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Kuen found Gaspare in the greenhouse, pacing and muttering to himself. “You’re going to make the littles nervous if you keep this up,” Kuen said, leaning against the wall.

Gaspare looked up, eyes haunted. “With what he said to me last time we spoke, do you really think I’m excited to see him?”

“No, but I know you want to see Esmerie and Honore,” Kuen said. “And you want to meet Honore’s wife. Focus on that, Gaspare. Your father says he’s changed. Let him show you that.”

“Would you trust your mother to have changed if she said she was different?” Gaspare asked.

“No, and with good cause. My mother has never shown any sign that she wanted to change. From everything Darkling has said your father did want to make changes,” Kuen said, striding across the room and gripping Gaspare’s shoulders. “I will be the first to throw him out of the house if he so much as breathes anything vile towards you and Phelix. And that will only be if I beat Fury to him. So please don’t think you have to face him alone. We’re all here with you, Gaspare. We won’t let him hurt you again.”

Gaspare smiled ruefully. “It’s been how long since I’ve seen him, and he can still twist me in knots?”

“I think all parents can do that,” Kuen said. “Now, let’s go inside and see what we can do to help with the organized chaos those two are managing.”

The two men walked inside to find Daniel had been put to work as well, helping Elian peel and segment oranges. “What can we do to help?” Gaspare asked, rolling up his sleeves.

“Gaspare, help Phelix and Pascal, will you? Phelix will tell you what to do. Kuen, get the good dishes down from the cupboard. I can’t reach them because someone put them out of my reach again,” Fiera said, giving her husband a significant look.

Kuen laughed as he fetched the box of delicate dishes they’d been given on their wedding day. “Hey, you told me to put them out of harms’ reach. I did. And I do it every time we drag them out.”

Fiera snorted. “Wash them up for me, would you, love? Make sure they’re not dusty or anything? And then set the table? I don’t trust the littles with those dishes. Not yet at least.”

“All right,” Kuen said. He did as she asked, grateful his tall frame let him stand over the sink but still let the shorter members of the household work around – or in front of – him. He got the table set and even put the children’s nice plates and cups in place.

“Kuen, taste this. Does it need more sugar?” Fiera asked, motioning him over. He bent down and took a mouthful of what she was cooking.

“Too tart, needs sugar,” he said, choking a little on the sourness.

“Slag it, I was afraid of that. Some of these early berries are more sour than sweet,” Fiera muttered.

“Honey?” Gael asked, pointing.

“Oh, good idea, Gael,” Fiera said, ruffling the little girl’s hair. “We’ll put some honey in. That’ll add sweetness and a stickiness to it I know you littles will like.” Gael giggled.

They got breakfast ready and on the table just as the skimmers arrived. “Kuen, let’s go let them in,” Gaspare said. “We don’t need them breaking the gate.”

“Right,” Kuen said. He walked out and saw the familiar form of Fabrice Benoit helping his wife out of the skimmer. She was sweating but smiled sweetly at the two young men. Behind her a stocky silver haired man was helping two women out of another skimmer before lifting two very familiar black-haired children out of it as well.

Kuen’s jaw dropped. It couldn’t possibly be. “Well, giant, aren’t you goin’ t’greet yer girls?” Eire Rezouac asked with a grin.

“Da!” Nafisa and Laoise practically screamed as they flung themselves at him.

Kuen was on his knees as Gaspare got the gate open, clinging to his daughters. Above him he heard Gaspare bellow, “Fury get out here. Now!”

Fiera must have come outside because Laoise saw her. “Mama!” She broke free of Kuen and ran for her mother. “Lao!” Fiera was sobbing as she was greeted by her daughter.

“Nafi, go say hello to your mother,” Kuen whispered, and let her go.

Nafisa ran up to Fiera and threw her arms around her mother’s neck, much as her twin sister was doing. Kuen walked over to where his wife and daughters were and wrapped them all in his arms. His family was back together at last. Tears streamed unchecked down his face as he kissed his wife and daughters several times.

Kuen finally looked over at Fabrice, who was grinning. “You do not want to know what it took to keep the Arpathi from shooting me down long enough to get a chance to talk to Eire,” he said. “But I’m glad I did. Seeing that just made the trouble worth it.”

“Hello father,” Gaspare said quietly.

Fabrice held out a hand. “I owe you an apology, Gaspare. I said some vile things to you, and I was wrong. I was the disgusting human being. Not you. I hope you’ll consider forgiving me for being an idiot,” he said just as quietly.

“Eire, why don’t you go say hello to your daughter?” Kuen suggested, seeing Eire watching Fiera with a hunger in his eyes.

“I don’t think she’s forgiven me for everythin’ I’ve done,” Eire muttered as Gaspare took his father’s hand.

“Trust me,” Kuen said. “Go say hello to your daughter.”

Eire slipped past the others and walked slowly up to his daughter. Fiera looked up and warring expressions crossed her face. She let go of the girls long enough to punch him before grabbing him in a tight hug. “I’ve missed you, you vapor brained bastard,” she said brokenly.

“Ah, I’ve missed you too, my phoenix girl,” Eire said, hugging her back.

“Nafi? Lao?” Pascal came out of the house. “You’re back!”

“Pascal!” The twins ran for their cousin and hugged him tightly.

“Esmerie, you look ready to drop. Why don’t you, Honore, and the other young lady who no one has bothered to introduce us to yet come inside?” Kuen asked, holding his arm out to Fabrice’s wife. He felt so scattered. He wanted to scoop his daughters into his arms and hold them tight, but he also wanted to be a good host.

Honore laughed. “This is my wife Nia, Kuen,” she said. “And can we please go somewhere we can sit down? Father may be used to high gravity worlds, but we most certainly are not.”

“Fiera’s been cooking up a storm since we got the alert you were coming. There’s some breakfast laid out for you if you’re hungry,” Kuen said.

“Fury girl, you’ve been cookin’ this mornin’?” Eire asked with a grin.

“Don’t I always cook when I have guests?” Fiera asked.

Out of the corner of Kuen’s eye he saw Gaspare and Fabrice embrace and a look of disbelief and joy spread across Gaspare’s face. “Then let’s go inside and eat,” Kuen said, escorting the ladies in.

Phelix, when he realized who was at their door, had put out places for Nafisa and Laoise too. He grinned at his father. “So you finally slunk home, you slag brained bastard,” he said with a hug for Eire.

Eire laughed. “So I did, Flicks. Where are these littles of yers Nafi and Lao were tellin’ me about?”

“That’s Pascal and Gael, the two the girls knew before they were taken,” Phelix said. “Gaspare and I also adopted a set of twins. These are Eli and Elian.”

“You have beautiful children, Gaspare,” Esmerie said. She smiled at Phelix. “I am very pleased to finally meet the man my son married. I’ve wanted to meet you for some time now.”

“I’m happy to get a chance to meet you,” Phelix said. “Gaspare told me his mother was a lovely woman. I think he was underplaying your beauty. You are one of the most stunning women I’ve ever met.”

Esmerie blushed and then looked at Fiera. “I can see why you were so popular.”

“Oh, I had to learn that while I was on Bouarus,” Fiera said with a laugh. “My twin has always had this knack.”

“Mama,” Nafisa said, holding out her arms. Fiera went over and hugged her daughter. Kuen rested his hand on Laoise’s head. Laoise looked up at her father and smiled.

“I have missed having my girls around me,” Fiera said, her voice cracking. “I’ve missed having you around me too, Da. Just don’t let anyone else see you. I don’t want you getting taken in.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Fabrice said with a smile. “I had a long conversation with the High Command. They’ve very kindly rescinded their charges against Eire Rezouac and have published that to the authorities in the Colonies. It turns out that he was not directly responsible for everything he was accused of, that it was through the actions of Jacin Andreasen and others like him that drove most of what happened.”

Fiera grinned at her father. “Are you going home to ma and the others?”

Eire shook his head. “The CAF won’t be chasin’ me but that doesn’t mean the Colonies won’t still be huntin’ me, thanks to Jace. I’m goin’ back t’Annorth. It’s safer fer me, and fer everyone who cares about me. Maybe, if yer ma still does want t’see me, she can come visit me there.”

“Maybe, once that law’s been lifted by the Assembly, we can bring the littles to see you over Himostava,” Fiera said.

“That law, as well as many of the recent petitions by Michi Nakano, are being reversed by the Assembly. A list was circulated among that august body of those who were in the pay of Michi Nakano, and word got back to the planets they represented,” Fabrice said. “Several councilors have been recalled and emergency elections are being held on numerous worlds in the Central Worlds Alliance to remove those controlled by that woman from their positions of authority. It will take some time, but it seems her hold over the Assembly may be broken.”

“Perhaps now we can overturn some of the laws she levied against the Colonies,” Fiera muttered.

“I believe the Marshal has called for an investigation into the source of all laws passed in the past fifty years, and any found to have Michi Nakano’s support behind them will be brought forward for discussion and have the potential to be overturned,” Fabrice said. “Whether they will be or not will be up to the councilors once the new Assembly is settled and that could take months. However, the law against the Colonists traveling was revoked shortly before we left the Aureliya sector, and I do believe the price of Colony goods started dropping almost immediately.”

“Your luxuries got to be too expensive even for you?” Fiera asked with a snort. “That doesn’t surprise me. Who did they think did most of the shipping? It wasn’t Core freighters who hauled it out of the Duyelia sector.”

“It took a simple majority of those councilors remaining on Bouarus to overturn it, and most of those who were there had been against it from the beginning,” Fabrice said.

“Fabrice, do we have to talk politics right now? Can’t it wait until later?” Esmerie asked. “I want to spend some time with our grandchildren, and I know Honore is hungry.”

Fabrice chuckled. “I suppose I am holding things up. I’m sorry, Esmerie.”

“Here, Mother,” Gaspare said, showing his mother to a chair. “Why don’t you sit down? You look about ready to collapse.”

“Thank you, Gaspare. Even with the protective gear a high grav world is not entirely comfortable for me,” Esmerie said.

Kuen bowed to Honore. “I am so glad to see you smiling, Honore,” he said. “Now, why don’t you and Nia take a seat here?”

“Thank you, Kuen,” Honore said, her dimples showing. “You’re looking much happier than the last time I saw you.”

“I’m very happy today,” Kuen said, walking back around the table and ruffling his daughters’ hair. “I’ve missed these two something fierce.”

“We missed you too, da,” Nafisa said. She turned in her chair and grabbed his leg. “The bad lady can’t take us away again, right?”

“We won’t let her have that chance,” Kuen said.

“Grandda says she won’t try the same trick again,” Laoise said.

“She won’t,” Kuen said. “I don’t know what she’ll do next, but your mama and I will be watching for it.”

“Okay,” Nafisa said. She turned back and said something to Laoise. Laoise made a face and said something back. Nafisa giggled.

“I swear, Fury girl, those two are just as bad as you and Flicks for that twinspeak,” Eire said, taking the seat Fiera pointed him to.

“You expect anything different, when Flicks and I still use twinspeak in our everyday lives?” Fiera said with a laugh. “I have no doubt those two are going to be as close as we are.”

“Father, why don’t you sit here?” Gaspare said, getting Fabrice’s attention and pointing him to a chair next to Esmerie. Daniel came in and sat down between Nia and Eli.

“Well, I’m glad you made it out here alive,” Fabrice said. “Have you heard the news from the CAF regarding you?”

“One of our mutual contacts filled Kuen in, and I overheard,” Daniel said. “I’ll be glad to get off this planet. I don’t have the resilience Kuen and Gaspare have. I was a conscript, not an Academy brat, and my ability to adapt to high grav worlds isn’t as well developed as I thought.”

Fabrice winced. “I forgot that about you. You fit in so well with my team I ignored the fact you were conscripted for that disaster.”

“So you actually agree with me and Kuen that it was completely unnecessary?” Gaspare asked.

“I think the whole situation should have been handled differently on both sides,” Fabrice said.

“I’ve come t’agree with that line of thinkin’,” Eire said, looking guiltily at his children. “So much was lost on both sides ‘cause of my stupidity.”

“Not just yours, Da,” Phelix said. “That ketch you used to be involved with started it by forcing the annexation of the Colonies.”

“You’ve been talkin’ t’Fury,” Eire said.

“Can’t help that one,” Phelix said with a grin. “I live with her, don’t I?”

“Da, thirsty,” Gael said, holding up her cup to Gaspare.

“Oh, sorry Gael,” Gaspare said, reaching over and filling her cup with juice. Food was passed around and everyone filled their plates.

“Gaspare, tell us about your children,” Esmerie said once everyone was settled with food.

“Pascal’s the oldest. He’s four. Eli and Elian are three. Gael is two. Pascal and Gael are ours by genetics while Eli and Elian we adopted,” Gaspare said. “Not that it matters that they’re adopted. They’re every bit a part of our family.”

“They’re all adorable,” Fabrice said. “You’re probably doing a better job with them than I ever did with all of you.”

“Well, it helps that we’ve got Fury and Kuen helping us,” Gaspare said.

“Don’t lay this all on us. You’re an excellent father,” Fiera said.

“Well, he had a very good example of what not to do,” Fabrice said.

“If you knew my wife, you’d know he’s also got some good examples of what to do,” Eire said. “She’ll be offerin’ advice to him, Flicks, Fury, and Kuen.”

“Oh yeah, ma’s been a big help,” Phelix said.

Kuen felt one of his daughters snuggle up to him. He glanced down and smiled at Nafisa. “Did you miss me that much, Nafi?” he asked quietly.

“Uh huh,” Nafisa said. “I missed you and mama.”

“We missed you too,” he said. “You’ve gotten bigger.”

“Uh huh,” Nafisa said. “Me and Lao got bigger.” Her face fell. “Does that mean we don’t fit anymore?”

Kuen scooped her up into his lap and cuddled her. “You will always fit,” he said, kissing her soundly on the forehead. Laoise climbed into her father’s lap and Kuen pulled her in close as well. He held both of them close.

“You should eat,” Fiera said, her voice soft and gentle. “All three of you need food.”

“We want hugs,” Laoise said, clinging to Kuen. “Then food.”

Fiera chuckled. “You two seem to be as stubborn as ever.”

“They take after you for that one, Fury,” Eire said.

“Was I really stubborn at that age?” Fiera asked.

“You were one of the most stubborn littles I ever met,” Eire said, his whole face crinkling as he laughed. “You and Flicks both. I don’t think we had a more stubborn pair.”

Fiera laughed and Kuen was delighted to see that most of the tension seemed to be gone from her. “Good to know my girls come by it naturally,” she said.

“They definitely do,” Eire said.

Kuen wished that Alena could be there, to see her husband and daughter bantering like they must have done before he turned hard. There was something of the hardness left in him. That wasn’t entirely gone. However, spending so much time with his granddaughters had gone a long way to drawing him back from what he’d become.

“Gaspare, would you be willing to show me around your farm after we’re done eating?” Fabrice asked. “I’m sure the ladies want to stay sitting down, but I’d like to see it.”

“I definitely do not want to wander around much more than I already have,” Honore said. “There’s a reason I was in Administration when I did my time in the CAF. I don’t do well on non-standard gravity worlds.”

“For us this is standard gravity and it’s you featherweights who are strange,” Phelix said with a teasing smile.

“Flicks, don’t tease the featherweights,” Gaspare said with a laugh.

“But it’s so much fun,” Phelix said.

“Daddy no tease,” Gael said. “Is mean.”

“Yes Gael,” Phelix said, his face puckered from trying not to laugh at his daughter.

Kuen choked on his coffee as he tried not to laugh. “Da, no laughing at Gael,” Nafisa said, poking Kuen hard in the ribs.

“I’m not laughing at Gael, Nafi,” Kuen said. “I’m laughing at your Uncle Flicks.”

“Oh, that’s okay then,” Nafisa said.

Kuen couldn’t help it. He started laughing. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said, hugging his daughters.

“We missed you too, Da,” Laoise said, hugging him back.

“Try not to spray coffee all over the table, love,” Fiera said, wiping the dribbles off the table.

“Sorry, my phoenix,” Kuen said.

“Da made a mess,” Laoise said.

“Yes, sometimes I do that,” Kuen said, helping Fiera clean up where he’d spit out his coffee.

“Da helps clean it up?” Nafisa asked.

“I do,” Kuen said. “When you make a mess it’s important that you help clean it up if you can. It’s your responsibility.”

“What if you make a mess you can’t clean up?” Laoise asked.

“Then you find ways to help to make things better,” Fiera said, and Kuen saw the glance she shot at her father. “Sometimes there are messes you make, things get broken that can’t be fixed, so you find some other way to do good things to help.”

Kuen saw the smile Eire gave his daughter and the one she gave back to him. Kuen didn’t think Fiera had forgiven Eire, but for the sake of the girls she was willing to put it in the past where it belonged and move forward. That was where hate belonged right now – in the past, where it was no longer a factor in their daily lives.

“To answer your question, father, I would be glad to show you around the farm,” Gaspare said.

“I’ll stay here and entertain the ladies,” Phelix said. A look passed between the two men and Gaspare nodded. Kuen understood. Gaspare needed to talk to his father, and this was Phelix’s way of giving him that chance to do so privately. Fiera said something in twinspeak and Phelix answered her. She nodded and resumed her breakfast.

“Da, more fruit please?” Nafisa asked, holding up her now empty plate.

“Of course,” Kuen said, taking the plate and spooning another generous portion of fruit onto it. “Lao? Do you want more?”

“No thank you,” Laoise said. “But I do want more juice please. And more bread.”

“Okay,” Fiera said, refilling Laoise’s cup and handing her some more bread.

“You raised them to be very polite, Fury,” Eire said, watching the girls. “They were on their best behavior. Most of the time, at least.”

“We figured it would be easier to teach them manners from the start rather than try to beat it into their thick skulls later in life,” Fiera said, grinning. “How long did it take you and ma to get me and Flicks to act like normal human beings instead of little monsters?”

Eire groaned. “Oh starfire, it must’ve taken us a good year of workin’ on the both of you t’get you t’behave. And you never did. Flicks was the one who kept both of you out of trouble most of the time.”

Fiera laughed. “Would you believe that’s still the case, though we’ve got Kuen and Gaspare helping him now,” she said.

“You are definitely my daughter,” Eire muttered, grinning at her.

“Da, maybe if you stick around for a bit, you can tell me what you and Aunt Angeliki were like as littles? Gaspare’s been trying to get me in touch with her but she’s on house arrest and it’s really hard to get messages to and from her,” Fiera said.

“Only if you go through that ratchet brained husband of hers. I’ll tell you who t’call t’get you in contact with yer aunt, if you really want t’talk to her,” Eire said. “I’m talkin’ t’her regularly now. She’s seen the girls and thinks they’re adorable, by the way. They definitely got the best of both worlds when it came t’genetics.”

“We think so,” Kuen said, smiling down at his daughters. He felt he would never get enough of looking at them.

“I’m not stickin’ around long. I’ve got a ship takin’ me back to Annorth in the mornin’ since it’s safer fer everyone if I’m not here,” Eire said. “But I can tell you a story or two, and Angeliki will fill you in on everythin’ else.”

“I wish I could get more time with you, Da. But I understand,” Fiera said.

“Trust me, I wish I could stay too, Fury,” Eire said. “But Jace will already have told someone I’m headin’ back to Sorus. You don’t need the local authorities knockin’ down yer door t’get to me.”

Fiera nodded and Kuen saw her wipe her eyes. He reached over the twins’ heads, making them giggle, and caught her hand. “We’ll take the twins to see him for Himostava, if the harvest is as good as we think it will be,” he said quietly. “That way you won’t have to be separated for all that long.”

“That reminds me,” Fiera said, looking over at Eire. “Da, we got word on how to fix the soil. We’re going to have a full harvest this year. At least we think we are.”

Eire grinned. “That’s good news for Sorus, bad news for the Core vapor brains who wanted t’keep us under their boot a while longer,” he said. “I’m glad some good came out of this then.”

“Fury, we’ve got a call coming in from the main farm,” Daniel said. “They’re going to notice the house full of people. What do I tell Minnie?”

“Just tell her that Fabrice Benoit made good on his promise to visit, and he brought our girls home,” Fiera said.

“Got it,” Daniel said, and he answered.

“What’s he got t’do with our Minnie?” Eire asked quietly.

“The two of them are thinking of forming a contract,” Kuen said. “They seem to have a mutual respect for each other, and Daniel already adores Rhiannon. Muirne is willing to relocate to a lower gravity world, and assuming she can adapt like Fury did and that she doesn’t have the Gaiteran trait of needing to be on a high grav world, the two are going to try living together elsewhere here in the Colonies.”

“Minnie pickin’ a CAF boy after what they did to her man,” Eire said, shaking her head.

“She doesn’t see him as a CAF boy,” Kuen said. “She knows where he came from, of course. He did tell her. She sees him as a farmhand and a provider.”

“Well, if she’s happy I’ll take it. I’ve done enough damage to my children objectin’ t’them marryin’ the ones they love,” Eire said.

“Alena is demanding to speak to the ‘arrogant space brained bastard’ she just heard speaking,” Daniel said.

“Aw starfire,” Eire muttered. “Guess I’d better get this over with. Move over, boy. I’m goin’ t’have to let her get this out of her system now so she doesn’t take it out on Fury.”

Kuen saw Fiera’s look and stood up. He moved to listen in while she cleaned the girls up. Alena was on the comm, her face pale. “What are you doin’ there, you bloody murderin’ bastard?” Alena asked.

“Hello t’you too, love,” Eire said. “I was bringin’ Fury back her girls. Gaspare’s da was kind enough t’give us a ride. I’ve been promisin’ her I’d get them home durin’ spring plantin’ and you know I don’t break my word.”

Alena stared at him. “You – you brought the girls home yerself?”

Eire twisted around and the twins ran past their father and climbed into their grandfather’s lap. “Hi grandma,” Nafisa said. Laoise waved. “Grandda was taking care of us on the Arpathi world.”

“Are you coming to see us soon?” Laoise asked, her head tilted to one side. Kuen bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He just knew she had the most innocent expression on her face.

“I’ll be there in an hour,” Alena said, almost growling. “Don’t you even think of runnin’ off before I get there, Eire. I want t’talk to you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Alena,” Eire said. “Now, how about you let Minnie go back to talkin’ t’her new man while I go back t’finishin’ my breakfast?”

“Fine,” Alena said. Muirne took back over just as Daniel sat back down.

Eire, still holding the girls, passed them over to Kuen. “You’ve got a pair of sneaks on yer hands,” he said with a grin. “Better watch out.”

“Oh, we knew that before you got your hands on them,” Kuen said with a laugh. “So, who wants a bath?”

“No, no bath,” Nafisa said, giggling and squirming.

“I want a bath,” Laoise said, surprising Kuen. “I want the cookie soap in my hair.

“Oh yeah, the cookie soap. Okay, I want a bath too,” Nafisa said.

“We’ll need to get you girls some new clothes,” Fiera said. “You’ve grown some since your grandda picked you up.”

“Uh huh,” Laoise said. “We’re getting to be big girls now.”

“Yes, you are,” Fiera said softly and Kuen heard the catch in her voice. They’d missed some milestones and it hurt, but they had their girls back now and it was going to be okay.

“We brought some clothing with us, sent by the Arpathi for them,” Esmerie said. “In that case there.”

“Thank you,” Fiera said. They collected the clothes and Kuen and Fiera took their girls upstairs for their baths. They let the girls bathe themselves but helped them wash their hair with the special shampoo made with the same spices as the Himostava cookies.

“I like smelling like cookies,” Laoise said, giggling as she climbed out of the tub.

“Me too,” Nafisa agreed.

“You two are getting so big you’ll have to start taking showers like the grown-ups soon,” Kuen commented.

“I like baths though,” Laoise said.

“You can still take baths too. Mama does,” Fiera said. “It’s just quicker sometimes to take a shower when you’re in a hurry.”

“Oh,” Nafisa said. “Okay.”

The girls were dressed in identical outfits and Fiera laughed. Kuen grinned. “You two look adorable,” he said.

“We like Arpathi clothes, but we want our own things again. I don’t like dressing the same as Lao,” Nafisa said. “I like frilly stuff and she doesn’t.”

“Ick,” Laoise said. “I don’t like dresses or girly stuff. I like climbing and running and playing.”

“So do I,” Nafisa said. “You can do all those things in a skirt.”

“Yes, you can,” Fiera said, startling both of her daughters. “Your mama learned how to do it. If you really like dresses, Nafi, I’ll teach you to work in the fields, climb trees, and even fight wearing a skirt.”

“I want to learn,” Nafisa said.

“You can do that. I’ll wear pants like da,” Laoise said.

“That’s perfectly fine, Laoise,” Kuen said. He got down close to their level by squatting next to them. “It is okay if you two want to be as different as Pascal and Gael. Or if you want to be the same like Arpathi twins. You’re the ones who get to decide that.”

They hugged him, pushing him over in the process. They giggled and sat on him so he couldn’t immediately get up. “No wrestling in the house,” Fiera said, laughing. She scooped up Nafisa while Kuen caught hold of Laoise with one hand and pushed himself up with the other. “Come on, let’s go back down with everyone else. Your cousins missed you, and you need to get to know Eli and Elian.”

“Okay,” Laoise said with a giggle.

True to her word, Alena showed up an hour later. The first thing she did was punch her husband. The second thing was hug her granddaughters while Eire picked himself up off the ground. “I deserved that,” he muttered.

“You deserve more than that, you vapor brained bastard,” Alena said. “After everythin’ you put me and the family through. I should have let them all come and take a shot at you. But I didn’t think Fury would appreciate that one, so I left them at home. The only ones I brought were Minnie and Rhiannon since they want to see Daniel.”

“I’d hit you but that would set a bad example for Rhiannon,” Muirne said. She carried her daughter inside.

“I figured none of you would be happy to see me,” Eire said quietly.

“Happy? Eire, you have no idea how angry we are with you,” Alena said. “We’re glad you did right by the girls and brought them home. That doesn’t make up for everythin’ else you did.”

“I didn’t think it would,” Eire said. “But I wasn’t goin’ t’let the Nakano ketch get her hands on our granddaughters, and I couldn’t trust anyone t’bring them back. So what was I goin’ t’do, Alena?”

“Ma, let it go for now. You’re upsetting the girls. They don’t know what da did and I’m not telling them until they’re older and can understand it,” Fiera said. She lowered her voice. Kuen could still hear her. “Ma, the girls think the universe of da. Right now they’re confused why people don’t love him like they do. Deal with it when we send them to bed tonight.”

“Okay,” Alena said. “But I will be dealin’ with it, Fury. I’m havin’ it out with him.”

“He’s leaving tomorrow to go back to Annorth, so don’t damage him too much. I’m fine with letting him go,” Fiera said.

Alena stared at her daughter. She looked at Kuen. “Are you okay with it too?” she asked.

“I am,” Kuen said. “He did a lot of damage to us early on, but he did even more to help us now. I’m willing to let him live out his life on Annorth.”

“Fine,” Alena said. “I’m not happy but I’ll deal with it. Maybe when Keo and Thea decide they’re ready t’settle permanently I’ll move t’Annorth, really make his last days interestin’.”

“You’d be welcome, Alena. Even if you decided t’try t’smack me into the ground every day,” Eire said.

“Mama, why does grandma try to hit grandda?” Laoise asked, looking worried.

“It’s our way of showin’ affection,” Alena said, her expression softening. “Your grandda and I have always been a little weird, Lao. You get used t’us after a while.”

“But fighting isn’t a good way of showing you like someone,” Nafisa said. “It’s mean and hurts people.”

“Yer right,” Alena said. “Yer grandda and I don’t actually fight. We spar with each other. That’s different.”

“Sparring is something your mama and I do on a daily basis,” Kuen said, looking at the twins. “You know your mama and I can fight. Well, we have to practice those special kicks and punches like we started teaching you. Sparring is a good way of testing what you’ve learned. It’s a way of practicing with someone you know won’t seriously hurt you.”

“Oh,” Nafisa said. “Is that what you and grandma do, Grandda?”

“It is,” Eire said. “Yer grandma’s a good fighter. She has to be to help defend as many littles as we had. We practiced with each other all the time.”

“Oh, that’s okay then,” Laoise said.

“Can we go play with the others now?” Nafisa asked.

“Of course,” Fiera said. The girls turned off running and joined their cousins in playing in the yard.

“Those two are still so sweet,” Alena said.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Eire said. “I wasn’t goin’ t’do anythin’ to them. I didn’t want Fury mad at me. I just raised them like we did our littles, but this time without all the freedom fighter drek I spewed. It was kind of nice just bein’ a grandda and playin’ with the littles. I wish I’d been a better father when our own littles were small.”

“You did the best you could, Eire,” Alena said. “The annexation did none of us any favors. And you knew who was behind it before anyone else figured it out. You knew she did it t’get back at you, which is why you started fightin’ against the Core.”

“Only nothin’ ever stuck, and I only made it worse fer everyone,” Eire said. “I never did learn my lesson and it just cascaded.”

“I still don’t think you should have blown up the Lusitania, Da,” Fiera said. “That was one of your biggest mistakes.”

“Yeah, no arguments there, Fury,” Eire said. “To be honest though, that skybrained idea came from Jace. I just found the volunteers.” This was said bitterly. “That’s what I was good at – findin’ people t’do the dirty work while Jacin and Fallon came up with all the plans.”

“Fallon was locked up after Jacin turned her in to save his own hide. He also named several others and got them slammed into the DC for life as well,” Fiera said.

“I heard about that. Fallon’s probably cursin’ his name, even though the two of them were lovers at one point,” Eire said. “I bet you anythin’ if Jace ends up in the DC he’s not goin’ t’live long.”

“They can’t put him in the DC fer any of the crimes he committed,” Alena said. “That’s what got him namin’ names.”

“They can’t put him in the DC fer all the ones he admitted to. I gave Fabrice Benoit the evidence against him fer some things I was tied to that I never had anythin’ t’do with,” Eire said. “I’ll take blame where it’s due, but don’t go layin’ some of that horror on me when it’s not my fault. Jace is goin’ t’find himself in some mighty deep water now ‘cause he neglected t’mention that three massacres I’m blamed fer were done after I went on the run and wouldn’t have been near the planets they happened on.”

“Good,” Alena said. “It didn’t sit right with me, him gettin’ off with no punishment when all the rest of you had prices on yer heads or were in the DC.”

“They look so happy together,” Eire said, looking over at where the children played while Phelix, Daniel, and Muirne watched over them. “That’s how littles should be.”

“One day that’s how all littles will be,” Fiera said. “Carefree, able to play, and with parents who aren’t scared the ISRS is going to come take them away. At least out here in the Colonies. I can’t say the same for the Core because the Core operates on different rules than we do.”

“It always will,” Eire said. “But to have them out of the Colonies for good, to go back to just tradin’ with them, that’s the hope we have now that they’re clearin’ out Michi Nakano’s puppets.”

“If things start shaping up, Callie might be coming home sooner rather than later, Ma,” Fiera said.

“What happened to Callie?” Eire asked.

“She got indentured in Herry’s place not long after Fury came home,” Alena said. “Some planetary tax no one out here knew anythin’ about got passed and we missed payin’ on it, so the youngest member of every household got indentured unless someone spoke up and took their place. Cal took Herry’s place and has been workin’ as a Pleasure Seeker in the same House that bought Fury’s contract back when she was in the Core.”

“I knew she got indentured,” Eire said. “Fury told me that much. At least you know where she is. Is she safe there?”

“Safe as a Pleasure Seeker on Bouarus can be,” Fiera said. “It’s not all bad, really. You get a comfortable place to live, decent food, and I reminded my old House Master that she does have the right to refuse clients. Cal’s like me. She won’t do it without good cause. Those penalties stack up if you do.”

“I’m glad you checked in on her,” Alena said. “It makes me happy to know you got to talk to her and made sure she was okay.”

“Let’s go join the others,” Fiera said. “We don’t want the littles getting worried.”

“Right,” Alena said. “You don’t want yer girls out of yer sight, either.”

“Can you blame me?” Fiera asked.

“Not at all,” Alena said with a laugh. “I don’t want to let those littles out of my sight either and I’m just their grandma.”

The group joined the rest and watched the children play. Kuen saw the flash out of the corner of his eye and instinctively grabbed the twins. Seconds later a small crater appeared where the girls had been playing.

“Get them on the ground behind the toys,” Kuen bellowed. Gaspare, his father, and Phelix grabbled littles and shoved them behind the equipment the children played on. Kuen pushed his daughters down with the rest. “All of you, stay here.”

Fiera ran for the house and came back with rifles. She cried out and blood erupted from her shoulder. “Mama,” Nafisa shrieked.

“I’m okay,” Fiera said, dropping to one knee, holding her hand over the wound. “Stay there.”

“Sniper in the rocks,” Fabrice said. He took the rifle Fiera gave him.  Kuen took another. Gaspare ran inside and came back with a third rifle and the modified pistol they’d gotten for Phelix. Daniel pulled out his pistol. “We’ll go investigate. Kuen, stay with Fiera. Get her over by the children if you can.”

“Right,” Kuen said, automatically falling into the old habit of following the orders of the former High Admiral.

Alena was crouched down with the children, holding Gael and glancing up over to see what was going on. Kuen half dragged Fiera over to where the children were. “Keep pressure on that hole, Fury,” Alena said, pulling her vest off and pressing it on the wound. “We need t’stop the bleedin’.”

“Yes Ma,” Fiera said through gritted teeth. “Kuen, ma can handle me. You watch for any attackers. It’s probably the Devas so you know they’ve got something nasty planned.”

Kuen whirled around and faced out towards the open valley. He watched, eyes flickering from shadow to shadow. A slim figure approached with a face too perfect to be real and a gun in her hands. “Mother?”

“How nice you actually remember me, Kuen,” Michi said, coming around to stand in front of him. The gate proved to be no obstacle for her. She simply shot the lock and pushed it open. “I, of course, remember you and that Colonial whore you married. Where is she? I hope I killed her. She is not my primary target though. Where are my granddaughters, Kuen? I want to see them.”

“I am not bringing my daughters out into your line of fire, Mother,” Kuen said.

“No? Then I suppose I will have to shoot you first and then I can find them,” Michi said. Her sing-song voice held a brittle quality to it that Kuen realized hadn’t been there before. He looked hard at her and realized he could see the mixture of desperation and madness driving her written clearly on her face.

He raised his rifle and pointed it at her. “Go home and live out what’s left of your life, Mother. You can’t have long left. What did the doctor give you? Six months? A year? You’re certainly not going to make it to Kagome’s sixteenth birthday. Not with how fast you’re deteriorating,” he said.

“Shut up,” Michi shrieked. She tried to aim but her hands were shaking too much. “It won’t matter. I will name Kagome my transitional heir and leave Kavindra or one of the other Devas as her guardian until she’s sixteen and can fully inherit.”

“Yes, and if I show back upon Bouarus and lay claim to the family fortune her transitional status will mean nothing. As the older living heir, I have precedence,” Kuen said, still keeping his mother in his sights. “Do you think I wouldn’t do that, Mother? If only to put an end to your plans for good.”

“And what would you do with Kagome, Kuen? Would you murder her to secure your position?” Michi asked.

“That’s your style, not mine. Fiera and I would adopt her into our family and raise her as our daughter,” Kuen said.

“No, I will not allow Kagome to be raised by that Colonial ketch,” Michi spat. “I would rather put a plasma blade to her throat than let that happen.”

“You hate the Colonies that much, Mother? Or is it because she’s the daughter of Eire Rezouac that you can’t stand her?” Kuen asked.

“I would have eventually accepted a Colonial, even if I despise the Colonies,” Michi said. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “But you had to pick the daughter of Leonidas Vasiliou, the man who betrayed me.”

“Yes, but what did you do to him that made him change his mind about you?” Kuen asked. “You never could answer that question, Mother. What did you do that made him decide fleeing to the Colonies was a better option than staying behind and marrying you?”

“She had her parents killed.” Eire came out of the shadows. “I didn’t grab a gun and go off with the others ‘cause I figured whoever it was shootin’ at my granddaughters would be comin’ down this way. I didn’t think it would be you, Michi. You were never the one t’get yer hands dirty. You always left it to someone else t’do the killin’.”

“My Devas are watching Kagome, protecting her from assassins and kidnappers,” Michi said.

“Guardin’ her from her own ma, more like it. It seems t’me that you don’t have anyone you can turn to anymore, Michi. All yer assassins have abandoned you,” Eire said. “Yer alone, like you always should’ve been. Yer not a woman who deserves people in her life, Michi. You use people and toss them t’the side when yer done. You kill them too, if they’re too much trouble. You think I don’t know what you’ve been up to all these years? I kept an eye on you. Angeliki was really good at that. No matter how many of her spies you killed more made it into the house every time.”

“How could you? I never even knew where you were until just recently,” Michi said.

“My twin sister and I stayed in close contact. When I heard she was marryin’ a councilor I knew I could use that t’my advantage. There was a span of about five years where I didn’t know what you were doin’ and I sure felt it, but once she settled on Bouarus I had someone who could keep me up t’date on yer activities. I knew when you had Kuen, knew when you shipped him off, knew when you brought him home. I heard about all yer attempts t’buy the Assembly. I hope you realize yer pet Councilors are all gone now too. They’re bein’ replaced as we speak, or will be once they all get back t’their homeworlds and the votin’ takes place.”

“No,” Michi said, the rifle trembling in her grip. “You’re lying. No one knows who I’ve got under my control in the Assembly.”

“Fabrice Benoit found out and he used his connections t’put a stop to it,” Eire said, moving towards her.

Michi raised her gun, turned, and fired. Eire grunted but didn’t stop walking forward. “Yer threatenin’ my family Michi. You think a single shot from a woman who’s never fired a gun before in her life is goin’ t’put me down? I’m Gaiteran. Don’t you know what they say about us?” Two more shots slammed into him, but he kept walking forward slowly and steadily. “We’re part Arpathi. You can’t take us down so easily.”

“Eire, stay back,” Kuen said.

“No Kuen,” Eire said. “This all started with us. It’s goin’ t’end with us. Guess I’m not goin’ t’get that long talk with Alena like she wanted. Only time I’ve ever broken a promise.”

“What do you mean?” Kuen asked. Behind him he heard Alena gasp.

“I abandoned Michi Nakano ‘cause she had yer grandparents murdered, Kuen,” Eire said. His voice was starting to slur and he was losing a lot of blood. He reached Michi who tried to shoot him again, but he pulled the gun from her hands. “She wanted the family fortune and wouldn’t wait for them to die a natural death. They were barely in their seventies. They weren’t goin’ t’die soon enough for her.” Eire grabbed Michi in a vice like grip. “I couldn’t prove it t’the authorities, so I left and she tried t’frame me.” Michi gasped as she struggled to draw breath. The suit she was wearing creaked and fizzled as Eire’s massive strength shattered the delicate circuits. Michi choked as the high gravity of Sorus stole her breath.

Eire dropped to his knees, taking Michi with him. “Eire,” Kuen murmured.

“It’s better this way, giant,” Eire said, his words slurring even more. “This way both of the universe’s biggest troublemakers are taken out in one day.” He closed his eyes, his limbs locking in death. Michi gasped a few more times and then lay still, blood trickling from her mouth and nose.

“Don’t let the littles out yet,” Kuen said, his voice breaking. “Let me – let me get them out of sight. We don’t need them seeing this.”

“No, we don’t,” Alena said, her own voice cracking. “And we need Nev or Teigue ‘cause Fury’s goin’ t’bleed out. She doesn’t have her da’s constitution fer gettin’ shot.”

“Right,” Kuen said. He slipped the gun over his back and dragged the bodies into the greenhouse before going back to the group. “You want to go call Nev or Teigue out here? Tell them to make it quick.” Alena nodded and excused herself. Kuen sat down beside Fiera, wrapping her in his arms. The children pressed up against him.

“Da, where’s grandda?” Nafisa asked.

“He’s gone, Nafi,” Kuen said. “He took the bad lady somewhere she will never hurt anyone ever again. But that means he’s gone too, and we won’t see him again.”

“Not even for Himostava?” Laoise asked tearfully.

“No, not even for Himostava,” Kuen said.

“Aunt Fury’s hurt,” Elian said, looking at Fiera.

“Yes she is, Elian. We’re getting Uncle Teigue or Uncle Neven out here to help her. Just be patient,” Kuen said.

A short while later the others joined him. “Where’s Alena?” Fabrice asked.

“Inside with your wife and daughters,” Kuen said. “If you want to know who shot Fiera go look in the greenhouse.”

Gaspare and Fabrice looked in the greenhouse, while Fiera, who was clinging to consciousness by the skin of her teeth, gave Phelix the rundown in twinspeak. Fabrice came over. “He broke her suit and the gravity did the rest,” he said.

“Yes,” Kuen said. “I know. I’ve told the children they’ve both gone away for good. For now that’s all I’m telling them.”

“Then let’s get them inside,” Gaspare said. He scooped up Gael from where she was laying on the ground. Pascal clung to him while Eli and Elian grabbed onto Phelix. Kuen passed his gun over to Fabrice and picked up his girls. Daniel helped Fiera to her feet and got her inside where she could lay down on the couch.

“What happened?” Esmerie asked, looking pale and worried. “We heard shouting and I swear to you I heard Michi Nakano’s voice.”

“You did,” Kuen said. “She came after the girls herself. She won’t be a threat to anyone ever again. Eire Rezouac took care of that.”

“Where is he?” Honore asked.

“Grandda made the bad lady go away forever, but he had to go with her,” Laoise said.

“Does that mean that they’re both…” Esmerie let the words trail off as Kuen nodded. Esmerie buried her face in her hands. Honore laid her head on Nia’s shoulder and cried.

“Why is everyone sad?” Nafisa asked.

“I’ll take them upstairs and explain it t’them, if you want,” Alena said. “I’ve had t’do this a time or two with my own littles.”

“Let Nev or whoever’s coming work on my shoulder, Ma. I can explain it to them just fine,” Fiera said from the couch. “It’s just going to take a bit before I’m able to.”

“Teigue’s on his way with blood, a regenerator, and the anti-clottin’ meds t’make sure you don’t get anythin’ in yer lungs while the regenerator is workin’,” Alena said.

“Nafi, Lao, go talk to your mama,” Kuen said.

“Okay,” Nafisa and Laoise said. They trotted over to where their mother was laying.

“You two can explain it to your own children however you like,” Kuen told Gaspare and Phelix.

“I have an idea how Fury’s going to explain it because I remember how ma explained it to us when our grandparents died,” Phelix said. “I can take our four upstairs and explain it to them if you want to stay down here, Gaspare.”

“I’d rather come with you, so I can hear how you explain it,” Gaspare said.

“Okay,” Phelix said. They took their children upstairs.

Kuen walked over to where Fiera was laying. The girls were sitting on the floor looking up at her. “Nafi, Lao, you understand from seeing Gael as a baby that people are born, right?” Fiera asked. It was obvious she wasn’t waiting for Teigue to arrive. She was going to explain it now. The twins nodded. “Now, there comes a point in our lives when we just stop. Our hearts stop. Our brains stop. Our blood stops.  That’s death. Sometimes it happens naturally. Sometimes someone else causes it. Sometimes it happens by accident. People are killed in any number of ways every day and we feel sad because they’re gone, and that’s okay.”

“Grandda killed the bad people who took us away from you and da,” Laoise said.

“Did – did the mean lady kill grandda?” Nafisa asked, her eyes wide.

“She did,” Fiera said. “But your grandda did an amazing thing before he died.”

“What did he do?” Laoise asked.

“He took away her protection from the gravity of our world. She was a fragile featherweight, and featherweights need special suits to be able to breathe and move,” Fiera said.

“Like Esmerie and Honore and Nia?” Nafisa asked.

“Exactly like them,” Fiera said. “Well, your grandda took away the bad lady’s suit. He broke it so she felt the full weight of the gravity. It made it so she couldn’t breathe.”

“He killed her because she killed him,” Laoise said. “He killed her because she was trying to kill the people he loved best in this universe,” Fiera said. “He died protecting us. That’s something to be proud of, even as we’re sad he’s gone. He loved us so much he gave up the only thing he had to save us – his life.” Nafisa and Laoise started crying. Kuen sat down on the floor and hugged them. Fiera couldn’t do much but lay there and watch, pain filling her teal eyes. He caught one of her hands in his and the tears slipped past her defenses and streamed down her cheeks as well. They sat like that until Teigue showed up and started work on his sister.