[Moon]

Captain Glynn was a more imposing figure in person than on a viewscreen. With an impressive girth and full red beard, he stood half a head taller than Moon. Put him in a kilt and he would resemble an ancient Scottish warrior. But his smile was anything but warlike when he wrapped Celeste in a bear hug, nearly swallowing up the small woman.

Moon glanced out the port window. Attached to the docking port, the Amadi was only a third the size of his cargo ship. He admired its construction. The smooth rounded shape and gentle arcs were as much art as engineering. The curved delta wings meant the ship would also perform well in atmospheric flight. By comparison, the boxy shape of the Phoenix Star made it awkward in the air, a 'flying brick' he sometimes called it.

Moon found no listing of the Amadi in the Commonwealth ship registry, which was not surprising if truly a Free Dawn starship. The name Amadi was interesting, from an old African language meaning 'rejoice'. That seemed hardly a ship name in a supposed terrorist organization.

Bowing his head toward Liam, Moon said, "I am Elijah Lee, captain of the Phoenix Star."

The visiting captain would have none of that formality, instead grasping Moon's hand in a firm handshake and smacking his back hard enough to cause a grunt. "Liam Glynn, sir. Pleasure to meet you. I must say, I am impressed how you have evaded the Commonwealth and Consortium. The Phoenix Star is more than what meets the eye."

Moon smiled at the compliment. "That she is. And your Amadi, I suspect she is more than a pretty face. What kind of stealth technology does she have?"

Liam let out a belly laugh. "A trade secret for now, my new friend. Our little Amadi is full of surprises of her own." He turned as a tall lean woman with cinnamon skin and short graying dark hair entered through the port door, her hands clasped behind her. She wore a flowing, yellow-patterned sari. Liam said with a hand gesture, "I would like to introduce Chancellor Janya Patel."

The woman bowed, apparently not nearly as hands-on as Liam. "It is also my pleasure to make acquaintance. I believe we have much to discuss."

They gathered around the galley table. Moon offered bottles of ale to the guests. Janya refused, instead asking for water. Liam accepted with a gleam in his eye.

Janya started the conversation. "I had feared the Line of the Empress had ended forever with Iona's death."

"It so nearly did." Celeste tipped her head toward Moon. "Even now the line is but a thin thread." She narrowed her eyes. "Someone goes to great lengths to kill me and cut the line. If not for Moon, they would have succeeded."

Liam said, "I am curious, how did you end up on the Phoenix Star?"

Celeste grinned, turning toward Moon. "I stowed away at the Meridian Space Port. It is quite the story."

Moon interjected, casting narrowed eyes at Liam and Janya across the table. "Before we share stories, I must ask: who are you and why are you here?"

Liam looked towards Janya. She responded. "A fair question, sir. We represent the Orion Confederacy. What you know as Free Dawn in Commonwealth space is part of us."

Moon frowned. "The Free Dawn does not have a good reputation. They claim to stand for freedom but behave not so well."

"There is distortion in the media, particularly that controlled by the Trade Consortium. We have been falsely accused of many atrocities." Janya looked directly at Celeste. "You have experienced that yourself, Celeste. You are right now the Commonwealth's most wanted terrorist. We know the charges are false."

Celeste sighed. "Yes."

Janya continued with a wistful expression. "I am ashamed to admit, Captain Lee, that the Free Dawn's atrocious behavior is at least partly our fault. The factions were semi-autonomous by design, but we lost control of many. They radicalized, becoming thugs and anarchists. We have begun to correct that, with force if necessary."

Moon understood the implication. The Confederacy was not above using violence.

Moon asked, "So what is the true purpose of Free Dawn?"

"The freedom to be, Captain." Jayna firmed her face. "The Confederacy is a loose coalition of worlds and outposts beyond Commonwealth controlled space, well past the outer colonies, many more than you know. The Commonwealth continues to expand as it becomes more corrupt. The Free Dawn was meant to plant the seeds of popular resistance, peacefully, we had hoped. But now, some in the Commonwealth shift blame to them to escape their own accountability."

Celeste said, "Are not all Terran worlds, by default, part of the Commonwealth?"

Jayna nodded. "Yes, technically. But they have no presence among the free worlds of the Confederacy, and we have no stomach for the dictatorial rules and bloated bureaucracy. You know the story. The first Empress began the Commonwealth only to regulate inter-world trade and arbitrate disputes. She never intended it to rule over the worlds, other than to establish a minimum set of human rights. But it seems the destiny of every government is to grow unchecked like a cancer. I fear interstellar war if we cannot alter the course of the Commonwealth."

Jayna took a deep breath. "Empress Iona was sympathetic. She stood up to the corrupt powers. And they killed her."

Celeste narrowed blazing eyes. "Who, exactly, are they?"

Jayna raised her head to meet Celeste's eyes. "Is it not obvious, Priestess? 'They' are the highest levels of the Trade Consortium. And they control the Commonwealth Parliament."

Celeste raised her voice. "Chairman Locke ordered the murder of the Empress? And my friends?"

"Not directly, I am sure. He will, no doubt, maintain some sort of plausible deniability. But someone coordinated it all on his behalf. That someone still hunts you, Celeste, and your children. You are still in great danger. We wish to help you. The reemergence of a true Empress is as much in our interest as yours."

Celeste sat down, gazing away with a blank stare.

Moon asked a question, hoping to give Celeste some time to consider their offer. "How did you find us?"

"Mmm." Liam took a swig of ale from his bottle, wiping away the excess foam from his beard. He held up the unmarked brown bottle. "This is exceptional. From where does this come?"

Moon grinned. I like him more already.

He responded, "Ceti ale. It is restricted, but I managed to acquire some in my travels."

Liam took another swig. "In answer to your question, one of our operatives planted a tracker on your ship while docked for repairs at the Oracle Port."

Moon's grin faded. "That was reckless. Those hunting us might have discovered the homing signal and used it against us."

"Unlikely, sir. It is passive unless activated with a specific transmitted code. I will send you the location of the device on your ship and the code. Turn it off if you wish, but I suggest you leave it in place in case you want us to find you again."

Nanny-bot interrupted the discussion when she marched in carrying a yawning baby girl. "I believe it is time for feeding, Priestess."

Celeste collected the baby in her arms. "Thank you, Sai." She cooed, "Have a good nap, little one?" Celeste lifted the little girl so all could see her. "I would like to introduce you to Faith, the firstborn, and true heir to the Sol Empress."

Faith opened her eyes and yawned, lifting little arms and wrinkling her forehead at the attention of two pairs of unknown wide eyes. Janya hitched her breath and brought a hand to her mouth. The baby girl, apparently believing that lunch was a higher priority than entertaining guests, whimpered and turned an open mouth toward her mother.

"So are we hungry?" Celeste began to lift her shirt, then stopped. "With three babies, we are trying to establish a fixed schedule. Do you mind if I nurse now?"

Janya brushed aside any concern with a wave of her hand. "Of course not. It is the most natural of things." She gazed at the nursing baby. "Has she passed the Signet genetic test?"

"Yes. Priestess Mihra Gwend administered it while she was here." Celeste dipped her head and shuddered. "They murdered her while she returned to her home."

Liam dipped his head and placed a hand gently on Celeste's shoulder. "I am so sorry. I know you cared much for her, and she for you."

"Thank you," she replied meekly, wiping the moisture from her eyes.

Nanny-bot returned with two more squirming babies. Moon took them into his arms. He lifted one and then the other. "That is her sister, Hope, and brother Gabriel. And I think they are hungry, too."

Celeste held out an arm. "Give me one more." Moon handed Gabriel to her. Hope whined as she remained in Moon's arms. Celeste shook her head. "It seems like I spend half my waking time feeding these three, but I prefer to nurse as much as practical."

Jayna let out a laugh. "The joys of motherhood. It was tiring enough with my children, one at a time. For you it is threefold."

Liam said, "If you need it, we would offer a safe haven far from Commonwealth space."

Celeste answered, "Thank you, Liam. But we already have a safe destination at a place called Sanctuary."

"I thought that a myth. Where is it?"

Moon answered for Celeste, "Please understand if we do not tell you, Captain. The less people that know of it the better."

Liam nodded. "Of course."

The conversation abruptly paused as a squat maintenance-bot stomped through the galley doorway on short metal legs. It carried a gray plas-steel cylinder in one of its many metal arms. Sai spoke through the bot. "I believe I found the tracker, sir."

Moon wrinkled his forehead. "How did you do that so quickly, Sai?"

"It was really quite simple, sir. I crossed referenced the Oracle Port repair records with a list of probable hiding spots."

"Ingenious, Sai."

"Thank you, sir."

Liam's eyes widened. Moon grinned at the reaction and turned to him. "I would like to introduce you to Sai, our ship AI."

The maintenance-bot tilted its domed head up, pointing the dark oval spot that was its eye at Liam. "Captain and Chancellor, it is a pleasure to meet you both. My name is spelled S-A-I, which stands for ship AI. Captain Moon named me himself."

Liam stammered. "Well, um, Sai. Likewise. I suppose I should transmit the activation code to you?"

"Oh, no need, sir. I discerned it from the ship sensor logs."

Liam lifted an eyebrow at Moon. "Your AI is unique."

Moon nodded with a smile. "That she is."

Celeste turned her head down. "I think Faith has finished." She looked up at Jayna. "Would you like to hold her? She needs to be burped."

Jayna beamed. "I would be delighted."

The Chancellor collected the baby from Celeste. Joy radiated from her face. "I never thought I would burp the Sol Empress."

Moon draped a soft white towel over Jayna's shoulder and under Faith. "You might need this. The Empress is known for wet burps."

Later, as the guests departed, Liam handed a small viewer like device to Moon. "If you ever need us, call with this. It is one part of a closed quantum entanglement communication system. We have the other one."

Moon grasped Liam's hand in a firm handshake. "Thank you, Captain. It is good to know we have allies."

Jayna handed Faith back to Celeste and bowed to her. "Priestess, may you and your children prosper, and may humanity be better for it." She tickled a tiny foot and grinned. "You might say, you have given us new Faith and Hope."