Fourth Vector Ch. 50

The Western fleet moved on after just a day spent at Quiller's. The plan was to make several stops on the way home, dropping off the contingents of the rest of the allied countries. Jack had planned to make it home to Galicia in a roundabout manner, with a good portion of their forces stopping off in Sorella and Picardy before continuing on to drop off the last of them in Apulia before making for home.

That way, he would get the chance to see off all of his allies one last time before arriving in Galicia. However, there was one island that Jack wanted to visit on the way home, and it was one that he hadn't been to in three years.

"Are you sure you really want to stop here?" asked a very pregnant Abigail, now more than eight months along. She gestured just off the coast, where the island nation of Lishkerra awaited them. "It's been a long time since we were last here, and I know their customs are a little... odd."

Jack started to chuckle. "Odd is putting it nicely. I'm assuming you're referring to their mating cycle?"

Abigail pursed her lips. "Yes, that. But also the fact that they don't exactly like humans. Not sure what we're walking into here."

"We'll be just fine," he assured her. "After all, I'm a Friend of Lishkerra, remember? Just the fact that we can see their city is evidence enough that they won't be hostile to us."

That was certainly true. The small, humanoid creatures had ways of disguising their settlements from human eyes, and it was just one of the ways that the Lishkerran island stayed in their firm possession, without any incursions from any other Western nation.

Abigail still wasn't completely satisfied and she was only able to move on from it once Jack arranged to take his security detail with him. She wouldn't relent on that item, mostly because with home now being in sight, the last thing anyone wanted was any kind of misunderstanding or "accident."

As such, it was only once the Lishkerrans met Jack's party on the beach and seemed genuinely happy to see him that he gave the signal for his wives, Vera, Greg, and Bill to come ashore.

In the process, the Lishkerrans treated him like he was better than royalty. Youngsters pranced around him continuously, most of them acting like they'd never seen a human before. It was an atmosphere of good feelings, and that only continued until they were introduced to two very familiar faces.

"Welcome back, Jack Easterbrook," said the figure of Vigo, the chief elder of the Lishkerran council. Vigo was the first Lishkerran that Jack was able to speak with three years ago, although it was under much worse circumstances than now.

"Vigo, it's good to see you," said Jack, embracing the much smaller man. "I'm glad our reunion this time doesn't include a trip to your dungeon."

Vigo let out a loud belly laugh before gesturing to the ships offshore. "You've been busy from what I can see. You have a lot more ship than the last time we saw you."

"And a lot more people in your entourage," added another familiar voice. Numa was another elder who sat on the council, and both she and Vigo were two of the more senior members. They were also the last two to see off Jack's forces when he last left the island for Sorella.

Jack embraced Numa as well before making the introductions to his group.

"I take it that your war is over then?" Vigo asked Jack. "No one missed the large fleet that sailed past Lishkerra earlier this year."

"How did you see the fleet?" asked Jack. "We didn't sail anywhere close to Lishkerra."

Vigo could only grin mysteriously. "We know much of what occurs outside our small island. We like to keep tabs on our neighbors, making sure that nobody gets any bad intentions about our home."

"I can assure you that no one wants any trouble with Lishkerra," said Jack. "Not after the war we just fought. The world is at peace for now."

"Peace is a strange concept that we don't hear about much," said Numa. "You're quite certain it will last?"

"It will last as long as it can," replied Jack. "But this current generation of people have seen enough of war. No one will be in a hurry to resume it."

"Well then, that is something we will hope for," added Vigo.

The two elders took a step back as a group of young children ran between them and Jack's party. The children were having too great a time to realize they'd just interrupted a meeting, but it largely caused the members of Jack's party to laugh.

"It seems that we're finding Lishkerra in a good place," noted Jack as he gestured to the children. "Is all well here?"

"We are well and thriving," replied Vigo as he pointed to several of the young children. "See that young girl right there? That is my great-granddaughter. She was born to my granddaughter, Kassia. Those two boys over by the water? My great-grandsons as well, born to my granddaughter Ventia. Do you remember my granddaughters, Jack?"

Jack couldn't help but turn red in the face. Of course he remembered them. It was hard not to considering the fact that he'd been intimate with them.

All of a sudden, a fateful question formed in his mind.

"Great-granddaughters you say?" asked Jack, looking at the young ones. "Does that mean that... well, that..."

Vigo nodded his head rapidly. "That is correct! They are yours, Jack! Well, yours and your friend, Greg's! What you are seeing is the result of your genes mixing with ours!"

If there was one statement that seemed to really define the day, it was that one. Everyone in Jack's group fell silent as they looked around at the young Lishkerrans playing not far away. Jack was suddenly struck by just how many of them there were, as well as the knowledge that they were related to him and Greg.

It was as Jack was looking at the young Lishkerrans that a question formed in his mind

"Wait a minute," said Jack. "They don't look that young. They look to be around ten or so years old. We were here three years ago. Wouldn't they be toddlers if they came from Greg and I?"

Numa shook her head. "Not with Lishkerrans, no. Though we are closely related to humans, we develop much faster and we live much longer. Though these children were born only three years ago, they will appear to be nearly adolescent humans."

"Well that's certainly something," whispered Abigail under breath.

Jack couldn't agree more. His wives seemed to have a particular interest in watching the young children, as so did Vera, who seemed to be giving Greg an amused look.

Jack knew they were never going to live this one down, no matter how many years went by.

"Should I spend some time with them?" asked Jack to the elders. "If they are mine, would they want to know their father?"

To his surprise, both of them shook their heads.

"Your contribution to the mating process has already been completed," explained Vigo. "Lishkerrans just need humans to breed but that is all. These children all have fathers already. Though not the biological fathers, they are still loved and cared for. To that end, we do not need your involvement with them. They are perfectly loved as is."

That seemed to be true, and Jack couldn't spy a single child that didn't look like they weren't happy and well-adjusted. In a way, it was a great relief. Knowing that the children were looked after and provided for took a burden off his shoulders.

"You will be going home now, yes?" asked Numa to Jack. "Your wars are over and you'll be back to Galicia soon?"

"Yes, that's our plan," replied Jack. "We haven't been home in some time and I think everyone here is just a little homesick."

Vigo smiled. "Homesick. Yes, a good way to put it. We wish you well on your journey back to Galicia. As always, you will be a friend to Lishkerra, Jack. And we are very grateful to see you again."

There wasn't much more to the visit after that. Jack said his goodbyes to the Lishkerrans and soon enough they were reboarding the Destiny for the next stop in their journey--Sorella.

But first, Jack took some good-natured ribbing over his previous encounter with the island.

"And here I thought we were going to be the only ones to bear Jack's children," joked Kat from their private quarters later on. "I don't know whether to be jealous of the fact that my husband has other children out there or to just keep laughing about the situation."

Abigail thought that was very funny as evidenced by her nonstop giggling. "I guess my baby already has a bunch of step-siblings. Who would have thought?"

"I'm glad you two are enjoying this as much as you are," replied Jack with a sour expression on his face.

Abigail doubled over in laughter. "I didn't think anything of it the first time we came here either! If you remember, it was during the lull when we weren't sleeping together but now that things are different, it takes on an... interesting aspect."

"At least we know the Lishkerrans aren't likely to ever cause problems," said Kat. "Not that they would be the kind since they seem more insular than most but knowing that Jack is related to most of the elder council's family now will help to deter any incidents."

"They're so close that they might even invite him back for the next time some needs impregnating," added Abigail, struggling to contain her laughter. She then patted her large stomach. "After all, we know he is getting quite good at that."

Jack grabbed the pillow off their bed and launched it at her, which only made her laugh even harder. For the rest of the evening, they continued to joke about it. Or rather, Abigail and Kat made jokes while Jack took them but their brief stay in Lishkerra would be over by that morning. The fleet had to keep moving and there was another local stop in front of them in Sorella.

"I can't wait to see Elektra and Nikias again," said Kat with some excitement as the Destiny took off from Lishkerra. "It's been too long, and I'm sure their baby is going to be totally adorable at this young age."

"And I'm sure Elektra will be the first to ask for war stories," added Jack. "She won't be happy she had to miss the entire war being stuck on Sorella."

Kat slipped into his arms. "Back to where we met, Jack. I can't wait for us to get there!"

*****

"How was the war? Was it exciting? How many people did you kill?"

Jack had to stifle a chuckle as Elektra peppered him with questions just as he expected. The fleet had only just arrived in Sorella an hour beforehand but the word of their arrival had already sparked enough of a response that both Nikias and Elektra met them at the harbor, holding their baby. The young boy definitely favored Elektra with his tiny curls of red hair, and it took on new meaning when Jack learned the baby's name.

"We decided to call him Heron," said Nikias proudly, holding the baby. "It only seemed most appropriate that we named him after one of Sorella's heroes."

"I'm sure he would be proud of that," replied Jack before looking at Elektra. "Your father would be very proud."

"It's what he always wanted for me. For us," she said, gazing over at Nikias. "And I have to say that he was right in the end. This is my family now, Jack, and I'm very grateful for them. While fighting in the army will always have a soft spot in my heart, most of that territory has been taken over by my husband and my son. It would have made the teenage version of me sick."

That last statement certainly earned a fair bit of laughter. From that point on, the two Sorellan monarchs brought the party through the city to their new palace, which was on a much lesser grander scale than the palace before it.

"We just didn't need the extra space anymore," explained Nikias on the rebuild. "And with most of the city in tatters, we thought it best that we minimize our palace so that more people could have the chance to rebuild their homes just the way they like it."

Looking around, Jack gestured to another building across the street. "It seems you've made remarkable progress ever since the last war ended. I barely recognize the city. You've done well on the rebuild!"

"It's amazing what can be done when no one is fighting a war in your country," said Elektra. "We had an exceptional harvest this year and our granaries are full. Merchants are returning to Sorella in abundant quantities. Things are really looking up and for the first time in years, Sorella's future looks bright again."

"I know that has a lot to do with your leadership as well," added Kat. "It's obvious to see that you two care deeply about your homeland. I doubt the country would have flourished so well under anyone else's hand."

"Maybe just one other person's," said Elektra sadly. "But that reminds me of something we wanted to show you. Come with me."

Jack gave an odd look to his wives but followed the Sorellan monarchs anyway as they led him deeper into the city. Though a good portion of the city had been rebuilt, it still followed the old streets. After enough time, Jack came to a very recognizable area.

It was the same area where he'd met Heron for the first time. It was a central courtyard where Jack and Heron confronted each other when they were both at odds because of Heron's brother, Daimanos. Daimanos had been seeking to use them against each other, and it was here that they made common cause.

That wasn't the only thing special about this city square. Now in the center of the square stood a statue made of bronze. The statue featured two men--one with a great bushy beard being consulted by another man who was much younger.

Both faces were instantly recognizable to Jack, rendering him speechless.

"That's Heron and Jack," said Kat, teary-eyed at the sight of the statue. She then turned to look at Elektra. "That's them, isn't it?"

Elektra beamed with a smile and nodded. "That it is. When we first thought about rebuilding the city, we thought about certain elements that would remind the population about her glorious past. And what better fitting monument to two exceptional leaders than this one?"

Jack was still struggling to find the right words. The statue was certainly impressive. It nailed the features of Heron, easily recognizable to anyone that knew the man, and he had to also admit that it had his likeness just right as well.

"I don't know what to say," said Jack a moment later. "I'm humbled beyond belief."

Nikias came closer and slapped him on the shoulder. "We owe you so much, Jack. You've fought three wars now to keep Sorellans free and independent. If not for you, I don't know what might have happened to our homeland. We're incredibly grateful to have you as our ally and now the population will know all you've accomplished. All the new generations of Sorellans will know the sacrifices that you and Heron made to keep them free."

A lump grew in Jack's throat. There was nothing further that he could say to show his appreciation, so he let his body do the talking for him.

He grabbed both Nikias and Elektra into a tight embrace.

The Sorellan monarchs could only laugh as they hugged him tightly in return.

*****

The trip to Sorella lasted two days longer than the trip to Lishkerra. There was much to catch up on with Nikias and Elektra but soon Jack had to admit they could delay no longer. With the next stop being in Andalucia, there was a desire to keep moving. After many long goodbyes with their Sorellan friends, the fleet took off to their next destination.

The journey to Andalucia was short and without incident. Jack had already sent word ahead and Masud, his regent in the kingdom, would be meeting him in the former slave port of Methusa. Since Methusa was on the coast, it would be easier than traveling to Septhada, especially with time being the most critical factor.

Their arrival in Methusa was marked by the sight of dozens of Andalucian trawlers, most of which had been converted over to fishing vessels. For the first time in ages, there was the sight of new buildings in the city, and Jack suspected that the ending of their traditional slavery allowed other economic activities to flourish instead.

His hunch was largely confirmed by Masud once the two men met.

"You wouldn't believe it, but Andalucia is booming," said the older man, beaming with a grin. "A whole new district is going up in Methusa. The country is awash in money for the first time in centuries!"

"What's leading the change in Andalucia, Masud?" asked Jack. "What's causing it to flourish?"

"Ironically enough, it's the younger generations. For the first time ever, the younger generations aren't competing with the slaves when it comes to labor. A young man can work and earn a decent wage, when that work used to previously been exclusive to the slaves, enriching the upper levels of the clans. These young men have mobility and money and they are starting to save it. It's leading to new investments and has been a boon for building."

"That's simply incredible, Masud," said Jack, highly impressed. "We've certainly come a long way since the first time I was in the country."

"It's been great to watch, and Andalucians are proud of their country once more," said the regent with a broad grin. "There's a real sense that we can put the ugliness of the past behind us. That Andalucia can be a great nation at last. I think we're finally on the right road."

Jack couldn't agree more but what Masud had to say next greatly surprised him.

"And we all have our Tur'hava to thank for it," said Masud, bowing his head. "You will go down in history as the best High Clan King we've ever had. This is all the result of your work!"

"About that part, Masud, I think we should talk," said Jack as he turned to face the rest of the city. "This turnaround here in Andalucia isn't my work. You're the one that's been here rebuilding the country ever since I left. It's been nearly three years since I was last in Andalucia. The only one responsible for this growth is you. Well, you, and the Andalucian people, but not me."

Masud gave him a wary expression. "It is true that I'm your regent but this credit goes to you. You are our High Clan King and I'm only your representative. The glory flows up to you."

"I think it's well past the time that the Andalucian people figured out who was really fighting for them all this time," said Jack, putting his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Because there's going to be a change with this. After today, I'm now longer going to be your High Clan King."

Masud gasped. "How can you say such a thing?"

Jack grinned at him. "I'm resigning. Or perhaps abdicating is a better term for it. I'm the king of one country already, Masud. I had the chance to take over another big empire and I still turned it down. Galicia is enough for me, because I'm Galician by blood. At the end of the day, I won't be able to do what's best for Andalucia because I'm not Andalucian. But you are, Masud. You have these people's best interests at heart. And you're going to be the High Clan King that they deserve."

"Me?" whispered Masud. "I will become the High Clan King?"

Jack nodded. "That's my wish. I can think of no one else more better suited than yourself. You've been my loyal regent ever since that last day I left three years ago, and I know you will lead Andalucia to further greatness."

"My king, there is something else I wish to say though," said Masud, looking increasingly worried as the minutes passed. "You know how our custom is. A man can only become High Clan King if he killed the previous king. That's been our custom for centuries. That alone makes this hard to swallow. I cannot do that to you, Tur'hava."

Jack started to grin. "You know, I almost died a couple times across the great ocean. Sorry to say it, but that's going to have to be good enough for now. I might be the first High Clan King to willingly retire, but that's the line I'm going to take. Andalucia is in your hands now, Masud. I know that you will be a good king to her."