Calabrian Space

The many colors of the light spectrum danced and swirled, stretched thin and then widened, creating a sensational display in the darkness. Trynity had observed it many times from a distance and had experienced it twice. She could not believe she was returning to that Calabrian system! No amount of excuses would sway Noin from her decision that Trynity should accompany the heir of the Cinq Kingdom to Calabria. Trynity had even resorted to begging Miliardo Peacecraft, but he gave her very logical reasons for her to go with Zieben. Besides her, only Heero and Relena were familiar with that part of space. Heero could not go because he was governor of three colonies and was now in the process of representing the Cinq Kingdom in the clean up of the Mars Colony. Relena was needed to help govern on L12. Trynity was the only remaining person who could speak the language and had some understanding of the customs.

"I don't think I will ever see anything as amazing as this in space," Trynity heard her father say in awe.

His remark was followed by a moment of silence, which was suddenly broken by Zieben. "Hey, Stryfe, these lights remind me of that hole in the wall dive on Easy Street in New Port City. Remember that one night when you, me and Chaz got wasted and picked up those…"

"Is that the end?" asked Trynity's father with tactful swiftness. He should put an end to that particular discussion since he had been in charge of the young men while they attended the academy. That any of the young men and women who stayed at Seaside had actually completed their education was a miracle in itself. Trynity wondered why Miliardo Peacecraft had put up with his lax control all those years. His being a brilliant scientist could not possibly have had anything to do with it.

The transport glided out of the wormhole smoothly, and after a few moments, the power systems to the craft began to return to normal.

"That was damn good piloting," commented Zieben as he leaned over the pilot.

He was too close and she let him know it. "Get the hell off me, Peacecraft, or you are going to lose the family jewels."

"I suggest you listen to Captain Nelson," remarked Colonel Benton who was lounging in a seat nearby.

Quynn looked over her shoulder at Zieben.

He quickly moved back. Trynity wondered if they had already had encounters at the academy. Zieben was a good-looking young man, but he suffered from conceit any prince of a powerful kingdom would. His flirtations with Quynn were met with open disgust. Trynity could not imagine her as the wife of the king of the Cinq Kingdom anyway, ant that was the purpose of Zieben's trip. Trynity could not imagine what her daughter was going to make of her life once she left military service. But at her age, Trynity hadn't been decided on what course her future was going to take either.

"I have to agree with Zieben," commented Trynity. "I've been through that wormhole twice and both were bumpy rides."

Quynn did not look back at her. "Lord Duo taught me the Calabrian procedure of navigating the wormhole."

Lord Duo! Trynity certainly did not need to be reminded that they were now in his part of space. She would make very clear to him that she had not come chasing after him.

"Is that Calabria?" asked Stryfe.

"I believe that is Bayman," answered Trynity.

"Mom is right. I'll set a course for Calabria now. We should see it in about an hour. Stryfe, you should send a message announcing our arrival."

Stryfe pulled on headphones and began typing at his console. Trynity watched Bayman disappear as Quynn turned the transport in a new direction. She felt an arm go around her shoulders. Her father meant to comfort her, but Trynity still felt uneasiness when others touched her. After all these weeks and all that had happened, Trynity could not put it behind her. It was as if Quatre had permanently soiled her. She could not even have the closure she needed in watching him go to trial and receive a sentence. He didn't deserve the quick death he had received in space.

After giving her a quick squeeze, Dr. Stryfe went to a console and turned his attention to studying the space they were passing through. The binary stars were visible, as were the planets that revolved around them. Bayman and Calabria shared a rotational pattern completely opposite each other while other planets were much further away. Trynity wondered which of the two moons near Calabria was considered the second moon. From all that she had heard, the moons were like smaller planets trapped in the gravitational pull of Calabria. Until Trey's reign they had remained unpopulated, but now there were thriving populations of Calabrians on both moons. Trynity would have had trouble believing Duo Maxwell capable of governing diverse people many years ago, but she had seen the respect that even the first princess of the empire showed him.

"Tell me, again, Benton, why are we making this trip?" asked Zieben.

"On the surface, it would be to make a treaty with Calabria," answered Colonel Benton. He was completely bored. His relationship with the Peacecraft family was odd. Although there was nothing immoral about it, Trynity viewed him as an equal partner to Noin and Miliardo. He had certainly helped them through the rough times and stepped in to help raise their children. Trynity was rather surprised that he was making this trip.

"Am I expected to marry one of the emperor's daughters?" Zieben had asked the same question a thousand times before, and Benton had to answer it each time.

"Not unless you want to," responded Benton for the thousandth time.

Zieben nodded and wandered back toward Quynn.

Trynity took a seat next to Benton. "So why is he making this trip, really?"

Benton glanced at her. "So that Lucrezia and Miliardo can have some time alone without the constant worry about what their son will do next." Then he smiled, telling Trynity that he was joking although she probably thought there was a grain of truth to what he had said. "We are going to make a treaty with Emperor Trey. The king would like his assurances that he will protect the Calabrian side of the wormhole while we protect ours. There are also some tentative trade agreements as well as the setting up of a Cinq Kingdom Embassy."

"An Embassy?"

"I have already accepted the position of Ambassador to Calabria."

Trynity wondered how Noin and Miliardo were going to function without Benton, but she did not ask. Benton seemed to be quite proud of his new role in the Cinq Kingdom. "Congratulations, James. I think you have earned the honor. Was it a choice of your own?"

"I needed a change," he admitted.

"The king could not have chosen a better man to represent his interests in this part of space." Benton was already a model diplomat. He had plenty of practice in the Peacecraft household.

"Thank you, Dr. Nelson." He reached out to touch her hand then seemed to think better of it and withdrew. She was relieved that he understood how she felt. "I am truly sorry that you were forced to come with us, Trynity."

Trynity was saved the necessity of a response by Stryfe's announcement. "We have received a message from Calabria. They want us to land the transport at the Edgeland Fortress where we will be met by representatives of the emperor."

"I was hoping we could go to the second moon," grumbled Quynn. "I have the coordinates for the Edgeland Fortress port."

Trynity wasn't so sure the representative that was going to meet them wasn't going to be Duo Maxwell. She had convinced herself of it, so the remainder of the trip to Calabria, she squirmed with distress. Even the sad humor gleaned from watching Zieben trying to flirt with Quynn could not alleviate her anxiety at seeing Duo again. Although it had been three months, she felt the pain as if it were only yesterday. Quatre had taken everything from her, and he had known exactly what he was doing to leave her helpless and needing anything he would offer her. Is this what he had done to Dorothy to make her stay with him even when he showed her nothing but callous disregard?

Quynn had maneuvered the descent and landing of the transport on Calabria with remarkable ease with little assistance from Stryfe. They had landed on a runway at the Edgeland Fortress. Once Quynn had opened the hatch and let down the steps, she returned to the control panel and began the tedious process of logging a report to be submitted when they returned to L12. Stryfe was eager to see the new planet, so he hopped down the steps first, followed closely by Zieben who was prattling about how much Calabria resembled Earth. Trynity preceded her father and Benton.

The Wastelands had completely changed, noted Trynity as she looked beyond the airfield to the hills now covered with green. She had known of the change, but comparing what she saw now with her first impression of the Wastelands many years ago, the transformation was nothing short of miraculous. The desert had completely vanished to be replaced with verdant meadows and glistening streams. In the distance she could see a shimmering lake.

"Holy smokes! There are two suns!" Zieben was completely taken aback although Trynity had already informed him of what to expect. Benton exchanged an amused glance with Trynity before turning his attention to an approaching group mounted on horseback. Trynity's heart hammered as she imagined Duo would be part of the group, but as they approached, she realized that he was not. She did not recognize the young man leading the group, but she guessed who he was by the time they had arrived and he dismounted. She noted that Taeron was accompanying the young man, and he flashed her an encouraging smile before leaning close to the other to murmur something.

He stepped forward with his hand extended. "Welcome to Calabria. I am Amyr, son of Trey. My men and I are to escort you to the imperial palace."

Dr. Stryfe moved forward to take his hand. "You speak our language very well."

The handsome young prince smiled at him. "My father insisted that we learn." He turned his attention to Trynity. "Taeron tells me that you are Dr. Nelson. You have saved my sister's life and also the life of my beloved uncle as well as Lord Duo. You are especially welcome to Calabria."

She took his hand, and she debated jerking it away when the charming young man began to raise it to his lips. His dark amber eyes soaked her in with a single glance, and she instinctively knew that Prince Amyr was probably used to getting what he wanted. He certainly was a handsome young man who probably had many women at his feet.

Suddenly he dropped her hand as he looked past Trynity.

"You! What are you doing back here?"

His face was anything but charming now as Quynn stomped down the steps from the transport. "Believe me, I wish I weren't here! But I got orders to pilot the transport. Just back off, Amyr!" She shoved past him to hug Taeron. "Nice to see you again, brother. You aren't baby-sitting Prince Amyr now, are you? Because if you are, I suspect that he'll keep you busier than his sister."

Taeron snorted with laughter. "I am not baby-sitting Amyr. I will be the imperial guard of Princess Shamara until she takes a husband, but I asked to accompany him so I could welcome you and Stryfe."

"I am surprised she is not already married to Prince Dagan," commented Dr. Stryfe.

"Prince Dagan has rejected my sister," Amyr told him.

"Humph!" Dr. Stryfe rubbed his chin. "I thought those two were in love."

His predictions on relationships were rather consistent, thought Trynity wryly.

"A ground transport should be arriving soon," said Amyr. "You will be spending the day at the Wasteland Palace before I take you to the imperial city tomorrow."

Trynity expected no less. The Calabrians had been subjected to rigorous medical testing before they were allowed into the general public on L12. Although their health had been thoroughly tested before leaving the solar system, the group from the Cinq Kingdom could not be too careful when encountering new people.

As they awaited the transport, Trynity made introductions. Amyr was very polite and seemed to take an instant liking to Stryfe and Zieben. He had much in common with the Peacecraft heir, and Trynity suspected they all had their number one pastime in common: the pursuit of women. The transport soon arrived, and the other men took that horses that Taeron and Amyr had ridden out to greet them as the prince and Taeron boarded with the Cinq Kingdom delegation. The transport was a hovercraft, which moved swiftly over the land. There hadn't been vehicles like this on Calabria when Trynity had been here last.

Trynity was sitting by a window looking out when Taeron joined her. "I am sorry, Dr. Nelson, that my father could not be here to greet you. Lord Duo cannot leave the second moon at this time."

She looked at Taeron. "I was not expecting him to greet me, Taeron. We said all that we have to say to each other the last time we spoke."

Taeron stared at her silently for a moment, then said, "I hope you will give him a chance, Dr. Nelson. He deserves to be happy." He stood. "And so do you."

He crossed the transport to sit by Stryfe. Trynity was glad Duo's sons could get along after what Stryfe had tried to do him. Taeron seemed to understand Stryfe's rational although Trynity still wondered why her son tried to meddle in Duo and Taeron's relationship. She glanced at Quynn and saw that she was pointedly ignoring Amyr who watched her with extreme annoyance. Quynn had obviously grossly insulted the crowned prince of Calabria, and he had no intention of forgiving her. Then again, Quynn seemed to dislike Amyr. Their personalities were abrasive. Much like hers and Duo's had been so many years ago.

They arrived at the Wasteland Palace shortly after the setting of the first sun. When Apolo came into the courtyard to greet them, Quynn hurried to hug him, and she quickly introduced everyone, ending with Trynity.

"Surely you remember my mother."

Apolo smiled and reached out for her hands, but Trynity wasn't about to let the Guerani touch her. He didn't seem to be offended although Benton frowned at Trynity. "My dear Trynity, I am so happy to see you again. Welcome to my home. Might I say you are every bit as beautiful as you were some years ago, possibly even more beautiful."

"You are still a charmer, Lord Apolo," she remarked. And he hadn't seemed to age at all. "I have heard that you have not been ensnared by one woman."

Trynity expected an amusing rejoinder from Apolo about how he couldn't deprive other women, but he frowned and snapped, "Absolutely not! I have no need." Almost instantly he realized that he had drawn attention to himself because in addition to Trynity's raised brows, both Taeron and Amyr looked at him curiously. Apolo's face turned red, and he quickly said, "You must be tired from your journey."

"I'm not," spoke up Quynn.

"You should rest anyway!" Amyr glared at Quynn. "My uncle is showing his hospitality."

"You don't need to lecture me!" Quynn glared back at him. "I'm not tired from my journey and I'm not about to hide in a room."

Apolo chuckled and slipped an arm around Quynn's shoulders. "No one is asking you to hide, Quynn. I thought you might be tired from the trip, but if you are not, you are free to do as you please."

"I'm not tired either," announced Zieben. "I'll keep Quynn company."

Amyr grunted. "I am not surprised."

"Well, I, for one am looking forward to some rest. How about you, father?" Trynity looked at her father.

"I was hoping to study the patterns of the suns and moons," he grumbled.

Benton glanced at Trynity. They seemed to be the only polite people in the group. Stryfe's attention had been captured by a group of giggling females hiding amongst bushes watching the newcomers, so he wasn't listening at all.

Apolo seemed to be amused by their diverse and somewhat bizarre behavior. "I do enjoy humans." Trynity did not think they were a good representation of their people. "Amyr and Taeron, please show Quynn and Stryfe to their rooms. I will escort Prince Zieben and Ambassador Benton as well as Lady Trynity and Dr. Stryfe."

"I'm not Lady Trynity," Trynity corrected Apolo as they walked into the palace.

"You should be," muttered her father under her breath. She tried to ignore him. He would never get over his disappointment over her disastrous relationship with Duo Maxwell. She was suspecting he wanted to Duo to be the son he never had. He and Lars had been on friendly terms, but Trynity knew that deep inside her father didn't approve of her marriage to him. As usual she proved him wrong and had a wonderful marriage.

Apolo smiled at her. "I will try to remember to correctly address you."

"You may call me Dr. Nelson." She felt safer reminding him that she wasn't Duo's woman.

"If that is your wish, Dr. Nelson." He left Zieben and Benton at their own rooms, then showed her father to an observatory which he explained Lady Virineia often used when she visited the palace with her own studies of space. When they arrived at a suite for Trynity, Apolo wasted several minutes pointing out the amenities before she realized that he didn't want to leave. Although she didn't want to have a personal conversation with Apolo, she now felt she had no choice.

After he showed her the view from her window for the third time, she finally said, "What is it that you want, Apolo?"

He sat on a comfortable padded bench and patted the place beside him. Trynity ignored his invitation. Apolo sighed. "I had hoped that we could discuss Duo."

"There is nothing to discuss."

He ignored her. "He did not say anything when he returned from Mars Colony. I had assumed that he would bring back a wife."

"We were not meant to be together."

"I am quite sure the gods have an ultimate plan to unite you and Duo. You should not fight their will."

Trynity clenched her fists at her side. "The gods have kept us apart! I do not fight their will! This is their will!" She needed nothing more than to hear about the will of these gods to infuriate her. Despite everything that had happened to Duo that seemed to point to the gods' rejection of him, he still had the foolishness to believe in them. If Trynity were to believe in them, she would have to accept that they did not want her happiness. She could never be happy again.

"Can you honestly tell me that you do not care for Duo?" asked Apolo. He held out a hand.

She grasped her own hands and held them back. "Please leave me alone, Apolo. I hope you are not going to contact Duo to urge him to run here to me because it would be a waste of his time."

"I could not do that, anyway. He is obligated to stay on the second moon to deal with a problem concerning religious fanatics. I do not even think he realizes you are here because the discord on the moon is keeping him busy." He came near, but did not touch her, although she sensed he desperately wanted to read her feelings through his hands. "If you need me, Trynity, I will be here to help you."

When he had gone, Trynity walked out onto the terrace overlooking a garden and she watched the second sun set and the appearance of the first moon. She was glad that Duo did not know she was there because she did not want to face him again. She hoped this mission would be over before he could tear himself away from his duties. But as she sat in the dark, watching the second moon appear over the horizon, she felt a familiar ache in her chest as she wondered what he was doing. Trynity could not help but worry for his safety. If he could not even leave the moon, the insurrection was a serious matter, and she hoped he would remain safe.

She had been sitting in the moonlight for a long time alone before she heard voices below in the garden.

"I don't need you to stroll around the garden with me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Quynn sounded thoroughly annoyed. Trynity guessed she was addressing either Zieben or Amyr.

Her second guess was correct. "You don't have the slightest clue what trouble you could get into stumbling around in the dark."

"I was not stumbling! I just didn't see that rock in the path. It must have fallen out of your ear."

"You are an impossible female!"

"And I've seen apes in the zoo who can put your manners to shame, Amyr."

"I am Prince Amyr."

"So I've heard, but I have yet to get any proof. Now get the hell out of my way Prince Amyr or I'll have to shove this rock back in your head." There was a moment of silence before Trynity heard footsteps and she guessed that Quynn had left. She was glad that her daughter could hold her own. Prince Amyr was getting off easy.

"Pumpkin, are you out here?"

Sighing, she turned to see her father approaching. "Did you collect enough data?"

Dr. Stryfe sat on the bench near her. "This entire system is most intriguing. I am eager to see the results of Virineia's research."

"You knew her pretty well?" asked Trynity curiously.

Her father nodded. "She was your mother's best friend. We were very saddened to learn of her disappearance in space, so I am glad to have the chance to see her again. Your mother would have been amazed to learn what became of Virineia. Virineia had been quiet and meek, and no one paid any attention to her, except your mother. That she is the mother of an emperor in another planetary system is quite astonishing. I am eager to see her again." He looked up at the sky. "Apolo tells me the larger of the moons is considered the second moon."

"They seem to be more like planets, unlike many of the moons in our solar system," commented Trynity. She hoped her father wasn't going to direct the discussion toward Duo Maxwell.

"Apolo also tells me that Maxwell cannot come down to the planet. You are going to have to go to him."

"Father!" Trynity curled her fingers into fists. Once she should just pop him in the nose! "I have no intention of throwing myself at his feet."

"I wasn't expecting you to do that, Trynity, but you are going to have to tell him about the baby. I don't think the wormhole is going to close because it has stabilized, and you can't possibly believe that Duo is going to give up on you so easily." Although she stiffened, he took her shoulders in his hands and turned her to face him. "Trynity, you have to trust him. You can't let what Quatre Winner did to you destroy your only chance for happiness."

She shoved his hands off. "You don't understand, father!"

"If you don't tell him about the baby, Trynity, you will lose him, and despite what you are feeling now, one day you will wish he were with you."

Trynity covered her face with her hands. "The baby might not even be his!" She couldn't stand for her father to see how ashamed she was to even admit it.

He took her hands and gently pulled them back. "He loves you, Trynity. You must trust him. Do I need to remind you of the result of your mistrust eighteen years ago?"

She jerked her hands away from. "No! Now leave me alone! I don't need to hear your lectures!"

Grunting, he stood. "Someone has to tell you what you don't want to hear. Might as well be me."

That night she could not sleep. The unfamiliar bed had nothing to do with it, but the light from the second moon shining through her window certainly did. She tried not to think of Duo, but she filled her night with worries that he might be in danger coupled with worries that she would have to face him. Trynity did not want to admit that her father was right, for once. She had an obligation to tell him about the baby although she was thoroughly convinced from her own lousy luck in life that it was Quatre's. Trynity didn't know how to feel about it. For so many years she had wanted more children and could not have any, and now that there was one growing inside her, she wasn't sure she wanted it. If it was the result of what Quatre had done to her, how would she feel toward her son or daughter. On the other hand, if the baby were Duo's, she would be forced to see Duo on a regular basis and that might be too painful for her to bear. What little sleep she did have was disturbed by a nightmare of Duo taking the baby away because he considered her unfit to raise it.

The following morning she awoke late from her restless sleep, and a servant was waiting to attend her every need. She told Trynity that Lord Apolo was waiting to take the morning meal with her although the others had gone out to see the surrounding area before their trip to the Imperial City. Although she didn't want to subject herself to Apolo's meddling; she did have something to discuss with him.

He was waiting for her in the garden and she was glad to see that there was bread and fruit instead of the usual Calabrian food. Trynity was starting to feel sick in the morning and didn't think she would be able to stomach the sight of boiled worms or glazed beetles no matter how much healthier they might be for her.

"You did not sleep well," he observed as she sat near him.

"Do you read minds now?" she asked. She took a chunk of bread and smeared it with honey.

Apolo chuckled. "No, Dr. Nelson, I am simply commenting on the obvious. There are dark circles under your eyes which are quite red themselves, both signs that you spent a miserable night. If you would let me, I could help you, Trynity."

"I don't need your Guerani healing," she snapped.

He smiled. "I wasn't really talking about that, Trynity. I have my own brand of healing that women simply cannot resist."

Trynity frowned at him. "Last night you were Duo's champion and this morning you are his rival? Do you think of only one thing, Apolo, your pleasure?"

"I was thinking about yours, too." He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to find another way to pass the time before Amyr and Taeron return with the rest of our guests."

"So I would just be a way of passing the time?"

"A very pleasant way of passing the time."

Trynity couldn't help but laugh. "Now I know why you don't have a wife."

"I don't need a wife." She sensed he was bothered by her comment although he managed to control his emotions better today than yesterday. Trynity wondered if some woman had gotten under the skin of the gods' gift to women.

She decided to steer the conversation to safer grounds. "While Shamara was with me on Mars Colony, she was a great help in healing some of my more needy patients. She told me that you taught her how to use her healing ability."

"Shamara's healing abilities are not very strong. I think the gods have another purpose for her."

"Do you believe it would be impossible for me to learn to heal people as you and Shamara do?" Before he could have a chance to answer, she rushed on. "I have studied the physiological elements of the healing power Shamara has exhibited, and if I had a chance to study yours, perhaps I could find a way to tap the potential that I might have to heal through touch."

Apolo laughed softly, but he wasn't mocking her. "I can see that you are in earnest, Trynity, and you already have one element that is most important in healing: your desire to help others despite the harm that comes to you."

"I have not suffered any harm from practicing medicine," she told him with a frown.

"But you have, Trynity. How can you not feel something when faced with the suffering of others? Can you walk away from those you cannot help without remembering them?"

"I was taught in my studies that I must ignore them in order to work on them most efficiently," she admitted. "But I regret all those I could not help."

"Our healing is not perfect either, Trynity. If the gods wish to call someone to them, we have no choice but to let them answer the call." He leaned closer to her. "I suspect that you do not have the second element required for our healing."

"If you are talking about Guerani blood…."

"No, I am talking about faith in the gods."

"What does faith have to do with it?" Trynity was annoyed to be steered back in this direction. Before she could guess his intention, Apolo reached out to seize her hands, and although he tried to hold them, she jerked them away. "Why did you do that?" She stumbled away from the table, her heart pounding erratically from the brief touch. "How dare you invade my privacy like that?"

Apolo stood, and she had to look away from his compassionate expression. She didn't want his pity! "I am sorry, Trynity. I wanted to know why you are so angered with the gods."

"There are no gods! There are good choices and bad choices, and every choice I have made, every choice anyone I have cared has made, have been bad choices." Trynity fought tears that were forming in her eyes. "You want me to believe in gods who have made me suffer in one way or another for my entire life?"

"You have to believe that in the end they will bring you joy."

She clenched her hands into fists at her side. "Are you telling me that you will not teach me to heal?"

He shook his head. "I will do all that I can, Trynity, but in the end it will be up to you to recognize what the gods need from you."

At least her lack of religious conviction did not prevent him from agreeing to help her learn. She was relieved. "Where did you get your skill?"

"It is innate, but I did not recognize it for many years. I felt it most strongly when Shamara was born. That is the first time I used it, and then I realized that I had the gift. When I held her lifeless body in my hands, I felt the power flow through me. I actually felt somewhat helpless to control it at that time."

"Fortunately for Shamara, you were there when she was born."

"The gods have a plan for her. I do not believe she was meant to be a healer."

"There was reference to Shamara in the ancient Guerani texts, including those copied by Elder Hardane in the cave on Mars Colony," said Trynity. She didn't believe in their religious myths, but Apolo did so deeply.

"I was dismayed to learn of their loss in the fire. We may have been able to learn more of the tale of Camrin, Dagmar and Ulfyna. The followers of Camridaeus are certainly convinced of his imminent return. In fact, it is those followers who are giving Duo trouble on the moon. They have recently stirred discord amongst the tribes lead by a person recently arrived from space. We believe he came from Bayman because the cult of Camridaeus is more prominent there, but he could be from anywhere in our system. Since Trey announced that any man could have Shamara, we have seen many new people on Calabria."

Later in the day when they arrived at the Imperial City, Trynity was amazed by the different species of beings that milled around in the marketplace in the shadow of the palace. They all had many human features in common, but each had developed differently to set them apart. Apolo pointed out Teralonians, a few of which had taken his adopted daughters as wives. They had the ability to fly with wings that would emerge upon will. The Varoonyans had a keen sense of hearing and sight that distinguished them as the hunters of the galaxy. There were so many, small and tall, each looking slightly different from another that Trynity lost track of the names and the planets from which they had come.

Upon arriving at the palace, the delegation from the Cinq Kingdom was immediately shown to the private quarters of the imperial first family where Arora warmly greeted them. She officially welcomed Benton and made a comment to Zieben about his chances at winning Shamara's heart – Trynity didn't think Zieben looked interested until the aforementioned princess entered the room. Shamara seemed annoyed by Zieben's interest, but the Peacecraft heir persisted in paying her flowery comments that Trynity was sure Shamara had already heard from the many handsome young men already vying for her hand in marriage. Arora did not touch Trynity when she greeted her although she gave Dr. Stryfe a hug and told him she had a surprise for him. From another room stepped Lady Virineia, and the two elders quickly embraced and began to talk scientific gibberish. Trynity met the trouble-making Chaela and her new husband, the latter blatantly protective of his new wife. Each of Trey and Arora's other children stepped forward to be introduced except for the infant that was sleeping in a cradle across the room basking in the late afternoon sun.

After a brief meal, Amyr offered to show Taeron, Zieben and Stryfe around with Apolo offering to go along. Taeron declined when Shamara glared at him and her brother then taking Quynn's arm, the three left with Taeron shaking his head like a long-suffering slave. Arora was outright amused and laughed when they had gone.

"Shamara was very angry that Taeron accompanied Amyr to the Wastelands because she had plans to visit Dagan and needed his assistance. Trey and I put a stop to that with your timely arrival."

Lady Virineia stood with Dr. Stryfe beside her. "Ivan and I are going to my observatory. We shall join you later."

Trynity noted that her father seemed to be blushing and she wondered what part of space they planned to observe.

They left the table at which they had been served traditional human food although Trynity doubted pizza was served to visiting diplomats at the Cinq Kingdom palace. She also wondered what was on the pizza hiding under the cheese that didn't seem to bother Taeron who ate enough to clearly mark him as his father's son. Trynity didn't want to think about it.

There was a comfortable sofa near the window where they could watch the setting sun while Arora fed her youngest child. For several minutes they said nothing as Arora hummed and the baby nursed, then Arora stopped to burp the infant girl.

"She is very beautiful," commented Trynity as she wondered if her baby would be a boy or a girl and who it might resemble. She was so afraid that it would be blond and blue-eyed, a constant reminder of Quatre Raberba Winner that she didn't even want to think about it.

Arora smiled. "I have yet to determine if female children are more trouble than male. A year ago I could have told you, but after the nasty business between Chaela and Shamara and our son's lack of self-control and unwillingness to accept responsibilities, I no longer know. How do you feel? I have not known Stryfe and Quynn for long, but I have heard so much about them from Shamara and Duo that I feel I already know them. You should be very proud of how they have grown into worthy adults."

"Worthy? Worthy of Lord Duo, you mean? Will everyone who sees them today know that they are the children of the legendary governor of the second moon?" Trynity was annoyed by Arora's choice of words.

"I meant that they are worthy of you, Trynity."

Trynity pushed away from the couch and walked to the window to watch the sun sink in the horizon, wringing her hands before her as she did. "Duo told you what happened, didn't he?"

"Duo did not tell us why you did not return with him. At the time we just glad to have our daughter back and to get Duo back to the moon. I don't know what he told Trey, but Trey hasn't confided in me." Trynity could hear Arora putting the cooing baby back in the cradle nearby, and then she felt her presence behind her. "Is there something you wish to tell me, Trynity? Did…did Duo harm you?"

Trynity shook her head. "He would never harm me. I just don't think we can be together after all these years." She turned around to look at Arora. "You must have known that I was carrying Stryfe and Quynn, yet you did not tell him."

"What good would it have done to tell him? He was already suffering because you were lost to him. I don't think he could have lived knowing about the children that he would never see."

Arora's gaze was kind and caring, and Trynity felt her insides crumbling. These people loved Duo and had made him part of their family, and Trynity knew she could trust Arora. She reached out a trembling hand to Arora, who hesitated, then took first it, then the other and drew her back down to the couch. Trynity didn't feel anything at first, and then she felt soothing warmth.

"I do not have the powers of my father," she told Trynity softly, "or I would allow you to forget your horrible memories. I can only offer my sympathy and understanding." She drew Trynity to her, and Trynity allowed herself to cry. If anyone could understand how she might feel, it would be Arora who had been so horribly mistreated most of her life. As Arora stroked her hair and patted her back, Trynity started to feel the stirring of hope inside her. Despite all that happened to her, Arora had survived and found happiness. Trynity dared to wonder if she could too.

Although Arora had surely divined all that had happened by her touch, Trynity told her, even about her darkest fears that Duo might not believe she had brought it on herself. He had even asked her outright if she had been sleeping with Quatre and he had not waited for an answer. Then again, Trynity hadn't given him one, and she didn't know why she hadn't denied it.

The door opened and Trey walked in followed by two guards who quickly left him once they were assured his safety. Arora went to him and greeted him with a hug and kiss, then led him to Trynity. She came around the couch and was surprised that when he drew her into his arms, she didn't feel the usual tensing of her body against the intimacy. She hugged him back, glad that she could stand the touch of another once again.

Trey held her back at arms' length. "Miss Stryfe, you haven't changed much, but where you have, it's for the better."

On the other hand, Trey had changed. His mature features were more like his father although he did not have the hard lines that marked Zeno's face. Trey had the aura of a powerful emperor. Trynity guessed that lawless radicals feared him and his loyal subjects, of whom, she already knew, there were many.

He turned to look at Arora. "Is there any pizza left?"

"It is cold," she told him with a sigh.

Trey rubbed his hands together. "Just how I like it." He looked at Trynity. "Would you care to join me, Trynity? I seem to recall a few times sharing a cold pizza with you in the morning."

She followed him to the table. "I don't have much of an appetite for it now. Besides, once I did eat, I began to wonder why Taeron liked it so much."

Arora laughed. "I'm glad you didn't ask. I have no intention of telling you now. Suffice to say, we have to make the meals palatable for both humans and Calabrians."

Grabbing a slice of pizza, Trey sat back in his chair and put his booted feet on the table. "So what do you think of Taeron?"

"Trey!" scolded Arora with a hiss.

He shrugged. "I just thought she should have a measure of what Duo got when he found himself on L12. I could understand why you didn't tell Duo about your pregnancy when you were here on Calabria, although I thought you were afraid he would become over-concerned and send you back to the pirate satellite. I never once thought he would reject you."

"I've been paid back in spades for my distrust," Trynity said with annoyance.

Trey continued after munching on a big bite of pizza. "But I didn't understand why you allowed Duo to think Stryfe and Quynn where Lars' children. You could have saved both him and Taeron some heartache if you had just been up front with him."

"That is in the past," said Arora with a warning look at her husband. "Duo and Taeron have a good relationship now."

"We should have told Duo long ago so that he could have raised Taeron, but after weighing the pros and the cons we decided he wouldn't be able to handle it. I feel guilty that we deprived Taeron of a father." Trey took another slice of pizza. "Are you planning to visit Duo or are you going to do your duty to the Cinq Kingdom and run back to L12 or where ever else you plan on hiding yourself?"

Trynity was finding his censure difficult to bear after her heart to heart conversation with Arora. "I wasn't planning to hide myself."

He paused in chewing. "I've already had an audience with Benton and Zieben. Benton told me you did not come to Calabria willingly. Is this your chance to get some revenge against Duo?"

"Of course not!"

"Good, because I won't let you hurt him again."

"Hurt him!" How did she become the villain? "I had no intention of hurting him! He left me! I went to tell him about the baby only minutes after he bailed out in that escape pod. Part of me wondered if he had guessed about my condition."

"Oh ye of little faith." Trey reached for another slice of pizza. "My dear, give my compliments to the chef of this meal. Did he actually manage to hide wilderberry grubs in this?"

Trynity's stomach began to churn and she had to swallow back the gorge that was rising in her throat. "I…I realize that fear was false." She watched Trey lift the cold cheese to look beneath. The sight of the cheese, opaque and stiff was enough to make her feel faint, but when he pulled out something long and stringy to pop in his mouth, she couldn't hold back any more. Fortunately Arora anticipated her and rushed to grab a near empty bowl, which contained a leafy salad.

"I was planning to have some of that," remarked Trey when Trynity had finished vomiting. "I don't think Calabria agrees with you, Trynity."

She didn't respond at first as she accepted a glass of water from Arora and she drank it. Arora glared at Trey and Trynity guessed she was going to tell her husband later anyway, so she said, "I am expecting another child."

The pizza dropped from Trey's hand and he looked to Arora who nodded confirmation. "Then congratulations are in order. This is quite the busy year for Duo."

"Trey!" Arora was clearly upset with her husband now. Trynity already guessed what he was referring to before he clarified.

"Apolo tells us that Larya is pregnant. Before the wormhole opened I had considered forcing Duo to marry her anyway. Now with you here, I am quite curious about what he is going to do."

"I need to lay down," said Trynity. She felt tired and ill, and although she had vomited most of the meal from her stomach, it still rebelled against the possibility that she had eaten slugs, worms and beetles. "I hope that you aren't going to call Duo away from his duties so that he can come running to me." Trynity spoke through gritted teeth. "The baby probably isn't his anyway, and I am not ready to see him yet."

"He's too busy to cater to you. I'm not about to drag him away from his duties so that he can dance attendance on you."

Arora called for one of the children to show Trynity to a room and the son she remembered was Staefyn appeared. Trynity could hear Arora laying in to Trey even before they were a few feet into the hallway leading away from the dining area.

"How could you be so mean-spirited? And what is this business with Larya? You know exactly what is going on!"

Trynity was glad when she couldn't hear any more. She thanked their son then laid down on the comfortable bed in the darkening room. Somehow she would get through this trip to Calabria with her dignity intact.

"I was told you had some important message for me." Duo was annoyed to be called back to the governor's palace for a call from the emperor, and now Trey was grinning at him like a fool.

"This news is important."

Duo sighed. "I've spent the last month trying to hunt down the rebel leader. Most of the tribes will not give him shelter, so we have managed to get peace over about three quarters of the moon."

"I'm glad." His tone told Duo that Trey had other things on his mind. "Now, listen. I have received a delegation from the Cinq Kingdom today."

Duo was surprised. "That is why you have called me back here? You could have told me about that after I captured that bastard and made an example of him."

"I'm not finished. Benton has been assigned as ambassador to Calabria, and Zieben accompanied him. I believe he is strolling in the garden with Shamara now."

"If he thinks he can win her hand, he will be disappointed that she is already in love with Dagan." Duo thought Trey's announcement that any man could try to win the heart of his daughter was quite ridiculous and told him so.

"None of these men may get my daughter," he said with chuckle, "but I have already presided over a half-dozen treaties resulting in the marriages of princes to other females. My palace reminds me of the Love Boat that I used to watch late nights at Seaside." Trey burst into laughter.

Duo was glad Trey could find a way to amuse himself. "Is that all you wanted to tell me, that you enjoy bringing bad late-night telecom programs into your palace in real life."

Trey managed to control his laughter and waved his hand. "No, of course not. I wanted you to know that Stryfe and Quynn are here, as well as their grandfather."

"I am not sure I can get away to see them." Duo had a competent advisor who controlled affairs at the palace while he was in the field, but he did not want to leave the moon without its leader. The tribal chiefs looked to him for stability because he maintained the peace between them. Amyr had proved that he was too inexperienced to control such diverse people, and he had made the mistake of trying to seduce the daughter of one of the staunch Zenoites who had left Calabria rather than remain under Trey's direct rule. No matter how much he wanted to see his son and daughter and get news of their mother, he could not leave the moon. He also wasn't even sure that he would have time to see them if they came to him.

"I didn't call to tell you about them. Trynity Stryfe Nelson is sleeping under my roof!"

"Trynity is there?" Duo couldn't believe it! He was sure Trynity would need a lot more time to heal and find some inner peace after what had happened to her. Duo understood that need and was now perplexed that she had already come to him.

"Benton told me that Noin and Miliardo threatened her into accompanying them. Trynity really had no choice although she did try to get out of it."

"She didn't come here to see me." Duo was not upset by that realization. "In fact, I don't think she wants to see me yet, Trey, and I am going to respect that wish. Thank you for telling me but…"

"I'm not finished. She'd kill me if she knew I told you, but I can't, in good conscience, keep silent this time. The lovely Dr. Nelson is pregnant."

Duo stared at him incredulously. "How could you tell me such a thing?"

"It's true! She admitted it herself, but she says the baby probably isn't yours. What does she mean by that? Are you sure you want her back?"

Duo hadn't told Trey why he didn't bring Trynity back. He told him about the trouble with Quatre, but he left out what had happened to Trynity. "The baby is mine, Trey, despite what she says."

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened on Mars Colony?" asked Trey with obvious concern.

"Maybe some day, but not right now. I'm not coming down to the planet. If Trynity wants to see me, she can visit me here, but I don't want her to do something she's not comfortable with, and I hope that you treat her with respect. Don't think for a moment that our separation is her fault, Trey. I have every confidence that we will one day be together. It may just take longer than I had first imagined."

"I hope it doesn't take too long. I'd like to see our children play together some day, Duo."

Duo didn't respond before ending the communication. He sat down on the chair behind his desk and rubbed his temples. Although he was annoyed to be called back to the palace for this news, he was glad to postpone his search for the rebel leader. He had spent weeks just a few hours behind the man who stopped in villages long enough to spout Camridaen scripture and point to the signs of the return of Camridaeus. Then he would leave when he had the people riled to the point of violence or sobbing in misery in the face of the end of the world.

The door opened to reveal his advisor, Orhan. Orhan was a Calabrian who had been an assistant to Duo's previous advisor. When the older man suddenly died one day while Amyr was in charge and Duo was on Mars Colony, Orhan stepped in to competently fill the position left vacant. He had done such an admirable job that Duo saw no reason to choose a different successor.

"My lord, there is a visitor."

"I don't need to be announced." Larya pushed past him, then turned to glare at Orhan. The young man bowed his head and backed out. Her own guards followed him. She turned to look at Duo. "I don't like that toadying creature. Where did you get him?"

"He has been here for several years and has earned his promotion."

"I don't trust him. He'll be the first to go when I move in here." She looked around the room as if determining what would be next.

Duo frowned at her. "I am not going to marry you, Larya."

"I'm not going to give you a choice in the matter. Do you think I want to marry you? No! Do you think I care what you want? No!" She put her hand on her belly, which was swelling with her condition. "This child is going to have an acknowledged father. I'm not going to wait until she is an adult this time."

"I am not her father."

"You and I know that. Her father refuses to believe it."

Duo raised a brow. "Why would Apolo deny it? Surely he has ways of knowing the truth."

She sat on the edge of his desk. "He claims that he cannot know such a thing until the child is born. He also doesn't believe we haven't been together since Taeron was conceived."

Duo drummed his fingers on the desk. "Apolo did catch us in a rather compromising situation."

"I give thanks to the gods every day that he kept us from doing something foolish." She sighed, and Duo thought he saw tears in her eyes. Tears in Larya's eyes!? "I love him," she admitted. "I thought such a feeling was foolish until I felt it myself. And for a while I thought he loved me too, but when I told him about the child, he rejected us both. He hasn't spoken to me in a month. He claimed that I was using him because I couldn't get you now that you have the opportunity to have the woman you love."

"That is ridiculous!" Duo was annoyed to be dragged into this mess. But when he had allowed Larya to seduce him many years ago, he had tied their houses forever. If he had known Taeron was his son, he probably would have married Larya back then, but now he certainly had no intention of doing so. "I will talk to Apolo myself and explain the situation."

"He won't believe a word you say! He'll think you are lying to cover for me and to protect your precious healer's feelings."

"You have already discussed this with him?" Duo suspected she had.

"I've tried everything to convince him!" Larya wiped away a tear. "I have no one else to turn to, Duo."

He reached out to take her hand. "I'll do what I can to help you, Larya, but my time is limited these days. Do you think this visit to me is wise? If he is as jealous as I suspect, he isn't going to like discovering you are here with me. It may reinforce his suspicions."

"I don't care! He deserves to suspect everything his sordid mind can. If I can forget the countless women he has been with in the past, why can't he forgive me for something that did not even happen?"

Duo reached up to wipe her tears with the back of his hand. "Love can be quite irrational, Larya. I think he is in love with you too, but for the gods' gift to women, it is a frightening new feeling."

"I am frightened too," she sobbed. "I am frightened of being denied happiness, of being alone for the rest of my life. I am afraid that the ambitious choices I made in the past will haunt me until the day I die old and lonely."

Duo pulled her onto his lap and enfolded her in his arms. As she laid her head on his shoulder, he stroked her silky hair. "I know exactly how you feel, Larya. I think before this is all over, you and I will both get what we need."

"You have such confidence in the gods," murmured Larya.

"What more do we have, Larya? We both tried to defy them and look where it has landed us. Despite it, they have not given up on us. I have another chance with Trynity, and you have found Apolo. Together we have Taeron who is too good a son for either of us to deserve."

"You are right. I think this baby is affecting me strangely. Is it because it is a female? I don't remember feeling so vulnerable when Taeron was inside me. Perhaps it is because she is Guerani!"

Larya continued to prattle about her hopes and fears, but Duo did little more than grunt a response when she wanted one. His mind turned to Trynity who was now on Calabria. She was so close, and yet she might as well be on the other side of the closed wormhole. Duo's heart still ached when he thought of the last time that he saw her and the shamed misery that he had read in her eyes. Trynity would never believe Duo could help her get through the trauma she had suffered. Although Trynity had mocked his sense of honor, now she was afraid that he would reject her because of it. Now she was pregnant and no doubt tormented by the possibility that Quatre was the child's father. Duo didn't care who the father was. He could and would love anything that was a part of Trynity, just as Lars had loved his children. He hoped that Trynity would give him a chance.