Igrain sat at the radar and pulled a map up of the star system they were now sailing through. One of the moons, Lothian, orbited closest to them. “Vortigern is there too,” she said. “I see his ship. Have you contacted the others?”
Uther shook his head. “We were waiting for Merlin for that.”
“No need,” said the smooth, alien voice of the white being. Merlin, immortal and smooth faced, walked onto the bridge. “Permission to come aboard the bridge?” he addressed Constans, who nodded. “I am here. I sense Mab from the other ship. She has been awake for some time now. What delayed my waking?”
“Nothing,” Uther said in the human’s defense. “I woke you just moments after I woke.”
Merlin frowned and stood next to Uther, looking down his long nose. “Mab has been awake for some time. Vortigern too, I assume. You must contact them.”
The air suddenly grew tense as Constans leaned forward and sent a communication inquiry to the twin ship. Uther leaned up against his brother’s chair to listen with the others. Only static answered.
“Well,” Galois sighed with a broad, manly smile. “Who cares how long they have been awake anyway? What’s more important is how long I’ve been waiting for my food!” He looked over his wife’s shoulder at the screen. “We should wake our daughter. Morgause would want to see Camelot. May I, commander?” he asked Constans, who nodded.
Merlin touched Uther’s arm gently to get his attention. “If Vortigern was awake for so long without contacting us, there are things we must assume.”
The com-unit buzzed and crackled. “What’s that D.R.U.I.D saying about me?” came Vortigern’s gruff, angry voice over the unit. “But never mind, Mab has told me of General Constantine’s death.” His voice fell to a melancholy hum. “I’m sorry, boys. I knew your father most of my life and there wasn’t another man like him.”
“Thank you, sir,” Constans replied in a mature tone. Uther smiled. Only he knew his brother’s grown-up-voice. He wouldn’t have been able to spot it if he hadn’t known his brother better though. Uther slung his leg onto the large arm rest of the commander’s chair and crossed his arms.
“Do you know it’s been years since I’ve heard you speak and I can still spot your manly tones?” he said softly.
Constans quickly slapped Uther across the side of his face playfully and pushed him from the seat with a groan. At first, the gesture hurt a little hurt, but when he looked up, Constans grinned playfully as he addressed Vortigern again.
“Merlin wishes to address you, sir,” he said. “If that is acceptable, I will put him on the screen for you and Mab to speak.”
In answer, Vortigern’s stern, black-bearded face appeared on the large screen before them. Igrain quickly closed the star charts to give a clear view of his presence as two moons had just been hovering in his nostrils. Behind him lurked Mab. A strange lifeform like Merlin, only female, she had an off-putting presence. Her skin shimmered a pale color that bordered on purple and her eyes were pure black, unlike Merlin’s all blue ones. Her hair faded white like Merlin’s, but she loomed exceptionally taller and far more imposing.
“My condolences, commander,” she boomed in a deep, operatic feminine tone.
Before Constans could answer, Merlin demanded, “Why, when you awakened, did you not signal our ship? How long have you been awake and approaching Camelot?”
Vortigern arched a thick, black eyebrow. “You will address me as sir, D.R.U.I.D.” He put his fingertips together and looked over them sternly into the screen. “You need more discipline over your alien, Constans. Your father would be ashamed.”
The jab had the desired effect and meek Constans was struck mute.
“Answer the question,” Uther stepped in. “How long have you been awake? Did you speak to my father before he died?” He subconsciously rubbed his chin, intimidated by Vortigern’s trim beard. His stubble still long and no doubt haggard looking. They should have cleaned up.
“Sadly, no,” Vortigern said, relaxing into his chair. Behind him, Mab didn’t move. “We only awoke a few days ago to see space pirates from Lothian, the moon, making away with crystalloid fuel. It seems to be abundant on the planet or the moon, I couldn’t tell which.”
“You have not scanned the planet for life then?” Merlin asked, hardly daunted by Vortigern.
Something in Vortigern’s manner changed then. He lowered his face, snickered, and shook his head. “Boys!” he declared and shot up from his chair. “I feel bad leaving you over there all alone. Why don’t I come over and make sure everything is just fine and we can talk?”
“No,” Merlin said right away. Constans and Uther looked to him. “The general left instructions. Constans is a smart man; he knows what to do.”
A smile spread Vortigern’s face. “You boys don’t know about the D.R.U.I.Ds, do you?” He stood up. “I’ll be right over. Open the wave transporter.”
Merlin spun onto Constans just as the door opened and Galois reentered with his daughter Morgause and her betrothed Lot.
“Sir, I cannot advise this,” Merlin said. A note of panic tainting in his smooth voice. “Something in Vortigern is not computing. It is not written that he should come here.”
“What does that mean? That it is not written?” Constans asked. “I know Vortigern; he’s like an uncle to me.”
Uther watched the family reunion of Igrain and her daughter. Because of the chryosleep, Igrain and young Morgause looked to be the same age. Really, Igrain, like Uther and Galois, were far older than they appeared. Lot stood apart, not affectionately by Morgause like Uther thought he should. Instead, his arms were crossed and he watched out the window at the little moon Lothian.
