"Life in the Stars"

"And Xarian too?"

Chapter 49

XLIX

Before leaving, Shag and MayaSabriena, along with JoLeesa and AnDasniya, let Danyy show them the pawgor.

"Wow!" Shag exclaimed, looking at the impressive pawgor, "That's a really amazing animal, Danyy! Where did you ever find it… and how did you tame it?" he asked, stroking the pawgor's head and back as it purred.

Danyy smiled… "My Dad found it in the Nan-torel when it was pretty young, only about half grown. A tree had fallen on it and its mama, and its mama was dead, so my Dad rescued this one and brought it home. It wanted to know why my Dad didn't kill it like anyone else would have, so I asked my Dad, and he said that it wasn't our enemy just because it was big or people were afraid of it… It's not really tame, though. We let it go again in the Nan-torel before we left. It's just that it talks to me and understands me, so it knows we're not its enemy."

"Amazing! You're Dad is a very wise and great man! I guess the pawgor can see that!"

Danyy smiled… "Thank you! My Mom likes it, too… especially now that she knows it won't hurt us. But when she found out that it could jump out of its pen any time it wanted to, she fainted."

Shag smiled.

"I didn't think anyone ever went into the Nan-torel," said MayaSabriena.

"Nobody else much does," Danyy replied. "Everyone's afraid to go there."

"I could tell you why!" MayaSabriena laughed… "Pawgors, for one thing!"

They all laughed.

Back in the dining area with the rest of the group, Shag, MayaSabriena, JoLeesa, and AnDasniya said their good-byes.

"What is an 'Antarian Too,'" asked JoLeesa, having heard someone use the expression.

"We call them 'Antarians Too,' because they're Antarians, too, even though they live on Earth," said Maria. "Liz's little Maya contacted them telepathically from Antar, and they came to help us protect the children, so we know that they have some Antarian DNA."

"Really?" said JoLeesa. "Antarian DNA? And they are from Eluymer?" JoLeesa looked at Tracie, Nina, Lisa, Rachel, Krys, Sabrina, Trude, Denise, Roselle, April, Andrea, Lauren, and Andrew… and Diane Casey, who was both an Antarian Too and a New Antarean. "Then you are our descendants!"

Maria nodded. "They're descended from you and AnDasniya… and Liz is descended from MayaSabriena… according to our scientists who studied the DNA."

JoLeesa stepped forward and hugged Tracie then Krys. Then she and Maya and AnDasniya hugged Nina, Lisa and all the other 'Antarians Too.'

"You are separated from us by the years, but you will never be separated from our hearts," JoLeesa told them all. "You will forever be our children… our childrens' children."

Shag added, "You are also distant Xarians as well as Antarians! You are part of a noble and ancient people, and I am very proud to know that you are -each one of you- one of us."

On that note, JoLeesa smiled and stepped through the portal with MayaSabriena and AnDasniya. Shaqor-Niseel turned and raised his hand in a wave and smiled… then he, too, stepped through the portal. And as mysteriously as they had all come, they were gone.

"Did that really happen, Maria?" Liz asked as they walked from the dining room "…or was I hallucinating?"

Maria laughed… "Well, if you were, girlfriend, so was I, 'cause I saw it, too!"

"I can't believe it!" Diane said, ecstatic… I find out I'm part Antarian, now I find out I'm part Xarian, too… and related to either JoLeesa or AnDasniya and her husband!"

"Just don't ask for the family inheritance," Kyle injected in his usual dry style of humor.

Liz and Maria both whacked him on top of the head at the same time. Kyle managed to snicker slightly but didn't wait around for a second hit.

"I doubt any of us will live long enough for that, anyway, Kyle!" Maria exclaimed.

Liz agreed… "Not unless our lifespans increase considerably!"

As they left the dining room, Liz's daughter Maya, together with Zorel and a couple of the other children approached Liz…

"Mom," Maya said, "We want to ask you something."

"What is it, Dear?"

"Well… uh… You tell her Zorel…"

Zorel looked slightly embarrassed…

"We, uh… We wondered if you would let Aunt Kathleen have classes for us again… you know, once in a while, so she can teach us more things about earth."

Liz and Maria looked at each other…

"You want to have classes?" asked Liz.

"Okay," Maria said, "I take back what I said. We are hallucinating."

Liz and Maria laughed…

"Well, Maya… Zorel… I think you should ask Aunt Kathleen. If she wants to do it, I don't think your Dad or I will object. But it has to be her decision."

"Thanks," said Maya. She and Zorel and the others ran off to look for Kathleen.

"Okay, who were those kids, and what have they done with our real children?" Liz asked Maria. Both of them laughed.

-------------------------End of Chapter 49