Page 67 of Ava Stargazer

“Joy?” Ava asked softly, finally. She walked even closer, drinking in the sight of another Human. Joy looked thin but otherwise whole.

“Yes,” Joy said in an almost inaudible voice as she walked up, mirroring Ava’s movements. Hunger was in her gaze at seeing Ava as she reached out, as if trying to touch her.

Ava reached back, delicately placing her fingers like they were touching the hologram of the thin hand reaching out. Tears streamed down Joy’s face seeing Ava’s hand lined up next to her own. Ava watched them travel down her cheeks.You cry. Like me.

“You’re Ava,” Joy whispered, a note of awe in her voice. “You’re l-like me.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Then Joy said softly, “Th-thank—” But she got choked on the rest.

Iryl came forward and finished for her after Joy looked back at him. “Joy has trouble speaking aloud sometimes. She needed to be silent for a very long time where she was kept. But her mind says the words.”

Iryl and Joy took another moment and looked at each other. Then Iryl spoke for her. “She was a child that was taken from old Earth, one of the last born there. She and her mother were kept together as a matched pair for work on a farm, her mother passing away soon after their arrival. It was on one of theRiolie’s farming planets, where they keep their working class. She remembers a bit of what the Earth looked like.”

Joy interjected at that, in a very soft voice. So soft, so hesitant, that Ava had to lean forward to hear. “Not much. I don’t remember much. Iryl can see more in my memories of Earth than I...”

Iryl finished the sentence. “In her subconscious, yes. When we meet in person I’ll help you see it too.”

Joy’s eyes were haunted, but less so as she looked at Ava and gave a watery smile.

Vox came forward and asked, his eyes still narrowed on Iryl’s appearance. “Were there others there? On the farm? From Earth?”

Joy shook her head and Iryl elaborated, “No. It was not a profitable farm. It sounds like there were many that were sent off to various work sites randomly, and this farm just needed some extra help and bought them. Then afterward, the farm was closed and Joy, with the livestock still left, was sold to the fighting ring.” He grimaced. “Where I found her.”

“The Riolie.” Ava tested the word. Her memory supplied a vision of a tall, angular species, opaque colored, but that almost shined when the light hit. “I remember them. The Phor loved doing their transports; they had the best things usually.” She frowned and said definitively, “They didn’t run the Cipra facility though. The Riolie are beautiful. They weren’t there.” She closed her eyes, her mind unable to remember the full features of the minders except for the large robe they wore.The minders at Cipra. They were not the Riolie.

Joy spoke slowly, confirming that thought. “Whoever took us from the Earth I think sold us to the Riolie. In the few memories I have, and based on what my mother told me ... it wasn’t them that took us from Earth. The Riolie sort of just left us alone to work.”

Vox put his hand on her shoulder. “We will see soon enough who they are.”

The hairs on her arm raised with uncertainty as Ava nodded slowly. “Yes, we will.”

Vox pat her shoulder again and turned to look back at Iryl. “Lirell said there was some difficulty getting back to Elyheim? Is everything okay?”

Iryl looked away, his eyes downcast. “Nothing like your shuttle injury, just rough space travel. The mercenaries keeping Joy also changed the price at the last second.” He cleared his throat and gave a glance at Joy. “I don’t want to relive it. Everything worked out in the end. It was a good reminder that not all members of every species are civil. However, I am happy I did not wait, as Joy was able to come here sooner.”

Vox said over Ava’s shoulder, “Once we are done with Cipra, let’s arrange for her to go see Xai. The Galactic Board isn’t the safest place for her.”

Ava nodded, unable to look away from Joy. “It is very nice on Xai.”

Joy looked like she wanted to say something. It took her a moment before she said, “Yes,” with a small smile.

Ava looked at her, craving connection. The hologram and her presence felt both close and light-years away. “Can you ... would you like to message me? I don’t ... want to say goodbye like this, right after this call.” The hologram’s light reflected off of Ava’s com watch’s front as she held it up. “It might be easier to write instead of speak.”

Joy frowned and said softly, “I can try.”

Iryl nodded. “I will set it up.”

Ava looked up at Vox. “Can we have a few moments, alone?”

“Of course.” Vox pat her on the back before exiting, the door closing with a click behind him that Ava heard, rather than saw with her eyes fixed on Joy. Iryl also exited on his end.

The room seemed smaller now to Ava with it just being her and Joy together. Ava took a deep breath, feeling jittery. It felt like something grand should happen to them with both of them staring at each other, two pairs of eyes surrounded by white, and separated by a countless expanse of space.But she is here. I’m here. That’s enough.Ava walked close and sat next to the hologram, crossing her legs on the floor.

Joy hesitated and then mimicked her movements. She sat cross-legged as well, looking back at Ava as she pushed her wavy blonde hair behind her ear, just like Ava always did herself.

Ava’s eyes teared up. She pushed the bit of hair that came out of her ponytail back too.Even her mannerisms are like mine.“I know it is hard for you to talk. Don’t worry about that, take your time. I just...” Her knees felt the coldness of the tile as she shifted even closer to Joy’s hologram. “I’m so happy to meet you. Another Human. I had your picture on my nightstand for a long time. I fell asleep with it every cycle. My ... friend ... gave it to me when he found it one day as an auction flyer. He printed it off, thinking I might like to see it. I talked to that picture every day. Never knowing if I would ever get to see another real Human again, ever. And now you’re here. I hope you are okay with everything I did.”

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