All That Glitters Ch. 59

"Martte Garnal will be arriving in five days time. It should be an interesting time with two princesses from two different races and our own Miss Holloway on the station," Fiona smiled.

"As both of the Asocan Ambassadors are back on AsocAR for the annual Ambassador's conference, that will make Gurn Piscium the senior Asocan on the station, ergo, she will have to fill in for the ambassadors at greeting Mylat Alafka when she arrives. Have her coordinate with the Asocan Embassy.

"Juliana, I would like you to attend this morning's briefing on the Military side of the platform and also this morning's briefing at the Interspecies Embassy. That will allow you to be presented to most of the important people on station and let you have a better understanding of what we actually will be doing here.

"If you are not fully aware of the new plans for the platform, I would appraise yourself of them soonest. Once Liramor-31 arrives in system next year, this platform will become Ard Mheydeh, Neutral Ground, for the Interspecies Community. Things will become very interesting then.

"Liramor-31 will be known as 'the platform' as in mining platform, we will be known as 'the station', and Pallanders-6 will become 'the shipyard'. This is to reduce confusion as to which of the facilities we will be talking about within local space. Going outside of local space we will simply use the company designator names and numbers," Fiona finished.

"That's all I have. Any questions?" Fayad asked. There were a few that were easily handled.

Conference Room Three, Military Control, Delta Deck, Liramor-23, The Piscium System

Fiona introduced Juliana to all the senior members of Sector Fifty-Nine during the morning briefing on the military side of Liramor-23.

"We use the titles Conference Room Three and Four to distinguish between the civilian side and the military side of the control deck. We could have said Military Conference Room One, but this just reduces any confusion," Fiona said.

"OK, the last person of importance on my list is Commodore Bouyé Whatt, who is in command of the Piscium Defence Force. You and he will be speaking together frequently so take the time while he is on station to get to know him and his senior people. Once Liramor-31 arrives in system, he and his people will move to the new platform and coordinate system defence from there. You won't have time to strike up a conversation today as you will be at the bi-weekly Ambassadorial Briefing at the Interspecies Embassy this morning.

"Commodore, if you could coordinate a time with Juliana to conduct a thorough briefing with her that would be appreciated," Fiona said, getting a nod from both Juliana and Whatt.

"Mylat Alafka, the eldest daughter of Mylatrin Adriné, will be arriving on station in two days time. NS Dewfall will pick her up. They are actually taking Mylatrin Adriné and Mylat Alafka to Pallanders-4 in the Punarjanm system for the Commissioning Ceremony of the first four Byandi warships and will drop Mylat Alafka off as she brings Mylatrin Adriné home.

"Martte Garnal of the Asocans, will be arriving in five days time. She will be picked up by the Wanderer along with some of the Asocan families being posted to the station." Fiona then went over depositions for the ships and the supply lines.

"Next spring, we will have the new 'Ur Class' supply ships being commissioned. They are massive supply ships on the size of a Burgan Class Battle Cruiser. They are designed to bring supplies between the races instead of between planets.

"Once we see how they do, we will look at commissioning one or two Ur Class for Navy resupply. This will help us as we outfit the different races.

"That is all I have, any questions?" Fiona demanded. There were none.

Main Conference Room, Interspecies Embassy, Lima Deck, Liramor-23, The Piscium System

Fayad and Juliana arrived at the main embassy conference room five minutes before Fiona did. All of the ambassadors filtered in and took their places around the large table.

As Fiona came in, they all rose and bowed to her, surprising Juliana. Once Fiona was seated, the ambassadors took their places.

"Good morning. Today I would like to introduce the new Assistant Director of Liramor-23, Juliana Santos," Fiona said. pointing out Juliana who stood and bowed to the ambassadors. Fiona went around the table introducing all of the Ambassadors to Juliana.

"Juliana has a Master's degree in Political Sciences and is working toward her Doctorate. She also has a Doctorate in Public Administration. As such, she is a good fit for Ard Mheydeh.

"Ambassador Porra, Mylat Alafka will be arriving on NS Dewfall in two days time. She will be presented to the other ambassadors during the reception. I would like you to take charge of the reception.

"Gurn Piscium will be the most senior Asocan on the station when Mylat Alafka arrives and as such, will represent the Asocans. This is not intended to slight the Asocan contingent but with both Asocan Ambassadors and their assistants on AsocAR for the moment, it is the best we can do.

"Martte Garnal Mutt Herrtt will be arriving on the Wanderer in five days time, along with returning Asocan Ambassadors and many of the new Asocan families. They will be just in time for the opening of the daycare and the new pool area.

"It should be interesting to see what happens with Mylat Alafka, Martte Garnal, and our own Grace Holloway on station," Fiona quipped, giving her PA a grin.

"Fayad, the Byandi adore children so I would ask that Junelliya and your two little ones be present, in full regalia please," Fiona teased Fayad who gave her a smile back.

"With the exception of the Djinaëte and the Feeyan, new families from many of the contingents will be arriving over the next few weeks.

"The new daycare will open next week on Wednesday the fifteenth of October by our calendar. The daycare will open its doors on Monday, the thirteenth of October for families to view the facility.

"The Ambassadors and their staff should take the opportunity to view the daycare/school so that you can enlighten those with families of your own races coming to Liramor-23.

"The new pools next door to the daycare/school will open on Monday as well. There will be a deep, saltwater pool and a shallower saltwater pool for the Byandi, an Olympic sized freshwater pool for most other species to use, and a brackish pool for the Asocans in the same area as the third pool.

"The school attached to the daycare, will open on Monday the fifteenth of December. The reason for the delay is because of the need to coordinate between the different learning/teaching styles of the different species.

"Takebayashi Urano will be the coordinator of the new daycare/school. She has requested a name for the daycare, the school, or both and we don't want to say 'Liramor-23 daycare/school'. Suggestions will be accepted by all, Miss Urano will have the final say. That is all I have," Fiona ended.

She went around the table as the ambassadors provided information that they believed all should know or asked questions about the new restructuring of the station.

Juliana was furiously taking notes as comments were made all around. She suddenly realised that she would be in the centre of everything here on Liramor-23!

L-1849 The Piscium Apartment, Lima Deck, Liramor-23, The Piscium System

Ikekiya was having another of those dreams. She knew it was one of those as she was getting a feel for them now.

In it, she was walking into a ship. The ship was old, very old. Raymond had told her it had been drifting for over thirty millennia. She did not know what a 'millennia' was but she knew it was a long time. As she stepped onto the ship, she got a strange feeling. She knew this feeling. She only got it when she was with one other person. Without having to be told, she knew who was on this ship...

Junelliya snapped awake the same time as her daughter. She quickly woke Hanalei and Fayad and they rushed to the children's room.

"What did you see, Ikekiya?" Hanalei asked.

"We find ship. Old ship, mommy. Raymond say it thirty mill...millinnn...."

"Millennia?" Hanalei suggested, getting a nod from Ikekiya.

"What made you wake up, honey? What was it about the ship?" Junelliya asked.

"It have feeling like Prakeshya," Ikekiya explained.

************

Ambassador Kome-Nar Sai-Roe woke up grumpy as his comp bleeped. He came fully awake when he realized that it was blaring an emergency tone at him. His mate and Co-Ambassador Nar-Tre Sai-Rai woke to the tone.

"Yes?" he snarled as he hit the open button.

"Kome-Nar, meet us in the Embassy immediately," came the voice of the Atohan. "Never mind getting dressed, just get your ass to the embassy now!"

The pair slipped into their Ga-Den, leaving their Kaldar behind, and moved to the embassy. They called their aide, Har-Ret Rai, as they moved.

The Atohan, Hanalei, Fayad, Clarrisiya, Sylvie, a wide awake Ikekiya, and a half asleep Zarrenia were waiting for the pair wearing only sleep cloths as Har-Ret was opening the embassy. That surprised the Ambassadorial pair.

"What is happening, Atohan?" Nar-Tre asked before her grumpy mate could speak.

"What would it mean to the Pod-Drran and the Maha-Rrin if the original Resestess could be found?" the Atohan asked.

Kome-Nar, Nar-Tree, and Har-Ret were suddenly very attentive.

"Is this some kind of joke, Atohan?" Kome-Nar demanded. "The Resestess is a mythological ship."

"You know about Ikekiya's growing abilities?" the Atohan asked, getting nods from the three Pod-Drran. "She has stated that we will shortly find the ship. She said she entered the ship and got the same feeling onboard as when she is in the presence of her sister, Prakeshya."

Raymond, Liea, Kim, and Gillaya were suddenly at the embassy door. Har-Ret let them in. "What is going on?" Liea asked without preamble.

"Ikekiya has had another one of her dreams," Fayad told them which immediately perked their interest.

"What did you see, Ikekiya?" Raymond asked.

"We find ship, Resestess," she told them. "You let me go on ship. I feel same when with Prakeshya."

"By the Gods," Kim blurted out.

"Do you know where or when, Ikekiya? Can you even tell us about it?" Raymond asked.

"Yes. We find. You tell me it in orbit period of 17,000 years, this two time since it go out," Ikekiya told them.

"Do you mean 'orbital period'?" Raymond asked, getting a nod from the little girl.

"That would mean that it went out originally 34,000 years ago," Kome-Nar stated. "The Resestess was supposedly the ship that took Poda-La's body into space. The old stories tell us that it was searched for but never found. Because of that, it has retained a mythological standing. If it is returning from a 17,000 year orbit..."

Nar-Tre called the Palace Seneschal sending an urgent signal with the call.

"What is it?" the Seneschal barked as he opened the link (the capital on Pod-Saar was conveniently in the same time frame as Liramor-23 meaning that day and night coincided).

"This is Ambassador Kome-Nar Sai-Rai and Co-Ambassador Nar-Tre Sai-Rai. We must speak with the Kumar-Pair immediately. This is extremely urgent," Nar-Tre barked.

"If I rouse the Kumar-Pair at this time of night for nothing..." the Seneschal began.

"I WILL TAKE THE BLAME!!" Kome-Nar thundered. "Now wake them up, quickly!"

************

Kad-Hal Kumir-Sai-Rai, the head of the Kumir-Rai was on duty outside the bedchamber of the Kumar-Pair when she heard someone running down the curving hallway toward her. She stepped out and saw the Seneschal running wearing only a loin cloth.

"Quickly! Ambassador Kome-Nar is urgently requesting the Kumar-Pair be woken!" he shouted. "I will prepare the Small Throne Room!"

A surprised Kad-Hal watched as the Seneschal turned and ran back the way he had come. She knocked on the bedchamber door and entered the room, bowing low.

"My Kumar-Pair, the Seneschal has requested your presence in the Small Throne Room," she spoke quietly. "Kone-Nar is urgently requesting an audience."

The Kumar-Pair rose and pulled on their Ga-Den. Barefoot, they moved down the hall toward the Throne Room.

They were surprised to see Prakeshya waiting for them at the door.

"My sister find something important," Prakeshya explained when her mother gave her that look. As the Kumaraie sat, her daughter slipped up onto her lap.

The Seneschal rolled a monitor in front of the pair and opened the link then quietly withdrew. The Kumar-pair noted the Piscium family, still in sleeping gowns, Raymond, Liea, and their bodyguards, and the Co-Ambassadors with their aide on the screen. The Pod-Drran all knelt and formally greeted the Kumar-Pair. They watched as Fiona arrived with her aide-de-camp and Grace.

"What is happening?" the Kumaraie snapped.

"Ikekiya see something," Prakeshya said, raising a hand to the image of Ikekiya who did the same in return. The Pod-Drran all noted that both children briefly glowed.

"Ikekiya believes that the original Resestess may be coming back to the Home Star," the Atohan told the now stunned people in the Throne Room.

"By the Goddess!" Kad-Hal blurted out.

"Quite literally," Raymond quipped.

"Ikekiya, can you tell us what you saw?" the Kumaroe asked.

"Raymond go where I say. We find ship. Raymond say ship in 17,000 year orbital period, two time come back," Ikekiya explained.

"I need go on ship first. I need do no one else can do. You must let me do, Godmother," Ikekiya implored.

"Ikekiya, we do not know if the ship will be safe," Fiona told the little girl.

"I make safe," Ikekiya said. "You let me do or I no tell where find ship."

"Ikekiya!!" Hanalei called out sharply.

"Important, mommy. Need do. I see in dream. Ship have 'formation."

"Information?" Junelliya suggested getting a nod.

"Records from the ship? What could be on them?" Hanalei asked.

"Prophesy," Junelliya stated getting nods this time from both Ikekiya and Prakeshya.

"You said something about a feeling?" Nar-Tre slid the comment in.

"When I go on ship, have same feeling as when I with Prakeshya," Ikekiya told the.

"She feel old me," Prakeshya said from her side of the link, sending a frisson up the spines of all those listening.

"If Poda-La's body is on that ship...we need to keep this quiet, my Kumar-Pair. At least until we confirm the presence of the Resestess," Kad-Hal indicated.

"Agreed," the Kumaraie replied instantly.

"I cannot not inform my superiors, Kumaraie," Fiona notified them.

"Tell only the President and Admiral Ramison," the Kumaroe instructed. "Again, until we actually confirm the vessel."

"I'll contact daddy," Grace said, as Fiona opened the link to Admiral Ramison. One good thing from becoming a Fleet Admiral, she now had a direct link to her immediate superior, Admiral of the Navy, George Ramison.

The Presidential Compound, Capital City, Terra

"The Resestess, is not a mythological ship?" Angelique asked getting confirmation from Grace.

"Yes, and it is returning to the Piscium system. The Pod-Drran wish to capture it and bring it back to the people, both people," Grace informed them.

"Shit!" the President blurted out. "Who knows of this?"

"A limited group of people, father. The Kumar-Pair, a few of their Kumir-Rai/Ro, the Pod-Drran Ambassadors here, Kone-Nar Sai-Ro, his mate, Nar-Tre Sai-Rai, and their aide, Har-Ret Rai, the Piscium family as Ikekiya had a dream about the ship," Grace explained. "The Kumaraie intends to inform the Pemipinae tomorrow morning their time and Fiona is informing Admiral Ramison as we speak."

"May I speak with Ikekiya, please?" the President asked.

"I here Mr. Prez," Ikekiya said, smiling when she saw the First Lady. "Hi, Angelique," she said, blowing a kiss to her. Zarreniya briefly roused herself and blew a kiss of her own and waved at the pair before putting her head back down in Hanalei's lap and sliding off to dreamland again.

"Aww," the First Lady simpered.

"Soon, my love," the President said, taking hold of his wife's hand.

"Daddy! You should not be saying things like that when your underage daughter is listening in," Grace quipped.

"Don't tease your father, Grace," Angelique smiled while the President blushed by her side.

"Ikekiya, can you tell me about your dream, please?" the President asked trying to take back control again, he wasn't even sure how he had lost it...

"I see ship. It 'portant," Ikekiya advised. "I say Raymond where find. He catch ship. I need go on ship first. Need make ship safe for people. See pattern to make safe. Prakeshya next on ship.

"Ship have 'portant memories for Prakeshya. They records she and her people need," Ikekiya told them.

"Raymond say ship is in orbit period 17,000 years. This two time ship come back," Ikekiya finished.

"Second time; that is 34,000 years so the time when Poda-La was alive," Kome-Nar exclaimed.

"Well, not quite alive but yes, at that time," Raymond stated tongue in cheek.

"The information is held in memories for Prakeshya?" the Kumaraie asked, getting nods from both Ikekiya and Prakeshya.

"Why didn't Prakeshya have this premonition?" Kome-Nar asked.

"Shusshhttookkann say not see own self in future," Ikekiya told them.

"And Prakeshya is the future embodiment of Poda-La," Kim stated.

"So the message came to Ikekiya," Junelliya said.

"It would appear so. And yes, I do believe it is a message, not a prophecy," the Kumaraie stated. "Probably similar to that which you experienced, Atohan, (This was a reference to Junelliya's visit to Poda-La in the past were she was given an important prophecy...see chapter thirty-five)."

"So does that make her the next Atohan?" asked Hanalei.

"No, not the Atohan," the Kumaraie replied. "She has not spoken for, to, nor met Poda-La. But, if the dream proves real, I will call her 'Soona Patak' (Dream Reader). We shall see."

"Can you tell us when this will occur?" the Kumaroe asked the obvious question.

"Before school start," Ikekiya answered.

"The new daycare is supposed to open next week, the school in mid December. That gives us quite a spread. Can you narrow that down?" asked Fiona.

"Star get bright. On Ruhm-Oran there is party, 'Midrranna'," Ikekiya replied.

"Midrranna is held in the summertime on our planet," the Kumaroe noted.

"No, Ikekiya right. Midrranna is when star blooms," Prakeshya explained to the adults.

"Wait a minute, there is an event that takes place in December, a star gets brighter for a couple of days," Fayad stated. "I remember seeing it myself on a couple of occasions and yes, if memory serves me, it takes place near end of the year. Some of the people on the station jokingly refer to it as the early Christmas star so that means it is early in December."

Fayad opened his comp calling the duty Watch Officer at Central Control. "Michael, there is an event in December where a star gets brighter for a couple of days, can we narrow the timeline down on that?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. That usually takes place around the tenth of December. The star gets noticeably brighter for around five days, though noticeably is a misnomer, you have to be looking for it to see it. Does that help, Fayad?" Michael asked.

"Thanks, yes it does," Fayad returned, cutting the link.

"We now have our timeline, five days starting around the tenth of December. Ikekiya said she saw the star get brighter so we know it happens around then," Fayad said to all in the room, to the Small Throne Room on Pod-Saar, to the President and Admiral George Ramison on Terra.

"We shall keep this quiet until we have confirmation that we can capture the Resestess," the Kumaraie ordered. "I would rather wait till we know that we have it before we make any announcements. I would not like to have half the universe attempting to capture that ship before we get it or after we fail to capture it.