Chapter Three

She practiced the names of the birds. “Sluuroth. Nith. Levak.” Species, female, male.

“Close; you almost have it. Slooroth.”

The riding beasts had many names depending on whether you could ride them or not. Keffo were the ones who listened for a call. Meesha were the breeding females. Korro were the breeding males. Keffo were normally males that didn’t have breeding rights. Yesh were the young of both genders.

She tried again. “Slooroth.”

“Excellent, kit.” He ruffled her hair.

“And to summon keffo, you need a special whistle.”

“Yes.” He pulled a tube from a pocket and handed it to her.

She nodded and examined it. “Can I blow it?”

He grinned. “Yes, kit.”

She blew softly and listened to the tone. She nodded. “I can do that.”

He stared at her. “Do what?”

She pursed her lips and replicated the tone, loud and long. When the note faded in the air, Yasku was staring at her. “That is a noise coming out of you I did not count on.”

She smiled and then heard a thunder of the beasts as her keffo approached. “Oh, I think I overdid it.”

Yasku grabbed her and launched skyward as two dozen beasts thundered toward the house.

“You are an overachiever, kit.”

“Yeah. I think I might want to use the manufactured whistle.”

He laughed. “Just know how many keffo are in your area, and whistle accordingly.”

The beasts all stared upward, and Cassandra was embarrassed. “What do we do to them?”

“Send them home. Same whistle. Reverse pitch.”

She tried the whistle, and the beasts slowly turned and wandered off.

Yasku slowly descended and kept hold of her. “I nearly lost you, kit.”

She shook her head. “No. I would have climbed the post and gotten into the barn.”

He snorted. “Leaving your overseer behind?”

“You have wings, dumbass.” She covered her mouth. “Apologies, Overseer Yasku.”

He blinked. “That was an insult?”

“Yes, it denigrated your intelligence.”

“Hm. Interesting. Oh, do you have clothing for your first masked event?”

“No. I am going to avoid it.”

“No, you are not. I will have something sent to you. Veel will get your measurements.”

She sighed. “That isn’t right.”

“I am the overseer of this sector of space. My right is anything I say it is.” He set her on her feet. “Now that you have met the beasts, let’s investigate the gardens.”

She sighed and walked around the huge house with him. “Why did you build this house out here?”

“I have another one in the city, but the press of those new species created an energy that takes getting used to.”

Cassandra sighed. “Yes, it does. The education centre was hard. Ohh. What’s that?”

He walked after her and began to explain the flowers, the herbs, and the little fruit that were hanging from the vines. He took one of the fruits and said, “Sour-sweet.”

She took the one he handed her and smiled. “This is a good one, too. I like it.”

He provided her with more fruits and vegetables as they walked through the carefully cultivated gardens. Everything was edible one way or another. Several sections were strictly medicinal.

“This is lovely. How old is the colony?”

“The Skekel were the first here five decades ago. The Minoth were the next thirty years ago. The Coybel were twenty-two years ago, and the Terrans were six.”

“How many more species do you want here?”

He smiled. “This should be enough to achieve the end goal. I wish for a population that resembles me. Early calculations put a very homogenous population in about two hundred fifty years. The Skekel and Minoth blended nicely.”

She blinked, paused, and then said, “So, do folks ever pay out their bonds here?”

“It is infrequent, and those who do prefer to stay. Citizens have many social benefits here.”

“Why is in infrequent?”

“A person’s bond is used against purchases and acquisitions. They need to expand their family? They lock into a contract to get the funds to raise their next generation.”

“That’s acceptable?”

“Certainly. It isn’t like they can leave the world under contract. They are bound here from that point on.”

She nodded and leaned to sniff a very pretty flower. It was one of the notes of that wine. She asked, “Can I meet the people who make the honey wine?”

He answered, “Of course. We can take a tour of the meadery.”

“Oh. I don’t mean to take you from your time overseeing the colony.”

“You are a refreshing new addition to my world, even though you are a citizen and not under my thumb.”

She chuckled and went on to another flower. “I don’t mind contract restrictions. I just find that acting for myself is more lucrative.”

“You do have quite the balance. What are your plans for it?”

She shrugged. “I will find options.”

“You would not have chosen this place if you did not have a plan. That I am sure of.”

She glanced at him. “My chosen family is here.”

“I have read your intake records. Your genetic family is here as well.”

She waved her hand. “Yeah, whatever. They tried to destroy everything I love when we could have lived quite calmly and safely on what I had put aside.”

“So, they murdered your animals.”

Cassandra nodded, straightened, and stared off into the woods. “They did. To have a dietary change. My sister-in-law and brother killed four chickens to have a splashy holiday. Those birds would have provided twenty-eight eggs in one week. It was cruel and wasteful. There would have been hundreds of more eggs from those birds if they hadn’t decided just to destroy them and my plan for survival. So, I left and took my other animals to a place they would be safe.”

“Your chosen family.”

“Yes. We took care of the surviving animals, and when the call came, we got confirmation that we could bring the beasts with us. We got the animals onto a shuttle and onto the station. Our group went through assessment and education, and we were separated.”

“You went to the mines.”

“I did.”

“You didn’t pay the bond on your biological family?”

She chuckled. “I did not. They are on their own. If I see them, they will be horrified that I survived.”

“Are any of them unattached?”

“No. They were all married when I saw them last. I can look them up when I get my own tablet.”

“There is one wired into your home.”

“Where are your guys?”

“I am imagining they found someone trying to occupy your home. They are extracting them and watching over the housekeeping staff who came to tidy.”

“So, you knew that there was someone there.”

“Yes, bond jumpers look for empty homes. They likely had no idea that they abutted my property.”

She heard a footfall and turned to see Kiddel.

Yasku’s attention was still on the flowers. “So, what do you plan for your retirement? Family? Children?”

“No. I have no draw to them. I prefer to work with animals.”

“Some say that offspring are little animals.” He nodded as he watched her hold out her fingers to a butterfly with fantastic colours.

“I have heard that. I don’t do well with children. They look for something in my expression and body language that isn’t there.”

“That is what nurses are for.”

“It was not an option on my previous worlds. I am content alone. It is calm alone. I can predict my own behaviours. Other beings, including children, are harder to predict.”

He nodded and plucked a flower, handing it to her. “You will get into the rhythm of this world, and you will be able to predict just as much as you did on your world.”

She looked at the brilliant scarlet bloom with a gold centre and a hundred petals. “How do you know about that?”

“There were government offices that downloaded your warnings. They were uploaded, and your repetition over the previous week was noted. We cross-referenced all mentions from certain sources who may have sensed the incoming disaster.”

“Oh. My name isn’t on there.”

“No, Cassandra isn’t, but Circe is.”

She looked up at him in surprise. “You really worked on your research.”

“Why did you change your name?”

“We have ancient myths of a woman named Cassandra who spoke of disaster but was never believed. She was cursed.”

“I see. That is why you renamed yourself after the instinct for disaster in the face of disbelief?”

“Yes. That, and if the others survived, I didn’t want to be tracked or used to support them.”

Understanding dawned. “Ah. They make you take care of them.”

“Yes. They came to me and asked for help, and I helped them, but then, they turned on me and mine. They cannot use me again.”

Yasku nodded. “Interesting.”

“What?”

“I felt a flicker from your emotions just there. You were angry.”

She paused. “You can feel that?”

“Yes. Nulls keep their emotions under control, but you were highly agitated, and the excess emotions emerged.” His eyes glowed.

“Oh. I am not interested in becoming a Hmrain food source.”

“You do know that even as a citizen, it isn’t up to you.” Yasku touched her cheek with a flower. “Hmrain are given anyone of companion class without an issue. You are a null, but under that, I can guess that you have needed to use that restriction to keep yourself and those around you safe.”

“Yes.” She shrugged. “I believe Kiddel wishes to speak with you.”

He nodded. “I know. You wish to deflect the conversation.”

“Ideally, yes.”

He smiled. “Very well, but I will revisit it randomly.”

“Fair enough.”

He gestured, and Kiddel approached. “Master Yasku, Free Miner Cassandra’s home is clear of occupants. The security system has been engaged and will only answer to Free Miner Cassandra.”

“How many were there?”

“Four bond jumpers.”

Yasku stated, “Cassandra, I do not want you there alone.”

Cassandra shrugged. “That is unfortunate. Thank you for clearing it, Kiddel.”

Kiddel blinked. “Miss? They will try and come back.”

“I have killed my own kind before. I have no trouble defending what is under my protection.”

Yasku growled, and she looked at him. He stared at her with narrowed eyes, and his wings flexed in irritation. He barked something to Kiddel, and the man quickly strode off. Cassandra saw Kiddel burst into a run the moment he was at the edge of the garden.

“Overseer, what did you say to Kiddel?”

“I asked him to retrieve something to set my mind at ease. I have matters I must attend to, and I know you want to settle in, but I don’t wish you to be without resources. Colonies are dangerous.”

“I know. So are mines. Frankly, I am more dangerous than most of the citizens.”

“I am aware, but if you are outnumbered, you will suffer injury, and then, I will have to engage in a public execution.”

She paused. “You are acting odd.”

He quirked his lips. “Am I? Good. It feels very new and very interesting.”

Kiddel skidded to a halt next to Yasku.

Yasku said quietly, “Give me your hand.”

She extended her hand, and he smiled and clicked a gem-studded golden cuff onto her wrist. To her surprise, he extended his wrist and clicked a matching but obviously larger cuff on his own self.

“What is this?”

“Bio monitor and emergency coms. If you need help, call, and if I can’t come, I will send someone, kit.”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I know, but you will. You simply need time.” He looked at her. “Would you like an escort to your home?”

“Oh, that would be good. Thank you.”

“Kiddel, take her to her home and set two guards on duty around the clock to protect her lands.”

“Yes, Master Yasku. Free Miner?”

She paused and then nodded. “Please show me to my home, Kiddel.”

“My pleasure. This way.”

She nodded to Yasku, and he smiled and watched her leave. She didn’t look back but could feel his gaze on her. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

Kiddel glanced at her as they passed the manor and moved into the woods beyond. He spoke in that same rapid language, and two guards went with them.

“Do you often speak languages other than Hmrain common?”

“Sometimes it is faster. He speaks all the languages of his worlds, so it is not insulting to him.”

“It looks like I have things to study. That is very good.” She felt her lips turn into a smile again.

“You like studying?”

“I like acquiring new information and anticipating the next move of anything that would threaten me. It stimulates part of my brain that is otherwise dormant.”

“I am beginning to understand why the overseer is fascinated with you. What else do you do?”

She shrugged. “Whatever needs doing. I can figure it out.”

“You sound very sure.”

“I had enough supplies to take five people through the two years of waiting comfortably. With extra for friends.”

He glanced at her with a surprised look. “How did you know you needed supplies?”

“I saw the asteroid a month before it struck. No one would believe that it would be a direct impact.”

“But it was.”

“Oh, yeah. First came the earthquakes, then came the weather systems, ash, and everything that was growing died, and the death toll shot up.”

They were walking on a path she could clearly see, even though it wasn’t marked. It was the only logical way to go.

Her house was larger than she had imagined when it loomed between the trees. “Oh, dear. That’s... big.”

Kiddel laughed. “It is. The cleaners removed all traces of the bond breakers that had settled here.”

“Where did they end up?”

“Hauled into lockup in the city. Their bond will be arranged again, a tracker will be implanted, and they will get a collar to identify them. When they complete their bond plus penalties, they will be citizens.”

“So, only slightly off track.”

“Or they will be in bond all their lives. It will be their choice.” Kiddel shrugged. “They did agree before they left the education station to work their terms. They swore to it again at the occupation auction here. So, they lied.”

“It happens. There was another Terran who said they could manage the mines. They couldn’t. I took pity on them and sent them to a different world where they could work exposed to the atmosphere.”

Kiddel chuckled. “I am beginning to understand Yasku’s fascination with you. You are... unique.”

“Yes. That is one way to describe me.”

He nodded and walked her to her front door. She pressed her palm to the lock and said, “Do you know how long they were here?”

“Two days. The sales staff did the final cleanup when we were on the final approach.”

“So, they must have known this place was open.”

“It is likely.”

She raised her head and sniffed. “Terrans.”

“You can smell them? I didn’t know your people had that ability.”

“They don’t. I do.”

“Oh, I see.”

She nodded. “You don’t have to. Oh, they didn’t get into my lockbox.”

“Is that what that is?”

Cassandra nodded, opened the box with an ocular scan, and flicked it open. There was food, water, local clothing, and weapons. “Yay.”

“You know you can’t wear all of those into the city.”

“I know, but I can wear them out here, and the laws here let me use them as well.”

He blinked. “You read our laws?”

“There aren’t many. It was either research and try to get some of the minerals out of my bloodstream or take the sleep option.”

“What is your prognosis?”

“I have to get a medical scan in the city, I think. I will get some rest today and find out tomorrow.”

“By rest, you mean you are going to explore your territory.”

She nodded as she put on some blades for defense and a stun gun for stopping power. “Knowing the territory is restful.”

Kiddel snorted. “Well, you have two guards that will be on the property. Don’t shoot them.”

“Have them come and introduce themselves, and I won’t.”

“Fair enough. They will do a formal exchange and introduction.”

“Good. The only people I want to injure are the ones who interfere with me.” She chuckled. “It’s why I picked Joraniec. Having the right to defend myself was a huge draw.”

He smiled. “Master Yasku is pleased that this was your choice.”

She stood and stretched in her baggy boilersuit. She sighed, took the weapons off, and stripped with Kiddel right there. The bodysuit with the long tunic went on, and she pulled on boots.

Kiddel blinked. “And you just got me into trouble.”

She quickly put the belts, straps, and attachment points back in place. “How?”

“I am fairly sure that me seeing you nude before Yasku is going to be an issue. You have a lot of skin damage.”

“Yeah, I was in a mine collapse, and they couldn’t get the khimerion out from under my skin.”

“What?”

“Yeah. A previous team hadn’t shored up the roof, and I ended up trapped for two hours with my drilling unit broken and crushing me.”

“And you survived.”

“I saw it happening a moment before it did and got my suit sealant ready.” She shrugged. “I survived.”

He nodded. “Would you like a tour of your property?”

“A quick one. I am not trying to deprive Yasku of your presence.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

Their walk was quick. She saw the home and the facilities and understood the waste processing and maintenance. Then, it was outside to the barn, the bird coop, and lovely pathways.

“What was this place built for?”

“It was a guesthouse for those visitors who were here in the early days, but now, there are facilities in the city where things are lively. Off-worlders prefer to stay there.”

They looked around, and he nodded. “Are you familiar with the environment?”

“I am. You can return to Yasku. He looked like he had a lot of stuff to do.”

“He does. He is very involved with social development, and his project to turn us into one species in a few hundred years is strange but not torment. At least we get to choose our partners from any of the four species, even if it is already in our lineage. No union is forced.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Let’s see if you feel that way at the mandatory event. Unions are not forced, but the gatherings are not negotiable.”

“Noted. Have fun at work.”