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"You can run but you cannot hide…" "Shower the People (you love with love)" - James Taylor I found I was no longer tired. "Median… you, Star? Are you sure?" He laughed and held out one perfect brown hand. "Check for yourself if you want." I waved it away. "I just mean… it seems so strange. They must have started designing you right after I escaped, and they had to know that the problem with my not fulfilling their expectations was caused by my being a median. Why would they go ahead and create another one?" Star leaned back against the bench, thoughtful. "I think you may be giving our designers too much credit. I remember being told that they selected the best, all the strongest possible traits for my heritage. Did they tell you that also?" I nodded. "Yeah, over and over. It was like they wanted me to be grateful, even to thank them for doing such a good job. But I was just a kid then, and didn't even really know I was different from everybody else." Star was nodding with me. "How much do you really know about the people of Muir?" he asked. I shrugged. "What they told me on Lecurela, mostly. Our personal experiences on Muir were interesting, but we weren't there long enough to find out much." "True," Star said, "but I have spent much time in conversation with KaMero, the Muiran ruler, over the view screen in my office. He is quite forthcoming on political matters, but very reluctant to discuss the personal daily lives of his people. Still, he has dropped some hints, and in speaking with his partners, especially the median, Seeldon[1], I have come to understand that, of the three sexes, all medians are the strongest. Even though it is traditional in their society to protect the median, their bodies have more stamina than either the female or the male, and might well be able to survive and perhaps protect the others." "So," I said thoughtfully, "when they selected the best traits from Muir for us, they automatically went for median DNA." "I believe so. Perhaps, in their arrogance, they thought such an influence would be outweighed by all the others." I tilted my head back, gazing into the dark sky, where the Milky Way was just rising into view. Branches of the cherry tree rustled in the warm breeze. "One thing bothers me. You were never attracted to men, like I was. You married Vaira and that's worked out fine. Sure-" I glanced at him with a smile. "-you and I have made love, but that's been more my idea than yours." He leaned closer until our shoulders bumped affectionately. "Now we both have women in our lives. The way I understand it, median/female pairings are never sexual." I motioned back toward the house. "Like Racho and his friend Andrea. They act like brother and sister; I'm sure neither of them has ever thought of sex." Star shook his head. "I think you might change your mind if you take a closer look at Andrea. I believe that when they are a little older the question of sex between them may well need to be addressed." I stopped and thought. It could be, I decided; they were only sixteen. "So, while I was out sporting among the men of Earth, you, with some strong influence from Lecurela to act as a male yourself, formed a sexual relationship with a woman that might, under other circumstances, have been your bond mate." "Yes, and that was possible because, unlike true Muirans, three sexes are not essential for us to reproduce." That was certainly true. I'd thought before that Star's and my essence was probably potent enough to impregnate any humanoid woman. "Well," I said, "as fascinating as this all is, I guess it doesn't really change anything. We're both happily married, and soon we'll both have children." I grinned. "I don't mind telling you that I can hardly wait for Gaelen's babies to be born." Star put an arm around my shoulders. "I regret that you had so little involvement with Mari… Rowan. I know it will be different with Gaelen's children. She seems a very… sharing person." I thought about that for a moment. "I think you're absolutely right." I had to smile. Then I remembered something else. "You know, Star, I was thinking maybe it would be a good idea for you to have a look inside my head. Our friends on Lecurela might have left a little surprise package for me too." He tilted his head a little to one side. "I suppose it's possible. Roca and I can have a look tomorrow. Or perhaps Gaelen could help. It seems that the two of you are developing a strong connection." I smiled. "Yeah, more all the time. I never expected it. She says her people aren't usually telepathic." "Perhaps it is a byproduct of her transformation - or just a natural affinity between the two of you. I had always hoped…." He paused and shook his head. "But, what will be, will be." I glanced at him, not wanting to stare as he looked away toward the mountains, but I was certain he had been going to say something about his relationship with Vai. * * * Star stopped conversation with his announcement at dinner the next evening. I'd thought maybe he'd tell Vai the night before, but she looked just as amazed as the kids. "You're really a median? But I… but we… we have children," she stammered, drawing back from him a little. Star hastened to reassure her. "This revelation changes nothing between us, dear. I will behave toward you as I always have. You need not worry." He leaned closer and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Vai didn't move away again, but her eyes were troubled. Racho and Rowan exchanged glances. Racho spoke. "We'd like to know more about medians." "And the Muirans in general," added Rowan. "How do they live? How do they act? Are they like us?" Rowan looked stressed. Star had driven the kids to school that morning to enroll him as their new "cousin" and explain Mari's absence due to a sudden illness, which would then be extended to an overseas vacation. I hoped the adjustment wouldn't be too difficult for either Rowan or Lana. They'd always been as close as identical twins. Star looked thoughtful. "Perhaps I can arrange it with KaMero for the two of you to go to Muir for a time, to experience their society directly." Racho shook his head. "I wouldn't want to leave Andy." He brightened. "Or could she come along? Like a vacation?" I smiled at Star and shrugged. Another planet? That would be quite a vacation for anyone, but for an Earth kid…? Roca looked at Lana. "What about us?" she said. "We may be the sex we're supposed to be, but maybe the Muiran blood has changed us too." "What if we find out we want to have two partners, instead of just one?" added Roca. Star glanced at me. "You're right," I said. "There's really no way to know, yet. But just remember that your dad and mom are together, and I'm with Gaelen." I gave her a smile, which she returned. "Let's wait a little before we worry about stuff like that. You all need training, and when you've learned what you need to know, you can go to Muir, or anywhere else, on your own." The kids all looked frustrated to varying degrees. I heard Lana mutter, "We can't even jump from the house to the orchard without ending up in a tree." That made me even more anxious to get moving on their special lessons; next time one of them might end up inside a tree, and how would we explain the resultant explosion to the neighbors? * * * Everyone wanted to watch when Star and Roca looked inside my head. Even Vai lurked in the background, a sleeping Vrai on her shoulder. I wondered if they were just curious, or if they were hoping I'd keel over like Star had. He'd asked Gaelen if she wanted to help, but she demurred. "I've had a look inside his head," she stated, "and there's nothing there." That comment had Roca rolling on the floor. I imagined I could feel their touches inside my brain; they itched, but I couldn't figure out how to scratch them. Thankfully, the process took only a minute or so. Star stepped back and said merely, "Gaelen was right." Even I had to laugh then. Star's jokes were rare enough to make it feel like an occasion. * * * We continued to draw on the kids' strength as the days went by. There were so few of us, and suddenly so many new tasks to accomplish. We started regular lessons, evenings and weekends too. I did not forget the feeling I'd had about guarding us and our environment, especially with Vrai and Gaelen's babies to consider. Neither she nor Vai would be able to protect themselves from danger, even though I felt certain that would one day change for Gaelen. Star was now able to share the task of warding with me, but in his new perspective he agreed that it was important for the children to realize their heritage, and began helping me to teach them. I suppose such logical ideas had been discouraged by Suria. There was no direct word from Lecurela, about Suria or the fact that Star was now lacking an "advisor." I knew he continued his regular communication with our "home" planet and others in and out of the Federation, but he did not bring up Suria's absence, nor did they. Suria was nowhere to be found. The note we discovered, locked inside the safety deposit box at her primary bank, the one Star also had a key to, was almost incoherent. The gist of it seemed to be that Star had failed her, betrayed her confidence and friendship in many ways, one of which was consorting with me. She mentioned Ravin, said how much better, stronger, he was than Star, how he would never fail in his loyalty but always do her bidding. Poor Ravin. I'd heard from Zee that he was hanging on, but by a thread. Vlad had him set up with tubes in every orifice. To date he was breathing on his own, but they still didn't know if he'd ever wake up. Shaking his head, Star said, "I think… I think Suria loved me, was in love with me, in her own twisted way. I never knew it. Even when we had sex, she always said it was for research." I had to squeeze my eyes shut, but I could still imagine it. Star had only recently shared that one of Suria's favorite "tests" was to have him fuck her. Jesus. Kareinon was also missing. I hadn't seen much of the big man since the twins grew older, and I'd kind of expected him to return to help out after baby Vrai was born. I had to guess he'd been part of Suria's entourage, not Star's. We'd leave the legal matters of Suria's property and effects, if any, to Star's legal staff, headed by Mephic, the former general of Star's royal guard battalion, now turning his bloodthirsty talents to being a cutthroat lawyer. Perhaps Suria had taken her son with her, wherever she went, as Ravin had said. We continued to search for the other children from the lab, but they seemed to be very good at hiding. We finally decided to also leave "clues" here and there, ordinary objects we scattered around town, with an energy signature someone with Star's blood could identify. We hoped they might see one and follow it to us. How confused they all must be, out on their own, the only home they had ever known, gone. On a lighter note, Gaelen's pregnancy was now more than obvious, and I couldn't help but sense that the twins were a boy and a girl. We discussed names, but I had no real preferences, except that neither of them was to be called "junior." So we made a deal: I got to name the boy and she got to name the girl - and believe me, we checked very thoroughly to make sure that's what they were. * * * It was late August now, and very hot, even at my cabin in Evergreen. The windows were wide open to the breeze, and we'd just finished making love. The twins were due to arrive at the end of October, and Gaelen had informed me that I had only a week or two more until her sex drive disappeared. She laughed. "Better line yourself up some partners, lover, cause there's at least a six-week dry spell in your future." I smiled. Even though I had Gaelen's permission, I hadn't done much in the way of sex with anyone but her since we'd married; a time or two with Vlad had been about it. "As long as you've got hands, I'll survive," I told her. She shook her head at me, but her face was serious. "I've been thinking. You remember I told you that when someone from my planet starts changing, like I've been changing, that it means a crisis is on the way?" I remembered. She and I hadn't done much talking about that. I hadn't brought it up because I thought the subject still upset her. I tried to pretend that she had always been six feet tall, not five, as she was when I first met her. She had been angry when she realized that sex with me, and the tremendous surges of energy her body drew from mine, had triggered some sort of change in her, a change that was legendary among her people. She'd even refused my proposal of marriage, thinking that without more energy input the transformation would stop. It hadn't. According to the stories, such a change never took place unless the person would need the extra strength and stamina, need it because something terrible was soon to happen. I nodded. "Uh-huh." "Well, maybe the crisis that's coming has something to do with Lecurela." I had to stop and think for a minute. Sure, we still maintained the wards over Star's house, and he and I kept small parts of our attention on each family member, wherever they were, but, though I had never trusted the government of my home planet, part of me couldn't imagine that they might really mean us harm. After all, wasn't Star still slated to go back there on his hundredth birthday and take his place as supreme potentate? Sometime in 2046 by the Earth calendar, wasn't it? "Tell me what you're thinking," I asked. She propped herself up against the headboard. "Well, they obviously know that Suria isn't here anymore, and so they may have guessed that they've lost their hold along with their contact and Star is now like you-a loose cannon." I smirked. "Thanks?" She elbowed me. "You know what I mean. He won't be their puppet. They'll have no more direct control over him, and would have to depend on his sense of right and justice as ruler, instead of whatever plans they may have had." She stared into my eyes. "You know them better than I do. Are they likely to give up the reins that easily?" I sighed. Suria obviously had her own agenda, but much, if not all of what she did was undoubtedly sanctioned by Lecurela and-I shuddered-the big three scientists. "So, what do you think they'll do?" She shrugged, yawning and leaning to one side to audibly crack her neck. "I don't know. But they had a perfectly good ruler in you, and yet they were content to discard him and move on to plan B. We can't assume they don't have a plan C as well." I nodded. And what would their next attempt at a ruler be like? They would probably look for a way to implant loyalty directly into his DNA, fix it so he couldn't sneeze without their say-so. In fact, who was to say they didn't already have such a creation in the oven? Star's replacement, standing like spare parts in the wings, just ready to walk on stage in his stead while Numbers 1, 4, and 6 stood behind him, his strings firmly in hand. I didn't often give thought to the Lecurelan people. I knew… I'd always known, that they were the ultimate urbanites, living and working in cities that had little or no contact with nature. Their lives were planned, almost from birth. In fact, on Lecurela one had to have a license to reproduce, and one child per person was all that most were allowed. Did those people enjoy life? Life without unexpected rain showers, or the rainbows that followed, life without dandelions or the common cold, but also without risks to be taken and overcome and the glorious feeling of climbing the highest mountain, just because it was there. My people. If things had gone as they should, those would have been my people, as much as they were Star's. My heart gave a sudden lurch, and I knew that, though the feeling had long been buried beyond perception, they were still my people. I turned to look at Gaelen, and she was smiling at me as though she saw exactly what I was thinking, and perhaps she did. I claimed them, all twenty-seven billion of them. I claimed the Lecurelan people as well as those on Thaenus, and Syrdis, and Muir… especially Muir. "Here's what I think we should do," she said.
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