“She’s not changing her mind,” Jeck said. “You remember what it was like when we left Narova for the first time. We were shaking in our boots, never had been more than a few hundred klicks from home.”
“That was an age ago. It seems like we were never that young,” Chaytok mused.
“War does that to people,” Jeck said.
“So, you came to Earth to get away from it?” Chaytok laughed. “Hardly a day goes by on this planet that people aren’t killing each other somewhere. They might not even survive to become spacefaring.”
“I came here to find meomee. I’ve been here about six months now, and it’s peaceful in this area,” Jeck said, “Narovian Matchmaking didn’t find my mate, and I paid for the deluxe service. So I thought I’d try for myself on Earth. I have learned that many people don’t get DNA tested because of the expense.”
“Alexa said she didn’t because she already had detailed information on her ancestry,” Chaytok said. “Let’s get this done. She will have time enough to brood about our leaving. I think she is just anxious about making the break from her home world.”
“Like we were,” Jeck said. “From what I heard, Vesta Three is a beautiful place. I hope you will be happy there.”
“I think I will as long as Alexa is,” Chaytok said.
“She is meomee. She will be happy because you will be there together.”
The two men strode out of the barn to the truck parked in front of the house. Jeck opened the back to reveal two auto trams the size of shipping pallets. One was loaded with a cylindrical metal object that had a shaft protruding from each end, the star drive power accelerator. The other was a little bigger than a lawn mower engine with a small touch screen. Jeck climbed up into the truck and used voice commands in Narovian to program the coordinates of Chaytok’s ship. The trams were powerful enough that each man could ride one of them to the site to save time.
Jeck stayed to help install both items and run systems checks to be sure all systems were functioning within normal parameters. It had taken a couple hours to complete the repair and then the installation of the stasis field generator.
When they opened the cargo bay to go back for Alexa’s belongings, she was there sitting on Jetson’s back. She smiled at Chaytok when he came into view a question in his eyes as he smiled hopefully.
“I decided I wanted one more ride through the forest if we are leaving today,” she said. “I’m ready. All my things are on the porch everything should fit into the space you made for them.”
“Did you enjoy the ride,” Chaytok asked, thinking she never looked more beautiful.
“I did. The fall colors are at peak now. We stopped along the way to take pictures with my phone, but we’re ready now. Do you want me to ride him into the cargo bay? I think that might be the easiest way to get him in.”
“Yes, we can get him settled before we go back for your things. Follow me, I will show you where to go.” Chaytok turned and retreated up the cargo ramp, and Alexa urged Jetson forward.
She was proud of the way Jetson strolled up the ramp and into the makeshift stall that Chaytok had been working on since they had decided to transport him to Vesta Three. There was a small pile of grain on a shelf in front Jetson to distract him while Alexa removed his tack. He didn’t even notice when they pushed a small module beneath him to support his weight while he was in stasis. Jetson only became a little restless when they pushed a module in behind him closing him in from all sides.
Chaytok set the stasis field immediately when everyone was clear, and Jetson became motionless almost instantly. He would stay that way for the entire three weeks of their journey. Alexa turned and hugged Chaytok when the horse was settled.
“Thank you for doing this. It would have been so hard to leave Jetson behind, but I would have to be with you,” Alexa murmured and hugged Chaytok tightly. He was a good horse. It would not have been difficult to find someone who would love and care for him.
“I didn’t want to make you choose, meomee. That you would choose to come with me was enough,” he murmured, caressing her head as she pressed her cheek against the hollow of his shoulder.
Jeck cleared his throat to remind them they were not alone. Chaytok kissed the top of her head and released Alexa from his embrace.
“You and Jeck can pick up the things, and I will wait here. Everything is right at the top of the steps. I have already said my goodbyes, I can’t go back,”
“As you wish,” Chaytok said, seeming to understand. “I will be back quickly, and we will launch soon after that.”
Alexa went to the lift and took it to the upper-level living area to wait while Chaytok and Jeck went back for her things, riding the hover trams. With two of them, it didn’t take long to load the trams with Alexa’s belongings and get back to the ship. By dividing the load, they were able to return quickly on the trams. There was just enough room load the plastic totes and luggage.
When everything was secured, Jeck bent his head in salute to his friend and cousin. “Be well, be happy my friend and let me know you’re still alive out there occasionally.”
“And you.” Chaytok returned the gesture. “Thank you for your help. It was good to see you again. I hope you find meomee. You deserve it as much as anyone.
Then he was gone taking both trams back with him.
Chaytok stood in the cargo bay a few moments longer, pondering how Jeck had been there to help him on this backwater planet so far from their home and even farther from where they had fought for the Alliance. Now he was on his way to start a new life with Alexa---meomee.
He smiled to himself and gave the command to close the cargo bay. Picking up the suitcase with Alexa’s clothing and necessities, he sauntered to the lift went up to the next level. He stowed them in the bedroom and found Alexa in the sitting area.
The sultry, smoldering look he gave him left him no doubt as to what they would be doing once they were launched and heading out of the system. “Come to the bridge with me, meomee, and sit in the co-pilot’s chair while we launch.”
Alexa got up and followed him the few steps to the entrance that slid open at Chaytok’s approach. He gestured to the seat on the left for her to take it and helped her strap in, ending the procedure with a long slow kiss that sent waves of desire crashing through them. But he forced himself to pull back with great reluctance to finish the task at hand. He slid into his own seat on the right and gave the command to launch.
It was a little strange that Chaytok and Jeck could find no glitch in the guidance system nor the AI interface that would explain how the ship went so far off course. Even the star drive power converter seemed to be working properly, but they replaced it anyway. The ship’s log showed that he had made the change of course, though he didn’t remember doing so. The AI reported the malfunction. He shrugged it off to fate. Any explanation he could conjure was almost too fantastic to believe. Whatever gods where were, that brought Jeck to save him on the battlefield seemed to have conspired to bring him to Alexa to share this new life he planned on Vesta Three.
He always had just called it ‘ship’ because Destiny’s Fortune seemed a bit pretentious for the meek little star hopper. The AI’s for this model were known for their ability to assess a situation and take the appropriate action. Could he somehow have told it to do this? Not directly, of course, but through his log recordings?
Granted, they had more often than not become a stream of conscious inner musings. Chaytok may have actually said he wished for a meomee bring meaning to his life. The AI had weeks to search. Alexa had said her genealogy was fully documented for over 500 years. Could Destiny have found the feline ancestor in her family history and made the connection to his DNA on file at Narovian Matchmaking?
Would it tell him if he asked?
Chaytok shrugged it off as he glanced at Alexa and gave her an affectionate smile. “Ready?”
“I am. Let’s go.”
He gave a series of commands that would start the engine, lift off, and set course for Vesta Three. While the AI attended to that, Chaytok notified the Alliance base that he was leaving Earth.
Alexa was surprised that lift off was so smooth, without the sensation of G-force that Earth astronauts endured during launching into space. Once they reached orbit, Chaytok sent the ship on one full orbit of the earth, so Alexa could see Earth from space. She had seen it in pictures but had never dreamed she ever actually see the sight from space.
How different would life be on Earth if everyone knew all of this existed? She couldn’t quite imagine.
Finally, they left Earth orbit and went into hyperdrive, on course to Vesta. Chaytok unfastened his harness and helped Alexa get out of hers, drawing her to her feet and into his arms. She knew exactly where they were going as soon as she turned up her mouth for his kiss and felt his erection pressing against her lower belly. Her juices were flowing, and her pussy fluttered in anticipation.