Alyssa - one week later

The Aeon farmers put us up for the week it takes almost the entire working Merrel village to combine the two spaceships into one.

Their farmlands are large, rolling, lush and plentiful. They missed contact with the world, and they lost the use of the tram system. To make ourselves useful while the Merrel were taking care of the ship, Tyr and I helped them clear the trees from the tracks and we got the tram system going again. I performed light surgery to pop the cybernetic keys into the Mahdfels’ hands. Turns out I can come in useful out here after all.

The ship is pretty much done now, too, so it’s nearly time to leave.

It’s small. It’s a little bigger, apparently, than the Eclipse was and a fair amount smaller than the Prototype. There are quarters for five crew members and no more, but there is also a nursery, and a playroom for any children the crew might need to bring aboard, and each room is big enough for a family.

This new family-friendly ship needs a name.

As we stand and look at it, the Firosan system’s sun glowing over the horizon as the chill is swept away breeze by breeze, I tap my chin and rub my tummy. I can’t feel anything yet — I’m only a week gone, after all — but Aphrodite assures me I am perfectly healthy, and Tyr can still smell my pregnancy stronger every day.

“What about the New Horizons?” I ask. “The New Beginings. Or the … are we still an FMS? Is it a ship of the Mahdfel military?”

He nods firmly. Back on Paxia stuff is going crazy. Wrax has had Alko arrested and waiting trial to find out if it was actually his call to have the ship attack us. Apparently the last traitor was part of a group. Kivak wasn’t the only Mahdfel who wished for the Suhlik to mine Paxia’s resources — killing the planet and all of the ‘weak’ inhabitants.

These people, who call themselves something that translates into the ‘New Order’, which is totally one of my favorite bands and makes me crack up every time, want to end the bloodline of the Firosan Mahdfel. Since the Mahdfel believe in strength above all else, they hate the way the purple brutes live generally peacefully, thinking them weak. The Suhlik want to wipe them out, and the New Order are happy to help them out.

Sounds insane to me, and to Tyr too. But then I found out that the New Order have a pact with the Suhlik to be spared. So I figure that it’s a couple of crazy radicalists who want to wipe out the Firosan Mahdfel … and like 99% cowards who believe the Suhlik will win the war and want to be spared.

I look over at Tyr, who is staring down at me, smouldering, delicious, perfection, and I can’t imagine a world in which the Mahdfel will lose. They are power incarnate. I can feel it radiating from him.

If I concentrate really hard — maybe I’m making it up — I feel like I can feel it radiating from my core, too. His baby, as well as his influence in me. I feel stronger when I am with him.

“I have a name for the ship,” he says, holding my small hands in his big purple ones and leaning down to kiss the top of my head, stroking my hair. “I will not take no for an answer.”

We are leaving tomorrow and I am emotional about it. Merrel youngsters scurry back and forth and giggle, and the adults wave and greet us whenever we pass. They have treated us like royalty here for ‘letting’ them have so many mechanical bits and pieces. With the unusable rubble of the two ships, Loper projects a significant increase in the size of Merrelia. I’m so happy we were able to do something to pay them back.

“What is it?” I press, nudging him playfully in the ribs until he curls his thick arm around me and presses his lips against my earlobe, nipping before pulling back.

“In this vessel we will save your mother,” he murmurs. “In creating this vessel we learned who you truly are. There is no other name for her.”

I look at him expectantly.

“Meet the FMS Spitfire.”

I look back at the ship, and my eyes well up with tears.

“Oh,” I say. He pulls me in to a tight hug. “That’s fine, I guess,” I say, hiccuping as I try to remain stoic. He laughs and rocks me from side to side.

“I love you, Alyssa,” he says. “I was petrified you would change everything … and you did. And I can’t thank you enough for it.”

I laugh into his chest and feel the firm heat from his body. The radiating strength. “I love you too,” I say.