“You know, I don’t usually find myself proven wrong in such matters, but I’m happy to concede in this case. So you believe it will be a girl then?” Gentia asked, looking over Asha’s ultrasound results with Yvonne. “I think Zolta will be very happy.”
At the later hour there was not much traffic within the temple of Meylith, the cubs too young to work and worshippers having returned home for the most part. As such it was easy to find privacy on one of the wooden benches without retreating to the maternity ward annex. The priestess was turning another copy of the blurry, black and white photograph over in her hands, examining both the subject and the material.
“Certain assumptions had to be made given I have never examined one of your kind before,” the doctor admitted. “But I am quite confident in making them at this juncture, with the child so well developed. Oh, would you excuse me for a moment? I should see who that is.”
Gentia’s old ears had caught the sound of faint ringing and vibration, which turned out to be the inscrutable tablet-like device that Yvonne used for a variety of tasks. Every human, save Russell, seemed to carry one about at all times. Whatever the message was, the doctor only needed a moment to process it. “Was it young Alice? You have that look about you,” Gentia offered with a knowing smile. “I assume it’s mild exasperation, but you’ll have to tell me if not. At least you are able to speak our language with those marvelous devices of yours. I realize I never told you that I like your fur better this way. I believe it looks more dignified, but that’s my own age and graying fur showing, perhaps. This is your natural color?”
“You don’t seem very surprised. Yes, it is,” Yvonne confirmed, running a hand through her thick, shoulder-length locks.
“Why should I be surprised?” Gentia countered, rolling her shoulders slightly. “You mentioned such a thing could be done to young Asha the other day. I have no reason to not believe you. Now, what news?”
“You may not like it,” the human warned, though her tone was not dire by any stretch. “It appears that your husband would like to accompany us on a resource gathering mission in space. The way Alice describes it, it is considered to be the realm of your god of death? I have been asked to verify his health as a matter of safety, but I did not bring my tools with me. At least life is never boring with Natori and Alice in the mix.”
Gentia rested two fingers against her brow, indulging in a world-weary sigh as she clearly felt the same as Yvonne. “The young ones have already done so safely but… yes, that does sound like my dear Thantis. His spirit seems to grow only younger as our bodies grow older.”
As though called by name, the death priest himself chose that moment to shuffle into the temple. “Dear? I made some tea for dinner. Shall we eat here or at my temple?”
“It would seem you also bring some news for me, hmm?” Gentia replied, giving Yvonne an apologetic glance before standing and leaving her side. She and Thantis nuzzled one another briefly before the head priestess of Meylith was back to all business.
“Yvonne will have dinner with us tonight if she is amenable,” she declared with a look over her shoulder. “There is much for you to explain, my love. Yvonne, we spoke of your family when we first met. Did your mate accompany you on this journey to our world?”
“Yes, we spoke briefly of Gerard and my children,” Yvonne affirmed, currently in the process of penning a text message to the very same. Even if he did not deliver her medical equipment himself, she trusted him to select the right tools for the job of reviewing Thantis’ state of health.
“Do you think he’d like to join us?” Gentia proposed. “If the rumors are correct, it seems those who share meals with us on Mara have a tendency to come back for more. Do you know what Ursol does every morning now, Thantis?”
“I believe I’m about to hear. But perhaps we should formally extend our invitation first, my dear? Your mind is moving faster than your lips and feathers,” Thantis replied, his tone making it clear that such a quality was one of the reasons he and Gentia were mated.
“He tells me what he and Lachlan eat for breakfast and what the human likes most. Simply adorable. Yvonne?” Gentia asked simply, gathering up her cloak and a basket. “Our dinner would be at Thantis’ temple. Some privacy will be afforded there.”
“And we would be happy to accept. I hope you don’t mind a bit of a later night? It will take some time for him to join us,” the frenchwoman explained.
“Unless you wish to dine on dried meat and raw vegetables, I am not concerned,” the priestess replied kindly as Yvonne checked the shuttle schedule for the Event Horizon. Seeing how late the return window would be, she quickly added a request to her husband for a thermos of coffee. Her reply was a thumbs up, a cup of coffee, and a French flag emoji. With a satisfied, loving smile that could only be conjured by her eccentric husband, along with a brief snort through her nose in place of a laugh, she stowed her tablet away so as not to be rude.
“My husband and I gladly accept. Is there anything I can help you with?” Yvonne wondered. Gentia waved her hand, bidding Yvonne to accompany the two older Cauthan on a short ‘shopping trip’ to the granary at the back of the temple.
“I will show you some of our produce then. Come, please. How much does your mate eat? I was going to cook for four, but if he is the particularly hungry sort?”
“You need not concern yourself,” Yvonne assured her with a small laugh. “Gerard and I appreciate quality over quantity. After so much time aboard, I think he will be most pleased simply to come visit and have a real meal. Although...”
“Is something wrong?” Thantis wondered as Yvonne stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“No no, not at all. I am simply concerned that if I am not there to meet him when he arrives we may never see him tonight. He is an exceptionally curious man who would no doubt find even those little animals caged outside the walls to be interesting.”
“Then I eagerly await this evening’s conversation,” Thantis piped up. “Speaking of which, Gentia, did my apprentice ever stop by with his human?”
Gentia paused, having just reached out to select a dato from one of their storage baskets, made to keep produce dry and unspoiled between harvests. “His human? Thantis, just what have you been getting up to over the last cycle?”
“Nothing my dear! I simply misspoke. He is accompanying one of the humans who is supposed to help us grow more food. She visited our village for the first time today. I had thought they might have stopped by to speak with you.”
“I have seen neither hide nor hair of either him or this human you speak of,” Gentia related firmly before refocusing her mate on the task at hand. “Now, shall we have grain or bread with our stew tonight?”
-----
Elsewhere in the village, a similar question was being answered as Xan’s mother fussed about her family’s communal pot. In a remarkable coup, her eldest son had brought home a girl. Disappointingly from the perspective of grandcubs, that girl was a human. “So, how did you two meet?” she asked her son as he sat on one of their chairs and warmed his leg by the cooking fire. Anita blushed furiously upon hearing the translation, but she generally had her hands full speaking with Xan’s younger sister. Given her older brother had been palling around with humans of one form or another for almost a year, she was in no mood to allow such an opportunity to go to waste.
“Do you have to ask it like that?” Xan demanded of his mom. From behind him, his father chuckled as if to say ‘yes, of course, she’s your mother’. “It’s nothing like that. She’s in charge of these crazy metal machines the humans have that grow all sorts of plants I’ve never seen before from their homeworld. I suppose it’s what they all eat on board that thing. I didn’t see any animals like chesko or shen up there. Anyway, since Antoth made that agreement to try and have them grow some of our food, I was being shown this stuff by Alice and we met. Now she’s here to learn about our plants. Here, Anita, as promised,” Xan offered, interrupting his sister who was touching the human’s braided ponytail with an expression that bordered on reverence, her feathers shaking with excitement. His mother had just finished slicing up a couple of kina, and he secured a small portion of the fleshy, seed-filled center of the vegetable for Anita. He handed that over along with several motes of grain that he knew would sprout if planted and watered.
With gentle touch, Anita separated herself from Xan’s sister and opened up her bag, the practice of horticulture taking her mind off of how incredibly nervous she was. His mother making dating jokes only added to the oppressive weight of not wanting to commit a cultural faux pas amongst aliens she barely understood and with whom Alice and her brother had established relationships. Plants, however, she was comfortable with. Each crop was meticulously stored and the respective tubes labeled before she stashed them away again. “Thank you, Xan. I will plant them tonight!”
“He didn’t give you much trouble today, did he?” Xan’s father asked. “Didn’t coerce you into joining us tonight with the promise of seeds?”
“Oh for the love of Kel, dad!” Xan exclaimed before turning back to Anita. “Sorry, this may have been a mistake.”
“He was quite helpful and definitely didn’t engage in any such thing,” Anita offered in his defense. “I’m sorry I didn’t bring anything to contribute. This has all been rather sudden. I didn’t even bring real boots with me when I left Earth.”
“Nonsense! No need to worry about such things with times as good as they are and harvests coming in. You can pay us back when you grow some of these things yourself, eh?” Xan’s father suggested before poking his son. “You told her the tips and tricks?”
“What? About the kina?”
“About all of them!” the older male exclaimed, gesturing to their guest. “What’s your name again?”
“A-Anita, sir.”
“Well Anita, it’s a good thing you came here tonight. My son’s had swords and shields on his mind from the time he could swing one, never cared much for the cultivation of the food that kept him alive to do so.”
Xan grumbled and muttered as his dad clapped him on the shoulder. “And we couldn’t be more proud of him, and what he’s done. We’ll get you set up right, tell you all you need to know to make those seeds sprout.”
“My my, you’re feeling so generous tonight, dear!” Xan’s mother commented, shaving a bit of root into the stew with a cooking knife. The unassuming Cauthan mother sported glasses on the bridge of her nose, a gift from Alice and the crew of the Event Horizon.
“These humans gave you your sight! This is only appropriate,” he insisted. “Besides, more food couldn’t possibly be a bad thing, right?”
“He happens to find them quite fetching, is what he means. I like them too!” Xan’s mother said quietly to Anita. “What do you need to know?”
Suddenly on the spot and scrutinized by five pairs of eyes, including Xan’s younger brother who’d not said a word to her, choosing to stare cautiously instead, Anita found her voice quite fleeting. “Do you want something to drink?” Xan asked. “Come on, we can go grab some water nearby. Mom, dad, you can tell her all about farming over dinner. Just give her a chance to get settled alright?”
“We have some right here,” Xan’s mother pointed out, gesturing to a wooden bucket. “But that’s fine, sweetie. We can speak while we eat dinner.”
“How did you make your fur grow so long?” Xan’s sister interjected, unable to contain herself any longer in the midst of such boring conversation. “Mine falls out every year!”
“Oh, well this isn’t fur exactly,” Anita tried to explain. “Where I come from there are many animals that have fur like you do, that sheds every year. My hair is a little different.”
“What’s hair?”
“Well it’s… fur that doesn’t shed or fall out every year. I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this,” Anita apologized as Xan’s sister just cocked her head in confusion.
“Eh, it’s fine,” Xan assured her. “I’ll ask Alice or Io to explain it to me and then I’ll teach her.”
“Everyone grab a bowl now,” Xan’s mother ordered, effectively declaring dinner to be prepared. His younger siblings rushed to collect their helpings, and when Anita insisted it was fine that they be served first, the meal began in earnest. All she could do was hope that dinner’s discussion would prove a bit less awkward and that the food wouldn’t disagree with her.
-----
As it turned out, Anita managed to survive the meal. And while she felt she’d come through relatively unscathed, waiting for a very late shuttle at the western gate with Xan, it was clear that a certain couple had positively thrived during their sharing of Cauthan victuals.
“As we grow older we lose bit by bit off the ends, every cycle coming closer to destroying the important parts that we need.”
“My word! How terrifying,” Thantis exclaimed as Gerard explained the concept of a telomere with the sort of gravitas that only a cellular biologist of romantic origins could conjure. It was for the best, however, with metaphor and a dash of fantasy being the only way to adequately convey such ideas to a priest whose scientific acumen was defined by a rudimentary understanding of germ theory.
“Yes, quite humbling, isn’t it? To think we have our own wicks burning within us, billions of candles slowly and inevitably snuffing themselves out. If they stop, we stop. I would not be surprised if you are the same way, my friend,” Gerard posited as a faint, moving light became visible in the skies above.
“Has he always possessed such a flair for the dramatic?” Gentia whispered in Yvonne’s ear, the two matrons having spent an enjoyable evening together over stew and discussion of maternal and prenatal care.
“I am pleased to report that he has always been this way,” Yvonne answered, both of the women smirking knowingly as Thantis proposed a rather acute question for a Cauthan who had only just been introduced to the concept of a cell.
“But Gerard, and I do hope I pronounced that right.”
“Stupendous, Thantis! Please, carry on,” the Frenchman encouraged.
“You said that this… essence of life, if you will, is passed from parent to child. How can it be that it itself ages, and yet I assume your offspring are born young just as ours are?”
The very starlight above seemed to twinkle in Gerard’s eye, convincing Gentia at least that there was such a thing as fate. Nothing else could have brought such men together over such distances. “Thantis, mon ami, that is the question that I have striven to answer my whole life. If one could solve that riddle, perhaps one could stave off death itself.”
“Such things are not to be trifled with,” Thantis warned sagely.
“On this I am in agreement,” Gerard stated. “But if you could spend another year with your beloved, would you not?”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“I will spend an eternity at her side, Gerard. Such things are not necessary,” Thantis said in turn, causing Yvonne to heave a dramatic breath and fan herself in the warm air of that summer night.
“Do you have any idea what they’re talking about?” Xan whispered to Anita. Her answer was a fitful shrug.
“Something about aging and telomeres, I think?”
“A what now?” the young Cauthan requested with a wiggle of his scarred ear.
“Xan, I don’t think I’ll be able to explain this to you if I couldn’t even tell your sister what hair is,” Anita lamented.
“Oh it’s fine. She just gets that way anytime she can’t know something about anything. It really is quite long though. I’m impressed. This is probably as long as my fur or feathers will ever grow. But at least I have scales and you don’t!” he laughed.
“Yes, I suppose you do,” Anita agreed, looking down at his wrists and feet. Small, interlocking scales glinted in the light of several torches that were lit at the gates. Even with the addition of numerous modern lanterns, the guard force was not so quick to abandon tradition.
“Do you have everything you think you’ll need?” Xan asked her. “From the sound of it, before they went off on that tangent about life and everything else, it seems like Thantis will be going up to your ship for a couple days after all. That means I’ll have to stay down here.”
“You and your family gave me everything I needed and more, Xan. I am very grateful to you all. I will do my best to ensure these seeds bear fruit,” she promised as Cromwell’s shuttle touched down for the third time that day. “Farewell, Xan.”
“Woah woah hey, don’t… don’t say it like that?” he requested, standing a bit straighter as Yvonne showed Gentia and Thantis how to bid a close acquaintance good evening in the French tradition, with a quick kiss on each cheek. The Cauthan took to it splendidly, laughing as their longer muzzles resulted in inadvertent eskimo kisses.
“Like what?” Anita asked, meeting his eyes. He tapped his cane a couple times on the ground as though the vibrations might conjure the correct words.
“It’s just that when you put it that way it sounded like you were saying goodbye for good, you know? You all aren’t leaving, right?”
“No, no of course not, Xan. The Event Horizon will return after a couple of days while we search for raw materials, and Thantis will be returned to your village,” she promised, feeling confident that Natori, for all his harebrained schemes, would not engage in any funny business regarding such an emissary as the chief death priest of the village.
“Ok, ok that’s good,” Xan nodded. “Do you think you’ll come back down here or… do you have what you need?” He wondered with an oddly tight chest. He shook his head briefly to rid himself of the momentary funk. While Xan’s proved fleeting, by the time he refocused on Anita she was still processing what he’d asked of her.
“You want me to come back to the village?” she asked, glancing at the shuttle. “I’m sorry, Xan. I need to go. It’s already quite late and I’ve kept you from your family. Thank you so much for everything today, you were very kind.”
“You’re welcome,” he murmured as Anita suddenly dashed off, making for the shuttle and the Event Horizon beyond. Left behind was a rather confused and conflicted apprentice death priest, observed closely by Thantis and Gentia. With assurances that a shuttle would arrive in the morning to collect the elder for his voyage, Brick kicked off the ground and began its ascent.
“I haven’t seen you this confused since I started teaching you runes, my apprentice,” Thantis observed.
“Oh Thantis that’s not confusion,” Gentia insisted sweetly. “That is the look of words unsaid.”
“Can I be confused about what I should or shouldn’t have said?” Xan asked sarcastically before changing his tone to one of appropriate respect. “Are you really going to go up there, Thantis?”
“Even if it is to be the last thing I do, I feel that I must,” the Cauthan stated bravely. “You have seen His domain, Xan. I selfishly wish to do the same.”
“After a lifetime of service, you tell Kel if you see him that if you are not returned to me I shall find him when I pass on and deliver unto him a tirade to last a thousand years!” Gentia insisted before taking Thantis’ paw in hers. “Just remember those of us you will leave behind.”
“Of course, my love,” Thantis promised. “Besides, Xan has yet to master my long list of brews and teas!”
“Look, if that’s what it takes,” Xan allowed, turning for home. “Let’s get back inside though. Even with the ursae gone the forest still freaks me out at night.”
-----
The next morning, the village was paid a visit by a rather important envoy in the form of Natori Kaczynski himself, who sought out Gentia and Thantis at the Temple of Kel.
“First of all, please allow me to extend my gratitude to you for allowing one of my horticultural engineers- I’m sorry, that’s a rather obtuse way of saying farmer!” he chuckled, realizing the translation likely wasn’t going through too well based on their expressions. “Thank you for allowing one of our farmers samples of your crops and soil. I have full confidence in her ability to grow a fine crop.”
Gentia and Thantis looked at one another. “I did not distribute any seeds from the granary last night,” the priestess of Meylith supplied.
“That was me, actually,” Xan piped up from where he sat in the corner. While he wasn’t involved in the conversation per se, Thantis was about to depart the village for the first time in living memory. It was necessary for him to be present. “We gave her some seeds and dato from our dinner last night, nothing serious. We didn’t have any erulass seeds though. It might be good to give her some of those? They have the space. Would be nice to have some more of that stuff without cutting down on food production.”
“You believe such a thing is wise, Xan?” Gentia demanded curiously, looking between him and Natori.
“If it were him planting them? No,” Xan laughed, promptly followed by Natori himself.
“An excellent judge of character! Can’t say I have a green thumb by any stretch of the imagination,” the human cut in. The Cauthan all looked at his rather dark and certainly not green thumbs, so he elaborated. “Ah, pardon me. It’s another human saying. To say one has a green thumb implies that one is skilled at growing and caring for plants. Anita has two of them, if I say so myself.”
“Just a handful, Gentia? Let her see if she can make it work?” Xan requested. The elders spoke silently with one another, feathers and long decades at one another’s side more than sufficient to come to a conclusion.
“I will send Thantis with the seeds today,” she affirmed before turning a stern gaze on Natori. “Now you will convince me that you will return my mate to me. I am not yet ready to say goodbye to him.”
“You have my word, madame,” Natori promised. “The safety of my crew and any guests aboard our vessel is always my first priority. This will be a standard operation and he will be offered a seat next to my own to oversee the process. I can assure you it’s quite a comfortable chair.”
Xan chuckled as Gentia’s feathers ruffled disappointedly. “If I were worried about his bottom we would not be speaking. My dear, you should go before I change my mind.”
“I will return him to you in two or three days depending on how quickly the operation proceeds,” Kaczynski continued. “And I will offer you the same pledge that I gave to Alice and Russell’s father. If I break my promise, for whatever reason, it will be because there is nothing left of me in this world.”
That statement held Gentia’s attention as she took Thantis’ hand in hers. “If that should happen I will be sure to find you all when I pass on. Go with Meylith’s blessing. all of you. Selah. I suppose while you are gone I can attempt to convince Ratha to see this healer of yours, Yvonne Dupuis. She’s made quite the impression on Asha.” Gentia held up the photograph of Asha’s child as proof before suddenly waving her feathers violently. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Natori sat straight in the simple wooden chair he’d been offered, still a great height above the assembled Cauthan as early morning light filtered into the temple and onto Thantis’ scrolls, ‘operating table’, and other tools of the trade. “Might I request an explanation, Gentia?”
“I have an additional condition, if you insist on borrowing my mate for this little voyage.”
Though it would have been easy enough for Natori to point out that he was hardly insisting on anything, and that if anyone was intent on the voyage it was Thantis himself, he allowed her to continue. “Please, I would hear it then.”
“There is an orphaned girl I care for at my temple every day, Ketra. Her parents did not survive the raid on our village.” Gentia fell silent for a moment, uttering a silent prayer to the Mother for guidance, to give her a sign if what she was about to propose was insanity. “I want her to grow up in a world of ample food, shelter, warmth, and healing. I want her to grow up in a world where you can look at a cub before she is born, a world where metal can fly, a world that produces people like Russell and Alice Winters… and Lachlan MacGregor for that matter.”
Natori blinked twice in rapid succession. He had seen the pacification of the Gorgons firsthand, pioneered the Juggernaut initiative, negotiated funding for the Event Horizon against Generals and Admirals from Delta, and stared down William Osmundson and Marshall Winters simultaneously, in person. In that moment however, he found himself more nervous than the day he’d gotten down on one knee and asked his wife to be his.
“I want two humans, a male and female, to adopt Ketra and care for her alongside me. I want them to educate her as she grows older and find her a profession or occupation like all of your crew seem to have,” Gentia finally laid out her plan, her feathers flared in warning.
“Gentia, can you do that?!” Xan demanded, utterly aghast. “Or… I mean… wouldn’t it make more sense for one parent to be Cauthan at least? I assume when she gets to my age she’d want to take a mate of her own kind and everything? Humans don’t know about that.”
“You are thinking of Russell and Veera?” Thantis presumed keenly. Xan looked at the floor and raised his small crest of feathers in assent. “My dear, did they not already speak with you about Ketra?”
“It has come up,” Gentia affirmed. “And while I think it would be a splendid idea under other circumstances, they are a very active couple. They are raising a hyrven, Xan. They leave the village for cycles and seasons at a time.”
“Oh, yeah that’s a pretty good point. I just can’t see Alice raising a cub, you know?” To Xan’s surprise, his comment had Natori almost doubled over in laughter.
“On that you and I are in agreement, my furred and feathered friend!” he boomed. “Just don’t tell her I said that. Gentia, this is not a request given lightly, and I will not take it lightly. Please allow me to ruminate on this over the course of our resupply voyage. I promise a reply upon our return. What you suggest could place an impossible burden on this young Cauthan’s shoulders.” Natori paused and brought his hands together between his knees, adopting a most serious posture. “And it could solidify a bond between our people that endures for generations.”
“Very well, that is a reasonable request,” Gentia assented, standing with the help of her cane. “Thantis, my dear, come find me and I will have some seeds ready for you. And Xan?”
“Y-yes?” the young Cauthan replied, surprised to be called upon at all at that juncture.
“I am pleased that your sword swinging days are behind you. It has allowed your wisdom and compassion to show through. Do look after the temple while my mate is gone?” she requested, though he knew well enough it was a demand, coming from Gentia.
“Of course, Gentia. Thanks,” Xan replied awkwardly, though it earned him a look of immense approval from Thantis. Natori stood as well.
“Might I ask one of you to direct me to the residence of Veera and Russell Winters?” the Admiral spoke.
“I can,” Xan volunteered.
“I appreciate that very much. Thantis, my shuttle is waiting at the western gate. The pilot is expecting you. I should not be long,” Natori explained.
“Thank you, Admiral. I will see you shortly then,” Thantis agreed. With negotiations concluded for the time being, the four individuals filed out of the temple and into the light of another warm but pleasant summer’s day. When Thantis and Gentia turned for the Temple of Meylith, Xan continued west and then north with Natori. After a leisurely stroll on account of Xan’s leg, during which the Admiral took the opportunity to acquaint himself with a new portion of the village and Cauthan life, they arrived at the unassuming blockhouse that was Veera’s residence. Fenrir’s low growl could be heard from inside.
“Oh stop it you, it’s just me,” Xan ordered, entering after a perfunctory knock to find the couple in the middle of breakfast along with Alice.
“No need to get up!” Natori added quickly as Russell made to stand. “Once again I apologize for intruding upon meal time but I found myself in the area and needed to make a request of you, Lieutenant.”
“What’s that, sir?” Russell wondered as Io joined the crowd, projecting herself from the B-MASS as Xan gave Fenrir some love and attention in the form of claw scratches under the chin and behind the ears.
“As you are likely aware we will be leaving orbit to resupply our stores of water, organic compounds, and various metals. During that time the Event Horizon will be out of real-time contact with the orbital communications network we established upon arrival here. While I am not worried in the slightest about the two of you,” Natori gestured to Russell and Alice. “It would allow me to rest easier if you would oversee operations at the Forge while I’m gone, Lieutenant.”
“Isn’t your Jumper team currently there, sir?” Russell asked as Veera’s expression turned slightly sour.
“They are,” Kaczynski confirmed. “However you and Io explored much farther into the facility than they did. I am not authorizing any expeditions while I am gone, but in the event the situation on the ground changes at an inopportune moment, I would feel much better knowing that there are five Jumpers and an AI protecting my science teams.”
“Fancy a trip back to the hot springs?” Russell asked his wife. Veera unsheathed her claws and looked pointedly at Natori.
“So long as those barbarous men know to stay away from me,” she declared without fear.
The Admiral tilted his head and nodded in acknowledgment. “I have made it abundantly clear what will happen to them in the event of another incident. I daresay they would prefer to be gutted by those talons of yours in that event. I would also like to reiterate that Lance Corporal Mendes is now in command of the Jumper team. I ask that you give him a chance to prove himself in this role.”
‘And me, Admiral?’ Io questioned. ‘Fret not, Veera. I am more than capable of locking their armor if those boneheads decide they fancy some revenge.’
“I have notified the crew of your existence, Io,” Natori explained as Veera offered him a bit of breakfast, dried chesko with vegetables. His expression brightened immediately upon tasting it. “Oh, thank you kindly Veera. Mmm, no wonder pilot Cromwell is feeling overworked of late! Cooking like this might put Gus out of a job. Yes, thank you indeed. Let’s hope Anita is able to replicate something similar. To the topic at hand, however. Io, you should feel free to introduce yourself to the crew as you see fit. There will not be any further surprises as there were with the Dupuis couple. That being said, it may be best if things remain on a ‘need to know’ basis, so to speak.”
‘I do not disagree,’ Io replied after some consideration. ‘You are aware that with our connection severed the various VI operations aboard the Event Horizon will revert to their previous levels of functionality, yes?’
“I presumed that would be the case. Though it has been a boon having you aboard, Io, we survived without you and we must retain our ability to do so,” Natori stated diplomatically. “Lieutenant, thank you in advance for your efforts. You should be able to get in touch with Private Orlova via the communications network. She has a shuttle on the ground and will be in charge of transportation while we’re gone. Do you have any questions?”
“None, sir. Seems simple enough,” Russell replied, turning to Veera. “You think we should bring Fenrir along?”
“So this is one of those human requests that isn’t a request at all?” the Cauthan deduced easily, waving her feathers in agitation. “Yes, I suppose we should then. And for the record, I’m firmly against anyone going inside Kel’s Forge!”
‘Veera, under other circumstances I would agree with you,’ Io offered compassionately. ‘However there’s a very good chance that the forge is what destroyed Russell’s ship. If that’s true, it’s also preventing the Event Horizon from returning home. This is a danger that must be faced.’
“I know that,” Veera grumbled, causing Natori to reflect upon Gentia’s request and just how challenging such a thing as raising a Cauthan in modernity might be, to say nothing of asking younger members of the crew to potentially volunteer as parents. He didn’t think any of his texts on ethics back in his cabin would be of much use. Reality tended to frustrate those sorts of lofty considerations.
“Hey, with any luck we’ll just hop over for a couple days, glare at those two idiots, and spend some time having sex in the hot springs, alright?” Russell assured her. Veera’s feathers exploded into motion as Alice choked on her breakfast and Natori’s brows ascended so quickly they threatened to leave his forehead altogether. Io was fanning herself delightedly.
“Well,” the Admiral cleared his throat. “I will just say that I’m all for making the most of any down time and that I trust your judgment, Lieutenant. Veera, I appreciate your concerns regarding the site, and I assure you we are doing everything we can to not disturb it as we learn more. Alice, will you be remaining here or coming along with us?”
“I think it’s best if I remain here, sir,” Alice replied. “Xan will be in charge of the temple all on his own, and it would be good if I’m around to answer any questions Zolta or Asha have since Yvonne will be aboard the ship.”
Natori tapped his chin and nodded in agreement. “Very well, then I believe we have nothing further to discuss! A good day to you all. We will be back in touch in a couple days.”
“Yes sir, Admiral,” Russell replied, standing and saluting quickly as Io waved a handkerchief at him.
‘Allzeit gute Fahrt, Natori.’
“Thank you, Io. Selah to you, Veera and Xan,” the Admiral offered before heading on his way, allowing them to finish their breakfast.
“I would have been fine at the temple if you wanted to go,” Xan muttered Alice’s way.
“I never said you wouldn’t, Xan,” she replied apologetically. “But I still think a human should be around for Asha and Zolta. Lachlan has his hands full with Sentaura and her son.”
“That one spiraled out of control rather quickly,” Veera added. “But I’ve seen them around the village often. I think he’s been a good influence on the little one. Wasn’t he originally supposed to be protecting you, Alice?”
The civilian shrugged her shoulders. “Of course, but things have been pretty peaceful so far. I don’t think anyone doubts he’d be on the walls with his rifle the moment trouble shows up.”
“Why didn’t you ever do that?” Veera asked her husband, struck by how sensible a defensive play that would be.
“Didn’t have a gigantic forge full of raw materials floating above my head to replenish my ammunition?” Russell offered matter of factly. “They were also inside the gates by the time we woke up.”
“You’re right, I shouldn’t be questioning the actions that delivered us this happiness,” Veera said with a sage, soft tone, standing and planting a light kiss on her husband’s cheek. She began clearing away plates and putting out the cooking fire. “I should speak with Staroth if we’re going to be galavanting around Mara again.”
“I’ll pack our things. Ready to check out the forge with full batteries, Io?” Russell asked as he joined in the morning work. He winked at his AI companion, who had summoned forth spelunking gear, completed with ropes, a helmet, and quite a few carabiner clips.
‘I certainly wouldn’t mind checking in on our robo-Cauthan companion. Unless you believe I should sneak aboard the Event Horizon to watch over Thantis?’ she suggested cautiously.
“Much as I worry about him sticking his cane into an electrical socket… intentionally,” Russell began, chuckling along with his sister. “I think we should trust Natori on this one. If something bad happens down here, they’ll need us. We can’t really shoot our way out of a mining accident,” he pointed out. Io conceded the argument.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re correct. Besides, it’s not like Thantis will actually be operating the…’ she trailed off with a look of worry. ‘You don’t think Natori would let him use a mining laser, do you?’
Ominously, neither Russell nor Alice could truly convince themselves that Admiral Kaczynski would not place a primitive being behind the trigger of an industrial mining laser. Veera’s tail swished pointedly as her curiosity demanded satisfaction.
“What’s a laser?”