Page 7 of Restoring the Ngozii

When I look up into his swirling blue eyes, I’m nearly choked by the fear and love swirling together. He truly can’t bear to lose me. Lifting onto my tiptoes, he dips down to meet my kiss as I lift my arms around his neck to hold myself close. It’s a long, slow kiss of reassurance and love that ends with our foreheads pressed together as we simply be for a moment.

After a few breaths to center himself, Vahru finally pulls away and smiles down at me, grabbing my hand, and pulling me from the house so we can get our meeting underway.

Sitting down in the chief’s main room, Willa comes out with plates piled with pancakes and bacon, Tonya and Melodia following behind with empty plates and silverware for us all. Willa smiles sweetly as she sets the food on the table, her pretty yellow sundress a beautiful complement to her light purple skin.

“When you sent the message, Jeff and I were already making breakfast, so we decided to make enough for everyone.” She shrugs and skips back to the kitchen where I assume Jeff is hiding as he finishes up the final few cakes and strips. I’m the first to grab a plate and pile it full as Willa returns with a tray laden with drinks and syrup. She pours a generous amount of syrup on my plate before handing out the cups and seating herself as Jeff walks out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag.

His hair is growing out, it’s about due for a cut, but I kind of like the wild, untamed look it gives him. It fits him, living here in the wilderness with people who all have very long hair. Makes him fit in a bit more. I turn and hand the plate to Vahru before making my own and settling myself across his lap to eat.

“Dig in, guys. There’s plenty more in the kitchen if this isn’t enough. Don’t be shy.” Jeff quickly hands out plates to the hunters and others before filling his own and sitting on the arm of Willa’s chair. Tonya and Melodia brought in extra chairs for everyone, so the hunters have a place to sit this time around as well.

It’s quiet in the room aside from the sounds of chewing, moaning, and thanks to Jeff and Willa for cooking. “I haven't had pancakes and bacon in so long, I can’t believe you managed to make a recipe with local ingredients, Jeff, it’s fantastic!” I gush as I stuff myself beyond full, which I’ll probably regret later, but I’m definitely not right now.

“So, Kari, tell us what it is that you’ve figured out.” Criido takes a delicate bite of his pancake, watching me closely as he eats like a true royal. I didn’t look nearly that graceful or elegant, I probably looked like a hungry lion devouring a freshly killed gazelle.

It’s a good thing you have an appetite. I wouldn’t have you any other way, feral or not.Vahru, having apparently heard my thoughts, leans forward and kisses my temple, making me chuckle.

“I had a very strange dream last night, one that confused me quite a bit at first. I found myself in a beautiful cave with a babbling brook and exotic flowers, no idea how I could dream of such a thing, when Tavionna walked in. She claimed I was dream walking but couldn’t understand how. I still don’t. I tried to talk to her, to understand why she wants to come here and take over when she has her own planet under control, and she slipped the truth.”

I pause, taking a breath as a grin spreads across my lips. My eyes bounce around, meeting each gaze as they all pause and stare at me with bated breath.

“She doesn’t want to come here at all, she wants to stay in her home, but her people need saving from something. Relocating here and taking us out as revenge on Criido is a last resort for her, she’s tried every other avenue. My guess, her people are being attacked by something within the caves that she can’t fight, and this is what needs done.”

There’s a long pause as everyone takes that in for a moment before Jeff speaks. “Attacked, you mean by a creature? Wouldn’t they be able to kill it and move on? Or do you mean by something biological?” Both hands hold his half full second plate of food, his attention solely on the conversation at hand. Unlike me, he’s given up wearing the boots or cargo pants we did as astronauts, he wears sole village chic, but again, it looks good on him.

“Exactly. I think they’re sick, and she can’t find the cure. But we could. We have the means, the tech, the knowledge together to solve this problem, and in saving her people, we save our own. If she has no reason to come here, then she won’t.”

“But how does that stop her from coming after the chief?” Terax’s voice is gentle but serious, his gaze assessing as he takes in our conversation. I nod at him, grateful for his insight and that he cares enough to even ask such questions. He’s a great leader for Jeff’s security team of sorts. I wish I knew them all a bit better, but I suppose I’ll get to more as our time together goes on.

“Well, I’m thinking that if we can prove ourselves to be helpful to her, that we could also convince her that this rift between her and her father is something repairable if she so chooses. Or we could call it even and never speak again, she could tell him off like she always wanted and walk away knowing her people are safe.”

“That’s not much of a plan there, Captain, no offense.” Terax cringes slightly, but I chuckle. It’s so odd to see a scarred and brutal-looking man like him cringe at offending little old me. Seems there’s a tender heart in there somewhere.

“I know, it’s more of a hope, but I think if we could talk it out, things could be resolved. The Guardians have made it plainly clear that this issue can and should be resolved without bloodshed, without heartache. I have to try, if nothing else. If she decides something else, then we’ll figure it out, but I can feel it deep inside that this is right. This will work in some way for us, I know it, I just need you all to trust me enough to have my back.”

There’s another pregnant pause as everyone digests that, and Vahru rubs a hand down my back. I gently take his empty plate and set it on the table before resting back against his chest, soaking in his comfort and strength. Surprisingly, I’m feeling very vulnerable waiting for them to shoot me down or follow, and I don’t like it. This isn’t exactly some military level strategy here, I’m aware, but it will work, I know it. I have faith in Tavionna, as odd as that is to admit.

“What if Tavionna doesn’t allow us to help and decides to attack instead? She’s a wild card, and after all her tactics to scare us and attempt to kill the chief, I don’t see her just accepting our help.” Jeff sets his plate down, picking up a cup of tea and holding it in his hands as he stares at me, only taking a sip when he’s finished his choppy but honest comment.

“This is going to sound crazy, but try to see it from her perspective.” I start, my eyes traveling over each face in the room, many of them scrunching in confusion or outright blasphemy, as if I could ever suggest such a thing. “If I were in her shoes, and someone, even someone I saw as an enemy, offered to save my people for a truce, I’d be willing to give them a chance. At the very least, if they fail, terminate them, but we won’t fail. We don’t give up until we have an answer. She won’t risk the lives of her people if she doesn’t have to. She wouldn’t go as far as she’s planning to if she didn’t deeply love them. She’ll accept our help if it meanstheylive, even if it means working with the enemy.”

“You talk like you know her.” Cruzig eyes me carefully, uncertainty in his steely blue gaze as his big arms cross over his chest, his stance wide behind the chair he recently stood from. His short hair is a lot like Jeff’s is now, making me wonder if he’s trying to copy his guard or something.

“I don’t know her any more than you do, the difference is that I’ve been in similar shoes, much like Chief here, I know what a burden it is to have many people under your care and not know what to do. She’s scared, probably feeling alone and overwhelmed, and she’s taking the only options she can think of. The Ngozii people are isolated on that planet, living underground, with no technology or connection to the rest of the universe. Help is not an option for her because she has no one else to ask. I’mgivingher that option, and she’ll take it. Any good leader would.”

Cruzig nods, his lips pressing together as if he’s impressed with my answer. I’m not sure if he is, his face is quite impassive, but I hope I’m having an effect on them. I want to succeed, but I can’t without my team at my back. I’m not the one who will be solving this problem, they will be.

“So, here’s the catch. I’m going to need team effort on this to succeed. Vahru has a lab where we can rush tests on everything necessary and medical training to check patients, Jeff has the knowledge of biology to help us sort out the likely causes, and I’ve got the portal to get us back and forth with ease. The hunters and you girls will need to keep the village safe while we sort this out, who knows what other threats are lurking out there. The Guardians have made it clear that there’s a threat on this planet, too, so anything could happen.”

“Whoa, wait a second, you’re planning to go alone at this, no protection?” Kosiiba jumps up, his brows drawn as his ponytail whips over his shoulder with his head shake. His green eyes blaze as they focus on me.

“I don’t want to risk more lives than necessary, Kosiiba. You could be needed more here.”

“Oh, hell no, Captain.” He comes storming over to me, and I sit up to face him properly as Vahru’s hands drift to my hips to keep me steady on his knees. Kosiiba drops to a knee before me, one hand on the floor as he gazes into my eyes. Being taller than me, like just about everyone here, he’s nearly level with me like this. “I made a vow to protect you and Vahru no matter what. My life is for you. I go where you go. No way in hell will I allow you to walk into the namirii’s den without backup. You’re the most important person on the planet right now as far as I’m concerned, and it’smyjob to make sure you come back alive.I’m coming with.” He stares at me for a long moment before dropping his head, awaiting my response, and I do the only thing I can think of.

My hand reaches out and settles atop his head, my fingers gently settling between the strands of his long hair. “I accept your vow, Kosiiba, and I’d be honored to have you by my side on any mission.” I’m not sure where the words come from, but something in me snaps into place, and when Kosiiba’s gaze lifts to mine, my hand falling to my lap, it feels as if we’re connected somehow.

He stands, and I follow suit, as he places a fist over his heart and bows to me respectfully. I return the gesture, my forehead connecting with the top of his head for a second, and I sense his pride and commitment. When we right, his eyes are wide, his mouth agape, until he finally speaks. “I don’t know how, but I know that no matter what happens, I’ll always know how to find you, how to protect you. We’re… connected now.”

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