“I have hoped for this day, Aggie.”
“It is here, Ikvaro. Now, I have to wonder what tomorrow is going to bring.” She sighed and closed her eyes as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
Ylor sent her a calming wave.
Whatever happens, you are not alone, and no, I don’t mean me. Ikvaro is devoted to you, his mind glows every time he looks at you.
Her lips curled in a smile and she slept.
Clothing had seemed so easy, but without her access to the
Grey Talon,
she was stuck wearing the bland, baggy medical suit. “I need something to wear.”
Ikvaro was braiding his hair into two braids at his temples with the rest flowing down his back. “That is being taken care of. You are an Avatar now and that brings a certain social standing with it.”
“Even if the world is cold and dark with no mineral value?”
Sorry, Ylor.
Not an issue. My surface is encrusted with minerals, gems, you name it, I have it. I just wish that I could be shifted to a more hospitable environment.
Perhaps I can make that a project. I can seek out a planet mover. There has to be something like that in existence, somewhere.
I would enjoy that. Thank you for thinking of it, Aggie.
You are part of me now. If you are happy, I am happy. Literally.
She listened to the amusement of a dormant world rippling through her thoughts.
Ikvaro got to his feet, his black uniform made him look terribly large and official.
She brushed her hair behind her and knotted it into a sloppy ponytail.
Ikvaro looked at her and shook his head. “We are going to have to discuss your hairstyle choices. For today, leave it straight.”
She made a face and flipped her hair loose. “Better?”
“Much. There is a seamstress on the station and she will sort you out with some official gowns.”
“Gowns? I am not very girly.”
He grinned and pulled her to him, belly to belly. “I beg to differ.”
“Ylor doesn’t care what I wear.” That was a blatant lie. Ylor had been trying to convince her to go naked this entire conversation. She refused.
“Well, he must care a little. He has tinted you gold.”
She blinked and examined her hand carefully. “What the hell?”
Gold is one of my most plentiful minerals. I thought it would suit you. Your eyes are now emerald and sapphire as well, though I have not altered your features.
You son-of-a-bitch. I never said you could make changes. I have a twin. We look the same. We have always looked the same.
You are no longer the same. You are an Avatar now and you will look the part, Aggie.
There was a dark and serious note to his thoughts. He was grim and she would be his voice in the Alliance and elsewhere. She had a responsibility to him.
He had saved her life and she would be his voice and physical representative. That was the deal they had struck and she was going to live with it.
“Right. I am not Aggie Keller anymore.”
Ikvaro nodded. “You will become more as you proceed through your career. You are simply beginning again. It happens to us all.”
“This is a very big beginning.” She couldn’t explain it to him so instead she said, “You mentioned clothing?”
He nodded and kissed her quickly. “Right. We can discuss this later.”
She grinned weakly. “Sure. We have all the time in the world.”
They headed out of the hospitality centre and down to the small marketplace. He steered her into the clothing shop and took over. She was up on a pedestal, measured and swathed in cloth for hours. Her stomach had gone beyond grumbling and was roaring for food by the time she stepped down from her perch wearing a white gown with flounces and matching high-heeled boots. The idea was that she was to present a complete contrast to Ikvaro.
On their way to a meal with the rest of the fitted clothing heading to their room, she hissed, “I have never dressed to match a man in my life.”
“I can’t help it if the seamstress was infatuated with me.” He shrugged. “You have other gowns that are not white. I think it looks very fetching with your new colouring.”
She made a face and he kissed her quickly. It was impossible to hold a grimace when he kissed her.
“I hate changes like this. I feel like the core of
me
has been attacked.”
“You are more than your appearance, more than your colouring and more than your species.”
Her stomach roared again.
“You are hungry. Let’s deal with that.”
She nodded and they made for the commissary. After the meal, he cleared his throat. “Two things.”
She scowled. “What?”
“One, you need to go to medical to have final scans done.”
“What is the second thing?”
“Your presence is requested on Zenfar.”
Aggie grinned. “That one I won’t complain about. I would like to see how Wovian turned out. Can we take the
Grey Talon
?”
“That is another matter. We will discuss it after your medical check.”
She scowled and wanted to demand an answer, but Ylor whispered,
Everything is fine. You will be flying with
Talon
again. She has just had a bit of a facelift, so to speak.
She’s in another ship?
She wants it to be a surprise.
Aggie smiled and answered Ikvaro. “Fine.”
He narrowed his eyes at her with suspicion. Even when she had been learning etiquette, she hadn’t been meek and obedient.
The trip through medical was quick. Ylor made sure they didn’t fuss around too much. He simply overloaded their scanners and called an end to the appointment.
Arm in arm, she walked with Ikvaro and left medical behind. “So, where to next?”
“Are you wanting to recover a little more at the station?”
She shook her head. “No. I want to see Wovian. His was the last living face that I saw before I put the faceplate on. Oh, do I have to wear the armour anymore?”
He chuckled. “No. You are free to come and go as you please, in what you please.”
“As long as you and Ylor approve of it.”
He gave her a sombre look. “Your personal time, you can wear what you like, but you are an Avatar, and when you are acting as such, you will need to dress accordingly.”
“So the gowns are another uniform.”
“Yes.”
She nodded. “I can deal with them on those terms. The armour was easier to move in, though.”
He laughed and steered them through the station until they were in a launch bay with shuttles standing by and one huge craft hogging nine stations.
“Good lord, what is that?” She tried to stop in her tracks but Ikvaro pulled her along.
She began to get the idea that it was their new diplomatic ship when the door opened and
Talon
’s voice came out. “What do you think, Aggie? I even have a gunner turret if we need it.”
“They moved you?” Smiling at Ikvaro, she stepped inside and looked at the huge vessel that replaced the two-person shuttle.
“Yup. This station is one system over from Morganti, so they brought over some experts and transferred me. Well the bit of me that is already generated.”
“Wow. Is your call sign still the
Grey Talon
?”
“I am now the
Diamond Talon.
It was Ylor’s suggestion.”
“Well,
Talon
, when do we leave?”
“Pen is just putting your wardrobe into the chambers with Ikvaro’s. As soon as you are strapped in, I will apply for departure clearance.”
She looked at Ikvaro. “My clothing came here? I thought it was going to the hospitality centre.”
“It was, and when you were in medical, I had Pen clear our room and bring everything to the ship.” He grinned, his teeth flashing white.
“So, are you fully retired from being an Enforcer?” She gave him a suspicious look.
“While you were in the tank, I was asked to resume an altered duty. I am now your Keeper.”
She burst out laughing and walked down the long hall, past the galley and the small lounge, past the open door of her quarters where Pen was putting her lingerie in a drawer with a deliberately bland expression. She finally arrived at the control deck and she settled into the command seat.
Ikvaro settled in the nav station and Pen took up a seat at the instruments console. Twenty minutes later, they were falling through space until
Talon
could engage the engines and head for Zenfar.
It took eighteen hours to reach Zenfar and only one hour for Ikvaro to abscond with her so they could join the twelve-thousand-mile high club for whatever world they were passing.
Ylor joined her in possession of her body as they landed on Zenfar, and he coated her in power while they walked across the tarmac toward Wovian.
He had come out to greet her, but Zenfar halted his enthusiastic hug. Wovian-Zenfar bowed to her as she approached. “Greetings wandering brother and Avatar.”
“Greetings, Zenfar-Wovian.” He extended her hands, and Wovian-Zenfar put his hands on top of hers.
Energy was exchanged and details were shared on a planetary basis. When the ancient minds were done, they left them standing there with their hands together.
“You finished growing up, Wovian.”
He let out a happy shout and picked her up, swinging her around. “I thought of you every day since you left me and I hoped you were well. You are an Avatar as well now?”
“I am. He offered to save my life in return for a ride and it seemed like a fair trade.” She smiled gently and touched his cheek.
His nose twitched. “You have a mate now?”
She jerked her hand back. “You can tell that?”
“Of course. You smell like Selna but you are a Terran. Which one is yours?”
She looked over her shoulder. “Ikvaro. He is the Selna.”
“They are both Selna. One is just an albino. All the sensual potential and not allowed to use it.”
She looked over at Pen who had obviously heard. He shrugged and smiled with a nod.
“Oh-kay. That is unexpected. Right. So, can I keep the ship?”
“She is yours, Aggie. Is there anything else you need?”
“What are your clothing designers like here on Zenfar?”
He looked her over. “I think we can do better than that. You need something though. I think I will sponsor you to get some etiquette lessons at Morganti Citadel. They have a Moreski noble who can whip anyone into shape. You will need it if your career is going to take a sudden turn. Your guards can only keep you physically safe. To deal with rules and etiquette, there is no one else that can do what she can with those who already have power.”
“I will ask
Talon
to make the arrangements. She has connections with the Sector Guard and the Citadel on Morganti is associated from what I know.”
“You are correct. But please, you and your companions, come and rest. Enjoy some food. I can never thank you enough for the time you gave me. It clarified something that I had begun to doubt. I knew what I had to do, but the moment that it turned into something I wanted to do, I made the call and Zenfar was agreeable when he learned the reason I wanted to wait.”
They were walking across toward the large building where a troop skimmer was waiting for them. He had his guards, she had her guards, and when they were all on the way to the palace, she began to grin. She held Ikvaro’s hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.
He was right. Her life had gotten very strange, but at this one moment, she knew that it was going to be just fine. She had her own Keeper after all.
Keeper
led me on a strange route through a peculiar set of events. She was never supposed to be an Avatar, but the Selna element was always there.
Knell
will take us along with a woman who hears things before they happen. That doesn’t sound annoying at all.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.
Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.