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“Oh, no. I have your location and the signal of the ship. If I call and you aren’t at your com, they will page you. You get used to being on hold for an hour or more.” Harwin paused. “Don’t start having sex, though. That throws off the timing.”
Ra laughed, lifted Harwin and their son, and sat, settling them on his lap.
“Oh, that’s what you meant.”
Harwin chuckled. “He’s pretty good at not jostling the baby now. If this little dude breaks a latch, the whole pyramid shakes.”
Aya’s eyes got wide. “Pyramid?”
Harwin chuckled. “I really hope you can visit. Quite a bit of the architecture in our ancient world started here.”
“Not up to me. I am still just enjoying food I can digest. I am not going to start making demands. Next up is a night’s sleep where I don’t wake up screaming. After that, I want to get dressed the first time in less than four layers. Baby steps.”
Harwin’s eyes got soft. “I see. Well, I am around. I am not going to be travelling anytime soon. Ra has plans for another dynasty, so we are in discussions for a second baby. We say discussions. He brings it up, and I punch him in the junk, and then I need to put my hand in a repair unit.”
Aya snickered. Ra was rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
Harwin smirked. “To be frank, our clothing has a lot of metal decoration on it.”
Aya laughed.
“How is he dressing you?”
“Uh, I have a wide-open wardrobe, and I can choose what I like. Devran picked the outfits from worlds he... uh... associates with.”
Devran chuckled. “Interesting descriptor.”
Ra grinned. “That is one way to put it.”
Harwin smiled. “You will have to tell me more about your options. Wearing a king’s ransom gets old some days. And heavy, very heavy.”
Ra kissed her neck. “I am always willing to carry you, my queen.”
“I know, but I have to watch your thumbs. You are tricky for an old guy.”
Ra grinned, and Aya snickered.
Goodbyes were spoken, and the call ended. Terran contact had been made.
Chapter Five
Devran was laughing silently.
Aya said, “It was the old guy reference, right?”
“That was the final comment for me, yes.”
She smiled and looked at him. “There are more numbers?”
“There are many more numbers. Many more Terrans to speak to. I have also located your village. They are still together and on Siloven. The overseer is Yvari, and she is the daughter of the Hmrain Vecchin. The files for Siloven are on your terminal. Begin your education there. They are our first stop after we meet with Kazi.”
She spelled Siloven on her terminal and looked at the world that was two-thirds water and three large continents. Her hands shook as she looked up family names, and the silent tears started. She looked at the Merryweather names and all of the associated names and the expanded names and the jobs and the businesses and the weddings.
She covered her mouth and smiled. She exhaled slowly. “They are safe.”
“Your family?”
“Yes.”
