Silence.
“We can afford but one last burst ofgastrolight,” Zor decreed. He nodded at Kil. “Catch them, brother.”
Chapter Eleven
30 Nuba-Minutes Outside Khan-Gori Airspace
Zyrus Galaxy, Seventh Dimension
6049 Y.Y. (Yessat-Years)
Wide-eyed and in shock, Gio and Dari listened to Kari Gy’at Li—Kara Summers—tell her tale as she paced back and forth. She told them about theholo-recordingshe’d finally viewed, about theholo-charm, and everything else whizzing through her mind. Dressed in the black leathers Dari had fashioned for her, she flung her hands wildly about as she recounted parts of her story.
“Did I mention I’m sorry for invading your privacy, Dari?”
“Aye.”
“Because I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry! You know what I mean?”
“Eh… it sounds as if I told you to invade it.”
Kari was speaking so quickly that had Dari not been accustomed to hermani’searthly accent she wouldn’t have been able to keep up. She could tell by Gio’s expression that he was having a hard time doing such. “Where did you find boots that ‘twould fit you?” he asked dumbly.
Kari stopped pacing. She huffed. “I’m telling you I want my name back and you’re asking me about these stupid boots?” She shook her head. “There are tons ofmaleboots on this idiotic ship—even ones for little kids.” Her face flushed as she mumbled, “I got mine from the kids’ section.”
Gio suppressed his mirth. ‘Twas no doubt wise for Dari’s newfound Auntie would likely not have shared in his humor.
“I can’t believe my sister and Geris—who is also like a sister to me!—are alive!” Kari went on, rapidly changing subjects again. Her smile beamed as she twirled around much like a wee girl attending her first feast. “They’re aliiiiive!” She stopped twirling and grew serious again. ‘Twas nigh unto giving Dari’s head the ache. “Gio!” Kari announced. “I need thatholo-communicatorup and running both ways. I have to talk to my sister!”
Gio blinked. The poor warlord was still struggling to keep up. “I, uh—okay.”
“Great!”
“Stop!” He rubbed his temples. “We have to wait for the others to board ship.” When she opened her mouth to likely rebut that, he held up a palm. “I can fix theholo-communicator, but you’ll need your long wave transmitters back up and working for that to matter. Leastways, I know naught of such things. I believe ‘tis King Dak who is well-versed in that area.”
Dari gasped. “My sire is coming and you didn’t tell me?” When he gave her the look of a warrior defeated, she patted his leg. “’Tis alright. For a certainty there has been much going on.”
“Mynee’kais wearing the white leathers of a warrior,” he muttered. “The sister of mine Empress is wearing the dark leathers of a warrior. I’m sitting here staring at a planet I was told was naught but legend…” Gio put his head between his hands. “I need a moment to gather my wits about me.”
Dari didn’t know what to say to that so she again patted his leg consolingly. “Did you see any boy-child boots in white?” she asked Kari. “Whilst looking for your boots I mean.”
“Yeah, totally.” She absently threw a hand toward the raised table where Bazi was breaking his fast. “He got a pair for both of us.”
Bazi grinned. “Your feet are the sizes of babies’ feet,” he said.
Dari and Kari chuckled. Gio groaned.
A horn blared, alerting everyone to the fact that the second cruiser had caught up to them. “Thank the goddess,” Gio grumbled. “At last something that makes sense to me.” He stood up. “I will put this cruiser in hover mode so the other ship can attach itself to ours.” He strode toward the control console. “And then I will be needing muchmatpowfor my head has the ache and my nerves have the jitters.”
Dari threw him a pitying glance, but said naught else. In truth, her head was also getting the ache, though for different reasons. The more Kari had confided in her about theholo-recordingandholo-charm, the faster her temporarily stolen memories came flooding back. ‘Twas a bizarrely painful experience in the physical sense. Later, when things calmed down a wee bit, she would put more questions to Kari abouthyatzi. Were Kari’s stolen memories coming back too? If not, would they ever return? So many questions; so few answers.
“What is life on Tryston like?” Kari excitedly asked Dari. “Will I totally hate it and want to return to Galis or will I love it? I want to love it because I never want to be separated from my sister again, but I suppose I could just visit if I find the place intolerable.”
“I’m a bit prejudiced,” Dari pointed out. She smiled. “’Twas my home for fourteenYessat-Yearsand where I was raised by mymaniand sire. I love Tryston and everything about it. Including, obviously, its moon Ti Q’won.”
“But women have no choices there.” Kari sighed. “I could never be happy like that.”
“After experiencing Galis, I can agree that Tryston needs reformation.” Dari shrugged. “Auntie Kyra knows much freedom and basically does as she wishes, yet do I now see the difference between the freedom she and mymanipossess compared against the freedom a female knows on Galis.”
