2199 Extinction

Revelation

            Pregnant? What? How? That can't be right. But the sickness I've been feeling the past few days, tells me the health check is correct. My head starts to spin as I try and figure out what happened. Then  I remember that time I fell asleep in Amlican's bed, the week before my mother died. I am such an idiot!  One little mistake. I can't belive my luck. Ugh. I back away from the mirror. Now what do I do? I can't be a mother. I'm not ready to be a mother! I give my head a slight shake, trying to clear my thoughts. I have more important things to worry about then my impending motherhood. I know ignoring the problem isn't a good solution, but it's the only one I have at the moment. Right now, I need to find out what happened to Amlican and check on mother, make sure she gets back to Talfar, safely.

            I make my way through many long, winding, hallways, down a large staircase and into the dining room, where I am to meet Amancia. A long table, covered in a white lacy cloth, is stretched out across the middle of the room. Nine chairs, hand carved, line one side of the table, across from them is another nine chairs, and one chair at each end. If this is where the royal family sits to eat, there must be a lot of them. I walk over to the table and examine its setup. Each chair sits in front of a place setting, a pale green plate, and a matching bowl. Beautiful golden eating utensils sit on either side of the plate and a golden goblet sits in front of each plate. I pick up a fork and examine it. Its handle features a Copaie drawing back a bow and firing on some sort of six-legged creature. I put it back and pick up a spoon, its handle features a Copaie reading a book. I put it back and pick up a goblet. This shows a Copaie with one foot on a planet, sword held high, as if it just defeated the planet. Interesting. I place the goblet back where it was. I look around and along the back wall, on the east side of the room is another long table, and white cloth, this one loaded down with a variety of food. The smells both make my mouth water and make me want to puke at the same time. Apparently, eating is going to be a challenge, today. I walk towards this table. On either end of the food table stands two Copaie females.

           "Do I just help myself?" I ask the closest one.

           She nods her head in assent and gives a little bow. "Whatever you wish. Just let me know what you wish to drink."

             "Okay." I say. I'm so use to the servants being male, back home. I keep forgetting that females are the servants, here. This will take some getting used to. Since I don't see any plates on this table, I walk back to the other table and grab one. I hold it up and call out, "Are these the plates I'm supposed to use?"

             The female servant nods her ahead, again, and I walk back with a plate in my hand. I carefully load my plate full of food, letting my stomach decide what I can eat, and then go sit back down. Once seated, one of the servants approaches and offers me some Kavva milk, from a golden pitcher. I've never heard of that creature, before, so I hesitantly accept. She takes my goblet and fills it up, with the strange milk. It's a pale orange color, which is a little off putting at first, but once I taste it, I down the entire goblet, before she can walk away. It's thick, rich, and seems to ease my morning sickness. The servant refills my goblet and then walks away. With my stomach calmed, I'm finally able to eat my first full meal in two weeks.

             Amancia walks in about the time I am finishing up. She walks over and pulls out the chair next to mine. "I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?" she asks.

            "How about the good news?" I ask.

              "I found out what happened to Amlican. The bad news is he never made it to Saltu. One of Mangone's men killed him before he could board the ship. Apparently, Malum killed Mangone and that was retaliation for Mangone's death. I'm sorry Astra." She says placing a hand on my shoulder.

             I know I should be angry or upset or anything really, but instead all I feel is numbness. In a way, that dream I had, already prepared me for this. I should have been paying better attention to him. But I was so caught up with saving my mother and then in being with my own kind. It's been so nice not being judged by the color of my skin. Here I haven't felt the need to prove myself. But all of this joy doesn't fill the hole that Amlican's death has left in my heart. Maybe I should go back and save him. But no, he didn't want that. He told me to quit saving him. I suppose later, the feelings will hit, but for now, I welcome the numbness. "You said there was good news?" I ask.

              She takes her hand off my shoulder. "Yes, there is. Once father heard what happened to Amlican, he ordered the immediate execution of Mangone's man. He's gone. He will not hurt anyone else. Father doesn't like interracial relationships, but he doesn't like anyone hurting his family. And you are family. And there is one more piece of good news. The negotiations for the Talfarian owned planets, in the Cresent Galaxy, is over. They have agreed to leave the planets and give them to us. They will be here shortly to collect their princess."

              "That's good." I say. "Amancia, can I stay here? I mean, I know you are raising my younger self, but with Amlican gone...."

             "Yes, you can stay. I already talked to father about this. He said it was fine. We will just tell your younger self that you are her older sister. Of course, you can't have the same name. How about we call you, Vos? Or V for short?" Amancia says.

            "Vos sounds good." I say, starting to feel dizzy. I get this intense feeling of déjà vu and then I'm hit with a memory.

            "My name is Vos. V for short. But before I answer any more questions, why don't you join us, Astra?" the shadow says.

             "How did you know I was there?" I ask, pulling down my hood. "And who exactly are you?"

             The shadowed figure steps into the moonlight and I can see that she is wearing an old, faded, black cloak. In the bright moonlight, I can see holes in varies places on the cloak, as if it had been worn, several years.

          "I just told your friend that my name is Vos. And I knew you were there, because I knew your curiosity would get the best of you. I knew that you would have to talk to me for yourself. Curiosity and a sense of adventure is how you usually find yourself in dangerous situations. Am I right?"

           "Maybe, but how do you know that about me? And why are you still wearing the hood? I'm not going to talk to you anymore unless you remove it." I say, annoyed.

             "I knew you would ask that as well." Vos says, reaching up and removing the hood.

            The first thing I notice is the dark black hair, the brown eyes, and then I see it, yellow skin.

                "You're a Copaie?!" I shout.

                 "Hush! You will get us caught." Vos says. "Yes, I'm a Copaie. But I'm not here to hurt you, as I've already stated."

                     The memory fades just as quickly as it hit. Vos. V. I am Vos. I am V