Fabian glared at Bianchi with pure, burning hatred. He knew better than to resist, however. As leader of his people, if he were to defy the Galactic Federation, that would be the death of his clan.
Two Enforcers marched up, dragging a struggling, kicking Roger between them.
“Furthermore, we find that this human collaborator, Roger Penroy, was the one who first contacted the Harbingers, and we have ascertained that he helped to introduce the fungus to the planet’s trees. Roger Penroy will also be transported to the Galactic Central Court to stand trial.”
There were shouts of fury from the crowd at this. The colony had been plunged into despair for years, had nearly lost everything, because of this man.
As the Harbingers and Roger were escorted off the stage and to the Galactic Federation hovercraft, they were roundly jeered and booed.
It was not until after the Hovercraft lifted that the celebrations began.
* * * * *
Later that evening, the Drakken and Liza’s family and Marjan all gathered at the bed and breakfast, in the living room, in front of a roaring fire. La La had eaten so much sugar that she’d passed out, lying on her back on the carpet, snoring loudly.
“I am glad all of that is out of the way. I have a wedding to plan. Actually, a double wedding,” Karmelite said. “Korl must receive his celebration as well.”
“But you were dead set against it,” Liza protested.
Karmelite flashed a smug smile. “Was I? Or did I push my son to mate with you, because I knew that if I forbade it, I could all but guarantee that he would do it?”
“I thought you opposed the idea of me marrying a human.” Jaspar look at his mother in confusion.
“When you first came home and told me that you thought you had found your heart-mate, but you did not know if you could make her happy because our species are so different, I began to research her immediately. After all, you are my oldest clutchling, who means everything to me. I sat on you for ten months.”
“About five minutes in total,” Jaspar corrected her.
Karmelite ignored him. “My research showed that she was loyal to her family, very moral, and excellent with children, which is all that I could possibly ask. And if she is your heart-mate, you would never be happy with anybody else. I was happy with your father for many decades until his glorious death in battle. I would not wish anything less for you.”
“Do you mean a happy marriage, or a glorious death?” Jaspar asked.
His mother waved her hand at him dismissively. “Whatever.”
“So all of your sabotage was meant to push us closer together. Mother, you are truly devious and manipulative.” Jaspar grinned fiercely. “I have never been prouder to be your son.”
Liza shook her head in amazement. “Will wonders never cease?”
“Not on Christmas,” Jaspar said to Liza with a huge smile.
* * * * *
Christmas eve on Far North…one year later…
“I am exhausted,” Jaspar declared to Liza, collapsing into a chair in front of the fireplace. “Human young are insatiable. My wings are aching as if I’d just battled an entire clan of Harbingers.”
He had spent the last ten hours straight giving children Santa Drakken rides. He’d even allowed himself to be fitted with a saddle for their safety, and also donned a beard. Liza and her family were the only ones on Far North who had both an Insult Santa and a Santa Drakken Business was non-stop. They now had a small tavern and half a dozen booths serving food and drink to all the customers who were waiting for rides, and their Christmas tree lot business was booming as well.
Liza settled into his lap. She had two cups of steaming hot cocoa, and she handed him one. He hugged her close to him and kissed her neck. After a year of being married to him, he still brought shivers of pleasure to her with his merest touch.
“Don’t worry. The day after tomorrow, we get to go on vacation to Eden,” she said. Eden was the name that had been given to the tropical planet on the other side of the portal.
The portal had been ruled to be the property of the entire colony, and now Far North was a year-round vacation destination. People still flocked from all over the galaxy to visit for Christmas, but a resort had also been built on the tropical planet, and many of the colonists were splitting their year up, living and working in a newly built colony on the tropical planet during the off-season.
The colonists would be able to repay their debt to the First Galactic Bank in full within a couple of years, now that they had year-round income streaming in. From now on, their children would no longer be saddled with that debt, and would be able to work towards building their own futures, buying safer hovercraft, and expanding the colony.
Geneva was home for the holidays. She had one more year left in school, and then she planned to travel the galaxy. It would be a graduation gift from Jaspar and Liza. She’d be travelling business class, which meant that her ship would have private security protecting it.
“You guys are so gross and sappy,” she told them, leaning back in a recliner and taking a healthy swig of eggnog. “I’m never going to be like that. I’m going to be an intergalactic businesswoman.”
