arms four hours while you slept, and I assumed that we would become mates before you left me. I had the distinct impression that the thought did not even occur to you.'
'Perhaps I am looking for more,' Velmeran replied defensively, but his look argued that she was right. 'Sex itself is easy enough for me to find just now. I have had five offers for duty mating since I returned from Vinthra, and I refused them all.'
'What?' she asked incredulously. 'Like it or not, you are Velmeran the Magnificent, and you have a certain responsibility to spread your well-ordered genes far and wide.'
'Do you think that I am not aware of that? You are my mate, whether our union has been consummated or not. That is all I care about.'
'Then what are you waiting for? You had the opportunity.'
'I forgot! So what?' he demanded in return.
It was a good thing that the lift came to a stop at that moment, since it gave him a chance to escape. Consherra took her place at the helm console while Velmeran continued on to the upper bridge. The Methryn had already left orbit and now flew at the head of an arrowhead formation, flanked by her two sister ships as they accelerated casually to light speed. Velmeran saw that Valthyrra was watching him with particular interest; the formality of his appearance did not escape her notice. Mayelna's appearance was almost a mirror of his own except in white. Velmeran saw that his timing continued to be precise; it seemed that she had the same thought in mind.
'Ah, Meran. Half a moment,' Mayelna said, glancing up briefly before returning to the com mike in the arm of her chair. 'Three months it is, then?'
'Right,' Commander Schyrrana replied. 'Of course, you would need to come in two or three weeks before so that Velmeran can give it a good look and work up a plan. But he can do it.'
Velmeran can do what? he had to wonder. He glanced at Valthyrra, but she only continued to stare at him in a most disconcerting manner.
'No problem,' Mayelna promised. 'We will see you then.'
'No problem,' Velmeran echoed sarcastically. Mayelna glanced up at him. 'Gelvessa Karvand has a little task for you. Nothing on the order of what you just did. Is that all right with you?'
'Of course,' he insisted. 'That is my business.'
She triggered her seat to roll back, out of the confines of her console, so that she could stand, moving up closely so that they could speak privately.
'Meran, are you happy?' she asked simply.
'Yes, I believe so,' Velmeran agreed. 'There is much for me to do. But I would take it piece by piece, and it does not frighten me.'
'That is where we are different, you and I,' she shrugged at her own helplessness. 'Fate never whispers in my ear, the way it seems to take such good care of you. I have decided that, instead of fighting it, I should take advantage of my assets and give you command of this ship in such matters that are my own weakness.'
She glanced over at Velmeran, as if for his approval, and he nodded.
'It has also occurred to me that this ship has gone entirely too long without a Commander-designate,' she continued briskly.
'I understand,' Velmeran replied gently. 'That is why I am here.'
'It is not as if Valthyrra has had any trouble deciding… ' Mayelna paused and turned to stare at him.
'What do you mean you understand?'
'If Valthyrra wants me to command tins ship someday, then I would be happy to do it,' he explained. 'In fact, I have known for some time that I was being cultivated for that role. Add Consherra to the group, and the three of you are about as subtle as a herd of thark bison. I was fascinated to see which was going to endure longer, Valthyrra's patience or your own stubborn resolution. I also suspect that she knew that I knew.'
'That seems obvious enough,' Mayelna said, glancing suspiciously at the camera pod. 'She is not at all surprised by this turn of events… just very self-satisfied.'
'Of course I knew,' Valthyrra insisted. 'I knew that if you did not go to him, then he would eventually come to you.'
Mayelna turned to Velmeran. 'Is that what you really want? In just a few short years I would be gone, and you will still be very young.'
'Yes, it is what I want,' he agreed. 'I have found my purpose. I enjoy flying and I would miss the packs, but it is not enough. My purpose leads me here.'
Mayelna nodded. 'I understand that now. Back when you were seeking some meaning and purpose in your life, it was here all along. And you are very, very lucky, Meran. Few people ever find the true meaning and purpose of their lives except in retrospect. I made a mistake, and I am sorry for it. I tried to judge this matter for you, because I thought we were so much alike.'
'We are not so different,' Velmeran said. 'Perhaps you were thinking only of what you wanted for me. If you had really looked into your heart, you would have known that I would make this same decision.'
'I realize that now,' she agreed. 'The Aldessan do tell us that our futures lie in shadows, while our pasts are open to the plain light of day. I have been seeking the meaning and purpose of my own life, now that most of my years are behind me. You are the best part of my life, as it turns out. Not only do I leave the best part of myself behind, but something even better. And I am content.'
Velmeran smiled shyly, and allowed her to take him gently in her arms. Valthyrra glanced away, as if to hide tears forming in the lenses of her cameras, while Consherra leaped from her seat and rushed from the bridge. The two Kelvessan were left staring in surprise.
'Well, there she goes again,' Mayelna remarked. 'Now what do you suppose got into those two?'
Velmeran smiled. 'Too many wishes coming true at once, if I had to guess.'
'Indeed? Well, the first rule to commanding this ship is to make it clear that only a certain amount of this behavior would be tolerated.' She walked over to give the camera pod a sharp rap. 'Get under way, you aged hulk! We have work to do.'
'Right away, Commander,' Valthyrra replied in an uncertain voice.
Still flying in close formation, the three carriers cut acceleration from their main drives, diverting that power into their star drives. The immense crystal engines began to glow from deep within, growing steadily brighter as they built to power, and exploded suddenly into life. As one the three ships moved into starflight, each one carried upon twin shafts of brilliant light.
