She followed his direction and sat with her legs loosely crossed. He sat behind her and once again wrapped around her. He poured energy into her until her skin was tingling.
“Now, think of your parents and hold their image in your mind.”
Vida pulled her memory of her parents’ energy patterns in toward her and held them tight.
“Good. Now, extend your mind toward them, keeping your mind focussed.”
“Should I close my eyes?”
“Not yet.” He made a small gesture and the theatre above them filled with stars.
“Vida, keep your eyes open and look through those stars. Try to see what they face when they look up through the night sky.”
She shivered and followed his low instructions, trying to fasten more firmly to her parents, hundreds of worlds away. Her parents were blind but they had a feeling for space that she hoped would kick in.
Vida actually felt a flicker on the other end. “I have a connection!”
“Excellent. Hold it and remain calm. Find an image of the night sky through their eyes. Find it and hold it.”
She looked through her father’s eyes and saw the signature of a red star, a blue planet with orbital rings, and a series of moons. Vida relayed them all to S’rin, and he relayed them to the man running the projector.
“Now, close your eyes and look. Tell us what does and doesn’t match.”
He kept her power level high, but she could feel her father fading. She sealed the memory in her mind and said, “I have to let him go. He is tired.”
“Fair enough. Look and tell us what you see.”
She looked through closed eyes and shook her head. “Not that one. The rings are whiter.”
“More moons.”
“Redder sun.” The feeling on her face needed more energy.
Nineteen different combinations were found, and finally, she opened her eyes and senses. “That is it. That is the one.”
S’rin helped her to her feet, and she was able to line herself up until she had the same view that her father did. “That moon shouldn’t be there. I can’t see it through my father’s vision.”
S’rin smiled and expanded the view of the moon. It was green, lush and heavily armed with bases and turrets visible from space. “Your parents are on this moon. That is why you couldn’t see it. They are standing on it.”
She smiled and took a few steps before she collapsed.
Dr. Meevin shook her head, looming over Vida with a curious look. “You unmated morons. I am shocked how you Gaians fight the bonding. You should have locked in the moment you met.”
Vida sat up and groaned. “What the hell?”
S’rin was next to her in an instant. “You fainted. Your system was in shock.”
Meevin flicked her hand at him. “If you were accurate when you said she had sent her mind across the stars, I have no doubt that she was in shock. She was lucky that her brain wasn’t scrambled.”
“She is sturdier than that, and I was backing her up.”
“And yet, you aren’t linked, so it was not a perfect seal. Idiots.”
Vida rubbed her head and swung her legs off the medical bed. “You have an excellent grasp of the Gaian language, Doctor.”
“It has been growing by leaps and bounds since your compatriots have begun arriving. No one gets into odd medical scrapes like a Gaian.”
“We have a talent for it.”
Meevin laughed. “That is what you all say. Now, you are fine, you need to eat and get some sugar in you. Your system is out of balance, oddly enough.”
“I will see that she gets what she needs, Doctor.” S’rin helped her off the table and held her against him for a moment.
“See that you do. I have never seen a Gaian with mating weakness before, but I suppose there is a first time for everything.”
Vida made a face and said, “Thank you, Dr. Meevin.”
S’rin walked out with his arm around her, hauling her along.
“We are going to lunch?”
He made an odd sound. “No, we are going to the mating gardens. Then, we are going to lunch.”
“What?”
“In a woman of the Nine, your little fainting spell is considered a sign that a true mate has been found. The bonding is carried out immediately before your body goes into full revolt.”
“But I am not a lady of the Nine, so what is going on?”
“We don’t know, but if a bonding can solve it, we will not wait. Will you bond with me?”
She snorted. “Yes, S’rin. I will.”
Over lunch, Vida tried to recall the details, but all she knew was that he had bitten her, she had sliced him and their mingled blood was placed into a stone that registered their union.
There had been some vows about sharing everything, but all she remembered was the glow of his soul as he looked at her with his entire being. It had been like being bathed in adoration.
She was hungry enough to devour her meal, but she didn’t remember it either. They were eating in the Balance section of the ship and the meals were carefully prepared and designed to please the eye. All she saw was S’rin.
After the meal, he took her to his quarters and they rivaled Ziggy’s for space. He disrobed and removed the black and white suit that he wore underneath. His skin had the same swirling light all over.
Vida shucked her clothes off and folded them neatly before turning to S’rin and taking his hand. He led her into the bedroom and kept the lights off.
Together, they struck a balance, and when it was over, they did it again.
Epilogue
She slapped dust off her clothing and headed for the gates. Two guards tried to bar her way, but a short glare from her and they backed off.
She entered the building and waited while the eager receptionist ran to get the ambassador.
Daphne was at his side, and she smiled warily. “Hello.”
She nodded curtly and turned to the ambassador. “Ambassador Apolan, I am Ianka Senior and I believe my sister needs to discuss something with me. I need to get to the mother ship.”
Author’s Note
Well, we just got a peek at Ianka. She is the main character in
Tracking
when she is linked to a member of the Fury and follows the trail of Ula’s probe to the world where her parents are waiting.
Easy.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
About the Author
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.
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