E:A Vol 3 Ch 6—October 27, 2119

“I’ll see you two in a few days,” Victoria said as she gave her kids hugs and kisses. “Be good for Daddy. I love you very, very much. And I’m going to miss you lots.” She looked up at her husband, “You sure you’re okay with the food and everything? Lutia won’t be here to help.”

“You have filled the refrigerator and pantry and have instructed me well,” Zy’nayth smiled. “We will be fine. I will contact you if I need help. I have become quite good at scrambled eggs.”

“Well, you have peanut butter and the tuna salad if worse comes to worse. And plenty of fruits and veggies. The casseroles are in the freezer with notes on them as to temp and time for the oven.”

“Victoria, everything will be quite all right,” he said then gave her a tender kiss. “I will see you soon. I love you. Do not worry about the children, you know I will do all I can to make sure they are fed properly and enjoy our trip, though it will not be as enjoyable since you will not be with us.”

“I love you,” she said, brows wrinkled, still worried. She gave him and the kids more kisses then waved them off. Zy’nayth and the twins teleported to the flagship, then moments later, Victoria and the Earth-bound team bridged over to Central Command in Colorado.

“General Price,” John said with a salute, “good to see you again.”

“Good to have you back, without guns raised,” Ken Price replied.

“Just following orders last time,” John smiled. “On vacation, well, sort of, this time.”

“So I heard. Dr. Carson, I hear you have quite a little spread up in Montana.”

“Used to be,” she replied, “not sure what shape it’s in now. That’s why I recruited these guys to help me clean it up.”

“You guys have fun. Shuttle’s ready for you in hangar two, slot seven. She’s yours for the duration of your stay, just bring her back in one piece.”

“Will do,” John said, “thanks.”

After less than a thirty-minute flight, John brought the shuttle to a stop in Victoria’s driveway.

“Wow, that’s a huge house,” Alessa said.

“I only used a couple of rooms,” Victoria said, “but yeah, it’s big. And I have lots of land so my view of the stars is pretty much unhindered. Come on, let’s get our stuff inside. Smells like rain.”

Those that had come with Victoria were Kaven, John, Chris, Alessa, Be’atta, Victoria, and David. They were all ready to work and after carrying in their packs full of food and supplies, John, Chris, and Kaven got what they needed to start setting up the Rayth security system. “Okay, let’s get as much of this set up before the rain hits,” John said. “Lots to do.”

While the three men went off to work on the putting up the security perimeter, David and Alessa went about pulling sheets off of the long-covered furniture, as Victoria and Be’atta began cleaning up the kitchen. By the time the rain hit, John and his team had only managed to get one pole in place, having to spend a good chunk of their time measuring the circle that would ring the property and calculating how far apart the poles would have to be set.

“At least we got the diagram done and know how to put the poles in,” Kaven said as they shook off the rain after entering the house. “I wasn’t expecting such a long walk.”

“I can’t think of anyone who has a yard this big,” John said, “very nice. Okay, Victoria, where’s the bathroom so we can get out of these wet clothes?”

“One straight down this hallway,” she pointed to a hallway to the south of the living room, “and one upstairs, second door on the left. And one in the master bedroom, hang a right at the top of the stairs, then another right.”

“Perfect, one for each of us,” Chris said and picked up his pack. “Dibs on the master bedroom.”

“Okay, what have we accomplished and what do we need the guys to do when they get changed?” Be’atta asked.

“We’ve uncovered all of the furniture,” Alessa said, “and put fresh linens on the beds. I have piles of laundry to do. I think we should rewash all the linens and towels just to get any dust out of them that may have built up. We need to get some cleaning supplies. I only found a half box of detergent pods. And we’ve already determined that we need window cleaner.”

“I have a list going,” Victoria said as she jotted the items down. “Alessa, could you and Chris go and fetch these things? I’ll transfer money to whichever account you need it in.”

“I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“I did a quick check of all of the plumbing, flushing toilets, checking hot and cold running water,” David said, “everything seems to be working fine and I didn’t come across any leaks. I was checking the seals on the windows when the rain hit. Could use some caulk and weatherstripping since winter’s just around the corner.”

“Will Chris know what to get?” Victoria asked.

“Yeah, here, I’ll write it down. Do you have a stash of light bulbs anywhere?”

“I might have one or two bulbs, but that’s about it.”

“Before you and Chris head out, let’s do a quick run through and see what bulbs we need,” David said. “Get those stocked up. Did you check the stove and fridge?”

“Yup, both are working fine,” Victoria said.

“Washer and dryer are a go,” Alessa said.

“Where is the thermostat?” David asked, “I should check the heat and air.”

“In the parlor by the patio door,” Victoria replied.

“I think checking the outlets can wait until tomorrow,” he said, “doesn’t seem to be a problem, but mice and critters could have chewed through.”

“I hope not,” Alessa shivered. “I don’t want any critters near me.”

“Then you shouldn’t have married my son,” David grinned.

“Hey, I heard that,” Chris said coming down the stairs.

“I think he’s right,” Kaven said as he came down the hall. “Okay, boss, what do we need to do?”

“We need to check lightbulbs,” David said, “can you take the basement, make note of bulbs that need replaced—number needed and wattage?”

“How do I get to the basement?” he smiled. Victoria pointed and the warrior headed off on his assignment.

“Chris, you and Alessa can check upstairs,” David continued.

“John and I can take care of this floor.”

“There’s a full attic too,” Victoria said, “by full I mean ready to be furnished. I was gonna rent it out, but just too much to deal with…and Jason…yeah, too many issues.”

“I’ll get that,” John said, “point me in the right direction.”

Be’atta helped David with the light bulb count on the main floor while Victoria went back to the kitchen. When they reassembled she had jotted a few more things on the list.

“Anyone know how to fix a dishwasher?” she asked.

“I can take a look at it while these guys are out,” David said. “If we’re going to be here a while, we also need to think about stockpiling firewood. Just a note for later. We have other priorities now.”

“You know, you’re pretty handy to have around,” Victoria smiled. “Okay, Chris, here’s the list, there’s a shopping center to the east. Just follow that main road. You can’t miss it.”

“How many miles?”

“Ten-ish.”

“Okay. Keep your comlink handy in case I get lost.”

John laughed, “Remind me not to let you fly any of those Mythican shuttles next time. Don’t want you getting us lost.”

“They have homing beacons. We’d be fine. Come my beautiful bride, we must head out in this horrible weather to help our feeble friends.”

Victoria chuckled then stopped them, “Wait, here, let me put some money into your account. You’re not paying for all of this stuff.”

“Thank goodness. I’m broke,” Chris said. Victoria readied the transfer on her tablet, then Chris entered his account information, and Victoria transferred the money.

“Let me know if that’s enough. I do expect a receipt. I really don’t want you guys paying for anything.”

“Will do,” Chris said, “okay, see you in a bit if I don’t break my back carrying all of this stuff.” Alessa gave him a little shove then they hurried to the shuttle.

“Okay, what do you need me to do?” John asked.

“I need the fridge and stove pulled out so I can clean behind them,” Victoria said.

“Never the easy stuff,” he sighed, “come on Kaven, you’re helping.”

“Big strong guy like you doesn’t need my help,” Kaven smiled.

“Don’t make me order you,” John grinned and headed into the kitchen.

After the large appliances were moved and cleaned behind, John and Kaven helped out with washing the dishes since David was inspecting the broken dishwasher. Be’atta and Victoria cleaned out the cabinets and put the clean dishes away as the guys finished them up.

“Okay,” Victoria said, wiping the sweat from her brow, “dining room is next. I’ll start lunch. There’s just one big cabinet that’ll need to be moved. Unload the dishes first. I can wash those up later. Just set them on the counter over there,” she pointed.

“Yes, ma’am,” John said then had them form up a line. Be’atta unloaded the cabinet and passed the dishes down the line. When it was empty, it was moved, cleaned inside and out as well as behind, then moved back.

“I can finish up in here,” Be’atta said, “you guys go get your next assignment.”

“I don’t know,” Victoria said and grabbed her list. “If you guys want to run out in the rain, you could check the barn’s electricity, and make sure the mower and stuff run.”

“Let’s do that. If we need something, we might be able to catch Chris before they’re done,” John said.

***

By the time Chris and Alessa returned, David had the dishwasher fixed and lunch was ready to be served. John and Kaven managed to check all of the supplies in the barn and only needed a couple of things from the store to get everything in working order. Be’atta had the dining room sparkling and had moved on to cleaning the bathrooms.

David prayed over the meal, and Victoria added that she was very thankful for her friends and their hard work.

“Are these homemade fries?” Chris asked as he bit into one. “Oh, Victoria, these are terrific.”

“Don’t tell Kenna about them,” Victoria smiled. “And I was hoping to cook them over the fire pit, but the rain kind of ruined that.”

“It’s getting worse out,” John said. “I checked the weather, huge storm heading in. We might not get that security ring set up. This storm is due to last the entire time we’re here.”

“I’ll let Zy know when he calls tonight. Are you guys okay with the temperature? I could turn the air conditioning on. I’m kinda warm, but the breeze is nice. Awfully warm for the end of October.”

“I think it’s kinda stuffy,” Alessa said, “but if I have an open window, I’ll be fine.”

“Well, if no one objects, I’ll just turn the air on,” Victoria said. “If this does get worse, we might not be able to keep windows open.”

“Fine by us,” John said. “It’ll be more comfortable for everyone while we clean. And seriously, these bacon cheeseburgers are wonderful. How come the mess can’t make them like this?”

“I am trying to bribe you guys, they aren’t,” she smiled, “so I put on my best chef’s hat.”

“Definitely working,” Kaven said. “You have enough for seconds?”

“Yup,” Victoria said, “I know you boys like your burgers.”

“Perfect,” Kaven said. “After this, what do you need us to do?”

“Let’s get all of the lights fixed,” David said, “and check all of the electrical outlets.”

“I’ll do up the lunch dishes,” Alessa said, “since I got out of doing anything while Chris and I were out shopping.”

“Then I’ll help Be’atta finish up the bathrooms, then we can start cleaning the bedrooms,” Victoria said.

“Not gonna take us long to do our part,” John said. “Gimme something else.”

“How about the ladies clean this floor and the second floor, then you guys get the basement and attic after you get your other stuff done?” Victoria suggested.

“Just tell me what to do,” Kaven said, “and I’ll do it.”

Victoria was thrilled when, by the time Zy’nayth contacted her just before she was about to retire for the evening, the inside of the house was completely clean. “So, it doesn’t look like they’re going to get the perimeter array up on this trip,” she said.

“In that case, they can work inside of the barn and start to get it prepped,” he replied. “You look tired.”

“Busy day,” she smiled, “that’s all. Haven’t done this much physical work in a while.”

“Do not over-extend yourself. I do not wish you to get hurt or become sick since I am not there to heal you.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I am sorry the children are sleeping. I had hoped to call sooner.”

“Did you have any trouble with their food?”

“None. They seemed to enjoy what I made, though I am sure they would prefer your cooking.”

“Honey, I’m sorry, I am exhausted, I’m about to fall asleep.”

“I understand, my beloved. Let me pray for us then you go to sleep.” Zy’nayth read a short passage from the Bible she had purchased for him when she was in Washington for the trial, then he prayed.

“Give the kids hugs and kisses for me,” she said, “I love you, Zy, and I can’t wait to fall asleep in your arms again.”

“I cannot wait either. I miss you terribly. Good night, sleep well.”

“You too,” she said and blew him a kiss before she terminated the connection. She stood and yawned.

“Get up there and take that bed,” John said, “Kaven and I will be fine on these sofas. I’m not taking no for an answer. Go.”

“All right, but I…”

“Go.”

She gave him and Kaven hugs, “Good night.”

October 28, 2119

The next day, the gang worked in the barn. While the men tended to the heavier work, the ladies began sweeping out the loft. They worked until the storm got so bad, none of them felt safe in the barn, so they returned to the house and bunkered down. Though it was noon, it looked like it was ten in the evening.

“Tornado warning,” John said.

Chris went and pulled out his scanner and set it up. “Okay, monitoring.”

“Any blip on that thing, we’re heading for the shuttle,” John said. “Kaven, let’s get that Rayth tech put back on the shuttle. If we have to evac, we’d better have that with us.”

“I’ll watch the monitor,” David said, “Chris you help them.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Victoria,” Alessa said, “before you start lunch, we should pray. I’m getting really nervous.”

Victoria agreed, so she, Alessa, and Be’atta sat together on the sofa and prayed that the storm would leave them, the house, and land unharmed. They prayed for the safety of the community and then for peace to calm their nervousness. David prayed with them, though his eyes never left the monitor. When they finished, the girls went to fix lunch, hoping they wouldn’t have to leave it and run out.

“Sandwiches and chips, probably best,” Victoria said, “we can take them with us if we have to run out.”

“Assembly line,” Alessa said as she helped set up the ingredients, then she jumped as thunder crashed seemingly right outside of the house.

“Honey, you’re shaking like a leaf,” Be’atta said.

“Sorry, I’ve always been terrified of storms,” Alessa replied, her voice shaking as much as her body.

“We’ve got this,” Victoria said, “go in and sit with David.”

“I need to keep busy,” she replied, “I’ll be okay.”

“All right, but if you need to curl up in a corner with your hubby, you can,” Victoria replied.

“Did I hear curl up with her hubby?” Chris said walking in the back door, dripping wet. “Lessa, babe,” he said and ran up to her, “what’s wrong?”

“Chris, go change out of those clothes,” Be’atta said, slipping an arm around Alessa and leading her to one of the kitchen chairs, “she’s terrified of storms. Go change, we’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Everything’s on the shuttle that needs to be,” John said coming in right behind Kaven. “Lessa, you okay?”

“She will be. You guys go change,” Victoria said. A minute later, Chris came running back into the kitchen, nearly slipping and falling on the wet hardwood floors.

“Come on, babe, let’s go into the living room with Dad,” he said after steadying himself.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I don’t like storms.” Alessa said, shaking her head. “Don’t like storms at all.”

“It’s okay, babe, it’s okay. Come on. You know I won’t let anything happen to you.”

They went into the living room and Alessa curled up into her husband’s arms, nearly weeping from fear. Kaven went to help with the lunch while John went to find flashlights and candles.

“Okay, plenty of candles, matches, just one flashlight but we have some on the shuttle,” he said and put a couple of candles in the living room and lit them.

Kaven came in carrying a tray laden with sandwiches and bags of chips and a bowl of fruit. Victoria and Be’atta followed with pitchers of tea and glasses. John gave thanks for the food, prayed again about the protection of the estate, then the group each began to dig into the lunch.

“You look a little less nervous,” Victoria said.

“I’m not, not really,” she sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault,” John said, “we’ll keep you safe. We’re just a few feet from the shuttle, we can be out of here in seconds.”

“I hope we don’t have to leave. We worked so hard on everything yesterday,” Alessa said.

“The place looks better than it has since I inherited it. You guys did a fantastic job,” Victoria said.

“Did he ever come here?” Be’atta asked, referring to Jason.

“No. Well, once, to drag me back to New York when I tried to run away. He hated the country. I never understood that. There are so few open spaces left in the world, how could you not like seeing grass and trees?”

“From what little I know about him,” John said, “he wasn’t too bright.” A crack of thunder made everyone jump.

“Scan is still clear. Lots of lightning, though,” David said then took a bite of his sandwich.

“If you want,” John said, “when we finish up with lunch, I can go ahead and shuttle us out. We could get a hotel room outside of this storm front and wait it out.”

“Could we?” Alessa asked, hopeful. “I hate to be such an imposition, but I’m terrified.”

Victoria finished her sandwich, “It’s a good idea. I just need to get my tablet and comlink in case Zy calls. I’ll do up the dishes. You guys take your time.” A huge gust of wind shook the massive house, “Or not. Let’s just go ahead and take the food out to the shuttle. I’ll grab what I need. Be’atta, blow out the candles.”

“Wait,” David said, “John, I’m not a pilot, but these winds seem a little too strong to fly through. Check these gusts.”

John walked over and looked at the readings, “May I?” he asked, and David moved, so that John could adjust the settings and check other readings. “Sorry, Alessa, he’s right. That little shuttle couldn’t handle that gust. That’s just a standard shuttle, not made for military use, really. And the winds, if these satellite readings are right, are picking up. As soon as we pull her out of the garage, she’ll just be tossed around. I’m a pretty good pilot, but I don’t think I could hold her steady enough to get her up and over the storm. We’re just going to have to bunker down.”

Chris hugged his wife tightly, “John and Dad will keep a watch on things. If the winds let up a little, we’ll get out of here until it passes.”

“We still have the basement,” John said, “and this house is pretty sturdy, good solid foundation. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. We’re gonna be just fine.”

Alessa bolted up, “Guys, do you hear that?”

Everyone quieted. At first they didn’t hear anything except the wind, then there was a scratching sound and a whimper.

“Back patio,” John said, “Come on Kaven.” John made sure his handgun was ready as the two men went to the patio. “It’s all right,” he yelled through the house. “Victoria, Be’atta, could use your help.”

The women hurried through the house and Victoria nearly burst into tears. “Be’atta, get them a big bowl of milk. Keep them right here for now,” she said and went running off.

“What is it?” Chris asked.

“Puppies. They’re starving.”

Alessa perked up, “What can I do?”

“I need to get some towels, come on,” she said and ran down the hallway returning with some old towels and sheets that she was going to turn into dust rags.

“Make a little den for them by the fireplace,” she said to Alessa, “we’ll bring them in.”

“I scanned them,” Chris said, “no signs of rabies or infections. They’re just malnourished. No ID chips either, no tags. I’d say they were dumped. They can’t be more than two months old.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened here,” Victoria sighed, “poor little things.”

“Can we move away from these doors?” John said, “I know you don’t want to mess up the house, but it’s dangerous here.”

“Yeah, we’re moving them to the living room.”

“I saw a box down in the basement,” Kaven said, “I’ll go get it.”

“Thanks,” Victoria said as she, John, and Chris carried the seven puppies into the living room. Be’atta sat the bowls of milk and water near the unlit fireplace where Alessa had bunched up the two old sheet sets into a little den for them to curl up in. They immediately went for the bowls of milk, and gently the girls took the towels and dried them off as they lapped up the nourishment.

“You think they could handle some hamburger?” Chris asked, “There was a little left over. I could fry it up, drain off all of the grease.”

“Yeah, let’s give it a shot,” Victoria said. “Anyone got any idea what breed these are?”

“Terrier of some sort,” David said, glancing quickly from the screen to the puppies then back to the screen.

“I think they’re Jack Russells,” Alessa said. “I had one when I was little.”

“I’m surprised that wind didn’t send them flying,” John said as he toweled off one of them. “That’s a good girl. Yeah, drink up that milk, it’ll make you strong.”

“Could have been under the porch or the stairs up to the attic,” Victoria said. “Saw the light and tried to get in.”

“Shouldn’t have a lot of milk,” Alessa said, “dogs are lactose intolerant. But they need food, so I think it’s okay. Here, girl, oh, poor thing is shivering. Eat up. Chris, you almost done.”

“Couple more minutes, doing this as fast as I can.”

The group, especially Alessa, seemed to ignore the storm as their focus was on the seven skinny, shivering puppies. Finally Chris came in with two plates of crumbled cooked hamburger. He set the plates down and the others helped them maneuver to the plates. “Okay, guys, don’t go nuts, don’t need you getting sick,” Chris said. “I drained off the grease as best as I could.”

“We’re gonna need to get them some food when this storm dies down,” Alessa said, “real puppy food. This will probably be a little too much for their tummies.”

“We will,” Victoria said. “Need to find a vet too, get them shots and stuff.”

“Whoa, shots? You gonna keep them?” Chris asked.

“Wasn’t my first thought. I just want them healthy. I’ll send out a post to let people know we found them to see if anyone owns them.”

“They were dumped,” Chris said, “stupid people out there. We should just keep them.”

“I agree with Chris,” John said, “this place needs some guard dogs. I wouldn’t mind taking one back with me to Terra 2.”

“You need to talk to Vince about that,” Victoria said, “And I’d have to deal with my husband.”

“Oh!” Chris grinned, “Ky and Kenna will go absolutely nuts. They are going to want to keep the puppies.”

“Yes, and my husband might not want puppies running around on his flagship.”

Kaven grinned, “I’d like to see that.”

“As much as I’m enjoying this,” David said, “I think we should head down to the basement. Winds are picking up again. Let’s grab some pillows and blankets.”

Down in the security of the basement, John kept a glancing eye on the scanner. They couldn’t use the shuttle to get out, but they could leave when the winds died down.

Alessa was much more settled now that she had the puppies to care for. As dinnertime approached, David mentioned that he thought the winds had calmed enough to fly out.

“We can’t leave the puppies,” Alessa said.

“You want to stay here then?” John asked.

“Yeah. These guys came to us for help. We just can’t abandon them now.”

“John, why don’t you and my wife try and get to a store and get them the proper food they need? I’d fly, but if those winds pick back up…well, that’s your specialty, not mine.”

“Alessa, you up for a little adventure?” John asked.

“Yeah. I can do this,” she smiled.

“Grab your jacket and let’s get these guys some food.”

“And I’ll start on dinner,” Victoria said. “Does it look like we could move back up to the living room?”

“Yeah, I think we’ll be fine for a couple of hours,” David said, “then she’s gonna pick up again.”

“Well, I don’t want us up and down all night, so I’ll make a big pot of spaghetti, and we can just bring it down here to eat. That’s easy enough.”

“I’ll help,” Be’atta said.

“Dad, you keep an eye on the scanner and the puppies. Kaven, you and I can bring down one of the mattresses. If we have to sleep down here tonight, which it looks like we will, the ladies should have something comfortable to sleep on. We can grab more pillows and blankets too.”

“Thanks guys,” Victoria said.

***

“I see you found a few things,” Victoria chuckled as John and Alessa walked in, both carrying large bags. John made two more trips to unload the shuttle.

“Food, toys, those potty training pads or whatever they’re called, some cleaning supplies since they’ll probably make little messes until they’re trained, but mostly food. Oh, I found these vitamins that should help. And I talked to the vet at the pet store, he’s going to post for us that they were found. I told him that we’d keep them if the owner didn’t show up. And I told him that once the storm passed, we’d bring them by for a checkup and their shots.”

“Thank you, you two,” Victoria said and hugged Alessa. “How much do I owe you for all of this?”

“Oh, we had some money left over from what you gave us yesterday,” she said and handed Victoria the receipt. “I spent all of it so we’d have plenty of food for them.”

“They’ll be five years old by the time they get through all of this food,” John grinned. “Spaghetti smells good.”

“And it’s ready to be served. Can you take down some of the food for the puppies, then ask Chris and Kaven to come up and help us carry our food down?”

“On it,” John said as he headed downstairs.

Midway through their meal, Victoria’s tablet chimed. She reached over and turned it on, “Hey there. Oh no! Who are these two adorable little faces I see?”

“Ma!” the kids exclaimed.

“Oh! It’s Ky and Kenna! I almost didn’t recognize you. Must be those hats, very nice. Here, I’ll let you guys say hi to everyone,” she turned the tablet from person to person, so that the kids could blow kisses to each of them and wave.

“You are in a different room,” Zy’nayth said, “where are you?”

“The basement. That rain shower turned into a pretty nasty storm. Been down here most of the day. Tornado warnings. We’re all safe and cozy down here.”

“Could you not fly out?”

“Well, we had one opportunity to do so, the winds have been way too strong, and John didn’t want to risk it.”

“Why did you not fly out when you had the opportunity?”

“Uh…well, you see…”

“Victoria, what is wrong?” Zy’nayth’s concern showed in his voice.

“Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that as the storm started to get really bad, there were seven unexpected guests at the door and well, we couldn’t just leave them here to fend for themselves while we went to a hotel.”

“You could take them with you.”

“Most hotels won’t allow them in,” Victoria said, “here, I’ll show you. You might want to have the kids turn away.”

She saw her husband stand and hold the tablet so that the kids couldn’t see the image. She flipped the camera on her tablet, showing the seven sleeping puppies in their pile of sheets.

“Those are…”

“Yup.”

“You are not planning on keeping them, are you?”

“I put a post out to see if the owner is looking for them, but we all think they were just dumped here. So, I thought we could discuss keeping one. John is going to talk to Vince. But I’m not getting my hopes up.”

“How large do they get?”

“If Alessa’s right about the breed, and I’ll check with the vet when the storm ends, they don’t get too big. Maybe a foot or so tall, and only weigh, I don’t know, maybe fifteen pounds. They don’t get very large.”

Alessa motioned to Victoria, “Can I say something?”

Victoria flipped the camera to Alessa, “Sir, they’re really smart. They’re supposed to be the smartest. They’re called Jack Russell Terriers. They love to run and play and have something to do. And they’re great pets. I had one when I was little. They’re great at a lot of things. I think they’d be great for um…the family…and I think you’d have a lot of fun training them. But they are really, really energetic, and need a lot of exercise, but still I think would be a good fit for your kids.”

“Thank you, Alessa, I will look up more information on these Jack Russell Terriers.”

“Well?” Victoria asked.

“Once I get there, I will decide.”

“Once you get here and the kids see them, your decision best be in favor of letting them have one,” John said, “they’ll be really upset if you say no after they see them.”

Victoria smiled, “We’ll keep them out of sight, I promise. Meanwhile, we can’t do anything in the barn while this storm is in the area. We did get a little done this morning. Oh! Almost forgot.” She tapped a few buttons, “I just sent you a file of what the guys found wrong with the barn, stuff that’ll need tending to that might cause security issues. They want to know if they should go ahead and fix what they can.”

“I will look this over tonight and contact you in the morning. Ah, good, images. That will help. Children, come and tell your mother about your day.”

Mik’kenna plopped up on her father’s lap and pointed to her hat, “Put on hat. Cooked wif Dada. Made eggs. Wed books. Pwayed.” She stopped and frowned, “Want tacos. Took baff.” She pulled off her hat, “Dada wah-sed hair. Did awn dwy.”

“Awn dwy?”

“Laundry,” Zy’nayth said.

“Oh! Well, then you’ll be able to help me when you get here. We’ve got a lot of laundry to do.”

“Kay,” Mik’kenna said. “I done now. Lub ooh, Ma!”

“I love you too, Mik’kenna.”

Ky’nayth took his sister’s seat and told her about his day, which was pretty much the same as his sister’s. Then he told her that he loved her. The family, and those in the room with Victoria, all prayed then she said goodbye to her husband.

“At least he didn’t give you an outright ‘no’ about the puppies,” Chris said.

“I’m still not going to get too attached. So are you guys all wanting to take a puppy with you?”

“Yes,” Alessa said, “if Chris wants to.”

“You know I do,” he grinned.

“And I already said I wanted one,” John said.

“I’m thinking about it,” Kaven said. “Though I’m leaning towards yes.”

“Be’atta?”

“I’m still thinking too. I’d love to have one, but with all of my traveling, since I go back to my village so much when we’re not on a mission, I just think it might be difficult.”

“Take him, or her, with you,” Chris said, “I bet the kids in your village would love it.”

“They have dogs,” Be’atta said. “But yeah, I guess I could take it with me.

“Dad, what about you?”

“I’ve grown quite fond of this little one,” he smiled. “But I think if the High Chancellor is going to allow his kids to have a puppy or two, the kids should get to pick out the ones they want first, and we’ll choose from those left.”

“They have to take two,” Chris said, “one dog per kid. Rules. Besides, if we all take one, that’ll work out perfectly.”

“Unless you and Alessa each want one,” Victoria said.

“No,” Alessa replied, “one will be plenty.”

“You realize that when our team goes out, we’re gonna need dog sitters,” John said.

“Alessa will obviously take care of their own puppy,” Victoria said, “Kaven doesn’t always go with you guys, and then there’s David and me, if I’m on site. And I’m sure once we have puppies on Terra 2, there’ll be lots of people wanting to help take care of them.”

“What if Vince says no?” Be’atta asked, “It is highly probable that he won’t want dogs on the base. Other than taking a shuttle or boat to the mainland, there really isn’t a place for them to run and play or…do their business. And using a shuttle requires authorization, and a boat has to be manned.”

“I think I may have an idea,” John said. “What if we got another bridge and put it on the mainland? Dog needs to go, it’s a short trip from our quarters to the control room, bridge over and boom, done.”

“Zy said they weren’t easy to get to,” Victoria said.

“He’s just being lazy,” Chris grinned. “But seriously, I think that’s a great idea. If we can get this one up and running with minimal help from the Rayth, you know, really put in an extra effort, we might convince him to dig up another.”

There was a crash and a boom then the lights went out. John and David both went to the scanner while Chris drew his wife into his arms.

Kaven lit a match then lit the candle beside him and passed it around so each person could light the candles near them.

“No tornados on the scanner,” John said, “just the wind and lightning. Power outage. It’s all okay. Let’s get dinner finished up. I’ll help with the dishes.”

The puppies began to whine, being awakened by the thunder. Alessa went over to the box and began to pet each of the little puppies, trying to calm them, even though she was terrified of the storm.

“Lessa, babe, you gonna be okay? I can help John with the dishes.”

“Yeah, go ahead. I feel like I’ve kept you from doing what you want.”

“Personally, I want to hold you,” he smiled and kissed her cheek.

“I’ll help too,” Kaven said, “we need to earn our keep.”

“Chris,” David said, “you stay and watch the scanner. I’m the one who feels like I haven’t done enough around here. This way if Alessa gets a little too upset, you’re right here for her.”

“Thanks, Dad.”