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  "Welcome one and all to Survivor's Day here at the village on Barkesh!"

  "Steel's Rest!" She didn't know which voices had shouted it, but soon the crowd took on the chant.

  "Fine. Welcome to Survivor's Day at Steel's Rest."

  The hooting was tremendous.

  "For those of you who were on the ship, I am glad we survived and made it to this place where a future wasn't certain, but it was exactly what we made of it. We had a few casualties along the way, there were some errors in judgement, but we who stand here today are proof positive that survival isn't only possible, it is an absolute if you really want it."

  A cheer woke Junior, so Steel began to sway.

  "None of us are the same folks who landed here. We are better, stronger and we work as a unit. Yes, in the future, people will leave, but they carry the surviving spirit with them that we celebrate here today.

  "My thanks to Hska and the ladies and men who created the feast and prepared the beer for this festival. Congratulations to S'sran for training twenty weavers, setting up an industry that will allow us to trade woven goods with the Oefric town. Thank you to the tanners, butchers, dyers and cosmetic makers who have made life here much more pleasant. Thank you to the millers and the bakers who give us the bread we eat daily.

  "Thank you most of all to Neeva, the healer who left a nice, stable job as a healer on an Alliance warship to come here and take her chances with a bunch of misfits. It is her dedication to her art that gave me a chance to stand here and say the next thing.

  "Thank you to Wyanic who knew I was his true mate even though he was not pleased to see me that first time. Thank you for our daughter, Estelle Liaka, or as most of you know her, Junior. She has decided that her birthday will never be forgotten and she is here to prove that sometimes, even if you don't deliberately try, you will survive."

  The crowd gave a silent cheer and with a laugh, she realised they didn't want to scare the baby.

  "Happy Survivor's Day. Let's have a party!"

  She stepped down from the podium and let the silent cheers swell her chest. Pride was blooming out of every pore and she was sure that everyone could see it.

  Wyanic helped her hide her tears and he simply pretended to fuss over their new child. "Are you all right?"

  "I will be fine. I just wasn't expecting all this."

  "No one could have expected it, but destiny is a fickle bitch and fate likes to play."

  "Sounds like an Oefric saying."

  "I have no idea. Come along. There is cake."

  Wyanic's sister Havva came along to look at her niece and her face took on a fatuous look. "I think I need one of these."

  "Not out of a mate bond you don't." He was all-scowling big brother in that moment.

  "We will see." She tickled the baby and then drifted off to pick up her instrument to play for the dancing.

  The proud parents carried the child into the throng and the party swirled around them.

  Junior was sleeping next to her, her fist curled against her face, the dark fuzzy hair on her head, irresistible.

  "I can't believe she's asleep. She was up most of the day. I thought she would be far crankier."

  "She takes after her mother. All good nature."

  "Hah. Your elders don't think so. Do you think they will every ask me to visit the town again?"

  "That's a doubter. Calling the headman of the town an ass hat probably didn't help much either."

  "You can't blame me for that. He was trying to get them to develop all industries at once. You can't do that."

  "As you told him. And this is why one-fifth of the colonists are now here at Steel's Rest."

  She grunted and played with Junior's free hand.

  "What is it?"

  "Do you think I will be a good mother?"

  "I think you will be an excellent mother. Read her a story."

  She grinned and kissed him for his wonderful idea. With Wyanic watching Junior, she retrieved the books and opened one, smiling at the contents.

  Wyanic lifted the baby against his chest and Steel started to read.

  "Now, let's see. When I last read this to you, the princess was hiding from the prince. Well, the princess allowed the prince to visit her tower and spent every day waiting for his visit. He had a way of lightening her heart and giving her good advice as well as defending her from rampaging lizards."

  She smiled at Wyanic and continued. Steel read until the nervous energy in her had drained away. When she finished the story, she was leaning on his shoulder and blinking with fatigue. "So the prince and princess's baby finally joined them in the world and met all of the survivor's from her parents' ship. All welcomed her, for all of the villagers were tired of the princess fussing over the impending baby. They gave her gifts and clothing, making sure that she would want for nothing.

  "And so the prince and the princess lived happily ever after with their baby and her brother or sister on the way. The end."

  Wyanic put the baby in her cradle and tucked Steel beneath the covers, taking the book from her limp fingers. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "And a good beginning."

  Author's Note

  About the races in this book. The only ones who have appeared before are the Terrans, the Oefric (Encode, Enforce) and the Wyorans (Gift of Wyora, Wyt and Wild).

  I am sorry about the fairy tales, but it just suited the book. I think of Estelle (Steel) as Cinderella, running from her prince once she had an easy out. Steel chose the hard thing and there is something admirable in those who choose the difficult thing for the greater good.

  The plot for this book came out of planning for the zombie apocalypse. This plotting is a fun game engaged in by those who imagine how to survive if the world starts all over and they can know then what we know now. It seemed to be a good talent for a Terran to have.

  Viola Grace

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  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.