Salvaging continued every day in the set schedule and no one was available to help us salvage, either male or female. Surprisingly enough, we managed to just barely fill the last meal cage on the top of the ship with salvage the day before the Udelis came back from dropping off the first cargo shipment. Rather than leave immediately, I decided to wait for another two weeks, so that Hailey's surprise birthday party could take place while we were still in the Fogaris System.
We also had a lot of food deliveries to make.
Once again the Udelis was bombarded with food requests and then message requests, so Hailey and I transferred over to the Udelis to make the rounds. We did them in the same order as before. Tessa and her Search and Rescue training facility was first, and I gave her the updated list of wrecks, the people analogs and their locations on the maps, and the hazards around them. She was overjoyed with the information, then I told her we still had a lot more wrecks to go over. She snuck a kiss onto my cheek when her class wasn't looking, or so she thought. They were going to tease her a lot over it, I was sure.
We went around and dropped off meals to some of the other people we knew personally, which included the fast patrol ship with Kris and Grace on it. They were both busy, unfortunately, so I just transferred over meals for them and the crew and continued on. We ended the rounds at the space station in orbit around the planet and had a nice dinner with the admiral and Melanie. With that done, we had a lot of meals left over that I decided to keep for ourselves. They should last us a while and would supplement or offset the ration trays to give us a nice variety.
With both ships available and five normal pilots and one shuttle pilot, Luxea, Simone, and I could work together at salvaging at a constant rate. If my calculations were correct, we could just about fill the Udelis' cargo capacity in the two week limit I had set, then both ships could make the trip back to the Dizahl System to empty them of cargo. Luxea didn't complain about the changed schedule, mainly because it meant that she wasn't stuck working alone.
Simone had made it clear that she wasn't comfortable on the ship anymore and needed time alone when I apprised everyone of the lack of workers available to help move the salvage. We were kind of stuck doing it all ourselves, even with the faint hope that we could find someone in the Dizahl System to help, so we got to work and did our best to salvage as much as possible.
Of course, we still took the full day off every week. Rhubin still had a hard time with his emotions trying to run wild with Kalina in the room, despite him having 'fun' while he was away. I intervened when I could and was as unobtrusive about it as I could be. Kalina didn't notice; but, Rhubin sure did. His occasional glare at me for interrupting his 'moves' was blatantly obvious to anyone that paid him any attention.
Thankfully, Luxea had her own emotions mostly under control and I had to assume she had enjoyed some 'fun' time as well. She would still flinch slightly when I tried to approach her; but, at least she wasn't trying to avoid me completely like I thought she would. I still wouldn't read her thoughts, not even the surface ones that she was broadcasting quite loudly. Simone would wince sometimes and give me a look as if to ask if I wanted to know, and I always shook my head and refused. I did offer to help her block Luxea and she sighed in relief and accepted.
When the two weeks were over and the Udelis was almost completely filled, it was time for the magic day. Hailey's day. I got her up early and had a quick bath, which she was still a bit too tired to enjoy like she usually did, and I made everyone breakfast. After we all ate, we separated the ships and flew to the planet and parked in orbit. Rhubin took the shuttle and left before we did, then we all took a shuttle and flew down to the surface.
“Where are we going?” Hailey asked. She was wearing a nice dress that fit her perfectly and she was wearing another hat to match. “You didn't say.”
“No, I didn't.” I said with a smile. “You'll see soon enough.”
“Hunter.” Hailey said and I looked into her eyes.
I felt her trying to poke at me mentally. “I told you not to do that...”
“...to other people.” Hailey corrected me before I could finish. “I love you and you shouldn't hide things from me.”
Everyone heard the soft gasp from Luxea and we all managed to not comment and ignored it.
“I'm not hiding it, Honey.” I said in a soothing voice. “I'm just delaying how long it takes for you to find out.”
Hailey frowned a little. “Isn't that the same thing?”
“No, because I'd tell you in a heartbeat... if it wasn't important for you not to know yet.”
Hailey had to think about that for a minute. “So, it's a surprise.”
I opened my mouth to say no, then chuckled. “You're too smart for me to trick.”
Hailey beamed a smile at me and I stopped blocking her. She squealed in delight and gave me a very tight hug, then she leaned back and looked into my eyes. She didn't say anything and just stared at me and let me hear her thoughts... all of her thoughts... then she blushed as she leaned in to give me a very light kiss on the lips.
“Thank you.” Hailey whispered. She knew not to press her luck by kissing me like she wanted to, not with so many witnesses around.
“I guess there's no point obscuring the view then.” Jelly said with a chuckle and turned off the diffusion effect on the cockpit's windshield and we could clearly see out of it as she flew us down towards the children's hospital.
“Thank you, Aunt Jelly.” Hailey said.
“I'm sorry I could only arrange for a few hours.” Jelly said, accepting the aunt qualifier with aplumb. “My boss... my old boss... is a real stickler for operational security.”
A few of us chuckled at her trying to cover up the open secret that she still worked for the military.
“We'll be landing in a minute, so get ready for a big reception.” Jelly said and brought the shuttle around the large building and landed us next to Rhubin's shuttle. We didn't even feel the bump when the shuttle touched down and we could all see the large group of people waiting for us.
“Hailey, do you...” I started to ask, and she grabbed my hand and held on. I nodded and opened the hatch and the ramp deployed. We walked down it side by side and were greeted with shouts, yells and applause. Someone counted to three and they all yelled together.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Hailey beamed a smile at them, then the crowd parted to reveal her mother with a guard. “MOMMY!”
I let her hand go and she ran over to hug her mother. They were both crying and stayed that way for several minutes. We waited until her mother sighed and pat her daughter's back.
“Let's go inside so the party can start.” Her mother said.
“Okay.” Hailey said and took her mother's hand, then she reached out to take mine. The three of us walked in front and led everyone inside.
Stolen novel; please report.
The party was great, for all concerned. Happy children always made for the best time, and there were enough adults around that it wasn't awkward for everyone. I made the rounds and checked the other children, and they were doing fine since the last time I had seen them. Most of them had been able to go home and had come back for the party and a checkup. There were a couple new kids, so I spent a bit more time around them and their parents than the others.
Hailey would occasionally come over to me to get my attention, and I always knelt and gave it to her. She knew she didn't need to do that, since I was always watching her; but, no one else really understood that. She made sure that they knew I was a high priority for her, even on her own birthday. She spent an equal amount of time with her mother, who was overjoyed that she wasn't being ignored with all the things going on at the party.
They really outdid themselves. I thought and looked around at all of the activities that had been set up inside the ward. There were so many in fact, that some of them were in the hallway and in the break room next door. Snacks and drinks were available everywhere and were in kid-sized portions. It was enough to give them tastes and bursts of energy and not enough to spill or make a mess. I thought that was a great idea and it saved so much time on the clean-up later.
The party lasted for three hours and all of the kids and adults had a great time. Unfortunately, it was also time for Hailey's mother to leave. Hailey hugged her tightly and they both cried for several minutes, then Hailey used my calming technique and shared it with her mother. Her mother stared down at her little girl, then smiled.
“My little girl is growing up.” She said and knelt to look into her eyes. “You're a teenager now. You need to be strong and you need to take care of the ones you love.”
Hailey wiped at her eyes and then her mother's. “Don't worry, mommy. I will.”
Her mother felt her child's resolve and she stood and looked at me. “Thank...”
“There's no need for that.” I said and stepped close. “You made a mistake and you're living with the consequences. The least I can do is look after my future wife.”
A lot of people reacted to that, mostly negatively.
Hailey's mother laughed. “You better not try to marry her as soon as she turns sixteen.”
The same people reacted with surprise at her response, and I laughed.
“I wouldn't try that, even if I had your blessing to do so.” I said. “I have to finish falling in love with her before I try to do anything like trying to date her.”
“Hey!” Hailey reached up and tugged on my shirt. “What if I want to?”
“You have plenty of time to discuss it after you're old enough.” Her mother said. “I need to go.” She gave Hailey a kiss on the forehead and after she nodded to me, the guard led her out of the room.
I'm glad he didn't use handcuffs. I thought and knelt beside Hailey. “I'll try and see about getting regular visits.”
Hailey shook her head and the tears started again. “She knows she's going away for a long time.”
I sighed. “I'm sorry, Hailey.”
“It's not your fault.” Hailey said and turned to me. “You just made it happen quicker.”
“That's why I'm sorry.” I said and took off her hat and rubbed my hand over the fuzz on her head. “I still would have done it.”
Hailey smiled through her tears. “I know.”
“Hey! We're all going over to the park!” One of the kids said loudly, then almost as one, the kids moved and emptied the room.
“I saw that with my own eyes and I still don't believe it.” Jelly said. “I wish our special forces moved that fast!”
That made a few people laugh and the rest of them moved out of the room to follow the kids and to keep watch over them as they played.
“Do you want to go with them?” I asked Hailey.
“Yes, but...”
Without a word, I picked her up, careful of her dress as I cradled her in my arms, then I carried her out of the hospital and to the park. After they played there for half an hour, we all went back to the ward and Hailey opened all of her presents. She liked them all and then her face had a worried look as she looked at me.
“Hunter?”
“I thought you might want to wait to open your moms and mine.” I said and waved to Jelly, who stepped forward and gave her a medium-sized and nicely wrapped present. Hailey took her time and opened it, and inside was the most beautiful white frilly dress and hat combination she had ever seen. Her eyes teared up at the matching shoes and she knew that her mother couldn't have picked it out, considering where she was.
I knelt beside her and whispered. “Jelly stayed with her for several hours with a datapad full of different things. Your mother picked it out for you and it's expandable. You'll be able to wear it for a long time. Every time you do, you'll know that your mother chose it for you and loves you very much.”
Hailey let out a sob and hugged me around the neck. After a few moments, she let me go and nodded.
“Are you sure you want to open mine?” I asked and she nodded again. I took out a small box and a few people reacted to the size. I held in my laugh at their thoughts and gave the box to Hailey.
Hailey opened it and she gasped at the contents. “H-Hunter!” She exclaimed and lifted out the intricately carved medallion with a sky scene on it. The yellow focusing crystal in the center was the sun and it glowed slightly.
“You remember what happened when I rescued you?” I asked and she nodded. “This is what protected me from laser fire. It's a personal shield.”
Nearly everyone gasped at that, especially Jelly. She had seen how effective it was when we had assaulted that building with the terrorists in it. Not one laser bolt had hit me or the three soldiers with me. It wasn't just the material cost that shocked them, though.
“It's already attuned to you, so you can use it right away.” I said and held her hat and slipped the necklace over her head. “I'll show you after the party how to activate it.” I smiled knowingly. “If you haven't figured it out already, I mean.”
Hailey smiled and walked out to the middle of the room and touched the hidden button on the underside of the medallion and a blue energy ball appeared around her. The very next second, a half-filled cup of water bounced off of it and would have splashed all over her, except the water landed on the shield and rolled off to the floor.
“Pascal!” A woman nearly shouted.
“It works!” Pascal said and started to throw a tantrum. “I want one! I want one! I want one!”
His parents muttered their apologies and quickly led their wailing son from the room.
“I knew there would be at least one.” I said and Hailey turned off the shield and came over to me.
“I'd say this is a good time to officially end the party.” One of the medical technicians said.
Everyone agreed that was a good idea, so I gathered up all of Hailey's other presents and put them in my hidden bag of holding, taking care to put them back in their boxes to protect them first. With that done, I took a few minutes to clean up the mess that the party had made and compressed the trash into a little ball and tossed it into the garbage, then put the small amount of wasted food into a separate bag for disposal. The hospital staff just stared as I did in moments what would have taken them an hour. I even stacked up the plates and glasses for them.
“Thank you so much for letting us have the party here.” I said to them and the senior medical technician held a hand out to me.
“Thanks to you, we've only had a few patients to deal with the last little while.”
“I hope that didn't cut your funding or anything.” I shook his hand and he let out a sad chuckle.
“Unfortunately, we will always have work to do.”
I couldn't refute that and let his hand go as I nodded. I took Hailey's hand and led her and everyone else out of the building to the shuttle. Rhubin had to fly the kids and their parents back to their homes, so everyone going back to either of my two ships, piled into Jelly's shuttle. We were back on my ship and out floating around the alien wrecks half an hour later, the ships were attached again and we were relaxing in the large living room. Both Luxea and Rhubin had declined the offer to stay and had gone back to the Udelis.
Hailey caressed the amulet as she leaned against me and watched the screen. I wasn't really watching it, mainly because I was basking in the women around me and their surface thoughts. It was so nice to have so many people around me again that had enjoyed a day full of fun and excitement. It was also nice to discover that they didn't harbour any hatred or animosity for anyone else in the room.
Simone wiggled next to me and I glanced at her, to see that she had her eyes closed and she was doing the same thing that I was. The best part about it was that we had asked if we could and they all had agreed... as long as I shared as much of it with them as I could. They weren't telepaths, so they were only getting a minuscule amount of what Simone and I were getting from them; and yet, they were just as relaxed as us and languished in the little bit they were getting.
Needless to say the night passed by before we knew it and we all went back to our own rooms and went to bed. We all slept well and got up the next morning, full of purpose and drive. We had breakfast and met in the meeting room, then discussed with Rhubin and Luxea the jump schedule to go back to the Dizahl System.
“It's going to take longer with this ship than the Udelis.” I said. “Even with all of the deflector screens in place to cover the ship, until we get the twinned AI installed, I won't take the chance in running the reactor core to the red-line.”
“I'll pull Udelis back to sixty percent and we can match our speed through hyperspace on each jump.” Rhubin said. “We won't even have to recalculate our coordinates each time, since we're using the same flight path.”
“We can make sure the variance doesn't drop us on top of each other, too.” Gleas said. “Either by putting your ship a half-second ahead of us or by cross-linking the computers to increment the coordinates.”
“Do both, just to be sure.” I said. “The last thing we need is a mid-space collision with all this cargo onboard.”
Everyone nodded and we went back to planning the trip.