-earlier-

Warren was too surprised and stunned to kiss back in that moment. Jezzaria pulled back, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn…” she was interrupted as Warren’s mind caught up and saw the sad confusion.

“Shh” he said softly, wiping the budding tears from her face, “don’t..” he said gently before cupping her head with one hand and wrapping his other arm about the small of her back.

Jezz felt her feet leave the floor as he scooped her effortlessly up, holding her against his chest. Her heart raced with the realization that she knew nothing of human romantic rituals and that whatever happened next was completely out of her control, or physical power to stop.

Warren lifted her up before settling her onto the countertop putting her face level with his. She couldn’t escape his coiled arm around her back, she didn’t try. She felt his lips brush hers gently once then again as he kissed her gently. She leaned in, pressing her lips to his as they responded to each other. She shuddered a gasp as he released her head and coiled his other arm around her, running his fingers through the soft down between her shoulders and wing roots. She pulled at him with her arms, melting into his embrace for several moments before their lips parted and Warren released her, but didn’t move.

“I didn’t know.. I hoped but…” he whispered.

“I thought you knew…Warren, I need you here with me… I don’t do well, alone.” She whispered, leaning into his chest, pulling him towards herself, before Warren shifted slightly awkwardly.

“Jezz?” He asked a question.

Jezz followed his gaze and blushed as she realized she had wrapped her legs around him when he picked her up. She let him go as his face reddened slightly and began to give her room, but she held on to his shirt.

She followed his movement, sliding off of the counter before Warren pulled her into a more... modest embrace.

“I wish we had more time…” his soft sad tone echoed her emotions as they held each other for a small eternity.

“You have to go don’t you...” Warren looked down as her resigned voice registered.

“I made a promise when I put on this uniform. Who would I be if I broke it.” His voice rumbled through his chest as he held her close, gently running a finger over the little line of down that outlined her slightly pointed ears.

“That tickles” she shivered nuzzling into him, “I know you have to… momma always warned me of the ‘daughters curse’.” she smiled up at him as he raised an eyebrow, “She always said that daughters end up falling for people like their dads… papa was…” she choked up and couldn’t finish. The loss was too fresh in the subjective time frame that taunted people who slept in stasis for long periods of time.

“Common, let’s get you some fresher air. There is a terrarium in the middle of this dome. You haven’t seen nature since you woke up.” Warren released her and held out a hand. She took it and they departed for the center of Luna shipyards Habitation Dome. Jezzaria had to fold her wings tightly to not bump into people in the cramped corridors, she held on tightly to Warren, still nervous around other people. Several of the Humans they passed gave her odd, shocked looks as they made their way to the center of the dome.

The corridor sliding glass door came with a warning “Jump at your own risk”.

Jezz gave a little hop, “I don’t get it...” before an explosive snort left Warren.

“Common, I’ll show you.” he grinned before stepping close enough for the door to open. A gasp escaped Jezzaria as they entered a room bursting with life. Trees, flowers, grass and even small bugs and critters enveloped them as the Dome center revealed its glory. “All of these are Terran plants animals and insects. This is a complete eco system and operates as a combination oxygen generator and Co2 scrubber. It takes about a third of Lina’s used air and cleans it. Plants on terra have a symbiotic relationship with animals. We breathe oxygen and exhale CO2. Plants do the reverse.”

Jezzaria took in a deep breath, surrendering to the first small pocket of nature in her life since her sleep, “Its breathtaking… but I don’t understand about the jumping” she turned to Warren.

“Well, we are in about 1/6th of earth’s gravity” Warren said. “I grew up on Terra, and I physically exercise myself so that I can stay functioning on her when I am in lighter gravities.”

Jezz just looked at him… “you came from a planet with 6 times my homes gravity?!?. That would be over twice Delmar Gravity!! And they are the heaviest planet we discovered before... you’re joking.” She gave him an unamused glare.

Warren shrugged before bending down and exploding upward in a push from a squat that sent him clean over Jezz head and landed on the other side, he landed easily, before turning to a shocked Jezz… “What’s not to believe?” He asked.

She crouched down and vaulted into the air. Flapping her angelic wings furiously, she only just got airborne, and could stay that way with effort for a short time.

“Your world is really very close to this gravity. Less than a percent difference. You would have to strength train, but you could learn to fly in here I bet.” Warren offered as she stopped flapping and did a short glide toward him, landing in his arms front first, “although I would advise any flying escapades in a sun dress…”Warren was slightly looking up at her in his arms. She ran her hands through his hair before leaning down for a peck on the lips.

“So, the story I read on the net is true…” she pulled back from the kiss as he lowered her to the ground. “I saw a unity story over the data network. Humans being able to rip the limbs off Thermians…” she shuddered before sitting on a bench.

“What’s wrong” Warren asked gently.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“It… it doesn’t make sense... I’ve never seen you give a cross word… yet I suspect that you could kill me almost accidentally…” Her thoughts were broken by Warren slowly moving his arm from around her. “Don’t, I’m not scared of you” She pulled in closer to him leaning on his chest from the side, “I’m just remembering all the times I felt you being gentle. You have to be careful with me… don’t you...”

Warren gave her a smile before kissing the top of her head, “You’re my porcelain angel, that’s all.” He whispered. They were just settling in when both of their comm units chirped. “The ambassador is here…” he groaned… “He wants to meet you...”

“1 hour… if I am to be the leader of my people… I decide when and who I meet. 1 hour, and you are coming with me.” She looked up at him with a look that refused all excuses.

“1hour it is then.” He smirked, sending the message before settling in and enjoying the company of his fiery little porcelain angel amongst the background of the pocket of imported Nature.

——————————————-

One hour later Jezz and Warren walked into the conference room to meet the ambassador. The grey-haired older gentleman was accompanied by a trundling automaton that caught Warrens attention. Jezz smiled at the sight of the mechanical Corth, “Attica!!” She smiled a surprised look down at him, “how!”

“A long story little one, I would like to introduce Ambassador Evan Carter. He was sent by Sol.” Atticus stated formally. The older gentleman caned his way over before shaking Jezz’s hand before Taking Warren’s.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please let us sit. I’m afraid it’s the more comfortable option for me these days.” Ambassador Carter settled into his seat before continuing, “I’ve read your files, and am familiar with your situation. I have had the pleasure of picking Atticus’ mind here on top of it, but I feel that I need to hear it from you. Ms Jezzaria, what is it that you and your people wish to do?”

Jezz took a shaky breath, suddenly feeling her right hand engulfed by Warren’s left. The sensation helped settle her. “I know your people are expanding. I don’t fault you for it. I know that you rediscovered my world after eons of our slumber, and that we owe our very chance at defeating extinction to Humanity. Ambassador… we have lost everything, including our very culture. We have no elders to pass down traditions... we remember some of them, but more is lost then remembered… simply put, we cannot continue as a species without Humanities help…. I have no choice but to ask for it.”

“I see, but what do you wish to do? Atticus has proposed some… interesting ideas… some born in data… Can the Eleri survive in such as their numbers?” Asked Carter gently.

“I… I don’t know… but I know we have to try” Jezz’s eyes fell to her hands, “I don’t want to have woken up just to lose my people over again...”

“I believe we may be able to save the Eleri…. after a fashion.” It was Atticus who spoke carefully into the silence… “I have some preliminary data that suggests that the Eleri salvation may lie along this chosen path. But I must be allowed to study it. I cannot do so without permission, and facilities.”

“What aren’t you telling us” Warren’s eyes were piercing, his voice hard with warning.

Even in his mechanical/digital state, Atticus barely suppressed a nervous fidget. “Warren, I am a scientist. I also hold the burden of state secrets. I cannot tell you until I know for sure and have been given permission… it is the cost of business, you understand.”

“So, I assume you have the facilities then... then whose permission do you need?” Warren asked curtly. He did not like that answer, but He too held his own secrets bound by oath. He grudgingly respected the unsaid.

“Yours.. yours and Jezzaria’s… Jezzaria, you are the oldest female Eleri. Time feels frozen in cryo stasis, but the truth is that when time is measured in Eons… even in cryo, one ages. You went in to cryo a 17-year-old girl. But you awakened, after 45 million years, closer to 19…” Atticus sighed, “To put it scientifically, you are the only reproductively mature Eleri in existence. I need permission for a sample of your… reproductive material... Warren, the same goes for you…”

Jezz turned bright shades as her abashed look could not be conquered. Warren raised an eyebrow. “Atticus, I have to ask… why myself?”

“Because you are invested my boy. You are simply the most likely to say yes. Humanity is unique in the galaxy in that you are one sapient species with many subspecies at the same time. You call them races, but these slight differences make humanity a perfect donor to aid in those… adjustments... that would be required to ensure a genetically stable Elerian population. The Eleri are too genetically homogenous to effect a repopulation with the current surviving number. I know you have questions... but I can say no more. Will you help me save her people” Atticus asked sincerely.

“Yes, whatever you need.” Warren answered without hesitation. He wasn’t looking at Atticus.

———————————————-

Ambassador Gwen sat in her office. She had just finished trade and relations talks with the Lycan representatives, Growrmun had been returned to status on the homeworld. His family could return home. Over the coming months, Sol and Drowrl would exchange cultural and economic information. Gwen hoped there would be common ground there for lasting commerce. She settled down to the latest packet and noticed one from Mac as well as one from a Captain Yasushi simply labeled “urgent”. The video file began its auto-play from Yasushi’s packet and Gwen raised an eyebrow as a Corth appeared and began to speak. “I am Atticus, digital copy of Attica. I Send this to the Sol representative in Unity space. I require contact with the remnant of the Corth that may be left. I understand that you have been in contact with them. There is much to discuss…”

2 hours later, the video file closed… Gwen just sat in her chair for over a half hour afterword, before calling up an anti-encryption algorithmic program that she had placed on her console the day she moved in. She found what she was searching for. Smirking, she typed into the blank black screen, “We need to talk, sober if possible. Attica sends his regards.”

Gwen sat back and waited... she did not wait long.

*How* came the response 2 minutes later

Gwen leaned into her keyboard “You cracked the Delmar Code inside this mainframe… The Sol encryption and security algorithms, however, tracked this connection almost before I responded to you the first time.”

*I see. What Do you know of Attica*

“I know of the Eleri, We discovered their planet a month ago. There were survivors. Attica made it… after a fashion.”

*after a fashion?*

“His digital copy is on Luna Station as we speak, along with the survivors. He wishes to make contact. He has some… interesting… things to say about humanity.”

Gwen sat back in her chair and waited for a response. 5 minutes went by before she got one.

*If He knows. You know*

“Yes”

*48760993451-0002. Attica will know*

Gwen’s console flickered before returning to normal operation after a 1 minute. Save for a new file in her documents folder with the last message as its only substance. She opened the security program again, only to see the connection terminated from the other side.

Gwen Titled the file for delivery and added it to the next transmission due to go out in 3 days.

———————————————————

-present-

The sun was just sinking just below the tree line, scattering streaks of reds and pinks along the high altitude layer that had moved overtop them in the waning hours of their flight home. Mac’s uncle Martin had purchased Willow Hills private field when He and Gwen had married, and it was where Mac and Clint had lived after the Galveston strike that orphaned them. Mac had spent many vacations here and had sent the kids down with Nicole while they delivered Concord to her caregivers. The big tire’d Maule bobbed softly in the grass as its taxi’s back behind the house. Mac stabbed the differential brakes and spun the tail dragged on one wheel before arresting its turn and reversing the propellers pitch and backing the plane into the hanger before shutting down.

“That was. Incredible…” Lyri breathed as they stepped out and down out of the plane. The Maule ticked quietly as the turbo prop powerplant cooled in the crisp late spring evening air.

Mac just chuckled as he stacked their luggage on the golf cart that resided in the hanger. “It feels so different… coming back... I didn’t realize how much I missed Terra.” He looked up as the screen door on the back porch clattered shut and the twins bolted out to them.

“Ma! Da!! Everything is GREEN!!” Bry exclaimed. “There’s no orange!”

Mac belted a belly laugh, “that’s because the plants here use a different way to catch the sun.

“Where’s the Jungle…. It feels weird not in it” Tris’s worried tone hovered on the edge of her wonder.

“Terra doesn’t have just jungle. She has a lot of different places.” Lyri’s gentle response was accompanied by scooping up her daughter while their son was busy sticking his head in the airplane.

“Da? This is a weird shuttle.. can it get to space?” He asked, his head and shoulder disappearing inside the cargo doors of the Maule.

“No bud, she’s much older. She’s called an airplane. My Uncle found her in this hanger. He and I spent many vacations putting her back together. He taught me to fly in her.” Max walked over, boosting Bry up and into the plane to explore. Mac walked around and opened the pilot’s side door and found his son already sitting in the seat staring at all the gauges and switches.

“It’s... weird…. no screens.” Bry said. His legs still swung from the seat as he inspected the aircraft’s instruments in the adorable seriousness only little ones are capable, “can we fly?” He said finally.

“Tomorrow, it’s getting late, we all need to get adjusted to our new day/night cycles. Terra’s is a little shorter than standard.” Mac scruffled his son’s shaggy auburn hair, “you need a trim, come’ ere.” He tapped his chest and Bry vaulted out of the plane without a second thought into his father’s arms.

“Promise?” He stared into his dad’s eyes, holding his extra super serious face before resolving into laughter as the tickle monster attacked.

“Promise.” Mac said, relenting before setting his boy on the ground and they all headed for the house only to make out Nicole leaning up against the hanger door. Lyrian walked over to give her a hug and they all headed inside. A new discovery awaited them inside, as Nicole had ordered…

PIZZA