HELIOS

Chapter 52

We arrive back at our home on Majah Prime and I breathe in the cold mountain air; God it's good to be home. The staff is waiting for us bowing and receiving all of our gear, turning around I see Jahní walking hand in hand with a four year old girl. Jobahars daughter, who will be staying with us for an undetermined amount of time.

I have mixed feeling about the whole thing, but damn it, she's cute as a button and I couldn't say no. I wait for them at the door allowing them to enter first, as Jahní walks by she smile at me knowing how I felt before. Marleia, that's her name. Her skin is red like Jobahars, though not as red as his .

I get down on one knee looking at her in the face. "Marleia, this is your new home." I extend my arms and she jumps into them. Thats how she did it to me, she won my heart by her Childs  innocence. I pick her up and walk to the sitting room with her taking to the window and showing her the view, of the capitol city. "That's where the King lives sweetie, right over there." I point to the palace and Marleia seems to hang on every word I say.

"The King." She repeats.

I look at her Smiling. "That's right, the King. It's his home, just like this is your home now."

She looks down at her hands. "Papa is King to."

I nod half smiling at her. "Yeah, Papa is a King as well." Yeah he's a 'King' alright; of thieves and cut throats. He pawned off his daughter, so she would grow up proper and not be a hunted criminal. One day she's gonna want to know who her real father is, and what are we supposed to do lie? No, we're not.

Jahní comes up and puts her arm around my waist resting her head on my shoulder. "What's troubling you Ant?" Can't hide anything from her.

"We'll talk later about that. Right now lets just enjoy this peace we have." Jahní agrees and we just watch the the bustling capitol for a bit, and Marleia falls asleep. I take her to the room we had the staff set up for her putting her into the toddler bed, that is there now. I cover her so she doesn't get cold and I step out closing the door behind me.

I go find Jahní, who is sitting in the library reading a book from the shelf. "Jahní, you know I don't think your friend Jobahars has truly thought this all the way to it's logical conclusion."

She closes the book turning her attention to me. "What conclusion would that be?"

I sit next to her putting my arm around her shoulder, as she scoots closer. "One day she will ask for her father, and we will have to tell her who he is."

She puts her head on my shoulder considering my words. We both know that he is not going to come back for her, because he just dumped off a liability. "I have thought about it, though it pains me to think of it, but the day she chooses to go find him we cannot stop her."

That's right and I know it will happen. We've only had her for a week and already we've become attached to that cute little girl. Well, I guess we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it.

The next day I'm speeding up to the spaceport in shuttle two and my mind races through all the possible scenario's, that could come in our direction. I get up and put my head into the cockpit, as we enter the port and there she is the Helios. She has lines that are... human. Her size now puts her in the running with any ship here. "Can we board her safely now?"

The pilot nods. "Yes Sir, the shuttle bay is fully functional."

"Get us in there please." The Pilot starts to contact the shuttle bay control center and starts to swing the us to the bay door. Alright, lets see the progress of the ship on the inside. We enter touching down lightly on the deck, while the shuttle ramp opens. I step out and look around at the remarkable work that's been done here.