Quiver by Viola Grace Page B

nodded. They had discussed how this was going to go down.
    “Recruiter Norz will be contacted, and he will be in touch with you. Your passage is paid for; you don’t need to bring many clothes; you will be outfitted with local clothing when you get here. So, pick things that you can’t possibly replace. Norz will help you turn the photos into holograms.”
    “We will wait for the call, Anna. We hope to hear from you soon.” Her mother kissed her hand and pressed it to the screen. Anna did the same.
    With a sigh, she smiled and waved before hanging up.
    Dey-lal chuckled. “Three hours of waiting for a three-minute communication?”
    “We said a lot without saying much. Why wasn’t there a time lag?”
    “The secure lines use Relays. Relays are living beings that can pass on the information with the speed of thought; they are a very secure method of communication.”
    “Wow. Well, can you send the message to Norz?”
    “My mother is handling that. As Avatar, she has a bit more weight when it comes to such matters.”
    Anna was giddy with excitement, but she had another appointment before bed.
    She got to her feet and said, “Okay, now, let’s go see your mother in medical so that she can check on the next generation.”
    When it was confirmed that the tiny clump of cells was progressing properly, Anna was ready for bed.
    The moment Dey-lal was naked, she saw the damage that was rapidly healing. “I think perhaps tonight is one of those just cuddle nights.”
    He grinned and stretched. “It might not be a bad idea.”
    She tried not to react to the sight of all that muscle moving from left to right. She failed but took off her gown, folding it on the back of the chair at her dressing table. The breast band and panties came off, and she draped them on top of the gown. She stretched as well, and when she moved back toward the bed, she saw that she also had an avid audience.
    She crawled onto the bedding and leaned over him. “So, perhaps we should try the cuddle night another time.”
    She nipped at his lips and ran her tongue along the seam.
    He held her head and gave her his wordless agreement in the most obvious of ways.
     
    There was more bureaucracy involved in transporting free Terrans into the Nyal Imperium than an entire ship full of slaves.
    When the day finally arrived, there was a chance for all the Guardians to assist in the welcoming of the two new citizens of Hemcorl.
    Yem-lal had been in communication with what she termed her new brother and sister during their voyage.
    Dey-lal had one arm around her, and she felt a little awkward greeting her parents with her belly nearly ready to blow. All day, she had been feeling twinges, but she had refused to give in to the urge to surrender to labour. This was her day, damn it!
    Anna blew the air out of her lips as softly as possible. Yem-lal kept giving her worried looks, but Anna was focused on the ship that was being cleared by Hemcorl immigration and customs.
    The crew exited first, and the Guardians tensed. The passengers began to disembark, and in the middle of the batch were two familiar faces.
    Anna tensed and put a hand on her belly as she watched her parents stare at the new world around them.
    Yem-lal floated forward and greeted them with kisses and hugs.
    “Does she often fly? I haven’t seen her do it before.” Anna whispered to her husband.
    “She is showing off. Trying to make a good impression.”
    Anna giggled and then caught her breath on a gasp. It felt like a hand squeezing her spine and pulling at her belly.
    “Is something wrong?”
    “No. Everything is fine. My parents have finally arrived. I am so happy.” Anna squeezed his hand and stepped forward to hug her astonished parents.
    Her mother blinked and stared at her belly. “When you said grandparents, I never thought you were already pregnant.”
    Anna grinned. “I figured that out. This was my way of enticing you here. I am guessing it worked.”
    Her father hugged her