Chapter 22
Nova
They finally pulled apart, and questions poured out of Nova.
“How did you get here? What happened to the Delight? Do you need help?”
Melee made a soothing sound from deep in her chest. It immediately calmed Nova, just as it had done when she was a child.
“Easy, Nova. Let me answer one question before you ask the next one.”
“Please sit,” Miran urged. “I ordered tea and snacks. It shouldn’t be long before they arrive.”
No sooner did he say that than the door slid open and a delivery droid rushed into the room. It stopped inside and waited.
Nova let Nikla, the youngest cub, push her into a chair and the rest of the Tiema family resumed their seats. She managed to hold in her questions while Miran distributed snacks and tea.
Nova accepted a cup of tea but didn’t drink it. She was too excited to see the Tiema family again.
Finally everyone had a box on their lap and a mug in their hand. She let loose with her first question.
“Did you leave the Delight?”
“Yes,” Melee said. “You might not be aware, but the Delight hasn’t been doing as well as it used to. We’d been thinking about leaving for some time.”
“I know no one was making as much,” Nova said. “But I didn’t know it was that bad.”
“We were trying to figure out how we could take you with us,” Hashor, the oldest cub, said. “But it was clear we could never afford to buy your contract.”
“That meant we’d have to steal you!” the twins, Miffla and Mashie, said in unison.
Nova laughed, thinking they were joking, but a look from Melee indicated they weren't kidding.
“We were going to wait until later in the year when we’d be in the Tasini system,” Melee said. “The Tasini don’t like slavery and don’t honor slave ownership. Once we got you off the ship and onto one of their planets or stations, you’d have been free.”
Hashor made a sound of agreement. “We knew the Delight might’ve tried to recapture you so we planned to stay in the Tasini system for a while and wait them out. They’d move on once they realized it would cost more to acquire you than you were worth.”
“Gee, thanks,” she teased, feeling unbelievably loved. “It's nice to hear myself described as an asset.”
“But that's what you were to Riff,” Hashor reminded her. “You asked for so little, and it broke our hearts more each year that you were worked hard with no compensation and no future except to be cast aside in old age.”
Nova would occasionally think about her future, but it was so bleak that she never let herself dwell.
“I was happy because I got to be with all of you,” Nova whispered.
“You’re family,” Melee said. “I might not have given birth to you, but you’re my child, Nova. I would never leave one of my children to an uncertain future.”
Nova felt tears gather in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“There was always a risk that Riff and Sanian would sell you before we could steal you,” Nikla said. “We all talked a lot and decided it was best if you didn’t know. We were concerned that you might not run when you needed to if you were worried about leaving us.”
“I ran, but I didn’t get far,” Nova said with a wet chuckle.
Melee and the cubs all turned their eyes to Miran. He’d already eaten through half his box of snacks while the rest of them had only nibbled on them. It was clear by his surprised expression that he hadn't expected to be pulled into the conversation.
“You bought Nova,” Melee stated. It sounded a lot like an accusation.
He swallowed quickly. “We only bought her to set her free.”
Nikla, the most aggressive of the cubs, didn’t like that answer. “Then why did you chase after her?”
“Uh, because it was my duty,” he said.
Nova almost laughed at the way the Tiema family glared at him with their long ears pinned back against their heads to show their displeasure. Nikla’s back fur was even fluffed up, an unconscious act of aggression.
“So you’re her new owner?” Mashie asked.
“How much do you want for her?” Miffla asked.
“She’s our family, not your property,” they both said together.
“Nova isn’t for sale,” Miran said, looking to her for help. She gave him a smile. He deserved this for hiding in the theatre when he could’ve walked up to the stage and talked to her before Riff and Sanian showed up.
“Then she’s free to come with us?” Melee challenged. “Perfect. You can drop us off at the nearest station with a transit center.”
“She’s free, but she’s also my mate,” Miran said, his expression going from surprised to determined. “If Nova decides to go with you, then you have to accept me into the family too.”
Nova almost fell out of her chair. He’d promised he’d leave with her, but she’d thought those were words spoken in a tense moment.
“You’d leave with me?”
She didn’t realize she’d said that out loud until the Tiema family all turned their heads to look at her.
“Is it true, is he your mate?” Melee asked.
“Yes?” Nova said but then didn’t like how it came out of her mouth like a question. Sitting up straighter, she met Melee’s gaze. “Yes, he’s my mate.”
Melee nodded. “Then he can come with us also. We were thinking of joining the Charmed. They’re opening a circus and are eager to hire acts.”
It was easy to picture her life with the Tiema family. She and Miran would develop a couples act and they could also work with the Tiemas on a group act. They were such a diverse group that they could be very successful!
Then the children on the Assist filtered through her head. No, she couldn’t leave them. She felt a deep connection with all the little souls who were created to be sold but got lucky and were rescued by the Hissa.
While she’d been thinking about the future, Miran and Melee were talking.
“Can you wait until we get back to Hissa before accepting another job?” Miran asked. “I can provide room and board on this ship. Leaving early would make it hard for my people to get home.”
Melee didn’t look pleased. “By the time we finish the journey, the Charmed might have all the acts they need.”
“I can help you—”
“I don’t want to go!” Nova said, interrupting Miran and pulling everyone's attention to her.
Melee looked a little hurt. “You don’t?”
Nova moved off her chair and knelt in front of Melee. It reminded her of when she’d been young and upset. Melee had always been ready to comfort her. She’d added Nova to her cubs without a second thought.
“I don’t want to go, but I don’t want you to leave either," Nova said. “What if we opened a circus and playhouse on Hissa? They don’t have anything for entertainment! Nothing at all!”
The Tiema family gasped in unison. They’d never heard of a civilization that didn’t have some form of live entertainment.
“They must have musicians,” Hashor said.
They all looked to Miran because Nova didn’t have the answer.
“Uh, we don’t,” Miran said, looking bemused. “We have traditional instruments, but not many know how to play them anymore. I haven’t heard of a group playing together since my childhood.”
They all looked at Miran with both pity and disbelief.
“How do you live without music?” Mashie asked.
“What do you do on a day off if there are no plays to attend?” Miffla asked at the same time.
The other cubs all started asking questions as well, but Melee silenced them all with a quiet word. Then she focused on Miran.
“Would your people welcome performers?"
Nova watched Miran’s face light up with joy. “Yes, I think we would. I bet developing an entire entertainment center would be welcome. You and your family could coordinate visiting acts as well as doing your own routines. It would be nice to have things to do for simple enjoyment again.”
Standing up, Nova jumped across the small circle of chairs and onto Miran’s lap, knocking the snack box to the floor.
“First you were willing to leave with me and now you’re employing my entire family,” she said. “If I didn’t love you before, I would definitely love you now!”
***
Miran
For the rest of the time they spent with the Tiema family, Nova refused to stop touching him. If she wasn’t snuggled on his lap, then she was sitting between his legs. If not between his legs, then she sat on his shoulders, or stood behind his chair and petted his head.
It seemed she wanted to touch him but couldn’t keep still. He didn’t mind, she was an adorable distraction.
Eventually, he and Melee worked out the details of them coming to Hissa, including a salary.
This was probably the first time he’d ever had to negotiate a higher salary!
Melee and the cubs were reluctant to accept too much for fear that the funds would run out sooner.
It wasn’t until Nova told them about the dimmerion rich moons that they agreed.
After everyone was in agreement, Nova told Melee about the children.
The Tiema family immediately demanded to meet them.
Nova practically danced as she led everyone to the Assist. She absolutely ignored everyone who tried to stop them and soon stood proudly in front of the children and introduced everyone to each other.
The Tiema family was quick to start interacting with the children in a soft, gentle way they must’ve developed after so many years of entertaining.
Nova grabbed his hand, lifted it over her head, and twirled under it as if he was moving her. She was so happy that she reminded him of an overexcited child.
She stopped and faced him, eyes swimming with tears. “I started life as a thing to be sold with no family. Now I have a family that others could only dream of.”
He pulled her close and held her tightly for a brief moment before letting go because she was vibrating with the need to move.
She grabbed Nikla and without any obvious prompt they did a comedic slip and fall routine that must’ve been one of their old acts.
The children laughed uproariously.
That led to another act that included the twins. Then one where the entire family was involved.
Miran had been impressed with Nova’s wild-human act, but now he realized that had used only a small portion of her talent. She had amazing comedic timing, perfect body control, and so obviously enjoyed what she did that it shined with every movement.
When he noticed it, he thought it had to be a shadow.
“Miran, it’s appearing,” Cifon whispered. He and several other warriors were standing in a small group to watch the entertainment.
“I’m not sure,” Miran said. After waiting so long, he was scared to believe it.
“It’s getting darker,” Hisum said, squinting at Nova’s neck.
“I’m positive,” someone else said.
Then she turned again and stepped under a strong light and there was no mistaking the mating marks forming around her neck and shoulders, perfectly displayed by her Hissa-style tunic.
He was so overwhelmed with relief and love that his legs felt shaky.
Hashor stopped the interaction, alarmed by the red lines. “Nova, there’s something wrong with your skin!”
Nova touched her neck with a frown. “What?”
Miran charged over and grabbed her. “My mate!” he roared in triumph, flung her over his shoulder, and stormed out.
Her loud laugh was probably the only thing that kept the Tiema family from charging after him. He heard Cifon step up to explain about mating marks, but soon they were off the Assist and moving quickly toward his room.
Once they were there, he tossed her on the bed, then covered her body with his. She lifted her face to kiss him, but he wanted to admire her marks for a moment.
“They’re beautiful,” he whispered. “They took so long to appear I was scared that they’d never show up. Most of the other Decanted women’s marks appeared in less than a day.”
“I guess mine were a little slow,” she said, with a grin. “Or maybe my mating marks were waiting to have a proper audience for their debut performance.”
He traced the marks with his fingers. “They happened because you felt secure.”
It wasn’t scientific, but he was positive that’s what happened. Subconsciously, Nova wasn’t sure so her body reacted by refusing to cover her neck and shoulders in the red pattern.
“I finally made you truly happy and secure and that’s why they showed up,” he said.
“I’m glad you caught me,” she murmured.
“I think you let it happen,” he said, pressing his face close to kiss the mark at the base of her throat.
“I wasn’t going to let Nerin die,” she said with an annoyed grunt.
“I don’t mean that,” he said. “You didn’t clear the searches on the room’s data pad or buy tickets directly from the roller station manager. There were so many ways you could’ve covered your tracks better, but you didn’t.”
“I didn’t want to leave you,” she admitted. “I thought that if you found me, I could try talking you into running away with me again. But then you had Lazil and Nerin with you, and I was going to stay hidden. But Nerin got hurt. Nothing went as planned after that.”
“But everything happened as it needed to,” Miran countered. “Thank you for being clever, honorable, and leaving clues even my humble brain could find.”
She chuckled. “I have no regrets.”
“I swear to you that I’ll spend my life making sure that you never have cause to regret," he vowed.
“Keep that in mind when I force you on stage,” she said with a grin.
“Even then,” he agreed.