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Chapter 11 - Chapter 11 - Photoria

Legate sat on a chair in the garden at his brother's Photoria home. The silver moon hung low that night and almost took up the entire sky. Legate looked down at his empty glass and sighed. What a mad few days it had been. He was grateful he was in such a familiar place where he felt safe. Where he didn't have to keep his guard at its highest. Where Genie was safe.

He stretched his long legs out and crossed them. He wondered what Arles was up to, and was thankful that Lewis had updated him on Samuel's injury. He smiled as he remembered Samuel's words of how he had always thought of Legate as a brother. And how Samuel had insisted that he name Ten. "No Quauhtin is worth less, and you are no different."

He certainly felt like less. He had looked forward to a large wedding, there on the homeworld. Making the Promise in the room of the Life Promise, with Lartius there and his Ten standing just outside of the door. He thought of how he used to stand in the room, nearly a century ago when he was small boy, and look up at the ceiling at the lights. Martiea had told him stories about how the lights would come down and surround the ones making the Promise. They whispered advice from the previous Kings and Queens to the happy couple. In that moment, they woke and walked with them. He knew his mother would have been there to see them. He wondered if he would have even recognized her voice if he had heard it.

From behind him, he heard Poltious and Lenox speaking as they walked over to join him. He turned and saw they were bringing out two more pitchers of a drink that Lenox's wife, Phipps, had made them earlier that evening.

Poltious smiled and took Legate's glass he held to pour him another drink. "And Genie?"

Legate nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat, "She went back to the ship. She was exhausted."

"That tiny ship?" Poltious poured another glass and sipped it as Lenox sat the next pitcher on the table. They sat down around the table with Legate.

Legate nodded, "Ah, it's a ship. It gets me where I need to go."

Lenox sipped his drink. "Yeah, I suppose it does. Still sucks not to have your own."

"Well, he has it." Legate groaned. "Like my name."

"But, let's keep this in perspective." Poltious told him. "You have Genie. And your health."

Legate grinned, "That's true. She's worth more than a ship."

"And I hope you have let her know that." Poltious insisted.

Legate sipped his drink and grinned. "I have. Anyway, Phipps is an amazing cook."

Lenox smiled. "That she is. Thank you. She says you are welcome here anytime for her famous, 'Hangover Recovery Special.'"

Legate laughed. "It seems to have done the trick."

"It always does." Lenox insisted.

Poltious drank the drink and exhaled slowly. "Oh, that's brilliant. I'm so full from dinner, and now this. I think your wife doesn't want me to leave."

Lenox smiled. "Well, there's not much way you're going to be piloting anything drinking that."

Poltious poured himself another glass. "Oh, this is my favorite. Remind me to thank her."

Legate sipped his drink.

Lenox grinned at him. "And my brother has made the Promise. I'm…Five?"

"Six. Poltious is Five."

Lenox bowed his head, "And it is my honor."

"As it remains mine to be Two." Legate smiled. "Thank you."

Lenox nodded. "But, I agree with Poltious. It wasn't fair what they asked you do to."

Legate sighed. "I understand why they did-"

"But. It's still. I'm sure it's difficult. You worked so hard to become Praetor, and only to have that stripped away."

Legate sipped his drink. "You need to work on your 'cheering up' speeches, brother. Do you speak to your children like this?"

Lenox groaned and looked back at Poltious' who was laughing. "Help?"

Poltious laughed, "I agree. You suck at this, son."

Lenox shook his head. "Well, you can't be good at everything."

Legate grinned. "I appreciate your words and your concern. I'm alright. Genie and I have an agreement, and she's happy-"

"But, you're not happy." Lenox insisted.

Legate shrugged his shoulders. "I'm happy. I can….adapt. Isn't that what Quauthin do? Adapt to their surroundings?"

Poltious rolled his eyes and poured himself another drink. "I agree with Legate. Do you speak to your children like this, Lenox? You need lessons."

Lenox sipped his drink. "I'm honest with them. All of them. Well, most of them."

Legate looked up at his brother. "That is true. I've always admired that about you."

Lenox bowed his head. "And thank you. However, I haven't told them about this."

"About what?" Legate asked.

"About there are now two Legates. I don't want them to think their Pa has gone completely mental." Lenox grinned.

Legate smiled. "Well, that's probably best."

"As far as they know, there is only one of you. And this beautiful Rixalarian of yours, simply, fell out of the sky."

Legate laughed. "Well, that's not untrue. In fact, she broke her wrist when she crashed."

Lenox pointed at him with his drink. "And I'll add that to my story. Thank you. Details! Those make the best stories. The ones the children believe at least."

Poltious sipped his drink. "I'm going to see Legate next, over on Kaitos."

Legate rubbed his eyes, "I think that would be a very good idea, Poltious."

Poltious continued, "Poor guy. He's putting on a brave front, but I don't think he's enjoying this. Not at all."

Legate nodded. "Yes, we've spoken. A lot actually."

Lenox smiled, "Genie is even more beautiful than I thought she would grow to be. And so…."

"Careful there-" Legate warned.

"She's my sister. I'm her Five."

"Six."

"Whatever. Seriously, how did you ever get her to agree to this?"

"What? To go out with me?"

Poltious smiled. "I'm curious about that, too."

Legate laughed and looked up at the moon. "I'm not going into that tonight."

"Come on, man-" Lenox begged.

"No, way." Legate smiled. "I will just say this. Somethings, were just meant to happen."

Lenox looked back at Poltious. "What does that mean?"

Poltious grinned, "That he's not saying anything more."

Lenox groaned. "I'll get this story at some point, brother."

Legate grinned, "Not tonight."

Poltious sipped his drink. "And what's the update with Samuel?"

"John says he'll be fine. Karen is with him, and he's sleeping from the….I suppose it was a surgery."

Poltious nodded. "What of the Vesuos that attacked them?"

"It wasn't a Vesuos. Lewis was able to find his ship in orbit rather quickly. He was a bounty hunter that had come to see if he could fetch Soli. Lewis was able to take his ship and put it there in the hanger of John's. That..umm….Arcite….is working through the computers and readings there. He's keeping me updated. So far, he's hitting a lot of an odd language."

"Ah, John will be able to sort that out." Poltious told them. "Don't allow him to hook up a translator anywhere close to that Control Room."

"Why?" Legate asked.

"Most bounty hunters encode everything for a reason. It will have an information scrubber on it-"

"Shit. I didn't think of that." Legate groaned and closed his eyes to speak to Arcite in his head.

Lenox sipped his drink. "A bounty hunter means she's expanded her search."

"It means she's growing desperate." Poltious told them.

Legate opened his eyes and rubbed his hands together. "Brilliant. Arcite had already been told that by Lewis. They have a sensor field on it. I didn't think about."

"You have other problems, otherwise, you would have thought of that." Poltious grinned. "It's nice to have Lewis back to himself."

"Do you think this Queen the one behind these attacks?" Lenox asked.

Legate nodded, "Makes sense. The Quauhtin send a delegation and then people start getting attacked."

Poltious shook his head. "Nah. It doesn't. Everyone who has been attacked doesn't like us."

"But, that's the thing. She sends her guys out to attack these places, blames the Quauhtin, and then….war?"

Poltious shook his head. "Nah. That's too elaborate of a plan. If she was attacking these people in aims to get her son back, she would make that known that's why."

Legate nodded. "That's true. I haven't thought of that."

Lenox sighed. "And these attacks have Lartius on edge. He has asked me to bring the family. Children. To the homeworld, to keep everyone safe."

"You're safe here!" Legate insisted.

Lenox ran his finger across the top of his glass. "Yeah. Phipps' father sides with Lartius though. And my beloved Phipps, or rather I should say, 'Princess Phipps Mirabelle Addison of the Royal Court of Hista Dynasty', is due for a trip back to her homeworld. I'll take her and the children there for a few weeks. Let these attacks stop, and then we'll return here."

Poltious grinned. "I think that's a great idea. Gets you out of harm's way."

Lenox nodded. "Yes. It's safe there on Hista. The children have been asking to go there. It works out."

"You've not told them why the sudden holiday?"

"I'm honest with my children. The ones who are old enough to understand, know. The younger ones. They are just excited to ride in the ship. Phipps tells me that I don't do that enough with them."

Legate smiled. "Can any of them pilot?"

"My oldest ones can. Mari, is particularly a good pilot. Not as good as you were at her age, but not bad. Hell, not bad at all. She has…. Poltious' natural talent."

Poltious smiled proudly. "At least one of the grandchildren got it."

Lenox smiled. "I'm sure some of the others will have it. Mari loves space, working on craft, I don't think I've ever seen that young lady's hands properly clean."

Legate laughed. "That's Mari. She's always like that. Brilliant. Brave. Just….Mari."

Poltious grinned. "Tell me about-"

"Not answering questions about the future. Nope."

Poltious groaned. "Damn kid."

Legate laughed.

Lenox sighed. "So, what are we going to do about this Legate problem?"

Legate grinned. "I don't see it as a problem. I've always wanted to be in two places at once, now I am."

Poltious smiled proudly at him. "Always seeing the best of every situation. You certainly don't get that from me, son."

Legate laughed and sat down his drink on the table. "Thank Phipps for me, but I think I'll join Genie. I need to get some rest. It's clear from this discussion that I'm not thinking too clearly."

Lenox sat back and crossed his arms. "Right. Well, lunch is at eleven."

Legate laughed and threw his hand up as he walked away.

Poltious sighed, "Do you think he'll be alright?"

"Legate always lands on his feet."

"Yeah, but this is a lot to ask of anyone. And you know how he is. He's so damn stubborn that he will never admit that he may just need some help from someone."

Lenox chuckled, "No DNA test necessary to see where he gets that from, huh?"

Poltious groaned and sipped his drink.

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Legate walked down a long, grassy hill to the small ship he had flown to Photoria with Genie. A small Dosmotov was hardly what he ever saw himself flying in. The small, boxy shaped craft reminded Legate of an escape pod with just a bit more room. Still, it was comfortable for them to sleep in and kept them from being underfoot in Lenox's home with his huge family who would certainly rise early. The younger children always did, and sleep was impossible from that point. Not to mention, the older children who stayed up rather late at night, playing games and laughing.

Legate stopped as he got to the craft and looked back up the hill to the village. Lenox's home was so much smaller than what Legate was used to seeing. So many more adoptions in the future lead him to expand his home and add several more. Legate wasn't even sure how many children Lenox was currently responsible for. He knew if he had asked, Lenox would simply have told them, "All of them."

He grinned and pressed a button on the side of the craft. A thin door slid open and he stepped in quickly.

"It's just me." He said quickly to Genie as he closed the door.

Genie was lying on the bed, propped up on a mountain of pillows and covered with a light blue blanket to her waist. She had braided her hair and it lay on her shoulder. She wore a lacy, white tank top that was meant for sleeping.

The ship was so small, that there was only one room. One corner was the bed that had folded down, and took up the majority of the space inside, and the other side of the craft held the two chairs and the control panel. Genie had already darkened the windows for privacy.

Genie smiled at Legate as he sat down in one of the chairs to take off his boots. She was speaking on her phone to someone. Legate heard Arles' voice and smiled knowing that Genie was taking care of school related business. Some things made him feel right at home.

He pointed to the food replicator and mouthed, "Want anything?"

She smiled up at him. "No, thank you. Now, Arles. Are you certain you have this under control?"

Legate ran his hands through his hair and yawned. He unfastened his trousers and laid them on the chair he had just been sitting in. Then, undressed down to his pants.

Genie continued to speak to Arles, as she pulled the blanket down and pat the bed beside of her. "Arles?"

Arles laughed. "Gene. The world isn't going to implode because you and Legate take a holiday."

Legate lay down beside of Genie and was able to see Arles' image on the phone. He pulled the blanket over himself. "You forget who you're talking to, mate."

"Gene says you guys will be back tomorrow." Arles informed him. "I can hold things together until then."

Legate grinned. "Yes. Tomorrow. I'll let you know when we're on our way."

"Cheers, mate! I've been with Scott all evening. We've got some stuff you have to try."

"Oh, I look forward to that." Legate grinned.

Genie rolled her eyes and became serious. "No, teaching class while you are stoned. These are children!"

"Ugh! Gene. For your information, Scotty and I are working on something. It's helping our creative juices-"

"I'm serious, Arles-"

Arles blew smoke towards the phone and ended the call.

Legate took the phone and laid it on the shelf beside of them just as Genie started to complain. "That nutter! Can you believe what a pot head he's turned into?"

Legate turned on his side to face her. "He's going through some stuff. It's how he's processing it."

"You're going through some stuff and I don't see you completely stoned off your ass."

He rose his eyebrows at her. "That's because I'm good at keeping it from you."

She rolled her neck back in surprise. "You're not kidding."

He ran his finger under the shoulder's thin strap of the shirt that she wore. "What is this? I've never seen you wear this."

She sat up and pulled the blanket down to show him. "It's a night shirt. It's meant for sleeping."

He gently pulled one of the straps off of her shoulder and watched it fall. The buttons between her breasts seemed to invite him to unfasten them. He glanced back at her beautiful face and asked her quietly, "Are you planning on going right to sleep?"

She smiled warmly. "I hadn't planned on it."

He nodded. "Alright."

She watched him run his fingertip across her shoulder, "Legate?"

"Hmmm?" He didn't look back up at her.

"May I ask what you, Poltious and Lenox discussed?"

His lips met her shoulder and began to kiss her. "These odd attacks. The other Legate. That sort of thing."

She smiled and watched him sit up and unbutton her shirt between the breasts. "Did you sort anything out?"

"No. Just. Talked about it."

"Is the other Legate alright?"

His eyes met hers. "I suppose I give you twice the worry, don't I?"

She smiled, "Yes. Sortof."

He rubbed his nose to hers, "Legate and I are fine. There's no reason to worry."

He had worked through the buttons and the shirt was opened, exposing her breasts to him. He rubbed her nipples.

"You look tired, Legate."

"It's been a long few days." He told her as he gently kissed her face and neck.

She pushed him on his back and sat on his waist. She took off her shirt and tossed it to the side of the bed. He cupped both of her breasts as he began to snog her, teasing her nipples, gently.

She ran her hands through his hair and was surprised when he stopped snogging her and looked into her eyes.

"Genie. I love you. And I feel that I will never have the words to tell you how much you mean to me."

She smiled, "Legate, I know-"

"Really. Genie. Are you sure that this is what you want? That…I'm…what you want?"

Genie sat back and looked at him in surprise. "Legate, what are you on about?"

He sighed. "I just…Genie, you deserve so much more than me. A man who has to remain secret. It's as if….I don't know…..I'm some sort of villain or something."

Genie smiled and held him close to her again, "Legate. You are tired."

"Genie, I'm serious. No one but our Ten will ever know of this marriage. That's so unfair to you. You deserve-"

Genie put her finger over his lips. "Legate. You are exhausted."

He grinned, "Baby, you can't tell that-"

"I don't have to feel your emotions to know. Legate, I've known you my entire life."

"And am I truly the man you have known that entire time?"

Genie rested her forehead to his. "You are."

He closed his eyes. "I don't feel like I am."

"How do you feel?"

"Confused."

She looked into his eyes. "Legate. You are my Legate. The one who I love more than anyone."

He cupped her cheek and seemed to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Legate. You need to rest. Come on."

She wrapped her arms around him and they both lay down. He rubbed his eyes and told her quietly. "Damn, I was looking forward to where I thought that was going."

She pressed her breasts to his chest and giggled. "Sleep Legate. And when you wake up, wake me. Then we'll continue this."

He smiled. "Oh, that sounds really nice."

She giggled and kissed his lips quickly. He was already drifting off to sleep. She pulled the blanket over them both and lay down in front of him. Just as he was almost asleep, she took his hands and pulled them to cup her breasts.

He grinned, "And this is going to give me dreams that I'm going to enjoy."

"Wake me up in a few hours." She whispered.

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