Birun was introduced to Valerie, and Chloe kept eating.
She paused and said, “So, Skylar, Aten or Orex?”
“With the way you are limping, Aten.”
“Fine, but only because if Dytura shows up, I can’t currently run away.”
Skylar laughed.“I love your optimism.I know how fast I am, and I am guessing that someone who has had thousands of years to get a handle on this would be considerably faster.”
“Wow.That’s really hot.”She snorted.“Oh, Birun, when you are done getting your cheeks pinched by a ghost, I need to be there when the volunteers touch down.Trust me when I say this is important.”
“Two weeks work for you?”
“I hope so.Gertrude said it only takes four days to get to Aten, so then I will do my thing, and we will boogie back here.”
“Communicate and head to the Pericoff world.We will meet you there.”
“Okay.Is there any more spaghetti?”
He chuckled and went to get it.
Skylar paused.“Do you realize that you just asked a Hmrain to serve you food?”
“Yup.And he is getting it.”
“Do you know how weird that is?”
“I talk to my ship and sleep on moss, and my ship talks back and gives me skincare tips.I think I know that my life is now weird.”
Skylar was still laughing when Birun returned with a double portion of pasta.He set it in front of her and cleared her other plates while Trin was recording her grandmother and getting family recipes.
They spent another three hours at Sanctuary Base and then got back into their ship and out of the hangar.Birun was thawing the world, and then the base was going to move on to its next home.That was a few hundred or thousand years down the road, but Chloe was pretty sure that Trin was going to be there for all of it.
Nestled in her moss bed, she took a nap while Skylar went through the list of Terrans, trying to find out where folks had scattered and how they had been sorted.With her eyes closed, she sent her senses out, and she could see flickers of humanity across the stars.
Gertrude spoke calmly.“I have obtained clearance.Aten is allowing us to land.Apparently, I am not supposed to sneak in...Skylar.”
Skylar chuckled, and they headed into the atmosphere.
Chloe watched the bright light, the sand, and then the pyramids.“Damn, I am homesick.”
Skylar laughed and helped ease Gertrude around to a space that was safe to land without getting sand in everything.
Chloe picked up the item that she had made.Her resources were limited.She tucked it into her sleeve, pulled up her hood, and drew her veil over her features.“Right, ready to hike or haunt.”
Skylar chuckled.“Grab your magic stick, and we will get going.”
“You are funny for a horny gal.”
They bickered at each other as they walked toward the pyramid’s main entrance.Two shining statues were near the door, and when they moved, Chloe muttered, “Holy shit.”
“Yeah, that’s Harwin, that’s Ra, and that’s baby Harran Harwin.”
Chloe kept moving and worked her way up the stairs.She fucking hated stairs.When she had wobbled her way up the steps, she caught her breath.She waved.“Hey, gimme a minute.”
Harwin chuckled.“You are Chloe Harwin?”
Still bent over, she gave the golden woman a thumbs-up.
