Spinward Fringe Broadcast 16 by Randolph Lalonde

Author:Randolph Lalonde [Lalonde, Randolph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-988175-25-6
Publisher: Randolph Lalonde

Twenty-Seven

A Visit with The Queen

* * *

It didn’t make sense for Ayan to feel so nervous. Since she was born, she’d seen incredible things and crossed more space than most people would in their lifetimes. There had been adventures along the way that would thrill some but terrify most. The memories from her previous existence as Ayan Rice came with military training, a robust scientific education that focused on engineering and a whole set of experiences that provided the very basis for her personality. A personality that was formed from a complex childhood.

Ayan had faced death, tragedy, victory and knew what it was to love so deeply that it was sometimes frightening. A simple interview shouldn’t be making her so nervous. Discomfort wasn’t a factor. She was finally off the War Forge in a home that had been made by that very machine then delivered to York the day before. It was large, based on the style of the apartments in the Everin Building, it was the first to be affixed to a large platform that would host a whole cluster of modern houses. Hers sat atop a large hangar, had space for her family, several staff members and security. It was too big for her tastes, but she liked the family space.

That is where she sat in a large lounger, wearing one of her favourite blue dresses, something she hadn’t been able to wear much while she was aboard the War Forge, where it seemed more sensible to be in uniform most of the time. Laura was in her arms, finally getting some rest after being stimulated by the move that morning. They made the journey aboard a clever class corvette that had a high comfort transport module installed on the second deck. You couldn’t tell you were inside a heavily armed military ship, but the creature comforts didn’t matter to Laura. She was still too young to make sense of it all, but the infant seemed aware that something was going on. The moment they stepped onto the transport she started wailing. Ayan was sure that would start when the babe was put into a tiny vacsuit then affixed to her chest. Laura seemed perfectly content with that, but something about the transport was too much, so her daughter reacted to it like she was getting stuck with pins.

When they stepped off the transport into the hangar on Norren Laura stopped. Not even Daisy knew why Laura made a cacophonous fuss during the fifteen-minute trip, but they were all relieved when the baby calmed down. The gravity on Norren was almost perfectly standard, point nine-eight of earth’s, and the air had character. There was something green and alive about the newly terraformed planet’s smell. The forests, fields and jungles were still fresh and there was life everywhere between, even in the arid areas that looked golden but still during the day. It was the kind of world Ayan wanted to raise her children on.

Gavin Hale’s shuttle had just touched down outside and Daisy gently took the child, commenting; “Someone’s had a big day.

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