Page 32 of Narzek
It was about a month and ten days or a quad span into their journey to Farseek when Cayla received a return vid-mail from her parents Jean and Ken Fox. Cayla choked back a sob as they came on the com screen in their cabin, sitting on the familiar sofa in their living room.
“Cayla, sweetheart, we were so happy to hear your voice and see your face. When the Army came and told us you were missing in action, we were sure you were dead,” said Jean. “We probably wouldn’t have believed what actually happened if the Alliance hadn’t announced their presence on every TV and radio in the country.”
“They sent agents to tell us how you had been abducted and sold into slavery,” said Ken. “We are so glad those soldiers rescued you and your friend Luanne. …And now you married one. I—We wish you were coming home to us, but knowing that you are alive and happy with a man who loves you… That was the best news we could have gotten.”
“Things haven’t been the same since the Drayids attacked Earth. The Alliance stopped them and sent them back to where they came from, but so many people lost loved ones in the cities that were attacked. We were just lucky not to live near any of them. But people are not the same… Now that we know there are beings out there with the power to destroy our world as if we haven’t been doing it fast enough ourselves,” said Jean. “That was a while ago, just after we learned you were missing.”
“They said you were going to a place called Farseek, a world like Earth was before overpopulation and pollution. We can’t wait for you to send pictures,” said Ken. “And we want to see pictures of this man Narzek who has claimed your heart.
“There’s not much more we can tell you. We love you and miss you, and we can hardly wait to hear from you again.”
By then, Cayla was sobbing, and Narzek got up from his seat at their table and pulled her up into his arms. He just took her back to his chair and put her on his lap to hold her as she cried on his shoulder.
He almost felt guilty for taking her even further from her home. Almost. Some day when the combined forces of the Alliance and the Consortium got control of the Sargus territories, maybe they could visit Earth. But there was no guarantee, so he didn’t suggest it.
He would just have to love her enough for both of them. That, he could do.
Epilogue
A year and a half later (a star span) on Farseek
“What a great day for this!” Narzek said, watching the women chatting together and sipping ale from a glass with his friends.
He and his warrior friends had gathered with their families at his family home to celebrate Freedom Day. While it wasn’t the exact day that the Farseek Brigade arrived on Ryosa; it was just the date they chose to commemorate it. Ryosa was only one of the many worlds abducted Farseekans were taken. Just over four hundred thousand had been returned or at least freed from slavery. Some had made new lives for themselves elsewhere.
Since returning to Farseek, Cayla had become friends with Kragyn’s mate Reanne and Argen’s mate Zoey. Both Reanne and Zoey were visibly pregnant, and Cayla just learned she was pregnant too.
Cayla’s friend Luanne was not pregnant yet, but they all figured it was only a matter of time. Luanne had found her soul mate in a Narovian feline on theKurellis,who was on his way to Farseek to start a new life. They weremeomee;fate made a choice for them.
Cayla had learned to fly shuttles transporting goods and passengers from spaceships orbiting Farseek. Argen Trematu started his own company and hired Cayla and a couple other pilots from the Farseek Brigade. She worked a few rotations per span. The rest of the time, she helped Narzek on their farm.
It was the life they planned during the times when they weren’t sure they would make it back to live it.
But they all did, and they were happy. This day was all about celebrating life and freedom.
THE END
