"Arhome", she said. She turned around, taking in the vast emptiness surrounding the small island of bright life. "Yes.", she said. "That's a good name, Calli. Arhome. I think this could be our home, too." She smiled at Joe. He smiled back. An empty canvass for them to work on. It could take a life time.
It only took a couple of days for them to make the transition. They brought the two-headed cow, the chickens and their dog. Aside from their few personal items they left everything else behind. Calli had fully furnished the house in Arhome. The farm wouldn't stay deserted. Calli would find other tenants to farm it. There would be rumors but the wasteland wouldn't know what had become of the family.
Calli stayed in Arhome with the children while Hawk took Joe and Mattie to the Vault of Life. They returned with brilliant eyes and brimming with enthusiasm. The valley of Arhome was going to come to life.
Calli would be spending the next several months in Arhome. Hawk made several trips in the shuttle to bring in needed supplies and handle business in the wasteland. This wasn't Calli's first absence so it didn't raise too many questions when he made the rounds alone. People didn't generally expect an answer when they wondered where she was. Hawk never divulged what she was doing when she was on a mission.
Calli had a special assignment for him. The Valley needed more protection now than the Mr. Handy robots could provide. She sent him to Rivet City to see if Harkness wanted to come guard the entrance to her home. He had indicated he wanted to find a new home.
Harkness came back with Hawk, and brought three androids with him. They were all that remained of the contingent that had attacked the wasteland. The accommodations in Cave Entrance weren't as nice as the ones he had left behind but with the robots helping they would work on making it a nice place. They would guard the entrance in shifts so it would never be left unattended. Occasionally one of them would take the shuttle into Arhome to visit and get orders from Calli. It became part of their duties to always make sure the shuttle was in top condition. They were given supplies to work on building a barracks for themselves., In the meantime they had comfortable mattresses, a working bathroom, and cooking facilities left by Calli and Hawk from the times they used the cave.
The months passed. Calli helped with building a small barn that was needed for the livestock to shelter them from the intense heat of the late summer days. The animals lolled under the trees while the barn was being built. Mattie and Joe moved in to the large room with the crib, while the kids were delighted to have their own rooms on the second floor beside Hawk. They had been allowed to start referring to Calli and Hawk as 'Aunt Callie' and 'Uncle Hawk', much to the amusement of the partners.
The fall passed and turned into winter. When Joe and Mattie would make a trek to the Vault of Life with Hawk Calli would watch the children. The young couple used the winter to study the vault's files, deciding what plants to bring out. They were very good farmers and understood what needed to be done. The top of the little river froze over, though water still ran beneath and could be reached if a hole was cut in the ice. The children greatly enjoyed playing on the ice, though no snow fell in this dry land.
While the land still slept Hawk brought in the next Arhome resident. A young man fell afoul of raiders. Hawk rescued him just in time. Discovering he had no relatives, no home, and not much of a future he offered him a position in Arhome. Guard the entrance to his family and help on the nascent farm, and he would not only have a new home, and everything he needed, he would have a purpose. Stew was grateful for the chance. He was brought in to meet Calli and the Galen family.
The Galen's welcomed him warmly. Calli, her body bulging with late pregnancy, greeted him regally. She never smiled. Her storm grey eyes were cold as the winter sky.
"I am Callie. This is my home, young man.", she said. "This is my family. You are taking on a big job for such a young person. Just remember these people are very dear to me. If you turn out to be untrustworthy you will die most unpleasantly."
His stiffened, standing straight. "I understand, ma'am", he said. "I would never betray you or this place. I'm most grateful for the chance to be of use to you. I will guard this place with my life."
"Then Harkness will take care of your needs and acquaint you with your duties." Calli gave a brief nod of dismissal and the young man hurried from the room. Mattie didn't smile. She had no doubt Calli meant what she said.
Stew took his duties seriously and rarely left the cave. The boy would be well paid but wasn't allowed to leave Entrance Cave unless Hawk or Harkness was with him. He didn't seem interested in leaving anyway. As a precaution he wasn't taught how to use the controls to the shuttle. That would come later when Calli fully trusted him. He realized he would have to earn that trust.
The winter gradually gave way to spring. The grass around the house turned green once more and the roses put out tiny leaves. Insects made small noises. Calli did wonder where they came from. Life was amazing.
The Galens made a trip to the Vault to bring out seeds and instructions. As the days warmed they spent most of their time outside working on the fields, preparing for planting. Irrigation systems needed to be placed to assure water to the dry fields. Stew and the androids took turns coming into the valley to help with the heavy work. Calli busied herself with the ledgers Hawk brought her and the gossip he picked up in the wasteland. She followed the ebb and flow of power and made plans.
She was afraid to venture out herself. She couldn't risk injury when she carried such a precious and rare life inside her. There were only two other pure GECK children in the world, Aaron and Sarah's son Tyrone and daughter Miranda. Calli feared that if Jack and Aaron and the other GECK born men aboard the Tradewind really were gone too then there couldn't be any more pure GECK children.
The spring sun peeked brightly over the cliffs when Calli felt the first pains of her labor. As she rose the water broke, spreading over the floor.
"Mattie", she called. Mattie roused from her bed and went in to the adjoining room. Calli looked at her, her eyes wide.
"I think it's time.", she said. "Get Hawk." Only the big mutant was most conversant with Calli's needs.
The morning sun had shifted when Calli gave one last push. Mattie held up the squalling infant, beaming at her.
"It's a girl. She beautiful, Calli!", she said, laying her on Calli's belly.
"Wait!", Calli grunted. She pushed again. Mattie hurriedly handed the infant to Hawk.
"Here's the other one.", Mattie cried as she caught the infant and held him up. He squalled loudly in protest. "It's a boy! Oh, Calli they're just beautiful. I've never seen such beautiful babies."
Hawk handed Calli the little girl and Mattie handed her the boy. She held an infant in each arm, looking down at them. A fierce love washed over her. She would die for these babies. She would kill for them. Even more, she would live for them!
Calli looked up at Mattie. "I want to name them", she said.
"Of course you can. They are your children."
"No, Mattie, they are your children. You will have full say over raising them. But these are Jack's blood, I would like them to keep his name alive. I want to name the boy James, for my father. He was a great man. I'd like to call the girl Rose, for the flowers that first sprouted here in Arhome."
Mattie smiled. "Those are lovely names. James and Rose Lelland. They will be happy here, I just know they will." Calli raised her eyes to look at the young woman.
"Thank you, Mattie", she said.
Calli had instructed Mattie on how to become a wet nurse, starting 2 months before her deliver time, so Mattie was ready to begin. After Calli nursed the children, Mattie then took them to her breast. At first there wasn't enough but after 3 weeks she was producing sufficient milk to feed the infants. Calli now felt able to resume her life in the wasteland. She donned her armor, snapped on her helmet and left Arhome.