Young Writers Society

Jennifer yawned as she slowly awoke. She sat up to see Kyle standing near the bed, buttoning up his shirt. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey."

"So... what are you planning to do now?"

"I'm going to Earth with you."

"You're sure it's safe?"

"I'll ride third class. I'll be fine."

"Okay." Jennifer threw back the bedcovers and grabbed some clothes out of her dresser, entering the bathroom for a few minutes. When she came out, she saw Kyle in the kitchen, drinking a glass of orange juice.

"I hope you don't mind," he said as he took a sip.

Jennifer shook her head in response, and went to the bedroom to pack. She had almost finished packing the last of her things when Kyle came in.

"I rented a private transport to take us the orbiting station. Then we can board the shuttles to Dabani and then over to Earth."

Jennifer nodded, but she was not really paying attention.

"Jen?" He sat down on the neatly made bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She stared at the open suitcase in front of her. "It's just really hard to accept the fact that I'm married..." She looked up. "...to you."

As she took a seat next to him, Kyle gently placed his arm around her shoulder. "I know this is hard for you. It's hard for me, too. But... it will get easier with time, I promise."

"What about Grand-père? Do we tell him?"

"Do you think we should?"

"Grand-mère will understand for sure. But Grand-père? He's wonderful man, but I don't even know if he's of the One."

"You know your grandfather better than I do, Jennifer. You decide."

Jennifer got up and started tossing a few more things into her suitcase. "Well I'd have to explain what I'm doing with a Jenar. Maybe it's too dangerous for you to come."

"There's more at stake than just your life, Jen."

"I know." She snapped the suitcase shut, and ran her hands over the worn handles. Then she glanced back up at Kyle, staring at the inhibitor he wore around his neck. "Choosing to wear that must be a big sacrifice."

"Not really."

She sat down, placing her hands on his knee. "But all the things you used to be able to do... you aren't able to do anymore. I mean I know that somehow you can still..."

"It isn't permanent, Jennifer."

"What do you mean?"

"The Jenar council will pay to remove it."

"That's possible?"

"Yes."

Jennifer sighed. "I suppose it doesn't matter. We're already outlaws."

"You packed?"

"Pretty much. You?"

"I have a few things, won't take long. The transport should arrive at docking port 28B in about an hour. Meet you there?"

She nodded.

Kyle took hold of her suitcase and carried it out with him. As Jennifer sat alone in the bedroom for a moment, she slowly moved her hand, resting it on her abdomen.

***

"No, I'm telling you, you can't arrest the Peluri woman!" The Separatist police chief shouted. He stared at his subordinate through the videophone.

"But she's guilty of treason!"

"It doesn't matter! We need a warrant, we can't just arrest anyone we want without formal charges and sufficient evidence."

"And what about the Jenar? Kyle Stevenson?"

"The Jenar? Well sure you can pick him up. Won't make a difference to me or anyone else. It shouldn't be that hard to find him. Not very many inhibited Jenar use the system, anyway."

The subordinate sighed. "And what I am supposed to do about Elder Jabeth? Ms. Tozay accused him of being involved."

"Well we already checked that, Sergeant. He showed us the marriage certificate, but insists he did it against his will. We checked him; he's not lying."

"The Jenar have been known to alter memories."

The police chief scoffed. "Yeah, right. In case you forgot, Sergeant, all Jenar on that planet were wearing inhibitors. And don't try to mock me by suggesting that an uninhibited Jenar managed to sneak in undetected. That'd make a mockery of the Safe Haven security system."

"I'm sorry, sir. That wasn't my intention."

"The Jenar, yes. The Peluri, no. We'll catch her later when we've got ourselves a warrant."

"Very well, sir. Noogam out."

***

Three hours later, the shuttle departed the Safe Haven Orbiting Station and zoomed into the octagonal flux of a wormhole. Seconds later, it emerged on the other side, thousands of light-years away. The Dabani system leaped into view and once the shuttle docked, Jennifer exited, heading over to the shuttle bound for Earth.

At the outer doors to the shuttle, Jennifer inserted her ticket chip in the scanner.

"Entry: Granted," a mechanical voice declared, the words coming up on the screen. Both the outer and inner doors opened, granting Jennifer access. After retrieving the chip, she settled by the window seat to wait for departure. A minute had passed when she heard a muffled commotion outside and peered out the window.

Several gray-uniformed guards with the Separatist symbol on their chest approached a Jenar waiting in line: Kyle.

They said something to him gesturing, and he pulled out his identification, Then they barked off some questions to which Kyle shook his head. But they suddenly grabbed a hold of him and started carting him away. None of the passersby gave the guards or the Jenar a second thought.

Jennifer lowered her shield, hoping there was something she could do to have him released. What do I do? she asked as soon as she felt his presence.

Nothing, Jennifer, do nothing!

But Kyle--

Nothing! he shouted, filling her mind with urgency.

They'll kill you.

Yes. But if they kill you...

If Jennifer should attempt to rescue him... The gravity of the conquences hit her. As much as she wanted to, it would destroy everything if she tried. Jennifer couldn't see him anymore; he was too far away. But she could still hear his thoughts.

Kyle tried to comfort her. Don't cry, Jen. Don't cry.

But I will. When no will see.

Then he left her completely. Gone forever.

And she was alone. But not quite.

***

Jennifer disembarked from shuttle less than twenty minutes later, running into the arms of her expectant grandfather. "Grand-père! I'm so happy to see you."

"You've all grown up, ma chère. Let me get a good look at you. Why, you look like you're about to cry. Is something wrong?"

"The journey was long. I'm very tired."

"Tired or not, you look radiant. So much like your mother. I still haven't forgiven your father for taking her away from me."

"Momma wanted to go to Vega IV too." Jenny glanced around the area for a moment. "Where is Grand-mere?" Jenny asked, when she didn't see her anywhere.

"Eh... home."

When they had cleared customs, they boarded a transport to Earth, to the continent formerly known as Europe. Landing in Paris Nouveax, New Paris, they took a hovercraft out to the famous vineyard that Jennifer's grandfather owned.

"Near harvest," he commented as he helped Jennifer out of the craft. They strolled up to the front door of a restored farmhouse and entered. "It's almost seven. Not quite sunset. Hungry?"

"Depends." Jennifer grinned. "What's Grand-mere making for dinner?"

"Ah, Jen. Take a seat will you?" Jennifer's grandfather took her coat and hung it up on the rack while she made her way to living room couch. He joined her a old-fashioned rocking chair, no built-in heating pads or massages. Just wood and some padded material.

"Grand-père? What's wrong?"

"I didn't feel it would be right to tell you by post."

"Is Grand-mère ill?"

"She died, ma chère. Two days ago." He exhaled. "I'm sorry."

"How? I didn't know she was sick."

"She wasn't."

"Then what happened? Grand-père?"

"Eh... well... she's dead. Nothing's going to bring her back. Don't matter anyhow."

"Grand-père, please."

Her grandfather grabbed a cigar from his nearby stash and lighted it. "She was off-world. The wild Jenar attacked. Barely enough of her remains to send home! 'Magine that. She wasn't even past sixty-five. Tragic. If I was allowed to have a gun, I'd shown them a thing or two. But enough of that. You going to eat something or not?"

"I guess."

"There's some soup in the fridge. Adèle cooked it this morning."

"Adèle?"

"Hired a cook. Had to eat something, now didn't I?"

Jennifer wandered over into the kitchen and read the electronic screen on the fridge. It listed its contents, including the soup, so Jennifer opened the door and grabbed a bowl of it. She placed it in the microwave, and it scanned the contents, automatically determining the time neccessary to heat it.

As the soup warmed up, Jennifer leaned against the counter. "You really ought to be getting an ee-em-converter, Grand-père. Then you wouldn't need a cook... or any of these antiquated devices."

"Ah hogwash! Your grandmother was better than those newfangled things. I never had one and don't plan on getting one!"

The microwave beeped, and Jennifer took the bowl out. She quiety sat down at the table, but she could only manage to eat a few bites. "First mon mari, then ma grandmère. What's next?"

"Mari? T'as un mari?"

"Oui."

"I never received a post! When did you get married? Why isn't he with you?"

Jennifer sighed. "A short time ago. Then he was killed not long after."

"Oh là là! Those brutal savages!"

"The Jenar aren't the only brutal savages," she remarked.

"And just what does that mean?"

"Oh yes, it's just the Peluri that are the victims." Jennifer got up and scraped the rest of the soup into the garbage disposal. Then she plunked the bowl and spoon in the sink. "We never do anything wrong. We don't kill or cheat or lie or anything. It's all the wild savage Jenar!"

"Now, ma chère, I don't know what you're all in arms about." He stared at his cigar and tossed it in an ashtray. "They don't make these like they used to," he grumbled, getting a new one.

"I'm sorry, Grand-père. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Oh it's all right."

"When's the funeral?"

"Visitation's tomorrow. Funeral's the day after that. Why don't you get some rest, Jen? I had Pierre bring your luggage to your room."

"My room? You still kept that room for me?"

"Never touched anything... well, it's been cleaned and all that."

"Thank you, Grand-père." She went over him and gave him a kiss. "Good night."

"Night."

Jennifer climbed the stairs to her room, and opened the door. The yellow walls and daffodil border greeted her. In the center of the room, a full-sized bed with a matching canopy was covered by one of her grandmother's quilts. An upright dresser stood on one side and a nightstand and bookshelf on the other.

"Oh..." She remembered staying here for two weeks every summer when her parents brought her with them to visit her mother's parents. When her mother had died though... the visits stopped, though Jennifer did get the occasional letter. But after all, there weren't many who cared to deliver paper and ink mail to a remote outpost on Vega colony.

Jennifer rested her head on the bed post. She started humming a French lullaby, remembering the last time she was here as a little girl.

Her mother had tucked her in for night, and sang her to sleep. Just as she was about to turn off the light, little Jenny called out, "Bon soir, Maman."

"Bon soir, ma fille."

Tears streamed down Jennifer's face. How she wished her mother was still alive! "Maman, come back. Grand-mère." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Kyle." She lay down on top of the covers, wetting the pillow with her tears.