E:A Vol 2 Ch 3—August 22, 2118

A thorough search of the High Chancellor’s estate yielded nothing in regards to a mechanical telepathic enhancing device. It took the Vice Chancellor weeks to get through every room, chamber, and hidden closet, but still there was nothing. The First Science Commander’s device, however, did work but only with Zy’nayth. Not even the Vice Chancellor could activate it.

Meanwhile, Vince, John, Be’atta, Chris, Kaven, and Simon had their own work to do. Not only were they set to destroy another Gyhan outpost, concern over Zy’nayth’s position, should Victoria not be healed, meant pushing their plans for defending Terra 2 against a Rayth attack into high gear. To try and do it without alerting Zy’nayth, Kol’non, and Ja’val who were constantly on Terra 2, meant meetings late at night in out of the way locations. And though Becket was a civilian, he was the Chief Medical Officer and part of the command staff, but given his close relationship with Victoria and his working relationship with Ja’val, they couldn’t risk him inadvertently divulging any information about their plans, so he wasn’t included in the meetings.

If Victoria’s condition didn’t improve, it would mean difficulties for the High Chancellor. If Zy’nayth had to leave in order to deal with his situation, or worse, was ousted from his position, if that was even possible, it left a wide valley of uncertainty for the Expedition: Andromeda team. Would Kol’non still protect them? How much information did the rebels have? Would Terra 2 become a gathering ground for the Rayth?

A Rayth invasion was always a possibility that the entire military team had been preparing for from the moment they first learned about the Rayth, but things were different now. Much more dangerous. The Rayth flagship was often in orbit around their planet. There had also been traitors on that ship, which meant that the information about their location could have been spread around the fleet.

Cavanaugh knew they had no weapons to use against a ship attack, but they could plan for a contingency where the Rayth invaded their little city. And right now, he wanted only a select team working on that project. So the team worked long hours on that plan alone. On top of which, they planned and carried out the destruction of the third outpost on their list. They skipped over the second outpost since it had been abandoned.

Meanwhile, Becket and Ja’val worked together to make sure Zy’nayth could use his telepathy on Victoria without injuring her in hopes of clearing out the mess that had been made at the shock of Zy’nayth leaving and taking her precious children. When they certain it could pose no harm to her other than nausea or a headache, and when Zy’nayth felt confident he knew how to go about the process, they set up the date to try it out.

“This will monitor her synaptic activity,” Becket said as he tried to get a wired cap on Victoria who was swatting at his attempts. “If it looks like it’s overloading her brain, the monitor, there at the bottom, will start flashing. Victoria, it’s not going to hurt, please, love.” He sighed and made another attempt. “Green is normal, yellow is elevated activity, orange dangerous, red…you get the idea. According to the First Science Commander, given Victoria’s sensitivity to telepathy and her current condition, yellow activity would be uncomfortable but acceptable; we don’t want to get into the orange and red areas. The rest of the monitors are heart, BP, the normal routine.” He sighed, “Victoria, please, let me put this on you.”

“She is fighting you because you are blocking her view of the children,” Zy’nayth said. “She must see them at all times.”

“I think she’s fighting me because she enjoys making me suffer,” Becket smiled but moved to the other side of the bed to make another attempt. This time, he was successful. “Okay, there you go. Janice, fire everything up, let’s make sure everything’s working properly. Victoria lay back, love,” Becket said.

“Can she remain sitting up?” Zy’nayth asked, “Again, she needs to see the children.”

“I’d rather she be relaxed.”

“She will not relax if she cannot see the children,” Zy’nayth said. “I am sorry, it is how she is now. I can barely get her to sleep in our room. She would rather sleep in the rocking chair in the children’s room.”

Becket adjusted the settings of the bed so that the back was upright but still slanted enough to let her recline. She did so once she was sure she could still see her babies who were being held by John and Be’atta across the room.

“Okay, everything looks good,” Becket said, after checking the monitors and other equipment, including a crash cart in case things went bad. “Science and I are both watching the monitors and will alert you if you need to stop. All right, you can begin whenever you’re ready.”

Zy’nayth took his wife’s hand, closed his eyes and began to link his mind to hers. Immediately the monitor shot into the yellow, dangerously close to orange. “A little high,” Becket said in his soft Scottish accent, “probably just startled her. No worries, it’s coming down already. Good, perfect.”

Chris came in and took Mik’kenna from Be’atta who went to Victoria’s other side and held her hand. “How long does he think it’ll take?” Chris whispered to John.

“Depends on how well she tolerates it. He’s hoping to get through to her in under an hour. That’s if it even works.”

“He’s sure it will,” Chris replied as Kaven came in. John handed Ky’nayth to the tall warrior and stretched his arms.

“Don’t need to work out later. There’s some heft to that little guy,” John smiled.

“Warrior material,” Kaven said as he plopped the boy on his hip. “Strength, curiosity, yup, warrior material.”

The three men alternated handling the babies, making sure, per Zy’nayth’s instructions, that Victoria could always see them. They paced back and forth, doing their best to keep the kids entertained.

“Pulse is rising,” Becket said after about ten minutes, “nothing serious. Still in the yellow. All other vitals stable.”

Another ten minutes passed and Be’atta found herself tending to Victoria’s silent tears. Victoria closed her eyes and gripped the sheets. “NOOOOOO!” she cried out then began gasping for air and sobbing. “Zy!”

“Victoria,” the deep, gravelly voice said softly, “I am here.”

Her green eyes flew open and she saw her husband for the first time in just under five months. “Zy?”

“I am here, Victoria.”

She looked down at all of the wires and felt the cap on her head. “Ky! Kenna!” she exclaimed as she pulled off the cap and yanked off the wires. The men brought the babies over to her and she smothered her children with kisses.

“Hey Doc, you back with us?” Kaven asked.

“Was I gone?” she asked in return.

“In a manner of speaking,” John replied. “Good to have you back, Victoria.”

Soon the room was flooded with her friends but after only few minutes, Becket insisted that everyone leave. Once both Becket and Ja’val were sure there were no adverse effects, Becket helped Victoria and Zy’nayth back to their chambers with the babies. Then he sat and answered Victoria’s numerous questions about what had happened to her.

“You need anything else before I go?” he asked, “That’s a lot to digest in one sitting.”

“I’m okay,” she smiled though tears ran down her cheeks. “I just need a good cry. And food. I’m starving.”

“Babies have been fed and changed,” Janice said, “and are fast asleep already. I’ll run to the mess and get you something to eat. I’ll take off for a bit to allow you some privacy, but I’ll be back around 5:00 with dinner and to feed the kids. I’ll stay the night just to make sure nothing pops up unexpectedly.”

“Thank you, Janice,” Zy’nayth said then saw the her and Becket to the door.

Victoria hadn’t said a word to her husband since coming out of semi-catatonic state. After the door closed, he took off his jacket, flung it into a chair then sat beside his wife.

“Why?” she asked, through her tears. “What did I do to make you want to leave me?”

“It was not you,” he replied then explained why he did what he had done. “It was wrong. I am so very sorry, Victoria. I did not anticipate your reaction to be so severe. This did not happen when you were taken to Earth.”

“I knew you’d come for me then. This time…you divorced me, you took my kids, there was no way to contact you, you…you cut out the braid,” she began sobbing, “it was final. At least if you’d said…that you were trying to…” she wiped at her tears, “to keep me from pain and stuff, I could have…I don’t know, maybe had some hope.”

“I thought what I was doing was best for you. You were so—seemingly so—upset at my job. I am sorry, Victoria.” He got down on his knees and bowed his head, “I am so very sorry, my beloved. I beg for your forgiveness. I will do anything you ask of me.”

She saw the braid in his hair, “You made a new braid? Without me? You…”

“No,” he replied with his head still bowed, “you did. You would not let go of the other, the one I cut out. When I brought your hands to my hair, you made a new one automatically.”

She reached out and unwove the braid. “I’m not your wife anymore. I’m not part of you anymore.”

“You are my heart,” he replied. “Victoria, I was wrong. I should have talked with you. Please believe that I still love you. I thought you would be better off with someone else. Someone who…”

“Had a desk job?” she asked, repeating what she said that night they were on the dock, the night he had mistaken her intended meaning and left with the twins.

“Yes. I thought you would have forgotten me quickly, and found someone else, Becket, someone who would not put your life in danger. Someone you would not have to worry about. I wanted you to be happy. I wanted you safe.”

“I was happy with you. I was happy with my kids. I told you that. I told you…” she stopped to wipe at her tears again, “How could I be happy without you and my kids? You took my kids from me!”

Zy’nayth kept his head bowed as he begged for forgiveness. “I am so sorry, Victoria. Please forgive me. Please. I love you so much. I was so very wrong.”

Victoria sighed and ran her fingers through his hair and though her voice was soft, she said, “I’m too angry, Zy.”

“What must I do to make this right?” he asked. “Please, I will do anything.”

“I need time to think. I’ve lost a few months of my life. Months of my kids’ lives. I need time.”

***

“I thought you left?” Victoria said as she walked into the bedroom after helping Janice feed and change the babies. Zy’nayth was in the bedroom, already in his pajamas.

“Left?”

“I thought you went to your ship. We’re not married. You can’t stay here with me. Go back to your ship,” she waved him away.

“I cannot. It is not even in the solar system.”

“You’re here without your ship?”

“Much has changed. I will sleep on the sofa.”

“You don’t fit on the sofa. Bridge back to the island or your estate.”

“My return to my homeworld, when they believe I am on the flagship, would raise questions I cannot answer right now. The sofa will be fine. I will have General Cavanaugh provide separate quarters tomorrow.”

“Wait, stay here. I’ll take the sofa.”

“You need to be comfortable. I do not.”

“One night isn’t going to kill me.”

“Victoria, this is your bed. Please.”

“I’m not going to…you’re a foot longer than that sofa, you’ll break your neck.”

He groaned, “We shall share this bed, then. I will not touch you. You have my word.”

“Yeah. I had your word you’d never leave me. That didn’t exactly go so well,” she said then sighed, “Okay, fine. Keep to your side. Put a shirt on.”

He gave her a slight bow as she went to the bathroom to change. He was in the bed when she returned, his back to her side of the bed. She shut off the lights and crawled in beside him.

August 29, 2118

Over the next few days she learned about the status of the Rayth fleet and the war with the Gyhan. Zy’nayth moved into separate chambers but spent most of his day with Victoria and the twins.

It was the end of her first week of being back to her normal self, the babies were down for the night and she and Zy’nayth were in the main room talking as they did every evening, trying to work through Victoria’s pain.

She took Zy’nayth’s hand into her own and gave it a tender kiss. “I forgive you, Zy,” she said softly.

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, “Thank you, my beloved.”

“I forgive and I love you but…I’ve made a decision.” She squeezed his hand, “I can’t go back to being your wife. After Jason…I promised myself no one would ever hurt me again. I know you didn’t mean to. I know you were just wanting me to be safe and happy. But…” she began to cry, “what you did to me hurt me more than anything Jason ever did. I forgive you, I do, but it hurts so much. I’m sorry, Zy, I’m sorry, I can’t be your wife.”

He let out a long sigh, “I understand. I wish it were otherwise, but I have only to myself to blame. I am thankful that you have forgiven me.”

“You should go back to your ship. Find those traitors and win this war.”

“That was my intention if this was to be your decision.”

“I want to keep the kids. I know you’ve waited ten thousand years for them, but…they should be with me, not on a warship.”

“I would like to see them. Please do not keep them from me. They…”

Victoria stopped him with a finger to his lips, “As if I could. You’re welcome to visit them any time, day or night. You can take them on little trips, if you want. I want you to be a part of their lives. They need you. And…I’ve already talked to John and Chris, I’m having that big bed of ours taken out and have two smaller ones brought in. They’re going to help me move things around after you return to your ship. I just…it’s not proper, but, you’re here most of the time anyway, and when you come to visit the kids, I don’t want to restrict your visits in any way. This way you won’t have to leave when I want to go to bed. We’ll share the same bedroom but have different beds.”

“You do not have to do this.”

She shook her head, “I want to. They are your children too, and I know how much they mean to you. I don’t know how long you’re going to be gone at a stretch while you’re out there fighting the Gyhan, so the least I can do is be accommodating in this little part of your life. Besides, I don’t know how to raise Rayth kids. I really sort of need you here for them.”

“This means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“Zy, I do love you. I always will. Please believe that.”

“So there is still hope for us?”

“I’m not saying yes. I don’t want to lose you, but right now, I don’t want to be your wife either. I need time.”

“I will hold on to hope, then.”

She leaned over and hugged him. “I do love you.”

He relished her embrace and enjoyed it for as long as she offered it. “I have missed holding you,” he said softly.

She slowly parted, leaving a kiss on his cheek. “I’m tired, Zy. I’m gonna head to bed. When does your ship get in?”

“Two days,” he said as they went to the door.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” She stopped, “Wait, how are you feeding? If your ship isn’t here and you’re not bridging to the island…”

“I bridge to other planets.”

“Ah. I probably shouldn’t have asked,” she said and touched the control panel to open the door and let him leave, “Good night.”

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, giving it a long, tender kiss. “Good night, my beloved.”

August 30, 2118

“I can’t believe he’s letting you keep the kids,” Becket said the next day when she went in for a checkup.

“I think he feels too guilty not to,” she sighed. “He knows what lies ahead in this war, he can’t have the kids on a warship. So how do things look?”

“Everything looks good,” he said and handed her the tablet with the results of the tests, “your strength is a little low, but that’ll come back. Considering the shape you were in a couple of weeks ago, I’ll take this any day.”

“So it’s okay if I start some training with Be’atta?”

“Don’t see why not. Just don’t overdo it.”

Victoria thanked him then headed back to her chambers where Zy’nayth was watching over the twins.

“Did everything go well?” he asked when she entered.

“Strength tests weren’t where he wanted them, but he’s not concerned. Everything else is good.” She handed him her tablet onto which Becket had transferred the information. “He thought you’d probably want to see for yourself.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Victoria sat down beside him, “You doing okay?”

“Yes, why?” he asked as he looked over the test results.

“Last night was pretty emotional. I worry about you.”

“I am fine, but I appreciate the concern.”

“I know you said your ship will be here tomorrow, but when will you actually leave?”

“It depends on what the First Commander has planned. I do not wish to disrupt his plans any more than I have.”

“You’re still the Supreme Commander, I think you’re allowed. So when do you leave? I need to know.”

“There is too much at risk for me to change his plans. I believe he has planned our departure for tomorrow. I will not know more until I talk to him later today.”

“So, you said you weren’t sure when you’d be back. And, well, the kids’ first birthday, I know it’s still like six weeks away, but I’d like to have a little party for them before you leave. Just in case you don’t make it here that day.”

“You need not request my permission, Victoria. You are still recovering and should not have to plan a party to accommodate whether or not I will be here for their first birthday. Do not worry about me.”

“I do worry and I want to do this, just in case you’re not here. I want you to be able to celebrate their birthday with them and our friends, even if it is early. If you’re back on October 7, we can have a private party.”

He handed back her tablet, “I would enjoy that.”

She kissed his cheek, “Thank you. I’ll have something for a little early dinner and birthday party.”

Victoria spent the rest of the morning arranging the spur-of-the-moment party. She invited the Alpha Team, some of the medical staff, as well as Ja’val and Kol’non, if they wanted to attend.

“It’s a going away party for the High Chancellor and a birthday party for the twins,” she told Be’atta and Janice, who she promptly recruited to help her arrange things. They were in her kitchen making lists of what they needed.

“How’d he handle your decision? Or did you chicken out and not say anything last night?” Janice asked, regarding her decision not to be his wife.

“I told him. He seems to be handling it okay. I think he’s handling it better than I am.” She sighed, “I know he loves me. I know he didn’t want to hurt me; it wasn’t done to hurt me. I’m not sure I made the right decision.”

“You need time, Victoria,” Be’atta said. “With him returning to his ship, that’ll give you a chance to really think things through. It’s only been a week. You have a lot to work through. Personally, I think the two of you will end up back together. There’s too much love there. But I do think you need to work through your feelings.”

Victoria let out a long sigh, “I shouldn’t just kick him out, we should work through it together.”

“Let’s not dwell on this right now, we have a party to plan.”

***

“This is rather unusual,” Zy’nayth said as Victoria and Be’atta finished with the last of the balloons. “I do not see the point.”

“It’s festive. Fun.”

“Rayth do not do festive,” he groaned. “At least not with balloons.”

“Then how do you celebrate birthdays?”

“We generally do not. Am I going to be required to eat your food? There is not going to be any of that bratwurst is there?”

“No bratwurst. I may make you eat some cake.”

“Cake?”

“I can’t believe I’ve never had cake for you to taste,” Victoria thought about it, “actually, I guess we don’t often have cake here, more of a luxury, I guess.”

A few minutes later, Becket arrived with the cake, “I nearly got accosted for this,” he said, “where do you want it?”

Victoria pointed to the table, “Thanks. Oh, they did a great job with the decorations. It’s so cute.”

Zy’nayth leaned over her shoulder, “This is cake?”

“Yup.”

“You write on cake?”

“Just special occasions.” She gave the place one final check to make sure everything was ready just as the first of their few guests arrived.

For the first time in a long time, the tight-knit group laughed and enjoyed the day. The babies were fussed over and played with, small sandwiches and snacks were eaten, then finally the cake was cut and served.

“Well?” Victoria asked as she gave Zy’nayth a taste of her slice of cake.

“Better than bratwurst. Too sweet though. The creamy…frosting, is that what you called it, it is too sweet.”

“Noted for future reference,” she smiled.

Though Ja’val and Lutia were invited, and though Victoria knew that Lutia had only been on the flagship to watch over the twins, Victoria still felt slighted by the fact that the nurse had time with the twins that she herself had lost. But she pushed her feelings aside and tried to make Lutia feel welcomed at the party.

After a fun late afternoon party, the guests said their goodbyes and Victoria sank onto the sofa. “I’m beat. I’ll clean up tomorrow. Did you have fun?”

“It was good to spend time with friends. Go and rest, I will clean this up,” Zy’nayth said.

She shook her head, “I can’t have the High Chancellor picking up garbage.”

“Go and rest, do not worry about the High Chancellor.”

“The problem is that I always do,” she sighed, “I need to feed and change the kids, cake isn’t a good dinner for them. Come on.”

“I will help feed them, but you know I do not change diapers.”

Victoria smiled. That was one thing he absolutely and utterly refused to do. Diapers were completely out of the question, no matter how much he loved his children, he would not change their diapers. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll do a little cleaning until you’re done feeding them. Take your time.”

She wrapped up what little cake was left and began picking up things here and there, but all she could think about was that the man she loved might be with his children for the last time. He’d be on his flagship, his warship, and he would be heading out to fight other Rayth. She sat down at the kitchen table and began to cry. Her heart was breaking. She knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her. She knew he was trying to protect her, keep her from worrying, keep her from a life constantly in fear for her husband. She knew it. She also knew he was suffering for what he did.

She wiped her tears away and went back to cleaning up the aftermath of the party. Over and over in her head she went through the pros and cons of staying with her husband.

“They are ready for you,” his voice startled her, “I have said goodnight to them, I shall go to my quarters if you do not want me to finish cleaning up for you.”

“Please wait,” she said, “don’t worry about cleaning. I’ll be right back after I change their diapers.”

Zy’nayth still picked up a few things as he waited for Victoria to return. She walked in to the main room and up to the tall, muscular Rayth and took his hands. She looked at them, turning them over and looking at the feeding stripes that, just a few years ago, she feared. She feared all Rayth back then. She feared their hands. But Zy’nayth saved her life with those hands.

“I…I…” she began to cry.

“Victoria, do not feel sorry for me,” he said, “do not worry about me. I accept that what I did to you was wrong. I have never regretted anything as much as what I did. I leave in peace. I am thankful that you have forgiven me and are allowing me to remain in your life and the lives of our children. There is nothing for you…”

“Zy, make me your wife. You need me and I need you. You were right, we are woven together. If you want me back, I’m yours.”

“It has been an emotional couple of days for you, for both of us. This is…”

“My heart,” she said.

“Victoria, you should take time to…”

“I want to be your wife. Yes, I’m emotional but it’s because my heart has been trying to tell me that I made a stupid decision. No more stupid decisions, Zy, we can’t keep making these stupid, stupid, stupid decisions.”

“Even if I take you as my wife, I cannot take you with me into battle.”

“But you’d go into battle knowing you had a wife to return to. A wife who loves you more than anything. Zy,” she led him to the sofa, “when I said that what you did was worse than anything Jason did…that was my anger, not my heart. Jason took away my chance to have a family. You gave it back and gave me two wonderful, beautiful children. Jason took away my joy, but you came into my life and gave me a reason to celebrate life. Jason took everything from me that I held dear but you gave it all back. You never asked me for anything in return. You gave me hope, happiness, and love. You gave me your heart and I lost mine to you. I love you, Zy’nayth.”

Zy’nayth drew her into his embrace and kissed her. Her kisses were mixed with tears feeling as if she could never kiss him enough. But he parted from her.

“Zy…no,” she said and tried to pull him back into another kiss.

“I do not wish to be improper,” he said with a smile, “you are not my wife.”

“It’s not like we haven’t, you know, done this before,” she said, again trying to catch him in a kiss.

“I believe this was your excuse. Now, if you wish to kiss me that passionately, we must be wed.”

“That can wait until tomorrow.”

“I leave tomorrow. Did you keep our wedding rings?”

She ran into the bedroom and found the chain with the babies’ bracelets and their wedding rings. She took the rings off of the chain and ran back into the main room. Zy’nayth already had his computer tablet working. He pressed his palm on the screen then had her do the same.

A Rayth wedding was nothing more than a signed document (signed using their palm prints), that went into a database that listed spousal pairings. As Zy’nayth had said, Rayth did not celebrate occasions. This was a formality to allow for certain rights of spouses, nothing more. Then the couple exchanged wedding rings, a set of thumb prints were taken, showing the rings in place on their thumbs, then Zy’nayth stopped.

“Last opportunity before I send this in. Are you sure, Victoria, that this is what you truly want?”

“I’m very sure.”

The document was sent to the Raythian homeworld database with a copy sent to the First Commander so that he was aware of his superior’s status. A reply from the homeworld arrived seconds later confirming receipt of the document and recognizing the human, Victoria Carson, as the wife of High Chancellor and Supreme Commander Zy’nayth. He showed it to her and she hugged the tablet. “This is right. We should have never been apart.”

“Agreed.”

August 31, 2118

The sunlight warmed her face waking her. She stretched and rolled over. Zy’nayth wasn’t in the bed. She didn’t hear the twins who were usually making some sort of noise by now. She dove out of the bed, slipped on the rug, nearly falling, but caught herself in time. She found her robe and threw it on as she went running through their chambers. “Oh God, no, no, not again,” she said under her breath, panic-stricken.

She burst into the babies’ room saw Zy’nayth in his chair feeding Mik’kenna. Victoria fell to her knees. “Don’t do that to me,” she said, catching her breath. “Oh, Zy, I thought…I thought you left me again. It was all the same and I…”

“I will not do that to you ever again, Victoria. I should have brought the children in or woke you. I am sorry.”

She managed to get to her feet, “It’s okay. I…” she found it hard to breathe, “too panicked.”

Zy’nayth set the baby food aside so that Mik’kenna wouldn’t throw it all over the room, then he went to his wife and embraced her. “I am your husband. I am not going to change that.” He gave her a tender kiss, “Will you be all right when I leave on the flagship?”

She nodded, “That’s different. I know you’ll come back. I’m okay now, I think,” she took a few deep breaths, “okay. Sorry. You can go back to Kenna.”

He gave her a tender kiss, “I leave within the hour. Have your breakfast, I will finish here. I love you, Victoria.”

With her pulse back to normal, she made her way back down the hallway. She grabbed some clothes, took a quick shower and then grabbed some fruit. She returned to the babies’ room and ate while talking with her husband, making sure they had everything arranged for his departure.

“I will try to contact you at the same time every day,” Zy’nayth said. “Ja’val has a subspace video feed set up on your tablet, that way I can see you and the children, not just talk to you.”

“I know, you told me. I’ve got the comlink and everything else. Becket and Vince have the other comlinks. And you know you can call in more than once a day. I know you’ll miss Ky and Kenna.”

“And you,” he smiled. “I will call as my duties allow.” He finished feeding the babies who were always more willing to eat without fuss when he fed them, and though he said no telepathy was used, Victoria teased him that she ‘knew’ otherwise. She changed their diapers and then got them set up in their stroller so they could see their father off in the control room.

“Got your tablet?” she asked, “Everything you need?”

“I do. Shall we go?”

He went to touch the control panel on the wall to open the door but she told him to stop. “What did I forget?” he asked.

“Not you, me,” she said and pulled him back to the sofa and made him sit. Her hands stroked his hair for a moment then she made a tiny little braid near his left ear. “The first one was made in happiness,” she said, “this one is made in love. The deepest love any woman could have for any man. Our road hasn’t been easy, lots of curves thrown at us, but those curves have woven us tighter together.” The four inch long braid was done and she finished it by giving it a kiss.

“I won’t be there to re-braid it. I made this one a little tighter than the others so hopefully it’ll last a week or so,” she said, “but don’t redo it when it comes undone. That’s my job. When you come back, I’ll fix it all up.” She kissed his cheek, “Okay, I think we have everything now.”

He gave her a tender, lingering kiss then stood. “Thank you, Victoria.”

She beamed, “You’re most welcome, Commander.”

In the control room, the First Commander was awaiting the arrival of his boss as well as that of the First Science Commander. The Alpha Team, Vince, Janice, Lutia, and Becket were there to see the Rayth off.

“You holding up okay?” Be’atta asked Victoria as Zy’nayth held each of his children one final time before his departure.

“Yes. Lutia’s looking a little frazzled.”

“She could probably use your help. She didn’t handle living on the ship well, though she said from what she was told it wasn’t nearly as bad as when you were there the first time.”

“I should have talked to her before now,” Victoria sighed.

“No. You had enough going on. And maybe a little…unsettled feelings.”

Zy’nayth had gone down the line, shaking the hand of those who were there to see him off. Janice and Lutia both received hugs from him. Then he came to the doctor, “Becket, please see that my children are…”

“Sir, you don’t have to ask,” he said, shaking the Rayth’s hand, “they will be fine.”

Be’atta was embraced next, “Take care of yourself, sir,” she said.

“I plan to. You do the same. Your missions will be much more difficult in the coming weeks. I do not wish to lose such good friends.”

She gave him a warm smile then he turned to Victoria. “And you,” he said, “try not to worry.”

Tears already started pouring down her cheeks as she gave him a nod. Then he pulled her into a kiss, one more deep and passionate than any the others had seen him give to her. “I love you, Victoria Carson,” he said as he slowly parted from her after the lengthy kiss.

“I love you too. Be very, very careful,” she said.

“I will.” Then he walked over to the other two Rayth, “Gentlemen, are you ready?”

Lutia pulled away from her husband, reluctantly, and joined the rest of the humans. The First Commander gave the signal and the three Rayth were teleported to the flagship.

“That was one heck of a kiss there, Doc,” Chris said.

“Indeed it was,” Be’atta added.

Victoria smiled as she made sure the babies were secure in the stroller, “I rather liked it.”

“For being my crack team of operatives,” Vince said, “it would seem as if you missed two very important details.”

“What are you talking about?” John asked.

“One, the braid was back; two, wedding rings. Get back to work, we have an operation in two days, I want you guys in top form.”

“Victoria?” Be’atta asked, “Did you two get married this morning?”

“Nope,” she beamed, “last night.”

“His idea or yours?” Kaven asked.

“Mine,” she shrugged her shoulders, “I know I probably should have taken more time to work through this mess I’ve been through, but…I just love that man so much…I couldn’t let him go and risk never seeing him again, never having the chance to set things right. I love him and I wanted this.”

Chris held out his hand to John, “Ten bucks.”

John groaned as he dug out his wallet, “I need to stop betting with you.”

“What was the bet this time?” Kaven asked.

“They’d remarry before he left. You guys really don’t know those two very well. Victoria, I’m happy for you,” Chris smiled.

“I think you’re happy about all of the money you seem to be raking in because of me.”

“Pay here isn’t the best, gotta get the extra income while I can.”

“Lutia,” Victoria said, “if you have some time, and if you’re not working this morning, I’d like to talk with you.”

“Go on,” Janice said, “I can cover for an hour or so.”

Lutia nodded and walked with Victoria back to her chambers.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to touch base with you since…well, you know.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like you didn’t have anything more important to deal with. Besides, I heard you were angry with me.”

Victoria shook her head, “No. I was angry with my husband for allowing you to go on the ship and not me. It was never against you.”

“I think he only allowed it so that there was someone to change Ky and Kenna’s diapers.”

Victoria chuckled, “Probably. And thank you for watching over them,” the door to her chambers opened, “Now, if you’d like to get Kenna out, I’ll get Ky, just let them roam around on the floor, they’ll be fine. So, start telling me how things went and how I can help you.”