Chapter Sixteen:
When they boarded the Orion, Aikera asked Tyr to pilot the ship while she bathed Luna. Three hours later Luna was bathed and into clean clothes. Tyr entered the kitchenette upon hearing laughter. He could finally make out Luna's real appearance now that all the dirt and grime was washed away. She had long brown hair, baby blue colored eyes and a pale complexion. She looked like a porcelain doll almost. She looked at Tyr with a smile.
"If we're not careful she just might out eat you Princess." Tyr said to Aikera.
"You're a princess." Luna asked. Aikera nodded. "Can I be one too?"
"Yes you can. You're a princess because I would like you to be my daughter." Aikera said.
"Does that mean I have to forget my real mommy and daddy?" Luna asked.
"Of course not. I'm just a second mommy who is raising you because your real parents are not here to do so." Aikera said. Luna agreed to let Aikera be her new mother.
"How old are you Luna?" Tyr asked.
"Six." Luna said eating more food. Aikera looked at Tyr with a lungful look. He knew what she wanted but allowed her to voice her choice.
"Lets go back to the Andromeda." Aikera said with a smile. He nodded and went back to the cockpit. It took them another week to track the Andromeda down. Aikera hailed the ship and told Dylan that they were ready to return. Dylan let them dock but told them to stay on the ship until some of the crew could meet them at the docking bay.
Twenty minutes later, the trio finally emerged from Orion Lucky Star. Aikera was carrying Luna. The six year old was afraid of the new ship and meeting the new people. As they approached the crew, Aikera noticed that Harper was not with them.
"Where's Harper?" Aikera asked.
"He's in observation. He is upset by what you did." Beka said. Aikera looked at the ground ashamed by what she did all over again.
"Do not make her feel any worse then she already does." Tyr said jumping to Aikera's defense.
"So who is this?" Dylan said motioning to whom Aikera was holding. He was also changing subjects.
"This is Luna, I adopted her while on a drift earlier this week." Aikera said quietly. Luna whispered something in Aikera's ear. "May we go to the mess deck and eat?"
"Yes. Rommie why don't you go with Aikera and Luna while the rest of us get back to work. Tyr I assume you're still able to work." Dylan said as Aikera and Rommie walked to the mess deck. Tyr nodded as he followed Dylan and Beka to command. Trance went to the observation deck to talk to Harper.