Page 21 of Kailirex

“The walls within our quarters will be the same,” I said, eager to impress my mate. “You can choose to have it display a static mural, or look like a window with a view anywhere in the known universe where there is a feed, and it will stream so it looks like we are there.”

Her mouth fell open. “So I could ask Xero to show us outside and we’d see Earth from space or the view from another direction if that’s what I wanted, or have it look like we were next to Saturn, or at a beach resort in the Bahamas?”

“Or at the Great Wall of China, or the Pyramids of Egypt, or one of the many worlds in your home quadrant?” Eric added.

“Yes to all of those,” Xeranos replied.

“Oh man, how are we going to choose?” Stella lamented.

“We’ll have to sit down and decide weekly themes,” Eric told her solemnly.

She nodded. “Great idea.”

“As always. Stick with your big brother. I’ve never steered you wrong yet!”

“Look, it’s the Statue of Liberty. You know, I’ve lived in New York my entire life, but I’ve never seen her from the air. Come to think of it, I’ve only visited once.”

“Fourth grade,” Eric said. “I remember because that was when I went too. Fifth graders went to the symphony and ballet, sixth graders to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”

Stella laughed. “That’s right. Guess having it like that made it easier for our teachers.”

I thought back to my own education. “My fourth year as a young at school, we went to the ancient temple in our city dedicated to Jurith, goddess of family. There they told us how one day she would speak to the stars and guide us to a mate if we were worthy, and we would rear young.”

“What if someone did not wish to be a parent?” Eric asked. “Not everyone does. Not speaking for myself - I dreamed of someday getting to be a dad.”

“Good, because I want many,” Piloris declared.

“Oh, Mom will definitely love you,” Eric told him, kissing the side of his faintly scaled jaw.

“It is true that some do not wish to rear young,” I said. “But it is rare for a Mylos to feel that way. Even if one never finds their mate, it is common for a Mylos to adopt. But if they do, they still help contribute to the welfare of all young in some manner.”

“That’s nice,” Stella said.

“How many young?” Eric asked his mate, eyes dancing. “One for each of your fingers,” Piloris declared.

“Oh, damn!” Stella laughed, covering her mouth to try to stifle her laughter as Eric stared at him in shock.

“Beginning vertical ascent,” Tellin informed us and nothing more was said for several minutes as we watched the clouds being left behind, then flames as they danced along our hull, and finally broke through to the beauty of the endless sea of stars, with Earth and its moon and the distant figures of satellites, space stations, and our Fleet visible depending on where you looked.

“Three,” Stella told me suddenly. “I’m willing to have three and I already have their names picked out.”