He beamed. “Can I come and visit them there?”

“Of course. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start with today and breakfast.”

The glow and energy seemed to seep out of him. “It’s Tiffany’s last day, you know. Her parents found a ship that will take them back to her planet and it leaves today.”

The two of them walked to the dining area. “I heard.” Betsy reached down to take his hand and give it a squeeze. “I know you’re going to miss her, but it’ll be good for her to be with her own people. You like being with the chanzii, right? You wouldn’t want to be left alone on Earth without everyone else, would you?”

Scout’s face scrunched up as he thought about her words. “No, I guess not. I’m just going to miss my friend, that’s all. I’m tired of missing people. So many people from Roxillion—that’s the place Mom and I used to live—they didn’t end up on Earth. Most of my friends ended up on a planet that knows about us, and spaceships, and aliens and, well, everything. I’ve kept in touch some, but it’s hard. It’ll be hard losing Tiffany, too.” His chin dropped to his chest as he finished speaking.

Betsy stopped walking to kneel next to him. She pulled him into a hug, holding him tight. “Oh, Scout! So much for someone so young. You’ll be able to message Tiffany, even if you don’t see her every day. And if your Mom is right and the krottel are gone, you’ll be heading home sooner than everyone thought. Maybe even in a year or so.”

His body tightened. “Why so long? Why not now?”

Betsy sighed. “Once the planet is clear of the others, it has to be rebuilt. Groups will go to make sure it’s safe. Then your people will be brought back in waves. Also, if all the chanzii leave Earth at the same time, it’ll cause a big stir on my planet. It may happen in less time, I just don’t know.”

To Betsy's utter shock, Scout started to laugh. “Can you imagine, all of the chanzii communities suddenly deserted? Your people would freak out. The stories they’d tell would be amazing.”

She laughed with him. He wasn’t wrong. The conspiracy theorists would create more sordid tales about a series of towns all over the world suddenly empty overnight than even she could clean up. “So, you see,” she said, “it has to be gradual.”

Scout nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. And since Mom is the Commander, we’re probably going to be there until the end.” He shook his head. “Do you know when she’ll be back?”

Since she’d taken charge of the boy, she’d learned to just go with his change of subject and switch of emotions. “I don’t. They left six days ago, and the trip is four days, Abritos time. But Abritos has an eighteen hour day, which is equivalent to twenty-six Earth hours. Torville Station Number Six has a day equivalent to thirty Earth hours, so … gah! They’ve been away about seven of your planet's days. If it took four days there. Two to three days on planet. You know, they may be on their way back. I’ll try to contact them after breakfast. A call from her son may not go over well on the bridge, but a call from a Pillar sounds official.”

As she spoke and did her calculations his face scrunched up. “Why can’t everything just be the same? It would be so much easier!”

She tapped his nose. “I agree. Now, breakfast?”

He nodded, and they continued their trek.

In the dining hall, they each ordered up a meal. They were early and most of the room was empty. Betsy took her bagel with cream cheese and a large coffee to a table. Scout had a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. After returning with her second mug of coffee, Betsy found Tiffany and her parents had joined them.

“Hi. I hear today is the day. When does your transport leave?” Betsy watched as the two kids talked animatedly at the far end of their table.

Tiffany’s dad stared at Betsy for a few moments. Neither of Tiffany’s parents much liked any of the adults on the ship. For some reason, they believed everyone was against them. It wasn’t true; no one gave them much thought when they weren’t around. A serious case of ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ But it would be rude to say that to them.

With a huff, the man finally spoke. “We leave in two hours. We’re all packed, and in a couple of days, we’ll finally be home. Our families are thrilled that we’ve escaped that backwater planet of yours.”

And they wonder why people avoid conversations with them.

Betsy managed a tight smile. “I’m glad everything has worked out then. Is it okay for Scout to hang out with Tiffany for her last hours on the station, or would you rather not?”

His face screwed up to spit out some vitriolic answer, but before he could, his wife sighed, shaking her head. “It’s fine. He’s her only friend and I want her to have good memories and an easy transition. If we say ‘no,’ I fear she’ll be in tears for days. I’m starting to figure out what living with a teen is going to be like.”

Betsy’s smile softened. “A common complaint I hear from parents.” She saw from the tightening of both adults’ faces, she’d used the wrong words. Before they could snap, she held up a hand. “I’ll be at the launch in an hour and a half to collect Scout. Until then, I need to make some official communications.”

They both looked at her hand, then snapped their gazes away. She was dismissed. Betsy rolled her eyes as she collected her dishes. She dropped a kiss on Scout’s cheek. “You can hang out with Tiffany until she boards her ship in an hour and a half. I’ll see you then. Okay, champ?”

If his smile was a bit sad, she thought—hoped—she was the only one to notice.

***

Betsy sat at a small desk in the room she’d been assigned. First on her list, she sent a message to the bridge of the Ziner requesting a meeting with Thorn and whomever else the Commander thought would be appropriate.

Once that was complete, Betsy ordered a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows while she waited for the reply. She was about to open a book, when a response popped up on her screen. “Pillar Doeth, we’d appreciate a meeting in ten minutes.”

The time slipped by, and the meeting started. When Betsy entered the virtual room—a virtual reality of a room with a table and chairs for each of them to sit at—she found Thorn, Horax, Major Shifts, and Violet North. Betsy checked her watch. It’s like eight at night on the West coast … okay, not too bad. A small thrill buzzed through her at the sight of the other chanzii.

“Our trip to Abritos was …” Both Major Shirts and Violet leaned forward as Thorn spoke. She shook her head as she searched for words. “I can’t even explain how my soul sang at being home.” She looked down, maybe checking over notes. “Pillar Kor did an in-depth search for the krottel in Traxton and Boullish. We figure if there are any krottel left, that’s where they’d be. She didn’t find any. Major, I want to bring in three ships and do a full localized scan of the planet. We’ve done the distance scans, but with the cities with distance-weapon capability clear of the bugs, we can bring our ships in.”

Major Shifts’s smile was infectious. Betsy couldn’t help but to smile back at him. His eyes twinkled. “These are some of my favorite orders you’ve given, Commander Firoza. I’ll get the ships in position by the end of day today. The scan will take three days to be thorough. If our assumptions, hopes, and dreams are correct, what’s the next move?”

Thorn’s face was just as gleeful as the Major’s. “We bring in the builders. I want crews everywhere. It will take a few months, but without people living on-world, it should be easier. As locations get cleared for residents, we move our people back.”

As if he recognized Thorn’s voice, Wes woke up from his multi-hour nap Betsy had hoped would continue and launched himself to her shoulder. One of his wings covered her eyes for a moment before he settled.

A grumble came over the meeting’s speaker as Thorn admonished, “Betsy, you’re being attacked by a vicious ven.”

Horax’s low voice chuckled. “I think the black menace is adorable. I’d fly with him.”

Betsy scoffed. “I thought you were happy I took two from your stable. You still have four in your unit, unless Tiffany takes one when she heads home today.”

Wes made his happy purring sound, his antenna bobbing just to the left of her peripheral vision. As cold as the station was, the extra body heat wasn’t the worst thing.

Before Thorn could make another anti-ven comment, Violet’s brows came together. “Not that I don’t love being in on this discussion, Commander Firoza, but why am I here?”

Thorn’s face hardened. “I want to be on Abritos overseeing everything during this transition. I’ve been the face of this since the start, and I want to see it to the end. I want to ensure our people have the home they’ve been dreaming about. If I’m leaving Earth, I need you to take over as the leader of the chanzii on Earth. Since you know Pillar Doeth, you’ll be working with her.”

Violet’s eyes darted to Betsy’s and she gave a quick smile. Is she blushing? Or am I projecting? “I can do that, Commander Firoza.” Her eyes shot back to Betsy. “I’m your woman.”

As they continued to plan their next moves, Betsy contemplated the tiny thrill she felt at the thought of working with Violet.

Chapter 23 - The Journey Home

Viera

“I can’t believe Torville Station Number Six is starting to feel like a version of coming home.” Viera bit her lip. “Not that I didn’t love Abritos, it’s just …”

Thorn wrapped her arms around Viera from behind. “I know what you mean. The station feels familiar to me as well. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve stayed on Abritos if that was possible, if more of my people were there,” she paused for a few moments and then squeezed gently, “if you were there with me. You know, things that were familiar. But it’s too soon.”

Viera spun in Thorn’s arms. “Would you want me on Abritos? A gangly human who’s too weak to use your basic transport system?”

Thorn leaned down to kiss her softly. “I find that I’m addicted to you, my gangly human. And I happen to know my son loves you as well. So, yes, I feel that home and you are pretty synonymous at this point. But I know how it feels to be taken from your home planet, so though I’m telling you this, don’t respond. Not without thinking about it. This is a big decision. Just know, either way, I love you, Viera Kor, Pillar of Earth.”

Warmth and chills flowed through Viera’s body in waves. She clasped her hands behind Thorn’s neck, pressing her body against the woman she’d fantasized about until the day she landed in her arms. She couldn’t imagine feeling this way about anyone else. Lifting up to her toes, she kissed Thorn back, just as tender. “I have so many words I want to say back to you. I’m filled with a novel of thoughts … a series of novels of words for you, but we’re about to dock, and I don’t have the time. And I know I’m babbling now, and I fear it’ll just get worse.” She squeezed her eyes shut, then took a breath before looking up at Thorn’s jewel-green eyes. “Just know, I love you, too.”

***

When the door between the Ziner and Torville Station Number Six opened, Scout ran in and leapt into his mom’s arms. Viera could feel the joy pouring off both of them.