Owen

"No eating anyone," Esther told the Awakened One. The Awakened One sat in a large space in the docking bay. "There is plenty on board to eat so you can just let someone know and we'll get you something."

"My people don't need to eat," the Awakened One said. "Eventually you won't either. You will learn to let the light sustain you."

"I don't think so," Esther said. "I like eating."

"I won't eat the Gatherish," the Awakened One reassured her. "I wouldn't eat you small ones with the light anyway."

The captain didn't stay to listen to the exchange. She let Esther handle the Awakened One.

I followed the captain. "So, Captain Axa," I said.

The pilots and mechanics gathered to look at the Awakened One with a mix of fear and awe.

"What is it?" she asked. She didn't slow down and I had to pump my legs twice as fast to keep up with her.

"Now that I'm a hero of the Gathering - "

She stopped to look at me. The ridge above her right eye arched. "Hero?"

"Yes, hero. Me, Vai, Esther, Minmin and Shel. We're the light specialists."

She continued towards the elevators. "Light specialists does not equal heroes."

"Sure it does," I said.

I ignored it when she rolled her blue eyes.

"So," I said, "can I get my chocolate unconfiscated please?"

"What? No," she said without even looking my way.

"But I deserve it and the Starrise is out. Couldn't we all use a pick me up in these trying times?"

"You smuggled it on board. It's against the law. And it's not even your first offense."

I waved at the people who stopped to watch us in the corridor and gave them a grand smile. One had to be nice to one's admirers after all. Something had changed in me since we had let the entire Gathering know of the Corruption and opened the light in all the others. The guilt, secrecy, and pain that had been weighing on my heart was lifted. I was more like my old self and it felt great.

Captain Axa got on the elevator. I quickly followed before the door could close.

"Captain, I know and you know that we are about to have an all out war with the Corruption. Let's concentrate all our efforts on that and not to stopping the people from having a little bit of happiness with chocolate."

"Let this go. You didn't bring the chocolate on through proper channels. You brought it on to save until the two restaurants on board ran out so you could sell it to them at outrageous prices which in turn they would charge to their customers."

"Captain, what can I do for you to make this happen? Name it. Whatever it is, I can do it or get it."

The elevator stopped at the bridge level. The captain stepped out. I followed her.

"Nothing is going to change my mind," she said. "There is nothing I want except for you to leave me alone." She started towards the bridge.

"Sorry, captain, but that's not going to happen."

She stopped walking, looked around to make sure we were alone in the corridor and then said, "What do you expect me to do? You broke the law."

"We're in the middle of space, in a war against aliens that can control one's mind. The fleet has lost 3 ships already. Many of those who remain in the fleet lost family or friends. All I'm asking is for a little bit of chocolate to be dispersed to give the people a small amount of happiness, my fri - captain." I probably shouldn't call the captain 'friend'. "I'm not going to stop pestering you until you allow it."

It would be better - and legal - if the captain gave the go ahead instead of Security Officer Pereira continuing to sneak out the chocolate. I was grateful to Pereira and I would keep my deal to get her the Silva doll, but if the captain allowed it I wouldn't have to keep this secret. And I had learned it was better not to have too many secrets.

"If you really wanted their happiness you would give it to them for free," the captain countered.

"But then I would be at a loss," I said. "I paid for them with my own money."

Captain Axa sighed and paused. She was giving in. This was the moment the captain would give me what I wanted.

"Here's the deal," she said. "You can sell what is left in equal amounts to the Starrise and the Museum Delectables. You will sell it to them at the price you bought them. You won't make a profit, but you won't take a loss. And I'll be sure to let the Starrise and the Museum Delectables not to overcharge their customers."

"Deal." No one knew that I got a big discount on the chocolates. If I sold them at their normal price, I'd still get a profit, just not as big of a one as I was planning.

The captain turned away and made her way to the bridge. I followed. She stopped at the doors to look pointedly at me. I waved my arms to indicate for her to go first. She rolled her eyes, but went first through the doors. I followed her on to the bridge.

She stopped to look at me. The others on the bridge stopped to look at me.

"What?" I asked. "You said all of the light specialists now had access to the bridge."

The captain turned away from me and sat in the captain's chair. "Connect me with the other the captains," she said to the communications officer.

It only took a few moments before the other captains were projected on the bridge. El, Shel, Vai and Warpaint walked onto the bridge as the captains finished greeting each other. Captain Axa looked at my friends, but didn't address them. She turned back to the captains.

"I spoke with the Awakened One. He thinks it would be wise if we split the G.E.F. as we had discussed. I still think we should only split into 2 groups. Anymore than that will put us in greater danger."

"You should split up the light specialists then," one of the captains said.

"No," El said. All the captains turned to her. She must have realized her tone was harsh because she said, "I would advise splitting them up. They are strongest together. And even though they all passed the test to graduate early, they are still underage."

"Shel and Minmin will officially become adults within the month," Captain Axa said. "We can send them to the RedNova."

"I volunteer to go in their stead," El said. The muscles in Shel's cheek twitched, but other than that he gave no reaction.

"You are not a light specialist," one of the captains said.

"I've had the light almost as long as they have and I was training them. I think I'm more than adequate," she said.

"That is true," Captain Axa said. "She was a Jo-Dinun. She has taught us all much about the light."

"Fine," one of the captains said. "Send her over." He must have been the captain for the RedNova. "I will take my group and start with the K'thaktra and human colonies as we planned."

Captain Axa nodded. "And my group will take care of the Bundu-Jo and Starwatcher colonies. I'll send El over now." She looked over at El who nodded her consent. Captain Axa turned her attention back to the captains. "Stay in touch and stay safe." The captains repeated the goodbye and then they were all gone.

Captain Axa stood and approached El. "Thank you for volunteering," she said. "I didn't want to split up the light specialists yet."

El nodded. "I will go pack," she said. She took Shel's hand in hers in a rare show of physical affection and the two of them left the bridge.

Vai and I exchanged one quick glance before we followed them. Warpaint followed Vai.

"Mom," Shel stopped as soon as we were off the bridge.

He didn't say anymore, but El let go of his hand and touched his cheek instead. "I'm proud of you," she said quietly. "You will be fine."

"I'm proud of you too," Warpaint said and he placed a large mechanical hand on Shel's shoulder. "And you too, sir," he said doing the same to Vai.

"And me?" I asked.

"And you." Warpaint placed his third hand on my shoulder.

"But dad's already gone," Shel said quietly ignoring all of us except his mom. "All I have is you."

"You have us, friend," I said, but even as I said it I knew it wasn't the same. I couldn't imagine if both of my parents left me. As the children, we were supposed to leave first not the other way around.

"Yes, and Vai is the greatest friend one could have," Warpaint nicely interjected.

El smiled kindly at me. "Yes," she said, "you have your friends and a younger foster sister."

Shel nodded and seemed to stand a little straighter.

"I'll contact you everyday," El said. "Come and help me pack." That invitation wasn't extended to Vai or myself of course. We lingered behind as El took Shel's hand again. They entered the elevator. We waved to them as the door closed and the elevator slid away.

"He'll be fine," I said.

"It's hard to be away from your mom," Vai said quietly.

It would be harder for Vai as he couldn't speak to his mom anymore. She was dead. I placed a hand on his lower back in what I hoped was in a comforting manner.

"Shel will be okay," I said again, but I thought of Esther and how she had not only lost her parents, but her entire family and her colony. "He can talk to her everyday. And really, the other half of the armada do need someone more knowledgeable with the light and she is knowledgeable. And I don't want to be split from any of you. You're my friends. My true friends. Like family."

We started to walk to the elevator.

"Especially Esther," Vai said with a knowing smile and I couldn't deny it. "Do you know the first time I ever saw you, you were flirting with the captain. I've never seen you do it since."

"I used to do it all the time," I said. "I am quite handsome. The ladies love me. But I haven't done it for a long time."

We got on the elevator. "Why haven't you tried it with Esther?"

I paused as a warmth engulfed my heart as it did whenever I thought of Esther. "She is special," I said quietly.