Chapter 12
DAWN
I have no idea how long I’ve slept, but I don’t think I moved.
The second my eyes open, I look toward the doorway, not shocked to see HaL sitting on the other side of the membrane in a large seat, watching me.
SAGE, true to her word, has set up an area between the two rooms where we can sit together but still apart.
I turn all the way over so that I can look at him.
“Good rising, Roja.”
His words bring a smile to my face.
“Okay, enough teasing. You have to tell me what that word means.”
He hesitates for just a second, and I can tell he is contemplating whether to tell me.
“It’s another word for beloved, but in your language, oddly enough, it also means red.”
I pull his Yeti snuggie closer even though I’m as warm as toast.
“Beloved! … You’ve been calling me that since I opened my eyes so wasn’t that a little premature, even with the mate bond running through your veins? You have no idea if you even like me, and it’s possible that you may even come to hate me. After all, we’re complete strangers.”
“No! The moment I held you in my arms, you became all that mattered. Even though you are another species, I never doubted the gift I had been given, and I knew before you opened your eyes that I would adore everything about you.”
“Wow … takes all the fakeness out of dating on your part, huh? So, does this mean you don’t feel like you still need to woo me, and that I can be a grouchy butt and get by with it?”
“That expression does not make any sense to me.”
“Ummm, never mind. This isn’t Earth, so I can’t have the same expectations or opinions on how things should work. You know, some girls might have woken up screaming, thinking you were a stalker sitting there watching me like that. Did you get any sleep?”
“It is hard for me to rest when you are so far away. I came in several times through the darkness to check on you, as you had not moved in quite some time, but I could not stay long because of the heat.”
“It’s even a little toasty in here for me too. So, what are our plans for today?”
“Troza will want to see you first thing.”
“You two seem very close. Is she related to you? Because when she smiles a certain way, there is a huge resemblance.”
“She raised me, and I care for her more than I do most.”
“So, she isn’t your mother? She kinda puts off those vibes.”
HaL goes quiet in a way that makes me know what I just said hit a nerve.
“I was told she found me after an avalanche hit the area where she was foraging, but recently questions have emerged that make me wonder if that is the whole story.”
“The past always has a way of reappearing, it seems, but it’s clear to anyone with eyes that you two care for each other deeply, so maybe it just doesn’t matter.”
“I asked Father once who my mother was. He hesitated for a tic and just as I could tell he was going to tell me, he was called away. There never seems to be the right moment, or maybe it is just not meant for me to know. At my age, it no longer matters, but it has always been a question in the back of my mind.”
“Does your kind raise their kids themselves, or are you like other races where a group or the whole community helps out?”
“It is a mix. The females tend to keep their daughters close until they come of age. Before the compound was built, the males would have been mentored by an older male relative and taught to hunt, forage, and learn basic survival skills. Until recently, we males tended to spend most of our lives alone.”
“Even the ones with mates?”
“No, that was different. They do everything as a team, including rearing the younglings. But until we all started gathering together, there were few mated couples on Hallister. The birth rate and our numbers had dropped to critical levels.”
“I remember you mentioning that in the medical bay. Let me get cleaned up a little and brush this wild hair of mine and I will join you at our little meeting place.”
“Would you like me to order some sustenance for early rising?”
“You mean, do I want breakfast? Absolutely, and some coffee would be amazing.”
I slide out of bed, thankful for the footsies in my onesie, as I don’t have any house shoes to slide on.
I make my way toward the bathroom that I really should have scoped out better yesterday, since my bladder is screaming.
The clear door slides open and I stop in my tracks because not only is there an ionizer in here, but a real toilet and sink.
And my first thought is, how do you hug a hologram, because SAGE sure as shit needs more than an attaboy!
I have no idea how any Earth girl has made it a single day without her or one of the other AI’s.
I slide HaL’s coat off before jumping into the ionizer.
When I feel the tingles flowing all over my skin, I lean my head back.
The second it beeps, I head to the sink and the mirror hanging over it, only to stop …
Damn, I look rough! I can see there are dark circles under my eyes, and the entire left side of my face is slightly yellow, showing I’m still healing from being knocked around inside that escape pod.
I try to run my fingers through my hair, only to realize the knots are so bad they may need to be cut out, and for some reason, that makes me sad.
Rummaging through a basket on the small counter, I find some face cream and a couple different combs and brushes.
Grabbing the brushes, I pick up HaL’s coat only to pause when I realize it needs a name …
Snuggie, furrie, heart pelt, a yote? I giggle at that last thought, as I can’t seem to make up my mind on a name for this thing.
Shrugging, I head back toward our little seating area, only to find HaL setting out several dishes.
“Dawn, I was just about to call out for you.”
He looks me over, his gaze landing on my disheveled hair.
“Yeah, I’m a hot mess and it’s gonna take forever to get all these knots out of my hair.”
“When you are done with your early meal, I will help you.”
“Thanks, I am not sure how much I could get done with one arm.”
“Is it bothering you this rising?”
“Yes and no. Honestly, I’m kinda achy all over. I guess that’s to be expected when you play bouncy ball inside a spaceship. But enough about me being a wimp, what yummies did you bring me?”
HaL pushes a steaming cup toward me, but I can tell he’s still trying to sort through what I just said. Without thinking about it, I slowly bring it up to my lips, taking a small sip, not sure what to expect, only to gasp in pleasant surprise.
“It’s coffee … how?? … This is amazing! I feel like a princess that’s just been given a chest full of jewels. How did you get real coffee?”
HaL’s laughter echoes across the space at my enthusiasm.
“So Roja, I take it that you approve? I am not sure if you remember, but I mentioned trading with Targres Four and well, this is their main trade. Kira calls it alien coffee, and they make a small fortune off the beans collected there. I bought a bag, but other than Troza, no one seemed to care for the bitterness. If you like it, I will place an order this rising for more.”
“Yes, order boxes, lots of boxes, all the boxes! Ohhh, if only I had some cream and sugar to go with this, my life would be complete. Even ANDI has not gotten the mixture right for coffee in the replicators, even though he can make a mean cappuccino.”
“We have milks and creams available and also some ingredients that sweeten in the main dining hall. I will include some on the tray next rising for you to try.”
“You are a man after my own heart, sweetcheeks. So, what is your position here … The Overlord, General, or the President? What’s your title? You seem very important and the one that almost everyone comes to when they need an answer to something.”
“Hmm, I do not know that I have a particular title as you say.
Until the compound construction began, I was just like every other male on this planet.
However, because of my connections and, of course, my father, I became the one everyone came to, and leadership came naturally.
My size is also a factor, so even before the compound began, most males would have either avoided me altogether or deferred to my instructions.
“You do take up quite a bit of real estate in either form.”
A rare smile graces his lips as he shakes his head slightly. “Roja, your wording is not only amusing, but it sure makes me think. There will never be a boring rising with you around.”
“Are you the largest of your brothers? I have only met a few of you.”
“No, SoL makes the rest of us look small. He looks fierce but has the biggest heart in the galaxy. He is also mated to a human, and I believe they are expecting their first youngling soon.”
I let his words echo through my thoughts as I lift the lid from a plate, uncertain about the contents.
But then I’m distracted by what appears to be a thin piece of bread with possibly jam or jelly on it, and a pile of goop beside it.
Not wanting to seem rude, I pick up the cold utensil from where it has been resting on his side of the membrane.
I notice that, despite being shaped like a fork, it has only two tines.
Shrugging, I scoop up a small amount of the goopy stuff, holding my breath before tasting it.
To my surprise, it tastes just like scrambled eggs.
I’m so consumed with my own meal that I barely notice HaL until his comm unit goes off. Instantly, my eyes seek out his bright blue ones. He motions for me to continue while he answers the call.
“Yes, Troza, we are both up and the door is open.”
I’m just scraping the last of the odd-flavored stuff out of the bowl when HaL pushes his plate toward me.
“I am finished, so would you like the rest?” The corner of his mouth lifts again. “You seemed to enjoy it.”
“There is no way that was enough food for that big-ass body of yours. I’m fine. Even if I am acting a little gluttonous over here, I’m full. Eat the rest of yours, or you’re gonna get mean-face.”
“I am in no hurry to find myself on the negative side of your personality, as I can only imagine how confusing—and vocal—it will be.”
He pulls the bowl back to himself and in two bites, has it completely cleaned. The room suddenly seems to grow brighter, and I glance up at the clear ceiling above us, and my breath catches.
The sky has become a ray of shifting colors, each one dancing beautifully across the crystal ceiling. The light moves and changes, spilling across the entire area until the room itself seems transformed into a breathtaking light show.
“Wow, now that’s beautiful.”
“Many risings, when the suns shift positions across the sky and the conditions are just right, their reflections off the Void create a breathtaking array of colors. That is one reason I chose this side of the compound. Not only do I have an unobstructed view of the open sky, but my room is also the only one positioned half inside and half outside the main mountain housing us.”
He reaches over and grabs what appears to be a remote control.
The wall farthest from me begins to rise, revealing intricate designs embedded within its surface and clear panels separating the interior from the frigid world beyond. I’m on my feet instantly, grabbing Hal’s snuggie absentmindedly before I step through the membrane to his icy side of the room.
“How did you do this?” Unable to hide my awe, I gawk like a kid who has never seen glass before. “It’s beautiful.”
“Actually, it was SCOUT’s idea. He suggested using the same material currently used on Destiny and her external viewers. We were all used to being out in the elements all the time, and these viewers were the best way to keep any of us from feeling trapped.”
I step closer, staring through the transparent panels at the frozen landscape outside.
“So, this is like space glass?”
“Exactly.”
I run my gaze over the seamless surface, still trying to comprehend what I’m seeing. It looks like glass but somehow feels far more advanced—strong enough to withstand the brutal conditions outside while giving us an unobstructed view of the world beyond.
“It’s incredible.”
“If you are this excited about a viewer, I cannot wait to share some of the other beauty Hallister is hiding from the universe.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that the moment I get some clothes and this hair of mine brushed. It looks like a bird’s nest!”