I found Simone in the Galley, sitting, quietly stirring her coffee.
“Hey.” I greeted happily- the way we always did whenever we met.
My friend simply sighed deeply, but otherwise remained silent.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked gently as I came closer- my apprehension from earlier making me paranoid.
Again she sighed deeply and remained mute. My self-guilt surged.
“I-I understand if you want out, Simon, it was wrong of me to force you into this.” I continued while motioning down her body. “I…I needed people I could trust…people that trusted me. I don’t have a lot of friends on this tub, you know?”
“What?” She asked as she finally looked up at me. “You…you think I want out? Of the Corps?”
“Well, you never seemed too enthusiastic about it when we started fighting the Hoblins, or on our last mission.”
“That’s not it…not it at all, Chance.” She said looking back to her cup.
“Then what’s bothering you, Simone?”
“I think I like it. Is that so wrong of me?” She said, looking back up at me.
“Huh? What do you like? All the killing?” I gawked in surprise.
“God, I hope that isn’t the case. I’d like to think I’m a better judge of character than that. I didn’t see a tendency toward murder in you at all.”
Simone looked back up at me in confused surprise.
“What? Murder? Are you crazy?”
“Then what? What do you think you like, Simone?”
“This… Her… Simone.”
I silently waited for her to continue. It finally dawned on me what she meant.
“You mean you like being Simone and not Simon?” I asked just to clarify.
She nodded.
“I don’t think that’s wrong, Simone.”
“I didn’t think you would, Chance, after all, you have to like who you are now. You’re stuck; you have no choice like I do.”
For the second time today, I got kicked in the gut, and it hurt…alot!
“You’re right, Simone. I can’t return to my former self…ever. I’ll just leave you be. I’ll be down in the Broom Closet overseeing the dismounting of our Brooms from Pegasus.” I said sadly as I turned to go on my way. That was probably finished by now too. It was very hard not to cry.
“Chance? Chance, wait! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said that. What happened to you…I know you had nothing to do with it…and…and I volunteered to help if you remember? I’m…I’m just not sure what…who I am anymore. Please forgive me for being such a bitch a moment ago?”
I sniffed back my tears, turned around, and motioned for her permission to sit down next to her.
“Please.”
“Care to tell me what brought this all about? And just so you know, I don’t think it’s so wrong to want to be who you are comfortable with.”
“So you’ve noticed?”
“You haven’t changed back in over three weeks, Simone. I think it’s obvious you find this form more to your liking. There is nothing wrong with that and none of our friends will think badly of you either.”
“Thanks, that helps, Chance, but I have to prove to myself it’s the right decision.”
“Have you listed the pros and cons yet? I’d start with that and see which column is longer.”
“I’ve already done that, Chance. This form won, hands down.”
“Okay? So, where’s the problem?”
“Aunt Cora or my parents. How do I choose? From what Mom has told me she and grandmother never got along real well.”
“And?”
“And…Aunt Cora is grandmother’s sister. Chances are that Mom and Aunt Cora don’t get along either.”
“I don’t get it. How does the relationship between your mother and your aunt affect your decision to remain as you are now?”
“What happens if one dislikes the other? Will I lose one, the other, or both? I don’t want to be the cause of a family upheaval.”
“I don’t think it would ever come to that, though we could find out if you’d like. How about I put in a call to Aunt Cora and have her meet us on Kane?”
“You think that’s wise, Chance?”
“We’re Witch Corps, girl! If anything, it will be interesting.” I smiled.
“Well, I have been dying to fly Clean-up.”
“I wonder if Mom and Charli would want to test flight their Brooms too?” I thought out loud.
“Isn’t Savanna too young to travel, Chance?”
“I’m sure her car seat will fit in my second seat, why?”
“I didn’t think you’d want her in a Broom this soon.”
I smiled.
“Lady Chance, Ladies Hope, Charli, and Simone. Meeting in the Briefing room in one hour.” I said on comms.
“Copy, Lady Chance.” Simone replied from both in front of me and over the comm.
“Roger that, Chance.” Charli responded.
“Well, so much for a quick nap.” Mom groused.
Simone and I waited for her to finish the coffee I had just freshened before we headed for our briefing room.
 
 
“…So we’ll meet you at those coordinates tomorrow morning?” I asked.
“That shouldn’t be a problem, Sugar Plum. I’ve been dying to get back in Pinup’s saddle again. Unfortunately, Rodyard won’t be able to come along. He was just placed into his proper educational level two days ago. Learning is more important than meeting the ‘Rel’s’. This should be fun. See you all then, Chance. Porno out.”
“See? That wasn’t that bad, was it?” I asked as I observed Simone’s condition. She had been reluctant to give reason for our little journey to her naturalized home planet and was just now gaining back color to her face.
“She was giggling at me! She seemed to have no problem with my decision. How will my parents respond? Chance? How will my parents react?”
“We’ll find out tomorrow morning.”
 
 
“You two are up early. Couldn’t sleep, honey?” Mom asked as she and Charli entered the Broom Closet and walked down the steps.
All four of our Brooms were lined up on the flight line and glistening in the overhead lighting.
“Simone is really nervous about meeting her parents.” I told them.
“Oh, honey! I wouldn’t worry too much about what your parents will think of you. I’d worry more about what your mother will do when she sees Cora.”
“Lady Hope?!” Simone instantly turned from her inspection of Clean-up and stared in fear.
“For whatever reason, Janet always seemed to have a bug up her ass when it came to her lineage. Apparently, knowing she was Antarran royalty left some kind of bad taste in her mouth and she decided Cora and Jules were the cause.” Mom explained.
“I felt she was just a prude.” Charli snarked. “Or maybe she was just jealous. Either way, there’s something wrong with that girl.”
“So, is Grunfuller going to watch Savanna while we’re gone?” Charli changed the subject.
“No, she’s already strapped into Hope and a Pair. Grub and I haven’t seen each other since just after we got back to base. He seems to have a lot on his mind and I think he needs time to think.”
Mom looked to Charli a moment. Charli nodded back ever so slightly.
“I see. Well? Charli and I will only be a moment with our visuals. Semper Fi? Status.”
“All systems initiated and online, SIR! Awaiting your orders.”
“Thank you, Semper. I’ll just be a moment to do my visual then we can have some fun.”
“I look forward to it, SIR!”
Mom smiled broadly as she looked back at me, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Eight I Smart. Status.” Charli requested.
“Hey! Nice of you to finally show up, honey! I’ve been sittin’ here usin’ valuable Current for like the last half hour! Times awastin’ girl!”
Charli looked over at me, stunned.
“How do you do it? How did you know, Chance?” She questioned.
“I’m a WITCH!” I giggled.
She shook her head in defeat.
“Just gimme a chance ta look you over, girl.”
“Well don’t look too hard you ol’ perv! An’ hurry up, the meter’s runnin!”
Mom snorted loudly and began laughing hysterically!
 
 
“Broom Closet Control. Witch Corps Flight 1 ready for departure.” I reported after checking Savanna’s harnessing one last time.
“Pegasus 1, stand-by. Awaiting conformations from Pegasus 5, 6, and 7.”
“Pegasus 5 ready for departure.” Simone reported.
“Hey, I’m ready. Pegasus 7.” Charli acknowledged.
“Pegasus 6 is getting REALLY impatient and is ready to blow out the freakin’ door if it ain’t opened soon!” Mom warned in an irate voice.
“Witch Corps Flight 1, Capt. Serangetti has been informed of your departure. Beginning hangar depressurization.” Grunfuller’s voice responded.
I was surprised that he even cared, seeing as I had hoped he would see us off and didn’t.
Savanna gurgled a few times.
“I’m not so sure, sweetie. These things take time. Now hold on, a Broom is way different from riding in Pegasus.”
“Tttthwwp!”
“Did you just shoot me a raspberry?” I questioned my daughter’s response to the warning.
“Witch Corps Flight 1 hangar decomp complete. Opening Broom Closet door.”
“Aww, to hell with this! Screw procedure! I’m outta here!” Mom growled as I saw Semper Fi pass overhead, turn sideways, and shoot out the still opening door.
Savanna giggled.
“So you think that’s funny? Breaching protocol is a punishable offence, sweetie. Isn’t it Pegasus 6?”
“THWWWWWWWP!”
Did SHE just shoot me the raspberry, too?
“Let’s go get her, Hope and a Pair.” I said as I advanced my throttle and slammed the stock to the right for a second.
“Broom Closet door…why do I even waste my breath?! Safe journey, Witch Corps Flight 1.” Grunfuller groaned.
I assumed my sisters had repeated Mom’s and my exits.
 
 
Mare De Tempest Bridge:
 
“Skipper? I have four small, unidentified craft that just appeared on sensors off our port side!”
“Estimated dimensions?” I asked.
“Roughly twelve meters. They’re heading away to stern, sir. Man, are they fast!”
Stepping back, I enabled my hidden Witch Corps. comm. and spoke quietly.
“Serangetti, Witch Corps Flight 1. My Lady Chance, please tell me that is you we picked up on sensors?”
“Relax, Kimbou, I’m just clearing Semper Fi’s emitters.”
“Please, My Lady Hope! I thought Witch Corps was to try and remain out of the spotlight?”
“I thought she had grown up, sir. I guess I was misled in that thinking.” Lady Chance replied.
“Skipper? They’re coming about!”
Four, silvery, quick flashes filled the Bridge windows and instantly disappeared.
“Holy shit! Sensors indicated they were barely sub-light before they just vanished, Skipper! Who are they?”
“Those were our saviors, Lieutenant; the brave group of women responsible for repelling the Hoblin invasion from our corridors. I want this incident wiped from all sensor logs and your memories. Understood?”
“Aye, sir. It never happened. But where can I get me one of those?”
“Believe me when I say that you can’t afford it and don’t want to know, Rick.”
“Aye, sir.”
 
 
“Major, did you really have to buzz the bridge?” I asked after we engaged our deep space camo.
“You didn’t have to follow me, Chance.”
“In order to make it appear intentional, we did! Though…I’m not going to deny it was fun…very fun!” I tried to sound disappointed, but couldn’t help giggling.
“She’s been this way since her first XF-58, Chance. Major is incorrigible and a show-off.”
“Cut off the useless chatter, Seeker!” Mom ordered.
“Seeker, ETA to Kane.” I asked to remind Mom who was this flight’s leader.
“Whitecliffe Space Port in three hours at present velocity, Chance.”
“Thank you, Seeker. Pegasus 1, Pegasus 9. Porno, are you out there?”
“Pegasus 9, Pegasus 1. Hey, Sugar Plum! Long time; no see. I have a secured transponder link and I’ll be vectoring into your Flight in two hours and five standard minutes.”
“Welcome aboard, Porno. Good to have you back. See you in a bit. Pegasus 1, out.”
 
 
“Pegasus 9, Witch Corps Flight 1. Just picked your transponders up on short-range sensors. Where would you like me?” Aunt Cora announced.
“Do we really have to answer that, Porno?” Mom deadpanned.
“And I thought Seeker was the Perv! Hey, Major! How they hangin’?”
“Not as heavy as yours, honey!” Mom giggled.
“Come in on Pegasus 5’s three. Laidy-in-Wait is going to need your support.” I recommended.
“Hey, girl! You still fretting about the ‘Rents? Not to worry, Porno’s got your back.” Aunt Cora sympathized as my sensors showed her entering our formation and pulling alongside Simone.
“Witch Corps Flight 1, we’ll drop to sublight about two LY’s out and decloak. S.O.P.”
 
 
“EFMC Witch Corps Flight 1, Whitecliffe Center. Requesting permission to enter your system boundary and proceed to your Spaceport.”
“Witch Corps Flight 1, what is your purpose on Kane?”
“Level 30 stuff. I’m not at liberty to reveal more, sorry.”
“Flight 1, according to the filed flight plan, you request temporary landing permit at Hopewell Field in Vermillion Station?”
“Affirmative, Whitecliffe Center. As I said, we have level 30 stuff there and wish not to attract too much attention to ourselves.”
“Your permit has been approved, Flight 1. Welcome to Kane. Sending your landing coordinates now. And, no matter what your business, enjoy your stay. Whitecliffe Center out.”
“I’ve just received those coordinates, Chance.”
“Thanks Whitecliffe Center, Flight 1 out. Thanks Hope and a Pair. Let’s get in the approach corridor.”
 
 
A small crowd had gathered by the time we’d actually landed. We were professionally directed via old-fashioned taxiway directions and signs to our reserved location- a medium-sized, simple, permacrete-metal hangar off by itself on the south side of the old-style field. Of course, the crowd wouldn’t have been there had Mom and Aunt Cora not circled the small field AND the town of Vermillion Station at low altitude five times!
Oh, and they broke Mach 1 each time, too!
However, I soon realized that there was purpose to their supposed flagrant action. Once parked, the crowd was summarily dispersed and the hangar doors were quickly closed and locked.
“Hope and a Pair, engage ‘security mode: warning’ after we are clear.” I said as I leaned back into my cockpit to unfasten Savanna from my second seat. I carefully hoisted her over then cautiously climbed down Hope and a Pair’s external ladder.
“Security mode in stand-by, Lady Chance.”
“Thank you, Hope and a Pair.”
“As I live and breathe! Hope Summers? Is that you? We’d heard rumor that the damn Hobgoblins finally got you an’ Charli! What’s it been twelve? Fourteen standard years?”
I jumped as the male voice behind me asked a question in greeting.
“Breaking protocol again? As usual?” I asked, deciding to play along while still not turning around.
“And you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Hope?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I responded.
“Okay. Not in the mood. I get it. I’ll follow protocol then.” The man took a deep breath and sighed.
“Anything I can get for you today? Fuel, engine work, …a date for din…?” He continued, but stopped as I turned around revealing Savanna’s car seat and my sleeping child.
“Wait! You can’t be Hope! Hope’s kid should be around…”
“My age, good sir?”
“Yeah…oh shit…sorry. You must be Chance?”
I smiled. “And you are?”
“Very sorry I said what I did, M’lady. Keaton Yates, EFMC Reserve, by the way.” He gave me a bow.
“Fancy set of wings you girls got. Newly issued, I take it? How can I get me one?”
“I’m sure you know the answer to that question, Mr. Yates.” I replied coyly.
“I’ve been briefed, but I’m not the type to go in for full-blown service, Lady Chance. Does she need refueled?
“Maybe a top-off before we leave, Mr. Yates. And I appreciate the compliment. Just keep your eye on our four Brooms. They are state of the art prototypes with a whole assortment of classified, undocumented systems AND they have a built-in security system that is specifically keyed only to its pilot. Anyone else laying a finger on them will get… ‘ a reminder’, copy?” I smiled deviously.
“Copy that, M’lady. So yer callin’ them ‘Brooms’ these days. Cute. Um, can I ask about the paint on her nose?”
“It’s called ‘Nose Art’ and is a tradition over a thousand year old.”
“No, I know what it’s called, I just can’t figure out what it means.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed quietly.
“It’s a tribute to my parents and a family friend.”
“Oh! I get it now! Hope and a Pair; your mum, Charles, and Miss Denison, and the wheel of chance…that’s you…er your callsign, right?”
I smiled brightly at his insightfulness.
“Absolutely correct, Mr. Yates.”
“Chance? Quit flirting and get over here. They’ll be here in a few minutes.” Mom called to gain my attention.
“By the greater Gods of the Universe! Not one, but two living and breathing Antarrans!” Keaton Yates exclaimed in utter shock. “I thought the one living here the last in the galaxy!”
“If they act like the one on this planet we’re all in trouble.” He added in a barely audible whisper.
Simone and Aunt Cora had just finished the post-flight and were climbing down from their Brooms.
“Keats! I see you’ve met my daughter. Chance, this is Keaton Yates. Best damned mechanic in the galaxy! Keats here can fix anything that flies- even make it fly better if possible.” Mom introduced.
Keaton’s mouth fell open as he looked past us.
“No. Noo! I was at your funeral! You can’t be here! No! Not possible! Hope? What’s going on here?”
“Simone? Can you come over here for a minute, honey?” Mom gestured.
Both blue-haired women approached- one looking very apprehensive.
“Keats, you remember Caroline, right?”
“Your majesty.” He greeted with a bow.
“And this is Jules’ Granddaughter, Simone. Her similarity is uncanny, right?”
“Unbelievable! The likeness is amazing! Wait! I didn’t know Jules had another offspring. I thought Janet was an only?”
“Hey. I’m Simone Gutteson-Redman. Nice to meet you, Mr. Yates.” Simone greeted politely with a tense smile.
“Please, M’lady, ‘Keats’ is fine.” He corrected then paused. He looked between Mom, Charli, and I several times before he whistled loudly.
“Oh! She’s gonna be sooooo pissed!” He chuckled haughtily.
Simone suddenly looked ill.
Keats looked back to me and his expression melted.
“The child; how old is she, Lady Chance?”
“Savanna will be four weeks in a few days.” I answered.
“She looks soo much like you, M’lady. You and Charli must be very proud, Hope.” He praised.
“We’re both proud of our High Priestess and her daughter, Keats. I’d even say that Chance has outperformed any of us by light-years.”
Keats looked at me in horror.
“Forgive me, High Priestess! I was not informed and you did nothing obvious to correct that error.”
“And she won’t likely do that either, Keats. Chance is very modest about her talents.”
The man smirked and an impish grin appeared on his recently unshaven face.
“So she isn’t that similar to you, Hope? That’s refreshing.”
“Bite me, Yates!”
“Not unless you and Charlene want to make it a threesome?”
“I’ll take that action!” Aunt Cora said getting in on the fun.
“That I’d have no doubt of, your majesty.” He waggled both eyebrows.
“Seriously. Nice touch with the nose art, Hope. Still can’t get away from that whole mythical, winged-horse theme though, huh?”
“Chance designed and built each of our brooms, Keats. She even did the paint. I think she did a ‘magical’ job on them, don’t you?”
Again the man’s mouth dropped.
“You did…all this? With just…you know.” He flicked an imaginary wand in his hand.
“Only without the wand, Keats. That’s why we voted her High Priestess.” Mom giggled.
“I’d recognize that huge ass anywhere!” An angry female voice shouted from the suddenly opened man door in the main hangar door.
“Well, if I’d had to guess, that’s the obnoxious, caustic blather of my niece, Janet!” Aunt Cora mocked in calm, royal, annoyance without even looking toward the new voice.
“What are you doing back on MY planet, old woman?!”
“Kiss my royal ass, you prudish snob!” Aunt Cora countered as she turned to face her aggressor. “And I’m back here on family business, you worthless blow hard of a sow!”
“I think this was a bad idea, Chance.” Simone whispered as she fought the urge to run for Clean-up.
“Then state your business cause I’m the only family you have left here! The sooner you do that the sooner you and you’re ‘ladies’ free up valuable real estat…!”
Quiet suddenly filled the hangar. Savanna burped and giggled once.
Mom, Charli, Cora, and Simone- even Keats- turned to stare at me in horror.
Janet Redman stood shouting and pounding on my force shield trying frantically to get free.
I quickly closed the distance to the infuriated woman.
“Hello. My name is Chance Summers”, I said pleasantly. “We are here today to introduce you to someone you might recognize. But, if you do not reign in your hatred and anger toward my Antarran sisters I may be forced to demonstrate what I really am capable of.”
Simone’s mother began shouting at me through the restricting shield.
“Now…are you going to remain civil and allow us to make introductions?” I asked the raging woman, knowing that she could hear me. Just to show my commitment, I decreased the area inside my field.
“I assure you, it can get smaller…much smaller. Now, do we have an accord, Mrs. Janet Redman?
The redfaced, blue-haired woman glared intensely at me.
“Wow! If looks could kill…” Mom commented as she walked up beside me. “This half of the planet would be a crater! Is it any wonder why we tried, but failed to enlist her?”
I remained quiet and appraised the blue-haired hellion contained within my force shield.
“Hey, Jan-Jan, remember me? Hope Summers? Well, I’d like to introduce my daughter, Chance. She’s a VERY powerful witch and my advice to you is: don’t piss her off. You wouldn’t like her when she gets angry. Now, just shit-can the attitude, little girl, so we can talk!”
“High Priestess? Chance? Please let her down. This is not the meeting I had envisioned.” Simone pleaded as she approached. Janet Redman’s eyes bulged. She began shaking her head in denial to who she was seeing. She appeared to be mouthing ‘No’ and ‘it can’t be’ over and over again.
I lowered her and dropped my force shield. Janet crumbled to the floor a sobbing mess.
“It can’t be! I watched you lowered into the ground in a box! How can you be here, mother?” She cried.
The woman then glared at me.
“What kind of a curse did you place on my mother, you evil witch?!” She demanded angrily.
“I placed nothing of the sort on this woman, nor would I ever do anything so heinous!” I replied calmly.
“Mother? I am not Grandmama. I just seem to be her double.” Simone tried to explain.
“Liar! What has she done to you? Mother, please tell me how I can help you! How I can rescue you from these Satanic whores!”
Simone’s hand instantly flew forward and slapped her mother across the face!
“That is enough, Mother!” Simone shouted angrily. “Chance, Hope, Charli, and especially Aunt Cora are my Coven sisters! Now shut your face and listen up! I have something to tell you and I can’t do that while you are hysterically calling obscenities to my friends!”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she really was Juliene, Hope!” Aunt Cora quietly pointed out to mom.
“But mother…”
“Fine! If you can only think of me as Grandmama, then I’ll act like her!” Simone threatened.
“Janet! Sit your ass down and pay attention! I will have no more interruptions or my wand will contact your ass and leave marks for several weeks! Do I make myself clear?” Simone shouted in a strong, unyielding voice.
“It is you! Mother, how did you survive?”
“I said sit down and shut that ignorant mouth of yours! I will only tell you this once and I want no interruptions! I. Am. Not. Juliene Gutteson! I! AM! Simon! Redman! Get that through that thick skull of yours, mother!”
“Simon? You can’t be Simon! My Simon would never act or treat me like that! What have you done with him? What have you whores done with him!?”
Simone’s wand was suddenly in her hand and pointed to his mother’s forehead at point-blank range. She was also in uniform.
I heard Keats gasp behind us.
“By the Gods of Olympus! Will you shut that obscene trap of yours?! I swear I’ll shut it for you and you won’t like how I do it, mother!” Simone hissed.
I noticed a small blue arc quickly jump between her mother and her wand. Something was not right about this woman!
I blinked on my Current Sight. That explained some things.
To my and everyone’s surprise, Janet Redman actually sat down and closed her mouth!
“You know? I had fears of how this little reunion would play out, but I assumed there would be awkward blocks of silence, pleading for me to reconsider, questioning about my reasons and sanity… things like that. I never once dreamed that you would make such a fool of yourself! You have embarrassed not only me, father, and the whole Redman family, but especially the royal family AND Aunt Cora! So…anything sane and constructive to say…mother? Speak recklessly and I WILL remedy that vengeful mouth.”
“Why do you look just like her, Simon? How is this possible?”
“Because that’s the way my genes rearranged themselves when I activated, Mother. I had nothing to do with how I now look. It was pure chance.” Simone answered, wand still threatening.
Janet glared toward me, but Simone cut her off before she could become hysterical again.
“No, mother. Not that Chance. I’m talking luck of the draw type chance and not one of my best friends.” She looked at her mother with an intensity I had never before seen in her.
“I chose to volunteer and help Chance and the Coven fight the Hoblins, mother. Those vile creatures that killed so many- including Aunt Hilde? They attacked Mare De Tempest, the ship I am currently stationed on. We lost half the crew, but we beat them and retook possession. We, mother. The Coven! We were the only unit able to fight those things…to secure the ship. Normal weapons had no affect on them. Only our wands had the power to repel them. I…we had the power to fight them.”
“You should be very proud of your daughter, Janet.” Charli said as she stepped in next to mom. “She is a valued member of the Corps and has upheld its values admirably.”
“I think everyone except Simone should step back and give them privacy.” I suggested as I began to retreat.
About two meters away, mom turned to me.
“Chance? Honey, why did you pull back? I thought we were here to support Simone in this ordeal?”
“Current Sight. Tell me what you see.” I hinted.
Three gasps filled my ears over Simone’s heated voice.
“M’ladies?” Keats inquired in confusion.
“Just how did that happen?” Aunt Cora asked in shock as she continued to stare at her niece.
“That explains why she’s so much crazier now than last time.” Charli added.
“What have you found, M’ladies? What is wrong with Lady Janet?” Keats demanded quietly.
Savanna burped again and giggled.
“Here, I suggest you give her this medal, Aunt Cora. Act like it’s still in your ship.” I said covertly passing what was now in my hand.
“What would the medal be for, High Priestess?”
“I think the daughter of the woman who helped save the galaxy should receive her mother’s ‘Medal of Honor’ don’t you?” I winked.
Mom and Charli stared at me a moment.
“I also included a purifier circuit. Make sure she understands she is never to take it off.”
Aunt Cora nodded.
“Lady Simone, may I approach?” She called to get our sister’s attention.
“Of course, Aunt Cora. Mother shall hold her tongue…won’t you, mother?” Simone responded; her wand never wavered from its potential target.
“I will listen, but I’ll never bow to you, Auntie!” Janet replied hatefully.
“That will suffice. The ‘family business I spoke of? Allow me to fetch it from my ship.” She answered as she walked away.
After a few tense minutes Aunt Cora returned holding a small, ornate box.
“Lady Hope? As the former High Priestess of Witch Corps, could you assist me?”
“Of course, Queen Norge.” Mom replied as she was handed the box.
“It has recently been brought to my attention that proper respect has not been given for one of our own’s service in the line of duty. I admit the lapse is solely my own due to the remorse I still feel within my heart for my sister Juliene. Therefore, and without further delay, I wish to present to you, Janet Caroline Gutteson- Redman, your mother, Juliene Norge-Gutteson’s, ‘Exceptional Service Medal’ or ‘Medal of Honor’ as the Earth Force Marine Corps calls it. Will you accept this in place of the Medal’s true recipient, M’lady?”
I noticed another quick spark fly between forehead and wand. This time I think Simone noticed also as she momentarily focused on her wand in confusion.
“I’ll accept your stupid medal, majesty.” Janet grumbled, “but not to satisfy your guilt over what you did to mom!”
Aunt Cora nodded and removed the small locket and chain from the ceremonial box and opened the chain wide.
“By royal proclamation and overwhelming gratitude of the EFMC Witch Corps, I present to you, Janet Caroline Gutteson-Redman, your mother’s Medal of Honor. It is only a small conciliation for the grief we all share of her loss and for her service in freeing the galaxy from oppression. My sincere condolences, Lady Janet.” Aunt Cora said as she moved to place the medal around the woman’s head.
“Lady Simone, the restrictive aid is no longer needed.”
Once Simone pulled back her wand, Cora quickly placed the medal around her niece’s neck and fastened it. A serene look washed across the angry woman’s features and she seemed confused for a moment.
“What did you just do to me?” She questioned, though it was nowhere near as venomous.
She seemed to relax as she suddenly stood to look Simone and Cora eye to eye.
“It really is you…Simon?” She asked as she carefully appraised my friend.
“Yes, mum, it’s really me. Welcome back to the sane side of life.”
“What did you do to me? The hate…the rage you cursed me with…its almost gone.” Janet asked as she looked to her aunt.
“I suggest you forward that question to our High Priestess, Sugar Plum.”
“What did you do to me?” She readdressed her question to me.
“In layman’s terms I grounded you, Lady Janet. The long explanation is this. While in heated conversation…”
“You’re insane ranting, Sugar Plum.” Cora interrupted.
“While you were conversing, and after your daughter pulled her wand, I noticed a small blue arc pass between your forehead and Simone’s wand. Immediately after, you seemed to become more compliant and less hysterical. Referencing my Current Sight, I instantly saw the problem.”
“I…I didn’t know I had a problem. I don’t have…a problem.” She insisted.
“But you do, M’lady. You have inherited your mother’s natural acuity to Current, though in your case, you have greedily trapped your latent Current and allowed your hatred and anger to influence it, twisting it. The Medal you now wear will ‘filter’ your Current, purifying it to prevent your possible transfiguration into a Hoblin.”
“That is crazy! I’m not one of those…monsters! I’ll never become one of those ‘things’. She argued.
“My guess is that something near you…something or someone you are in contact with provides a limited purifying effect…in essence, limiting your Current’s twist. Tell me…how long has your husband been gone?”
“He’s been away on business for several months…” Janet Redman suddenly stopped, her mouth dropped open. “But he should be back tomorrow.”
“I take it this is the longest he’s been gone in quite some time?”
She nodded silently as she stared at me in horror.
Little Savanna gurgled several times and waved her chubby little right arm.
“No. I didn’t recognize the symptoms at first. But I remedied it despite that, didn’t I?” I said to her.
My daughter giggled a few times.
“Oh, you thought all this was entertaining? Trust me, it was not.”
Savanna’s face grew crimson and she ‘grunted’.
“What? Oh. If you ladies will excuse me a moment, the princess has officially added her … ‘comment’ on the latest proceedings.
 
 
“So, how’s the reunion going, High Priestess?” Keats asked as Savanna and I entered the hangar from the guest living area in the rear of the building.
“Simone thinks very well. Janet’s ‘limiter’ is functioning as designed and she seems able to hold a civil tongue.” I answered.
“So, what was said yesterday…about the Hobgoblins trying to take over the Mare…”
“I have a theory about that. I think the big three were after the heir to the Summers’ legacy. You know of the attack on Gaia Four; I think their aim was to finally eradicate Witch Corps. They didn’t count on helping me reach my threshold.”
“So its true!?” Keats inhaled sharply. “You are a changeling like Hope.”
I nodded.
“Wait. Something just doesn’t make sense. I heard the Mare incident occurred almost four weeks ago. You claim the Hobgoblins helped you achieve your threshold?”
I nodded again.
“If I may…how can you have a three week old baby if…”
“I agree wholeheartedly, sir. How can I have given birth to this child if I hadn’t even reached threshold at the time of her conception? I didn’t. Savanna was just one of several hundred unborn children the Hoblins uncaringly conscripted. After clearing the Mare of all the adult conscripts, we set to clear the Daycare Center after sensors indicated a high concentration of tainted Current in that area.”
“While restoring the conscripted children I found there I also found the yet to be born and made an effort to save them by storing as many as I could. I vowed to somehow give them the chance to live they never got. I thought I had gotten them all.”
“I decided to stage a ‘Grand Coming Out’ event before we initiated the humanitarian task of relocating all the children who lost their families in the attack. As we debuted the Coven, Capt. Serangetti’s daughter, Lyra, approached me and requested she come along. With the Galactic Council’s blessing both she and Cmdr. Serangetti prepared to leave with us.”
“When boarding Pegasus, the sensors detected a trace amount of tainted Current still on Lyra. When I examined her, I attempted to remove it. That’s when Lyra screamed at me to quote, ‘let her alone’ and ‘she just wants to live’. Turns out the brave kitten had saved one that I had missed. Adding some of my own Current to the taint, I was able to purify it and with Lyra’s approval, brought little Savanna here into being. Manifested her right into the kitten’s arms, Keats! It was beautiful! She…was so beautiful!” I related as I wiped my face.
“Lyra claimed that her name was Savanna and that she wanted her mother. I was devastated! Her parents were KIA. Lyra then dropped a bombshell. Savanna wanted me as her mother! Given a request like that, how could I refuse?”
“So this little cutie chose you as her mother. Smart girl! You couldn’t have picked a better mommy, little one.” Keats said looking down at Savanna in the car seat I was holding.
She giggled and gave the man a hand wave.
“Yes, I like him too, sweetie.”
“You understand her. Amazing. Everything about you, Chance Summers, is absolutely amazing.”
I felt myself blush.
“So. While I have you here…is that an actual Trans-Dimensional Propulsion System WITH Afterboost, I see on these Starfight…Brooms?”
I nodded and smiled brightly. “Simon Redman designed these units about fifteen years ago. It was his masters’ thesis. A thesis that got him laughed right out of the science ministry for being complete fantasy and absurd.”
“Huh. I remember telling him then that the damn thing was too advanced, that the experts wouldn’t recognize it as valid tech. So it really works, huh?”
“Forty-five LY’s a second without afterboost.” I giggled.
“Hooly Sh…” He choked out.
“My child’s ears, Keats!” I warned.
Savanna giggled a few more times.
“You’ll hear enough of that around your grandparents and Aunt Chantell, sweetie, but I’ll do my best to limit the obscenities while I can.”
Keaton Yates laughed while shaking his head.
“Absolutely amazing. Anyway, that type of system must use up a helluva lot of Current!”
“Come back here a moment.” I invited as we walked around back to the main emitter. “Hope and a Pair? Temporarily disable your security while I show Reservist Yates something.”
“Security disabled, Chance. Please alert me when finished.”
“Will do, and thank you. Now, look riiiiight back there…just to the left of the main Current circulator.” I said pointing into the narrow gap in the cowling beside the thrust emitter and the starboard control-quad emitters.
After looking in once, Keats turned and stared back at me in shock for a full minute then looked back in a second time.
“Is that what I think it is, M’lady? A Current…Economizer?”
“My friend Dell designed it as a means of passing the time on Mare’s previous tour. Hope and a Pair? Fuel reserve status and distance of this trip, please?”
“Fuel reserve stands at 98.5%. Four hundred eighty-six thousand LY’s. Mare De Tempest to Kane, Chance.”
That made the man still examining my ship’s engine compartment choke! He bumped his head as he quickly turned to me.
“That’s impossible! I mean…I heard rumors…Can you imagine the implications to galactic travel?”
“Yes. It would mean the Hobgoblins would be able to get around the galaxy just as fast as we do. Possibly even terrorize neighboring galaxies as well.” I deadpanned. “That’s why the technology will remain highly classified, Mr. Yates. There have only been fifteen units produced.”
“By the way…each unit has a very specific ‘Patent’ spell just as a precaution. If, for any reason, the units are removed without the proper incantation to nullify the spell, they will simply disintegrate and leave an indelible tracking spell on the violator.”
Keats regarded me for some time, his eyes sometimes staring at me then staring off into the hangar eaves.
“”I understand fully, High Priestess. This really is some high tech stuff! Any chance I could beg a ride?”
“How about tomorrow morning? I’ll get Lady Charli to file a flight plan and we’ll give you the fifty-cent tour of the system. Deal?”
“You bet! See you in the AM.”
“Hope and a Pair? We’re done, sweetie.”
“Security reactivated, Chance.”
 
 

 
 
“Are you sure you’re up to this, Simone?” I asked as we, Aunt Cora, Mom, Charli, Savanna, and I, arrived at the Redman residence in the early afternoon.
“It couldn’t be any worse than yesterday, back at the hangar, right?” She answered nervously.
As the door started to open, Simone swallowed hard and bit her lower lip.
“Welcome home, Samuel. I trust you knew about our visit today?” Mom greeted confidently.
“Hey, Hope. Hello girls. Janet said you ladies were back in town. Please, come in.” Samuel Redman welcomed us warmly, though I sensed trepidation and awkwardness.
“Janet? They’re here.” He called to his wife as we filed in. “I’d really like to thank you for helping Janet, Ladies. This is the first time in I don’t know how…hello your majesty, in how many…years…Juliene? How?”
“Samuel. Meet my great niece, Simone.” Cora smiled deviously.
“Hello, Simone. I guess you already know you look exactly…your ‘GREAT’ niece?”
Simone shied away from her father and stared intently at the floor.
“Simon?” He stated in shock, as he looked her up and down several times. “What happened?”
“I…I joined the Corps, pop.” Simone almost whispered.
“Corps? What Corps?”
“Come now, Samuel. You know what Corps.” Aunt Cora replied. “Don’t insult us.”
“I volunteered to be activated, Pop.”
“Um…so why does she look like her grandmother? Cora? Hope? Anybody?”
“Genetics are funny that way, Samuel.” Mom answered with a nervous giggle.
“I’m not laughing. How could you let them do this to you, son?”
“After…after Aunt Hilde was …killed…I promised myself I’d get those bastards if I ever had the chance. Well, the opportunity finally presented itself, Pop. I helped liberate the Mare, sir.” Simone answered proudly. Her confidence seemed to be coming back.
“But…”
“Look, Pop, I was offered the chance and I took it. I’ve fully accepted the ramifications of my decision.”
“But you can return to normal, right?”
“If I wanted to, sure, but I’ve made another decision.”
Samuel Redman gulped and blinked his eyes. “Why?”
“Hello, Cora. Make yourselves at home.” Janet Redman greeted civilly as she appeared from the back of the house.
“Janet? Did you know about this?” Samuel Redman asked, pointing to Simone.
“Hello, Simone. Could you come back into the kitchen? I’d like to talk to you in private?”
“Sure, mum.” Simone smiled tensely and followed her mother back through the house.
 
 
Redman Kitchen:
 
“Have a seat, dear. Care for something to drink?” Mum offered.
I took my usual seat at the table. “Coffee if you have it, thanks.”
“So…about my behavior yesterday…I’m…” She began as she started the water processor. I interrupted.
“Look mum, I understand and I’m sorry you had to see my temper, but you were getting out of hand. It took a few minutes for me to notice, but I could just barely feel my locket filtering your Current of its taint. That actually explains a lot of what I witnessed growing up. Please promise me you’ll keep the medal on? It means a lot, you honoring Grandmama in this way. Means a lot to me too.”
“My Current? You could feel MY Current? I didn’t even know I had Current.”
“Most people never realize it, mum, but all life has Current. Some of us just are more sensitive to its presence. Some of us can actually ask it to do things for us.”
“And I take it Chance Summers…she’s just as talented as her mother?” Mum asked.
“Chance is absolutely amazing, mum!” I bubbled. “The things she can do…the things she’s taught us…”
“She seems dangerous to me, Simone. She could have easily crushed me in that shield thing of hers.”
“Chance would never have gone that far, mum! She’s held her cool in way more stressful situations. You should’ve seen her on Eden Three. We were outnumbered four or five thousand to eleven. Chance remained calm, even as the rebellion’s leader confronted her for possession of Pegasus- our spacecraft.”
Mum’s face drained as she stared down at me.
“Five thousand? Were they armed?”
“Oh yeah. They even had about a dozen particle drill machines used for mining pointed at us. We all did our part. Lokust- Our Executive, Lokust Grunfuller- transported several hundred dissidents to the opposite side of the planet! Lady Charli hacked the drills to render them unusable.”
“Lady Lyra…God, she is sooo precious! She changed the clothes of an attacking brigade into cute, blue Teddy Bear costumes. They were so embarrassed they turned and ran…well, they did more stumbling…” I giggled happily reminiscing about that lopsided confrontation.
“Ladies Hope and Chantell acted like ancient frontier law men and placed bets on how many criminals they could take out with a single bullet from their Corps issued revolvers. Ladies Kitty and Charli spent most of the time deciding what they should turn the attackers into. Lady Sandra wanted to change them into snails on the premise we were out of Escargot in the galley!”
“Aunt Cora and I just pulled our wands’ to defend Pegasus and our sisters, but most of those pigs kept their eyes glued to our boobs.” I giggled, thinking about the hungry looks those guys gave us. Now, as then, I felt a special thrill inside me.
“Most impressive though was Chance. After piecing the puzzle pieces together, she realized the rebelling convicts were demanding conjugal attentions. As their leader put it, they wanted to ‘use the women and abuse the children’.”
Mum gasped loudly and leaned heavily against the kitchen counter.
“Get this! Chance made about five or six hundred of the remaining men pregnant! Can you believe that? She later told us that she had been safely holding several hundred unborn children that she had rescued from the Mare in her Current reserve. She transfigured the men and inseminated the children into the new women. Her reasoning was if they wanted to use women and abuse children, they might as well learn, first hand, what it was like for the women and give them experience birthing and raising children. Even before we left Eden, the new government had voted in drastic changes and penalties for abusing women and children!”
I realized mum was still silently staring at me. I stopped talking and just looked back at her, wondering what she was thinking.
The drink processor chimed and broke her trance.
Mum silently got and placed two full cups on the table at our places. She took a sip from hers and winced as the steaming liquid hit her lips.
“She just waved her wand and changed five hundred men into pregnant women…?”
“I’m thinking it was closer to six, mum. Isn’t that fantastic?” I asked.
“And the babies? They were all rescued from the Hoblins when they attacked your ship.”
Yep! The Hoblins conscripted just about everyone onboard. We, the Coven, have the power to return those conscripted back to their original forms. Unfortunately, that original form degrades over time. We weren’t able to recover everyone.”
I thought about all those unborn kids…they wouldn’t have gotten a chance to live if not for Chance Summers.
“Simone? Baby, why are you crying?” Mum asked in concern.
“I was just thinking about all those kids she rescued, mum. She gave all those kids a chance to live. She even adapted Savanna.”
“I smelled fresh coffee. Mind if I grab a cup, Jan?” Aunt Cora appeared in the doorway.
“The cups haven’t moved.” Mum replied.
“So, you telling her about Eden Three?” My aunt inquired. “I haven’t had that much fun in years.”
“Facing off against thousands of armed and dangerous men? You call that fun?” Mum gasped.
“Weeeell, not as much fun as watching Simone here make my Defense Commander and his Controller shit their pantaloons when she destroyed eighteen defensive practice arrays on Antarra’s outer barrier! I even brought along the raw footage from the Defense Department and Charli gave me a copy of Pegasus’ bridge record. I took the liberty of having my new ward, Rodyard, splice it all together. The child is really talented when it comes to ‘creating’ media events. I thought we’d watch it later?”
“Eighteen arrays?” Mum repeated, stunned.
“Each roughly a hundred thousand kilometers apart, with one cannon, AND from three LY’s distant! Wish I had a ship like Pegasus in the Antarran armada!”
Mum unconsciously sipped her steaming coffee, burning her lips again.
“All I did was give the order, Mum. Pegasus did the rest.” I begged off my actions. I saw Pop silently enter, open the cold stores chest, grab a six-count of his favorite beverage, and headed back into the front lounge. I noted it was the same recreational drink we had on the Mare.
“I disagree, Sugar Plum. From what I saw, you put that old nog herder in his place. Didn’t you say something like: ‘what if I say ‘PISS OFF’? Then command the Royal Antarran Defense Commander to ‘kiss my perfectly smooth, delectable ass?’ Did I get that right, Sugar Plum?”
I felt my cheeks burning as I looked to the tabletop and began stirring my coffee.
“You actually did that, baby? To the Major General?” Mum gasped.
“I did, mum. I’m not proud of it, but Lady Hope recommended I act like Grandmama. I’m not sure where it all came from. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you and Aunt Cora.”
Mum began to giggle! Something I hadn’t heard in almost eighteen years.
“Norges be praised! Janet Gutteson is actually laughing!” Aunt Cora said grabbing at her heart, though it looked rather risqué as she grabbed more breast than heart.
“I always thought that old stuffed shirt needed knocked down a few clicks! Good for you, baby!”
I was flabbergasted! With that brief statement, mum reminded me of Grandmama.
I felt another tear run down my left cheek.
Aunt Cora looked to me, giving me a slight smile.
“You saw it too?” She asked gently.
I nodded almost imperceptibly.
“Now what did I do, Baby?” Mum asked guiltily.
 
 
Redman front lounge:
 
“Ladies, please have a seat.” Samuel Redman offered.
“How old?” He asked looking toward Savanna then me.
“Almost four weeks, Mr. Redman.”
“Samuel, this is my daughter, Chance, and her daughter, Savanna.” Mom introduced as we all found a place to sit.
“Nice to meet you. Cute kid.”
“Thank you, Mr. Redman.” I responded.
“We’re not real formal in this household as you can imagine, Chance.” Redman glanced toward the kitchen. “Sam or Samuel is good.”
I smiled, blinking once to activate my Current Sight.
This man was full of the purest Current I had ever seen! That explained how he was able to stabilize Janet.
“Something catch your eye, Chance?” He asked as I blinked back to my normal sight.
“You must be a very forgiving man, Samuel- very pure of heart.”
He chuckled.
“I’m joined to Janet. I kinda hafta be, don’t I? From what I heard from Keats, she gave you a really hard time. I’m sorry I couldn’t get back before you arrived. She seems to settle down each time I return from one of my business trips.”
Savanna gurgled and giggled once.
“Indeed, sweetie. He is a very special man and Mrs. Redman is lucky to have him.” I said looking down at her.
Redman was staring at me when I looked back up.
“Our Chance is very special in her own way, Samuel.” Mom smiled. “She’s the most talented of all of us.”
“Speaking of talented, I think I hear Simone telling tales out there. I’ll be back in a few.” Aunt Cora interrupted as she stood and headed for the back of the house.
Samuel waited a minute.
“So…Keats was telling me that there’s four beauties in the EFMC hangar that are yours?”
“Chance calls them our Brooms, Samuel.” Mom answered.
“Marvelous feats of engineering; or so he gushes. Any specs you can talk about?”
“Rumors we’ve heard indicate over a light year per second, but those are only what the rumors claim.” I gave him a Cheshire grin.
Samuel’s expression remained neutral for an extended period of time.
“I need a beverage; anyone else?” He got up and walked casually out to the kitchen.
A moment later he reappeared with a six-pack and sat back down. He quickly opened and downed the first one all at once.
“Better. Now…what were you saying about rumors?”
“We’d be happy to offer a demonstration ride, Samuel.” I giggled.
“That’s what I thought.” He said as he opened another and downed it quickly.
“I’d enjoy that very much. When could we schedule it?” He replied wiping the froth from his upper lip.
“I offered to take Keats up in the morning. Soon enough?”
“I’ll look for my inertia suit tonight then. I hope it still fits.”
“Honey, you won’t need that old thing. Our Brooms are tops!” Mom informed him with a giggle.
“I think I’m going to need more of these. Sure you guys don’t want any?” Samuel Redman admitted as he downed another beverage in an instant. He then looked at us for a moment.
“Yep, I’m gonna need A LOT more of these!”
“Did I hear we’re offering Broom demos in the morning?” Aunt Cora asked as she came back in the room.
“Charli was just about to file a system tour out to the outer boundary and back for tomorrow morning.” I revealed.
“Would 8AM be too early?’ Charli asked everyone in the room.
Samuel Redman downed another.
“Oh, and Simone is officially here to stay, everybody. You have a very courageous daughter there, Sam. One that I am proud is of Norge pedigree.” Aunt Cora announced.
“I need another six-count.”