Chapter LXXIII

“I’m sure you both know the whole sordid tale by heart - of how you and your souls ended up in a bet with the trifecta of dickishness,” smiling when both Eli and Arianna covered their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.  “It’s all right - you can laugh, you know.  There’s not a whole lot of happy or funny in this story; you should take it where you can find it.”

“Do they know you call them that?” Arianna asked with a chuckle.

“Oh yes,” Artemis cut in.  “Athena called them that to their faces when all of this started.  They never lost the moniker… especially once we were blown here.”  She snorted.  “Everyone started calling them that then.”  She sobered.  “There was a lot of hatred and name-calling and back biting when we first got here, and they were an easy target, because so many of us were already angry at them for one reason or another.  It took a while for things to settle down into something resembling civilized behavior.”

Aphrodite snickered.  “Even that wasn’t always able to withstand the anger that floated around here a lot of days.”  She turned to Eli and Arianna.  “We like to pretend we’re a lot more civilized than we really are, but trust me… even on our best days we can be brutal.  Imagine what it’s like if we deliberately target one another.”  She shook her head.  “The fireworks can be spectacularly rad.”

“All this to say that we started out with the best of intentions.  But I’m sure you’ve both heard some form of that old saying,” waiting for them to nod.  “Right.  So when we discovered that they were gonna to try to stack the deck - that is to say, make sure that your souls would pass one another, barely meeting or interacting - we decided to step in and bend the rules to suit us.  We had to be careful though.  We didn’t want them crying foul and trying to claim victory.  So we decided to help.”

“Can I ask how you came up with the idea to… sire… us?”

Athena smiled.  “That was the best of the many options we had.”

“And you hoped it might spawn soulmates of your own.”

All three goddesses had the grace to look down in embarrassment.  Athena cleared her throat, though she couldn’t hide the bright red flush on her cheeks.  “That was our hope, yes,” she admitted.  “But it was secondary to trying to keep you in the same circle.  We could already feel your anger and rage, and the building of the same with the other soulbonds still existing in the Well of Souls.  We didn’t know what kind of destruction you could bring, but we felt it might be enough to destroy us, and we were selfish enough to not want that.”

Eli and Arianna glanced at each other, and Eli gestured for Arianna to continue her questioning.  Given the fury she could feel rolling off Eli in waves, Arianna reached over and clasped one fisted hand, waiting until she felt the hand relax beneath her hold.  Only then did she turn back to the goddesses who were watching with undisguised fascination.

“So, again - why sire us?  Why not simply move our souls back into the Circle?”

“It wasn’t that easy.  The trifecta was watching as well, though not with nearly the same level of attention.  And remember, there was ten years between you, even with our interference.”

“Why?  Why was there ten years between us?”
Athena smiled. “Have you met the two of you?  Part of that is strictly on you.”  She looked at Arianna.  “Surprisingly, you were more stubborn than your warrior,” chuckling lightly as the brown eyes widened comically.  “But part of it was for your protection.  It would have drawn attention if you had left the Well of Souls together.  So we had to ease you back into the Circle, and the best way to do that was without notice was have you be born.  By our siring you, it was supposed to make it easier for us to claim you as Chosen.”

“Which still didn’t work,” Eli commented with a growl.

“Not like we wanted it to, no,” Athena confessed with a hint of fire.  “We did the best we could.”

Eli stood, hands clenched into fists again.  Athena stood as well, defiant in her stance.  Before either Artemis or Aphrodite could move, Arianna was standing between the two antagonists, back to Eli as she faced Athena.  “Sit. Down.”  Athena was startled.  She had never expected such fierceness from one other than her Chosen.  She blinked and refocused her attention on Arianna, then abruptly reached backward for the chair she’d risen from.  Slowly, she sank into it, her eyes never leaving Arianna’s, especially when she found a spark of compassion reflected back at her.

When Arianna was satisfied that Athena was not going to interrupt, she turned her back to the goddesses and faced Eli.  Eli closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Arianna’s, breathing in deeply in an effort to settle her anger.  Arianna took the clenched fists in her hands and rubbed them gently with the thumb, until she felt them relax again beneath her touch.  When they opened, Arianna moved the open hands to rest on her hips, then she took Eli’s face in her hands.

“Are you all right, Amado?” letting their lips brush as she whispered her question.  Eli released a slow sigh and nodded.

“I think so,” she replied.  “I just… it makes me… So. ANGRY,” gritting her teeth together.

Arianna brushed their lips together and Eli’s hands tightened against her waist.  “Beloved, it’s done.  It’s over.  It happened a long, long time ago.  They were tricked; they made mistakes.  We got angry and let it grow.  There’s a lot of blame to go around… even some for us.  We have to move forward, and we need to let them finish their story.  We have a right to know, and I think they need to share,” sighing when Eli’s breath huffed against her lips.  “I know, Amado.  But it doesn’t hurt us to be kind to them.  They can’t hurt us anymore.” She smiled gently and leaned back to meet enough to make hazel eyes cross as they met hers.  She chuckled.  “Are you okay now?  Ready to continue?”

“I think so,” Eli whispered, closing her eyes briefly before nodding her head sharply and opening her eyes as she stepped back.

“May I speak?” Aphrodite asked as they resumed their seats across from the goddesses.  She met Eli’s eyes staunchly.  Eli studied her a moment, then nodded her head, motioning for her to begin.  Aphrodite nodded and took a deep breath.  “Nothing we say here is going to make all this right or okay or better for you or for us, and I know the fact that we did our best or had the best intentions, you know, or whatever, doesn’t change the fact that the whole thing was just an epic cluster for everyone… but especially the two of you.  But you should know that you were amazing.  Eli, you were a warrior of incredible skill and talent.  The only one that ever truly defeated you was your half.  She is the reason Athena was able to reclaim you as her Chosen.  Arianna, you were a legendary Amazon Queen.”  The three goddess exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

“What?” Arianna demanded, though she couldn’t help smiling at their uncontained mirth.

Artemis took a deep breath and shook her head.  “You were legendary for several reasons - you were a brilliant storyteller; you brought peace to the Amazons, and helped relocate them when it became clear they could no longer survive and thrive in man’s world; you were even a widely heralded cook within the Nation… something the Amazons were able to truly appreciate once your warrior shared your secret and you shared your recipes.  But more than anything else, you were legendary for your ability to get into trouble; though in fairness, it was usually no direct fault of your own.  Still, it did make you legend in your own time, and as far as the Amazons are concerned - or were when we were blasted here - you always will be.”

“There is no way for us to tell you the whole story without sounding like we’re making excuses,” Athena said softly.  She hung her head.  “Partly because I guess we are.  It doesn’t matter what our intentions were or weren’t - the fact is we helped create an intolerable situation.  I’m sorry.  We all are.”

Eli blinked.  Whatever she had expected, those words hadn’t even been on her list of possibilities.  Before she could recover enough to reply, Arianna spoke up.  “Do you…?  I don’t suppose there’s…?  Hmm,” she broke off softly, trying to organize her thoughts in a cohesive manner.  “You mentioned I was a storyteller.  Do you have copies of any of these stories?” her smile dazzling when Artemis nodded her head.  “Could we…?  Do you think we could have copies of them?  It would be wonderful to be able to read them and to add them to our histories.”

“I think something could be arranged,” Artemis said as she rose from her chair.  “It might take me a few minutes, though, so if you’ll excuse me?” not waiting for an answer but walking out of the common room and towards her private suite.

“I’m sorry this reunion didn’t turn out to be what anyone expected or hoped for,” Athena said quietly. “I had hoped….  I wanted you to know your story - to know that we were on your side and trying to do our best for you.  I see now that it was as much about easing latent guilt as anything else, and you both deserve better than that.”

Eli looked at her for another long moment before leaning forward across the table, reaching out to Athena and covering her hands.  The goddess was so startled by the action that she froze in place, though her eyes snapped up to meet Eli’s.  Her mouth dropped open a little at the fierceness and hurt reflected back at her, but also at the compassion and understanding she could see clearly beneath.

“Perhaps,” Eli agreed slowly, “but as my mate reminded me, this is all in the past.  Nothing you can do or say can make it better or give us a different outcome.”  She shrugged and leaned back slightly,  releasing another slow breath, though she didn’t remove her clasp on Athena’s hands.  “That said, my anger is not going to change anything either… except make us all more uncomfortable.”  She chewed her lip and sighed again.  “To that end, I have some questions.”

“Of course,” Athena acknowledged, waiting patiently for Eli to formulate her queries.

Eli blew out an impatient breath and Arianna moved a hand to rest on her thigh.  She relaxed imperceptibly at the touch, but when the hand started to knead just slightly, she almost sagged in relief.  Hazel eyes closed for a long minute, then opened to meet Athena’s squarely.  “So, if we were demigods, how are we not immortal?  I mean… we died.”

Athena huffed.  Leave it to Eli to start with the hardest first.  “You did, but we kind of helped that along.  That is…. when you did something that would have killed a mortal and made them stay dead, we took your soul and returned it to the Well.”  She smirked.  “That was much easier than trying to take your soul from it.  No one watches when the souls return.  For the record, it took us several tries to catch your soul long enough to return it.”  She looked between them, smiling at the picture they presented.  “You were determined not to be separated, and you fought tooth and nail to stay together.  You defeated death several times, and at least once there was other divine intervention.”  She frowned.  “That was….”

Aphrodite snorted, though it wasn’t a happy sound.  “That was a totally fucked cluster,” she stated bluntly.  “That almost caused more problems than the trifecta of dickishness.  I know that Abba guy had radically good intentions, but man!”

At their confusion, Athena smiled gently.  “Trust me.  It will all make much more sense when you have read all the stories.”

“We’ve remembered some.  I mean, not whole lifetimes or anything, but we’ve had snippets.”

“At least the stories will give you better context.  And they may help you discover some latent, hidden abilities.  After all, there are still traces of gods’ blood in your veins; it’s one reason you have some of the gifts you do… like transformation.”  She cleared her throat and turned to Eli.  “May I ask…?” waiting for Eli to nod her agreement.  “Your anger - I know it has always been a part of you, but it seems… greater? quicker, maybe?  I mean,” she sighed again.  “You didn’t seem to be so… touchy?  sensitive? when we last talked.  Did we do something else to upset you?”

Eli blew out a breath.  She knew it was a legitimate question.  After all, she hadn’t been short with them since they’d blasted Mischief into the Void.  Before she could respond, Aphrodite cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to her.  Eli cocked a blonde brow in Aphrodite’s direction, and she blushed delicately before moving her gaze around the room.  In a moment, she returned her eyes to Eli’s expectantly waiting face.

“I think… remember this didn’t start until just recently - like when we returned to the planet.  I wonder if has something to do with your difficulty in transitioning back from your dragon self.  There’s a lot of gnarly emotion flowing while you’re that bodacious creature, and I wonder if maybe there’s some holdover from that, because you feel so much more and were kinda stuck there for a while.  Besides, you’ve been hit with a lot of crap here recently.  And you and your radical babe here were sharing a depth of communication during all that craptastickness that usually takes years to develop.  And if I’m not mistaken, you lost a lot of it once Cupie and I became mortal, because we… we helped strengthen it.  We knew you needed her - needed her support and love, and now it’s just gone… or at least it’s not like it was, and it’s going to take time and work to get back to that.”

“We’re getting there, Amado,” Arianna whispered, leaning into Eli’s body.  She smiled when strong arms came up as a matter of course and wrapped her in a tight embrace.  “And we’ll get there again, and this time it will be just us.  We can do this.”

“I know we can, Beloved.  We’ve already moved so far beyond where we were… where we should be at this point.  I’m just so tired.”  She smiled briefly and kissed the side of Arianna’s head.  “I think we should have considered utilizing those cryo-units we talked about.” She sighed.  “It would have saved  us so much grief and exhaustion.  Jake would still have his arm; Mimi wouldn’t be trying to recover her stamina; Hannah wouldn’t have lost her hearing and Gay wouldn’t have experienced the loneliness of utter silence.”

Maybe,” Arianna agreed.  “But Isaac would still be struggling with some lingering confusion; we’d have never seen our team stand together for us; Deb wouldn’t have grown into such an amazing researcher;  Jake would never have been the hero he’s always wanted to be; you and Luke wouldn’t have found a cure for Eden in time.”  She looked into hazel-gold eyes for a long moment.  “We wouldn’t have experienced each other so intimately or had any idea what we are destined for together.  I know there have been some bad things happen on our journey so far, but we’ve had a lot of incredible things happen as well.  Don’t lose sight of the good.”

Eli let her forehead drop onto Arianna’s shoulder.  “Keep reminding me.”

Arianna brushed a kiss over the top of blonde hair.  “That’s one reason I’m here, Amado.  And we’ll keep working on the rest.”

“Aww,” Aphrodite cooed, fanning her hands in front of her face, successfully breaking the moment.  Arianna and Eli turned to look at her, and she had the decency to blush.  “Sorry,” she muttered.  “It’s just… the two of you are so radically cute together. It totally makes my heart pitter-patter with happiness,” her smile blinding even as she wiped a tear from one eye.  “I have so missed this.”

“This?”

“The feeling that comes with a successful, happy match.  Even when I didn’t have anything to do with the match happening - like with the two of you - it was always majorly gratifying to watch you come together and be everything you were destined for.”

“And at least you know that you’re together forever now - there’s no separating you now,” Athena added with a smile.  “I’m really glad we got to witness that.  It’s comforting to know that despite everything - the bet; our interference; your anger - despite everything, you’re together.  I’ll be honest - it’s likely not going to be all moonlight and roses,” she commented, knowing they had many, many obstacles ahead, because that was, you know, LIFE.  “But I have faith in the two of you and what you share.  It will carry you through anything you come up against, and will make you successful at whatever you choose to do after this.”

“All we want to do is get to the moon we’ve chosen as our new home, and settle down into our life there.  I will never complain about boring or mundane ever again,” Eli swore.

Arianna chuckled.  “Yes, you will.  But at least there, we’ll be able to do more to offset it.  And in the beginning, we’re going to be crazy busy, I think was how Eden described it.  And that’s without considering the things we’ve already got going on.”

“Here you go,” Artemis announced as she strode back into the room, eyes on her overly full hands to ensure she didn’t have to juggle anything to keep from dropping it.  “Sorry it took so long.  I didn’t realize there was quite as much in the archive as there was.  I don’t know what kind of information chips you kids are using, but I put it on the most state-of-the-art technology we have.  Not sure how up-to-date Gaia was able to produce when she created this place.”  She looked around.  “Did I miss something?”

“Not really,” Aphrodite assured her as she jumped up to help with the load just before it slid out of her grip, setting them down on the table between them.  “Just a little chatting.  But here… let me get something to put all this in, and we’ll get you on your way.”  She stepped over to a cabinet and removed a small bag.  She slid something into it as she handed it over, and cleared her throat awkwardly as Artemis concentrated on filling the bag with the stories and histories she had collected for them.  Eli tilted her head at Aphrodite in question.

“What is it?’ she asked kindly.

“I was just wondering - do you think, maybe… once you get settled, I mean….  Do you think maybe we could keep in touch with one another?”

Eli considered her request for a long moment, and Arianna remained still, not wanting to disturb Eli’s thought process.  Finally, “I don’t see why not,” she replied, noting the instant relaxation of all three bodies across from her and even moreso that of the one she was curled into.  “I’ll have Jake look into it when we get settled.  As long as you have the equipment and technology to communicate over long distances, I’m sure we can manage something.”

“Maybe we should go talk to Zeus and the people from the other ships.  They should be able to help with that,”

Eli gently untangled herself from Arianna and rose with grace, offering a hand to help Arianna stand.  “I think that’s our cue.  We need to get back to the ship, and you all need to begin establishing the relationships you want to cultivate with the rest of the Universe.”  The goddesses stood and came around to hug Eli and Arianna.  When that was accomplished, they moved towards the door as one.

“I’ll go let Cupid know it’s time to say goodbye,” Artemis offered, knowing Aphrodite and Athena were nowhere close to allowing the other out of her sight.  It only took a moment for not only Cupid, but the remainder of the Pantheon, to make its way to the front door of the residence.  It was quite the parade that made its way back to the shuttle.  After another round of hugs - which put Eli and even Arianna on edge, the former gods and goddesses stood back to allow Eli to speak to the humans remaining behind.  

“Remember, Lieutenants - do your best to establish good relations with these people.  I think you have a lot to learn from each other, and it could be mutually beneficial if you let it.  Bring your captains into the process in a day or two… after you’ve got some of the initial discussion out of the way.  I’m pretty sure Mary will be more than a little interested in what happens here in the next few days.”

“No pressure there,” Baker muttered.  

Eli laughed.  “It will be good for everyone involved.  Trust me.”  She glanced back out to the crowd still watching them.  “Goodbye, my friends… and good luck.”  Then without another word, she took Arianna’s hand and walked into the shuttle, closing the door behind them without a backward glance.


Chapter LXXIV

They were part way back to the Outreach when Arianna reached over and clasped Eli’s hand.  “How are you feeling, Amado?”

Eli took a deep breath and sighed.  “Better.  I think Aphrodite might have been right about my emotions.  They feel… stronger… more intense.  And I’m obviously having more difficulty getting them under control again.”  She blew out another forceful breath and frowned.  “I’m not sure…. I’ve never had this issue before - not being able to get my reactions… my passion… under control.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t try to control it.  Maybe you would be better served to allow it full range.”

Eli jerked her head in Arianna’s direction, looking for indications that her mate was making a joke to alleviate the tension she could surely feel running through Eli’s body.  What she found was Arianna gazing at her with compassion.  She tilted her head in question.  “How do you mean?  Angel, you’ve seen what happens when I get angry.  Can you imagine giving that emotion full range?  The consequences could be… dire.”

Now Ariana offered her a small, fond smile.  “You’re being a bit too literal.  What if we channel your anger… your passion… into something else.  Something more productive,” tilting her head and slightly waggling her eyebrows.

Eli’s eyes widened and her brows flew into her hairline.  “You mean like sex?”

Surprisingly, Arianna blushed to the roots of her hair.   “Ahem… while that wasn’t the direction I was going with this, I would certainly never turn that down as an option with you.  But I was thinking more along the lines of letting this help us strengthen our bond.  Your anger - your emotions as a general rule, when you’re a dragon - are far stronger than they are when you are humanoid.  But anger is the most volatile and the one we have to work with right now.  Why not use it to our advantage?  This is something you can project and I can feel.”

Eli shook her head viciously before Arianna could finish.  “No!  I don’t want you to feel like this!  I don’t…!”  The hand still holding hers tightened and she looked down to see Arianna tangling their fingers together before she looked up to meet serious brown eyes.  She held up their joined hands until the simple gold band resting on her ring finger was in front of hazel eyes.

“Do you remember what Mama told us when we were trying to decide what symbol to use to declare our vows and commitment to one another?  Your culture had a bracelet that was fastened by the priest or priestess that presided over the service,” waiting for Eli to nod slowly through her confusion.  “Mine had a necklace that was secured by the parents of the higher ranking household - so my parents in this case, regardless of whom I wed.  But on Mama’s planet - the two being joined exchanged rings made of a precious metal and forged into a single, solid piece of jewelry.  That’s what we chose, because it was the most like us.”  She stopped speaking and waited again, smiling softly at Eli’s frown as she looked away and focused on something outside the shuttle.  She was a remarkably brilliant woman, but sometimes, she was almost deliberately obtuse.  Arianna grabbed Eli’s chin gently, and turned her face until their eyes met again.  “Lover, this means we share… everything.  The good and the bad - it’s how we work.  That way neither of us has to bear any burden alone.  It’s called being a couple.  It’s what soulmates do.”

Hazel eyes glazed over with tears, though Eli blinked furiously in an effort to keep them from falling.  “I’ve never had anyone….  How did I ever…??  What would I do without you?”

Arianna chuckled, as she swallowed her own tears.  She leaned their foreheads together and brushed a kiss over Eli lips, allowing her to chase and catch her for a long moment.  When they separated, her smile was blinding.  “Fortunately for you, you’ll never have to find out.  We won, and we’re forever.  Now, do you think we can try channel your feelings into strengthening our bond together?  Oh,” she exclaimed, “not right now,” before Eli could interrupt.  “We should probably get back to the ship safely first.  But maybe once we check in and check on everyone?  We deserve a little down time, given how infernally long this day has already been.”

Eli bit her lip and nodded shyly.  “I think I’d like that.” She looked up and met brown eyes with a seriousness that caused Arianna to catch her breath.  “But you have to promise me that when… if… it gets too difficult, you’ll tell me.  We can’t force this, Beloved, no matter how badly you want to help.  It will only make things harder, and could….”  Her breath shuddered and she closed her eyes a moment.  “It could destroy us if we’re not careful.”

Arianna nodded slowly.  “All right, Amado.  I’ll tell you if it starts to become too much.”

Eli sucked in a deep breath.  “All right.  I think I need to contact the ship and let them know we’ll be there shortly.  Do you think I should contact Deb?  Let her know what they gave us to add to the data base?” indicating the bag still sitting in Arianna’s lap.

Arianna looked down and opened it slowly.  “Maybe we could see what it is first?  After all, they shared because they were our stories… my stories.  I’d kind of like to know what they are first.”  She paused.  “I expect to add them to our library, like we told Artemis, but I’m curious - and selfish - enough to want to read through them first.”

Eli chuckled.  “I think that’s fair.”  She arched her neck over, focusing her eyes on the bag.  “How many chips are there?”

“Hmm? Oh,” Arianna replied as Eli’s question settled in her ears.  She opened the bag and pulled out a handful of chips and….  “Hmm.  Well, that explains why it seemed to weigh so much more than I expected it would.  She held up a thick, parchment scroll, rolled precisely and tied off with a strip of leather.  

“What the… what is it?” reaching for it, but never actually touching it.  She rolled her eyes.  “I can see it’s a scroll, but I’ve never actually….  I didn’t know they still existed.”

“Neither did I,” Arianna whispered as she rubbed her thumb across the smooth surface.  “I think maybe we should start with this.  Maybe this is an index or something.”

Eli smiled.  “Why don’t you open it?” motioning to the parchment, “and see what it actually is.  I need to call the ship and let them know we’re coming in.”

Arianna nodded even as she gently tugged on the leather, placing it on the dash in front of her as she carefully unrolled the scroll.  Meanwhile, Eli tapped her comm unit and waited for a response from her team.

“This is Outreach.  What’s up, Girlfriend?”

Eli laughed.  Leave it to Esther to bring informality to their communications, though in fairness, she knew exactly whom she was addressing when she answered the hail, and it wasn’t like they were actually military with stringent rules to follow.

“Just checking in, Es.  How are things there?  And how did you end up in the hot seat?”

Now it was Esther’s turn to chuckle.  “Everything’s quiet here right now, which is why I volunteered to take the watch.  Eden had some things she needed to take care of before talking to her parents, and Jake asked for her help with some strength training exercises.”

Eli frowned.  “Why is he doing strength training… or exercises of any sort, for that matter.  He’s not ready for that - he’s still healing.”

Esther shrugged and met Eli’s gaze.  “Asking the wrong person, Girlfriend.  Though I think the exercises are for his humanoid arm - he said something about not wanting it to be significantly weaker than the new one.  Also, Eden muttered something about teaching him how to turn down the strength in the new arm so he doesn’t destroy or crush things until he learns how to maintain control on his own.”  She shook her head.  “Not really sure, but I figure she’ll talk to you about it.”

“Probably,” Eli nodded with a frown still on her face.  “Anything else?”

“Not much you don’t already know… OH!  Except the captains of Mary’s ships would like to talk to you at some point in the near future… preferably as soon as you get back to the ship.”

“No,” Arianna said from her seat, though it took her another moment to look up and meet Esther’s eyes.  “Hey, Es!  Have you spoken to your folks yet?”

“You know it, Girlfriend.  It was one reason I volunteered.  Most of the rest haven’t yet.  And what do you mean, no?”

“We’ll contact the ships when we finish talking to you here, but we’re going to need to take a little time off when we get back.  We have some things to go through before we leave the protection of those ships, and none of us want to be here any longer than we have to.”

“Preach, Girlfriend.  Everyone here is ready to be done and home.  I think that might be one reason Jake is pushing himself so hard.”

“I think I may be having a word with him when we get back.”

Esther bit her lip to keep her comments to herself, then she drew a deep breath.  “Is there anything we should be doing right now?”

Eli shook her head.  “I don’t think so.  Everyone is getting some down time, right?”

“Yes.  I know the boys were in the engine room earlier - I think they were just double checking that everything is perfect and ready to go again when we leave here.  Hannah and Kai were in the conservatory doing much the same.  Not sure about everyone else.  They’ve been quiet or tucked away in their quarters since I got up here.”

“All right.  Let me go contact the ships and see what they need.  We should be in the docking bay shortly.”

“We’ll keep the light on, Boss.  We’ll see you in a few.”

“Sounds good.”  She cut the connection and sighed.  She really didn’t want to deal with this right now, though she supposed that sooner started, sooner finished.  She smiled and turned when Arianna rested a hand on hers.  “Beloved?”

“It’s a letter… from Athena,” holding up the parchment.  “She wrote our story - her story - in detail.      She said she knew she might not be able to tell us in person.”  She shrugged.  “But on the off chance we returned, she wanted us to have this in writing to be included in our history.  It’s… it’s amazing.  And it makes sense.  I mean, it’s a little… there’s a lot of self-serving….”  She huffed.  “I think we should read this together when we get back.  It explains… well, a lot more than they managed to share with us.”

“It’s that important?”

“I think so, yes.”

“All right, then.  We’ll do that first when we get back.  But right now, I need to call Mary’s captains and find out what they need.”

“You think it’s important?”

“I think there’s no reason to antagonize them, and they obviously feel it’s important.  It’s not a problem for me, so why not?”

Arianna smiled.  “I love you.”

Eli’s eyes widened and her ears tipped pink.  While she knew, of course, how Arianna felt about her, usually such declarations came when they were intimate - whether that be their conversations; their bonding; or their love making.  But it rarely came up arbitrarily, so it was always a surprise to hear it outside of their private space.  She smiled shyly.

“I love you too, but what brought that on?”

“I can’t just tell you I love you?”

“Of course you can; it’s just… unusual for you to do so….”

“… publicly?” smiling at the bashful smile she got in return.  She grinned.  “But we’re alone, Amado.  It’s just us here.”

Before Eli could respond, her comm unit chimed, and she looked up to find Esther pinging her. She tapped the device and threw Esther’s visage onto the viewscreen again.  “Es?” with a frown on her face and confusion in her voice.

“Sorry to bother you, Boss.  But Mary is on the comm and asking to speak to you and her captains together.  She asked me to relay the signal to you.”

Eli shook her head, but said, “Go ahead.  I was just about to contact them anyway.”  She barely had the words out of her mouth when Mary’s face appeared, followed quickly by those of - not two, but three - ships’ captains.  Hazel eyes widened, but she made no comment beyond, “Hello, Chief,” causing a twinkle of laughter to shine out of Mary’s eyes.

“Hello, Captain,” she replied.  “I believe you’ve met Grayson and Matt,” watching them nod to each other before she continued.  “The new gentleman is Hank.  He was actually patrolling in the area you’re heading out to soon.  Now, it’s been a little while, but… well, I’ll let him tell you.  Hank?”

“Thanks, Boss.  Captain.  As the Chief said, we were patrolling out your way.  That area of space isn’t vastly populated, but you won’t be completely alone either.  There are a few civilizations nearby your target planet, but none of them are close to being advanced enough for space travel.  We estimate that is still a few hundred years off for even the most advanced among them.  Otherwise, there is very little activity in that sector of space, so you and your team should remain undisturbed for at least a few generations.”

Eli blinked.  That was far more advanced knowledge than she’d had any reasonable hope of acquiring.  Suddenly everything seemed more real… and a lot closer to fruition than she had imagined.  She cleared her throat.  “Thank you, Captain.  You can’t know what a relief it is to know….” She scrubbed the back of her neck with her free hand; her other clutching tightly to the hand she still held.  Arianna kept from wincing, but she did lift her free hand to rub along the back of Eli’s, subconsciously making her relax and drawing a deep breath as the hold loosened just slightly.

Hank took mercy on her and smiled brightly.  “I do indeed understand, Captain.  I’m just glad we were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.  Oh!  And we deployed some discreet satellites  around the perimeter of the planet and system.  I know Joseph was working on something to help keep you in contact with the Chief; we just thought we’d do our part to help speed things along.”

Eli flushed, but returned his smile ten-fold.  “Thank you, Captain.  And I’m certain I can speak for the parents of the Alpha Team when I tell you how thrilled they’re going to be when they hear this.”

He tilted his head at her in question.  “But not you?”

She blew out a breath, causing her bangs to flutter on her forehead before meeting his eyes sheepishly.  “Captain, have you ever had to utilize a double-edged broadsword in combat?”

Hank blinked at the abrupt change of subject, then scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head.  “No.  We’ve all trained with one, and a few actually became proficient, but mostly it’s considered a ceremonial blade.”

“Do you understand the axiom regarding a two-edged blade?” waiting for his agreement.  She nodded.  “That’s a lot what this is like for us.  Is it good that you and your compatriots patrol that sector of space?  Yes.  Is it good that we will be able to keep Mary - and by extension, everyone else - appraised of our progress and the development of our society?  Yes.  Is it good that our parents will have real-time access to us?  Probably not.  Don’t get me wrong - I love my MaTb and OTeU, but part of the appeal of this project was the ability to do this on our own.  I don’t think that will be possible if they know we are just a call away.”

“And why would they know that?” Mary broke in reasonably.  “I’m not going to tell them - that would be a security breach of such epic proportions, there wouldn’t be enough of me left to fill a test tube.  They don’t know Hank or Matt or Grayson, and I’m confident in saying that neither they nor their crews would ever go looking for them.  Even if something happened, they would come to me first.  None of your team is here, so they’re not even aware this is a possibility at the moment.  So unless you plan to share it with your folks, or Arianna does so with her mother, none of them will know.”

Mary sat smirking smugly as Eli tried to regain her balance.  She didn’t know what she had expected, but this surely had not been it.  She swallowed hard and shook her head, unable to formulate the words she needed to speak. Mary took pity on her.

“We’re here to look out for you, Eli.  That’s our job - it’s what we do.  And the decision to tell your parents or not?  That’s your call.  The only reason we’re talking right now is because of Joseph and circumstances beyond anyone’s control.  Even the Council won’t know you were here by the time all is said and done.”

Arianna frowned.  “How, Mama?  Everyone on that planet knows we were here.”

“We’ll make sure it’s taken care of,” Grayson interjected.  “As far as they’re concerned, we’re the ones establishing a first contact with the planet.  It’s in everyone’s best interests to keep your secret… in large part due to the destruction of the Storm Surge.  No one wants the Council to dig too deeply into the events surrounding its eradication.”

“Given how fantastic the story sounds, you mean?”

“Exactly.  And the truth is far stranger than blaming it on those folks down on the planet… even if they don’t show any propensity towards violence or have the type of weaponry and science to accomplish such a task.  They’d be made into a scapegoat to make a viable excuse for the Storm Surge’s disappearance… especially since no one wants it to be the fuission technology.”

Arianna frowned.  “It wasn’t the fuission technology.  That’s sound.”

“Yes, but what else are they going to blame an explosion so massive on?”  Mary shook her head.  “No.  The story is going to be that the Storm Surge blasted its way into a fluctuating wormhole, destabilizing it to the point that it self-destructed it and took the ship with it.  The resulting blast absorbed the Nebula - which was on the other end of the wormhole - that had been protecting the planet and the people living there.”

Eli and Arianna blinked slowly before turning to one another.  It took a minute, but finally they turned back to Mary and the silently waiting captains.  “How do you explain the survival of the population?  Surely they should have been destroyed in the resulting blast.”

Mary smiled.  She’d told her team to expect this question, and demanded they find a solution accordingly.  Caleb had actually been the one to point out the most obvious answer.  “Remember that the Nebula has always been something of an anomaly - not quite like any other phenomenon we’ve experienced.  It’s always posed a threat and a danger to any who ventured too closely to it - as though it was a living entity.  With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that it was guarding… protecting something.  Therefore, having it sacrifice itself to ensure the life of the planet and whatever life existed there makes sense.”

“All right,” Eli agreed slowly after clearing her throat. “That’s actually a pretty good cover.”

Mary chuckled.  “I’ll tell Caleb you said so.  It was his idea.  For now, I’m sure you need to get back to your ship.  I’ll be in touch in the next forty-eight standard; that should give the rest of your team plenty of time to catch up with their folks.”

“All right, Mama.  We’ll be in touch soon.”

“And we’ll be in touch with each of you as soon as we have an opportunity to eat and rest,” Eli said, with a pointed look at the three captains.  “There are a few things you need to be aware of before we leave.”

“We’ll be available whenever you’re ready,” Grayson promised.  And in another minute, the comm units went dark, and they were landing in the shuttle bay.


Chapter LXXV

Eli powered down the shuttle immediately and turned to Arianna.  “Shall we stop in the mess hall and pick out something for dinner before we go to our quarters?  I don’t know about you, Beloved, but I’m hungry and tired.  I’d like nothing better than to curl up with you and sleep for a little while after we have some nourishment.”

Arianna stared at Eli for a long moment, noting the drawn features and exhaustion clearly reflected in hazel eyes.  She smiled gently.  “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.  Anything we need to work on can wait until tomorrow.  We both know we’ll be working on things together for a lifetime.”

“A lifetime won’t be long enough, but I do love the sound of working together,” Eli confessed.  She stood and offered Arianna her hand. “Come.  I think we’ve earned an opportunity to rest.”

Arianna accepted her hand and rose, collecting the bag and scroll in her free hand.  “And then maybe we can read some of our stories together.”

Eli grinned.  “I’m looking forward to that.  I have a feeling it was quite the adventure.”

“As has been every lifetime we’ve had together, I’m sure.”

“Probably… given what we can remember.”  She pressed the button and the shuttle door slid open, but they stopped short when they saw Jacob waiting for them.  He sat stiffly in the hover chair, something he’d disdained as a weakness up to this point.  The expression on his face was a mixture of chagrin, embarrassment, and sorrow.  Arianna felt rather than saw Eli sigh in exhaustion, but before she could comment, Eli took her hand and they moved together down the ramp.  When they reached him, Eli knelt to bring them to more equal footing, but kept her hands wrapped around her propped knee.  “Is everything all right, Jake?”

He flushed slightly and dropped his eyes to her hands, scratching the back of his neck in an effort to alleviate his discomfort.  “I’m fine, Boss, and I’m sorry.  If I had known you were… I wouldn’t have….”

Eli frowned and ran a hand through her hair, and Jacob almost had to smile.  “Why don’t you start over and use full sentences this time?” giving him a smirk.  “I’ll probably understand better that way.”

He rubbed a hand over hair that was in desperate need of a good cut, and huffed out a breath.  “Okay, so I got to talk to my Pop earlier.  Pretty sure he talked to Eden before he talked me, because he knew things….” shaking his head.  “Anyway, he spent the first part of our time together laying down the law - reminding me of a lot of things I had forgotten.  And I know I apologized, but God, Eli… I am so, SO sorry.  I never should have….”

“Jake, we’ve been over this.  You apologized, and I forgave you.  You can’t keep feeling guilt about this.  We’ll never get past it if you do.”

“Same goes, Boss.  You don’t get to feel guilt from what happened either,” smiling when she sat stunned at his words, not realizing it was still so apparent to anyone other than Arianna.  He leaned forward and covered her hands.  “I’m actually pretty observant for a muscle head, Boss.  It’s part of how I stay ahead of the curve. And you’re always going to be my hero,” causing her to blink in shock.  “I couldn’t do less than you would, and you were willing to die to save everyone.”  He shrugged.  “Like Pop reminded me - you can’t change it, but you can build on it.  And that’s one reason I’m waiting here in this ridiculous chair.  I’m actually kind of wiped after talking to him, but I promised I would bring you by to talk to him as soon as I could.  And I’m sorry - I didn’t realize until you stepped out of the shuttle just how long you and Az have been going non-stop.  I’ll tell him….”

“No,” clasping the hands that covered hers.  “I can take a minute or two to speak to him.  Then we’re going to our quarters, and I’m hoping not to be disturbed for about twenty-four standard.”

“I’ll make sure the team knows.  It’s not like we’ve got much going on aside from talking to our folks.  Those ships Mary sent seemed to have things under control at the moment.”

Arianna glowered at him, and he shrank back a little at the fierceness in her eyes.  “I’m glad you added that caveat, Jake.  That’s as close as I want to come to tempting those sprites.”

His brows furrowed as he tried to figure out who she meant.  Then his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open just slightly.  “You mean the Fates??  Oh, God… no!  No one wants to tempt the Fates.  I will be perfectly happy for them to simply ignore our existence for the rest of forever.  I think we’ve had excitement enough to last all of our lifetimes combined.”

Eli chuckled and squeezed his hands again.  “It’s all right, Jake.  Pretty sure we all feel that way at this point.”  She released her hold and waited for him to recover his hands before she slowly rose to her feet.  “Come.  Take me to talk to your… Pop… and then Arianna and I are going to take a little time to ourselves.”

Jacob nodded and swiveled the chair until he could lead the way back to his quarters.

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

Eli sighed in relief when they crossed the threshold into their own quarters some time later.  Jacob’s father had been engaging and comforting and kind, and they had spent a little longer talking to him than Eli had anticipated.  Still, it had been worth the time and effort to not only understand Jacob a little more, but to know from where his spirit was derived.  Never in a million lifetimes would Eli have ever guessed the truth.

Peter leaned back in his chair as soon as Jacob had introduced them and moved to sit behind the two women.  He studied them intently for a moment, and Eli allowed the perusal, returning the intensity with a heavy gaze of her own.  Arianna simply sat still and maintained a physical connection with Eli.  After a long moment, he broke into a gentle smile.  “It’s nice to see you both again, though I apologize for taking you away from what is obviously a well-deserved rest.”  He waved a hand before they could protest.  “I was an Army training sergeant for many years.  I know what exhausted looks like - I used to be the one causing exactly that look.”

Eli gave him a tired smile.  “I won’t deny it,” she confessed.  “What can I do for you, sir?”

He snorted.  “First, drop the sir.  I still work for a living.  Secondly, I want to share something with you - something that will help you understand Jake. You wouldn’t know it to look at him now, but Jake started off life all wrong.  See… he was born way too early.  Now I know premature births are relatively non-existent anymore, but they do still occur on rare occasions under what are generally dire circumstances, and he was born twenty-seven weeks into a forty week gestation period.  But my boy’s a fighter, and he fought to live and he won.  But it wasn’t easy - not for a long time.  And I don’t think he ever quite got over losing his mama.

You see, Jake’s ma… she was a rescue medical technician.  It was her job to go out after people who got lost or hurt - people who needed immediate care.  This was before transport technology was as common as it has become.  It was early days… I mean, it still is early days, relatively speaking, but this was before we were able to move people without causing damage… when hypotheticals were practicals and the theories around it were nascent.

Anyway, there were several times when she had to travel to render aid at the site of accidents - usually somewhere pretty inaccessible by anything other than foot traffic - and this time, well… a lot of things went wrong at the same time.  It wound up killing her,” said with a hitch in his breathing and pain in his eyes, “but it wasn’t immediate.  She tried… so… so hard to hold on - to keep Jake inside her body and give him his best chance, but the damage was too great. They had to take him real early, and she passed on not too long after he was delivered.”

“Why would she risk it?” Ariana asked quietly.  “What was so important she couldn’t let someone else do her job for a while?”

Peter wiped his eyes and shook his head.  “That’s the other thing you need to understand.  Jake comes from a long line of heroes - people who put others before themselves, reaching back hundreds of years on both sides of his family.  All his life, he heard stories of family members who were honored for their bravery, wit, and cunning; those who saved the lives of others; those who stood up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves; those who battled tyranny and hatred and injustice.”  He waved his arms, as though dismissing his own words.  “The whys don’t really matter, I guess, because there were many, MANY reasons why they did what they did.  The point is, is that at least one ancestor from every generation stood up to be counted among the heroes of their time, and Jake and his mama, they heard about these people all their growing up life.  She couldn’t just stand aside and let others go into danger for her… and neither could he.”

Peter released a deep sigh.  “None of this - the storytelling, I mean - was done maliciously, or to make him feel inferior.  It was done to challenge him… to remind him that he came from strong, sturdy stock that had risen up and not just beaten the odds, but defeated them soundly. I wanted him to understand his heritage and his mama’s choice… to know that even though he started behind, he never had to stay there - that he could stand up and be counted among the best no matter what life circumstances threw at him.”

He glanced at Jacob, who was sitting solemn and quiet behind Eli and Arianna, then returned his attention to the two women, and smiled.  “When he got into the Program… God, I can’t tell you how proud we were of him.  He had worked so hard to be recognized as the best in his field, and when he was chosen for the Alpha Team….”  Peter smiled, and wiped his eyes.  “Well, you know how you felt, and how you were celebrated by your home world.  He was our hero.  I didn’t realize he didn’t count that achievement as heroism; after all, the entire planet counted him as a hero.  And more than anything, except becoming part of the Alpha Team, my boy wanted to be a hero like his mama… and all those that had come before her.”

“So you’re saying…?” Eli queried, not quite sure where Peter was going with this.

Peter smiled again.  “Even though he had forgotten that there is always a price that must be paid for any act of heroism, my son was destined to be a hero, Eli.  It’s in his very nature… in his blood.  He would have stepped up to rescue you even if you hadn’t already been his hero by doing the same for the entire Alpha Team.  So thank you - for giving him an opportunity to fulfill his destiny, and for allowing him to adjust to that price without condemning him for the anger and frustration they wrought in him, but for also being his hero.  Not only for what you did for the Team, but for what you’ve done for him.  I’ll never forget.”

Eli sat stunned, not certain how to respond.  She didn’t even jump when Jacob’s mechanical hand came over her shoulder and clasped the hand not held by Arianna.  “Neither will I,” he admitted softly.  “Not any of it.”

She smiled now, and covered their hands with hers and Arianna. “One family,” she reminded him.  

He snorted.  “Dysfunctional as we may be some days,” he agreed.  He turned back to the screen to find his father’s eyes watching them indulgently.  “Satisfied now, Pop?”

Peter chuckled and nodded. “On so many levels about a number of things.”

“Good.  I’m gonna get these two off to bed, then.  They’ve been going way too long, and need some sleep.  And maybe some food… such as it as,” added with a wrinkled nose.

Peter laughed out loud.  “I remember those days… without any fondness at all,” sticking out his tongue as though he could still taste the military food he had consumed in his lifetime, causing the other three to laugh along with him.  “Go,” he instructed with a shooing motion.  “All of you.  And know that you are loved and appreciated and thought of every day.  God speed you on your journey.”

“Love you, Pop.”

“Love you too, Boy.  Good night.”  And without another word, he disconnected the feed and the screen went dark.  Jacob kept his eyes on the monitor a moment longer, then turned to Eli and Arianna, who were observing him with understanding eyes.  

“C’mon,” he coaxed, offering them each a hand as soon as Eli relinquished her grip. He helped them stand, then released his hold, allowing them to clasp one another’s hands again.  “You two go on to your quarters, and I’ll drop by enough rations for two or three meals at least.  Me or Eden will come wake you when Mary’s ready to talk to us, if you’re not already up by then.”

Ariana nodded, feeling Eli’s exhaustion as though it was her own by this point.  “We’d appreciate it, Jake.  Thank you.”

He nodded and headed to the mess hall, while they turned in the opposite direction and went straight to their rooms.  It had been an extraordinarily lengthy day.

Eli came back to her surroundings as the door chime sounded.  The shower was relaxing, though she would have much preferred to have Arianna sharing it with her.  Still, she understood why her mate had literally pushed her into the space and told her to go ahead while she waited for Jake.  Eli was practically dead on her feet, and though Arianna wasn’t far behind, she still didn’t bear the responsibility Eli did every single day.  It was one small way Arianna tried to take care of her, and Eli loved her even more for the selfless gesture.

In another moment, she felt Arianna’s slender body join her, and in only minutes, they were stepping out of the shower feeling clean and refreshed in a way neither had expected.  It gave them impetus enough to plow through a couple of the freeze-dried meals, then tumble into bed together.  It was finally time for a rest well-deserved.

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

The chime sounded long and loud, but it only served as an irritation that caused both people in the bed to snuggle deeper into the covers that surround them. It was only when the ring turned into pounding that a tousled blonde head peeked from beneath the mound of blankets and glared at the door.

“C’mon, Boss!  I know you’re in there.  And I’m pretty sure you’re awake now too.  I can all but feel the force of that glare you’ve got going, you know. Please don’t make me override the locking mechanism on this thing - there are some things I really don’t want to be exposed to.  Besides, I’m not explaining to your makuahine why you can’t come talk to her before Mary meets with all of us.  You don’t want to know some of the suggestions she made for getting you both out of bed.  Honestly, the woman has an evil streak at least a kilometer wide - I guess I should be grateful you aren’t more like her.”  Eden pounded on the door again.  “Eli!!  Are you gonna come out here or….”

About that time, the door slid open, and Eden was faced with a less-than-amused Arianna.  She shifted her raised arm to nonchalantly scratch the side of her face.  “Oh... hey, Az,” said with a forced smile.  “What’s up?”

Arianna rolled her eyes, then smirked as she beckoned Eden into the room.  “Be grateful I’m the one that came to the door.  You don’t know how close she was to morphing just so she could light your ass on fire.”

Black eyes widened.  “Maybe she’s got more of her makuahine in her than I thought,” she muttered.  “And why is it I’m always the one who gets the short shaft when it comes to assignments like this?”

Arianna tittered.  “Because, Eden - you’re the only one brave enough to face the dragon in her den.  And besides… you’re her second.  Everyone knows she’d never put you out of commission for too long.  Who would look out for her if she did?”

“Point.  But the two of you need to step it up a little.  Both of your makuahines are waiting to talk to you before we all sit down with Mary one last time.”

“What’s the hurry?  Did we miss something important or...?”

“No.  I think they wanted to talk to you before the memorial service; we’ve all been invited to attend, and everyone has indicated a desire to do so, so....”. She shrugged.  “We didn’t really know Joseph, but he was important to you and to the Chief.  We figured the least we could do was show our respect for the two of you.”

Without warning, Eden found herself with an arm full of Arianna, clutching her tightly and murmuring into her neck.  She held on briefly, not wanting to upset her, but growing increasingly uncomfortable by the second.  She patted her back awkwardly and eased away carefully, so Arianna wouldn’t feel abandoned, but she could still escape the embrace.

“Hey,” Eden muttered quietly.  “It’s all right, Az. We don’t have to come if....”

Arianna shook her head rapidly and lunged back into Eden’s body.  Eden’s expression was one of confusion bordering on distaste, but she held on, unsure of how, exactly, she’d managed to upset Arianna so badly in the space of the two minutes she’d been in the room.  They’d thought they were doing something nice, but given Arianna’s reaction, it was highly likely they had grossly miscalculated.

Before she could inquire further, Eli stepped from the en suite, the smile on her face swiftly dissolving into upset and anger.  She cocked an eyebrow in Eden’s direction, withholding her anger until she had a better understanding of what had happened.

Eden shrugged, even as Arianna clung tighter.  “I dunno, Boss.  I just mentioned the crew was planning to come to Joseph’s memorial.  But we don’t have to if it’s going to upset the banana boat....”

A smile broke across Eli’s face, even as she swept in and took Arianna in her arms.  She curled into Eli naturally, and Eli brushed a kiss over her hair and she turned hazel eyes to meet black.  “It’s okay, Eden.  It actually amazingly good.  Remember, this is the woman that once upon a time had no friends to speak of.  And sometimes, it still overwhelms her that not only does she have friends, but family that cares about her and the things she cares about.”

“Okay, Boss.  I got it.  But you both still need to shake a tree if you’re gonna have plenty of time to talk to your makuahines.”

“Plenty being the optional word, of course,” Arianna said with a watery smile as she lifted her head from where it had been tucked into Eli’s neck.  “I think we all know they wouldn’t truly be satisfied unless they were living right next door.”

Both Eli and Eden shuddered.  “Yeah,” Eden agreed with a grimace.  “Pretty sure none of us really want that... At. All.”

“I concur.  If you’ll go let them know we’ll be ready in five standard, it will give Arianna a chance to wash her face.  Then we’ll be along directly.”

“You got it, Boss.  See you in a few.”

They waited until the door closed behind Eden before Eli looked down and met Arianna’s eyes, while cupping her cheek gently.  “You all right?”

Arianna smiled.  “I am... and in many ways, even better than.  Let me go clean up, and we’ll got talk to the Mamas in our lives.”

“And after the memorial service, we’ll talk to Mary, then I want to check in with the Captains of those ships one more time before we leave.”

“You know,” Arianna spoke as she slid from Eli’s grip and into the bathing room, “even more than when we left orbit and headed out here - even more than when we slipped from the belly of the Storm Surge and began our journey on our own power and alone - it feels like, now... we’re closer than ever to really, truly starting our journey home.”

“It shouldn’t be long now, Angel... I hope.”



Chapter LXXVI

The four women - two on either side of the screen - wiped at their eyes even as the chuckles died down again.  It had been an emotional time as they sat and shared stories and memories, and there had been as much laughter as there had been tears.  Most of what they had shared had been good, and the few less-than-good had been concerns that had been allayed as best as could be done.  There would always be worry, of course, on both sides of the galaxy... because that was just what families did for one another, especially when they were worlds apart.  But for now, at least, they were all satisfied that life was good for each of them, and they were where they were meant to be doing the things they were meant to be doing.  Then Eve’s countenance took on a serious expression, and Eli straightened, expecting the worst.  Arianna responded by taking her hand and waiting for Eli to relax before turning to Eve and nodding their readiness for her to speak.

Eve took a deep breath.  “I know why you didn’t share your ability to transform - I don’t blame you, really.  I’m confident I would have chosen the same have the choice been mine to make.  But the truth is, you risked a lot when you chose to keep that information to yourself.  There are a number of things you need to be aware of - things that can affect not only you, but also your mate... some of which I imagine you have already discovered.”

Eli sat pale and quiet for a very long moment, letting her mind focus on what her MaTb had shared.  She believed Eve had her best interests at heart, but she had the feeling that this could become embarrassing for her, given the look in the green eyes staring back at her.  She cleared her throat awkwardly and glanced down at the hand she held, smiling slightly when Arianna squeezed it briefly.  Then she looked back at Eve, who was waiting patiently, and cleared her throat again.  “Things like what?” asked softly, though clearly enough to be heard.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed your ability to connect as soulmates do, but I imagine it’s been deeper and faster than you expected it was possible,” waiting for Eli’s slow nod of agreement.  “And tradition… custom says that you spend a few hours strengthening that bond every weekly cycle, yes? That’s what you’ve witnessed from all those around you since your growing up days, isn’t it?  You remember the teachings, and you know your OeTU and I set aside several standards once each weekly cycle where we would close ourselves off to you and your siblings so we could meditate together.”

“Yes, MaTb,” Eli agreed impatiently.  “And that’s what we’ve been doing.. or tried to do, at any rate.  It hasn’t always been easy, or even possible, to find time to be together.  Is there a point here somewhere?” pulling impatiently at her hair, making it stand almost straight up.

“Your tone,” Eve cautioned, seeing Eli flinch at hers.  It wasn’t often she’d ever had to take it with this particular child, but that didn’t make it any less effective when she did.  She watched as Arianna turned and whispered something in Eli’s ear, just before Eli curled into her slightly and tucked her face into the warm brown neck of her mate.  Then Arianna looked back at Eve with a frown, brows furrowed and confusion in her gaze.

“MaTb, I don’t mean to seem ungrateful for your concern, but I know I’m not the only one confused here.  What are we missing?  Why is this so important… especially if we have been following the mandates of your culture?”

“Let me ask you, Daughter,” directing her formidable gaze toward Arianna, “how long has your mate been acting thus?”  Seeing Arianna’s frown grow deeper, Eve sighed and elaborated.  “How long as she been off-balance emotionally?”

Arianna sighed.  “She’s had difficulty since her transformation after the showdown with Mischief.  She had trouble returning to her human form, and since then….  I’m not truly certain how to describe it - whether she’s off-balance, or simply more sensitive to everything going on around her.  And there have been a number of other factors that could be playing into her emotional state as well.”

“Please don’t talk about me as if I’m not sitting right here,” Eli whined, face still tucked thoroughly into Arianna’s neck, and causing her to laugh at the ticklish sensations those soft lips caused.  She sighed, and patted Arianna’s belly in apology.  She sighed once more, then turned her face so she could see the screen, and consequently Eve, in her periphery.  “What are we doing wrong, MaTb?”

“It is imperative, an absolute must, that you carve out one standard hour minimum to spend meditating with one another every single day.  More would be better, of course, but given the constraints on your time, you will have to settle for the minimum for now.  That time should be spent simply connecting with each other.  You don’t need to pursue a deeper emotional attachment - that will come naturally as you practice and meditate.  But for your emotional and mental stability, Elizabeth, you must take that time every day.  Let Arianna be your strength.”  She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, Eli was sitting up, meeting her eyes directly with her mouth open and ready to speak.  Eve held up a hand.  “It would be a little different if your mate was of our race because much of what is necessary, she would already know.  She will learn, of that I have no doubt, but for now, she needs to be your rock and stability until you have more practice utilizing and harnessing the strength and emotions your dragon brings out in you.  When you have a sufficient hold upon the control you need, you will find that Arianna will understand much more of your bond.  Things from there will be much easier for you both to control and manage… and even enjoy.”

“Yes, MaTb,” Eli said softly.  Arianna just tilted her head and waited.  Eve smiled.

“Something you’d like to ask, Daughter?”

Eli frowned, until she realized Eve was addressing her mate and not her.  She glanced at Aurora, and was glad to note she wasn’t the only one who had seemingly missed something.  Arianna just smiled and nodded at Eve, waiting until she motioned for her to go ahead.

“What else?  Not that I don’t think this was important, but you haven’t shared everything, have you?”

Eve chuckled, though she couldn’t contain the bright green blush that flooded her countenance. Eli immediately squirmed at the sight and turned an even deeper shade of green.  “Oh, MaTb… no, please.  We already had this talk, and I am a grown, joined woman, for the gods’ sakes.  I know how this,” motioning disjointedly around her, “works.”

Before Eve could respond, Arianna chimed in.  “Trust me, MaTb, my Amado is well-versed in the ways of love and pleasure.  Even though we are still learning one another, she makes me happy in the ways we love each other, and is open to learning more.”

Aurora looked between Eve and Eli, wondering if spontaneous combustion was possible among their people, because at the moment, she couldn’t fathom them being able to survive that much rushing of  the blood to the outer reaches of their skin.  It was a wonder they hadn’t toppled over from dizziness, really.  But before she could remind her mija that not everyone was comfortable being so open about sex and sexual practices, Eve cleared her throat, willing the bright green into something a little more tempered and normal.

“<Ahem>… yes, well, that was a little more knowledge than I ever expected to have or need.  But we do need to talk about this, no matter the discomfort level that accompanies it.  The truth is, things will be a bit different for both of you in this realm due to Elizabeth’s ability to transform… especially since her transformation is into the strongest and fiercest of creatures known to our people.  It only proves her uniqueness and giftedness amongst our species, but it is also one that needs special attention to develop and nurture.”

“In what way?” Arianna inquired seriously.  She kept a firm grip on Eli’s hand, grounding her as well as preventing her escape.

“I only have myths and legends to go on - a dragon is the most rare of gifts, and one has not been spotted on our world in centuries.  And even then, its mate was of our home and opposite of it sexually.  So there were concerns of procreation and such that I do not believe you will need to concern yourself with… especially considering the mandates that have been laid out for your team about that very subject.”

Eli rolled her eyes.  She wasn’t the only, but she had been one of the louder detractors of the rules governing their procreation and the populating of the colony.  She’d asserted they were brilliant enough to understand not only the need for expanding the gene pool, but also the need to grow it slowly so as not to overtax their resources until they were more secure in their world building.  Unfortunately, she had been overruled by the powers that be somewhere well above her pay grade.  Still, as Mary had reminded her, they need no longer abide quite so strictly by the rules and regulations that had been laid out for them.  They were the ones building the brave new world many light years from the Committee and the Council - they could decide for themselves how and when and the litany of other directives they’d had placed upon them.

Arianna scratched her nose.  “Yeah, we’re looking at those as more like suggestions instead of hard and fast rules… or even guidelines.”

Eve’s eyes widened in bewilderment.  Eli had never been much of a rule breaker.  Aurora, on the other hand, just chuckled and shook her head.  “You were always looking for ways to do things on your own terms, Mija.  I cannot say I am much surprised by this revelation.”

“Well, truly, Madre, part of the point of this project was for us to survive on our own.  You really didn’t think we’d allow anyone else to tell us how and when we could have children, did you?  We will certainly ensure we create a broad base for our burgeoning population, but it will be on our terms, and no one else’s.”

“I would expect nothing less, Daughter.  But perhaps it would be wise to allow Eve to counsel you about some of this, at least.  Obviously, she has some viable concerns.”

Arianna had the grace to look chagrined.  “I’m sorry, MaTb.  I didn’t mean to belittle your concerns.”

Eve smiled gently.  “It’s all right, Daughter.  I just want you to be prepared… to understand the risks and possibilities that come from being with a changling.  She will always love and protect you fiercely, but when she first transforms from her dragon self, that is when she is her most vulnerable.  It is also when she is the most dangerous to you.”  Arianna’s brows furrowed in a tight frown, but Eve held up a hand to dissuade her from speaking.  “She wouldn’t hurt you… never intentionally, but remember, she is all about emotion when she is in her dragon state.  Until she is fully humanoid again, she is subject to those emotions.  I am simply asking that you be aware… for both your sakes.”

“I understand, MaTb.”

“Good.  As I said, I don’t think you will need to be concerned with the procreation aspect, but that was actually a significant consideration for the last soulmates who dealt with this issue.  According to the legend, the male partner impregnated his female mate directly after each of his transformations, and the pregnancies she endured were… violent.”  Eve paused and shook her head, trying to clear her eyes of the tears that suddenly formed.  “She didn’t survive the last, and it killed him.”

Arianna’s hand flew to her mouth as she whimpered, and Eli was quick to change their positions and cradle her mate in her arms.  She turned and glared at Eve, who met her eyes staunchly.  Eve didn’t shrink from Eli’s gaze, and Eli could feel the rage building at her seeming lack of care.  “Are you satisfied, MaTb?  Do you feel better…?”

“No, Elizabeth.  I didn’t share that to hurt you… either of you.  But you both deserve to know, so you can take whatever measures you deem necessary to avoid a repeat of their history.  I love you both, and I want you to have a long happy life together,” Eve explained, feeling Eli’s ire cool with her earnest words.  “Besides,” she added impishly, “I am still waiting on grandchildren from the two of you.”

Eli’s skin flushed green again.  “MaTb!!”

Arianna laughed through her tears.  “Thank you, MaTb.  I will care for her in the best way I know how - with my whole heart - and we’ll work on that whole baby thing too.”

“Angel!!” Eli exclaimed, turning even darker in her embarrassment.  Aurora finally couldn’t hold it together any longer, and simply howled in laughter, causing Noah to rush in the door to find out what was happening and ensuring everyone was all right.

Noah had waited, wanting his girls to have this time together, knowing Eve and Eli needed to resolve things between them to give them the peace they deserved and needed to have.  He knew he would get a few minutes at the end to make certain everything was as it should be, and that would give him the peace he needed to sleep at night.

“OTeU… save me!” she pled, causing more laughter to ripple around the room.  Noah just scratched his head in confusion and shrugged his shoulders, then smiled sheepishly when the laughter increased.  He had no idea what was going on… or what had caused their laughter, but he could see they were all genuinely happy - even Eli - and that made his heart glad beyond words.

“What am I saving you from, дочь?”

Eli jutted out her lower lip in a pout, though she never released her hold on Arianna.  “I am being colluded against.”

Noah covered his mouth to hide his smile, but he couldn’t control the burble of laughter that slid from his lips.  “I am sorry, дочь, but I am not certain I should be the one you ask help from… considering I am in that position more often than not.”

Eli huffed, though her begrudging grin was good natured, and she hugged Arianna a little closer to her.  “Point taken,” she agreed.  She turned back to Eve.  “Thank you, MaTb,” she said softly.  “Believe it or not, I’m going to miss our talks… almost as much as I will miss you.  All of you.”

“We will miss you as well,” Aurora answered before either Eve or Noah could reply.  “I know I am new to the family - and new to being the kind of Madre my mija deserves - but I am grateful to be included as family.  I hope one day to be worthy of that.”

“Oh, Madre….” Arianna said through her tears.

“Take care of one another,” Eli instructed.  “And we will do the same.  Until we meet again?” holding up a hand in farewell.  The rest followed her example.

“Until we meet again,” they intoned, and in another moment the screen went black.

Noah was the first to drop his hand, and he looked at the two women still looking at the darkened screen.  “Come, ladies,” he said, proffering an elbow to each of them.  “We need to go and get ready for Joseph’s memorial.”

“What goes on at one of these things?” Aurora asked as she rose to her feet.  “I mean, state funerals have always been long, drawn out dismal affairs.  There are mourners and dirges and general unpleasantness intended to make everyone unhappy.”

Eve chuckled.  “Ours are a little better than that,” tucking her hand into the crook of Noah’s elbow.  “We build a pyre and sing a dirge to pass the soul from one life to the next, but then we sit around and share stories of the one who is gone.  I think it is something like that.”  She wrinkled her brow thoughtfully.  “At least, I hope it is.”

Noah sighed as he stepped forward and opened the door before motioning both women out of the room ahead of him.  “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.  I think we have just time enough to clean up a little before we’re expected in the living room.”

Aurora frowned, even as she crossed in front of him and started up the stairs to her room.  “Will that be large enough to accommodate all of us?  I believe everyone here has plans to attend.”

“Do Mary and Joy know this?” Eve questioned as she stopped in front of the door to the room she shared with Noah.

“I hope so,” Aurora commented, then stepped into her room and closed the door.  She didn’t have a lot of time to prepare.

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

In the end, it was more of a celebration than anything else.  Gideon had rigged a giant viewscreen in the massive entry area to link those on the planet with the Alpha Team.  Each of the Team members had shared a memory they had of Joseph… even if it was simply adding details to one another’s experiences.  Arianna, of course, had the best stories - relating how Joseph had welcomed her into the family and been such a good friend in the short time she had known him.

Ian and Joy took great pleasure in retelling some of the more embarrassing memories they had… especially when it involved Nathaniel.  And even though his eyes remained sad, he couldn’t help but smile and blush at the stories they shared.

Ephraim had requested to go last - before Nathaniel spoke, of course - and he cleared his throat nervously before standing before the room full of people.  “I don’t know most of you, but like many of you, I was an outsider to this family that was welcomed as a brother and son.”  He flushed slightly and turned his gaze down to look at his hands a moment, then drew a deep breath.  “I had met the Chief’s kids, including Joey, when I was first assigned to security for the Alpha Team.  But it wasn’t until everything went sideways that I actually got a real chance to know him.  He was one of the first to notice my interest in Joy, and he gave me some advice that I will always remember.  He said, ‘Eph, if she is important to you, treat her family better than you would treat your own.  We look out for one another vehemently, and it will be important to her that you are willing to do the same.  Oh… and don’t forget she is Mary’s daughter.  She has a mind of her own. Respect that.’  I thought about those words for a few days after he said them to me - before I ever entertained the thought of talking to the Chief or the boys or especially Joy.  And I realized Joey was the kind of man I wanted to aspire to be like - someone who sees and advises and loves with all that he is.”

Ephraim turned to Nathaniel.  “You were a very lucky man, sir, to have called such a loving individual your husband.  And we were all very blessed to have known him.”

Nathaniel stood and took Ephraim in his arms for long moments, whispered words between them low enough that no one save Caleb and Hannah had the ability to hear, and out of courtesy, they deliberately tuned them out.  Eventually, Nathaniel pulled back and faced the room, and true smile lighting his face and his watery eyes.

“Thank you, everyone.  Jo… <ahem> Joey would have been thrilled by the outpouring of love you’ve shared with me and each other today.  Please join me in raising a glass to a life well lived, and a soul we will always remember.  To Joey!”

“To Joey!” they all repeated before drinking.  Then laughter and applause broke out, and conversations broke out around the room and across the screen.  Eli watched as Ian and Joy came up on either side of Nathaniel, then turned to Naomi who was sitting at the comm station.  

“Did we get all that?”

“We did, Boss.”

Eli nodded.  “Good.  Can you jump that to a crystal for me?  I need to make a quick trip to the planet and talk to the captains on the surface.  As soon as I get back, we’ll sit down and talk to Mary. Then one more good night of sleep, and I think we can get out of here and go home.”

“Best idea I’ve heard in a while, Chief,” Naomi said with a look of stark relief visible on her face.

“Best idea we’ve all heard,” Eden concurred.  “Go do your thing, Boss.  We’ve got you covered.”

Eli nodded and stepped from the bridge.



Chapter LXXVII

Arianna followed Eli off the bridge as a matter of course, but it wasn’t until they were in the passageway of the living quarters that she spoke.  “Amado?”

Eli jumped in surprise, having been aware of Arianna’s presence on a visceral level, but somewhat oblivious of her physically until the soft touch landed on her arm.  She blinked as she whirled in place, concern overriding her other thoughts as she took both of Arianna’s hands in her own.  “Beloved?  Is something wrong?”

Dark brows shifted high on her forehead, but Arianna shook her head in response.  “No… no, Querida.  Everything is all right… other than the fact that you seem to be completely unmindful of everything around you at the moment.  Are you all right?”

Eli turned her focus inward and shook her head as if to clear it.  “I think so?  I was mostly lost in thought… trying to plan the last few things I need to take care of here before we leave tomorrow.”

“Do you need my help?  Would you like me to accompany you to the surface?”

Eli smiled indulgently and shook her head.  “No, Angel.. I don’t expect it to take very long.  I want to speak to the captains and see for myself that negotiations are proceeding as they should be, and I am hoping to get the data crystal to Cupid.  I think he deserves that much peace for what he did for us.”

“Do you think he will watch it?”

Eli shrugged.  “I don’t know, but at least it will be his choice.”

“Fair enough.  Are you sure you don’t want me along for company?” asked with a roguish grin.

“I’m certain, but only because I know that MaTb has likely sent you the histories, myths and legends of our people, and whatever else she thinks you need to be aware of to keep us safe and protected.  I imagine there will be enough reading to keep you busy at least until we reach the moon… if not longer.”  She chuckled.  “MaTb is nothing if not thorough.”

“Do you really think it is necessary?  That we know ‘myths and legends’?  They aren’t facts, Amado.  Can they really help us?”

Eli cupped Arianna’s cheek in her hand and dipped her head to brush a kiss over soft lips.  “I think we have nothing to lose by reading them… by learning about whatever experiences they saw fit to share.”  She sighed and leaned their foreheads together.  “My people are very private… especially about intimacy.  For them to have written anything down gives credence to its importance.  I think we have nothing to lose by reading whatever MaTb sent and trying to utilize  and learn from it.  We both know I’ve been struggling since I had difficulty transforming back.  It’s not fair for you to continue to have to suffer through my mood swings and lack of focus.”

Arianna snickered slightly, trying to lighten the mood as mischief danced in her eyes.  “Oh I don’t know.  I figured it was good practice for the day when you would be carrying our child.”

Eli was eternally grateful that she hadn’t been drinking anything.  As it was, she nearly choked on her own spit.  She glared at Arianna, but there was laughter in her gaze.  “Really, Angel?  You too?”

Arianna laughed out loud.  “No, not really, although….”

Eli cocked an eyebrow.  “Although what?”

“It is something we’ll need to talk about… eventually.”

“One day,” Eli agreed with a nod of her head.  “But not today.”

“Not today.  Even if the look on your face was priceless.”

Eli held her scrutiny for a long moment before she snorted and shook her head.  “Go, Beloved.  Go rest… relax.  I will join you as soon as I return.  Then perhaps we can read together.”

Arianna nodded slowly before drawing her in for a kiss.  Eli melted into the embrace, lazily enjoying the love and affection she could feel enveloping her before Arianna flicked her tongue across her lips and the caress became more than a little passionate.  Eli allowed her hands to roam briefly before settling on Arianna’s hips, whimpering just a little at the slight tug she felt at the base of her skull when Arianna pulled on her hair.

With a sigh, she slowly eased back the intensity, leaving passion behind and replacing it with affection.   With a few last pecks, their lips disconnected, though they remained loosely in one another’s embrace.  “I should go before Eden decides she needs to separate us.”

“Too late,” said a voice from the end of the hallway.  Eli and Arianna turned to find Eden leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest and a smirk on her face.  “You weren’t responding to my hails, so I came to check on you.  Imagine my surprise to find you playing tongue twister with each other.”  She pushed off the wall and walked toward them.  “I got in touch with the captains on the surface.  They will be waiting for you near the shuttle landing area.  They will try to bring Cupid with them… to save you from having to go into the city.”

Arianna felt Eli relax in her hold and she turned her attention back to her. Eli closed her eyes briefly, then looked at Eden.  “Thank you, my friend.”

Eden shrugged nonchalantly, though her eyes told a much different story.  “It’s why they pay me the big deer,” she joked.  “Don’t take too long, Boss.  We’ve done all we can do here, and you need the rest as much as any of us do.  We’ll be listening out for you, so let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Eden,” said sincerely.  Eden merely turned and waved as she walked away.  Eli brought her gaze back to Arianna who was watching her closely.  “I love you.”

“I know, Amado, as I love you.  Come back to me quickly and safely.”

Eli smiled.  “Will do.”  Then she was gone, headed down the hallway toward the shuttle bay.

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

Eli set the shuttle down carefully, mindful of the four people standing patiently to one side waiting for her to emerge.  She stood and straightened her clothing, aware of who and what she represented.  The shuttle door slid open slowly, and she stood still, surveying the land around her for a minute before heading down the short ramp with firm strides.  She motioned to the captains, who stepped back immediately to offer her and Cupid a modicum of privacy.  When he realized her intention, Cupid moved forward and opened his arms, hoping Eli would remember her regard of him instead of the anger she felt for the whole of the Pantheon.  She stepped into his embrace briefly and absorbed the feeling of having her brother with her once more, before she withdrew and patted his arms.  Cupid smiled sadly and tilted his head at her.

“What brings you here, Eli?  We truthfully never expected to see you again.”

“Needs must,” she replied, gesturing to the captains waiting patiently for her to conclude her business with them so they could return to their duty.  “But I wanted to see you first,” she said, holding up the crystal between them.  “I don’t know if you will want to watch this, but I wanted you to have it… just in case.”  She sucked in a deep breath.  “It’s the memorial service Nathaniel just held for Joseph.”  She placed it in his palm and curled their fingers closed around it.  “Either way, it’s your choice to make, but at least you have the choice.”

Cupid kept his head bowed and his fist clenched tightly, and Eli let him remain thus until she finally felt him take a deep breath and bring his eyes back up to meet hers.  “Thank you, Ellie.  I wouldn’t have….  I never expected….”  He shook his head and swiped at his eyes.  “Being Joseph - being Nat’s husband and part of Mama’s family - it was probably one of the best human experiences I was fortunate enough to be part of.  But I will always, always be proudest of the fact that, for a little while anyway, you were my sister and best friend,” smiling when he saw the tears well in her eyes.  “You’re a remarkable individual, Ellie - never forget that.  You and Arianna take care of each other and love one another long and well.  Because what you have deserves everything you can give it.”

Eli stood on her tiptoes and kissed Cupid’s forehead in benediction.  When she removed her lips and stepped back, he nodded at her one final time, then turned and left without a backwards glance.

The captains remained where they were, giving Eli a chance to recover her equilibrium.  Aside from the courtesy, it was simply part of their training to wait until called for by a superior officer.  And despite the fact that Eli was neither officer nor their superior, they each recognized the fact that she was in charge.  So they waited calmly at parade rest until she motioned them forward.  Only then did they move to greet her.

“Captain?” Matt said as he stepped forward with his hand outstretched.

“Just Eli,” she corrected with a slight smile, accepting his handshake before doing the same with the other two.  “I just wanted to touch base with you.  We are leaving tomorrow; I thought one more decent nights’ sleep might do us all good before we head off into what I sincerely hope is the final leg of our journey home.  The Team and I will be talking to the Chief when I return, so if there are any messages or concerns I should pass on…?”

The three captains exchanged glances before turning back to Eli.  “I think we’re all right, Eli,” Matt said.  “Talks here are going pretty well.  The Lieutenants followed your advice, and the folks here seem anxious to be reunited with civilization again.  I imagine there is going to be quite a bit of interest in establishing a larger colony here at some point… especially as it would make an excellent stopping point for any travel or trade that might take place with your new home.”

“Speaking of,” Hank broke in, “we will be back to patrolling and monitoring in your region in the next few months, but that’s still going to leave you on your own for a little while at least.  So if you could try and stay out of trouble….” smiling rakishly to let her know he was teasing, though she didn’t doubt the seriousness of his words.  She gave him a wicked grin.

“Believe me, Captain, nothing would make me or the Team happier than to have a little monotony in our lives for a while.  We might be able to get somethings done and start the work we were sent out here to do.”

“We’ll look forward to seeing your progress when we’re back in that sector again,” extending his hand again, then stepping back to allow the others to speak.

“Godspeed your journey, Eli.  Know we’ll be listening for you if you need us, but we can’t wait to see what you can accomplish on your own.”

“Thank you, Captain,” grasping Grayson’s hand briefly.  “We’re excited too.  Will you be out our way as well?”

Grayson smiled and cut her eyes at Hank.  “That’s usually his patrol area,” jerking a thumb in his direction.  “But I bet we could work something out between us so we could each have the opportunity to stop by at some point in the future.”

“We’ll look forward to it then,” releasing Grayson’s hand and turning to Matt.  “Captain?”

“Sleep well tonight, Eli.  We have the watch.”

“The watch is yours, sir.  Til we meet again.”

“Godspeed.”

With that, Eli turned and walked steadily back into the shuttle.  The captains watched until the door was closed and the engines were readying for takeoff.  Then they moved as one back toward the city center.  There was still work to be done here.

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

The entirety of the Alpha Team was crammed into the shuttle bay command room as the doors closed around the shuttle, and as soon as the pressure stabilized, they emerged into the bay itself.  They stood around in a semi-circle, waiting for Eli to exit the shuttle, which she did with a frown on her face.  “Did I miss a memo?” she asked, looking around the room in concern.  “Am I in trouble for something?” eyes landing on Arianna, who regarded her with a tender smile.

“No, Amado.  You didn’t miss a memo, and you’re not in trouble.  We just wanted to welcome you home.”

“Yeah, Boss,” Isaac cut in.  “You’ve done so much for us on your own, we just figured….”  He shrugged.

Jacob punched him lightly in the gut, though Isaac made a big show about how strong his still human arm was.  Jacob rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop the chuckle that rolled from his lips at Isaac’s goofiness, and Eli felt a wave of giddiness roll over her - something she hadn’t realized she’d missed until it was suddenly back in her life and heart again.

“What we figured,” glaring at Eden when she poked him… only to hold his hands up in surrender when she glared back at him.  At Eli’s snort of laughter, he turned and offered her a sheepish expression and the slightest shrug.  “Sorry, Cap.”

Eli shook her head, though she didn’t stop laughing for another moment.  “Don’t be sorry on my account,” she said, still chuckling.  She sucked in a deep breath in an effort to contain her mirth.  “Please, continue.”

“Well, we figured this was kinda like a final goodbye and new beginning all in one for us, so we thought we’d meet up with you and have our talk with Mary here where there’s plenty of space for us to stretch out a little,” gesturing around the bay.  “We brought food,” making a face as he held up the military rations they were so very not-at-all fond of, causing her to snort again, and the rest to titter around her. “And some blankets so we could kinda treat this like a picnic while we talk to the Chief.  Then tomorrow, we’ll get up and head out.”  He sighed and turned a little more serious.  “This has been a lot different and more dangerous than I think any of expected it to be… especially considering we’re still just starting out and haven’t actually begun our real work yet.  And you’ve borne the brunt of a lot of what’s happened regardless of where the responsibility fell, and we know it’s kinda messed with you.  So, this is our effort towards starting over.  Maybe it will help get us all back to a place where we’re more like a family of crazy cousins instead of ex-lovers and evil step people.”

This time when Eli laughed, there were tears in her eyes as well, and Jacob was the first to open his arms.  Without hesitation she stepped into his embrace, and then suddenly, there were hugs all around for everyone, and it reminded them greatly of their reunion in the mountain… just before all the lunacy had started.

“Well,” Luke said as he clapped his hands together.  “What say we spread out the blankets and get this party started?”

“I second that,” Esther commented as she picked up a blanket and shook it out.  “Luke, if you’ll take the other end of this, maybe Danny and Paul could help with the other?”

“Hey,” Naomi called.  “I’ve got some padding to go down first to help make things a little more comfortable.”  Titus stepped up beside her and they, alone with Mordecai and Hannah, laid out the padding so the blankets could be placed on top.  Eden, Isaac, and Jacob grabbed the food kits they had and began passing them around.  Deborah moved over to a control panel, dimming the lights slightly and increasing the temperature to account for the lack of anything beyond themselves that might provide warmth in the sterile room.  With another switch, a large screen dropped down from the ceiling, though it was still black.

“I think we have a few minutes before Mary will be online.  Would anyone like some music?” Abigail asked from her spot.

Cheers went up around the room, and in another minute, she had music playing softly around the bay, adding its own warmth to the ambience they were creating.  Each of them selected a meal with only the slightest of grimaces, then sat back to enjoy the conversation, laughter and company while they ate.

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

Mary sighed as she looked around the room.  She was embarrassed by the fact that she was sitting in bed instead of behind her desk in her office, but as Caleb, and Eve, had reminded her - there were much worse places she could be.  And much worse conditions she could be in besides, sore and tried and drained.  Truly, she had much to be thankful for, and she knew it.  It didn’t make her restlessness any better, but it did give her a better attitude about it.

And knowing Caleb was only a call away didn’t hurt anything either.

She shifted once more to assure herself the most comfort she could manage.  Then she expanded her Pad and tapped her comm unit.  “Okay, Gideon. I’m ready whenever you’re able to make the connection.”

“Working on it now, Chief.  Shouldn’t be more than a minute or two.”

True to his word, her screen flashed briefly within about sixty seconds, and she could hear the murmur and laughter of conversation, though her visual was completely lacking.  She tapped her comm again.  “Gideon, I’ve got sound, but no visual.”

She could hear him frown as he spoke.  “Let me check that, Chief.  You should have both.”

“Oh… that’s probably my fault,” came a voice from the other side of the screen.  “Let me just….”  The voice trailed off, but without warning, bright light flashed across Mary’s screen before settling into something resembling normal lighting. It was a little dimmer than she expected, but at least she could see a room (cargo bay?) full of smiling faces, and she smiled in reflex.

“It’s okay, Gideon.  I’ve got them now.”

“All right, Chief.  I’ll keep an eye on the signal, to ensure you stay connected, but that’s all I’ll be monitoring.  You’re secure.”

“Thank you, Gideon.  I’ll let you know when we’re done.”

“You got it, Chief.  I’m out.”

Mary waited another moment to establish their privacy, and then she turned back to the room full of expectant faces.  “Hello, Alpha Team,” she greeted.  “It’s nice to see you again.”  Then she leaned back against her headboard and waited for the conversation to start.



Chapter LXXVIII

They greeted her with cheers and affection and Mary smiled at their joy and enthusiasm.  It was wonderful to see them return to the kids she had seen during the selection process.  She kept a special eye on Eli, who had shown the most exhaustion of all her former charges.  Having heard the stories, she could understand - responsibility could do that to a person - but it didn’t make her worry less.  However, she could see the difference in her already, and it warmed her heart.  It was clear that Arianna had a huge part in that healing, but it was also apparent that the entire Alpha Team was rallying from the events that had tried to fracture them.  And she knew then, that no matter whatever else life threw at them, they would be all right.  The Committee had chosen well despite themselves, and these kids were going to do more than succeed.  They were going to blow expectations out of the water.  She didn’t realize she’d fallen into a brown study until Arianna’s eyes filled her screen, and she jumped back involuntarily.

She had to laugh as she watched Arianna tilt her head from side to side studying her before she stepped back far enough to allow her whole face to be seen.  She cleared her throat in an effort to bring her laughter under control, especially when greeted by Arianna’s smiling lips and sparkling eyes.  “Arianna… Daughter?  Are you all right?”

“I was going to ask the same, Mama. Because you just kind of stopped talking and froze.”

“I’m fine.  I was just understanding how amazing you all and how much I’m truly going to miss working with all of you.”

“Well, since the galaxy seems to be shrinking by the minute - what with a new colony coming to the new planet in what used to be the Nusnaigewron Nebula and all - I’m pretty sure we’ll all be expecting a visit from you in the not too distant future,” Eden snarked, though she couldn’t hide her grin.  “Like maybe for your honeymoon,” waggling her eyebrows and garnering applause around the room.

Mary smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “Perhaps.  We’ll have to see how things are going by that point.”

“So tell us about you and Caleb, Mary.  Please,” Abigail asked, knowing better than the rest that something significant was bothering Mary and wanting her to relax.

Now Mary gave a genuine smile.  “I’ll tell you what - I’ll tell you about me and Caleb… I’ll even bring him in here to talk with you as well… after I hear about each of you and your adventures so far.  I’ve gotten bits and pieces, of course, but I’d like to have the whole story.  And naturally, anything you say here will be kept between us.”

“Just like old times, Chief?” Eli asked with a slight smile.

Mary nodded.  “Just like old times.”

So they sat around and shared the adventures they had endured since leaving the belly of the Storm Surge.  It was the first time they’d done this as a group since they’d started their journey, and each of them slowly recognized how important it was going to be going forward that they continue the practice.  Not only were they learning a lot of details they had each missed, but it gave them all a feeling of family and camaraderie that they had let slip due to their time and attention being focused on other things.

Somewhere past the two hour mark, Mary started coughing, her throat more than a little dry from all the laughing and talking she had been engaged in.  Before any of the kids could inquire as to her health, the door to her bedroom opened and Caleb stepped through off screen.

“Mary?” he asked quietly, though loud enough for the Team to hear him and become silent.  “Are you all right?  Can I get you something?”

She shook her head and held up a hand as she continued to cough for a moment longer.  Without missing a bit, he grabbed her empty glass from the bedside table and went into the bathroom to fill it.  Only a moment later, he walked back out and carefully placed the glass in her hand, rubbing her back as she slowly drank several swallows worth.

“Better?” he asked with a smile as she took a deep breath and smiled up at him.

She cleared her throat.  “Much,” she assured him, taking his hand from where it rested on her shoulder and drawing it into her own with a firm grip.  “You’re probably gonna want to sit down, though.  These kids want to hear all about us.”

Caleb colored, though he dutifully took a seat beside her, never relinquishing his hold on her hand.  “They do, huh?  Their lives have been so boring lately that they need to hear about our burgeoning romance?” he teased.  Mary blushed.  The kids hooted and cheered.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been boring,” Eden snarked, “nor that your romance is burgeoning.  We’ve been waiting a long time for this to happen.  I can’t imagine what your kids feel like,” turning her attention to Mary, who chuckled at the upraised brow.

“My children feel much the same as the rest of you, though, believe it or not, to an even greater degree.  Remember, they have known Caleb their whole lives.  And my boys, at least, had talked to their father about this possibility a long time ago.”

“Wow,” Naomi cut in.  “Seriously?”

“As a heart attack,” Mary confirmed.  “It’s a very long and complicated story, but let’s just say I was the only one out of the loop for a long time.  Some by my own choice, I’ll admit, but some due to the machinations of others.”

Caleb squeezed the hand he held and waited for Mary to meet his gaze.  “It all worked out like it was supposed to.  I’ll not begrudge anything that brought you to me.”

“Even if…?”

He placed a finger over her lips.  “No regrets, Mary.  Edward was my best friend, and I never would have had anything happen to him for the world.  But since he is gone, and nothing we do can bring him back, I’m going to do what he asked - what I’ve wanted for so long, and what your children have given their blessing to.  The only one who can stop that is you.”

Mary cradled his face with one hand and looked deep into his eyes.  She shook her head.  “No, Caleb.  I want this.  I want this with you.”

“Kiss her already,” Jacob yelled across the screen, getting him an elbow in the belly from Eden, and causing all kinds of raucous cheering to erupt from the Teammates surrounding him.  Mary and Caleb blushed in tandem, though he raised an eyebrow at her in question.  She nodded slightly, then his lips met hers and their eyes closed.

It was chaste as far as kisses go, and it didn’t last very long, but the roar of approval from the other side of the galaxy was enough to bring several people running into the room at once.  

Mary blinked open her eyes at the intrusion, then narrowed her gaze as her children, Eve, and Tom stood in the doorway staring blankly at the couple sitting sedately on the bed.  Noah came strolling in after a moment, and started herding everyone back toward the doorway.

“All right, boys and girls… nothing to see here,” he advised, shooing them out the door.  Eve stiffened, and Noah cocked his head and arched an eyebrow at her.  She glared at him a moment, then softened, cupping his face in her hands and touching their foreheads together.  Then she took his hand and led him out of the room, allowing him to pull the door closed behind them.

Mary and Caleb watched bemusedly, waving at Noah as he saluted them before the door was shut completely.  Then they turned their attention back to the kids on the screen who were still celebrating the news Mary and Caleb had shared.  Only Abigail remained a bit subdued, but not enough to give anything away.  After all she didn’t actually know anything - it was just a feeling… right?

“So tell us, Girlfriend - when’s the wedding?”

Mary and Caleb both blushed at the question, causing even more noise as they looked at one another and shook their heads.

“Cart before the horse,” Caleb answered without batting an eyelash.  “I should probably at least take her out on a proper date or two before we go and do something rash.  However, I promise it won’t take too long, either.  Perhaps by the time you kids are settled on your new home, there might be something to celebrate.”

“By settled, I hope you mean landed, and not actually settled.  Pretty sure we’re looking at years for that to be true, and none of us want to wait that long to celebrate with you.”

“Why?”

Caleb’s question threw Deborah off her stride for a moment, not having expected that kind of comeback.  Then she arched a brow at him.  “Really?” waiting for him to nod.  She sighed.  “Because if this project has taught us anything at all, it’s the value of family - those you make yourself as well as those you’re born to.  Like it or not, old man, you’re family… by choice as well as by marriage, eventually.  Therefore, we expect to be included for any celebrations as well as any mourning that’s possible for us to be a part of.  Capiche?”

Caleb looked back at her wide-eyed, noting the various signs of agreement coming from around the cargo bay.  He felt Mary squeeze his hand, and he looked down into her eyes to find her nodding and smiling at him.  He shook his head and chuckled.  “Yeah,” he commented.  “Yeah, I got it.”

“Wonderful,” she drawled, though she couldn’t hide her smile.  “Make sure you don’t forget it.”  She turned to Eli.  “Is there anything we’ve forgotten, Boss?”

Eli stood and looked around the room, taking her time to give each of her team a chance to speak up; when all was silent, she glanced back at Mary.  “I don’t think we’ve got anything else for you, Chief.  Do you have anything else for us?”

Mary glanced around the cargo bay where the team was lounging, her eyes bright and her smile large.  “I don’t think so.  Despite everything, you’ve already far surpassed any expectations I could ever have had for you.  I’m so proud of each of you… and all of you together, and I look forward to all the great and amazing things you’re going to do together.  Go with my blessing and do miraculous things.  I can’t wait to say ‘I knew you all when’.”

Eli offered her hand to Arianna, pulling her up and into her body, wrapping an arm around her waist and smiling when Arianna reciprocated the gesture.  Without prompting, the rest stood and gathered around them.  Then they each raised a hand in farewell, and departed one by one until only Eli and Arianna were left.  They regarded each other across the screen, as though millions of kilometers didn’t separate their realities.  Then Eli lifted her hand.

“It’s been an honor, Mama.  Until we meet again?”

“Until we meet again, Daughters of my Heart.  Godspeed.”  And she watched as they turned away and exited through the cargo bay doors before she let her screen go dark.  “Gideon?” she called into her comm unit.

“I’m here, Chief.  What’s up?”

“You can sever the connection.  We’re done here.”

“You got it, Chief.  You have a good night.  We’ll keep an eye on things down here.”

“Thank you, Gideon.  Goodnight.”  She turned to Caleb and rested her head on his shoulder.  “That was wonderful,” she confessed, “but I’m exhausted.”

“I feel a little of that myself,” he declared.  “I wouldn’t have missed it though.  Those kids look really good, and it did a lot for you to be able to see them all together. I can tell.”

“Can you now?” she questioned.  “How?”

He shifted them until he could look her directly in the eyes and smiled as he brushed a bit of hair back from her face.  “There’s color in your cheeks; sparkles in your eyes; and I’m pretty sure I haven’t heard you laugh like that in a good, long time.”  

She chuckled and clasped the wrist of the hand currently cupping her cheek.  “Anybody ever tell you       you’re one smart cookie?”

He grinned.  “Oh… I may have heard it a time or two before, but nothing is as flattering as when the words are falling from your lips.”

Mary snorted and shook her head.  “That was a little cheesy, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.  But it was worth it for the look on your face.  Besides, it was true.  Now,” he said, kissing her forehead before standing from the bed and pulling the covers up to her chin.  “Is there anything I can get you?  Anything you need before I leave you to get some sleep?”

Mary gazed at him a long moment, reveling in the love and affection so apparent in his open expression..  She tilted her head and beckoned him forward with a crook of her finger.  “Yes,” she replied when he was close enough for her to wrap her arms around.  “Come back down here and give me a proper kiss before you leave me here alone for the night.”

Something flared in Caleb’s eyes at her words, and before she could consider changing them, he swooped down and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her with years of pent-up love and passions, sucking the very air out of her lungs.  When they pulled back from one another with nips and pecks, Caleb grinned mischievously at her.

“Proper enough for you, Chief?” said with a hint of breathlessness.

“Uh huh,” she mumbled.  He laughed.

“Goodnight, Mary.”

“Good night, Caleb.  Happy dreams.”

He smiled rakishly, though his eyes held a hint of wistfulness.  “That’s a guarantee for me; you’ll be in them.”  Then he slipped out the door and down the hallway before Mary could begin to think of a comeback.  Finally she dropped back onto the pillows stacked behind her head and released a slow breath as she tucked her hands beneath her neck.  Then she smiled goofily as she stared up at the ceiling.

“That man’s gonna be the death of me, but what a way to go!”

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

Eli was a little pensive on their walk back to their quarters, but Arianna remained quiet, letting Eli process whatever was troubling her.  Only when they were behind locked doors did she wrap Eli in her arms and pull her in for kiss.  Almost immediately, Eli smiled into it, and Arianna felt the happiness flow through her even as Eli deepened it.  She couldn’t help but smile back, and soon the two were giggling as much as they were kissing.  Eli let her hands slide from the middle of Arianna’s back to the firm globes of her ass, squeezing lightly and getting the squeal she expected in return.  But before Arianna could jokingly admonish her, she tightened her embrace and sighed when Arianna did the same.

“You all right?” murmured into her neck and tickling just a little bit.

“Doing better now,” she replied honestly.  “Still a little off balance, and I”m worried about Mary.”

Arianna pulled back far enough to look into her face with a frown.  “Why?  She seemed so happy and content with Caleb.  What did I miss?”

Eli smiled tenderly, pushing the loose hair from her face before leaning in to steal another kiss.  She eased back after a moment and said, “Oh, I think she is.  She and Caleb have been a couple for a while, even if she is just starting to realize and accept that fact.  I’m more concerned with her health.  I don’t think. she’s doing as well as she wants to be.”

Arianna slid her arms from Eli’s shoulders, and reached over to cup her face.  Brown eyes stared into hazel until she could see the green begin to darken in their intensity. “Oh, Amado… that big, beautiful, caring heart.  You can’t solve everything, though I love you so much for wanting to try.  This, however, is beyond your scope simply because of the distance involved.  Be happy that Mama is finding happiness again, and trust that those there will do their very best for her to be with us as long as she can.”

“But….”

Arianna placed a finger over her lips, and Eli kissed it in reflex.  Arianna smiled and shook her head.  “No buts.  You did your best, and they are doing theirs.  You’re just going to have to trust that things will work out like they’re supposed to.  After all… we did, and so did Mama and Caleb.  That right there proves anything is possible.”  She ran her hands around to Eli’s back and scratched between her shoulder blades, causing her to arch in pleasure.  “Now what do you say to you and me utilizing that nice big bed for something other than sleeping?”

Eli’s grin was big and bright, and she scooped Arianna up into her arms with a shriek.  Only a few steps had them tripping into bed, giggling as they fell.  It was a long time before sleep was an option.

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

Down the hallway, Abigail smiled.  Even with her walls up, she could feel the joy they radiated.  It was like a breath of fresh air after the pall of anger and confusion Eli especially had been struggling with recently.  She could feel her body relaxing, though there was still a niggling of worry at the core of her being.  She reread the email she had written for Mary, hoping the other woman would understand and forgive her concern.  She bit her lip in hesitation, rereading it before hitting send.  Then she shut down her Pad and made her own preparations for bed.  If they were only promised one more night of good, solid sleep, she was absolutely going to take advantage of it.  Given everything that had happened up to this point she knew better than to squander an opportunity.

She crawled into her bed, sighing in relief as she stretched out.  She opened her walls the slightest bit, to check on the status of the entire crew and allow the joy and satisfaction she felt from them to flow through her.  Then she turned out the lights, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Tomorrow’s challenges would come soon enough.



Chapter LXXIX

Isaac stretched slowly as he blinked his eyes open.  A hand crept up his chest and he tilted his head down to find sparkling brown eyes looking back at him. “Good morning,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her body, smiling when she snuggled even closer.

“It certainly is,” Esther agreed, scratching absently at his chest where her hand rested.  She tucked her head back under his chin.  “No regrets?” asked hesitantly as if afraid of the answer.

Isaac rolled them over just enough to be able to look her in the eyes, stroking her cheek gently and waiting for her eyes to open again.  After a moment, his patience was rewarded, and he wasn’t exactly surprised to see a sheen of tears in her eyes.  “Hey,” he said, cradling her face in his hand.  “No regrets.  You’re not my second choice, Es,” smiling slightly when her eyes widened at his words.

“How…?”

He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose.  “Really?  C’mon, Es.  After all that palaver with Arianna?  Anyone would wonder.  But remember, Arianna wasn’t my choice… not really.  She was someone else’s choice for me to cause trouble between her and Eli.  You’re my choice - my first choice… for so many reasons.”

“Like what?” she asked, glancing down as she absently curled his chest hair with her fingers.

This time his laughter was loud, and he kissed her breathless before she could protest.  “Fishing?” he teased, feeling the heat flush her dark skin.  “That’s okay,” he assured her.  “I don’t mind telling you how beautiful I think you are; how much I like your wit and humor; how I admire the way your mind works; and how much it means that you’ve always been nice to me and not treated me as anything other than who I am.”  He rolled back onto is back and tucked his hands behind his head, feeling her follow until she was leaning over him, touching along their naked lengths.  “That’s always been a problem for me,” he confided.  “People see big and think stupid… especially since I’m not really good with people.  Machines have always made a lot more sense.”

Esther chuckled.  “I hear ya.  I can’t tell you the times I’ve wanted to stay in my lab and be left alone with my work.  No one bothers me there.”  She cocked her head.  “Though… at least here, when someone interrupts, they generally understand what I’m doing and don’t get offended if I don’t open the door.”

“That’s true,” turning onto his side so they were face to face.  “So you think anyone would miss us if we were late for breakfast?” running his hand along her side and smiling when her breath caught.

“I’m willing to risk the gossip if you are,” said with a smile as she treaded her hand into his hair and tugged him to her lips.  His answer wasn’t in words, despite how vocal he was.  Esther just chuckled and pulled the sheet back over them.

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

“I could get used to this,” Danny commented as he and Luke separated from their good morning kiss.  “I kinda like you being here when I wake up,” he confessed with a blush that left him an almost eggplant color.

Luke placed a kiss on the underside of his chin, then another on his neck before settling down with an ear over Danny’s heart.  He smiled, causing Danny to squirm from the tickling feeling Luke was causing.  “I kinda like being here so we can wake up together.  Maybe we can make it a more regular thing.”

“I’d be open to something like that, though I’ll be honest.  I don’t want to move in together… at least not right now.  I’d like to spend a little time getting to really know you… getting to see what makes us tick as a couple beyond great sex.  It just seems like we’ve jumped from crisis to crisis and we haven’t really had time to….”  Danny’s eyes widened when Luke covered his mouth with his hand.

“Shh,” Luke commanded.  “I get it - I do.  I feel the same way.  I just meant maybe we could make a more concerted effort to spend time together - have a regular date night or something.”

He felt Danny grin beneath his fingertips, and he responded automatically, removing his hand and bending down to kiss the full lips still curled into a smile.  It was quick, and when he eased back, Danny laced their hands together.  “I’d really like that,” standing and tugging Luke up with him.  “Now come on.  We need to get to breakfast and we need a shower first.”

Luke laughed out loud.  “Best offer I’ve had today,” he joked, laughing harder at the expression on Danny’s face.

“Better be the only offer you’ve had today,” he growled, then crossed into the ensuite and stepped into the shower.  The rest of the argument was lost behind closed doors.

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

Mordecai tapped lightly on Hannah’s door, knowing she’d be able to hear him even if she was in her bathing chamber.  She wasn’t, however, and a moment later, her door opened to admit him.  She smiled and beckoned him inside, and he followed, glad to see her happy again.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, gently cupping her face and looking her over very carefully.  “Everything back to how it should be?”

“Mostly, I think,” she replied, motioning him to a seat at the kitchen counter.  “How about you?  How’s the back?”

“Better than ever, actually,” he offered with a smile.  “Between whatever Doc and Luke did, and the exercise regimen they put me on, I could probably keep up with Jake… for a little while anyway.”

Hannah chuckled.  “I’m sure he’d relish the challenge.”  She handed him a cup of what passed for coffee in this time and place.  “C’mon.  Let’s get to the mess hall and pick out a scrumptious meal from all the great choices we have.”

He rolled his eyes.  “Because somebody’s gonna fight you for powdered eggs.”

She snorted.  “Maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll have French toast for a change.”

Brown eyes lit up.  “I’d fight you for that.  Race you there!” called as he escaped through the door….

… only to find himself tangled with Titus, Paul and Deborah, who had been just about to knock on Abigail’s door.  Hannah heard the commotion and rushed to the doorway, to stop short as soon as she saw the dog pile in front of her.  There was a lot of mumbling and cursing coming from several different parts of the pile, and she covered her mouth to hide her grin.

About that time, Abigail opened the door to her room to find out what all the noise was.  Blue eyes widened comically, and she looked up to meet Hannah’s, biting her lips to contain her laughter.  In another moment, the four on the ground had managed to detangle themselves from one another, and Hannah and Abigail stepped forward to help them regain their footing.

They stood brushing themselves off, then as one, Titus, Paul and Deborah turned to Mordecai and gave him the stink eye.  He moved away and hid behind Hannah, causing Abigail to hide her smile this time.

“What?” he asked innocently, ducking his tall frame behind Hannah and peeking out from around her head.  Deborah crossed her arms over her chest and glared.

“Do you wanna tell us where in the bloody blazes of hell and damnation you were running off to in such a hurry??  It’s a small ship, Kai.  You don’t need to run much of anywhere to go from one end to another in under a minute or so.  So unless we’re under an attack that none of the rest of us are aware of, you’d better have a good explanation of why you ran us over like a cargo transport.”

He chuckled nervously, but remained behind Hannah.  “Well, you see, Hannah and I were just heading out to the mess hall.  And she mentioned something about French toast, and well… French toast is my favorite, so I was going to race her, only….”

“… only the three of us were in the middle of the hallway and you ran into us instead,” Paul supplied helpfully, watching as Mordecai swallowed hard as he nodded.  He couldn’t blame Deborah for being miffed.  His head was killing him now, and it was clear Deborah was going to have a shiner of epic proportions… probably the result of someone’s elbow to her eye.  On the other hand, it wasn’t like Mordecai meant to mow them down, and it would be easily fixed by whoever had sick bay duty this morning.  He exchanged glances with Titus, who shrugged and winced at the same time, blood trickling out of his nose at a steady pace.

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Wow,” Naomi said as she poked her head out of her room.  “What war did I miss?”

Deborah snorted.  “No war,” jerking her thumb at Mordecai, who was still conveniently hidden behind Hannah.  “Himmicane Mordecai swept through the hallway without warning and blew us all away.”

“Well, he certainly left all kinds of collateral damage behind.  C’mon.  We’ll see if we can take care of this without bothering Eli or Luke.  After all, we’ve all got emergency responder training, right?  We should be able to fix you right up.”

“What about breakfast?” Mordecai whined.

“Breakfast can wait until we’re back at a hundred percent, Hotshot.  That seems reasonable to me… don’t you think?”  Mordecai nodded so quickly, it was a wonder his head didn’t simply pop off from his body.  Deborah patted the top of his head.  “Good boy,” she commented.  “Now why don’t you lead the way to sick bay so we can all get repaired?”

“What a great idea!” he replied with faux enthusiasm.  Then he led the way, with the rest falling into line behind him like little chicks.  Hannah and Abigail watched them go for the longest moment before looking at one another and bursting into laughter.

“We shouldn’t laugh,” Hannah said.  “But it really was pretty funny.”

Abigail nodded.  “I think even Deb will see the humor… once her eye stops hurting so badly.”

“Agreed.”  She paused, and looked around the now silent passageway.  “Should we go help them?”

“Possibly, though Naomi might take it as a personal slight if we show up to check on her.  I think the prudent thing to do would be to go ahead to the mess hall.”

Hannah grinned, and tucked her hand into the crook of Abigail’s elbow.  “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.  Shall we?”

“We shall,” Abigail responded, before leading them down the hall.

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

“What does it feel like?” Eden asked as she trailed her fingertips up and down the length of Jacob’s mechanical arm.  Black eyes met green.  “To you, I mean.”

Jacob tucked his free arm under his head and studied her intent look as she returned her gaze to the arm beneath her touch.  She looked beautiful, sitting there unashamed of her nakedness as she straddled his hips.  He felt himself twitch, and tilted his head in question.  “What does it feel like to you?”

“Cool… sleek… strong.  It’s a lot like your old one, but….  I think it’s the temperature that stands out the most.  We could probably adjust it when we put the skin on it, but right now….  I don’t know.  It’s different.”  She met his eyes again.  “So?”

He glanced down at his hand and flexed his fingers, watching his fist close and open before turning his attention back to Eden.  “It’s a little weird.  When the settings are too high, I can feel everything - like the ridges of your fingertips and the pores in your skin.  I’m gradually adjusting them down, so it feels more normal, ya know?  But I’m afraid to dial it back too fast for fear of actually hurting someone, or destroying something we might really need to have on hand.  Eli assures me as I slowly learn control, it’ll be easier.  But for now it’s better for everyone, and for my peace of mind, for it to be extremely sensitive.”

“Well, that explains why your touch was so feather-light last night.  I don’t think you’ve ever been quite so gentle, and it’s not like we play rough very often.”

“Was it bad?”

Eden twined her fingers with his and lifted his hands above his head while she stretched her length along his, tangling their legs together.  He sucked a breath, and she relished her awareness of how much she affected him by touch alone.  Then he shifted beneath her and her eyes widened.  He chuckled.  “Guess it works both ways, huh?”

She pressed her lips to his.  “I guess.  And to answer your question, it wasn’t bad at all.  It was just different.”  She cocked an eyebrow at him.  “How about if I show you?”

“Do we have time?”

Eden smirked.  “Do you really care?” rubbing against him like a cat.  He shook his head rapidly and she grinned rakishly as she leaned down to touch her lips to his again.  “Good boy,” she murmured, then captured his lips gently.  His whimper was the first of many sounds she heard for the next little while.

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

“We might should have gotten some sleep,” Arianna whispered from her spot between Eli’s legs.  Her head rested contentedly on the firm, flat belly beneath her, while her fingertips drew lazy, little patterns on Eli’s sides and hips.  She nearly purred when Eli moved her scratching from her scalp to the back of her neck, feeling herself relax even further into the strong body with whom she was tangled up, and she lifted her eyes just enough to see hazel eyes twinkling back at her.

“Maybe,” Eli confessed, “though I’ll never begrudge any time spent loving you… even with a loss of sleep.  Besides,” sighing heavily as though her next words pained her to say out loud, “MaTb was right.  Even with the tiny amount of meditation we shared last night, I already feel better than I have in weeks.  Connecting with you like that… it’s almost more intimate than our physical love,” chuckling at the raised eyebrow that got her.  “Only almost, Angel.  Nothing will ever be quite as intimate as our lovemaking, I don’t think,” she trailed off, her expression thoughtful.  “Although….”

“Although what?”

“Although it is entirely possible meditation will eventually enhance our physical experience.”

Arianna snorted, and laid her head back on Eli’s stomach, reveling in the warmth and scents that surrounded her.  “I’m not sure we’d survive that, Amado.”

Eli chuckled.  “At least we’ll have time to grow into it, instead of forcing it where it’s not ready to go yet.”  She looked down at Arianna and frowned.  “Why are you so far away from me?  I can’t kiss you when you’re all the way down there,” she said petulantly.

“But I like it down here,” Arianna replied with a wicked grin and a kiss to her bellybutton, letting her tongue rim around the outside before swirling into it briefly.  She tightened her hold on Eli’s hips as a tremor ran through her, and shifted her body slightly downward.  “It smells like us here,” kissing a little lower, and feeling Eli’s body jerk when she sucked at her hip bones.  “And I can still kiss you,” pressing another kiss to the top of her mound, and wincing when Eli’s hands curled hard into her hair.  She reached up and gently removed the vice grip, tangling their hands together as she slid lower.  “See how well it works out for me?”

“Both of us,” Eli ground out, and Arianna smiled as she buried her face, humming delightedly as she set herself to the task at hand - making Eli scream her name loud and often.  Eli tightened her grip around Arianna’s hands and settled herself in for the ride.

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

The mess hall was noisy when they entered, and they both acknowledged the cheers that greeted their arrival, noting they weren’t the last to arrive.  Danny and Luke had come in just ahead of them, and Jacob and Eden had pushed in right behind them.  They each grabbed a breakfast meal, then made their way to empty places at the table, shaking their heads in amusement at the argument still going on among the others.

“It doesn’t matter, Kai,” Titus said dryly.  “You were racing in here for a meal that doesn’t even exist.  I mean, don’t you think we’d have already ferreted out French toast if that was actually a thing?”

“Maybe,” he answered gruffly, never taking his eyes off his pouch.  “It still would have been worth it.”

“Not saying it wouldn’t have been… IF there had actually been French toast.  But there isn’t, so it wasn’t,” Deborah said with a tone of finality that caused Mordecai to pout, but not continue his argument.  With a sigh of relief, she turned to Eli.  “So what’s on tap for today, Boss?”

Eli smiled.  “Aside from getting out of here, you mean?” laughing at the enthusiastic nods she got in response.  “I figure that will be a good start.  I will rework the schedules so we can get back to something that allows us plenty of time to do what we need to, and still allows us time to not only rest, but to come together to socialize - play games or dance or even just talk.  I think we’ve all seen how much better we are when we include that.”

“That’d be awesome,” Jacob chimed in.  “I’ve missed gaming, and I’m pretty sure you and Kai owe me a rematch.”

“And I’d love to get back to having a few dance parties,” Abigail commented.  “I kinda miss those.”

“Oooh, yeah… and what about….” several voices spoke at once and Eli looked around in satisfaction at the excitement filling her Team once more.  It was gratifying to see the people she had learned to love and call family returning to the crazy that resembled normal for them.  She had missed it, and apparently, so had they.

She glanced at Arianna, and found her trembling with exhilaration, but before she could pull her attention away, Isaac and Esther stepped into the room holding hands.  The room went completely still, and they flushed under the regard.  But before it could become awkward, Jacob gave a catcall, and Mordecai whistled, and the room broke into pandemonium.  Finally, Eden stood up and circled them slowly, and everyone grew quiet again.

“Well, well, well,” turning her black eyes to gaze at Eli, the twinkling in them giving away her mischief in a heartbeat.  “Hey, Boss… I think we may have the makings of a new couple here… and a pretty serious one at that.  I mean,” lifting their joined hands.  “They’re holding hands and everything.”

“Shut up, Eden,” Isaac growled, though he couldn’t hide his smile or his blush.

“Awww, c’mon, Ike,” patting his shoulder since she couldn’t actually reach his face.  “I think it’s cute.”  She turned to Esther.  “You sure you want this big lug?” winking at Isaac, knowing he’d recognize her gentle teasing.

“I’m sure.  He chose me, and that makes me happier than I can express.”

“Oooh… does that mean another joining is in our near future?”

“Shut up, Eden,” Isaac growled again.  “We only just got together.  You think maybe we can have a minute to enjoy that first before you start planning our grandkids’ futures??”

“Joining?”
“Grandkids?!”
“Future??”

“Well, I guess everybody got the salient points of that whole conversation,” Eli stepped in as questions came from all corners - including Esther - before things got too heated.  “Either way, we’re happy for you both… no matter how you decide you’d like for this to work for you.”

“Yeah,” Eden said.  “I think you make a great couple. I wouldn’t tease otherwise.”

“Yes,” Arianna reminded them with a long-suffering sigh.  “Remember how she is with Eli and me,” causing chuckles and chortles from around the room.

Eden rolled her eyes.  “That’s because I’m always the one sent to break you guys up when you’re together and we need you not to be quite so together.  Or at least not alone together.”  She heaved her own sigh.  “It’s a wonder I haven’t lost my eyesight… or my life.”

Eli rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t stop the bright green flush that swept through her body.  “Whatever.”  She turned to Jacob.  “What do you say you and I go to the bridge and get us out of here and headed home?”

“I think,” he answered as he slowly stood and stretched out his body, “that sounds like an amazing idea, Cap’n.  Let’s do this.”  And in mere moments, the mess hall was cleaned up and cleared out, and the entirety of the Outreach crew was on the bridge, watching them leave the newly formed planet without a backward glance, and looking forward to the future.



Chapter LXXX

The next few weeks that passed could have been considered mundane - even boring - though neither of those words crossed anyone’s lips.  They had all learned the hard way to never, ever tempt fate so daringly - only bad things came from that sort of recklessness.  Instead, they focused on all the things they could accomplish on the last leg of their trip.

Every inch of the ship was cleaned to within an inch of its life.  It hadn’t seen clean like it before - not with all the haste and hurry that marked its departure.  It had never seen such scrubbing and cleanliness as it received, and every team member stood a little prouder and taller as the ship began to sparkle and shine.

All the damage it had gotten in the fight with Mischief; all the nicks and bumps that had been caused by their tumble through space; all the mess that had accumulated in their haste to fix and repair were picked up and patched up and cleaned, and suddenly, the Outreach was spiffy and sparkling and better than brand-spanking new again.

Mordecai and Hannah had particularly focused on the Botany bay and the Conservatory, tending to the plants and insects already there and adding all the new species Cupid had sent them as they were cleared.  They weren’t entirely certain what some of them were, but they intended to make the most of his generosity and add them to their repertoire as they could.  After all, much of their colony would depend on the living things they had brought with them; there was no reason to dismiss any possibility unless it proved necessary to do so.

Everyone, however, took time to walk through both areas at least every few days.  Aside from the pleasantness of being among living, organic flora, it was exciting to watch the new growth; to study the new species they had garnered; and to breathe deeply of the many lovely smells inhabiting the space.  

Eli and Arianna had resumed their daily evening walks, and someone was always in the Conservatory, anxious to show them something new.  Eli listened patiently and with a smile, glad in her heart to see renewed enthusiasm in her team.  It helped greatly that she could feel herself returning to normalcy.  She hadn’t realized how far removed from it she’d become until she and Arianna had started their meditation sessions together.  Enough had been shared with Eden that she ensured their undisturbed privacy for at least an hour every day. The rest smirked and chuckled a little bit, assuming it was a newlywed thing, but no one begrudged them that time and Eden never saw fit to explain further.

And so they travelled without incident toward the moon that would soon become their home.

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

“Cap?” Jacob called down to sick bay where Eli was currently treating Titus for a broken foot.  He and Paul had once again been playing basketball against Isaac... only this time he zigged when he should have zagged, and his foot had been pinned back hard when Isaac tripped and fell directly on top of it with his knee.  It was a clean break, and Isaac had gathered him up immediately and rushed him to the infirmary while calling out for Eli and Luke.  Eli happened to have already been in the infirmary checking over some tests results she and Luke had been running on several of the new plants with which Cupid have gifted them, and she looked up with widened eyes as Isaac carried Titus through the door, followed by an anxious looking Paul.

“Gentlemen?” motioning them to the nearest bio bed.  Isaac carefully placed Titus down while Paul explained what had happened.  She had already numbed the area and realigned the bones when Jacob’s call came from the bridge.  Eli picked up the handheld regen unit and began running it over the area, nodding in satisfaction at the result she was getting.  She looked in the direction of the ceiling when she heard Jacob’s voice.

“Jake?”

“Hey, Cap - just wanted to let you know we’re getting life signs from a number of the planets nearby.  Nothing significant, like Hank indicated.  I’m not sure any of them can even see us.”

“Yeah, Girlfriend.  Everything we’re getting up here shows them to be pretty primitive.  I’m not even sure they have satellite capabilities yet.”

“All right,” pushing on Titus’ shoulder to get him to lay down, and settling his leg under the larger regeneration unit now that she was satisfied with the bone alignment.  “I don’t see a reason to alert them to our presence.  I think we’re going to do some serious studying of the planets and their cultures and such before we go introducing ourselves to anyone.”

“Yep... sounds good, Cap.  We’ll let you know if anything changes up here.”

“Excellent.  Do we have an ETA yet?”

“Current speed? Another day... maybe a little less.  I expect to have to slow a bit more though as we approach.  I don’t want to fly by and have to do a U-turn.”

Eli scrunched up her face at the descriptor, though she recognized what it meant almost immediately.  She shook her head and wondered if she’d ever get all of Jacob’s colloquialisms.  She snorted.  “Understandable,” she commented.  “Keep me posted.  I’ve got a little more work to do in sick bay, then I’m off for the next few hours.”

“Enjoy, Boss.  We’re out.”

She turned her attention back to Titus.  “How are you feeling?”

He smiled.  “I don’t even need the not-as-good stuff, Doc.  That numbing agent was great,” causing her to chuckle.

“Yes, it’s good at what it does, though you may have some residual soreness for a couple days... even once you’re healed.  Make sure you let me know immediately if it becomes unbearable or if something doesn’t feel right.  I know what I see, but only you know what you feel.”

“You got it, Doc.”

“All right,” she said, patting his shoulder as she returned her eyes to the monitor at the end of the bio bed.  “Everything looks good so far.  You’re going to need about another hour in here under the regen unit.  I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”  Titus nodded and closed his eyes.  Eli moved her glance to the two young men still waiting by his bedside.  “As for you two,” gesturing them away from Titus and toward the door.  “You’re free to go... back to what you were doing or to your duty stations or whatever is next on your agenda.”  She looked at them frankly, though her eyes twinkled with hints of mischief and gaiety.  “You might want to consider showering first, though.  Just saying.”

They both blushed, and Eli chuckled, causing them to give her reluctant grins.  Paul gave her a muttered thanks before slipping by and out the doors.  Isaac reached out and placed a big hand on Eli’s shoulder, gratified when she didn’t even flinch.  “Thank you,” he said quietly.  “I know this is your job and all,” gesturing to the infirmary.  “But you didn’t accuse or place blame.  You didn’t make me feel like any more of an idiot for being a klutz... and I appreciate that more than you can know.”

“While I would just as soon never have to utilize this particular skill set, the truth is that accidents are going to happen.  I’m just glad I can help make things right again.  Now... go get a shower before my eyes start watering,” she teased.  “Even Esther won’t forgive you for smelling like a locker room for too long.”

“Does Az?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes... as she’s pushing me into the shower,” Eli laughed.  “Love will forgive a lot, but....”

“But no one likes stinky.  Got it.  Thanks, Eli.”

She waved a hand at him as he exited the room, and she turned to check on Titus before crossing back into her office and settling down behind her desk.

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

It could have been a minute - it could have been an hour.  Eli couldn’t have honestly said how much time had passed when she was alerted to Titus calling for her.  She moved swiftly into the med bay and over to his bed.  He gazed back at her with sleepy eyes.  “Titus?  Are you all right?”

“I’m good, Doc.  Just... I’ve been here over an hour and I’d kinda like to go get a shower.  All the sweat’s dried, and I’m itchy.”

She chuckled.  “I’ll bet.  Let me take a look,” removing the regen unit from where it had been placed over his foot, and running a scanner over it.  In another moment, she was skating her fingertips over his skin, jerking back when he jumped away from her.  She looked at him with concern.  “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” he assured her with a grin.  “But your touch tickles.”

“Sorry,” she said with a half-smirk.  “Do you think you can stand a firmer touch?”

“I think I’m less likely to pull away if you’re not tickling me.”

“Fair.  Let me know if I hurt you.”  She ran her hands over his foot and toes, up and around his ankle.  She checked the lower part of his shin before refocusing on his foot.  “How does it feel?”

Titus flexed his toes.  “Better than new,” he replied.  “Pretty sure you fixed the toe I jammed a couple weeks ago,” eyes widening when she gave him a look.  “It was nothing, really.  I got up in the pitch dark on the middle of the night and ran into the door when it didn’t open fast enough.  I didn’t break it, so I didn’t see a reason to tell you.  I figured it was the price I paid for being a doofus.  It would have healed on its own... eventually.”

“Maybe,” she concurred, “But there’s also no reason for you to have to suffer if you don’t have to. Next time, come see me.”

“You betcha, Doc,” agreeing as he stood.  “Thanks!”

She nodded and waved.  “Go on - get out of here.  I have a little more work to finish up, then I’m headed out myself.”

She had no more than seated herself behind her desk once more when she heard the door slide open.  She closed her eyes briefly; she really wanted to finish up here so she could go home and be with her mate for a bit.  A touch in her hair, and she smiled, leaning over until her head touched Arianna’s belly.  Short nails started scratching her scalp, and she purred, feeling Arianna chuckle at her.

“Tired, Amado?”

“Little bit,” she mumbled.  “Busy day.  We’ve cleared several more of the plants Cupid shared.  It looks like we may be able to use most of them anyway.  A couple are a little bit questionable, but mostly they seem highly compatible.”

“What of the insects?”

“Those are a little trickier, but we’re making good progress.  I don’t think we’ll be done before we land, but we’ve made some great strides.”

“So you can come with me now?” tugging on the nape hairs she held, smiling when she felt Eli whimper against her.  She tugged again, then resumed her gentle scratching.  “Come, Querida.  I think we’re having vegetable fettuccine for dinner tonight, and then we’re going to meditate for a while.”

“And after that?”

“It’s up for negotiation.”

Eli smiled and butted her head into Arianna’s belly.  “I think I’d like that... a lot.  I can feel myself returning to normal, but more than that, I can feel us growing together.  Like we were before everything, but better.  Does that make sense?”

“Um hmm.  I think part of that comes from talking to MaTb about it.  You may be a grown, independent woman, Amado, but the fact is, her approval has always been important to you.  When she gave her understanding and her blessing, it was like shedding a burden you never knew was there.  It gave you a measure of peace that has transferred into everything else in your life... including us.”

Eli crooked her neck up just enough to allow her to glance into sparkling brown eyes, and met the wide smile with one of her own.  “When did you get so smart?”

Arianna shrugged.  “Smart was easy.  Learning you is a ‘rest of my life’ kind of thing for me.”

Eli leaned back then so she could stand, and took Arianna’s hand in her own.  “Good thing we’ve got forever, huh?” she asked with a smile as she tugged Arianna into her body.  “Come, Beloved.  I think we have some serious negotiating to do.”

Arianna switched hands with Eli to allow her to scratch between her shoulder blades and chuckling when her back arched instantly and her purring resumed.  “As long as it involves your wings, I think we can come to an equitable arrangement.”

Gold eyes met brown, and Eli’s smile was almost feral.  “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Laughter followed them all the way down the hallway.

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

“We’re coming within visual range, Cap’n,” Jacob remarked from pilot’s station.  

“Put it up on the screen, Deb,” Eli commanded quietly from her chair, and a moment later, there was a picture of an enormous planet and several small moons.  They gazed at the view silently for a moment, then Eli spoke again.  “Can we get a better look at the moon?”

“I think so.  Hang on a sec,” Jake said.  “Deb, can you...?”

She nodded and let her fingers fly over the console, nodding to herself in satisfaction when the screen flickered and returned with a much closer view.  “That’s the outer range of our visual, Cap’n.  It’ll be a bit before we can get closer without pixelating the image.”

“Can you put it on the screens throughout the ship?”

“Already done.”

“What do the scans show?”

“About what we expected,” Danny replied.  “A lot of rock....” trailing off as he leaned forward to get closer to the readings.

Eli raised her eyebrow and waited, but when he didn’t follow up, she prompted him.  “Danny?”

“Huh?  Wha...?” swiveling around to meet questioning golden eyes.  She cocked her head at him and waited, and he cleared his throat and looked back at his readings as he flushed a bright purple.  “Oh... umm... it um... it looks like there might be water of some kind in pockets around the planet.  We’ll have to do some more surveying and some experiments of course, but we may not be starting out quite as close to the very beginning of things as we first believed we would.”

“All right.  Jake, does that information change our original landing choice?”

With a nod of acknowledgement to Jacob’s unspoken request, Danny threw the newly mapped readings onto the main screen and Jacob squinted at it even as he moved to overlay his own charts on top.  He left them for a moment, silent as he studied the graphics in front of him.  Finally, he shook his head and turned his attention back to Eli.  “I don’t think so, Cap.  If I’m reading this right, we’ll be close to a couple of those pockets without actually being on top of them.”

“Boss, if I may?” Eden called from the engine room, changing the viewscreen to show her visage.  “It might be in our best interests to orbit for a few days - get a good look at what’s down there.  We can do scans and studies up here, or even take a shuttle down for a quick look around.  If things look good, we can land and get started on setting up our colony.”

“We all concur down here, Amado,” Arianna confirmed, as she and the rest of the engineering crew stepped up around Eden.  “A few extra days of caution would be much preferred to getting things halfway complete and discovering it was all for naught for one reason or the other.”

Without asking, Eli found herself looking at the rest of her crew when Deborah brought them all up on the main viewscreen.  She met each pair of eyes slowly, giving everyone a chance to speak and offer an opinion.  When she finished, she nodded her head succinctly.  “Very well,” she said.  “We will begin an orbit in the northern hemisphere, and we will map our new home as we slowly move south.  I will expect everyone’s participation, and we’ll need to be as thorough and exact as we possibly can.”

“You write up a schedule, Boss, and we’ll follow it,” Paul said.  “And maybe we can draw some grids so we can overlap our work.  That way we’ll miss less.”

“Maybe we could work in pairs,” Luke chimed in, and suddenly there was a lot of excited chatter going on.  Eli just smiled.

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

She was sitting in the mess hall working on a mapping schedule when Paul and Titus stumbled into the room together, nearly tripping one another in their haste and enthusiasm.  She schooled her smile and finished the time slot in front of her before glancing up at them with a serious expression.  “Gentlemen?” wondering what they were up to that had them nearly vibrating with excitement.

“Um... we just thought... since I mentioned....” Paul looked down at the Pad in his hand before turning a pleading glance toward Titus, who rolled his eyes and snatched the Pad from Paul unceremoniously.  

“For freak’s sakes, Paulie.  The boss doesn’t bite... unless your name is Arianna, I’m guessing.  Either way... not us,” shrugging his shoulders and turning back to Eli.  “Sorry, Boss.  Me and Paulie... we just thought since he suggested it and all, we’d go ahead and draw up those grids for you - save you a step or two if we could,” offering her the Pad.

Eli took it and studied it, nodding in approval as she allowed a smile to grace her features.  “Nice job, gentlemen.  Thank you; I appreciate it.”  A sparkle entered her eyes.  “And Paul... Titus is right.  I don’t bite unless your name is Arianna and you ask really nicely.”

Paul flushed a bright red, but couldn’t stop the tiny smile that crossed his lips.  “I know that... really.  I just... I just didn’t want to overstep.”

“You didn’t.  There’s nothing wrong with showing a little initiative.  Eventually, we’re going to stop working under a command structure, and everyone will have a lot more personal responsibility.”

“I know.  Thanks, Eli.”

“Thank you both... for drawing this up for me.  It means I can put the numbers in and have this ready to go by the time we reach the planet and start our initial orbit.”

“Glad we could help.  Does this mean we could have a Team picnic in the conservatory next meal?”

Eli smiled and propped her head on her hand as she began working on the schedule again.  “I don’t see why not.  I should be done in the next standard hour, if you two want to gauge interest in your idea.”

Paul smiled.  “You’re the last we had to ask.  We’re just gonna start gathering our supplies.  Don’t be surprised if the rest come wandering in soon.  Jake’s gonna put the ship on auto, and Ike will take over when we’re done.”

“Sounds like a plan, gentlemen.  Now get your things and get out of here, so I can get done and join you.”  She smiled at them, and they grinned in returned.  It was shaping up to be a great night.



Chapter LXXXI

They took their time - carefully mapping the entirety of the moon, and discovering a number of things about the place they had chosen to call home… some good, and a few, not-so-much.  But eventually, they picked the best spot they could find, and decided it was time to land the Outreach, and begin their real work.

“How’s it looking, Jake?” Eli asked from her seat behind him.  Everyone was gathered on the bridge to witness this historic moment, and he could feel the responsibility that rested on his shoulders.  Still, he was overwhelmed with the level of trust he could feel emanating from the team that surrounded him, but mostly from the woman he called Captain.  So he squared his shoulders and turned to meet her eyes briefly, giving her a nod before returning his eyes to his instruments.

“Looking good, Cap.  We should have touchdown in two point four standard.”

“Steady as she goes then, Jake. We’re in your capable hands.”

Jacob nodded again, though he didn’t take his eyes away from his readings again.  “Down fifteen kilometers… ten… nine… reverse thrusters engaged… six… landing gear extended… three… two….”  There was the slightest bump, then Jacob announced, “Touchdown.  We have reached the planet’s surface.  Systems are green across the board.” He turned back and met Eli’s eyes, and grinned when she smiled at him with her entire countenance.

“Nicely done, Jake.  Very nicely done.”  She looked around the room, feeling the happiness and excitement in the air, and seeing it clearly verified in the expressions surrounding her.  She motioned to the viewscreen, currently showing little beyond the rock that was now their home.  “Well, ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t look like much, but welcome to our new home.”

“It doesn’t look like much yet,” Eden corrected with a smile.  “Pretty sure we’re gonna change that little situation.”

“The sooner, the better, Girlfriend.  That,” pointing at the viewscreen, “leaves a lot to be desired on the personality scale,” the disgust in her voice causing chuckles to ripple around the room.

“Well, then,” Luke interjected as he clapped his hands together.  “I say it’s time to get to work.”

“I hate to agree with the peacekeeper,” Eden said with a smirk and a wink in Luke’s direction, causing him to roll his eyes and grin, “but I think he’s right.”

“Well, we’ve all got our assignments,” Eli stated.  “Let’s get to work.”

With those words, they broke into smaller teams, with the largest contingent going with Jacob to begin construction on the expansion of the new colony.  It was time to begin their life’s work.

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

They spent months digging and creating and building, slowly expanding their home to encompass more than simply the ship they resided in.  They had begun forming more family units as well.  There was Eli and Arianna, naturally, and Isaac and Esther had recently welcomed the first baby born into the colony.  Hannah and Mordecai had just publicly pledged themselves to one another, but that was the end of ‘traditional’ couples as far as it went.  Luke and Danny were a couple, but they weren’t exclusive by any means; Luke was expecting a child with Naomi within two months - though they weren’t any kind of actual couple either.  Eden and Jacob had added Abigail to their relationship, which seemed to work out well for all parties involved.  Only Titus, Paul and Deborah remained completely unattached to anyone particularly, though they had on occasion been seen together with one another or Naomi, or Luke and Danny.  It was all a little complicated, but it was working for them as a community, so no one really questioned it, or made much ado about it.  And then, life happened… again.

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

Eli was in the med bay - the only actual science area still remaining on the grounded ship.  She and Luke were slowly expanding its labs as the other sciences took their places in the new construction areas.  Her head was bent over some research when Abigail was marched in the door, with Eden guiding her by the elbow.  Eli looked up curiously, removing her glasses as she stood.  Before either woman could speak, she was crossing the room, and urging Abigail onto a bed, reaching for her scanner, before a touch on her arm halted her progress.  She looked up into tearful blue eyes, and covered the hand resting on her arm with her own.

“Gay?”

She shook her head and the tears fell, reaching for Eli, and dropping her head onto the strong shoulder.  Eli looked at Eden in alarm, but she just shook her head, black eyes burning with a mixture of sadness and fury.  Eli reached out a hand that Eden immediately clasped, but no words were spoken, so Eli simply held on to Abigail and let her cry herself out.  After a few minutes, Abigail sucked in a deep breath and wiped her eyes as she raised her head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.  “I just… it’s not… I… I….”  She glanced at Eden forlornly, reaching out a hand and sighing in relief when it was accepted without hesitation.  “Mor is going to kill me.”

“She’s pregnant,” Eden stated succinctly. Eli’s eyes widened, but otherwise her reaction was impossible to see.  Abigail felt it, as Eli was still holding her, but outwardly, she didn’t give anything away.  Abigail let the love and acceptance flow through her as she tucked her head back into the crook of Eli’s neck and held on tightly.  Hazel eyes met black, demanding an explanation without saying a word, as she continued to offer silent comfort to the woman clinging to her.  Eden sighed.

“It wasn’t… this wasn’t supposed to happen.  It shouldn’t have….”  She sighed.  “I’m fairly certain the baby is gonna be mine.  Jake has never actually… you know, penetrated her.”

“And you have, I take it?”

“Not like that, no.  We talked about it… all of us when Jake and I first approached her - before we did anything together.  We knew what the limits were; we wanted to respect Gay’s culture, but having her be alone… staying alone for years on end because of some religious mandate seemed cruel, and we were both interested in expanding our relationship horizons.”

“And I really wanted this… with both of them,” Abigail added softly.  “They love me and take care of me so beautifully, and to watch them together is just magical.  I was thrilled when they asked me to join them and be a part of what they share.”

“Okay,” Eli nodded slowly.  “So what happened?”

“Eden and I were alone together.  I mean, Jake was there… watching, but she and I were making love without him this time.  And when she came, I felt her warmth mingle with mine… inside me.”  She sighed and shook her head.  “I know that sounds crazy, but I don’t know how else to explain it.”

“It doesn’t sound crazy… not with what I know of her people and physiology.  All right now,” Eli said, meeting Abigail’s deep blue eyes.  “We’re going to do this by the book.  Lay back for me - let’s confirm the pregnancy first.  Then we’ll discuss your options.”

Abigail lay back, but shook her head.  “There are no options,” she stated firmly.  “If we are pregnant, then we’ll be having a baby.”  She blew out a nervous breath.  “I am certain of that much.”

“All right,” Eli agreed again, without hesitation.  “Let me check you over.  Do you want Eden to be here with you, or…?”

Abigail clutched Eden’s hand tighter, and pulled her right to the edge of the bed.  “If I am pregnant, she will be one of three parents.  She has the right to be here.”  Before Eli could formulate her next question, Jake came barreling in the door, mechanical arm almost ripping off part of the wall in his endeavor to keep himself from literally flying into the room at top speed.  Abigail smiled, and Jacob responded automatically, despite the concern in his eyes.  He looked around at the three women, hoping for answers, but all Abigail said was, “And so does Jake.”

“And so does Jake, what?” he asked, accepting the hand she held out and coming to stand beside her.  What’s going on?”

“Well,” Eli drawled as she looked at her scanner.  “The three of you are going to be parents.  And given  the standard cycle of Gay’s people, you should have a new baby within four standard months.”

“Four months??”
“Parents?!  Baby??”

Eden barely had time to reach across Abigail’s body to catch Jacob as his knees gave out.  He clutched at her gently with his strong arm, while she held him up by the collar of his shirt.  After a moment, he eased his grip and nodded at her slowly.  He blinked his eyes and shook his head as she released her grip, then turned to face Eli.

“Did I hear you right?  We’re having a baby?”

Eli smiled.  “You are.  But the next time you need to sit, please use a chair,” eyes twinkling with mirth.  Jacob chuckled, but couldn’t hide his blush behind his sheepish expression.

“I’ll try to plan for it in advance, Boss.”

“You do that.”  She turned back to her patient.  “Gay, I need to do a thorough work up on you, so we can figure out exactly where you are in your pregnancy, and prescribe a course for you that will take the best care of you and your baby.  But first, I need you to relax.  Despite everything, your Mor will be happy for you.  She couldn’t possibly expect you to remain alone for years to satisfy a religious calling that doesn’t even have a place in this society.”  She grinned impishly when doubtful blue eyes turned her way.  “Besides,” she added, “MaTb and Mama can always help her understand.”

Abigail couldn’t stop the laughter that burst forth.  “Oh my… I would almost like to be there to see that.”

Eli laughed.  “Me too.”  But her words had served their purpose, and Abigail laid back and closed her eyes, and let Eli do her work.

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

“So what happened today?” Arianna asked as they sat together in their tub, soaking away any number of residual aches.  Her day had been spent helping Jacob with the next addition of their community… until he’d gotten a call and run off like he was on fire.  She’d been glad that Isaac and Deborah especially had been there, to help finish up the wall they had been working on, because even with machinery doing the heavy lifting, there was still a lot of physical effort involved in the work.

Eli cocked a brow, and waited until Arianna shifted enough to see it. Arianna snorted.  “Don’t even try.  I was there when Jacob ran off without a word of explanation, and I felt any number of things from you today, but most especially, happiness. So what happened?”

“Jake and Eden are expecting a baby… with Gay.”

Arianna’s eyes widened appreciably, but all she said was, “Okay.”  A beat.  “Is Gay the one who’s pregnant?” waiting for Eli to nod the affirmation.  “Is she all right with it?  I mean… with her religion and all?  Her madre….”

“She’s excited… now.  She was a little worried about the other - until I reminded her that her mor couldn’t possibly expect her to remain alone for the next five years, to say nothing of the rest of her life… because I can’t see us abandoning this place unless we fail spectacularly.  Mama and MaTb will help her understand if they need to, and I suspect she’ll be thrilled enough about having a grand that her only complaint will be about the distance between them that won’t allow her to spoil properly.”

Arianna nodded and grew introspective; Eli just waited until she was ready, and she wasn’t particularly surprised by the question when it came.  “Have you thought about it?  About us having a baby?  Becoming parents?”

Eli sighed and shrugged.  “Sometimes,” she admitted.  “I mean, I know we will have to - it’s part of what we all agreed to when we took this assignment.  Part of our responsibility is to begin populating this colony, and to create a strong gene pool to allow for a good foundation.  I know that.”

“But…?” Ariana asked when the silence dragged on, easily picking up on Eli’s hesitation.

“But I like having time with you, and right now, there’s not a whole lot of that - not nearly as much as I want, anyway.  I like it being just us, and having time to do the things we want to do, and that has become even more true as we’ve learned to sense one another and feel things together.”  She shrugged again and dropped her eyes to the droplets of water that rested on their skin.  “I’m just not in any hurry to change that,” she confessed.  “Does that make me a horrible person?” The water sloshed dangerously close to the edge of the tub, and tanned hands fell on green cheeks when Arianna cupped her face gently.  Hazel eyes met deep brown at her urging, and Eli instantly relaxed at the look of love and contentment shining back at her.

“No, and it doesn’t make you selfish either,” Arianna assured her.  “It does kind of make you romantic, though,” smiling at the alarm she saw reflected back at her, even as she could feel the shock and joy rolling through Eli’s body.  “I promise not to tell,” she whispered, though no one was around to hear her.  She leaned forward, until their fronts were melding, so she could put her lips to Eli’s ear.  “Can I tell you a secret?” she asked in a voice so soft, Eli felt the words more than she heard them.  She nodded, and Arianna smiled.  “I’m not in any real hurry to have children either.  We really do have so little time together right now, and if it wasn’t for Eden and her insistence to the rest of the team that we have one standard hour a day for our meditation, we’d have even less - because we both know there is always going to be something that needs your attention.  So yeah - I don’t think we need to rush into this any time soon.”

“Even if we’re never going to hear the end of it from MaTb, Mama, and your Madre?”

“Even if.  MaTb already has a grands from Elijah, and the possibility of more from your other siblings; Mama has Ian and Prue, and soon she’ll have Joy and Ephraim, to give her grands close to home.  And one day Nat may have another partner and give her kids as well.  Besides, she’s still settling into life as a newlywed with Caleb.  That should keep her busy and occupied for a little while at least.”  She sighed.  “As for Madre, she will be far less likely to push.  I think she is happy enough that she and I are reaching a place where we are comfortable with each other and able to talk like Mother and Daughter as well as adults, instead of strangers who have little more in common than blood.  Not that she won’t be thrilled when we finally decide to go forward with expanding our family, but for now, I think she’s just happy to be considered part of us.”

“So it doesn’t bother you that we may be among the last of the Team to have children… even though we were the first couple?”

Arianna chuckled.  “Not remotely.  I just hope our friends don’t expect us to watch their children… at least not all at the same time.  That might actually convince me to never have children… contract or no.  Because we already have three that are going to be close in age.”

“And eventually, we’re going to have to see what happens with different pairings - just to give us that broad base,” frowning when Arianna grew sober and looked away.  “Angel?”

“I’m not sure I agree with that idea anymore,” covering Eli’s mouth when her lips parted to speak.  “I get it - I do.  And I know I agreed to it initially and during the interview process.”  She shook her head.  “The first was before we met and the second was when I believed I had no chance of a future with you.  I figured that was as close as I was going to get to sharing with you something as intimate as having a child together… even if it was only our cells joined in a lab and grown in an incubator.  But now… I don’t know.  I’m not sure how I feel about having to share that part of you - or me, for that matter - with everyone else.  And who is going to raise all those children anyway?  And what about…?”

She stopped speaking when Eli covered her mouth.  She glared, but it was lost in the smile she could feel beneath her own hand, and she tilted her head in question.  Eli grasped her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm before removing it from her lips.  But before she could respond, a pounding was faintly heard coming from their front door, and in another moment, Eden’s voice was ringing clear across the comm unit in the main room.

“All right, you two!  I don’t want to know what kind of nasty things you’re doing to each other in there!  I’ll probably need brain bleach to wash my mouth out for even having to mention that out loud.  Blech!”  They could almost hear her shaking her head to clear it, and traded amused glances as they waited for her to continue.  “Anyway,” she shouted a little louder, “I need you to stop doing whatever it is you’re doing that’s keeping you from responding to hails and comm units and knocking on your damn front door.  Your scheduled meditation hour is over, and we’re having a party!  So finish up your little soiree and get dressed.  Everyone’s waiting for the two of you to join us.”  A beat.  “Hurry up and come on!  It’s not every day I get to celebrate becoming a makuahine!”

They waited for a long minute, but when they didn’t hear anything else, they turned to one another and burst into laughter.  It rang out for a few minutes, mostly because every time they started to settle down, they would exchange glances again and the giggles would begin once more.

Finally, after several minutes of sputtering laughter, they were both holding onto their sides, busy trying to catch their breath.  Eli looked at Arianna and smiled, then rose from the tub with admirable grace.  Arianna didn’t see the hand extended toward her - too busy admiring the water sheeting off her mate’s body.  Eli smiled indulgently, and cupped her face with her still-extended hand, waiting for brown eyes to blink away the lust and desire that shone so brightly from them.

Arianna did blink, though her expression only mellowed, and her smile turned slightly more predatory.  “What can I do for you, Amado?” she asked softly, allowing her hands to tease up the back of Eli’s legs until she could palm the firm globes of her behind.

Eli growled, and her eyes flashed golden.  “Not what you’re suggesting at the moment… not right now anyway.  Maybe when we return….” letting the thought trail off.  “I know we still have much to talk about - about us and about the colony.  But it will wait.  No amount of discussion is going to change anything for us tonight - not for us as a couple, nor for the colony as a whole.  We’ll talk about it, and we’ll meet with the team and discuss our concerns about the rest of it.  But for now….”

“For now, we’re going to go and celebrate the creation of the new life our friends have made from their love for one another.  And we’re going to laugh at Eden when she realizes she has to tell her makuahine that she’s going to be a grand.”

Eli covered her mouth to keep her laughter from escaping.  “I shouldn’t laugh - we’re all going to have to do that with our families eventually.”

“Yes, but by the time we have news like that to share, our families will be so thrilled by the news, they won’t care.  Except….”  Arianna stopped speaking and chewed her bottom lip.  Eli looked at her in concern, smoothing her lip from between her teeth and wrapping her up in a warm towel before she could catch a chill.

“Except…?”

She blinked and snuggled into Eli’s warmth, sighing in contentment for a moment.  “Let’s be honest - the moment we tell them anything about even a hint of a possibility of children, Mama will flag down a ship and bring the whole of them all out here to visit.”  Arianna snorted and shook her head, raising it to meet Eli’s gaze directly.  “Maybe we should wait until they’re grown.”

Eli laughed again.  “Or we are. But if we don’t get out of here soon, Eden’s going to come looking again….”

“And nobody wants that.  C’mon.  We don’t want to miss this party.  We’ve got a lot to celebrate, and isn’t that nice for a change?”  She glared at Eli when a hand clapped over her mouth, and turned to find hazel eyes. staring back at her seriously.  She frowned, then her eyes widened when she realized what she had said.  “I didn’t mean….” she whispered.

“I know,” Eli whispered back. “Let’s go, before the cosmos decides to take you up on that invitation.”  And in another minute, they were dressed and out the door, to be met with cheers of welcome when they reached their friends.  Today would be a day of celebration, and tomorrow?  Well, they’d take care of tomorrow when it came… just like they always did.



Epilogue

They were all there, waving goodbye and calling out their farewells as they exited Eli and Arianna’s home.  Everyone had at least one child, and some had one in each arm.  It was obvious that they were all happy and doing well, and Mary smiled as every kid waved goodbye to her… even if that waving was aided by a parent because the child was a baby too young to understand what was really happening.  Jacob, Eden, and Abigail were the last.

“It was good to see you, Mary,” Jacob offered as he scooped one dark-headed baby from Eden’s arms, and extended his free hand to the tow-haired little girl that was growing up too fast.  Eden shifted the remaining baby, and clutched the girl’s other hand.  

“Yeah… thanks, Chief.”

Mary’s brow furrowed.  “For what?” honestly confused.  She hadn’t been Chief in a long time.  She kept up with the kids involved in the terraforming projects because they had become her extended family.  The responsibility for them had long since been their own.

“For being right about me,” glancing between Jacob and Abigail.  Light dawned in Mary’s eyes, as she remembered the conversation she and Eden had shared a lifetime ago in that mountain cavern hideaway.  She smiled.

“You’re welcome.  I’m so happy it worked out for you.”

“Me too, Chief,” lifting up the little girl’s hand and waving goodbye for both of them.  “We’ll be seeing you.”

Mary lifted her hand in farewell, but didn’t respond otherwise.  Abigail followed closely behind them, cradling her rounded belly, but she paused before she crossed the threshold.  There was sadness in her gaze, and brought her fingertips to her lips.

“It’s been a pleasure, Mary,” she whispered, though Mary heard her clearly. She nodded her head and smiled as she raised her hand once more.  Then Abigail stepped out and closed the door solidly behind her.  Mary turned her attention back to the two women she called daughter, not surprised to find Eli wrapped around Arianna and both their hands covering the barely there bump that was Arianna’s stomach.  She chuckled briefly, just barely staving off a coughing fit before it shattered her composure.

“Finally?!?” she asked with a wide grin.

Eli laughed, even as Arianna flushed bright red.  “I told you she’d know,” catching the hands slapping at her, and kissing Arianna soundly.  “You’re the first to know, Mama.  We haven’t told anyone - not the team, and not our parents.  We thought you should be the first.”

Tears welled in Mary’s eyes, but her smile was bright.  “I’m honored… and thrilled for you both.  Do you know…?”

“It’s a girl,” sending her the womb pictures they had taken, and smiling when Mary reached out a shaking hand to trace the baby’s features.  “And we expect her to deliver sometime….”  Eli slipped on her glasses and looked at the calendars they had made every year since making their home on the planet.  One marked their time on the colony; the others were for the worlds they called home.  It helped them remember when things were happening and what was being celebrated.  “According to this,” motioning to the display, “sometime in the next six months.”

“That’s wonderful,” Mary commented, allowing a tear to slide down her face as she smiled.  “You know your folks are going to want to be there for the birth.”

“Yeah… no.  Maybe we’ll set up a live feed for them or something,” Eli muttered, patently ignoring the glare Arianna was sending her way.

“Maybe you can sleep on the couch for the next six months,” Arianna responded loud enough for both Mary and Eli to hear.  Hazel eyes widened.  Mary shook her head.

“And on that note, I think I should go.  It sounds like you two have things to work out still.  Be good to one another, and give that beautiful little girl a kiss for me, all right?  Love you both.”

“We love you, Mama.  We’ll talk to you soon, so be thinking of what names you’d like to contribute, “ Eli said with the slightest hitch in her voice, “since we know full well both MaTb and Madre started their lists before we left.”

Mary grinned, but remained silent.  And in another moment, the screen went dark.  Arianna turned in Eli’s arms, and let the sadness she felt from Eli resonate through her.  She closed her eyes as she recognized the truth.  “You’re sure?” she whispered.  Eli nodded and closed her eyes, tilting her head until her forehead met Arianna’s, and they let their tears flow together.

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


“Are you happy now, Chief?  Are you satisfied?” Caleb asked tenderly as Mary leaned back, exhausted.  She clasped his hand with her own frailer one.  Her hair was snow white, and her face was wrinkled, but her eyes twinkled brightly as she smiled up at him.

“You haven’t called me that in a long time, Caleb.”  She snorted. “I haven’t been that in a long time.”

He shrugged as he gave her a bright grin, though his eyes held a hint of sadness.  “Maybe.  But they still call you that, and it always seems appropriate when you talk to those kids, no matter how much time has passed.  And let’s be honest,” he continued, “they’ll always be kids to you no matter how old they are or how many kids and grandkids they have themselves.”

She chuckled, but it turned to a cough almost immediately, and Caleb wrapped her up tightly until the spell passed and she patted his arm.  “I’m all right,” she assured him, though they both knew it for the lie it was.  “I know better.”

He laid her back against her pillows.  “Not that it’s ever stopped you before.”

“Probably never will, either,” she conceded.  “But to answer your questions, yes, I’m happy.  It does my  tired heart good to see how successful they’ve been, and how happy they are… all of them.”

“But especially the two you consider family.”

“They are family, Caleb,” she growled, watching the smirk blossom across his face.  She released the hand she’d been holding, and crossed her arms over her chest.  “You’re baiting me.  Why?” narrowing her eyes at him.

“Because I can,” he admitted, smiling when she continued to glare at him.  He tugged at her arms until she relaxed, and gathered her hands in his once more.  “You did good, Mary…. real good.  You’re leaving quite a legacy.  Your kids here are happy and successful, with kids of their own that are well on their way to becoming amazing adults.  Your kids that are light-years away are equally as happy and successful, and one day soon, they will be parents to a beautiful little girl.”

She glowered.  “I wish they hadn’t waited so long.  I’m going to miss watching her grow up.”

“I know,” he agreed, as he shifted to wrap her in his embrace, and hide his tears from her.  “But you and Eddie will be able to watch over them, and me and the rest will keep an eye on things here, just like you taught us.”

She leaned her scant weight back into him, and patted his hands until she could slip hers between his.  “I know you will.  You’ve always cared as much as I have.”  She sank back into him further, and he tightened his grip carefully.  “I’m so tired.”

“I know you are, Love.  Close your eyes.  Eddie’s waiting for you.”

“What about you, Sweetheart?” mumbled, even as her breathing began to slow.

“I’ll miss you,” he admitted.  “I’ll miss you something fierce.  But I’ll be along shortly.  Keep my place warm, all right?”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Love you too, Beloved.  Go on now - he’s waiting for you.”  Then he counted her breaths until they were no more, and still he sat silently.  There were people that would need to know of her passing, and he’d notify them eventually, but for now, he was going to sit with her and remember the favors that fortune had showered upon her... and them... in a lifetime that was lived to its fullest.



THE END
05/13-07/18