Chapter 16

The daylight seemed harsh, uncaring, unforgiving. Not one of them really seemed to know what to do so they sat for a moment.

"What now?" Calan echoed Kerran's earlier thought. "Do you wish to take the remains elsewhere for burial?"

Kerran glanced at the others. "I wont. I don't have anywhere to take them. I don't really have a home." In her hand was clutched a tarnished stud, set in a remnant of cloth.

"I think." said Veril slowly, "that I will leave my father here also. I had thought to take him back home with me but now I think it is best he remains. These were his friends. He has more right to lie here than anywhere else."

Zev nodded agreement. "I can't return to Betafarl." he said. "and both my mother and father are dead in different worlds. I, too, have no set home so it would be pointless to take them elsewhere."

"You?" Kerran asked Regin.

He shrugged, "I could take him home. But my mother is now dead. And he left us both long ago to be with these people. They were who he was waiting for. I'll leave him here."

"Can we seal it up?" Veril asked. "Properly this time, so no-one can get in and disturb them?"

"We should able to with no trouble." assured Calan.

Orac had explained that to his knowledge of searching the databanks there were no living relatives of either Dayna or Soolin, so no-one would be wanting to know their final resting place. Kerran found that extremely sad. With a few preparations they sealed the chamber, creating a tomb for all time, a memorial that just they five would know off.

Back at the ship they began to ready for flight. Kerran and Calan stowed the cart securely. "So where do you go now?" Calan asked her.

She sighed and paused, pushing back her hair from her face. "Don't know." she replied. "I'll need to find a few jobs. We've been tied up with this for so long now, it's time to get back to work. And you?" looking at Calan.

"I have the co-ordinates from Orac as to where Terminus once was. I will make my way there and then home to tell them of my mother."

"I'll find my uncle and tell him also. He supported me in this."

Veril and Zev were having a similar conversation upstairs. "Where will you go?" Veril asked him.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I left Betafarl to find my father. Now I've found him I don't know what to do. I wont go back to Betafarl."

"You .. you could come home with me." Veril said shyly.

"You're going home?" Zev questioned.

"I want to tell my mother. She should know."

"Then what? Will you stay?"

Veril looked off into the distance for a moment. "I don't think so." she said slowly. "I love my home. I truly do. I love my mother, my friends. But these past months with Kerran and all of you have expanded my horizons. I want to see more, experience more. I've enjoyed being a trader, going different places. So, no, I don't think I'll stay."

"Then I'll go with you. To visit." Zev said. Veril smiled in reply.

Kerran found Regin as he stowed the last of his gear in the land hopper. "All set?" she asked.

He leant on the side to speak to her. "Yes." he replied.

"You sure you won't take Orac?" she asked. That morning Regin had handed her Orac's key and said "You keep it."

He shook his head. "No. Your father had more to do with it than mine did. His last thoughts were even to keep Orac safe."

"But you've been looking for it."

"Having Orac fall into anyone else's hands at all is a horrifying thought with all this knowledge he has. No. He's much safer with you."

"Okay. Thanks. Have to admit he'll be helpful at times."

"You're not just an ordinary trader, are you?" he finally asked the question on his mind.

She cocked her head to one side. "Not always." she replied, and her lips quirked in a half smile. His lips smiled back, he was beginning to like her, like all of them. "So where are you heading?" she asked.

"I'll visit home for a short time. I have some thinking to do. Then it's back to work. Got to earn a living."

"Tell me about it." Kerran put out her hand. "Good luck." she said, as he shook it. "Thanks for your help."

"We make a right pair, don't we?" he said, with a raised eyebrow. "Sounds like our fathers couldn't make up their minds if they liked or hated each other."

Kerran grimaced. "All too true, I think. Right up to the end."

"Anyway, might see you around."

"You know how to find me." she said. They had exchanged ship IDs so would be able to trace each other if need be. The others had joined them by now and Regin said his farewells to them and they watched him board his land hopper and set off back to town. They piled back on board and lifted off. They all watched in silence as the image of Guada Prime dwindled on the screen.

When they were back on the main routes and at the next large space port they separated. Kerran was sad to see them leave, their presence had made the ship not feel so empty. It would be hard to go back to how it was before.

"Good luck." she said, giving Veril a hug and Zev a kiss on the cheek. "Take care."

"You, too." Veril said, tears in her eyes. She gave Calan a kiss farewell and she and Zev left, hand in hand.

Calan draped an arm over Kerran's shoulders. "You be careful." he said to her. She looked up at him, a glint in her eyes. "I mean it. Don't take too many chances. The Federation is still here."

She sobered a little, then shrugged. "I know." He gave her a hug. "Look after yourself." she said to him, holding him tightly.

"You, too." he said and walked away.