The Sarran Senator (2 page)

Sara considered this. “It will be good for
Michael to have a friend right away. Especially one with the same
abilities. Michael had no friends back on Earth. Bradley forbade
it.” Juraens’ face darkened at the mention of Sara’s former
husband’s name.

“In this case, be careful what you ask for.
Naffie is special, but undisciplined. Bron and
Zaron
ran the war and Nara, by necessity, was left alone
with Naffie and and their femspring, Nessa. When they thought it
was over the Zyptz launched the attack that decimated the fem
population of
Sarran.
Bron and
Zaron
lost a
femspring
and their fem
who was
Naffie’s
Zinna as well as an unborn
bebe
.”

“
Zinna
?”

“Mommie, if you will.”

“
Oh,
that’s terrible, to
lose their pregnant fem and their
femspring
in
one terrible day and having to soldier on because a whole planet
depended on them…”

“After the Zyptz attack the planet was in
crisis. Naffie ran wild because
Zaron
and Bron
were busy saving our world. He can teleport across the planet and
does so frequently, much to Syn’s dismay. The cats try to keep him
in line. She’s
trying
to gentle him without
breaking his spirit. Maybe Michael can help and maybe Naffie can
help Michael. Michael needs to be less timid and Naffie needs to be
less bold.”

Mark walked into Quarters from the Star
Chamber.
::
Sarran politics is
just as complicated as Earthen politics, only on a smaller scale.
But much more dangerous because the players have psychic
gifts.
::

“Until Castle Water is renovated, we’ll live
in Bron,
Zaron,
and Syn’s guesthouse. It’s
twice the size of your house on Earth but not as big as the castle.
The senator will stay with us until he bonds. But that means that
Michael will see Naffie every day. I hope they balance each other
out and provide less worry for both you and Syn,” Juraens said.

Michael came back and went into his room.

“Did you find a kitten?” Mark smiled.

“Aloysius said he’ll take care of it.”

The Concierge spoke. “Prince
Juraens
, Prince Mark, it’s time for your party to
disembark.”

Mark grabbed Sara’s small bag.
::
I’ll go and get Sam. I believe he’s in
Quarters. I’ll meet you and
Juraens
at the ramp.
::

Juraens
grabbed the bag
filled with Michael’s toys and he shepherded Michael and Sara down
the corridor to the gangplank.

* * * *

Tarmac at Sarran Space Port: 07:45 tines

Naffie looked so excited. There would be an
offspring for him to play with. Syn watched the disembarkation.
They were already on the tarmac when both she and Naffie saw Mark
and Juraens. Naffie broke out of the receiving line and ran to them
with Garlance, his minder, close on his heels. Syn could barely
keep up.

“Tontos Mark and Juraens, I’m happy to see
you. He gave them a hug. Where’s Michael?”

“That’s our Naffie, straight to the point as
usual.” Mark laughed.

“I’m Naffie.” He put his hand out to Sara who
took it in return. Naffie pointed to Sara’s stomach and said, “A
femspring,” then, spotting Michael watching the cats exit the ship,
he sprinted in that direction.

“I’m pregnant?” Sara said in shock having
heard of Naffie’s abilities from her Warriors.

“I guess you are.” Mark and Juraens took her
in the circle of their arms. Juraens started to cry openly, “I
never thought I would have a Triad. I am blessed by the Goddess
four times. First you, Treasured, then our Sara and Michael, and
now a femspring to love.” Juraens held Sara and Mark in his
arms.

Syn lumbered up to them. “Congratulations,
Mark, Juraens. I’m Syn, you must be Sara. I’m sorry to interrupt,
but we’ve got to find the offspring before Naffie transports both
of them home without us.”

Sara looked around the tarmac for Michael.
“He was just here with us, now he’s disappeared.”

::
Goddess,
where did they go? ::
“I’m sorry, I’m using mind speech,” Syn
apologized.

::
It’s all
right, I understand you.
::
Aloud she said, “Yes, I’m Sara and bonded to Mark and Juraens.”
Sara glanced down and noticed Syn’s very pregnant belly. ::
We
should look for
them,
but
maybe you should sit and let me do it
.::

“You’re kind but, I’m fine, thank you. If I
let them, they’d put me in bed until I delivered. I’d be bored to
death.” Syn gave Sara a wide grin.

“I just glimpsed Michael’s head over by the
gangplank. The two of them are probably looking for the cats.
Michael said this dawntine he was picking out a kitten for his
friend.” Sara’s head turned, scanning the area.

Syn breathed out an obvious sigh of relief.
“The cats will keep them in line.”

Sara watched with the others as the felines
began a procession off the ship, following Aloysius and Chou.

Mark turned to Bron and Zaron. Just then
Anya, Jonal, and Tonas joined the party watching the cats.
::
I don’t know how Tigger and
Duchess are going to feel about this. Aloysius, the old Tom in the
front of the line has earned himself the title of General of the
cats. He stays with
us,
but
is very much his own person. Chou marches next to him. Sara is
Chou’s person.
::
Mark watched
Tonas burst out laughing.

Tonas gave Anya an evil grin.
::
Tigger will have to learn how to
deal.”
He brushed some cat hair from his trews.

::
He’s still the hero of the first
Brightstar battle.
::
Anya hid
her laugh under a cough.

Mark got serious.
::There was another
incident on the way back—
Septis
. Saxon and Lunas have him in isolation and he
can only be approached wearing hazard suits. They made him into a
quasi-humanoid. The cats and Sam’s quick thinking saved
Juraens
and my
lives.
::

Juraens put his arm around their fem. “Sara,
you’ve already met TaSyn and the rest of her Triad, TeZaron and
TeBron. The heads of the Elder Council are over at the processing
line overseeing the proceedings. This Triad is TeJonal, TeTonas,
and TaAnya, also of the Elder Council.”

Sara shook everyone’s hand and Anya gave her
a hug.

“Welcome to Sarran and please drop the Ta
except for formal occasions. I’m Anya, the pediatrician. You must
be Sara, the pastry chef. Thank the Goddess. I’ve been dying for
scones for my entire pregnancy. Dare I ask if you can make
them?”

“Of course! I’ll make a batch next rising as
soon as I get my things.”

“Syn is hosting this moontine. We can have
them there. Thank you so much. I love you already.” Anya gave Sara
a hug.

“I have an offspring. I know about pregnancy
cravings.” Sara laughed.

Sam joined the small group on the tarmac
along with Chou and Aloysius.

“Everyone, this is my father, Senator Samuel
James Johnson, late of the United States Senate. Daddy would have
been the Democratic presidential nominee if he had chosen to stay
on Earth.”

“Your talent will not be wasted here, sir.”
Tonas stuck out his hand. “I’m Tonas and these two are the other
members of my Triad, Jonal and our fem, Anya.”

Sam shook Tonas, Jonal, and Anya’s hands.

Anya gave the senator a hug. “Welcome to
Sarran.”

Tonas and Jonal took them to the processing
line. As a courtesy to Mark and Juraens, Sam and Sara and the still
to be found Michael were processed quickly and Hilnut, Bron and
Zaron’s driver, arrived in a PGT to take their bags.

“Hilnut, take the bags to the transporter. We
will teleport home. Sara, you must hold my hand until you can
picture your destination in your head,” Juraens said and grabbed
Sara’s hand.

“Wait, we need to find Michael and Naffie. We
can’t leave TaSyn to run around after them. She looks ready to give
birth on the spot.”

After several anxious moments, Sara finally
spotted the two offspring, walking carefully, each carrying a
kitten. “There they are.”

Syn came up behind them and murmured
fervently, “Thank the Goddess.”

Sara pivoted to Mark, Juraens, and Sam who
were greeting two other Warriors.

::
Sam,
Sara, this is TeBron and TeZaron, the heads of the ruling
Council.
::

Bron saluted Sam. Sam copied the motion.
::
I’m so happy to see you. With
so many Earthen here, we will need your wise council.
Juraens
and Mark said you are
not new to governance.
::

::
No, not
new, but I hope it’s different here than the chaos of
Earth.
::

::
Different in many ways, but in others, the same. We
may have the Codex, but we still deal with
humanoids.
::

::
At least
you don’t have tribalism and nation states.
::
Sam sighed and shook his head in disgust.

Naffie and Michael came running back, each
carrying a kitten under one arm and holding hands with the other.
“Mommie, Zadda, and Poppie, this is my bonded, Michael.”

Sara and Syn stared at the offspring in
shock.
::
How does he
know?
::
Sara was
astonished.

Zaron, Bron, and Juraens all answered at
once.
::
You just do. I can’t
explain the pull. Fems don’t experience it the same
way.
::

Sara’s face’s betrayed her alarm.
::They’re
not going
to…::

::
No,::
Juraens assured her.

Mark said, “Just like on Earth, that doesn’t
become a problem until puberty. Right now and until puberty, the
bond is purely emotional. Being the only Earthen male bonded to a
Sarran, I made a study of this. But bonding early usually occurs
around ten or twelve, so this is unusual.”

::
Aren’t
they young to be bond stirred? They’re bebes.
::
Sara’s face betrayed her consternation.

::
Yes, they are, but
by the time they are able to complete the bond, they will know each
other so well it will be like they inhabit one mind. It will be
interesting to see if their bonded is one of the current
crop
of
bebes
.
::

“Bron and I bonded young. We bonded
physically at sixteen and went off to the Academy early. But we
knew we were bondmates at ten. It must have something to do with
the power of their psy,” Zaron interjected.

In a mercurial change of mood, Michael and
Naffie changed the subject and became a four and
six-year old
again. Naffie held out the tuxedo kitten in
his arms. “He says his name is Bandit. He wants to be with me. May
I keep him, Mommie?”

::
We have
to ask Duchess.
::

::
She’ll
say yes. She likes the way I brush her coat.
::

::
Why
don’t we all head home and ask Duchess for
permission,
::
Zaron
suggested.

::Can I go with Naffie, Mommie?::
Michael begged. Sara looked at Garlance, who nodded his head.

Mark knelt next to Michael and Naffie.
::Michael,
you may teleport with
Naffie and
Garlance
, but
stay in the courtyard until we arrive.
::
Naffie dragged Michael and
Garlance
to the transport station in the council
chambers. Shadow and Bandit tried to keep up with their short
legs.

Juraens
put his arms
around Sara.
::
Don’t worry about
Michael, Naffie has a minder,
Garlance
. We’ll be getting one too, for security
purposes. They won’t be doing anything other than what a normal
pair of boys do together. The only difference is that they’ll be
closer than just friends.”

“We’ve kept poor Syn and Sara standing here
long enough. Let’s go home.”
Zaron
patted
Juraens
on the back. “Mark,
Juraens
, we host this moontine. The
gatehouse
has been readied for your occupancy and work is
mostly completed on Castle Water. Maybe you could take Sara and
Michael to inspect it the rising after next. Sam, you’re welcome in
the gatehouse for as long as you wish to stay.”
Zaron
started the procession to the field house.

* * * *

Love is born of faith [and] lives on hope…

—Gian Carlo Menotti

Castle Air: 14:00 tines

Garlance
and
Emot
set the table as Syn relaxed in her sitting room
with her feet up on the fainting couch Bron had devised for her
comfort. It was made of an upholstered, heavily-cushioned material
like that used on the Brightstar’s walls. Covered with what looked
like lavender silk velvet with silver piping and gilded silver
wood, the couch conformed perfectly to her body.

She mused. When the Earthen fem first found
out that everyone was pregnant, the
Ta took
it
on themselves to go to the hidden fem archives and gather up any
information on pregnancy and birth for Anya, a physician—albeit a
pediatrician—and Ellen, a psychiatrist, to analyze.