Laura Jo Phillips (42 page)

“Yes,” Jackson said.  “I believe so.”

“I do not like to think we would have refused Ellicia’s request for us to raise her children, even had we not had such a connection with her,” Clark said.  “This will sound cruel, and I promise I do not mean it to be, but think on this: if Ellicia were alive, her sons would remain here, on Earth, with her, and rightly so.  But they are meant for Jasan.”

Jackson and Rob both nodded, unable to argue that truth.

“It is also true that without the connection we felt with Ellicia, we might well have lost our minds before finding Hope,” Jackson added.  “I think that is the second reason for our connection.”

“I agree,” Clark said.  “I am concerned about raising the boys, though.  I have never heard of one Clan raising the offspring of another.  Since they are of a Lost Clan, we have no knowledge of their Clan ways or traditions, and such things are so important.  How will we teach them to be true to their Clan, when we know nothing of it?”

“That is knowledge that is lost to everyone,” Jackson pointed out.  “We will do our best, and raise them to be honorable Jasani.  That is all anyone can do.  We will love them, and that is what matters most.”  

Rob and Clark nodded.  None of them were hesitant about taking on the responsibility of raising Ellicia’s and Harlan’s sons.  They were only concerned that they had no knowledge of the Owlfen to teach them.  But there was nothing to be done about that.

“When is the ground-car supposed to get here?” Clark asked.  “I’d like to take the time to get a closer look at it today.”

“Me too,” Jackson replied.  “This afternoon, I believe.  A special transport is being brought in which will insure the that the ground-car is moved as gently as possible, without bumps or jerks.  It must be handled most carefully as we cannot take any chance of setting off another self-destruct.”

“When is the Director due to arrive?” Rob asked.

“This afternoon,” Jackson replied.  “He’s bringing a team of experts with him to go over the ground-car, as well as those items removed from the compound.”

“I think we should wait until we get a response from the Katres before we touch the ground-car,” Clark said.

“As do I,” Jackson said.  “And I think that the Director agrees.  But we must remember that this is Earth, not Jasan, and they will do as they think best, as is their right.”

Clark nodded.  He understood, and he agreed, but he didn’t want the opportunity of that Blind Sight system to be swept away with a careless touch.  It was too important.

“I checked earlier and the kitchen is fully stocked,” Rob said, changing the subject.  “Hope and Grace might enjoy a hot meal after what they’ve been through the past few days.”

“Good idea,” Clark said.  “I’ll help.”

***

Hope finished drying her hair and began braiding it as she considered her options.  She knew that she couldn’t fight the Bearens and Jasani royalty for the babies.  She had neither the money, nor the will, to engage in such a battle as that would certainly become.  Besides, they were babies, not tug-ropes.  They deserved to be loved and cherished, not fought over like the last three cookies in a room full of sugar addicts.

That left two options.  She could stay here, on Earth, and continue with her life as it had been.  She would be alone, but in many ways she had been alone for a very long time.  She loved her cousin, but his work kept him busy and she rarely saw him.  She could make an occasional trip to Jasan to visit the children, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to do it very often.  She knew exactly what it cost to travel back and forth between Earth and Jasan.  The children would barely know her at all. 

Or, she could move to Jasan.  That wouldn’t be bad.  Jasan was a beautiful and peaceful world.  The problem was, she would be even more alone there than she was here, on Earth.  At least here she had some friends, her work, and a life.  It wasn’t a lot, but she was content with it.

Be honest with yourself, Hope
, she admonished herself. 
The real problem with moving to Jasan would be the constant reminders of what should have been.

She knew with every fiber of her being that she was meant to be with the Bearens, and that they were meant to be with her.  But there were no guarantees in life, a lesson she had learned early and well.  Somehow, the Fates had gotten their threads crossed, and the Bearens had fallen in love with Ellicia instead. 

She’s gone now
, a little voice whispered in her mind. 
There’s no reason you can’t take her place.

Hope paused a moment to consider that, but quickly shook her head.  That would never work for her.  She had no desire to spend the rest of her life knowing that she was anyone’s second choice.  Since she was able to sense their emotions so clearly, she wouldn’t even be able to kid herself about it.

She tied off her braid and flipped it over her shoulder, then separated the three oddly colored sections and braided them.  When she was finished, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror for a long moment.  Only when she was satisfied that her feelings were hidden did she turn from the mirror and gather up the toiletries that Grace had purchased for her.  She left the bathroom, put all of her things together in the bedroom and tied them into a neat bundle.  Then she stripped the bed and went looking for a linen closet for clean bedding. 

By the time she reentered the kitchen she was ready to leave, so she was a little surprised to see the Bearens sitting at the table, obviously waiting for her. 

“I hope you’re hungry,” Jackson said as he rose to his feet and pulled a chair out for her. 

“Actually, I’m not,” Hope replied, not entirely truthfully.  “I’m sorry you waited for me, but you guys go ahead and eat and maybe I will see you later, at the hospital.”

“You’re leaving now?” Clark asked in surprise. 

“Yes, I want to get down to the hospital and check on the babies,” she said.

“You really should eat,” Jackson urged.  “It won’t take long, and then we’ll go to the hospital together.”

Rob reached out and lifted the covers off of the serving dishes in the center of the table, releasing delicious aromas into the room.  Hope hesitated.  She really was hungry, and had planned to grab something in the hospital cafeteria.  Only now the food on the table looked too good to resist.

“All right,” she agreed.  She took the seat Jackson was still holding for her, picked up the napkin beside her plate and shook it out.  She was surprised when Jackson picked up her plate and began putting food on it for her, and even more surprised when he passed it to Clark, who added a serving from another dish before passing it to Rob.  By the time they were done she had a plate piled with food in front of her.  She was uncertain whether she should be angry that they had served her as though she were a child, or pleased that they had such good manners. 

“Thanks,” she said uncertainly.  “Um...is Grace still sleeping?”

“No, she left a while ago,” Clark replied.  “She got a call from the hospital telling her that Berta was conscious this morning, and she went to see her.”

“That’s great news,” Hope said.  “I was so worried about her.”

They ate silently for a time, but it wasn’t a comfortable silence.  There were too many strong emotions being bottled up by each of them.  Hope felt as though she should say something, start some kind of conversation, but she could not think of a neutral subject besides the weather, and she was not quite that desperate.

“How much do you know about the Brethren?” Jackson asked her, speaking so suddenly that it startled her.

“Only what Berta told us,” she replied.  “I’d never heard of them until I woke up in the desert the other day.  What about you?  What do you guys know about them?”

“Very little,” Jackson replied.  “We believe they are descendants of a race of beings called the Narrasti, who probably arrived on Earth several thousand years ago.”

“Let me guess, the Narrasti were reptiles,” Hope said.

“Yes,” Jackson replied.  “Berta told you that?”

Hope nodded.

“Did she tell you anything else about them?”

“She said that she overheard the guards mention that the leader of the Brethren was off-planet,” Hope replied.  “I can’t remember his name though.  She also said that we were taken because there was a chance we were each something called
berezi
, and that the leader was able to determine that by scent.  If it turned out we were not
berezi
, we would have our memories wiped and be returned to our lives.  Otherwise, we would be brood mares to the most reptilian of them.”  Hope thought a moment.  “That’s about all she told us.  It was enough.”

“Sounds like we need to spend some time talking with Berta,” Jackson said. 

“Be careful with her,” Hope said, frowning sternly at him.  “She’s been a prisoner for over sixty years, and she’s not in the best of health.”

“We would treat her with the utmost respect, as a woman, as an elder, and as one who has endured with great courage,” Jackson said, surprised that she would think otherwise. 

“I don’t know why the Brethren matter to you guys anyway,” Hope said.  “You’re leaving for Jasan soon, and the Brethren are an Earth problem.”

Clark frowned and opened his mouth to respond, but Jackson shook his head sharply and he subsided.  It was clear that Hope was very tense about something, and she appeared to be angry with them.  Jackson wasn’t sure why, but he doubted it had anything to do with whether the Brethren were an Earth problem or not.  As much as he wanted to ask her about it, instinct told him that this was not the right time for it.  He searched for something else to say, watching as Hope reached for the glass of juice in front of her plate.

“Do you mind if I look more closely at the markings on your wrist?” he asked.

Hope took a drink from her glass before setting it down and holding her wrist out for Jackson to see.

“They are very beautiful,” he said after a moment.  “What is their meaning?” 

“They’re birds that we call
owls
,” Hope replied.  “My family is Greek, and this particular style of the bird is very old in the Greek culture.  This one is for my mother, Minerva,” Hope said, turning her wrist and pointing at the one with eyes the color of a spring sky.  “This one is for my Aunt Olivia,” she said, indicating one with green eyes.  “This one is for my cousin Harlan, and this one is for me,” she concluded, indicating the one with amber eyes, and the one with turquoise eyes.

“They are to remind me that even though my loved ones are no longer here, they are always with me.” 

Hope’s voice broke half way through the last sentence, but she forced herself to finish, and refused to allow her tears to fall.  The surprise she felt when all three Bearens set their forks down, raised their right fists to their hearts, and bowed their heads, helped her to regain control of her emotions.

“That is our way of expressing our sorrow for your losses,” Jackson said after a moment.  Hope could only nod, the sudden lump in her throat preventing her from speaking.  Maybe she didn’t have such good control after all.

“The lettering in between each owl,” Jackson said after Hope had a moment to compose herself.  “What does it mean?” 

“It’s the names of my family written in Greek,” Hope replied. 

“You know Greek?” Clark asked.

“Some,” Hope replied.  “Why?”

Clark tapped his vox, then removed it from his ear and held it out to Hope.  “Can you listen to this and let us know if you understand it?” he asked.  “We’ve been trying to translate it for weeks now.”

“I can try,” Hope said as she accepted the vox and put it to her ear.  Clark reached over and gave the vox a short double-tap, and Hope heard a woman’s voice speak into her ear.  She smiled. 

“Sure, I know what that means,” she said.  “My Mom used to say that to me when I was a child.  It’s an old Greek proverb.  It means
When all is gone, there is still hope
.”

The Bearens stared at her for a long moment which made her uncomfortable again.  She handed the vox back to Clark and reached for her juice, just to have something to do.  When she set the glass back down, she decided she had eaten enough, and put her napkin on the table.

“If you’re finished, we can leave now,” Jackson offered.

“Yes, thank you,” Hope said. 

All of a sudden she had an intense need to see the babies.  She wondered about that as she followed the Bearens out of the bungalow and through the neatly paved streets of the base to the hospital.  It wasn’t until she stepped into the hospital elevator that she realized that she did still have family left, after all.  Those babies were Harlan’s sons, which made them blood relatives.  And soon, the Bearens would be taking them to the far end of the Thousand Worlds where she might never see them again.

Chapter
49

Jasan, Dracon’s Ranch

Darleen was nervous about facing the Jasani Princes.  Particularly High Prince Garen.  It was no secret that he didn’t like her, and she understood why.  She only hoped that he would not let his personal feelings stand in the way of allowing her to do what she knew she had to do.