ll talk to you in a few Chief.”

“Later, guys,” Mary said as she signed off.  Then she leaned back and closed her eyes.  She needed just a minute before she had to face Eve.


Chapter LXVI

Caleb met Mary’s eyes, and cleared his throat.  “Um… Chief?  If you don’t have anything else for me, I’ve got a couple pressing issues I need to take care of.  Gideon needs to be informed to set his team up for round-the-clock monitoring of the open channel with the black ops ships, and Adam and Ben both need to be brought up to speed on what’s going on.  Plus, they’re due to report in on Beta and Gamma Teams.”

Mary reached out her free hand and squeezed lightly.  “Go.  I’ll be here when you get done and you can catch me up then.”

Caleb nodded as he returned her clasp before releasing her hand.  “Is there anything else you need from me?”

Mary turned to Eve.  “Do you need Noah?” watching her shake her head.  “We’re good for now… except, can you make sure everyone’s gotten home safely?  I’m sure I would have heard if there were delays in them leaving, but.…”

“Will do, chief.  Be back in a bit.”

The two women waited until he exited the room and closed the door behind him before Eve tugged gently on the hand still holding hers.  This time Mary let go - knowing with her strength, Eve could easily have forced the issue before - and allowed Eve to walk away.  She didn’t go far - only as far as the door to make certain it was closed, and locking it to keep things private.  Mary leaned back against the pillows propped against the headboard, and crossed her arms, waiting for Eve to speak.  When she did, it was almost exactly the deflection Mary expected.

“How are you feeling, Mary?  I saw you wince; I know there’s still a lot of pain… more than there should be.”

“There’s pain - I’ll deal.  I’m not going to take something that’s going to put me out of my mind.  And you’re deflecting.”

Eve shrugged.  “Maybe a little.  But the fact is, I’m a healer first… especially right now.”

“No… you’re a mama first - that’s only natural… especially right now.  So, what’s going on with you?”  She winced again as she tried shifting her leg without thought.  “We’ll take care of this in a bit, I promise, but I need to know what’s going on with you.  Why did you react so strongly to my guys seeing what they thought was a dragon?  Does it have something to do with Eli?”

Eve clasped her hands together and brought them to her lips, pacing in front of the door until Mary grew impatient, and slapped the bed.  Then she grimaced.  Eve moved swiftly to her side.  “This is why I’m concerned,” pulling the blankets away from Mary’s lower body.  “The slightest little movement or touch shouldn’t feel so… debilitating.”  She ran her fingers over the massive scar with the lightest touch she could manage, and still Mary flinched before she grasped her hands.

“It’s not debilitating.  It’s just pain.  In fairness, it’s more pain than I expected to have.  I think I’d gotten used to the pain I had, and I was able to block a lot of it.  But this is new and different and it’s all over, because the surgery affected my entire body in one way or another.  It’ll get better, though to be honest, I’d love the chance to sit and soak in a steaming hot tub for a couple hours.”

Eve looked thoughtful.  “We might be able to manage that… if you don’t mind company.  I’m not sure leaving you alone would be the wisest course of action,” holding up a hand before Mary could speak.  “If you fell asleep, I’m not sure your body is strong enough to hold you up yet.”

“Yeah, I’m going to go ahead and say no.”

Eve chuckled.  “At least we’re both on the same page.  I’ll tell you what - let me get Aurora down here to help me, and we’ll see about getting you into the tub for a while.  It can’t hurt, and it might help you relax a little.”

“And then you’ll share about the dragon?”

“As long as you give me an update on what’s going on with you and Caleb.  Something’s changed.”

“Deal,” Mary agreed after a moment’s hesitation.  “We’re family after all, right?”

“Right, Chief!” Eve replied, earning her a glare.  She just laughed and went to find Aurora.

************

“Okay,” Mary said after releasing a deeply held breath.  “That was about as much work as I can manage for a while,” grimacing as she leaned back against the tub wall.  She sighed again.  “On the other hand, this feels mighty good.  Thank you, ladies.  I feel like I might actually get clean for the first time in ages.”

“Thank you for allowing us to help,” Aurora said quietly.  “I have to admit - I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite as prideful… or stubborn… as you are, Mary.  And given who I am and who I know, that is truly saying something.”  Her comment brought a snort from Mary and full-fledged laughter from Eve.  Aurora smiled in sympathy.  “Your boys insisted on airing out your room and changing the linens while you’re in the bath - something about getting rid of the sick smell.”

Mary smiled.  “Yes.  It’s a ritual left over from when they were kids.  Whenever anyone was sick, the first thing I did when they started feeling better was air out the room and change the sheets.  That was how they knew they were on the road to recovery… even if we did it more than once.”

“At least it’s warm now.  I can’t imagine airing out anything in the dead of winter.”

“Oh, it can be done.  It’s just a little more complicated.”

“I’ll bet,” Aurora countered.  “I’m glad it’s warmer though.”  She turned to Eve.  “I don’t know how you survive in cold climates.”

Eve shrugged.  “I think it’s all in what you’re used to.  If it gets much warmer here, I’m going to have to find a way to stay cool.”

“So this steamy bathroom?” Mary asked, motioning around them.

“Not the most pleasant, but not the worst I’ve experienced… especially since I know it is very temporary.  Is it helping?”

“It seems to be,” Mary replied as she sank further into the warmth.  “I feel much more relaxed.”

“Good.  So, tell us about you and Caleb.”

Aurora’s eyes widened and she sat up straighter.  “Really?” Looking between Mary and Eve.  “Is there something to tell finally?”

“Yes.”
“No.”

Eve met Mary’s eyes, and Mary shook her head.  “No, there is nothing to tell.  Not until I hear about this dragon.”

“Dragon??” Aurora repeated, though she was subtly ignored.

“Always the Chief, Mary?” Eve sighed in defeat.

“Always.  Remember that stubborn pride thing Aurora mentioned?  Yeah… it’s what makes me good at what I do.  Pretty sure it’s also kept me alive a time or two.”

“Dragon??” Aurora repeated again.

“Pretty sure you’re right… especially this last time.”

“Excuse me?!?”  Aurora finally interrupted loudly enough to be heard.  “What. Dragon???”

Eve sighed again.   “Sit back, and I’ll tell you,” waiting for Aurora to relax back against the wall she’d been leaning against.  “My people have a legend about our origins, as I’m sure both of yours do as well,” waiting for them to nod.  When they did, she stood and walked to the door, before taking a stance in front of it.  “Our legend says when the gods dropped us on our planet, each god took a clan and blessed it with something unique - a trait that would make each clan stand out from the others.  And at first, we were pitted against one another as part of their games and wagers.  Eventually, though, as time passed, the clans cross-married and intermingled, so our gifts became more like a lottery; it depended on your genetics as well as the whims of the gods.  But every child was granted a gift - extraordinary sight; exceptional hearing; super speed; flight; a mind that could compute faster than a machine or that was strong enough to physically move things - a single gift that they could utilize as a warrior.  You get the idea.”  She sighed.  “Once in a while, and only very, very rarely, a child would be born with every gift, and that child also had the ability to transform itself into another creature entirely - sometimes a gryphon or a unicorn, or occasionally a phoenix, but the strongest and most powerful would transform into a dragon.  It’s said to be more than a little dangerous, especially for the one doing the transformation, because everything becomes about feeling and emotion, and much of the reactions it has are dependent on instinct.  It takes time and practice to be able to control what otherwise could be a wild, untamed personality, and they are exempt from service because they are so rare.  They’re almost revered as gods themselves.”

When Eve fell silent and remained so, Mary cleared her throat softly.  “When was the last time one such gifted appeared to your people?”

“Recorded history puts our last одаренный as some time around one hundred cycles ago.  Our last dragon, however, has not been seen in over three hundred.”

“And you believe Eli is the dragon my ships’ captains saw?”

“I cannot come up with another viable explanation.  But I should have known about this.  If this is her, she put herself in so much danger by not telling me… by not getting the training that she needed to learn control.  Why would she risk it?? Why wouldn’t she tell me??”

“You answered your own question earlier,” Aurora replied softly.  “You yourself said she would have been made to stay on your planet - to not serve or participate in anything like any other normal member of your society.  Just from the little I know of Eli, and the bits my mija shared with me in the missive she wrote me before they left, Eli was too strong a person and personality to allow herself to be worshipped.  She would have withered and died.”

“But…?”

“By not telling you, she eliminated any chance of you being put into an untenable position.  As her mother, your heart would have gladly sent her on her way… to be part of the Alpha Team.  That’s what you did, after all - you gave her your blessing and let her go, knowing it was what was best for her.  But as a Shamaness, and as the leader of your people, you would have been required to tie her to a destiny she didn’t want, and that would have broken her sooner rather than later.  In not telling you, she spared you that choice.”

Eve blinked.  “That’s quite some insight.”

Aurora smiled bashfully.  “I’ve had much time to think about a great many things in recent months.”

“Speaking of….” Mary spoke up from the bathtub where she was reclined with her eyes closed.  “Why are you still here?  Not that you’re not welcome - like Eve and Noah, you’re family now, and family is always welcome.  Eve is still here, despite my protests otherwise, because she is apparently my primary physician thanks to Eli.  But I know you both have responsibilities elsewhere.”

“I was wondering when you were going to bring this up again.”

“Chief,” Mary responded succinctly.  “It’s my job to hold all the reins and make sure everyone and everything is taken care of.”  She looked between the two women.  “So?”

Aurora sighed.  “With everything that’s been going on - with Fernando’s incarceration and Arianna’s departure for what amounts to the rest of her life, I have put things in motion to change our method of government.  I have been staying away to allow the people to choose what they want without feeling like I am hawking over them like some sort of powerful spectre demanding they go one way or another.”

“And how’s that working out for you?” Eve asked.

“Surprisingly well, actually.  It looks like they are going to vote for a democratic monarchy.  So I will still be the Queen, but there will be a democratic electorate in place to allow the people to participate in the direction of the government.  I think it will be a good thing for my planet… and my people.”

“So until a decision is made, you’re at loose ends?”

“Somewhat, I suppose, but not really,” Aurora agreed gently.  “This has given me ample reason to step back and take stock of many things, and to connect with those who are now my family.  I am hoping to have more time and opportunity to spend here,” looking at Mary, “because we have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Yes,” Eve agreed, “and I plan to be part of that.”  She held up a hand.  “I know I am the leader and Head Shamaness of my people, but it is past time I started training an apprentice to follow in my footsteps.  Besides, we have a number of healers on my planet, and there are many things I can handle from a distance… at least for a little while.  I am hoping eventually to get you all to visit my home for a little while; to let me introduce you to everyone and everything there.”

“I wouldn’t be adverse to that,” Mary said.

“Good,” from Aurora.  “Me either.  But first I want to hear all about you and Caleb.”  She looked between Mary and Eve.  “What have I missed?”

“Same thing I did,” Eve commented.  “I only know something changed… and recently too.”  She turned back to Mary.  “So what happened?”

Mary closed her eyes and sighed, but couldn’t contain the blush that covered her cheeks.  “You remember a few days ago when Nathaniel came to me about Joseph and the Storm Surge?  Well, we had a good long talk - Nathaniel and I did, after the rest of you left for the evening.”  She met both sets of eyes fiercely.  “What I say here, stays here… between us,” watching eyes widen even as heads nodded.  “We talked about him and Joseph - about their lives together and their plans for the future.  And then he asked me to give Caleb a chance… a real chance to be more than just my friend and confidante.  He said, ‘Mama, if Caleb finds out I said this to you, I’m all kinds of a dead man.  But the fact is, that man loves you like crazy, and you’d be a damn fool not to see that… not to return that kind of love and devotion.  I know what you and Dad had was real and wonderful and amazing.  But you’ve got a second chance to have something like that again.  Why wouldn’t you jump on an opportunity like that??  Let me tell you something - if Dad was here right now… not like returned to life, but able to speak to you from beyond the grave… he’d tell you to choose Caleb and be happy.’ When I asked him how he knew, he told me to talk to Ian; he’d said enough.  So I talked to Ian.  He told me Edward had sat them down when they got into high school; reminded them that they were the men of the family when he was gone, and that it was their responsibility to keep an eye on their sister and me… but mostly me, because I was already taking care of them and their sister.  And he apparently told them flat out that if the day ever came when he was gone, and I had the opportunity to find happiness again, they needed to make sure I took the chance I was offered… especially if Caleb was the one who offered it to me.”  She sighed.  “Apparently Edward knew how Caleb felt about me, but he also knew he was too honorable to do anything about his feelings as long as Edward was alive.”

“Did they say how he knew… about Caleb, I mean?”

“No. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised to know that Edward and Caleb actually talked about it - you know, in that abbreviated way men talk about anything that resembles feelings among themselves. Maybe one day I’ll ask Caleb… if we ever get to that point.”

“So you’re not there yet?”

“Um… no.  Not yet.  I’m not quite sure where we are at the moment… because things are a little complicated.”

“Of course they are,” Eve commented.  “How else would they be with you?”

Mary stuck out her tongue, and the other two laughed.

“So your boys essentially gave you Edward’s blessing from the grave?” Aurora asked, trying to bring the conversation back around to Mary and Caleb.

“Something like that, yes.  Still, I wasn’t going to be the one to make the first move.  I just… I couldn’t - beyond giving him an opportunity to be heard.”

“I take he did… finally make his move, I mean?”

Mary smiled softly.  “He did.  I had told him before - right after we met with the Council and I was exonerated; when things were all crazy and we were trying to confirm everything going on in the Nebula and the fact the kids were alive out there somewhere… when we got the first garbled transmission from the buoys Grayson and the boys had left behind - I had told him that maybe we needed to talk.  Of course, things kind of took the fast track to hell in a hand basket, and then I collapsed.  And we’ve been pretty busy since then… especially with me out of it for way too long.  But he came to me last night and….”

“Mama?” Joy called out from the bedroom, even as she knocked on the door.  “Can I come in?”

Mary nodded at Eve, who still stood in front of the door.  “Come on in, Baby Girl,” turning her head to meet Joy’s eyes as she crossed the threshold.  Eve ushered her in quickly and closed the door behind her swiftly.

“Sorry,” she apologized.  “I’m trying to keep the heat in.”

“Despite your own misery?” Joy asked with the hint of a smile.

“I’ll live.  It’s only for a little while, and I can’t have Mary catching a chill.  So was there a reason I let you into the sauna we’ve created here or…?”

“Oh!  Yes!”  Joy turned back to where Mary was lounging in the tub. “Mama, Caleb sent me to find you.  Matt just contacted us.  The Outreach just arrived back at the Nebula or the….”  She shrugged, then rushed to help Mary stand when she realized what she was struggling to accomplish.  She helped her to stand and kept her from wavering too badly.  “Whatever it is now.  He figured you’d want to be there.”  She was eased out of the way by Eve’s gentle hands.

“Grab her robe.  Aurora,” accepting the towel the other woman held out to her.  “Thank you.  Mary, let me lift you from the tub.  Aurora will help you maintain your balance while we get you dried off and into your robe.  Then we’ll go see what all the excitement is about.  Don’t think you’re getting out of finishing that story though - we’ll come back to that conversation later.”

Mary nodded.  It was taking all of her fortitude to remain upright, but she was determined to push through the weakness she felt.  It was time to start healing… from so many things.


Chapter LXVII

They did stop long enough to dress Mary in something other than her robe.  Despite the heat of summer, and the fact that the window in her room was wide open to let in the sunshine and the warmth, she still tended to chill quickly.  And Eve wasn’t about to let anything happen that could setback the slow healing she could actually perceive.  So a pair of comfortable pants and a long-sleeved top were added to a thick pair of socks before Mary was comfortably resettled in her bed.  She gave a sigh of exhaustion and relief.

“Well, I feel a lot better than I did,” she commented, “but damnation if I’m not weak as a newborn kitten.  I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“Maybe you should,” Eve offered, but was cut off by the shaking of Mary’s head before she could finish her thought.

“No,” Mary replied forcefully.  “Absolutely not.”  And in that moment, everyone in the room offered up a prayer of thanksgiving and a sigh of relief.  No matter what else, they were confident now that Mary would recover, because she had that old spark and fire in her eyes and voice, and her posture was as ramrod as she could make it.  “My responsibility,” she informed them, even as she let her body sag again in an effort to be as comfortable as could be managed.  She expected to be in one position for quite a little while once this started - might as well begin not in total misery.  She looked at Joy.  “Go fetch Caleb and Noah to me please, then come back and bring your brothers with you,” watching Joy beam before she raced out the door.  Mary looked at the two women still with her.  “Could one of you hand me my Pad, please?” gesturing to the dresser where it had been placed during the room cleaning.  “Then you might want to find a place up here to sit,” patting the mattress gently.  “It’ll be the best way for you to see.”

“Will you be comfortable?” Eve asked.

Mary rolled her eyes.  “Probably not.  But I wouldn’t deny either of you the possibility of speaking to your child, and it’s time to quit babying me and this damned leg.  Things to do; life to live; et cetera….  It’s time I was a little more proactive, and what better reason than this?”

Eve motioned Aurora to take Mary’s good side and waited until she eased down before she moved around to the other side of the bed.  “This is going to hurt a little, and I apologize, but I’ll be as gentle as I can,” wincing in tandem with Mary as she slid into place.  “You let me know if it gets to be too much.  We’ll figure something else out.”  Mary nodded and blew out a breath.

“Chief?” Caleb asked as he stuck his head in the open door.

“C’mon in, Caleb,” she beckoned a little breathlessly.  The pain was there, but not unbearable, and she relaxed a little more.  “Is Matt still onscreen?” booting the satellite connection to her Pad.

Caleb nodded.  “He and Grayson both.  We’ve got the screen split so you can see both of them as well as the Outreach just coming into the outer edges of the system.”

Mary frowned.  “What’s taking them so long?  Why are they moving so slowly?”  She expanded up her Pad until the viewscreen was decent sized and even Aurora and Eve could see everything clearly.  

“We think it’s because they’re not completely certain about Grayson and Matt.  They haven’t responded to any communications yet, but they may not be monitoring the same channels that we normally utilize.”  

“Chief, we’ve started running the gambit of frequencies, hoping to reach out to them before they start arming,” Matt spoke up.  Mary acknowledged his words with a nod, then turned to Caleb.

“Have Gideon try.  He should have the frequencies Joseph was using to establish long-range contact with that moon.”

“You got it, Chief.”

“Mama?” Ian greeted tentatively as he and his siblings entered the room.  She beckoned them in further.

“I thought you might want the chance to see your sister and her friends,” indicating the Pad and the image of the Outreach, just as the bottom half of the screen opened up to the bridge of the Outreach, and Eli’s surprised countenance.

“How did you…?”

“Chief?”
“Mama?”
“Daughter?”
“MaTb?”
“Mija?”

Mary whistled shrilly and Joy started laughing.  “Well, now that we’re all introduced to one another again….”

Eli held up her hand, and silence fell on all sides of the monitors.  She stood up and approached the viewscreen, concern and confusion etched on her face.  “Mary?  Are you all right?” noting the haggardness and exhaustion that seemed to hover around Mary’s person.  “Is there…?”

“I’m fine, Captain,” Mary responded with a small smile.  “My recovery is slow, but I promise you, I am recovering,” assuring Eli of her well-being while reminding her that, for now, there were official topics to address.  

“Understood, Chief,” shifting to greet Mary first in the most official way she knew how.  “Um… so what’s going on?  How can we help you?”

“First of all, how are things there?  Is everyone all right?”

A number of emotions flickered across Eli’s countenance before she nodded curtly.  “All things considered given the adventures we’ve had up to this point?  Yes.  A lot has happened since we saw you last, Chief.”

Mary nodded.  “I’m sure it has.  Is there a short version you can share?”

Eli turned and looked around the bridge before turning her back on the viewscreen and returning to her seat.  She dropped into the Captain’s chair and the screen widened to take a broader view of the bridge and those currently manning it, including Aphrodite.  “We had a run-in with some gods - one of which tried to eliminate us - and that caused the destruction of the Storm Surge and the Nebula, and the creation of the solar system you see now.  We don’t have any other details yet.”

Mary’s eyes widened and she swallowed hard, recognizing that so much of the story was being left unsaid.  She wondered how bad the truth really was.  “Well, at least part of that concurs with the things we already knew.  And everyone’s okay there?” feeling the women sitting on either side of her squirm with impatience.  She placed a hand on either leg to still them.

Eli blinked, her eyes hooded.  “As well as can be expected at the moment.”  She glanced to her right, and then looked back at Mary.  “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the two ships out here facing us, would you?”

Mary smiled again.  “I would indeed.  They are friends of mine; they’ve been searching for you for quite some time.  They actually found you just before everything blew to hell.  They’re the reason we know at least some of what happened.  They should be trying to reach you on the proper channel now.  If you’ll let them through, I’ll introduce you.”

Eli turned and nodded to Arianna, who sat at the comm station, and in moments, Matt and Grayson were on the screen beside Mary.  She introduced them to the Alpha Team and then added, “They are going to remain in the area for the next several days.  There are life signs on at least one planet they want to investigate, and this will give you all a chance to talk to your folks once more before you head out into the vast unknown again.”

“We’re not going to be here that long, Chief… just long enough to drop off Cupid and Aphrodite.  It’s their family that’s down on the planet.  That’s why we came back.”

“I can’t wait to hear that story; and your families aren’t that far away.  They only left out of here earlier this morning, and Caleb has already notified them of their need to return,” watching him nod his agreement.  “Matt and Grayson - and Hank, when he gets here - will keep an eye out on things.”  She tilted her head slightly, wondering at Eli’s reticence at remaining any longer than was necessary… especially given the opportunity to speak to her family and allow the rest of her team to do the same.  Then it dawned on her.  “Captain, may I speak with you privately?”

Eli studied Mary’s expression for a long moment before nodding brusquely.  “I’ll be in my office in a moment,” rising from her chair and exiting the bridge.  Mary turned to look around her room at the myriad of people surrounding her.

“All right… all of you - everybody out.  EH!” she commanded with a hand up before the protesting could start.  “I will call you all back in when I am done speaking to Eli, but for now, I need to talk to her alone.  That’s what privately means.”

“You heard the Chief - everybody out,” Caleb said, as he helped a reluctant Eve and Aurora climb gently from the bed.  “She’ll call us back in as soon as she can, but for now we’ll be across the hall in the living room,” ushering them out the door ahead of him to Mary’s grateful wave.  She turned back to her screen where Grayson and Matt still patiently waited.

“I’ll let you two get back to what you were doing.  Someone will contact you as soon as Eli and I are done talking.”

“You got it, Chief.  You know how to find us.”

“Yes, and it’s a lot easier now that the interference from the Nebula is gone.  We’ll talk again in a bit.”  With that, she disconnected her Pad from them and returned her gaze to Eli, who had just seated herself in the small office next to the bridge.  Mary smiled.  “Hello, Eli.”

“Hello, Ma-ma,” Eli replied with a tender smile.  “How are you… really?  And please don’t tell me you’re fine.  I am a healer - I know what fine looks like, and this,” gesturing towards Mary, “isn’t it.”

Mary sighed.  “If I tell you about this,” motioning to herself with a deprecating wave, “will you talk to me?  Tell me what’s going on and how you all are really doing?  And why you’re so determined to leave?”

Eli sat back in her chair.  “Yes.  But you first.”

“Very well,” Mary agreed, and began a rundown of what had happened since the Alpha Team had departed the space station, ending with the departure of the Alpha Teams’ parents earlier that morning.

“So, all the families - including those of the Beta and Gamma Teams - came to stand with you when you went in front of the Council again?  That’s incredible, and it must have made quite the impact with the Council as well.”

“I think they were a little surprised that the Beta and Gamma Teams’ families showed up this time, but they were expecting the Alpha Team.  They already had seats in the gallery prepared for them,” her expression causing Eli to chuckle.  “However, I do think their support went a long way in the Council finding favorably for me.”

“I’m inclined to agree… especially since I can’t see them allowing you to return to work in your condition.”

“Your mother has given permission for me to start resuming my duties,” Mary replied with a hint of asperity.  “She thinks it will help me to heal, and I’m inclined to agree.  Pretty sure it was work that kept me from dying in the first place - I didn’t have time to think or worry about it.”

Eli hung her head.  “I’m sorry, Mary.  I should have….”

“You did, Eli,” Mary cut in.  “You saved my life.  You had no way of knowing about the poison they introduced into my body.  Besides, it was my own stubbornness and pride that kept me from telling anyone of my suspicions… or the pain I was in.  That’s on me.  Even Abigail’s family couldn’t get a good read on me apparently,” added with a hint of derision in her tone, but it still didn’t bring Eli’s head up.  Mary sighed.  “Eli?  Eli, look at me,” watching the head come up slowly and only enough to allow hazel eyes to peer through dark lashes.  “This is my fault, all right?  I didn’t get you guys out of the mountain quickly enough; I didn’t tell anyone about the pain I was in; I didn’t share my suspicions that it was killing me.  Trust me - I’ve gotten lectures from every quarter about this.  So, you don’t get to feel guilty.  You did everything you could with what you knew.”

“Is that why MaTb is there now?”

“Yes.  Just after the Council meeting, I collapsed.  She and Tom and Giselle - a parent of one of the Gamma Team members - spent hours in surgery on me.  Your mother has been by my side almost constantly since that time.  Tom looks after me in the evenings, but your mother has assumed primary responsibility for my care.  It’s one reason I’m so desperate to get better - she has other responsibilities that need to come first.”

Eli shook her head and chuckled lightly.  “You should know better - she will decide when you don’t need her attention and care any longer.”

“Yeah, I got that.  She did finally insist to the Alpha Teams’ folks that I was on my way to recovery.  It’s the reason they decided it was time to go home.”

“Then why bring them back?  It will only be a few minutes at most in the grand scheme of things.  Why the insistence that they talk to us again?  We already said our goodbyes - we’re not coming back.”

Mary’s brow furrowed.  “Why are you so adamantly against letting your team talk to their families?  What possible difference could it make?”

“Do you ever get tired of being in charge?  Tired of being responsible for everyone and everything around you?”

Mary smiled.  “If you had asked me this even a week ago, I would have said yes, absolutely.  I mean, I do get tired, and sometimes the responsibility can seem overwhelming, but that’s why I have the team in place that I do.  I know I can count on them to do their jobs, which makes mine easier.  And having had the responsibility removed from me - being unable to do the things I need to do to accomplish the things I need to accomplish?  Yeah, that doesn’t work for me… At. All.”

Eli smiled tiredly and scrubbed her face with her hands.  “I’m exhausted, Mary - we’re all tired.  Not that we didn’t expect to be, but not like this.  This is exhaustion down to the very marrow of my bones. We should have already been to the moon by now, building our new home and settling in - tired from establishing a new colony.  Not beaten down and worn out by some idiot with delusions of grandeur that was trying to destroy us because of some bet that was made millennia before we were even born!” never raising her voice, but giving the implication of screaming nonetheless.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mary calmed, raising her hands to remind Eli she wasn’t a threat.  “How about you start at the beginning?  Let’s work through this together.  I know I can’t do anything from here, but I can listen, and maybe even offer some suggestions that might help.  But even if I can’t, you’ll feel better talking it out with someone who understands.” She laughed and rolled her eyes at the knowing little smirk Eli offered her.  “I know… I know - pot and kettle.  But I’m learning,” ducking her head shyly as she blushed.

Eli sat up straight and leaned forward with a predatory smile.  “Oh??  Do tell!”

“Uh uh,” Mary denied.  “Not until you talk to me and tell me what’s going on.  We had a deal.”

“And a deal is a promise,” repeating the refrain Elijah had always thrown at her when she was trying to protect him despite his desire otherwise.  “All right.  Get comfortable, Ma… ma.  This is going to take a little while.”

************

Mary blinked slowly as Eli finished her narrative, leaving out only the most personal parts and those dealing specifically with Cupid as Joseph.  “Oh… wow,” she muttered.  “No wonder you’re so tired.  But Naomi’s okay?  And Jacob?”

“They’re both fine,” waving Mary’s concern away.  “Naomi more than Jake at the moment, but she’s had more time to recover with less of a physical reminder.  And Jake is getting better - he’s already pushing to get back to work.”

“So, your hesitation isn’t because of them.  Is this about the dragon then?  Are you afraid of talking to your MaTb?” cutting right to the heart of the matter.

Eli’s eyes widened, even as her skin paled to an almost gray color.  “You know about the dragon?”

“We do.  The ships were there when the Storm Surge appeared through the wormhole.  They saw you - they reported to me.”

“And you told MaTb?”

“Not directly, and I didn’t out you intentionally.  I had no idea your species was capable of such a feat, and I certainly had no idea your MaTb wasn’t aware of your capabilities.  I would have asked her to leave the room otherwise.  I’m pretty good at keeping a secret, you know.”

Eli smiled - her first fully genuine smile that didn’t involve Arianna in some way since long before they had been chosen for the Alpha Team.  The thought made Mary frown, but before she could follow up on it, Eli was speaking.  “I know.  I just….”  She shrugged.

“You’re afraid everyone is going to be disappointed in you - hold you responsible for the delays and the injuries and deaths.  Let me tell you straight up that would be a NO.  I guarantee you - those kids will tell their folks what happened, and no one is going to blame anything other than the gods you spoke of, that Mischief person, a little weird karma and a touch of bad luck.  They will be more interested in talking to their kids again - an unexpected blessing.  Eventually, we’ll all sit down and compare stories and go looking for the things that tie us - and you guys - together across time and space and galaxies.  And don’t worry about your MaTb.  Arianna’s Madre already set things straight for her.  She just wants to know that you’re all right.”

By this point, Eli’s shoulders had lost their stiffness and there was a tear rolling down her face.  Without warning, the door to the office flew open and Arianna was rushing in.  She scooped Eli into her arms, sliding underneath her in a move so smooth and slick, Mary wasn’t actually sure how it happened.  But she was taken a little aback by the searing look she was receiving when Arianna looked up from comforting Eli, and asked with a heated glare, “What did you do to her, Mama?” feeling the relief at the moniker.  “I could feel her distress!”  Before she could respond, Eli eased out of her curled up position, and leaned her forehead against Arianna’s.

“She did nothing, Angel, except remind me I’m not alone, and that all the responsibility for what happens to us is ours, not mine.  I tend to forget that, you know.”

Arianna rolled her eyes.  “Yes,” she replied drolly.  “I know.”  She turned to Mary.  “How are you doing, Mama?  You look a little….” petering out when she realized there was no polite way to finish her thought.  Mary chuckled.

“I’ve been better, but I’ve certainly been worse.  Eli can tell you all about it later.  I’m pretty sure I’ve got a couple of anxious mamas here who are chomping at the bit to talk to the two of you.”  She held up a hand to keep Eli from interrupting.  “I know I still owe you a story, but they deserve to talk to you first.  Besides… I owe them the same story.  I’d just as soon tell it only once.”

“All right, Mama,” Eli conceded as she rose to her feet.  “Give me a couple minutes to get cleaned up, and speak to the team.  Then we’ll be back to talk to MaTb and Madre.  Will you stay?”  

Mary smiled and nodded, though her eyes were suspiciously bright.  “I’d be honored.”

“We’ll be right back,” Eli assured, and grabbed Arianna by the hand and led her from the room.  Mary simply called out for Caleb, knowing he was waiting right outside her door.


Chapter LXVIII

Arianna pulled Eli to a stop the moment they exited the office, and leaned their foreheads together.  Two sets of eyes closed automatically, and Arianna whispered softly, “Are you all right, Amado?”

“I don’t know, Angel.  I don’t think so. But I don’t know what is wrong.  It’s like….”

“It’s like everything’s hit you all at once - the responsibilities you carry; what happened to Mimi and Jake, especially; Jake’s meanness; becoming your dragon and the destruction of the Storm Surge.  And that’s without considering the everyday pressure and incidences you deal with on a daily basis.  A lot has happened to us in a relatively short time.”

“Yes, but I’m not sure what I can do about it… especially right now.  Besides, I don’t see anyone else falling apart.”

“First of all, you’re not falling apart - you’re having a crisis of faith in yourself.  We all have that  happen occasionally.  Secondly, none of the rest of us have the responsibility of all of us in the way that you do, and honestly, you’re harder on yourself than anyone else ever will be.  Talking to your MaTb will probably help.  She’s always been your greatest supporter and counselor.”

Eli clenched her eyes tighter and shook her head in an effort to keep from breaking down.  “Maybe,” she agreed, though she clearly didn’t believe that.  “I never told MaTb about my dragon.”  

“And you think that’s going to be a problem for you.”

She shrugged and took a deep breath.  “Maybe,” she acknowledged.  “But first, I need to speak to the rest of the team,” leaning down to steal a kiss that Arianna instantly deepened, and held onto until she felt Eli relax into her embrace.  Only then did she pull back.

“Better?” smiling when Eli nodded dreamily at her.  “ Go get ‘em, Baby! The team is waiting for you, and remember… we’re all on your side.”

Eli sighed.  “I hope so.”

“I know so.”

Eli nodded and turned to Eden, who was still occupying the Captain’s chair and, along with every other member of the bridge crew, studiously trying to avoid listening in.  “Eden, will you open a channel throughout the ship, please?” waiting until her second nodded before turning back to her mate.  “And no, Beloved - YOU are my greatest supporter and counselor, though MaTb is close, but only because she’s known me my whole life.”

Arianna blushed and smiled prettily as her eyes dropped to the ground.  “I will always be your best cheerleader and supporter.”

Eli chuckled, feeling more responsibility slide from her shoulders with Arianna’s pronouncement.  “Good to know,” she replied, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Arianna’s forehead.  Then she turned back to Eden who smirked, but nodded her head.

“Whenever you’re ready, Captain.”

“Attention, my friends - if I could have your attention, just for a moment.  I just spoke with the Chief, and it seems like the ships off our bow are friendlies.  They were looking for us when the Nebula sent us reeling, and are here now at Mary’s behest to study the newly formed solar system and make contact with the people currently living here.  I don’t know what that means for them, exactly, but for us it means an opportunity to speak to our families again,” smiling as she heard the cheers ring out across the ship.  “The ships will maintain a vigilant watch over us for the next few days, allowing your folks to return to Earth where Mary is and has already established a connection with us. As they arrive, I will set up a private connection for each of you and allow you time off to talk.  Please be mindful - this won’t be an extended visit by any means.  Your parents have already been on the planet for at least fourteen daily cycles to support and care for Mary.  They were all - with two notable exceptions - on their way home when we arrived here, and they need to return as soon as they can.  That being said, I will do my best to ensure you each get as much time as is possible.  For now, stay where you are and keep doing what you’re doing.  I will try to write a new schedule that will help us get back on track to what we had originally agreed upon.  That way, we’ll be ready when the time comes.  Now if you’ll excuse me and Arianna, our parents are the ones who remained, and I’ve got some explaining to do to my MaTb.  Thank you,” giving Eden the universal ‘cut’ sign.

Eden nodded and turned back to Eli.  “Go on, Boss.  We’ve got this.  And remember, she only wants what’s best for you.”

“I know,” Eli responded with a sad smile.  “That’s part of what makes this so hard.”  She looked back at Aphrodite.  “I know you were supposed to go back to the planet as soon as we arrived here.  If you would like to do that, I’ll get Titus to shuttle you and Cupid down.  Otherwise, I will take you myself when I am done speaking with my MaTb and OeTu.”

“We’ll wait,” Aphrodite said firmly.  “I would still like to talk to you about your heritage before we part.”

Eli nodded shortly.  “Very well,” grabbing Arianna’s hand, and turning back toward her office.  A word from Aphrodite stopped them short, and they halted on the threshold with the door open.

“Eli?”

“Yes?” she answered with no inflection as she turned, though Arianna could feel her shoulders slump without any actually movement.

“Do you think…?  Is there a way we could contact the people on the planet?  Some of them were in a pretty bad way when we left, and I need to know…. I’d like to find out if….”

“If they have equipment we can connect to, sure.  Eden, can you try and see if you can get a response? If you don’t, call Esther and Deb up here to work on that, please.  They’d be best suited to find a way to make it work.”

“I’m on it, Boss.  Any idea which frequencies we should try?”

“Let Aphrodite help you.  She’s liable to know how their scrying bowls and monitoring stations worked.  You might be able to tie into those, since they are what allowed them watch the world before.”

“Got it.  Now, go talk to your makuahine.  You’ll feel better once you do, and we’ll all feel better about that,” frowning when Eli didn’t immediately start moving.  “Why are you still standing here??  Go on - shoo!”

Arianna couldn’t stop the snort and Eden smirked even as her eyes twinkled in mischief.  Eli merely narrowed her eyes.

“Look at you,” she snarked.  “Trying to be funny.”

“Succeeding, you mean.  Now, will you get out of here??  Some of us have real work to do.”

Eli rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop the laughter from peeking out of her eyes.  “I’m going.  Call me if….”

“GoodBYE, Eli.”

The door slid shut on her mutterings and Arianna’s laughter.

************

Caleb stepped into the room as soon as Mary started calling for him, confirming her belief that he was literally right outside her door, even though she knew he could have heard her from half a block away if necessary.  She arched an eyebrow at him, and he had the grace to blush, though he never dropped her gaze.  “You called, Chief?”

She smirked at him.  “I did.  I need you to bring Aurora, Eve and Noah back in here, please.  Tell my children they will have to wait until the parents get an opportunity to talk to their kids, and that it might be a while.”  She sighed.  “Apparently, Eve only just learned about Eli’s dragon, and Eli is actually concerned about her reaction to finding out now.”  She shook her head.  “Also,” she added, clearing her throat, “they want the skinny… about us, I mean.  So, if you’d like to be here….”

Caleb’s eyes widened and he colored again.  “Um… okay?  Mary - you, more than anyone else, know how much I want there to be an us, but is there one really?”

She reached out her hand, which he accepted with alacrity, and urged him to move closer to the bed.  When he was beside her, she tugged gently, and he delicately eased himself to the very edge of the bed, careful not to jar her in some way.  She noted how he refused to meet her eyes and raised her other hand to cup his cheek.  “Caleb?” She implored softly.  “Will you look at me, please?”  He sighed a moment, then raised his eyes to her, uncertainty and trepidation swirling in their depths.  Mary shook her head and dropped her own eyes to steel her courage before bringing her eyes back up to meet his with determination.  “I have been so unfair to you, my friend,” feeling him flinch, and tightening her hand in response.  “And I’m sorry.  I’ve had you in my life for so long, I honestly wouldn’t know how to live without you.  And I want - how I want - to try to be more than just friends with you,” smiling when the hope started to grow in his entire countenance.  “You have been so patient and kind and loving with me, and I want to learn to treat you… love you… as well and beautifully as you love me - as you have for so very long.  But it’s going to be a learning process for me.  I’m going to have to ask you to be patient with me for just a little longer; to help me learn to show you how I feel and treat you like the man I love and not just someone I care for deeply.”

He turned his face into her palm and brushed a kiss across it, delighting in the shiver that skittered over her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.  He lifted his head until their eyes met again, and he smiled.  “I have waited a long time for you to love me, Mary.  I can be patient a little while longer, especially knowing there is an ‘us’ and that one day, you will be mine to love and be loved by.  However, in fairness, I’m warning you that when you’re ready, I’m going to pursue you aggressively and with due haste.  I have been patient, but once you give me permission to go ahead, I’m not going to be patient any longer,” smiling at Mary’s widened eyes and heightened color.  “I love you, Mary, and have for a long time.  I will be proud to shout it from the mountain tops to the world as soon as you’re ready.”

“Kiss me,” she whispered, causing his jaw to drop at her audacity.  But he lost no time complying with her request and covered her lips with his.  It was chaste, and only lasted a moment, and Mary smiled as Caleb pulled away.  “You are so very dear to me, Caleb, and I do love you.”

He kissed her again, hard and fast, before pulling away and standing.  “And we will talk more about this soon… and at length,” he said with a smile that was almost a leer.  “But first we need to let in those parents so they can talk to their kids.  Are you staying?”

Mary nodded.  “Eli asked me to.  I’d like you to stay with me.  If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right from the first.  Will you bring your Pad and ask Gideon to do a split screen between yours and mine?  That way Eve and Aurora and Noah can share yours and we can share mine.  I don’t think trying to pile all five of us on this bed is a good idea.”  She smiled wryly.  “I don’t think I could tolerate the aggravation it would cause my leg.  Besides, I prefer you beside me and all that would be, would be one big dog pile.”

Caleb snorted.  “That would be something of a statement - one I’m not sure any of us want to make.  I’ll be right back, Chief.  I’ll get the parents, then contact Gideon.  I shouldn’t be but a minute or two at the most.”

“Thank you, Caleb.  Please ask Noah to bring in a chair or two when he comes.  We want everyone to be comfortable.”

“Will do.  Be right back.”

Mary leaned back and closed her eyes, thankful for the peace of the moment, knowing it wouldn’t last.  Not a minute later, Aurora was opening the door, followed by Eve backing in carrying one end of the short sofa with Noah holding the other.  Mary’s eyebrows flew into her hairline, but she didn’t comment.  In only another moment, the two were setting the divan down and situating perfectly so it was facing her bed, and Noah plopped on one end with a contented sigh.  Eve rolled her eyes with an indulgent smile as she turned to face Mary.  “We thought this might be better.”  She turned and gave Noah a mock glare.  “Aurora and I will share the couch and Noah can stand behind us,” arching an eyebrow when he started to whine good-naturedly with a bright smile.  She looked back at Mary.  “I love how he thought he was actually going to sit with us.”

“Hey!” he exclaimed indignantly, even as Mary laughed aloud.  “I helped carry it in here.  I should… absolutely give up my place to Aurora,” he acknowledged sheepishly even as he stood up.  He leaned over and kissed Eve briefly, seating both her and Aurora before moving to stand behind them.  He leaned over and poked his head between them.  “How else can I end up between two beautiful women while talking to my дочь and her mate?” laughing when Eve pushed his face back hard enough to cause him to stumble and nearly fall.  Eve rolled her eyes at his antics; Aurora giggled, while Mary and Noah continued to laugh.  It was to this scene that Eli and Arianna came into as they sat together at Eli’s desk.  They looked at one another and then back to the screen, smiling as they watched Caleb come in and take a casual seat on Mary’s bed as though it was his natural place.  That action caused the rest to settle down with plenty of questions.  Mary patently ignored them, and turned her attention to the two young women waiting patiently.

“Hey, you two,” she greeted, offering them a genuine smile, and gratified to have it returned by them both.  “Your folks are here.  Can you see them?”

Eli and Arianna nodded and shifted their gazes to another part of their screen.  “Hello, MaTb… OeTu.  It’s good to see you again,” Eli offered quietly.

“Hi, Madre,” Arianna said.

“Hello, Mija.  How are you?  How have your travels been?  Tell me about your adventures!” Aurora greeted with enthusiasm.  Eve and Noah remained quiet.

“We’re good… really good.  Our travels,” Arianna chuckled, “well, they have been an epic story unto themselves.  I’m hoping, once we get to our new home and settled in a little bit, to have the chance to write them down for posterity.  If you’d like, once we get dependable signal and I actually get it recorded, I’ll send you a copy.”

“I’d like very much.  Given what little we already know, it promises to be quite a tale.”

Arianna chuckled.  “Oh, I’d say that was an understatement.”

“I’d be interested in reading it as well,” Eve said, drawing their attention to her.  “I imagine it will answer any number of questions I have.”

“MaTb,” Eli pled softly.  Eve turned her gaze to focus solely on her daughter and her fierceness softened.

“No, дочь - I understand why you did what you did, and I can’t even really disagree with why you did it.    That doesn’t lessen my fear of what could have been - what could have happened to you because you didn’t have the support and guidance you deserved to have.  I realize it is done and gone, and you not only survived on your own, but you thrived.  You’re still going to have to allow me this anger and fear for a little while.”  She watched Eli nod, even as a tear rolled from her eyes, then continued to watch as Arianna shifted to take Eli in her arms to offer comfort.  She smiled when Arianna glared at her before turning back to whisper in Eli’s ear, causing Eli to smile and chuckle despite her tears.  “Eli… дочь… look at me,” waiting for Eli to sniff and wipe her eyes before turning back to the Pad.  “I want you to understand and remember one thing, if you never remember anything else I’ve ever said to you.  “I love you, дочь, and I am so far beyond proud of you and the amazing woman you’ve become.  Nothing… nothing will ever change those two things.  Do you understand?” Waiting for Eli to nod.  “Do you believe me?” A second of hesitation before Eli nodded again made Eve frown.  “Elizabeth… do you believe me?” asked sternly.

Eli’s eyes widened at the address and she swallowed hard before nodding vigorously.  “Yes, MaTb,” she replied immediately.

“Good,” she replied crisply.  “Now… tell us of your adventures so far.  I realize you can’t share everything, but at least give us the highlights.”  So the two began to share the numerous adventures they and their teammates had shared so far.  The parents were humored, horrified and proud by turn, and when Eli reached the part about replacing Jacob’s arm, Eve finally cut in.  “I would very much like to see your design, Arianna.  There might be some nuances within your engineering that we could utilize on a much smaller, less complicated scale.”

Arianna nodded.  “I’ll see what I can do, MaTb.  It shouldn’t be too difficult.  I’ll need to check with Eden and see what adjustments she had to make as she built it, but I should be able to get the schematics to you before we leave.”

“Thank you, Daughter.  I appreciate it.”

“You know what I would appreciate,” she replied with a cunning expression on her face.  “I would appreciate hearing about what is going on with Mama… and with Mama and Caleb,” grinning wickedly when they both blushed to the roots of their hair.  “I think they’ve got some explaining to do and some stories to share.  Also, I’d like to talk to my brothers and sister as well.”

Mary gave a nod to Caleb, who rose without a word and made his way out the door.  At the same time, Noah clapped his hands together and bowed in Arianna’s direction.  “Thank you, Daughter of my Heart.  I have been dying to know too, but I was forbidden to ask,” giving Eve a dark look before grinning.

“Given your penchant for bad timing and speaking out of turn….”

“That was once!”

“Recently,” Eve countered.  “We both know it has happened on multiple occasions, and generally gets you into trouble.”

“I like to be in trouble with you,” he leered, causing her to roll her eyes as she chuckled, even as Eli shivered in distaste and covered her face with her hands.

“Please stop,” she groaned between her fingers.  “I do not need to hear these things about my родители,” causing the entire room to burst into laughter.  Even Arianna was hard pressed not to laugh out loud.  It was into this mayhem that Caleb and Mary’s children stepped.  Caleb resumed his place at Mary’s side, casually taking her hand in his to show everyone his subtle claim.  Ian, Nathaniel and Joy exchanged wide smiles and nods, while the others did the same.  After another moment, the raucousness settled, and Ian expanded his Pad so he and his siblings could take part in the conversation.  Then Eli met Mary’s eyes squarely.  “All right, Mama,” she coaxed.  “It’s time for you to share that story you promised all of us.”

Mary sighed and nodded, then smiled when Caleb clasped her hand more firmly.  “Take a seat, children,” she said to her three.  “This is going to take a little while.”


Chapter LXIX

To everyone’s surprise, except of course Mary’s, Caleb was the one to start speaking.  “I want you to understand that this story goes back more years than I’m actually going to admit to, but suffice it to say at least a decade or three.  The first time I saw Mary was when Eddie brought her to the pick up point after they’d met.  I didn’t think much about it, honestly, except that it was something I’d never known him to do before. Still, beyond a passing comment about the cute chick, I didn’t give the encounter much thought, and Eddie didn’t really share much about her either.  It wasn’t until later….  I’m getting ahead of myself.

I learned more about Mary because of Eddie - she was still young and unsure, and he’d already decided he wanted her for his wife.  So, I listened as he talked about her for hours.  And the more he talked, the more I fell.  Not that I allowed it to become more than a distant dream.  I knew how he felt, and I was pretty sure about her as well, and there was no way I was going to come between them.

I stood with Eddie at their wedding, and they included me as part of their family often - probably much more than was a good idea, because it reminded me of what I wanted but couldn’t have.  Still, I never crossed that line - Mary would have refused me, and I would have lost Eddie’s trust and friendship.  It just wasn’t worth it for me to even try.

On my last mission before I retired, Eddie and I went out scouting, and he told me frankly he knew how I felt about Mary. ‘Not that I blame you,’ he’d joked.  ‘After all, I’ve been kind of gone on her myself for years’.  He reminded me that he’d trusted my honor for years and would continue to do so, and he’d asked me to look out for her when he was unable to.  We finished up that mission, and I came home to work with Mary while Eddie continued to lead missions across the galaxy.

I never said a word to her about my feelings or my discussion with Eddie, and she never gave me any indication she was aware of them.  She was always the ‘Chief’ except very rarely, and always in those instances Eddie was with us, and we were not in a job setting.  Otherwise, I only saw her on the job.  I had other obligations, for one thing - like mentoring my nieces and nephews; I had an elderly mother that needed some care - but mostly it was for my peace of mind.  I wouldn’t betray myself nor the faith Eddie had in me - it would have cost me everything, and I knew that.”

He stopped and took a deep breath, smiling as he accepted the glass of water Mary passed to him.  He took several deep swallows before setting it half-empty on the table beside him.  “Wow,” he muttered, “I don’t think I’ve talked this much since I had to defend my thesis dissertation.”  He wiggled his jaw.  “I think I prefer to be the strong, silent type.”

“Just a little more,” Mary encouraged.

He nodded his head, and turned back to the screen.  “Right.  Eventually, I became her right hand, and Eddie and I talked again.”  He frowned.  “I thought it unusual at the time - after all, we weren’t the types to talk about our feelings.  And we had settled this… at least I thought we had.”  He turned to look Mary in the eye, and she nodded, giving him permission to share with the rest what he had told her the previous evening.  He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to that encounter.  

“He’d invited me over for dinner a few nights before he was scheduled to go out on his next mission.  I was a little surprised - the boys were away at their academies and Joy had her own place here in the city.  Not this one,” he said with a grin.  “Her first place was much smaller, and closer to the dance center.  But I was still a little surprised when he’d issued the invitation - he and Mary had always coveted their time together before, and with him leaving in only a couple days, I didn’t expect to see him until he was ready to leave.  After dinner, Mary excused herself to do something - I don’t even remember what now - and we went into the kitchen to clean up.

He reminded me of his knowledge of my feelings and said, ‘Like you, I’ve always loved Mary to the marrow of my bones - I was just the one lucky enough to spend a lifetime with her.  I’ve always wondered if I was fair to her, though - spending so much of my time away from home… away from her and the children.’

I wasn’t sure what to say, or if he even expected me to say anything, so I remained quiet.  After a minute of two of silence, he handed me the last clean dish to put away, which I did with ease as I knew their place as well as I knew my own.  He motioned me towards the balcony and I stepped outside, even as he stopped to fix us a couple whiskeys.  I accepted mine gratefully and sipped with pleasure, looking out at the vista and waiting for him to finish whatever it was he brought me here to say.  When he was down to the last swallow, he turned and met my eyes.

‘Caleb,’ he said, ‘you’re a good man… one of the best I’ve ever known, and the one I am privileged to call best friend.  You have been nothing but forthright and honest and honorable, and you’ve looked after Mary and my kids when I couldn’t be here to do so.  When… *if* something happens to me, I want you to take your chance with Mary.  I couldn’t ask for someone better suited for her than you are, and you deserve your chance at happiness with her too.’  I finished my whiskey and headed home, knowing Eddie and Mary deserved whatever time together they could get.”

He opened his eyes and turned back to Mary, forgetting about the others in the room with them.  “I always wondered if he knew something… if he expected to die on that next mission.  But I didn’t say anything then.  And he came home safely from that mission, and the one after that, and the one after that, and honestly, I kind of put everything he said in the back of my mind.  He had six or seven more missions before the one that he didn’t come home from.  Mary was devastated, and there was no way I was going to impinge on her grief for my own selfishness.  So, I put my feelings aside and did the only thing I knew how to do - be her best friend.”

“So, what changed, Caleb?” Eli asked quietly into the silence of the room when it started to drag out too long.

“Nathaniel lost Joseph, and he reminded me that we aren’t promised more than the breath we just took, and that I was wasting time I could be happy on some incidental nostalgia.  He reminded me of Eddie’s feelings on the matter, and assured me that I had the blessing of all three of Mary’s children that were present.  So last night, I presented my case to Mary, but before I could get a response, she was in tears and unable to do much more than weep.”  He turned to look at her again, and brushed a kiss over her forehead.  “Kind of like she is doing now, actually,” offering her a smile and tenderly wiping her tears away with his thumb as she returned it.  “The difference now is, we’ve had time to talk a little more.”

“And??” all five kids demanded almost instantly.  The three on the floor turned around and glared at Mary and Caleb simultaneously, then resumed their place at their mother’s signal.  Eve arched an eyebrow and looked impressed.  

“I need to learn that trick,” causing Mary to waggle her brows briefly.  “But the children are correct - we do need to know the ending to this story.”

“It’s not an ending so much as it is a beginning,” Mary confessed.  “We had another talk before the rest of you came in here, and we’ve decided - I’ve decided - to give us a chance to be together,” watching everyone cheering and congratulating and calling over one another on the monitor as she laid her head on Caleb’s shoulder and simply laughed.  He wrapped his arm around her and held on, leaning his head on hers and chuckling.

Eventually, the noise died down and everyone’s attention went back to Mary.  She blew out a breath and sat up, though she did manage to scoot closer to him in the process.  The rest exchanged charmed looks and then waited for Mary to speak.

“All right.  Eli, I will get a list of incoming ships, so you can make up your work and visitation schedule.  Rest assured that the ships that are there will assume a security role as long as you are in the area, so you can dedicate whatever time you need for your teammates and crew to have the opportunity to talk with their folks.  Any resources you need to cover can be culled from those ships.”

“Thank you, Mary.”  She turned to her parents and Aurora.  “Will you be available as well?” smiling when all three heads nodded vigorously.  “And what of the rest of you?” addressing Mary as well as her children, and smiling brightly at the affirmative answers she received.  “Excellent.  I will be in touch with you all soon, as we’d like to speak to all of you a little more privately before we leave.  Mar… Mama?  I’m pretty sure the team would also like to talk to you as a group as well.  I know they’re going to want to hear about you and Caleb, as well as how you’ve been doing since we left.  It’s been on more than one mind here.”

“You let us know, Eli, and we’ll be available to you as needed.  Nathaniel is on bereavement leave until after the memorial service, and Ian and Joy can be here with minimal notice.”

“Nat?” Arianna called out, causing a wistful smile to cross Nathaniel’s face.  “May we attend the memorial?”

“I’d be honored, Little Sister, and so would Joseph.  He thought a lot of you, you know - all of you.”

“We thought a lot of him too,” she replied.  “Let us know when and where.”  She looked at Mary.  “Can you ask Gideon…?”

“I’ll make sure he knows,” Caleb assured her without missing a beat.  Arianna nodded her acceptance.  

Mary looked around her room, crowded with most of her family.  “All right, everyone.  I think that’s enough for now.  For one thing, I have got to get up and move a little bit, and for another, everyone here - on both sides of the comm system - have other things to do.  There will be time to talk again.  Those ships aren’t going anywhere, and I think we can all take a little while to just rest and breathe,” looking directly at Eli who subtly nodded her head.  “All right then.  Eli, someone will be monitoring on this side at all times.  Someone there should do the same, though you might want to pull a crewman  or two from one of the other ships to do so none of your crew is stuck doing it during this unexpected bout of R&R.  They can just dock a shuttle and stay aboard it when not working.”

“I’ll give it some thought.  I need to make a schedule, then I promised Aphrodite to give her and Cupid a ride back down to their planet.  Seems like the least I can do after all they’ve done for us.”

“You do what seems best, Captain.  We’ll be in touch soon.”

With a nod, the screen went black, and Caleb quickly but gingerly emerged from the bed.  “I’ll go talk to Gideon, Chief, then Joy and I will see about getting together some dinner.  I’ll bring you a plate?”

“And one for yourself.  It’s the closest I can offer to a dinner date for a little while longer yet.”

“It’s time spent together.  That makes it a win for me.”

Noah groaned.  “You two are going to be that couple, aren’t you?  The ones that nauseate the rest of us with your sappiness… constantly.”

Eve arched an eyebrow and Mary bit her lip, having a very good idea what was coming.  “If you want to remain in my bed, you better learn to be like that kind of couple quickly.”

Noah made a face and whined, “But возлюбленная….”

Eve gave him a stern look, though the twinkle in her eyes belied her countenance.  “We will discuss it later.  For now….” She turned to Mary’s sons. “If one of you would be kind enough to assist Noah with removing the small lounger back to the living area, I need to check on my patient.”

The boys brushed Noah out of the way and picked up either end.  “If you’ll guide us, Noah - we’re used to doing this.”  He opened the door and started giving directions.  Joy leaned over and gave Mary’s cheek a kiss.

“I’m so happy for you, Mama.  He’s a good man.”

“He is… and so is his nephew.”

“I know, and as soon as Ephraim and I can be in the same place at the same time for more than twenty minutes in a row, I might actually get to experience that on a more personal level.  Meanwhile, I’m going to go start dinner.  Then maybe we could talk before bed?”

“I’ll have Caleb come and fetch you.”

“I’ll go with Joy,” Aurora announced.  “I’m sure she can find something for me to do that won’t cause me to burn down the house or anything else untoward like that.”

Joy just laughed and caught Aurora’s hand, pulling her out of the room and closing the door behind them.  Eve stepped closer to the bed and placed a hand on her wrist.  “How are you doing, Mary?  Do you really need to get up or was that just a ruse to get everyone out of your room?”

Mary smiled tiredly.  “A little of both, actually.  I think I need to shift a little, and maybe take a bio break before settling down again. Pretty sure that’s going to be more than a little painful, and the less exposed to that, the better.”  A knock on the door sounded, and Eve and Mary exchanged glances before Eve walked to the door and cracked it - then opened it wider to admit Tom.

“What wonderful timing,” she commented.  “It’s time to get Mary up and moving.”

“How ya doing, Chief?”

Mary gave him a wry look.  “Little tired of that question, honestly, but I’ve certainly been much worse than I am at the moment.  I’m uncomfortable and in a little bit of pain - it will pass.  But I need to get up and use the bathroom, so if you would be so kind?” extending a hand.

Tom accepted her hand and Eve scrambled to get on her other side, and slowly and with much heavy breathing, Mary finally made it to the bathroom.  They got her to the toilet before she shooed them out, citing that she could manage this part on her own.  “If you hear me scream, of course, come running.  But otherwise, I’ve got this.  I have to start doing things on my own or I’m never going to be able to do anything.  And that’s just not acceptable.”  

They nodded and moved to stand just outside the door, quietly discussing her progress and ideas for therapy in an effort to give her as much privacy as possible without moving too far away.  In a few minutes, they heard her shuffling around, but they waited until she called out for them before stepping back into the bathroom.

She was pale and sweating, but she had managed to stand on her own.  She held out a shaking hand.  “I thought about trying to walk - that lasted right up until I put the least little bit of weight on this damned leg without using the other one.”  She blew out a raspberry.  “We need to see about getting some strength exercises started.”

“Tom and I were just discussing that very thing,” Eve assured her.  “We’ll give you some you can do on your own to start with, and we’ll teach Caleb and your kids and even Noah and Aurora how to help with the more complicated ones.  The more help you have, the quicker your recovery.”

Mary nodded and blew out a breath.  “As long as they’re willing.  I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable.”

Eve smirked.  “Noah will be thrilled to help just for the chance to gossip with you.  Despite his earlier teasing, he is extremely excited about you and Caleb as a couple.”

Mary remained quiet as she hobbled the rest of the way to the bed, but once she was settled - lying on her stomach - she blew out a breath and looked at Eve quizzically.  “Why?”

Eve looked up distractedly from the gentle massage she was applying to Mary’s leg and hip, even as Tom worked on her lower back.  They didn’t need her seizing after what, for her, had been a major undertaking.  Eve frowned.  “Why what?” She asked, having lost her train off thought in an effort to keep Mary’s muscles loose.  “You know, you’ve got great musculature, but it’s kind of working against you at the moment.  It’s so tense, it’s like working a titanium band - not a whole lot of give to it.”

“Yes, but I’d rather have the muscle than not.  I have a feeling the rest of me may have a lot more muscle before this is all over.  Now, why is Noah excited about Caleb and I becoming a couple?  I mean I’m glad he is, but why is he?”

“Because you almost ruined his record, and then he almost did the same thing by opening his mouth.”

“Excuse me??” Mary hissed, flinching as Tom hit an especially tender spot on her back.  “Easy, Tom.  My whole body is still pretty sore.”

“I see that.  There’s a lot of tension.  Relax, Chief.  The more you relax, the quicker we can work the soreness and stiffness out.  It’ll help a lot.”

Mary released a slow, deep breath and turned her attention back toward Eve.  “So?”

Eve smiled.  “My Noah is… sensitive.  That is to say, he can recognize when two people are a couple…. Or they should be.  I could see Eli imprinting on Arianna because she is my child, and I could even see a bit of Arianna’s imprinting on Eli for the same reason.  But that usually only happens with very close family members.  Noah is able to perceive a link between those he knows well enough to call friend as well as family.  So, he could see there was something between you and Caleb when we first came here, because even then you were being drawn together because of Eli and Arianna, but also because we were becoming friends ourselves.  And then, of course, he almost gave everything away when he teased Caleb about it so matter-of-factly.  So, while he’s happy for you both in finding your own happiness, he’s also glad you’re getting together so his record remains untarnished.”

Mary snorted.  “Glad we could accommodate him.”

“Me too.  I never would have heard the end of it if he’d been wrong, though I personally would never have said a word about it.”  She patted Mary’s hip.  “How do you feel?”

“A little sleepy,” she confessed.

“Good.  That means you’re relaxed.  You go ahead and sleep.  Tom will let Caleb know when you’re awake.  You can eat then.”

“… mmkay,” Mary mumbled as her breathing evened out.  Tom nodded at Eve.

“Best thing for her.”

“Yes.  I think we’re ready to stop the round-the-clock care.  She’s doing much better, and as she has pointed out on many occasions, we both have other jobs and responsibilities to take care of.  I think she would do better without our hovering.”

“I’m inclined to agree, though I would like to leave a monitor nearby and an active comm unit so she can call for help if she needs it.  Obviously getting around is still a little bit of a challenge for her.”

Eve nodded.  “We can do that.”  She looked around and found Mary’s wrist unit that had been placed on the dresser while she was bathing.  She wrapped it around Mary’s arm without ever waking her, then stepped back and nodded.  “That should suffice for now.  We will talk to her about what else she needs once she awakens.  I’m a little hesitant to leave a monitor… simply because of the invasion of privacy it entails.”

“That’s fine.  We can work out any details later.”  Tom took Eve by the elbow and led her to the door.  “For now, I want to hear all about this new development with Caleb.  Sounds like something we’ve all been hoping for… for years.  Do tell, my dear.”

Eve chuckled and pulled the door closed behind her as she led the way down the stairs.  Mary smiled in her sleep.


Chapter LXX

“Hey, Boss?” Eden asked as they stepped from the tiny bridge office.  “You got a minute?”

Eli and Arianna exchanged glances, before Eli nodded her head.  “Go on, Beloved.  I’ll meet you in the mess hall for dinner?”

Arianna smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss Eli quickly.  “You’ve got yourself a date, Amado.  Let me know if you’re running late.”

Eli kissed her again.  “I will,” patting her on the ass gently and watching her out of sight before she turned back to Eden who was regarding her with an amused smirk.  “What can I do for you, Eden?” ignoring the blush that turned her skin a deep, rich green.

“You all right?” her expression becoming serious almost immediately.

Eli frowned.  “Why do you ask?” not answering the question.

“You’re avoiding the question, for one thing,” Eden pointed out.  “For another, I recognize the signs of a meltdown.  Then there was your unwillingness to stay here long enough to let anyone talk to our folks, and then your sudden reversal.  So, what’s going on?  Are you all right?”

Eli sighed.  She loved Eden - loved the fact that she was perceptive enough to stop a lot of issues before they grew into genuine problems.  But right now, that keen insight was working against her in a serious way.  Still, she couldn’t begrudge her second her concern, and she took Eden by the elbow and drew her back into the office.  “Have a seat,” she gestured as she walked around to the other side of the desk.  “It won’t take long to explain, but it will take more than a minute or two.”

Eden sat down and reclined back in the chair before giving Eli and expectant look.  “So?”

Eli leaned forward and placed her clasped hands on the desk in front of her.  “I’m all right, Eden - mostly, anyway.  I’m tired… exhausted really, and I really didn’t want to talk to my MaTb.”  She blew out a breath.  “She didn’t know about my dragon, and in my culture…. If she had known, I would have been made to stay home.  I couldn’t risk that, so I didn’t tell her.”

“And you were afraid she would… what?  Be angry?  Upset?  Disappointed?”

“Yes.  And I just couldn’t….  I’ve had enough of that thrown at me in recent days.  I didn’t want to see or hear that from my MaTb.  Her opinion has always counted so much where I’m concerned.”

“Eli, we both know your makuahine thinks the sun rises and sets with you, and besides, there’s nothing she can do to you at this point.  You’re in the program, and we’re so many light years away from home, it would take months for her to even be in a position to smack you.  So what else is going on, because I know something else is weighing on you.”  She paused.  “Are you still cooking… steaming….  Crap!  What’s the expression I’m looking for?” She muttered to herself.  She bit her lip, and Eli simply waited.  She wasn’t sure what the word was, though she got the connotation Eden was going for.  “Stewing!!” Eden exclaimed out of nowhere, causing Eli to jump a bit in surprise.  “Are you still stewing over what Jake said?”

Eli shrugged.  “Maybe a little?”  She glanced down at her desk.  “It’s a little difficult not to take it personally.  I know he was under the influence of pain and medication, but that just means there were no barriers in place to keep what he truly thought in.  He was saying what he really, truly thought about me.”

“No,” Eden insisted vehemently.  “He was saying what he knew would hurt, because you were there.  One craptastic thing about all this close living we’ve been doing is knowing where to hit and how to hurt each other because we’re in one another’s space every minute of every day.  I think it’s safe to say we’re all beyond tired and ready to be home.”

Eli nodded and offered a weary smile.  “Pretty sure you’re right.”

“Then remember I’m right about Jake too.  He said some pretty crappy things to me too.  The difference is, I didn’t stand there and take it like you did.  I let him have it with both barrels,” frowning, but continuing on.  “He backed off and apologized damn fast after that.”  She sighed when she realized Eli’s attention had returned to her desk top.  “So what made you decide to let us talk to our folks?”

“Mary,” Eli replied succinctly.  “She reminded me it wouldn’t be a hardship, and it would be unfair of me not to put the opportunity out there.”

“Chief’s a pretty smart brownie.”

“Yes, and having my MaTb not respond harshly to my news didn’t hurt either.”  She smiled slightly and let her eyes meet Eden’s.  “It was really nice to talk to them all again.  I told Mary to expect to sit down with us as a group before we left.”  She leaned forward and waited for Eden to do the same.  “She and Caleb have come to an understanding.”

Eden’s black eyes widened.  “No kidding??”

“No kidding.  It’s still really new - like it happened today, new - but apparently, she’s given him the go ahead for them to become more than friends.”  She leaned back and finally relaxed into the chair.  “I’m very happy for them.  I think they make a great couple.”

“Oh yeah… they made a great couple when they were just the Chief and Caleb, because he had her down to a science, practically.  I’m glad Mary finally got her head on straight and said yes to him.”

“If what I saw was any indication, everyone feels that way.”

Eden nodded as she stood up.  “You feeling any better now?” waiting for Eli’s answer before she continued.  “All righty then, I’ll let you get back to….”  She waved her arms around vaguely.  “Whatever it is you need to get done.  I can stay on the bridge for a bit if you want… especially if Az headed back down to engineering.”

“Please.  I need to make up that tentative schedule so I can move things around as soon as Mary gets me the order of incoming ships, and I promised Aphrodite I would shuttle her and Cupid home.  She wanted to talk - to share about our joint history.  I owe them that much.”

“Well, I don’t know about all that, but if you promised them….”

“Yes, I’m inclined to let the whole thing alone, because it’s not going to change anything for us at this point.  It’s over and done.  But she seems to think it’s important, so I’ll listen to what she has to say.  They deserve whatever peace they can find - I don’t think they’ve ever had much of that in their millennia of lifetimes.”  She paused.  “Was Aphrodite able to reach out to her family?”

Eden shook her head.  “I don’t know what their communication situation was down there before the Nebula did its thing and all, but we couldn’t find any kind of signal to latch onto.  I put Deb and Es on it like you said, but so far, I haven’t heard anything from them.”

Eli slipped on her glasses and pulled up her Pad, an air of determination settling around her.  “Do me a favor?  Reach out to the other ships, and let them know that I will be taking a shuttle to the planet’s surface shortly if they would like to accompany us.  However, make it clear that this is not a hostile situation, and I expect them to behave as though it was a diplomatic mission instead,” not seeing Eden’s eyes widen at her tone.  Whatever crisis of faith Eli had been having seemed to have passed - or at least been put aside for the moment - and Eden couldn’t help but smile at her fierce return.  Seeing Eli flustered and out-of-sorts was disconcerting, to say the least.  “Also,” Eli continued without pause, and Eden swung her focus back to the Boss addressing her, “we’re going to need two or three volunteers to come over from those ships with a shuttle to monitor the comm unit.  Chief’s orders so we can have the time with our folks.”

“You got it, Captain.  Anything else?”

“Yes.  Please let Aphrodite and Cupid know to be ready.  I know they are both anxious to go home.”

“Kinda like us, then?”

Eli smiled.  “Kinda like us,” before turning to study the schedule in front of her with a frown.

“I’m on it, Boss.  Let me know if you need anything else.”

Eli waved her out to acknowledge her words, but otherwise didn’t lift her attention from the work in front of her.  Eden just shook her head with a knowing smirk, and made her way back to the bridge.  There was still work to do.

************

Eli was just finishing up her final draft of the schedule from the list Mary had forwarded far quicker than she’d expected, when a timid knock sounded at her door.  She bit her lip as she plugged in the last of her changes, then looked up as she removed the glasses from her face.  “Come in.”  She was a little surprised to find a nervous Aphrodite standing just outside the room, and she rose as she motioned her in.  “Aphrodite… please, come in.  Have a seat.”  She waited until the other woman was sitting until she resumed her seat.  She watched Aphrodite look around the tiny, cramped room, smiling when she wrinkled her nose in distaste.  “What can I do for you?  Did Eden let you know about…?” stopping when Aphrodite waved her hand and nodded her head.

“She did.  That’s one reason I came to talk to you.  If it’s not any trouble, do you think Arianna could join us on our trip down to the planet?”

Eli frowned, but nodded her head slowly.  “I don’t see why not.  Is there a particular reason, or do you simply want her company?”

Aphrodite smiled sadly.  “While we do enjoy her company, I believe she should be along to hear about your history firsthand.”

“Okay,” Eli drawled.  “May I ask why you want Arianna and me to hear it, but not the rest of the team?”

Aphrodite sighed.  “Frankly?” seeing Eli nod, her confusion clear.  “Even though your souls were always in one another’s orbits until you and Arianna blasted everything to like, freaking kingdom come, your friends have always been supporting players on the stage of your life.  And none of them are related directly to us like you and Arianna are.”  She clasped her hands tightly together in her lap, and glanced down at them.  “I think you deserve to know a little about your family, then you can decide what and how much to share with your friends.”  She sighed.  “Besides, it was pretty… messy, and a little hectic when we left.  I’m not sure - well, I doubt we’d be able to be quite as hospitable this time around.”

“All right.  Why don’t you go get Cupid and meet us in the shuttle bay?  I’ll go gather Arianna and we’ll head out now?  I know you were anxious to find out what happened to your family.”

“Yes, and I do appreciate you trying,” unable to hide the shaking of her hands when she unclasped them to rise from her seat.  “I know you’ve got a hundred other things on your mind that are probably more important than this,” exiting the door smoothly when Eli motioned her ahead.

“This is important to you; I’m sorry I wasn’t able to do better.”

Aphrodite shook her head.  “Don’t be.”  She sighed again.  “As anxious as I am to know what’s going on with the fam, the fact is that there’s nothing I can do to change whatever’s happened while we’ve been gone.  I know you’ve got other responsibilities to handle, and things have been more than a little rough for you too lately.”  She held up her hands to ward off any comeback Eli might have made.  “I’m just saying I get it, ‘kay?  I’m not mad or anything… just tired.  This being human thing kind of sucks.”

“Some days more than others,” Eli commented, wrapping an arm around Aphrodite’s shoulders and brushing a kiss onto her forehead when she hugged back.  “There is usually good to counterbalance it, though; I just need to remember that.”

“Pretty sure we all do,” Aphrodite said as she straightened up.  “Let me go grab Cupie.  It’s time for us to go home, so you kids can do the same.”

“Sounds good.  We’ll meet you in about five standard.”  Aphrodite nodded and headed toward the room she and Cupid had shared briefly.  Eli moved toward engineering, hoping her mate was ready to go.

************

Eli crossed the threshold into the engine room and immediately brought things to a standstill as the three young men currently occupying space turned to look at her.  She waved them off.  “Just looking for my mate, gentlemen,” she replied to their questioning glances.  All three instantly pointed towards the shielded area of the bay, and she nodded her thanks.  But before she could take a step, Arianna emerged from behind the shield with her head buried in whatever data was up on her Pad.

“Danny, can you ping the subatomic particle emitter from your Pad, please?  I’d like to see if….” trailing off as she lifted her head at the complete stillness in the room.  A glance at Danny garnered a slight tip of his head, and she followed it as a matter of course… only to find Eli smiling back at her.  Arianna’s face creased into a grin.  “Amado! What are you doing here??  It’s only….” Checking the time when Eli raised an eyebrow at her and widening her eyes at how late it actually was.  “Oh, <ahem>, I didn’t realize….”

“I figured as much when I stopped by the mess hall and you weren’t there, especially since there are three other people working in engineering right now,” motioning to the guys who had already moved back to their own stations.

Arianna frowned.  “How did I miss that?  I’m pretty sure one of them should be off right now.”

Eli chuckled.  “You do tend to become immersed, Angel,” holding up her hands when Arianna cocked an eyebrow at her and put her hands on her hips defiantly.  “I know because I tend to do the same.  However, right now, we’ve got other places to be. Goodnight, guys,” waving to them as she took Arianna’s hand in hers.

“Dinner?” Arianna asked as she tucked her Pad into her pocket and waved absentmindedly as they exited the room.

“Um… no.  It’s time to return Cupid and Aphrodite to the planet, and they’ve asked that you accompany them as well.”

“Really?  Why is that?”

“Truly.  And because they want you to hear our history firsthand.  I suspect it may be more than that,” Eli confessed, “but that was the only reason she mentioned to me.”

“All right,” Arianna shrugged.  “Let’s go take our friends home.  Maybe they will be able to find some peace then.”  Eli nodded, but she didn’t reply, and in just another moment, they were entering the shuttle bay to find Cupid and Aphrodite waiting patiently for them.  Arianna walked right up to them before taking Aphrodite in her arms.  “Thank you,” she whispered, “for what you did for her… for what you did for us.  We will tell your story to our children and their children, so you will never be forgotten.”

Aphrodite kissed her cheek as they withdrew from one another, wiping a tear as it slid down her face.  “Maybe you should let me tell you the rest of the story before you decide if you want to share,” she said with a sad smile.

Arianna didn’t speak, but nodded her head in acknowledgement.  Then she turned to Cupid.  “I’m going to miss you - as Joseph and as Cupid,” feeling his arms tighten around her exponentially.  “You have been a wonderful friend and brother, and I will never forget you.”

“Nor I, you,” he promised as he caressed her cheek.  “But may I ask why you are telling me this now?  It’s not like we’re saying goodbye just yet.”

“Except we are.  When we leave here, we’ll be taking you home.  And we’re not going to take away from your homecoming by saying goodbye and adding sadness and tears to the proceedings.  We’ll do that here, because, despite everything, this is a little sad for all of us… for multiple reasons.  But your homecoming should be a matter of joy and delight - for you and your family.”

Aphrodite looked at Eli.  “She’s a totally smart li’l cookie.  You might want to hang onto her.”

“For the rest of my life,” Eli promised, only to find Arianna shaking her head.

“No,” she said distinctly.  “This is a forever kind of thing.  Remember?”

“I do,” she vowed, and reached out a hand to pull Arianna toward her.  She squeezed it lightly as she released it, easing Arianna toward Aphrodite.  “Why don’t you two go inside and get settled? I need to speak to Cupid for a moment.”  Arianna nodded and took Aphrodite by the hand.  When they disappeared inside, Eli turned back to Cupid.  “I’m not really sure what to say to you.  I’m going to miss you so much, despite the fact that I’ve missed you half of forever, and only just met you.”  She shook her head.  “It’s all a little confusing.”

Cupid smirked.  “You should try living it,” said with a hint of humor.  “Though to be honest,” he added with a genuine smile, “I wouldn’t trade it.  Being your brother was… amazing for me.  One of the most honest human experiences I ever had.  Meeting you again as Joseph was simply surreal.”

Eli chuckled.  “Knowing how I feel, I can only imagine.”  She paused and sucked in a deep breath.  Cupid waited, knowing she was gathering her courage to speak.  “Thank you,” she finally whispered.  “I know I was angry at you… at Elijah… but honestly, I’m grateful for all you did for him and for us.  Without you - without what you did for my brother - I doubt I would be here right now, even if I had survived being born without my twin.  I am happy, and I have you to thank for it.  I hope you find the same when you are finally home again.”

He smiled as he remembered the feel of Psyche in his arms.  “I think I might,” he assured her.  “But come.  We need to get home, and so do you.  This has already taken a lot longer than anyone imagined.”

“Yes, but at least we’ll have stories upon stories to tell our children.”

“And your parents.”

“And our parents,” Eli agreed with an eye roll.  “Though I imagine a few things will get edited for both groups.  No one needs to know everything.”

“Truth!” Cupid replied as he stepped into the shuttle and offered her his hand.  “Shall we?”

“Let’s!”


Chapter LXXI

They were all quiet as Eli went through the process of firing up the engine, waiting for each of them to strap in before she closed the shuttle doors and opened the bay.  She spun the shuttle gently so they were facing out, then turned to her passengers.  “Is everyone locked in and ready?” She asked, meeting each pair of eyes and waiting for an affirmative answer before moving to the next.  When she was satisfied, she turned her countenance back to the viewscreen and slowly lifted off from the platform.  In only a moment, they were beyond the bay doors, and she closed them behind her before inputting the coordinates for the planet below.  She knew, due to Eden’s voice in her ear, that two other shuttles - one from each ship - had joined their excursion, but they would be of little consequence to her until they landed.  For now, they had a little time to talk before their arrival.  Eli tapped her comm unit.

“Eden, I’m putting you on mute for now.  I will still be able to hear you, and if anything untoward happens, I will reinstate your ability to hear us immediately.  But Aphrodite has asked to speak to us privately.”

“You do what you need to do, Boss.  We’ll be keeping an eye out here regardless.”

“Thanks, Eden.  I….”

“Go on, Boss.  We’ve all got work to do.”

Eli smiled, knowing it was Eden’s gruff way of expressing her understanding.  Then she flipped the comm to mute and turned her attention to Aphrodite.  “You have our attention, Aphrodite.  Can you share your story with us now?”

Aphrodite nodded and clasped her hands together, straightening her posture and clearing her throat as seriousness washed over her.  “You already know the bare outline of this totally rad story.  But this story… the full story… started long before that.  Still millennia ago, but further back.  It’s true that Zeus was a total prick, and embarrassed by the fact that the soulbond he coveted turned him down without a second thought.  But the truth is - he was jealous.  He was so freaking jealous of what they had.”  She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as her brows furrowed.

“Okay, so… the Olympians - our immediate family - were not the first of our ilk.  Before us were the Titans, and before them were Chronos and Rhea.  But the oldest among us was Gaia.  She was my great grandmother, and in her time, darkness and light were separate from one another.  However, while she was the guardian, darkness crossed into light and brought Chaos into the human realm.  When that happened, she and my great-grandfather stepped back from a position of power, to allow the Titans to rule.  But before she walked away, she put the human soulbonds together - physically joined them - in an attempt to keep what happened before from happening again.”

“What happened?”

“One of the light soulbonds was coveted by a member of the darkness.  She crossed into the light in an effort to bring the one she desired to the darkness.  When she did so, she brought Chaos to the world.”

“Did she succeed in obtaining the soulbond she wanted?”

“Not even vaguely.  But unfortunately, her actions did not allow them to be joined like the rest, though they were able to stay together in the animal forms they had been cursed to,” waving away their questions.  “Things went along for a time - the Titans ruled the Earth and they were… they were much more primitive than either those that came before or those that followed.  The important thing is they didn’t care about the soulbonds; they were much too busy enjoying the mayhem and destruction they could cause.  It’s one reason Zeus defeated them so easily.  But Zeus’ defeat of them brought the soulbonds into his purview, and that’s when things started getting messy.”

“He split us up?”

She shook her head.  “Sorta.  It wasn’t until I came on the scene that he was successful.”  She held up her hands in contrition, pleading for mercy without saying a word.  “I was only trying to help!  I didn’t know….  I had no idea….”  She took a deep breath and released it slowly before she resumed speaking.

“You were the first of the soulbonds that caught his attention, but once he discovered you, it brought the rest into his purview.  But there was something about the two of you that he craved.  He struggled to find a way to separate you, because even as animals, you had something… beyond, and he wanted that.  It was something we had never had, and couldn’t seem to access on our own.  He didn’t think it was fair that mere mortals… lowly little humans… had something so amazing, and yet the gods didn’t….  I don’t know.”  She shook her head.  “It was a mess, and he was angry, and jealous, and downright hateful about it.  Most of us were kids at the time, and we had our own stuff to worry about, so we steered clear of him and his machinations as much as possible.”

“What happened?” Arianna asked gently, feeling Aphrodite’s distress like her own.

“I was reading through our histories, and I found out about the two that had been cursed to be together forever, yet always separated from each other except for a singular night each year.  I found a way to resolve the issue keeping the original soulbonds apart, by reversing the curse so that they could be together all but one night a year in their human form.  On that one night, they would revert to their animal forms and would consummate their love at midnight when the veil was at its thinnest.  Only then would they be human again.”

Eli pinched the bridge of her nose, grateful for the autopilot program currently guiding them slowly towards the planet.  “This is beginning to be painful.”

Aphrodite snorted, though there was little humor in her tone.  “No kidding.  You have to remember that these two were never one, but they were the original soulmates, and my fixing the curse they had been under brought them to Zeus’ attention.  When you turned him down, he went crazy.  That was when he separated the soulmates.”

“Including us.”

“Especially you.  It solved the issue of the curse - still not sure how - but it also served to separate you as completely as the others… which was actually worse for you, because you had never been apart before.  Even cursed, you had always been together in one form or another, and now suddenly, you were separated by time and distance and life itself.”

“I can’t imagine that worked out well for anyone,” Arianna commented softly.

Aphrodite grinned wryly.  “Oh, Sweetheart - that’s like the understatement of the millennium.  It was one reason….” She held up her hands.  “Let me back up a bit.  Once you were separated, there was the very devil to pay, because you went tearing through the afterlife - all of it - looking for each other.  When you were forced back into the Circle from the Well of Souls, your anger and heartbreak got exponentially worse.  We feared you would destroy us and yourselves if things continued in the same vein.  Hence the bet.  That would ensure you regular trips into the Circle and would mostly guaranteed you would encounter one another at the very least.  To help that along, Athena and Artemis decided to be a little more, um… proactive.”

“They sired us, you mean,” Eli pointed out.

“Well… yes.  By this point we had all learned about soulmates, we all kinda wanted our own as well.  But we also knew we had to diffuse your anger as much as possible, before you destroyed realms with your fury… because nothing would have survived it.”

“So you lied to Eden about us?”

Aphrodite scratched the back of her neck.  “Not exactly.  I was simply… judicious… with my use of facts.”  She sighed.  “What I told Eden was absolutely true.  What I told you both about the bet and how things got to where they were was also true.  I just didn’t, like, fill in all the blanks for everyone.  I’m trying to do that now,” said with a huff.

Eli frowned.  “I am obviously missing something very important - like why you felt the need to lie.  Or why you didn’t feel you could share the whole truth with the teammates we call family now.”  She watched in confusion as Aphrodite gripped her hair in her hands and tightened them with a groan.  She looked between Arianna and Cupid.  “What am I missing?”

Cupid sighed and rested a hand on his mother’s arm, gently coaxing her to release the stranglehold she had on her hair. As she began to relax, he met Eli’s eyes.  “I think you’re missing a couple things, actually.  Like the timeline involved here.  And the fact that your friends weren’t even part of your lives for millennia.  It was thousands of years between the time you two were in your original incarnation - the one that forced you to become a panther, and her,” motioning to Arianna, “a fox - before Mom was able to alter that curse to allow you both to be more human.  It was another century or two before you were forced from the Well of Souls once Zeus had separated all the soulmates into single beings.  It wasn’t until Artemis and Athena got involved….”

“Why did they? What was so important that they felt the need to interfere?”

Aphrodite patted the hand still resting on her arm, and offered Cupid a tired smile.  “Let me tell this part, Cue.  I was there.”  He nodded and backed off slightly, but still remained close enough for her to feel his support.  “You remember I told you all about how your anger was growing exponentially worse the longer you were separated from one another?  It was really, really bad.  Our prevailing thought was if we could coax you both from the Well of Souls together, there would be a much higher chance you would be able to find one another and spend that lifetime together, which we hoped would mean you’d get and stay on the same cycle.  We believed it would give you a higher chance to defeat Ares and the bet.  We were only trying to help.”

Eli sighed.  “Yes.  That seems to be the prevailing theme here.”  She sighed again, and scratched her forehead, trying to rid herself of the wrinkles she could feel forming furrows on her face.  “So, what happened?”

“In your case, Athena went to your mother when your father was away at war.  She just accepted the fact that he was given some time off to come home for a few days.”

“And he never thought to question the fact that a child was born to her despite his having been away?”

“He did actually come home for a few days a couple weeks later.”  Aphrodite shrugged.  “Close enough.”

“Uh… huh,” Eli drawled.  “And Arianna?”

“Oh… well, in her case, Artemis simply touched her mother.  Her old man was shooting blanks.”

“Didn’t need to know that,” Eli muttered.

“Hey!  You asked.”

“And what was the benefit to you… the gods, I mean?” Arianna asked with a frown.  “I get what you said - that you only wanted to help, although obviously it was a stop-gap measure at best given what eventually happened.  But you also told us that the gods were selfish individuals… with your own agenda.  So what else did you get - or expect to get - from trying to help?”

Aphrodite looked between Arianna and Eli, trying to determine their mindset, but she couldn’t find a hint of accusation… only curiosity.  She sighed and looked down at her hands before she replied in an almost whisper.  “We didn’t actually… we were hoping that by bree… by crossing our lineage with that of true soulmates, we might finally have an actual chance to have soulmates ourselves.”

“It didn’t work,” Eli stated flatly.

“Not even remotely.  When the two of you were born, well, you know that Ares stepped in to claim your soul,” nodding at Eli.  “But even without that, once your paths crossed, there was no one else - not hero; not demi-god; not full god.  Even before you became lovers, neither of you allowed anyone or anything to come between you… not to the point of separation, at any rate.  And once you were lovers,” Aphrodite fanned herself rapidly and chuckled, “it was all over but the shouting.  Our reclaiming you was a formality at that point - partly due to the bet that had been made, of course, but partly because of who you were.  You would have been reborn regardless, of course, but I believe, despite everything, we helped keep the warrior and the bard together because of our… interference.  It is very likely - given the nature of the bet, and the vested interest both Hades and Zeus had at the time - that you would have been born out of sync with one another from the beginning and thus unable to live any significant amount of time together.”

“You don’t think we would have ended up together had you and your sisters not… involved yourself in our lives and trips through the Circle?”

Aphrodite shook her head.  “Given the levels of treachery Ares was capable of in those days?  I think the odds would have been stacked against you… especially since we were powerful for a long time.  You might not have been able to blow everything to kingdom come and gone like you did had your fury erupted before it did.  Remember… by the time you managed that little feat, we were long since out of favor with humanity, and any power we had by that point was residual to what was happening in the world around us.”

Aphrodite stopped speaking, exhausted by not only the telling, but also by the effort to remain stoic and serious throughout.  Cupid reached an arm across and wrapped it around her shoulders, drawing her to him and kissing her head.  She let herself sink into his strong embrace, glad circumstances had given her back this long missing piece of her family if nothing else.  She released a shaky breath.  She wasn’t sure what she was going to do if they were the only two left.  She and her family might not want to be immortal beings any more, but that didn’t mean she was ready to give up her life or the lives of those she knew best.  She’d like a few years to adjust, at least, before she had to start giving them up one by one.

She blinked when a warm, green hand covered one of hers, followed by a cooler, tanned one.  She looked up to find concerned brown and hazel eyes focused on her.  It caused tears to well, and she tipped her head back to keep them from falling.  Arianna squeezed the hand she held lightly.

“Hey… you okay?”

Aphrodite smiled, but couldn’t keep the tears from falling.  “I’m better than okay, among a hundred other emotions,” she answered.  “There’s just so much… and I’m overwhelmed… and tired, and….  How do you guys do this all the freaking time??  Be human, I mean.”

“Practice,” Eli said drolly.  “Lots and lots of practice.”

Aphrodite gave her a watery smile and reached up to wipe her eyes.  “Well, here’s hoping I have some time to practice.  This could take a while.”

Cupid chuckled.  “It never stops,” earning him a glare from his mother.

“Not helping, Cue,” she replied, though she snuggled a little deeper into the hug he still had her in.

“Hey, Cap?” Eden called across Eli’s comm, causing both her and Arianna to straighten automatically.  

She tilted her head as she exchanged glances with Arianna, who shook her head and shrugged.  “What’s up, Eden?”

“You should be aware that the shuttle captains are trying to contact you for instructions.  You’re about five minutes out from landing on the planet.”

“Thanks, Eden.  I’m putting us back on comms, so you’ll be able to hear and monitor what’s going on.”  Before Eden could respond, Eli turned her attention back to the readout in front of her, then addressed the two shuttle captains.  “This is Eli of the Outreach.  Whom am I addressing?”

“This is Lieutenant Baker from the Onyx.”
“Lieutenant Tennant from the Racer.”

Eli blinked.  She hadn’t expected the stereo reply.  After a breath, she spoke again.  “Very well, Lieutenants.  I will look forward to meeting you both when we land.  For now, if you will follow me in, please.  I’ll guide you both to a landing area we discovered that appears to be just out from the populated area of the planet.  I would request that you land one on each side and slightly behind me, and please remember to treat this as a diplomatic mission.  We have already met with the people who reside here - they are of little to no danger to us.”

“Captain,” Baker’s voice started.

“Lieutenant, I’m sure you have safety protocols to follow for first contact missions.”  They didn’t - that wasn’t the kind of work these people did… ever. They did, however, have instructions from their own captains on protocols to keep the Alpha Team members safe from unknowns.  “However,” Eli’s voice cut through the thoughts running through the heads of both security teams, “this is not a first contact mission.  We have already met with these people several times; shared a several meals; stood beside one another in combat.  So you will follow my lead and my directives.  Understood?”

The fierceness and authority in her tone was something none of them could ignore.  With a sigh, they exchanged glances around each shuttle, and the shuttle commanders nodded subtly to each other across the viewscreens they had open between them.

“Aye, ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am.”

The answers came simultaneously, and Eli had to wonder if she should have demanded viewscreen access when she’d answered their hails.  Too late now, she thought wryly, then turned her attention back to her instruments.  It was time to hand her visitors back over to their families, so her family could begin the final leg of their journey home.  At last.


Chapter LXXII

The shuttle landed gently on the thick grass and Eli gave a sigh of relief.  Even though she, like the rest of her team, had qualified to fly as part of their training, it was always a little more difficult for her to have to think about all the little details she just naturally did when she flew as a dragon.  It was always a bit jarring for it not to be second nature.  She smiled when Arianna’s hand came up to cover hers, knowing her mate could feel her unease and nervousness.  She turned to glance into brown eyes, and let her own twinkle in response.  Arianna squeezed the hand she held in acknowledgment, and in another moment, they were shutting the systems down.  Not that they expected to be here very long, but it was part of the protocol they were used to following.  In tandem, they turned to their guests, who were eyeing them with a hint of curiosity.

“Come,” Eli almost commanded as she stood and helped Arianna to her feet.  “I need to meet the shuttle crews and I want to check on your people and introduce them all before we leave.  They’re going to be here for at least a little while, and I’d like to know that things start out on the right foot.”

Aphrodite jumped up and engulfed Eli in a hug.  “Thank you!” she whispered.

Though she was surprised, Eli returned the embrace fervently.  “Thank you,” she replied.  After a moment, she pulled back and brushed a kiss over Aphrodite’s temple.  “Now, let’s go see how the family is doing, all right?”

Aphrodite nodded her head and wiped another tear from her eye.  Cupid just rolled his and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, moving them slightly out of the way so Eli and Arianna could pass by to exit first.  A push of a button, and the ramp started lowering.  When it touched down, Eli stepped out of the shuttle, pulling Arianna to stand beside her as they surveyed the new planet.  Before they could move further, both shuttle crews came around opposite corners to stand in front of them.  Eli studied them for a moment before she headed down the ramp.

“Lieutenants?”

“I’m Baker, ma’am,” the young man stated.

“And I’m Tennant, ma’am,” the young woman said immediately afterward.

“And the rest?” Eli asked looking around and motioning to the crew that stood back at a respectful distance, waiting for orders.

“Otto, Ford, and Williams,” Tennant answered, pointing out each member of her team.

“Rothrock, Smitty, and Jackson,” Baker said, doing the same.

Eli nodded.  “It’s nice to meet you, ladies and gentlemen,” silently applauding when no one flinched at her address of them.  “I’m Eli; this is my mate, Arianna,” gently pulling her wife to stand beside her.  “And these,” motioning as the two former gods moved into the doorway, “are Aphrodite and Cupid.  They will be remaining here with their families.  We are simply here to return them to their home.”

Before she could add more, there was movement at the edge of the trees that surrounded the meadow.  Instantly, the eight crew members stiffened and dropped to defensive positions to protect them.  Eli facepalmed and raised a hand to prevent the visitors from moving closer.  She sighed.  “Ladies and gentlemen, stand down, please,” frowning when they didn’t react immediately.  “NOW!” she barked, loudly and harshly enough that they reacted on instinct, lowering their weapons if not putting them away.  “These are the people you are here to meet.  There’s no one here but friends.  Please don’t make me report you to Mary,” swallowing a laugh at the look of horror on their paling faces.  “Come - let me introduce you.  Once we have gotten past the initial greetings, I think you’ll be able to relax a little bit, and you’ll be able to make a favorable report to your captains.”

Baker and Tennant exchanged looks, then nodded and turned to Eli. Eli smiled and started down the ramp holding Arianna’s hand.  They stepped through the military teams to stand in front of them, then Eli motioned those waiting at the tree line forward.  As they moved forward, Aphrodite broke free of Cupid’s embrace, and rushed through the crew members and past Eli and Arianna to fall at Athena’s feet.  She wrapped her arms around Athena’s middle, dropping her head onto her stomach and letting the tears flow in relief.  Athena wrapped a shaking hand in blonde curls, and just let her cry.  A smile touched her lips as her own eyes welled.  She, more than most, understood the myriad of emotions running through Aphrodite.

Those surrounding them smiled and walked beyond, leaving her and Aphrodite in their own little bubble for just a little while.  Later, they would do their own catching up, but for now there were other things requiring their attention, and Aphrodite and Athena deserved a few minutes of privacy to reassure themselves of the other’s reality.  They had come too close to losing each other, and that adjustment was something that they were all going to have to get used to - although hopefully on a  much gentler curve and not such a steep angle.

Cupid remained behind with Eli and Arianna, allowing his mother and Athena their own private reunion.  Then Psyche broke through those surrounding her at a run, and he braced himself for the impact, barely letting out a breath when she jumped into his arms.  This, he thought to himself.  Finally, I’m home.  He closed his eyes and absorbed the feeling of right and completeness that flowed through him.  No matter what he had gained and lost in his lifetime, this was home.

The rest continued to catch up, stopping just a few feet from where Eli and Arianna remained.  Zeus studied their impassive faces - neither cold nor welcoming - and reached out a tentative hand in greeting.  Eli didn’t hesitate to accept it - she had something to prove to the military members standing at her back, after all - but Zeus was old enough to sense the not-quite friendliness she exuded.

“Welcome back,” he offered softly.  “Thank you for bringing our family home.”

Eli’s gaze softened, though it never quite reached a smile.  “It was our honor and privilege to do so - they… you all… did everything for us to ensure our survival.  We couldn’t not give them a chance to come home to their family.”

“Well, whatever the reason, we’re glad to have them home.  So thank you.”

Eli nodded.  “I would like to introduce you to the folks waiting at the shuttle.  They are emissaries from the two ships currently rotating above the planet.  They are interested in learning about you and perhaps establishing some sort of relationship with all of you.”

“Why?” Zeus asked confused.  “I mean we’ve been here for… well, a very long time, and no one has taken much interest in us before now.”

“That’s not true,” Arianna interposed.  “Think back to the number of scientific ships that came to study the Nebula.  They tried to reach you - to connect in some way, but the interference from the Nebula made contact nearly impossible, and invariably caused their destruction.  It’s one reason the Nebula was marked as a ‘no entry’ zone to all but the sturdiest science ships, and why most of those even stayed on the fringes of the Nebula’s boundaries.”

Zeus nodded slowly.  “That’s understandable, I suppose.  Just don’t understand why the sudden interest now.”

“Because they can,” Eli assured him shortly.  “It’s up to you all, of course, but I think it might be mutually beneficial.  It would give you some access to the world beyond your own, and it would allow humanity to learn a little about their history and culture.  Though you might want to be a little judicious with what exactly you share with them in regards to the roles you actually played.”

Zeus’ eyes widened, as did those of the rest of his contingent.  “She told you….”

“Everything,” Eli confirmed.

“That explains the change in attitude.”

“I’m trying very hard not to be angry and resentful,” she commented.  “Since it did work out in our favor in the end.  But at the moment, I’m still trying to process all the selfish interference you all perpetuated upon us.  Not really happy about that.”

“I understand,” Zeus replied contritely.  “I’ve had millennia to think and process and try to make peace with myself over some of the selfish and dumbass things I did when I was King of the Gods.”  He looked down and moment, then back up to meet their eyes.  “There are many things I did that I am ashamed of now, and if I could change it I would.  That being said, there’s no way from here but forward, as you both reminded me when we defeated Mischief together.  The best I can offer is a sincere apology.”

Eli nodded sharply, but said nothing, other than, “Come.  Let me introduce you.”

Zeus and a few of the others stepped forward towards the shuttles and the military people who waited there.  Eli hesitated when Artemis placed a hand on Ariana’s arm and drew her to a halt.  “Can we talk?” she asked in a hesitant whisper.  Arianna squeezed the hand she held before releasing it, drawing Eli’s attention back to her as she watched the former gods stop and wait for her to join them.  

“Go on, Amado.  I’ll be all right.  And you can join us when you get finished with the whole diplomacy leadership thing.”

“Are you sure?”

She offered Eli a small smile and shrugged.  “I think we owe her and Athena a chance to speak.”

Eli nodded slowly, straightening her posture and assuming the mantle of command once more.  “Very well,” she responded.  “I’ll find you as soon as I’m done here.”

“Don’t rush on my account, Lover.  I’ll be fine - you do what needs to be done to make this work, okay?”

Eli nodded, but didn’t reply.  She simply moved to stand at the front of the planet delegation, leading the way to where the military members were watching them a little warily.  The lieutenants stepped up and stood at attention, the rest following their example.  When Eli made introductions, they extended a hand which was accepted with alacrity and enthusiasm, and they endeavored to convey the same as this was not normally their function.  They had been sent by their captains to protect the Alpha Team assets; they were doing the meet-and-greet because Eli had directed them to do so.  Zeus sensed their unease, and cocked his head at them in question.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No, sir,” Tennant answered immediately.  “This is just something we don’t normally… do.  We were sent as a security detail for Eli and Arianna.”

“You think they need defending against us?”

“I don’t think anything, sir.  I am simply following the orders of my captain.  Our first duty is to protect the members of the Alpha Team.  Our secondary mission is to scout out the planet.  We want to ensure we do as little damage to the planet and the people living here as possible, and that they will do no harm to us.”

Zeus’ shaggy eyebrows flew into his hairline, eyes wide at the blunt honesty spilling from Tennant’s lips.  “Well, in that case, would you and your party like to join us in our village?  You can see where and how we live, and perhaps convince your captain to visit.  I think we might have something to offer one another to make this a delightful venture for all of us.”

Tennant and Baker looked to Eli, who stood stoically to one side allowing them to interact without interference.  She nodded slightly, and they turned to each other for a moment before facing Zeus and his contingent.  “We’d like that, sir,” Baker said.

“Excellent!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together before extending her arm in a sweeping motion.  “Please… this way.  It’s a very short walk.”  

Baker and Tennant walked to either side of him and allowed him to lead the way.  The rest fell back a step or two, a little surprised when the other members of the Greek delegation spread out to walk among them.  They looked to Eli for instruction.

“At ease, ladies and gentlemen,” watching them relax at her directive.  “They just want to talk to you - to get to know you and the worlds you come from.  You are the first to visit them - outside the Alpha Team - in a very long time.”

They each nodded a bit stiltedly, but walked forward without much hesitation or flinching when they were surrounded by curious ex-gods.  Eli smiled quietly to herself.  This was shaping up to be quite the mission.

************

Arianna followed Artemis back towards the village, pausing briefly to touch Aphrodite’s shoulder and Athena’s arm before steeping out of reach.  She knew they’d come find her as soon as their emotions settled.  When they walked out of the tree line, Arianna stopped in wonder.  Gone was the destruction that had been left after their fight with Mischief.  In its place stood tall, white marble buildings she had only ever seen in the history and culture studies she’d been required to learn as part of her royal training.  Her eyes bugged out and her mouth dropped a little as she struggled to take in the changed reality… and a familiarity she couldn’t quite place.  Artemis reached over and gently shut her mouth with an audible click.

“Careful,” she said, with a hint of amusement in her tone.  “You don’t want to attract bugs.”  Arianna blinked and turned her attention back to Artemis, whose lips and eyes creased with her amusement.  “This wasn’t us,” she said with a soft smile as she gestured around at the newly restored city.  “Gaia did that when she reformed the Nebula into this place… this planet.”

“How did you all survive?  By rights….”

“We should have been blown back to Olympus?  Yeah, we figured the same thing.  It was… I don’t know how to explain it exactly.  It was like we were swaddled in cotton and clouds… or something.  I wasn’t really cognizant - none of us were.  It was like we fell asleep and woke up to this.”

“Not a bad thing to wake up to,” Arianna commented.  “It reminds me of things I studied.”

“I’m sure,” Artemis said with a wry smile.  “This is much how our home looked at the height of our influence and power.  It’s comforting and depressing at the same time - so much like the home we knew and yet a reminder of what we had and lost.”

Arianna nodded, but she didn’t reply.  She was busy cataloguing everything she saw while processing the many questions she wanted to ask the woman who was ultimately her abuela many times removed.  She turned a speculative gaze toward Artemis, whose smile turned sad.

“Ask your questions, child.  You’ve certainly earned the right.”

“Why?  And why not tell us?  I don’t think Aphrodite would have shared had Deb not gotten the truth wrong after putting so much effort into working out our histories.”

Artemis sighed.  “I’m sure Dite told you why - we were trying to give you your best chance against Ares… to win the bet.  If you’re asking why me and Athena, well, that’s a little more complicated,” watching with the tiniest smirk as Arianna crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows.  “I’m guessing you have the time you need for me to tell you, huh?”  She took Arianna by the arm.  “Come… we might as well be comfortable and Aphrodite and Athena should really be here if I’m going to share the whole story.”

Arianna snorted and smirked.  “Given what I saw when we stepped from the shuttle, we may be waiting for them a while.”  Her eyes sobered.  “Not that I blame them.  I can’t imagine….”

“But then, you really don’t have to, do you?  You know how they feel… even if it isn’t the same.”

Arianna frowned.  “You know, that kind of thinking is what started all this mess in the first place,” shaking her head in frustration when Artemis looked at her uncomprehendingly.  “Artemis, you… all of you… keep dismissing the love and care you feel for each other like it’s not enough.  Everyone may not be soulmates like Eli and I are, but it doesn’t make the love and emotion you feel any less important.  It just means you have to work a little harder sometimes to connect. Don’t dismiss it like it’s not everything.  Love is love, no matter who shares it, and it’s always important.  Otherwise, everything - everything - becomes worthless.”

The breath was knocked from her lungs as she found herself wrapped from behind in Aphrodite’s arms.  Her face was still wet and her smile bright with unshed tears, but her smile was blinding in its intensity.  “Oh, babe!  Have I told you what a totally gnarly and awesome human being I think you are??  That was… that was amazing,” letting her eyes drift to Athena who stood looking at her adoringly.  She gave Arianna a final squeeze before moving back to wrap an arm around Athena’s waist.  “C’mon.  Eli should be done with her introductions and whatever responsible type stuff she’s got to do, then Cue and Psyche will bring her to our rooms.”

They walked slowly down the massive boulevard, with Artemis or Athena casually pointing out something of interest.  It only took a few minutes, however, before they turned off the main thoroughfare and onto a smaller side road that allowed them to enter a large building through a small, almost unnoticeable door tucked into a cranny.  Artemis went ahead and opened the door to let the others pass in front of her before she hid the door from outside eyes.  She knew Psyche would bring Cupid and Eli in through the grandeur of the front entrance.

Arianna looked around curiously as they led her to what she assumed was a common room.  Aphrodite seated Athena, then curled up beside her, sighing in contentment.  Artemis just rolled her eyes playfully.  “Oh… I see how it is.”  She moved over to the bar, fixing drinks and bringing them over to where the others were congregated.  She placed the tray on the table and wagged her finger at Aphrodite and Athena.  “Don’t think this is going to become a regular thing.”

“Thank you, Artie,” Athena said sincerely.  “I don’t know what I would have done without you recently.”

“How’s about we agree not to find out?  Not for a very long time, at least” Aphrodite proposed.  “I’ve had enough of that whole side of being human to last more lifetimes than we have left to live.  And yes - thank you, Artemis.  What you did was….”

“Mutually beneficial, I assure you.  And I promise we’ll get you and Cupid all caught up on what’s changed and all, but for now, maybe we should finish telling our story so Arianna and Eli can get on with their lives.  It’s time to put this behind us once and for all.”

“Shouldn’t Eli be here for this?”

“I am,” said as she stepped through the massive double doors that served as an entrance to the room.  “Zeus and the rest took the crew members to the Great Hall?” looking between Athena and Artemis, and waited for them to nod their understanding.  “I contacted the captains of Mary’s ships to let them know what was going on and invite them down to begin whatever talks they feel are necessary.  It’s not right for them to put that responsibility on junior members of their crew.”

“And how did that go over, Amado?”

Eli shrugged.  “I didn’t stay on the line long enough to find out, Angel.  I figure it’s up to them now - not my business.”

“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Psyche asked, wincing back when Eli turned bright golden eyes to her.  “Or not.”

“Or not,” Eli agree with a sharp jerk of her head.  “I won’t be here after today to mediate and go between them.  Best that they start taking care of things right from the start.  Less chance for hurt feelings or misunderstandings between them, and only themselves to blame if things don’t work.”  She closed her eyes and breathed out a slow, deep breath.  “I apologize if I sound harsh.  It’s just….”

“It’s just the truth,” Athena cut in with a soft voice.  “You get that from me.”

“And that’s our cue,” Cupid said, taking Psyche by the hand.  “We’ll catch up with you when you’re done here.  We have our own catching up to do,” he added with a smile, grinning when Psyche blushed at his words.  “Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”  He offered a light-hearted wave and took Psyche’s hand.  She waved bashfully, and they slipped out the door.

The five women watched them out of sight, then turned back to one another.  “Well,” Athena said as she cleared her throat delicately.  “Maybe we should get started.  It’s quite a story to tell.”  With that, all eyes turned her way, and the rest sat back and waited for her to speak.


Part 9