The delivery code indicated it had been sent from Mars. Dr. Graymard’s smiling image appeared on the screen. “Hello, Dr. Stephens. I hope this finds you well. I wish there were some better medium to deliver this news to you.”
Her tears started flowing. Certain of her friend’s death, Donna barely heard his next words. “Fortunately, it’s happy news I bring you. Dr. Hypatia has been found alive and well.”
As she sucked in a gasp of air she choked on her own snot. She coughed while slapping at the controls to pause the video. Staggering out of the command chair, she stumbled to the head, where she poured herself a glass of water and tried to quit choking. When she finally made it back to the console, she restarted the video.
“…The lifepod was found by a Beyant battle cruiser on its way to treaty talks. Her memory, unfortunately, has been impacted by the drugs she was given by her assailant. She is now back on Mars, and has been reunited with her husbands. We will be transferring them to Earth shortly. I wanted to let you know so you could, if you wish, suspend your mission and change course to make your way to Earth and help with her—”
She stopped the playback again. Tapping into the nav computer, she plugged in information to break free of orbit and head away from the planet so they could jump. Then she reached over and smacked the intercom button and screamed into it. “She’s alive! They found her! Get your asses up here right now, boys. I’ve already plugged in our new course. We’re heading to Earth!”
She started the video again, giggling, which turned to laughter and then tears running down her face as she watched it from start to finish. That’s where her three men found her moments later as they all ran, butt naked, onto the bridge. Rob pulled her into his arms.
“Donna, babe, what’s going on?”
She blubbered and pointed at the video display. “They found her. She’s alive!”
Emi opened her eyes and looked around the room. Daylight streamed through the window sim. Caph was still asleep, the damp spot on the sheet under his cheek even larger than before. Yanna occupied the other chair, and Ford and Aaron were missing.
Yanna patted her hand. He sat up, leaned in, and softly spoke to her in Beyant. “They will return soon. They left a few hours ago. Went to the ship to sleep.”
A nurse came in, checked Emi’s vitals, administered her morning medication, and left them alone again.
“It’s going to be strange starting over,” Emi softly admitted. “Leaving the B’autachia. It’s the only home I remember.”
“You don’t have to leave, a’tein. You and your husbands can stay with us.”
She felt his anguish, that she would leave them. “You are the best big brother ever.”
Yanna smiled. “You never had a brother, big or little. Ford said so.”
“Well, if I had, you still would be.”
“I am honored. Father has made a request.”
“What?”
“If you stay here, he has asked if I could stay with you. Pabo and myself, to protect you and your men. Considering the complicated diplomatic situation, the Interstellar Treaty Coalition, and the DSMC, has agreed to allow it, if you wish.”
“Stay with me?”
“Yes. Cultural exchange. Father has already extended an offer to allow human crew on the B’autachia.” He smiled. “Besides, he wants me to keep an eye on any potential heir to his ruling house.”
Maybe it was the drugs, because that statement confused the hell out of her. “What?”
“You are Father’s only daughter. Our ruling houses are controlled by the lines of the women. Adopted or not.”
“But I’m not Beyant.”
“It does not matter. Even if I could produce an heir…” He blushed, his face turning an even darker shade of orange, before falling silent.
“What are you saying? Why couldn’t you produce an heir?”
“Unless the Goddess of All creates a miracle, it is doubtful Pabo or myself will ever become female.”
If she didn’t hurt so much, she would have sat upright in bed. “What?” Caph stirred a little. Emi lowered her voice, rapid-fire Beyant spilling out in her agitation. “What are you talking about, Yanna? You and Pabo? What do you mean?”
“Did you not know?”
“Know what?”
He softly laughed. “Pabo isn’t just my guard. He is my p’agdtein.” When she obviously didn’t understand the word, he clarified. “My mate.” He pointed to Caph. “My spouse. Like you and him and the other two.”
It took her a moment to absorb that info. Sure, Pabo shadowed Yanna when he wasn’t assigned to watch her, and he slept in Yanna’s cabin, but she assumed that was because he was Yanna’s personal bodyguard.
Yanna must have recognized the shocked confusion on her face. “A’tein, all of our crew are p’agdtein…mated. Well, except for Father, of course. Mother died years ago and he’s never remated. We knew this would be a very long mission and only chose male mated p’agdtein pairs so they would not get lonely. We did not want to risk sending women on this mission. You did not know that?”
She laughed. “Um, no. You must have missed telling me that somewhere along the line.” She tried to think of any signs and remembered none. “There were no signs. You guys are really deep in the closet.” No wonder the Beyants hadn’t seemed shocked about Aaron and Caph also being married to her and Ford.
He didn’t understand the English idiom translated into Beyant. When she explained, he smiled. “We strictly adhere to protocols when on duty. We do not like to publicly display our romantic affection. It does not matter if it is a female and male or two males or two females. We all know things go on in private. We simply do not wish to see how others do them.” He sat back. Sadness shadowed his face and soul. “When my sister was killed, besides our grief, Father sensed the inevitable end of our family line. She had not yet found a p’agdtein or had children. Women in our culture are highly cherished. It is rare one is ever available for adoption outside of her own family. Until you came along,” he added.
Caph stirred and lifted his head. He briefly glared at Yanna before his eyes settled on Emi. “Hey, you okay?” he asked.
She smiled and answered him. It was only when he looked totally confused that she realized she’d spoken Beyant. She tried again in standard. “I’m okay. How did you sleep?” She stroked his hair.
He nodded and laid his head back onto the bed. He found her other hand under the sheet and laced his fingers through hers as he stared at her, like a lost puppy reunited with his mistress.
Yanna spoke Beyant. “He loves you very much. He did not move all night.”
She switched back to Beyant. “He was drugged to the gills.” At Yanna’s confusion, she realized she had to explain that idiom, too.
“He needed it. He is very devoted to all three of you, but especially to you, it seems.”
Caph lay there and watched them talk without interrupting or asking for a translation. She felt his relief. He was content to simply be there with her. Gods help the person who tried to keep him away from her at that point.
Gwan and another Beyant guard entered the room with a cart and food trays. They’d brought one of Beyant food for Yanna, and two of Earth food for Emi and Caph.
Caph sat up and stared at Emi. She felt he was still woozy from the sedative. “Go ahead and eat,” she assured him.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m okay.” Caph and Yanna helped her sit up in bed, but she ate unassisted. By the time they finished, Graymard, Ford, and Aaron had all arrived. Ford was dressed in a fresh Tamora Bight crew uniform. Aaron carried a duffel bag with a change of clothes and toiletries for Emi, and for Caph, so he could take a shower there in the room. The Beyant guards quickly brought two more trays of Earth food for Ford and Aaron.