The Sarran Senator (13 page)

The Warriors came and picked her up. They had
a six-month old pure white kitten with them. Margaret Mary thought
she was losing her mind when the kitten spoke into her head.
::I’m Snowy. This is Tartel and Bonju, they’re a Sarran
WarriorPair. Nod if you can understand me.::

Meg didn’t know what else to do, so she
nodded. One of the Warriors spoke aloud. “Is that the first time
you ever used your psy?”

Margaret Mary nodded again.
::Don’t be
afraid to use it, it’s strong. The WarriorPair who bonds with you
are going to be lucky indeed, we’re sorry it’s not us.::

Nor was it anyone on board the
Brightstar.

Snowy stayed with her, telling Meg,
::You
are my person. You have a bonded Warrior on board but he needs to
find the other half of his pair before they can find you.::
The
petite kitten hadn’t steered Meg wrong so far, so she sat back and
enjoyed the ride.

When they processed the fems on the tarmac,
Margaret Mary approached a Warrior named TeZaron and asked, “If no
one bonds with me, can I stay? I’m a seamstress and can design
clothing.”

He took her out of line and said, “What is
your name, honorable fem?”

“My name is Margaret Mary O’Neil, but I
prefer Meg.”

“Our fem is Cynthia but prefers Syn. Meg, all
of the Earthen fem on the Brightstar are welcome to stay on Sarran
permanently, bonded or not.”

In the short time that she was on Sarran, she
had earned one-hundred credits. She mentioned to Zaron that her
sewing machine wouldn’t work and he brought Bron along to fix her
sewing machine and adapt it to Sarran electrical current. He told
several of the pregnant Ta that she designed and sewed dresses. The
council fems paid her twenty credits each to sew one of her designs
for them to wear to the dance.

She finally did the work she loved.

Now she’d earned enough credits for her
designs and sewing to buy material for her own dress.

Looking through the holos of Sarran designs,
Meg adapted one of the Sarran styles to a pattern she drew of a
gown she envisioned as coming from ancient Greece. She used a
length of navy blue silk as an under gown with a length of silver
tissue for an overlay. She trimmed her waist and bosom with silver
cord. Even though she was thirty-six she had kept up her
figure.

She finished the hand sewn seams just before
it was time to get dressed. To go with her gown, she made a shawl
of silver tissue trimmed in navy and silver cord and bought silver
stilettos for shoes. She hadn’t wanted shoes so high but TaSyn
insisted she try them on and they were as easy to walk in as
sneakers.

Margaret Mary didn’t know how to put on
makeup, so she asked one of the young fems to help. They agreed
because she’d uploaded hundreds of her dress designs to the
fabricator and they were all able to wear something different. Meg
had a portfolio of designs she had sketched over the last twenty
years. Her mother had promised to send her to Paris, but she died
and Meg promised her she’d take care of her Da. He finally died six
tides ago after putting Meg through hell for nigh on twenty
years.

Snowy showed up to escort her to the hanger
along with a large male Maine Coon kitten Snowy introduced as
Midnight. A Warrior, a Captain she thought, came in and startled
her. “I’m here to make sure there are no stragglers.”

“I’ll only be a few minutes. I’m almost
done…if you will excuse me.” She went into her bathing chamber and
straightened her hair. She called Snowy and Midnight and they
escorted her out of the barracks by herself, with the Captain
staying behind to make sure she left. She thought that was curious,
but she was new on Sarran and wasn’t sure how things worked
yet.

Although she helped out the younger fems with
their dresses, she really didn’t fit in because there was so much
of an age difference. There was one other fem who, although young,
had an offspring who was ten cycles, but she was hurt when she came
on board. A few times Meg watched Jimmy while his mother Sherry
went to the healing center. When Sherry got a cat of her own—Zorah,
an Abyssinian—Zorah told Sherry that she’d found her WarriorPair.
Sherry got excited but it was only a few days to the dance and
Sherry confided to Meg that she wanted to be fully healed when she
met them. Meg designed a dress especially for Sherry who was
grateful, but she wanted to enter the dance hall alone. Sherry was
a romantic and wanted to lock eyes with her Warriors across a
crowded room like in musical theater.

Meg just prayed that her Warriors were kind
and would let her continue to sew and design. Nothing she had seen
on Sarran made her wary, but she needed to be careful. She didn’t
want another one like her Da. Another twenty years of that would
completely squash her spirit.

Although the young ones in her barracks
didn’t socialize with Meg, they were kind. On the other hand, the
council ladies asked her to coffee after the dance which was
lovely; although in Meg’s opinion, they’d deliver their bebes long
before it was time for her to come over for coffee.

Back in the present, Meg followed Snowy
through the crowd who took her over to a corner of the room near a
door.
::Wait here, Meg. Midnight and I’ll go tell your Warriors
that we’re here.::

* * * *

The Hangar Dance: 20:00 tines

Syn, Zaron, and Bron came into the hangar and
it was at that point Meg discovered that they were the Triad that
headed the Council of Elders. Syn made an effort to stop and chat.
She introduced Meg to Sara, Mark, and Juraens. Meg hadn’t met Sara
yet. She was newly arrived, just as Meg was. She found Sara
charming and was disgusted when she learned how Mark and Juraens
found her. Syn and the others moved on, but Sara remained chatting
to Meg.

It was interesting that Sara’s father, Samuel
Johnson, a man who could have been the President of the United
States, came with her. Meg used to read the paper after her father
finished and she knew Samuel Johnson was an important man.
Da
couldn’t stop me from following the news.
Yet Senator Johnson
encouraged Sara to come to Sarran and actually came with her.

Da would have forbidden me to come. The
Senator must be a very loving man. His daughter is a lucky fem.
Such a good looking man too. I wonder if he will find a bond.

Since the Senator was of Irish extraction,
his exploits were followed avidly in Ireland. He had fans and Meg
was one.
I wonder if I’ll get to meet him this moontine…ah, here
comes Snowy with two Warriors. Ow, the light is in my eyes. Well,
they say faith is blind and faith is what brought me here.

* * * *

Sam and Tarin had arrived at the dance
fifteen minutes late and found an impatient Midnight waiting for
them.
::We need to go to the door near the retiring room. Snowy
says we can’t leave her there by herself, she’s shy. She’ll get
nervous and run back to the barracks.
::

Sam and Tarin hurried across the room. They
soon saw the fem talking to Sara. The bond was immediate and
fierce.

::My love, she’s beautiful, just as I told
you. She has large blue eyes and hair as dark as Midnight’s coat. I
can’t believe she’s ours.::
Sam’s face radiated joy.

::I feel the pull, love, it’s intense. Do
you think she feels it too?::
Sam asked Tarin.

Sam and Tarin stepped out of the spotlight.
Meg looked at them wide-eyed, let out a small hiccup of surprise,
and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Sam ran and picked her up.
::Where?::

::The retiring room at the back of the
council chamber.::

::Sara, get Mark and Juraens and come to the
retiring room in back of the council chambers.::

Sara started to run in a panic.
::Our
sires’ bonded is Meg O’Neil and she’s just fainted at their feet.
Daddy needs us in the retiring room.::

Sara broadcast on another channel,
::Syn,
Meg O’Neil just fainted. We’re on our way to the retiring room. She
may be overwhelmed. She may need you, not Mark.::

::I’m on my way::
Syn took off across
the room, followed by Zaron and Bron.::

Meg was just opening her eyes when the two
Triads arrived. She turned bright red. “I’m sorry, I’ve been so
much trouble. I never expected…” She burst into tears.

Sam held her close to his chest while Tarin
held her hand.
::What’s wrong little one, what can your Warriors
do to make your world right again?::
Tarin moved his hand to
stroke her forehead.

Snowy strolled in and jumped up on the couch.
::Males, whether they be feline or humanoid, are dense. She
never aspired so high. We all know that you two are headed for
council as soon as you bond. She’s led a very sheltered life. I’ve
read her. She had a controlling, emotionally and physically abusive
father who passed just six tides ago.::

Storm clouds covered both Sam and Tarin’s
faces.

::It was an act of incredible courage for
her to come to Sarran. She’d never been out of her village,
Ballinagree,
in County Cork;
of course she’s frightened. Her psy is strong. I heard her call
from Ireland and I had already transported to the
Brightstar.::

::Why didn’t I hear her? I was aboard the
Brightstar. I could have allayed her fears,::
Sam asked,
looking at Zaron and Bron.

::I didn’t hear Syn except for a slight
buzzing in my ear. I had to wait to be reunited with Bron to
see
her and my psy was fully awakened. You had no experience
with bonding. You wouldn’t have known the signs,::
Zaron
assured Sam.

::I convinced her to come even though she
thought she was talking to herself. Now it’s up to you two to
convince her that she’s worthy.::
Snowy delicately jumped down
from the couch and began to wash her face.

::Snowy, are you sure this is right, that
they have the right fem?::
Meg frantically sent to Snowy.

Sam stroked her hair,
::So
beautiful…dearheart, you are broadcasting on all channels. Let me
show you. Sam sent her a picture of turning down a light.::

::Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! TaSyn, TaSara,
I’ve taken you away from the party.::

::No worries…the WarriorPairs and fem will do
what needs to be done without our help.::

Another knock came on the door. TeWell and
TeAllen entered the room with Sherry, their newly bonded.

“Sherry was concerned. Meg is a friend. She
minded our new offspring, Jimmy while Sherry went to the healing
chamber.” Well’s face darkened at the memory of what Sherry
suffered.

Meg sat up.
::I’m sorry I caused such
dislocation. I better go back to my sewing machine where I won’t
cause such trouble.::

::Dearheart, you are no trouble at all.
You are a gift from the Goddess. If you want us, we are yours. But
I warn you, we will be lost without you.::
Sam held her
tighter.

::You’re Sam Johnson and you are the
Honorable Commander Tarin, the engineer who invented the bebe
monitors. I barely finished secondary school and wasn’t permitted
to go on to the third form. The Goddess must have made a mistake.
You are educated men. What are you going to do with me?::

::On Sarran education is free. You may
choose to get more or not, as you desire.::
Sam kissed her nose
as Tarin kissed the inside of her wrist. Meg drew in a long breath.
::See, you feel the pull. I doubted when I left Earth. I left to
be here for Sara and Michael and I found Tarin waiting for
me.::

::I didn’t want to go to the moontine meal at
Bron’s but the Goddess told me to go. I did and now I have Sam and
we have you. You’ve made us very happy this moontine. You’ll need
time to get used to us. Let’s have some of the buffet and get to
know one another. Mark, do you want to look and see if she’s
okay?::

Mark went for the doctor’s bag he had stashed
in the council room. He checked Meg’s vitals. ::
Your heart is
racing; but that’s to be expected. I suspect that Tarin and Sam’s
hearts are racing too. Sit, let us bring you some food and you can
eat while you get to know your Warriors. If I were to guess, I’d
say you haven’t eaten all day,::
Mark admonished gently.

::I had the girls’ and Sherry’s dresses to
finish and also my own. I didn’t have time to eat. I thought I’d
eat at the buffet, but then I lost it. I’ve made such a horrible
first impression.::

::No, dearheart…::
Sam’s chuckle was
warm in her mind.
::We love the fact that we bowled you over. At
least we know you like us.::

Meg blushed. Sam watched Syn examine Meg
closely. “There is a lot of mauve in her aura. She should come for
coffee twice a week until that mauve turns blue to match Sam and
Tarin’s.”

“What does the mauve mean?” Meg asked,
::Am I flawed?::

::No, Meg, you’re not flawed. Sara and my
auras were a deep shade of fuchsia. We both had been kicked around
by the school of hard knocks. I was a former prostitute and addict
who picked herself out of the gutter and became a psychologist.
Sara was a Cordon Bleu chef whose husband beat her, four-year old
Michael, and Chou, Sara’s feline, so badly that Sara had to spend
five hours in the healing chamber to fix the internal damage and
another two to mend her broken bones and erase the contusions he
left on her body. Despite Sarran’s superior medicine, we almost
lost Sara. We both have pasts and so do you. The bond sees
underneath the weight of your past to the core of goodness
within.::

::You are perfect for us; the Goddess
chooses wisely. See, we will open our minds to you and you will
then know how much we care.::
Sam opened his mind to Sara,
followed immediately by Tarin.

The other three Triads left the room.