Star Chasers Read online

  “That is a lot of interesting social structure.” She smiled slightly and brushed the dirt off her hands.

  “You are away from your contained world now. Different cultures have different issues, and it colours the way we deal with the universe around us. Survival is the key issue for most species and mine was no exception.”

  Ember looked at him, and he was wearing a serious expression. “Wait, so am I doing something horrible by using these seeds?”

  “No. They are also used to make gardens when we homestead. As we are currently not going anywhere, I think this is very appropriate for our home.”

  She glanced around her and nodded. “It is starting to feel like home. We have a butler and a parent living with us.”

  Cross smiled wryly, “In us.”

  “That too.” She rose to her feet. “Monitor, can you activate a watering cycle?”

  “Of course, Ember.”

  A series of small nozzles appeared at ground level, and the soft mist that emerged clung to the soil before it began to dampen the ground.

  She looked at Cross, and he stood straight. “I just have to wash up. Would you like to have dinner again?”

  He nodded. “I would. I would also like to look at the stars with you.”

  Ember blinked, and she nodded shyly. “That sounds pleasant.”

  He chuckled. “You are hard on my ego.”

  She shrugged and headed for the door. “I am learning as I go.”

  “You have mastered keeping me in my place.”

  “I needed a hobby.” She giggled as she left level thirty and used the open span in the center of the level to levitate herself to the fortieth floor. From there, she headed to her room, washed her hands and brushed her hair. Date night was becoming one of her favourite moments on the station. If she could get her nerve up, she was going to try to summon his soul tonight.

  Ember walked out of her quarters, and she met Cross on the way to the dining hall.

  “I haven’t asked Polarium, but why is this station so big?”

  Cross chuckled. “I asked. It fell through one of the rifts. Monitor came with it, so Polarium reprogrammed it for his Avatar. It makes a nice home base and the bots that are available keep things clean and functioning. They were programmed for our needs.”

  “So, he knew he was going to be getting an Avatar?”

  “He had one before me, but when you don’t have a place to rest and recharge, it drives you mad. Komil begged for death, and eventually, Polarium let him go.”

  Cross held her chair for her and stroked her shoulders before he walked around and took his seat.

  “So, that is our way to quit? Polarium works us until we die?”

  Cross shook his head as a bot pulled up with their meals. “No, we are Avatars now. We are no longer the species that we were born to. We will work for Polarium, we save lives and keep folk from getting lost, and we will remain together as long as Polarium maintains us.”

  She nodded. “Together?”

  He took her hand and rubbed his thumb along her palm. “Together. We make a good team. He was not wrong about that.”

  She blushed. “I would have to agree. You have skills and practices that I could never duplicate.”

  “You have a light touch that doesn’t cause bleed through in the energy lines.”

  Ember chuckled. Their compliments were getting weirdly specific.

  She got up, walked around the table and sat in his lap. She smiled. “Keep talking.”

  He laughed and leaned in to kiss her, and their meal was left on the table.

  He summoned her soul twice, and they were spooning on the floor, watching the stars through the force screen.

  He measured her hand against his and smiled when she wiggled her fingers. “You are very loud.”

  She chuckled. “There was no one here to hear it but you.”

  Cross smiled happily. “I am a devoted audience for your song.”

  She laughed with a blush on her cheeks. “I am glad you could work out the difference in biology.”

  “It only took me a moment. You feel wonderful.”

  She blushed again.

  They lay together for hours, her robe over top of them and the rotation of the station showing them their star before it rotated out to the empty expanse that led to other tiny stars in the distance.

  It was a pretty good night when she looked at it from outside her situation, and from inside her own mind, she thought it was amazing.

  Chapter Nine

  Ember was tired. She stomped across level fifty, and she glared around her when she heard Monitor’s voice.

  “Ember, you have a letter.”

  Her mood swung from grim to hopeful so fast she felt her brain snap. “I do?”

  “You do.”

  She sprinted to the com center and slid into the chair. “Play it.”

  “Yes, Avatar.”

  She wrinkled her nose, and to her shock, it wasn’t Margo. The woman had long dark hair, was wearing Master’s robes and there was a raptor of some kind on her shoulder.

  “Avatar Ember, my name is Veera. I am the head of Citadel Balen. I am contacting you to let you know that your daughter is en-route to you. Please notify the Citadel when she arrives.”

  She kept talking, but Monitor interrupted. “Ember, there is a ship approaching.”

  Ember looked around. “Is it...”

  “There is an Azon vessel on a slow approach. They are hailing the station. Should I answer?”

  “Yes!” She slammed her hands down on the arms of the chair, got up and ran for the door before she remembered that she could fly.

  Cross was coming in as she flew past. He called out a query, but it was Monitor who had to fill him in. Ember had a ship to meet.

  She paced back and forth, waiting for the ship to extend a docking bridge. Cross came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “If she is on this vessel, you will only have to wait a few minutes.”

  “Are you holding in your radiation?”

  He laughed. “I am. Are you?”

  “Oh, shit.” She quickly pulled back all the power that her excitement was radiating.

  Cross’s arms were still moving with his silent chuckle when the ship docked, and the seal was made.

  Ember’s palms were sweaty. Four figures in military suits came toward them and paused at the entryway.

  Cross leaned down, “You have to open the gate by command or touch.”

  She nodded and stepped out of his embrace, pressing her palm to the glowing section of the wall. The door opened, and the four travellers stepped in.

  Ember stood next to Cross, and she watched as the newcomers took scans before removing their headgear.

  Ember looked into the eyes that were so much like her own. She wanted to cry. Instead, she inclined her head. “Hello, Margo.”

  Her daughter gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Ember blinked at the familiarity of the gesture.

  The purple-blue Azon next to her supported her with a hand under her arm. Ember smiled. “You must be the flyer.”

  He blinked. “Kabro in Korzik. Citadel Specialist.”

  “I am Avatar Ember-Polarium. This is my mate, Avatar Cross-Polarium.”

  The bow that she got from the Azon and the two escorts that had come with them was profound.

  Ember blushed.

  Margo was staring. “I can’t believe... you look younger than me.”

  Cross cleared his throat. “Technically, she is. The pod had a temporal restriction that kept her the same age that she went in with, aside from a few days of maintenance.”

  Margo reached out and then curled her fingers back.

  Ember nodded with a lump in her throat. “May I give you a hug?”

  Margo nodded and surged forward, grabbing Ember as if she never wanted to let go. Ember felt the same and held on, trying to absorb every moment of her daughter’s life in that one contact.

  When th
ey parted, Ember stroked Margo’s hair away from her forehead, and the other woman laughed.

  Ember smiled. “What?”

  “That is the same thing I do to my son. His hair sticks up everywhere.”

  Ember’s knees buckled. “I am a grandmother?”

  Margo grinned. “Yeah. I thought you knew.”

  Ember shook her head. “It has been over a year since I got a letter.”

  I got the letters. I ordered Monitor to keep them aside. This was my surprise for you.

  Ember was speechless. “You were invited.”

  Margo suddenly looked unsure. “I thought we were.”

  Ember blinked as she realized what Margo was thinking. “No, I want you here. I am so happy to have you here, but the star invited you on my behalf and kept it from me.”

  Kabro caught on. “The stellar presence took over her body and kept her mind out of it. There are two people living in your mother’s body. She is only one of them.”

  He touched his wife’s shoulder.

  The small touch seemed to wake Margo. “Right. That was described, I just thought you would be looking forward to this as long as I was.”

  “Oh, honey, I have been looking forward to this since the day we were separated. Never think for an instant that I didn’t have you in my thoughts. Even Polarium got tired of hearing about you, so he started to give me more personal time.”

  Cross chuckled. “Polarium loves those who live in his domain, but Ember’s obsession with you gives him a headache, and he doesn’t have a head.”

  Margo chuckled.

  Ember looked at the men behind the couple. “Not to be rude, but who are they?”

  Margo blinked. “Oh, right. These are two Citadel members who have interest in stellar Avatars and living stars. They want to ask you questions. Your star approved them coming.”

  I did. There are more of my kind waking and even more in need of a way to communicate. If the Citadel can run an Avatar recruitment, we could have Avatars who come to us of their own free will.

  Ember answered him silently, Instead of mail ordering them like a talking toaster.

  Precisely.

  Ember nodded. “Of course. I have just been briefed, if you would like to follow me to the observation deck, I can answer any questions you have.”

  Cross put his arm around her shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I will take them. You spend time with your daughter.”

  Ember smiled at him and watched him take the other two of their guests off to learn the ways of stars with bodies.

  She turned back to Margo and Kabro. “Would you like to see the gardens?”

  Margo grinned. “Please. I didn’t think you could grow much with this level of ambient radiation.”

  Ember began to walk toward the lift. “They are shielded.”

  Kabro looked around. “I am guessing that they would have to be.”

  She took them to the gardens, and she smiled when she saw Margo’s mouth open. “There are so many of them.”

  Ember walked to the plants she called Cross’s trees. “I planted one for every year of your life that I missed. I guess I can stop planting now.”

  “What are the small bushes everywhere?”

  “Ah, I planted one of those low bushes for every month I have been on the station. I am going to have to stop soon, I am running out of room.” Ember laughed and touched one of the little fire-red bushes.

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Just over two years. There are twenty-five little shrubs all doing their thing for oxygen creation and atmosphere scrubbing.”

  Kabro looked around. “It seems like more than that.”

  “Each original plant reproduces itself every three months. I have to keep drying and pulverizing them before I put them into the recycler or they gum up the works.”

  Kabro was intensely interested in the plants, and Margo smiled and said, “His family has greenhouses.”

  Ember answered what she could and had Monitor answer what she couldn’t.

  Ember wandered over to where Margo was admiring a bloom. “You said you had a child?”

  “Yes. A son. He’s on the warship.”

  Ember fought the urge to get her ass into that ship right away. She cleared her throat. “Can I meet him?”

  Margo bit her lip. “You would have to come on board. He isn’t radiation resistant, nor could we find a suit in his size.”

  Ember nodded. “Of course.”

  “If you let us get the halls cleared, you can come and meet him if he is in a containment shell.”

  Ember smiled. “I would like that.”

  “We are staying here for the week as long as our shielding holds out, so we have a date.”

  Over the next week, Ember learned about the family that had adopted Margo, their lives, their comfort, and their determination that she not feel confined. They gave her the confidence and competence to be free, and she used it.

  Ember brushed at her bodysuit and her robes on the last day that the warship was docked.

  Cross was already up and speaking to the representatives of the Citadel. Ember was going over to the warship to meet her grandson.

  She walked up to the connected pathway and opened the door. The walkway out across empty space should have freaked her out if she hadn’t spent the last two years fighting tears in the universe.

  The door to the ship was waiting, and they had a proper airlock. Ember was rarely invited onto the ships that she boarded, so it was a bit of a surprise to see the command crew there and bowing to her. As she passed, she noted a few curious glances and at least two recording devices. It was a good thing she had brushed her hair. This was a historic moment for someone.

  Margo looked so happy and relaxed, she grabbed Ember’s hand and hauled her through the ship to an area that had private quarters in it. Margo opened the door with a flourish.

  “Ember Velar, may I present to you your grandson, Embiru. Wait, where the hell is he?” Margo looked at the large shielded pod in the center of the room, and Ember laughed.

  “He is in the center, chewing on something. He is using a blending technique.” Ember smiled. “You did the same. You only appeared on half the ultrasounds I had. They were panicking and thought I had hysterical pregnancy while you were just playing peekaboo.”

  Margo sighed and glanced at her. “Do you have your radiation tamped down?”

  “I am holding it in.”

  “Good.” Without any warning, Margo flipped the pod open and reached for her son. The child was scooped up, and the next moment, he was in Ember’s arms.

  Ember blinked. “You said his name was...”

  “Embiru. It was my tribute to you as I had just gotten your letter before he was born. Knowing that you were out here facing the same stuff that I was, brought me closer to you than I thought possible.”

  Ember smiled. “Embiru. I am pleased to meet you. I am your grandma Ember. What is that you are holding?”

  Margo reached out and brushed Embiru’s hair from his forehead. “When I was growing up, there were pictures of me holding this doll. My parents kept it, and when I left for the stars, I took it with me. When I was a teenager, my mom told me that my birth mom had made the doll and I screamed when they tried to take it away, so they let me keep it.”

  Ember blinked at the little grey, scruffy dolly. “I did make one for you. It had a little petticoat, stitched eyes, and hair that was embroidered in place so no baby would choke on it.”

  “Embiru was born with his fangs starting, so he has been rough on it. We both love it though. He sleeps with it every night.”

  Embiru looked up at Ember with the doll stuffed in his mouth and his giant green-gold eyes bright. He looked like a little blue lion and his grandma’s heart just melted.

  “I am very glad to meet you, little dude.”

  He took his mouth off the doll and gave her a wide and predatorially toothy grin.

  Margo chuckled. “Thankfully, bottle
feeding is accepted by Kabro’s family of Azon.”

  Ember laughed. “I can see why that would be a good idea.”

  She was going to say more when she felt a disturbance in the ship.

  She kissed Embiru, hugged Margo, and whispered, “I am going to keep in touch, but for now, I have to work.”

  She left Margo’s quarters and ran for the shuttle bay. She wasn’t going to make it in time.

  Turn left and jump. We can leave via the stargazer dome.

  Righto. Ember bolted past a number of crew members who flattened back to get out of her way. The collision alarm was sounding.

  Ember jumped, wrapped herself in star fire and passed through the shielded window on the observation deck.

  The problem was apparent. A war had spilled into Polarium’s realm, and a ship was heading straight for the Azon cruiser.

  Ember sped up and formed a ball of power in front of her hands. It acted as a cushion as she pushed as hard and fast as she could. The spread of power kept her from breaking through the ship and slowly stopped the vessel a few hundred yards from the Azon ship.

  Once it was stopped, she got it moving again. Cross was dealing with other vessels, and she pushed the ship back through the hole where other embattled ships were fighting.

  Ember didn’t care about the other ships right then. It was enough to keep Margo and Embiru safe, along with Kabro if she had to stretch her protection.

  She shoved the ship back through the portal and wove pieces of space back together as Cross did the same with his burdens. When the ships were through, she sealed the rift and turned back to look at the station.

  Polarium, is anyone injured?

  No, but they are leaving. Their shields took a jolt when you passed through them. It isn’t safe for their personnel here.

  Right. Glad I said goodbye.

  Your daughter is impressive. Very much your genetic inheritor.

  Ember was ridiculously pleased by that. Thank you.

  Cross came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. He got her back to the station, and he held her while she sobbed.