Planet of the Stars

Chapter 19: Efren

Back on the ship I was sitting on the couch while Felicity looked me over.

"Well you look healed, but I can't get a good read on how you actually are." Felicity says.

"What does that mean?" Efren asks.

"Well Skye's dying. It's hard to tell what's a healthy dying, and what's not." Felicity says.

Efren held his face in his hands, then stood up, and left. I watched him go. Helaina stood up to follow him.

"Let him go." I say.

"Skye." Helaina says.

"I will go talk to him. Right now leave him be." I say.

Helaina nods, then sits back down.

"Thank you Flick." I say.

"I'm sorry I can't be more help." Felicity says.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You're always more help than we know what to do with." I say grinning.

Felicity nods, then heads out. Wren was sitting next to me his hand on my leg. I place my hand on his.

"I'm going to go talk to Efren. I'll see you later." I say.

Wren nods. I stand up, and head towards Efren and Helaina's room. I reach their room and head inside. Efren was sitting on the bench that was under the window I headed over to Efren. I curled up next to him, and rest my head on his lap. Efren's hands came to my side.

"I know what you're doing." Efren says.

"Really, what am I doing?" I ask.

Efren smiles.

"You're trying to cheer me up." Efren says.

"Well yeah. That's always what you do with me you cheer me up." I say.

"I've never been dying though." Efren says.

"True, but you never know." I say.

Efren nods. I sit up, and look at Efren.

"What is it?" Efren asks.

"I want you to know that these past few years with you and everyone else have been the best years of my life." I say.

"But you should have more years to live. I want you to die only of old age. I see you with Eva. I want you to have the choice to be a mother, and have your own family." Efren says.

"Have you been talking with Wren?" I ask.

"No, why?" Efren asks.

"He wants to settle down and start a family with me. I've told him no repeatedly." I say.

Efren doesn't say anything.

"I have a family. Family doesn't have to be blood. We're not related and everyone on this ship is my family." I say.

Efren smiles and pulls me into a hug and places a kiss on my head. I feel a tear leave my eye and I quickly wipe it away. Efren pulls away and we watch the stars. They were limitless.

"Do you remember the day we met?" I ask.

"Of course I do." Efren says.

He smiles.

"Our ship had to be put down, because it needed repairs. We put it down on a desert planet. We left the ship and you were standing there. It was like you were expecting us."

I smile.

"It's because I was." I say.

"What?" Efren asks.

I nod.

"I had been having dreams. They were always murky and hard to make out. I could always figure out there was a man, female, sexpedes, droid, and a creature. The only one that ever spoke to me was the male. The first thing he ever said to me was he crouched down, and held my face in his hands. He told me "Don't worry sweetheart. We're on our way to you.'" I say.

Efren didn't say anything.

"It was your voice Efren. I didn't know it at that time, but it was you. The day before you landed I had a dream that told me to go to where I was when you landed. I did, and you landed. When I saw you, you matched the silhouettes of my dreams." I say.

Efren didn't say anything. He just sat in shock.

"So you hate the crystal force, but the crystal force led you to land on my planet, and it led me to you." I say.

Efren pulled me into a hug. I could feel tears on my shoulder.

"They are the reason you're dying now though." Efren whispered.

"You're right, but I owe you my life Efren." I say.

"What?" Efren asks.

"When I was in captivity I didn't eat. I didn't want to live the life I was living, so I didn't eat. I didn't see the point in it. I almost died because of lack of food, but then I dreamed about you. Those words you said inspired me that there was more to do with my life. I didn't have to roll over and give up. So I ate that night. Without you Efren I wouldn't be here now." I say.

"Skye." Efren began, but I stopped him.

"Yes I'm dying, but I will gladly lay down my life to save you, because you saved my life. You just didn't know about it." I say.

Efren didn't say anything for a long time. I let him sit in his puzzlement, but then he said something.

"Skye, you're the daughter I never knew I wanted, or needed. As much as you need me I need you." Efren says.

I feel a sob get caught in my throat, then I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He hugged me tightly back.

"I'm not going to let them take you though." Efren said softly.