“Affirmative,” Veral sighed. “She tapped into our transmitters here under layers of system code to get the message out to the council. Once we were aware of what she had done, it took us little time to locate the message and verify its content. They will be arriving at the Monushava compound soon.”
“I see. Never have I been so painfully mistaken about a female of our line… except maybe once,” she added, regret crossing her face as she looked at Navesha, who refused to meet her foster mother’s eyes. “It seems we have no choice now,” she said, her spine straightening as her vibrissae puffed out regally.
“We do not,” Veral agreed. “The Monushava compound and the household of the eastern border must be evacuated. Hitani has already left to alert her people. Featha, please send out on the Monushava channel that this is code evac 7892. It is a mandatory evacuation. Remain at your own peril.”
Featha inclined her head, her eyes closing as she sent out the message on the access channels from the compound. When she opened her eyes again, she stared back at them sadly, her eyes turning to Dreth.
“I will not ask you to come with me, but should you choose to find me, I will be in the Iliari system. Remember we visited a planet there when you were small. I think that will be an appropriate place for me to return to. Your father is en route from his trading venture to collect me within the next five minutes and is in agreement. I hope to see you there someday.”
“One day,” Dreth agreed.
A sigh escaped her as she looked back to Veral.
“You are ready, then?”
“The Wandereris making her descent. We will be departing immediately with our mother-kin.”
She inclined her head, her eyes meeting Terri’s.
“It was a true pleasure and honor to see what our species has to look forward to.” Her lips twisted into a grim smile. “Change can be unpleasant, but I think I understand.” She straightened; her proud bearing pronounced as she inclined her head to them. “Evacuation signal is now broadcasting.” Her eyes shifted, becoming more distant as she linked to what had to be numerous other channels. “Monushava mother-line, all ships have system-wide clearance for departure. Leave immediately. Initiating countdown to release of media files Harahna from the compound in twenty minutes. To all mother-kin now facing an unknown life in space—Our line shall not perish. We will be reunited again. Be well, everyone.”
The comm station’s viewscreen blacked out for a moment before another signal lit it up with a scrawl of confusing symbols. With a flick of his fingers, Veral accepted the coded channel.
Azan grinned at them.
“Coming in hot! Prepare for imminent evacuation. Arrival time… well, just hold onto your asses because we will be there quick.”
The transmission cut off, but Terri grinned, cuddling Harahna close. Time to go home. Leaning her cheek into her mate’s chest, she walked with him at a leisurely stroll, their family behind them as they exited the compound, their supplies and one particularly nasty trophy carried by the Larth and Dreth. The whine of the ship as it careened through the canyon blasted her ears, but she laughed aloud.
The ramp extended, and the hatch door slid open, allowing the Blaithari to pop her head out. Two of her six arms waved as she beckoned them inside.
“We need to move,” she shouted. “Planetary defenses are starting to come online!”
Terri swallowed back a laugh as Veral scooped her up in his arms and raced toward the ramp. Harahna giggled into her tunic, her little fists clutching the material tightly. The pound of feet on the ramp was loud as their family ascended and made their way to their flight harnesses. The scrape of claws from the dorashnals was louder as they followed them in and dug their sharp claws into the well-padded flooring of the flight deck designed for that purpose. The skinny female that had belonged to Malraha clung to Krono’s side as they settled in.
Although the male tolerated her presence, Veral had been uncertain about keeping her since Krono would never bond with a female that was not bonded with Veral’s mate. Terri was stubborn enough to try to win her over, however, and the renamed female Taka was now a part of the family whether the dorashnal liked it or not.
Terri was never averse to their family growing. She grinned at the sound of Navesha giggling as Gargoluk carried her by. Not just merely chuffing, Navesha giggled like Harahna did as Gargoluk grumbled about how retirement wasn’t working out for him as he secured first his mate and then himself. Larth chuffed in amusement at their banter as he tightened his harness around his impressive mass, while Dreth and Tarik took their places beside him, neither of them looking too happy to seated next to the male.
Terri hadn’t been able to figure out what set the males on edge about Larth. She personally found him very likable.
Veral smirked as he slid past them and strode to the two captains’ chairs. Plopping Terri in one, he secured her harness and gave Harahna’s symbiont a gentle tap causing it to instantly form its safety harness around Terri’s body, keeping their daughter snugly in place. A smile of satisfaction crossed her face as he settled in the chair beside her that Azan hastily evacuated and began initiating the flight sequences.
Azan secured herself next to Wendy and winked at Terri as she threw one arm around the exasperated human, who punched at her bicep. A laugh burst from Terri asThe Wandererlifted off from the canyon floor, zipping at a dizzying speed beyond the stratosphere of Argurumal. There, they drifted for a moment as Veral began to initiate the hyperspeed drive, and all around them Terri saw starships bearing the Monushava emblem. Veral paused and watched them, something sad flickering on his face as they winked out one by one.
A warning light blinked on as the AI voice filled the flight deck.
“Planetary defenses initiating fire in ten, nine, eight, seven…”
The light of the stars around them dragged, pressure increasing in the room until, like a rubber band, everything snapped forward and the built tension released asThe Wandererhurled through space.
Gazing up at her mate, Terri smiled.
“Are we onto our next adventure?”
He raised a brow and chuffed down at her.
“I think a revolution of peace… a vacation, as you say.”