VOLUME EIGHT: THE FIELD OF ARBOL
“Distant Pluto: the homeworld of Dr. Miracle”
Ever since the crew drew lots to determine which of their cooks would cover which shifts, Kate Shepherd had gotten a little grumpier every day. She was unlucky enough to draw the earliest shift, and that meant she had to wake up before anyone else and get the kitchen ready. Although she had grown more competent when it came to culinary works, she never meant to cook for large crowds and never liked getting up before nine, not even when she had been on the run. At least she was in good company: although Allegra did not share her bed yet, she did pitch in with the chores, and greeted Kate warmly when she entered the kitchen.
“Hello there! You look like you could use a pick-me-up.”
“Several,” she groaned. After splashing her face with cold water and eating an energy bar, she felt a little better, and started preparing dishes. Fortunately for her, most of the other women shared he sleeping habits, so there were not many people who actually came to breakfast. In fact, the dining room was completely abandoned except for the two cooks and two guests who were chatting quietly. Kate was surprised when she recognized them.
“Hey! Riene, Rebecca, hi! I haven’t seen you two in ages! How have you been? I thought you two left the ship and eloped!”
“Nothing as dramatic as that,” Riene chuckled. “We just needed some time to…well, to think things over. There were a lot of things that we needed to clear out and put into the open.”
“Oh.” That didn’t really answer anything, but… “Well, it’s good to see you again. What’ll you have?”
“I’d really like some toast, eggs, bacon, and a cantaloupe.”
“Can you make me blueberry waffles?” Rebecca said.
“Can I make you waffles!” Allegra replied starkly. “Hon, you just sit back and watch a master at work. Waffles are my specialty!”
“Allegra certainly knows her way around southern American Earth cuisine,” Kate replied. She winked at her girlfriend; Allegra kissed her cheek softly, revitalizing the muscular woman. Rebecca blushed at their public display of affection, and smiled.
“So do you two ladies need to get caught up on current events? We’re headin’ to the Helios system if ya didn’t know.”
“It would be nice if we knew what was going on. We mostly stayed in my room and talked. I mean, we ate and took baths, too— I mean, not together, of course— I mean, we certainly ate together, but— ”
“I think they know what you mean, Becky,” Riene smiled, squeezing her hand. Kate noticed that the two women were a lot more open and personal with each other, a trait they had skirted around for far too long. She was overjoyed that they were finally connecting, even on such a small level. But then again, if there was hope for her, then there was hope for anybody! Allegra and Kate alternated their reports, briefly going over the worlds they had visited and the people they met ever since that terrible ordeal with Rebecca’s father.
“So there’s been a trend,” Riene noted once they concluded. “You’ve been making your way to everybody’s homeworld, and now you’re going to Pluto, which is where Amy was born. I’m a natural Tellurian, you know, and if I’m not mistaken, you and Eve are, too.”
“That’s right, honey. It’ll be nice seeing the Earth again. Do you have family there”
“Yeah,” she sighed forlornly. “I’m a little anxious about it. They’re…well, they’re not bad people, but I can’t help but feel suffocated when I’m around them. They weren’t very supportive of my decision to go into space.”
“Traditionalists?” Kate said.
“In the purest sense,” she chuckled darkly. “What about you, Allegra?”
“Just two kids,” she murmured wistfully. Everyone looked surprised except Kate, who already knew.
“Really? I had no idea you were a mother.”
“Yup, but not a very fit one. I mean, when my husband passed on, I couldn’t provide for them. I just…left them somewhere and tried to…uh…well, I don’t really wanna talk about it.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to open up old wounds.”
“It was another time and another life,” she replied, approaching them with their meal. “Welp, as the French say, ‘bon appetit’! Becky, I gotta say this before the day’s over: your wings are gorgeous! Ya almost look like an angel!”
“Thanks,” she smiled feebly. “I like them too.” She and Riene held hands for a moment, then focused on their breakfast. Kate and Allegra exchanged a hopeful expression before returning to work. Rush hour was upon them.
……
Thanks to decades of advancement in space exploration technology, areas like the Oort Cloud and the Kuiper Belt were no more dangerous than flecks of dust. The Dauntless pierced through the Helios System’s barriers in a few days and soon spotted Pluto, that distant, frozen, bizarre world of mystery. Early in the twenty-first century, a debate had risen concerning Pluto’s status in the immense system— whether it could actually be called a planet or not— but even after half a millennium, pundits still affectionately classified it as the ninth major heavenly body from the sun. Amy Miracle simply called it her Home.
Of course, because it was a dead hunk of rock and ice with no breathable atmosphere, life could not normally exist there. Colonists had to construct artificial domes in order to contain and sustain civilization, and even then, the only people that lived there were miners, construction workers, a handful of scientists, and a small civilian population. Pluto was simply too far away from the other planets to justify creating a real culture there, but somehow they had gotten by. Amy had not seen her home since a few months before the voyage began, so it would be nice to rest there before journeying to Earth.
“My father is a Kuiper Belt researcher, and up until three years ago, my mother conducted reports alongside him. I managed to get hold of them and tell them we were coming, so we should be expecting a warm welcome.”
“Do you have any other family?” Rebecca asked. Amy smiled sadly.
“An aunt on my father’s side, but she never married, and a second cousin I only met a few times. My mother is an only child, and all of my grandparents have passed on. I had a little brother once, but he didn’t…make it.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago,” she beamed. “I was barely a child myself. You know, I was really afraid for them when I went off to college. It wasn’t like on Earth, where distance isn’t such a problem: there’s a large chunk of space between Pluto and Mars. But that was the closest school I could find.”
“What about the other planets? Helios has…uh, nine, right?”
“Mm-hmm, but the four largest are gas worlds. There are outposts on some of the moons, but nothing you could call a civilization. Helios is simply too large for people to be so far away from each other.”
“Mmm, I’d heard it was one of the biggest. So have you ever been to Gaea?”
“I’m afraid not,” she laughed. “Can you imagine, a human never setting foot on Earth? I have visited the moon, though— I mean Selene, the Earth’s moon. And I’ve been to Venus.”
“That’s impossible,” Riene muttered. “No living creature has ever set foot there.”
“That’s not really true, although I can’t prove it. You’ll just have to believe me.”
“Oh? So what was it like?”
“You might get the chance to see,” she answered mysteriously. Riene rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. I think I’ll go with you to see what Pluto is like. It’s about time I get off the ship and stretch my legs. Are you coming, Becky?”
“If you can accommodate me,” she answered.
“It shouldn’t be a problem. Their house is a little small, but most of us should fit.”
“If they have something against lesbians, I’m staying here,” Kate grunted.
“Oh no, of course not. They may be religious but they’re not discourteous.”
“Hmph, really? My experience says otherwise.” Amy smiled at her lovingly.
“It’s unfortunate you had such a bad experience, but not all religious people are like that. They’ll be glad to have you in their house.”
“I hope so,” she muttered. Since Pluto was so small, there was only one spaceport, and Amy begged the Acheron sisters to behave themselves as they descended. Nobody wanted a repeat of last time.
“But isn’t this ship already registered? It should still be in their system.”
“No, I acquired it after I left Pluto— on Venus, actually.”
“Sure, why not?” Riene shrugged doubtfully. Once the Dauntless was docked and officially recorded in the Plutonian system, Amy stepped out first and led the way. Since her father was a researcher, the Miracles lived very close to the spaceport; the crew wouldn’t even need to rent a cab.
……
“You’re right: it is a small house.” Rebecca’s comment drew a smile from Amy; she couldn’t help but agree.
“The only people who live there are my parents, so it’s not like they need anything bigger. Come on— we might be able to make it there for lunch! Mother makes an excellent soup and pasta.”
“Not so fast, you’ll strain yourself,” Fuuka sighed. She knew her warning would go unheeded: Amy was too excited to pay attention to her injury. Her cane barely even touched the ground as she crossed the artificial turf and garden, knocking at the front door. A plain-looking woman in her mid-fifties greeted them, shoving her head through the door to stare questionably. She had vague but kind eyes, her hair was more grey than brown, and she had several age marks that, while certainly unflattering, made her look mature and wise. She had a breathy, distant voice, and her eyes shifted as she squinted at her visitors.
“Umm…excuse me, but I don’t believe we were expecting visitors today.”
“Why not ask your husband?” Amy said patiently. The woman turned her head and called for him; a slightly younger man came to the door, smiling honestly. He took his wife’s hand and led her away from the door.
“Mona, do you remember the call we received three days ago? It said we should be expecting somebody.”
“I do!” she exclaimed, smiling brightly. She returned to her guests and flung the door open. “I’m sorry, I must’ve been too busy to remember. Come in, and welcome! Well, there certainly are a lot of you, but whoever you are, we’re glad to have you!”
“Indeed,” her husband replied. He gave Amy a warm hug and kissed her forehead. “Did you have a safe journey?”
“Nope, not at all!” she grinned. “But it was certainly a good one.”
“Ah, good, those are the best. Come on in, everybody: don’t be shy. I’m afraid we didn’t expect this large a crowd, so lunch might be delayed.”
“Uh, don’t worry about it.” Unlike the jilted woman that had greeted them, Amy’s father— for these were her parents— still had a youthful expression, though his face was also grave and careful, and he had a full, flowing beard, reminiscent of the kings of old. He had quite a powerful build but was very gentle around his two “special ladies”; his wife came in and extended as much hospitality as she could.
“Is this everybody? What a size! Darling, did I put something in the oven?”
“Yes, you have a casserole going. I’m going to help you out later, so don’t worry about not having enough.”
“I can always count on you,” she beamed. She turned to Amy and smiled at her— not as a mother, but as a woman who is meeting someone they can only remember from a dream. “Pardon me, but who did you say you were again?”
“Look in Section 1, file 2,” she answered patiently, pointing to a large computer terminal. Amy’s mother slowly clicked the proper file, and lit up as information about her daughter came to life before her eyes.
“Oh, that’s right! Amy!” The two women embraced, now officially reunited. “I’m so sorry, darling: it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen you! Goodness, you’ve changed! You’re so thin, dear— and you still have that injury.”
“Yes, but I’ve been doing all right. I made several new friends.”
“I can see that! Well, this is a change! You used to be so boy-crazy when you were young. Is that right, dear?”
“Yes, but she only had one serious boyfriend— that Ozmund fellow. Fine man.”
“That’s right!” she exclaimed, slapping her palms together. “I almost forgot! Oh, Amy, I liked him. But it’s great to see you finally made some lady friends. And they’re all so different! You must’ve combed the entire galaxy to find them!”
“Sort of,” she giggled. She could feel the stares of her crew, so she decided to explain what was going on. “About three years ago, my mother and I were in an accident together. I escaped all right, but she suffered from partial memory loss. We decided to record everything we could in that computer over there,” she gestured, “so she wouldn’t forget.”
“That’s awful,” Fuuka whispered.
“It isn’t so bad!” Mrs. Miracle smiled. Mother and daughter had the same cheerful expression, but she clearly inherited her father’s willpower and integrity. “As long as I have this computer and my husband to help me, I get along fine. Besides, I haven’t seen Amy in awhile, so you can’t blame me for not recognizing her.”
“Why don’t you introduce us to everybody?” her father suggested. “Lunch won’t be for awhile, and I’d like to know where you found these ladies.”
“Oh, of course.” First, her parents: Marshall and Mona Miracle. Presenting the crew was a more daunting task, however, but her mother faithfully wrote everything down in her computer so she wouldn’t forget.
“Aren’t you a beautiful one!” she said to Rebecca. “You have such radiant wings. You’re almost like a dove!”
“Maybe more like an angel,” she murmured wryly.
“Oh no, don’t be silly,” Mona replied seriously. “Angels look nothing like their pop culture depictions. People with wings and angels are two completely different beings. I should know; I’ve seen two.”
“You’ve seen angels?” Mona nodded solemnly.
“Not in their true forms, of course, but even I could never forget an experience like that. Real angels are more like macro-organic entities composed of a material that is beyond all scope of perception and measurement. They are…oh, how can I put this best? It’s difficult to describe unless you’ve seen them yourself, and that’s very difficult to do since they exist outside of time and space. Our time and their time moves so differently that they appear distorted to us people, if they appear at all. But you can tell if you’re quiet and if you look in the right spot. Just don’t expect them to follow our whims.”
“The lady’s a basket-case,” Naja grumbled. “There’s no such thing as angels. It’s just a fairy tale for children.”
“Most fairy tales have a deep root in reality,” Marshall answered. His face had that look which suggested perfect seriousness, the kind a doctor might have when proposing a risky operation. “But maybe we should be moving on.”
“Right,” Amy said. It was some time before she wrapped everything up: father and mother interrupted frequently to ask everyone a few questions, mostly about their origin and their relationship with their daughter. At last the whole crew had been called, and the Miracles felt weary, but relieved.
“Don’t forget us, little lady!” called a familiar, masculine voice from across the house. Amy instantly knew who it was and hobbled as fast as she could to the source.
“KYLE!!!” She crashed into him and they laughed; it was the young founder and CEO of the Ozmund company.
“Her lover, right?” Sharyn whispered.
“Apparently so,” Athena shrugged. Mona Miracle looked confused for a moment.
“Amy, did you get married to someone while you were away?”
“No, mother!” she laughed, still clinging to her friend. “This is Kyle, remember? Goodness sakes, mom, how could you forget him so easily if he’s been here this whole time?”
“Sorry,” she groaned sheepishly. “All these people and names confused me.”
“You’re like two peas in a pod!” Kyle exclaimed. Poor Amy grumbled helplessly. Marshall smiled and put his hand on Kyle’s shoulder.
“He and his sister decided to pay us a visit during their vacation. They’ve also been kind enough to help your mother while I was at work.”
“That was sweet of you!” she grinned.
“Meh, t’weren’t nothing. I’m used to caring for you Miracle women.”
“Not very nice,” she mumbled again. Mona laughed beautifully, without restraint or inhibition.
“Oh yes, that’s right. Kyle’s your lover, isn’t he? Didn’t you say you’d get married to him?”
“We’re sort of putting that on hold, mother,” Amy said as she separated from her friend. “You might want to take a closer look at our files. So Keiko’s here, too?”
“Yeah, helping your dad out. You already know about this, but I’d better warn the rest of you: don’t eat anything Keiko offers you. That woman should not be anywhere near a kitchen.”
“I heard that!” she exclaimed. “I am getting better, you know!”
“Show me some proof, Keiko!” he called back. A discomforting silence followed; Mona Miracle stood up and excused herself so she could tend to the kitchen.
“Why don’t the rest of you make yourselves at home?” Marshall suggested as he joined his wife. “Lunch should be ready soon. Amy, you’re free to do as you please.”
“I’d like to discuss something with Keiko and Kyle before I join you,” she said. Her father gave her leave and she promised to return once her conversation was over. Those that had been on New Avalon when Amy made her startling revelation had a suspicious feeling that this wasn’t just a “friendly” get-together.
……
“Do you need any help, Mrs. Miracle?” Mink, Kate, Fuuka, and Chandra decided to go into the kitchen to see if they could be of any use, and Amy’s mother smiled warmly at their kindness.
“No, I can manage. My husband and I usually don’t eat that much. Wait— are you guests?”
“Yes ma’am, we came here with your daughter.”
“That’s right!” she exclaimed as her face lit up. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I’ve already forgotten! There were just so many of you— and now it looks as though there won’t be enough.”
“That’s why we’re here, ma’am,” Mink replied. Mona beamed and welcomed their assistance, and in no time at all she had made four new friends. They quickly figured out where Amy learned most of her tolerance and love from: despite how unique they were (both in appearance and character), Mona Miracle thought nothing of it, and treated them all like close friends. Kitsune, Yun, Heavyworlder, pleasure unit…it made no difference to her. She wasn’t even bothered by their sexuality.
“A fox and a rabbit? How sweet! Oh yes, I remember her. She looks very strong and trustworthy. And Kate, that nice lady from the south is your… Hmm, you know, I always liked southerners. I actually had the pleasure of working alongside a few back in my youth. What about you two?”
“I’m…single,” Mink replied.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Mona gestured. “You’re all still very young. Perhaps it’s best if you enjoy these moments by yourself. And what about you, dear? I forgot what a pleasure unit does, but I’m sure you’re quite popular.”
“Um, yes, in some circles. I actually…” Chandra stuttered and froze; she was still struggling with what Amy had told her several weeks ago. “We’re designed for sexual pleasure, ma’am. Apparently I was made to give this to women only.”
“That’s a strange occupation,” she said curiously. “I mean, I know sometimes a lady needs some ‘me time’, but don’t you ever feel like you could act that way with just one person?”
“That’s the problem, ma’am. Your daughter suggested I’d be incapable of loving just one person, and now I’m afraid she’s right. I’ve been this way for so long, and I’ve enjoyed it so much that I never stopped to really think about what I was doing.”
“Well, you don’t strike me as a bad person,” Mona replied softly. “And it seems my daughter really cares about you. She wouldn’t have bothered otherwise. Have you ever tried to focus your attention on just one person?”
“I don’t think I could!” she insisted, almost cutting her finger off with the knife. She sucked on the scratch and got a band-aid from Fuuka. “For one, I don’t feel that way about anybody. I’m in lust with just about everybody on the ship, but I could never see myself staying with them any longer than necessary. Second of all, even if I try, my instincts will just go haywire whenever I see another pretty face. I’m incapable of commitment.” Chandra was startled to feel tears rolling down her face: she didn’t think she was remorseful enough, or even human enough for them. But what really surprised her was when Mona took her in her arms and held her. She had never felt such pure love before— love without reason or question, without rules or boundaries, without definition or identification. Chandra shuddered and let the tears go.
“If you want it, you can have it. It’s as simple as that. But you must work for it. Whenever you love someone, you will always face adversity. And when that happens, you have two options: either quit on them, or love them even more. And I love my husband and daughter more than anything.”
“But it’s not that simple,” she murmured. Mona grinned.
“It’s only like that because you want it to be complicated. But real love isn’t hard to figure out. I may not remember everything very clearly, but I do know my daughter had to learn that lesson the hard way. You may not believe this, but she used to have difficulty loving people— at least in that way. I remember…yes, at one point, she was a little bit like you. It seemed like she had a different boyfriend every week, and…you know, I think she lost her virginity when she was very young— as an impulse, not as an act of love. Now if she had given it to Kyle, I wouldn’t have been so upset. She only changed her ways when she went to college on Mars. That was before I got that nasty knock on the head. Anyway, judging from the letters I saved, she stopped being so frivolous and became serious about her relationships. But I never recall her loving people with such strength and conviction until…well, it might have been the last time she visited, before she started her journey. Amy moved from sex to romance to love; she was changed again and again, and she suffered, but she grew stronger.”
Everyone had stopped cooking, resulting in complete silence. They didn’t mean to eavesdrop, of course, but they were in close quarters with Mother Miracle, and they were more than curious about their friend’s history. They couldn’t help it.
“I…never knew,” Chandra croaked.
“None of us did,” Mink replied, tasting her stew. “Amy’s too humble to talk about herself.”
“Just as I figured, the key to happiness is sacrifice and suffering,” Kate murmured. Fuuka silently nodded in agreement. Chandra groaned.
“Just perfect.”
“But only if you want it,” Mona said, letting her go. “Now please, let’s talk about something more pleasant. Why don’t you girls tell me something about yourselves? Amy never had that many lady-friends.”
“Something pleasant? About us?” Kate turned to stare grimly at Fuuka. The Kitsune shrugged helplessly.
“I guess that means I’ll start,” Mink said.
……
“So how is everything going?” Kyle began. “Aside from that time at the Race, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen you.”
“A lot has happened since then,” Amy said. She removed her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and sat back as Keiko untied her braids. “To be honest, I never knew adventures could be so taxing. It’s thanks to all my friends that I was able to make it this far. I’m amazed so many of them decided to stay with me.”
“What can we say, you’re an attractive person.”
“Only sometimes,” she smiled. “I’m sure many of them are in it for the treasures and the thrills. Speaking of which, we’ve amassed quite a few. And…we’ve run into people that work for them.”
“Besides that Pyrosian, you mean.”
“Yes. Lyara, that fair-skinned elf, said that someone she knew on Avatar was on their side, and Rebecca— that white-haired woman with wings— her father was working for them as well. They also have entities composed of fog, assuming the shape of stealth warriors.”
“We’ve heard reports of their existence,” Kyle said. “I actually fought a handful. I’m assuming they were scouting for company secrets.”
“Speaking of which, whatever became of your space pirate problem? Did you go ahead and invite that person you mentioned to help you?” Kyle crossed his arms and made a face.
“I had a gut feeling it would only lead to trouble, so we decided to refuse his offer and hold back on development. It might hurt business, but it also might work for the better in the long run.”
“I already told you what Lord Demise and Clarissa said, right?” Keiko said. Amy nodded.
“It’s a difficult situation you’re in, but I’m sure you’ll do the right thing. Anyway, we’ll be heading to Gaea soon, and then we’ll be going to our real destination.”
“Venus,” Keiko whispered. “Is it time?”
“Not for awhile. I’m calculating we’ll make at least one major stop before we reach Gaea, and since so many of our crew were born there, we might stay for awhile. I’m sure it’ll be time once we arrive.”
“Do ya think anybody will come with you?” Kyle murmured. “I mean, the general consensus is that Venus is a living Hell. In all the centuries we’ve been exploring and colonizing, not one single person has ever set foot there— as far as society is concerned, anyway.”
“I certainly won’t force them,” she replied. A cheerful smile spread on her face as she said, “Don’t worry! I managed by myself before, right?”
“But that was before you received your injury,” Keiko indicated.
“Wounds don’t mean anything there,” she replied serenely. “Once I get used to the terrain again, I’ll be walking normally. It’ll be a good chance to exercise my legs for once!”
“Well, we can’t stop you,” Kyle grunted. “Just be careful, all right? You have a tendency to get into trouble.”
“I’ve learned that the hard way,” she chuckled feebly.
“And what do you think you’ll do once you leave Venus? Will it be that time yet?”
“No…there’s still a few pieces missing. I feel a little awful about lying to them, but if they knew what they were really getting those treasures for, do you think they’d still follow my selfish whims? Especially if they knew how dangerous they were?”
“We certainly would,” Keiko answered, smiling warmly. “It’s just a pity we can’t be pulled away even for that. As far as the rest of society is concerned, it’s business as usual.”
“Whatever you can give me is wonderful enough. I’m surprised you managed to take this much time off. Really, I can’t thank you enough for helping my mother.”
“Hey, no sweat!” Kyle grinned, rubbing his hair sheepishly. “If everything goes well, she might just end up being our mother-in-law!”
“Speaking of which,” Amy squeaked, fluffing her hair freely. She blushed and played with her fingers. “Uh, look, I know we made a promise, but…you know…it’s been a whole year since we…uh, you know…so I was wondering if…”
“You mean you wanna get laid?” Kyle blurted. Amy’s face glowed red, and she nodded enthusiastically.
“I know we made a promise, but I’m really— ”
“You’re something else, ya know that!” he laughed. Kyle ruffled her hair and kissed the poor woman’s forehead. “Right now, I’d rather have that casserole your mother made.”
“I figured you’d say that,” she squeaked in defeat. “You’re right, of course: we should keep to our word. Still.” Kyle laughed again and Keiko ribbed her.
“Don’t look so glum, sweetie. Why not experiment with one of your new friends?”
“Hey, I put women on that ship so I wouldn’t be tempted! Don’t encourage me to do that again!”
“Sorry,” she giggled. “I was just teasing you anyway. Oh, but speaking of casseroles, do you smell that?” The trio put their noses to the air and hummed for joy.
“Mmm, that’s a good smell. See, Keiko, that’s how the experts do it.”
“I really have gotten better,” she grumbled.
“I’ll believe it when I taste it!” he said, rising to his feet. They made their way to the kitchen, announcing they had finished their conversation. Amy got a lot of peculiar looks when she emerged, especially since she wasn’t wearing her glasses or her hair in braids, but her mother claimed it was an improvement.
“You look mature and more ladylike. Why did you ever wear those pigtails in the first place?”
“Because you liked them so much,” she answered stiffly. Mona was stricken and apologized.
“Looks like I need to read that profile more.”
“Like I said,” Kyle murmured. Amy grumbled and wished people would stop picking on her.
“All right, it’s time to eat,” Marshall announced. Things calmed down a little and the Ozmunds took seats around the Miracle family table. Marshall gestured for Amy’s crewmembers and said, “Come here, don’t be shy! You’re our honored guests! Make yourselves at home! I hear four of you ladies helped make this meal. Tell me a bit about yourselves.”
……
For a self-proclaimed prodigal, Amy Miracle didn’t stay at her parents’ house very long. She gave herself a full day and a half to rest there and catch up with her family and friends, then declared that “it would be best if I left soon. Wouldn’t want to test my crew’s patience, now!”
“Don’t say that,” Lil grumbled. “At least you have family, and they seem pretty nice. You should stay for as long as you like.”
“I really do have to be on my way,” she replied firmly. Her father agreed; he seemed to know his daughter’s schedule better than her crew.
“We have no right to keep her here. Our daughter’s future is elsewhere; we are merely a means to that end. The time for her to rest shall come soon, but for right now, she will follow the path of the drifter, as shall you all.”
“That’s profound,” Kyrie murmured.
“So just where will this path take us, drifter?” Aseria asked her. Amy fixed her glasses and clumsily tried to redo her braids.
“Earth will be our first major destination, then we push on to Venus. I do not think the other planets will hold anything of interest for us.”
“We could visit my old alma mater on Mars,” Alala suggested.
“Or we could go to the Moon,” Riene said. Both women had private reasons for deviating the course and would not explain themselves. Amy suggested it would be a “possibility”, and prepared for the departure, but her hair delayed her.
“Honestly, now,” Chandra sighed as she volunteered for the honors (styling hair, whether it be her own or a lover’s, was evidently in her dossier as well). “I don’t even know why you bother. Either keep them braided or keep them loose.”
“I’d really prefer to keep them loose,” Amy confessed. “You know, it’s funny. My mother fussed about my hair when I was young. She said it looked better all braided up in pigtails. I never liked it; I always thought it was childish. I only started wearing it like this after her accident. I felt that…it would help her remember me easier. I’m afraid now it’s become a habit.”
“Is that a fact,” she murmured (Mink smiled as she overheard this. So, even the humble could not resist talking about themselves!). “And your glasses?”
“Reading glasses,” she chuckled. “I don’t really need them. Another habit. Besides, I don’t really look the part of a doctor without them.”
“So you can be vain! Well, your outfit notwithstanding.”
“Hey!”
“I’d have to agree!” her mother called. “If you can’t dress yourself properly, dear, at least come over here and say goodbye! Your pleasure friend can play with you later!” Everybody snickered at Mona’s unintentional slip, except for Amy, of course. Nobody saw or heard what she did around her parents, but they assumed it was heartwarming. She merely waved at the Ozmunds, presuming she would see them much sooner than her relatives. Mona and Marshall waved at them until the Dauntless was less than a speck in the dark sky; she tried not to weep too much.
“They were such lovely girls, weren’t they? I’m glad we had a chance to meet. Oh, darling, don’t ever let me forget them!”
“Just keep to your studies,” he pointed. Then, he smiled warmly at Kyle, and drew closer to him. Already Marshall thought of him as a son-in-law; he seemed the person most capable of caring for his scatterbrained offspring. “So there she goes, and no telling when either of us will see her again. You will protect her when you can, right?”
“You can count on me, sir,” he swore. Marshall smiled and clapped his shoulder.
“I know I can, son.”
“Son?! It’s a little too early to be calling me that!” He rubbed his neck bashfully, and soon the Ozmund twins made their departure. Now began the long time of waiting for Marshall and Mona: like a fruit with a very thick shell, and the joy of their next meeting with their daughter was its sweet, but the rind was thick, thick with more time than any of them could measure.
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Preview of next chapter
Amy: I love my mommy and daddy!
Allegra: Aww…
Rebecca: At least everyone knows we’re still alive!
Riene: Word. I can’t believe we weren’t even mentioned for a whole volume!
Allegra: Aww…
Kaori: Yeah, yeah, you’ve had your fun, but now it’s my turn to be in the spotlight! It’s been too long since I’ve been in this story!
Allegra: Aww…
Rebecca: So what will you be doing, Captain?
Kaori: Standard patrol around Saturn. I’ve got some time off coming, so I might relax on one of the moons.
Riene: Maybe we’ll run into each other.
Kaori: I doubt it.
Allegra: Aww…
Kaori: Next time on “Voyage of the Dauntless”, be sure to watch my triumphant return in “Saturn’s rings: endless.”
Amy: What a foreboding title.
Kaori: All I know is that I ain’t getting lucky.
Allegra: Aww…
Kaori: And you can stop doing that!
Allegra: Aww…shit.
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