"Miracles do happen."

Shannon Wallace turned to look at her sister-in-law with a raised eyebrow. "What was that?" she asked with a chuckle.  She and Samantha were resting in the afternoon shade with cups of cool water. The small round gazebo they occupied was under a large virrin tree in the back yard of the Sinclair home; its wide summer leaves flapped gently against one another in the breezes that flowed in off the Arvallian Sea. Shannon wore a pale yellow sun dress over her predominantly tan fur. Samantha, largely pregnant with several canine-lupine pups, wore a simple maternity nightgown of powder blue with a pale red blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

The Border collie took a sip from her cup and gave her mate's sister a smile. "Miracles do happen," she repeated. "Considering the injuries I received during my fight with the Kastan assassin during the Siilv War, Merlin and I were never sure I would be able to have puppies."

"Yes, I remember," Shannon replied quietly. "Your wounds were pretty severe."

Samantha looked out through the black iron fence surrounding their property and gazed across the sea. Fishing trawlers moved in the distance and the sound of lapping waves was calming. The faraway look in her eyes, however, had nothing to do with the environment. She briefly relived a memory and then turned to the wolf.

"Beyond Merlin, I've never told this to anyone, but I was pregnant at the time."

"You were?"  Shannon's face registered complete surprise.

Samantha nodded and then closed her eyes. "I didn't know it at the time, but the Kastans have an uncanny ability to sense a person's lifeprint. The assassin I fought informed me of my pregnancy in the midst of battle. At first, I suspected it was just an attempt to distract me, but afterward I discovered it was true… and that I'd lost it due to my injuries."

Shannon reached out and put a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Then, hesitantly, she asked, "Who was the father?"

Samantha's eyes crinkled into a smile and she looked over at her. "It was Merlin," she replied with a chuckle. "The accommodations on Argeia were intoxicating and it had been a long time since we had spent any close time together. It was like no other place we've ever been to before. We couldn't help ourselves."

The female wolf laughed aloud. "It sounds like you helped yourselves after all!"

Samantha giggled uncharacteristically and pulled the blanket up over her face. "Yes, I suppose we did!" she squeaked. She uncovered her nose and laughed, but then her expression faded. She stared back out to sea for a moment before she said, "I wrestled with the loss of the baby for some weeks before I told Merlin about it."

"Why wait for so long?"

"I wasn't sure how he would take the news."

Shannon leaned forward. "How did he take it?" she asked.

The Border collie looked over at her with a soft smile. "He tried to propose to me, but I stopped him before the words left his lips."

Shannon's eyes grew wider. "Why didn't you let him propose?"

"If he wanted me for his mate, I didn't want it to be prompted by an unplanned pregnancy that was lost. That would not have been for the right reason. I told him that we would keep it our secret for a while. I knew that if he really wanted me, the proper time would come for him to propose when he was ready and there were no other pressures for him to ask."  Samantha's eyes sparkled when she added, "I knew he could eventually come around to my way of thinking."

Shannon chuckled. "It took him long enough," she replied. "You two have known one another half your lives together."

"True, but we've had that long friendship to use as the foundation for our marriage. Too many other couples barely know one another before they get married, and too often, those marriages fail because they later find out what one another is really like.  Merlin and I have few surprises left to discover about one another's pasts. We have only new horizons to look forward to together."

"Speaking of horizons," Shannon said, "are you ready for a whole houseful of guests? The Blue Horizon should be here this evening."

The Border collie gave a small jump and her eyes widened. She put both hands on her swollen belly and gave her sister-in-law a smirk. "I think someone in here just reacted to that name."

"You mean Blue Horizon?"

Samantha jumped again. "Yeah," she snickered.

"Blue Horizon!"

Sam jumped yet again. "Stop doing that!" she whined.

Shannon grinned impishly at her. "That one will likely be a future captain of the…" -Sam narrowed her eyes, daring her to say it-  "…ship. Any idea which one it might have been?"

The collie shook her floppy ears. "There are five of them in there, Shannon. It could have been any one of them. I just hope he or she didn't kick one of their siblings. It wouldn't do to have one of my pups start out their first day with a bloody nose!"

The female wolf shook her head. "Miracles do happen," she admitted. "Not only were you able to conceive after your terrible injuries, but you had to go and out-do me and Bill by making one more than we did!"

Samantha snickered and then gestured toward her chest. "Yeah, but I hadn't remembered that this would happen," she said in amusement. “I'm used to the top two, but when the other four started filling up, I had to change my wardrobe!"

"Get used to it for a while. It’s common for wolves to have anywhere from one to six puppies, so with five of them, you're going to need all the help your body can give you when it's feeding time!" They both laughed and relaxed in their soft lawn chairs.

"My doctor said they all appear to be healthy and so do I," Samantha said. "She feels there's nothing to be concerned about, but I'm glad you'll be there to play midwife for me."

"I'm honored," Shannon replied with a show bow. "It's about time you and Merlin gave my children some cousins."

"Selfish! Is that all you care about?" Sam retorted, causing the wolf to laugh again. The two women had become closer since she and Merlin had settled in on Dennier, and although they were related by marriage, they were becoming the best of friends.

Shannon and Samantha fell quiet and gazed out to sea again when a private boat came into view near the coastline. After several long moments, Samantha spoke in a whisper.

"My pups will arrive soon. I can feel it."

A long passenger van crawled along Totter's Lane parallel with the Arvallian Sea. The running lights of a fishing boat trying to get in to port before the storm arrived were visible a short distance from the shore. The sun had set, and although the tall cumulonimbus clouds were no longer easy to see in the darkness, flashes of lightning within them occasionally highlighted their location. Low rumbles moved across the choppy water as area winds picked up, flowing into the storm. Inside the van, riding beside the driver, Renny Thornton kept his eyes fixed upon the distant flashes of light.

"Don't worry," said the wolf at the controls of the vehicle, "we're almost to the house and will be inside long before it rains."

"Yeah…" the cheetah murmured.

Taro leaned forward from her seat behind the driver and placed a hand on her navigator's arm. "You okay?"

Renny turned to look at her with a look of amusement. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just hoping Merlin's house is stronger than the Barnyard Inn where we stayed on Earth."

There was a chuckle from the driver. "Within a city named Grandstorm, you should know that we build our structures to withstand great forces of wind and rain," Merlin said.

"That's what they said about the homes built in Tornado Alley," Renny rebuffed.

"True, but the Barnyard Inn was over a hundred years old," Max piped up from the back of the van. "It wasn't built to stand up to the tornado that hit Woodward that day."

"There isn't much that will stand up to three hundred mile per hour winds," Jerry added, "no matter how it was built. That's nearly twice the sustained wind speeds of most hurricanes."

"We've had our share of those, too," Merlin said. "However, the storm that's coming isn't breathing the conditions for either, so we'll just have a lot of wind, rain and lightning tonight. It'll be bumpy, but we won't be in any real danger. Our house is on a rise above the sea level, so there shouldn't be any flooding to worry about, and yes, Renny, the construction of the house and barn will withstand what we're facing."

"You have a barn?" Justy asked. "Are you raising your own food stock?"

Merlin chuckled. "No, the barn is for the vehicles and yard tools. The house did not come with a conventional garage, so everything is parked in a detached out building, although we have an underground tunnel linking the buildings together."

"Do you have many trees on your property?" Amanda asked as she tried vainly to see the terrain of the countryside through the van windows.

"We have two large virrin trees out front, but there are a number of other trees out in the back. We're almost there, so you can see the place for yourself."

Normally a chatterbox, Lorelei had remained quiet since they had left the spaceport. She was unusually bothered by the arrest of Damien Legrand. Although none of them had known him for more than a few months, he had always seemed like a good guy to her, even if his drinking was excessive. That he had hit and run over two children in a school zone and fled was more than she was willing to accept.  Despite her eager anticipation over the impending birth of Samantha's pups, Lori's ears drooped as she stared out into the darkness.

A row of lights caught her attention through a tall iron gate, and she realized the vehicle was slowing.  Merlin guided the long van along a curved drive to the front of a two-story house of white rocks and red brick. He shut off the engine and then looked back at his friends.

"We'd best get your luggage inside the foyer before the rain starts," he said with a smile. "Our place is large enough for everyone, and I made sure that your rooms and beds upstairs were ready for you.  Once you're all inside, I'll put the van in the barn and then will come back to give you the tour."

"Boss, I know it's late," Justy said, "but do you think we could get something to eat?"

Opening the driver side door, Merlin gave him a smile over his shoulder. "You're in luck!" he said. "Sam and my sister have supper almost ready for you."

At the mention of food, Renny perked up. "Aside of Sam's pregnancy, that's the best news I've heard all night!"

Moments later, Taro and her crew stood in the entry hall of the house while Merlin took the van around the back. The interior of the house had been thoroughly cleaned in anticipation of the arrival of the guests. None of the polished wood trim on the walls, the wooden beams in the high ceilings, or the green plants that decorated tables and counters showed a speck of dust. The stone tile of the foyer gave way to a tightly-woven tan carpet, and although the furniture of the front room was nice, it was not extravagant.  An oil painting of a younger Merlin and Samantha held a lighted place over the fireplace mantle, the signature of Jiro Brannon unobtrusive in a lower corner.

"Welcome to our home!" Samantha said pleasantly. She stepped out into the front room around the furniture and held out her arms toward them. The Border collie's footsteps were slow, but sure as she carried the weight of her puppies in her swollen belly. She wore a powder blue maternity dress with a beige shawl across her shoulders.

Taro grinned widely and moved in to give her a gentle hug. "Wow," she said with delighted eyes, "you look great!" She stroked her friend’s cheek fur and chuckled. “Your fur is so soft!”

Lorelei and Amanda moved in toward Samantha, while the guys hung back a step, most of them not quite sure how to approach the pregnant mother. Sam would have none of it, though, and after an initial greeting and hugs by the females, she moved toward the males and latched onto her friends one by one, starting with Pockets.

The raccoon hesitated, looking unsure. “What’s the matter?” Sam asked.

“I’m afraid I might hurt them…”

“They’ll be fine, Ramone. Just a light hug will do.”

Pockets smiled and tried to wrap her arms around her, but his short arms barely encircled her girth.  Sam laughed and hugged him warmly.

“Oh, it’s so great to see each of you!” she said with bright eyes, moving to each of the others. “I’ve missed you all!”  She turned to Justy and Jerry at last and grinned. “I don’t know you guys as well as the others,” she said, “but you’re family too.  Here, let me hug you.”

Justy felt a little uncomfortable with the embrace, but the vulpine doctor smiled at her and wrapped his arms gently around the collie’s shoulders. “You’re looking well,” he told her.

“I’m feeling good,” she said, “although tired. Now that the hugs have been passed out, I need to sit.”

“Sit, doggie, sit!” Renny quipped with a wide grin. 

Sam gave him a smirk. “Yeah, c’mon, kitty cat!” She then gestured them all further into the front room. She took her place in a simple rocking chair and wrapped the shawl around her.

The front door opened and Merlin walked inside. He walked quietly to his mate’s side and gave her a brief nuzzle. “Where are the others?” he asked.

“Others?” Taro asked. “Who else is coming?”

Samantha shook her head, but looked up at her lupine husband. “They’re still in the study, looking at the ultrasound pictures.” Heavy footsteps sounded behind her and all eyes went to the newcomer.

“Gweniviere and Shannon will be here in a moment to meet the guests,” replied a deep voice.  Merlin looked up at the black Silloni unicorn dressed in a sharp charcoal suit tailored to his physique.

“For those who have not met him,” he said, “this is Master Tristan, former Regent of Sillon, and Samantha’s adopted father.” Tristan gave the group a short bow while Merlin introduced each of them to him.

"This is Jerry Somner, Justin Mandolin and Amanda Black," he said as he indicated each one. You have already met Taro Nichols, Renny Thornton, Jerad Porter, Max Sinclair and Lori Easter." Justy looked up at the huge equine male, his mouth open in sheer awe of the bipedal unicorn.

"I am charmed to meet you all," Tristan replied in the rich tones of an orator. He turned at a sound and then gestured to a white Silloni female beside him. "This is my wife, Gweniviere."

"Good evening," Gwen said with a smile and a short nod of her head.  She was only a foot shorter than her mate was, but she still towered over everyone else in the room. "Thank you all for coming in honor of our daughter's birthing." Her voice sounded melodious and held the timbre of an operatic singer.

Amanda gently nudged Justy and the koala suddenly remembered his manners.  He bowed slightly from the waist and said, "We're honored to honor your… daughter?"

Gweniviere smiled. "Yes, Mr. Mandolin, Samantha is our adopted daughter. We took her in after her parents were lost in an accident when she was a pup. Although we are of different species, the puppies she and Merlin have created together will be our grandchildren."

"Wow," Amanda said quietly.  She looked over at the grey wolf and could not help but share in Merlin's contagious grin. "Congratulations to you all," she said with a large smile. "We only found out about the pregnancy this evening."

"Yes, we tried to keep it a secret," said yet another voice with a chuckle, "but wagging tongues at the office almost gave it away." A tan wolf stepped out from behind the Silloni pair and she held out a hand toward Amanda. "Hello, I am Shannon Wallace, Merlin's sister."

"Pleased to meet you!" the coyote replied.

"It looks like you've got a full house," Taro said to Merlin. "Are you sure you have room for us all?"

"Plenty of room," the wolf assured her. "Shannon, Bill and their cubs only live a mile from here, just down the shore, actually."

"Where's Bill?" Pockets asked, finally finding his voice.

"He's at home with the children," Shannon answered. "He will be here shortly with them after they have had their supper."

With the introductions out of the way, the group started to mingle. At what must have seemed an unspoken signal, all five women swarmed over to Samantha, while the guys gravitated to Merlin and Tristan.

Pockets held back a moment, his thoughts whirling, but then he courteously asked to speak with Tristan alone. They removed to the other side of the room and then Tristan took a seat in a large wing-back chair so he could converse with the short raccoon face to face.

"What service may I be of you?" the Silloni asked.

Pockets hooked his thumbs under the belt loops of his dark green trousers. "It's good to see you again, sir," he began. "Have you been on Dennier since the wedding?"

Tristan smiled, but shook his head. "No, we have only been here since yesterday morning."

Pockets raised an eyebrow. "It's a three-month journey between here and Sillon, but it hasn't been six months since we saw you at the wedding. I figured you had to have been here the whole time."

Tristan's large brown eyes sparkled. "Following the wedding, we returned directly to Sillon," he said, "but along the way, we received word of the impending birth. We refreshed our supplies upon our arrival on Sillon and then made a return trip."

The raccoon studied him silently, running the explanation over in his mind. Something in the story did not sound right. The gestation period for canine types was only around nine weeks, so the turnaround time for Tristan's party would have made it impossible for the person sitting before him to be there now.

Tristan could see the wheels turning in the engineer's mind, but he only gave Pockets a smile. A radical thought seized the raccoon, but the front door to the house suddenly opened with a bang, interrupting their conversation. Four young wolf pups burst into the room followed by a black wolf in a light grey suit.

Bill Wallace quietly closed the door behind him as his children spread out in through the gathered adults. "Hello, everyone," he said wearily. It was evident that keeping up with four energetic youngsters had taken its toll on him today. When one of the children saw Pockets, he squealed and ran straight for the raccoon.

"Pocky! Pocky!" little Jaran exclaimed.  Jacob and Marissa followed suit when they spotted him, and all three of them started jumping up and down in front of the engineer.

Pockets grinned widely, gave them a group hug, and then asked in a loud voice, "Who wants candy?"

The fourth cub came running over and joined the bouncing pups in their energetic responses.  "Me!"  "Candy!"  "Yay!"  "I do!"

The raccoon walked over to his overnight bag, and from a side pocket, he pulled out several large straws of flavored sugar that he had brought along from Earth just for them.  He whipped out a pocket knife, snipped a crimped end off each of the straws, and then passed them out to the youngsters.

The kids cheered, each of them gave the raccoon a peck on the cheek, and then they ran off excitedly with their confectionary treasure. Bill stepped over to him and put a hand on the engineer's shoulder.  Pockets looked up into the disapproving face of the black wolf.

"Pockets, did you have to give them sugar this late in the evening? They'll be bouncing off the walls all night."

The raccoon's face fell.  "Oops," he said with a frown.

Bill shook his head wearily, but gave Pockets a chuckle. "You can help me round them up and take them out into the back yard where they can run off their newfound energy."

"What about the rain?" Renny asked as he joined them.

"The air has grown cooler, but the radio announcer said the storm has stalled. I think we can let the kids outside for a little while anyway."

The cheetah looked relieved. "Maybe the storm will turn and go elsewhere up the coast."

"I could use some fresh air, myself," Amanda said from across the room. There were other similar sentiments, so the children and several of the adults moved out to chairs on a polished wooden deck behind the house. Samantha begged off, however, citing the need for a cushy chair to rest in, but Bill and Renny offered to move a chair for her out onto the deck.

Not wishing to be separated from her guests just yet, Sam accepted and then watched the guys move her heavily cushioned chair out through the back door. Once set up next to a waist-high wooden railing beneath the branches of a large tree, Gwen, Shannon and Taro attended her with glasses of lemonade and animated conversation.

Pockets, Justy, Max and Lori ran around the yard with the children for a bit, but then Merlin flagged the engineer back up to the deck.  The raccoon brushed bits of grass from his Polynesian-style shirt and gulped for breath as he clomped up the wooden steps.

"Have a seat before you fall over," Merlin said with a grin.

"I don't have the energy I used to for running around like that," Pockets gasped as he dropped into a canvas beach chair beside their ship's doctor.

"You're what?  Only thirty-six years old?" Jerry asked.

"No comments from the peanut gallery," the raccoon wheezed. "When you're as out of shape as I am, thirty-six feels like forty-six!"

"I've been trying to tell you for weeks that you need more exercise."

"Yeah, yeah…"  Pockets gave the fox a grin and then looked over at Merlin when he took a seat beside him. The wolf held out a fat envelope toward him.

"This came for you, addressed in care of the home office," Merlin explained.

Pockets took the envelope and looked at the return address. It was from the offices of the Okami Corporation, the builders of the very freighters that Blue Horizon Freight Transfer used as its fleet.  His eyes lit up and he grinned at his boss delightedly.

"What is it?" Jerry asked curiously.

Pockets withdrew a thick sheaf of paper from the envelope and unfolded it to the cover letter.  His eyes moved quickly over the text and his grin grew wider.  When he looked up a moment later, he had to swallow hard before answering the question.

"Months ago, I submitted design drawings and technical notes on Moss to the PA Patent Office on Alexandrius. At the same time, I sent the designs for the flobot, notes for computer integration, security protocols and its functional history to Okami Corp. here on Dennier."  He swallowed again as he looked around at several others who had gathered nearby to hear his words. "It… it's all been accepted by Okami for Moss to be made standard equipment on all future Okami-class freighters, with installation kits to be made available for current and older model ships that can be purchased separately…"

"Wow, that's great!" Justy said with a clap of his hands.

"It sure is," Lori added.

"Don't they already have flobots on some ships?" Tristan asked. "I seem to recall reading about them."

"So far, they only have them on the Firebird Fleet," Pockets replied, "Patch showed me an article about them in one of his trade magazines, and those bots are highly specialized for exploration. The Fleet hadn't launched yet, but after reading what was planned for the new vessels, I thought I could make one of my own to fit the needs of an ordinary ship. Beyond that they are both floating robots, there's really very little in common between them. Moss was my own design."

"Did they send you a contract?" Taro asked.

Pockets rifled through the papers amidst copies of his drawings and technical notes and lifted one out above the rest. "Yes, here it is," he said. He glanced over it quickly and then his eyes bugged out when he saw the payment figures stated there before him.

"May I see it?" Bill asked.  He often examined legal documents in his line of work.

Pockets nodded, handed it to the financial advisor without hesitation, and watched the black wolf's face intently as he looked over the language of the document.

"What does it say?" Max asked quietly, kneeling next to the engineer's side. Before Pockets could reply, Bill looked down at him from the papers with a nod.

"I can help you go over it in more detail to make sure everything is tight and legal before you sign," he offered, "but upon first glance, I think you are going to get some nice returns on your little invention."

"Wow…" was all Pockets could say.  He was flabbergasted as he took the contract back from the wolf and stared at the numbers again.  Not daring to speak, he merely passed around the document for the others to see.

"Wow, is right!" Amanda commented. "What are you going to do with all that money, Pockets?"

The raccoon sat quietly for a moment as he thought over her question. "First, I'm going to pay off all my debts, and then I'm going to pay off Jasper's debts too."  He looked around him and quietly folded the documents back into the envelope when the contract was returned to him.  "I've missed my brother, and it was because of his debts that he's no longer serving on board the Horizon. I know this won't bring him back, but he won't be able to use that as an excuse to be grumpy any more."  He said the last with a grin.

"Well, it looks like Durant's wish will never come true," Samantha said with a chuckle from her nearby chair. "He never did like Moss and it appears that little device is here to stay."

"Yeah, just think," Max added. "Moss will soon be invading ships all across the Planetary Alignment!"

Not long after the excitement of Pockets' news, everyone moved back inside the house. The storm that had stalled over the sea appeared to have caught its second wind and it was once again advancing toward Grandstorm. Jerry and Max helped Merlin stow the patio furniture in the barn while Bill and Renny wrestled Samantha's chair back inside the house.  The wind picked up, growing cooler, but the rain had not yet reached the shore.

Once everyone resettled inside the house, Shannon took the Suga-Stix from her children to pitiful wails of indignation. She promised to give the candy back to them tomorrow, but neither she nor her mate wanted their pups to have any further fuel. The kids were already into everything, and every time one of them had to be scolded, it was done with a sidelong glance toward the raccoon who had foolishly given them what Lorelei jokingly called crack for kids.

Shannon disappeared into another room for several minutes before she came back out wiping her hands on a dish towel.  “For those of you who might be hungry,” she said, “we’ve prepared something for you to eat.”

Although the farthest from the dining room, Renny made it through the crowd swiftly and was already seated by the time the others arrived at the table.  The cheetah wore a wide grin as the others started teasing “Vacuum Lips” and took the kidding as something he was used to.

After they had all been fed and the dining table cleared, Taro approached Samantha's chair and looked at the group that had filtered back into the front room. Conversations were in full swing as everyone apparently had some tale to relate, and the din was getting so loud it was hard to chat. The vixen studied her friend and saw the fatigue in her eyes, so she knelt down next to her and placed gentle fingertips on her arm.

"Should we go to a quieter room?" she said in a voice just loud enough for the collie to hear.  Sam looked at her in gratitude and nodded without trying to reply over the noise.  Taro took her by the arm and helped her up, but when the two of them started to leave the room, Merlin was instantly at his mate's side.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a mixture of dread and anticipation. "Is it time?"

Samantha chuckled, but it was Taro who answered. "Nothing's wrong, and no, it's not yet time.  Sam just needs a quiet room for a while."

"What do I need to do?"

Sam patted his cheek. "Go back to your friends, my Love," she said with warm eyes. "Taro and I are just going to visit for a while. I will let you know if there are any developments."

Merlin looked unconvinced, but he finally nodded. He stood rooted to his spot, wringing his hands together, ears back and tail down, while the women retired to a back room.  Renny startled him with a good-natured slap on the back.

"Cheer up," the cheetah said with a casual wave toward one of the wolf's nephews. The kid was currently digging in the base of a potted plant, scattering soil on the carpet. "You'll have several of those of your own running around here before you know it!"

"You've got to keep me occupied," Merlin said with a frown, "or the anticipation is gonna kill me…"

"You want to get out of the house for a while? You can show me a local club, if you want."

The grey wolf pursed his lips. "No, I don't want to leave the premises. Sure as I do, something will happen."

"Well, in that case, let's sit back down. I can tell you about a little cheetah kitten I know. Taro or Shannon will alert us if you're needed."

Taro followed Samantha down a carpeted hallway, its walls adorned with framed photographs of friends and family members from both sides of the Sinclair household. She paused in mid-step at an old group portrait of the original crew of the Blue Horizon taken just prior to their maiden voyage together.

Merlin and Samantha stood side-by-side. They had dated casually prior to the business startup, but they were not yet an exclusive couple. Merlin was striking a stance with crossed arms attempting to look like the serious captain, but the glint in his eyes belied his pose. Samantha's face beheld amusement, although she looked directly into the camera.

Jiro Brannon appeared relaxed, the bare-chested cougar ever the follower of his lupine best friend. Not yet a couple, Taro stood beside him looking so much younger than she felt now. Standing just behind her and to the side was Leo Durant, the older grizzly bear who was "everyone's older brother".  Taro felt moisture rim her eyes as she realized that the photo framed her between two dear friends who were no longer with them.

Little Sparky sat on a cushioned stool in the front of the group, dressed in a pale yellow dress with a kitchen apron adorned with a smiling kitty; this was before the lynx had developed a fondness for Asian-style garments. Standing beside her were the raccoon bookends, Patch and Pockets Porter, both of them in their usual green work coveralls. Patch's ever-present cigar was lit with a curl of grey smoke, and Pockets held a rather large wrench across two small hands.

Taro frowned when her eyes fell upon the final member of their crew, a short red-headed human woman who had signed on as their medical officer on false pretenses that later endangered one of them on their first voyage together. It was largely because of her that Merlin rarely trusted humans, and Taro was puzzled that he would allow the portrait to hang on the wall of his home.

Samantha looked back at her friend and noticed the photograph she studied. "That seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?" she asked softly.

Taro nodded and refocused her eyes on Jiro's smile. "Yeah," she answered slowly. "Sometimes I wish we could go back to those times."

The collie nodded, but then rested a hand on her swollen belly. "Those were simpler times," she agreed, "but that would mean I wouldn't have my family."

The vixen looked over at her and nodded with a renewed smile. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry, but I still miss Jiro at times."

"Taro, there's no need to apologize," Sam chided gently. "Jiro was a great guy."  Laughter rang out from the front room, so they continued toward the back.  The canine led her friend to a room with a modified door. It was lower than normal and looked as if it were designed for a smaller person.

"Are you going in there?" Taro asked when Samantha ducked her head to enter.

Sam chuckled and her eyes crinkled with amusement. "It's an old canine instinct for a mother dog to prepare a birthing den to have her pups in.  It's a little close quarters, but there's still plenty of room for me, my pups and a midwife."

Taro shook her head with a grin. "You didn't leave Merlin much room out here in the hallway to pace when it's time…"

Sam looked behind her and chuckled. "You know, we never thought of that."

"Too late to change things now."

Samantha grinned at her and then ducked into the small room.  The full-sized bed was equipped with a low plush mattress to make the mother as comfortable as possible, as well as a pair of stirrups on a frame that were currently folded down out of the way. The sheets were pale blue with tiny white flowers and a row of small cribs lined the far wall. The ceiling was low and the indirect lighting was dim to allow the illusion of an earthen den. Even the walls were lined with dark wood paneling. On the near side of the bed was a table already set up with a pitcher of iced water that had been recently refreshed by Shannon, along with towels and a black bag of medical instruments should the need arise. A short roller chair with a cushioned seat provided the only place to sit down in the small room.

Taro helped Samantha onto the bed and then relaxed in the chair as her friend adjusted a pillow behind her back so she could sit upright.  When they finally got situated, the vixen looked over at her friend.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. "Are you close?"

"I've not yet lost my water, but I'm sure that could happen at any time. For now, I'm fine, just a little tired. I think Merlin is more nervous than I am, but I'm glad you and the others are here to help distract him."

"After all we’ve experienced lately," Taro said after a brief sigh, "we could use the distraction, too."

"Yeah, I heard what you and the others went through.  Wow, that can't have been easy to handle."

The vixen smiled. "You have no idea," she replied, "but I have a good crew – well, most of 'em, but I couldn't do anything for Damien's situation. Even in the midst of the crisis, he was a benefit to the crew, I suppose."

"Damien? What happened with him?" Samantha asked. "Why isn’t he here with you?”

A frown crossed Taro's face and she explained about his attitude since coming on board, covering most everything up to his arrest by the Spatial Police Force.  "He was supposed to be one of us," she finished, "but he would never open up to anyone. We never knew why he was so secretive, right up until the SPF took him away. We've heard nothing of him since then. When I've inquired, the SPF have politely told me that we should no longer be concerned with him. That's not right, even if I understand their reasoning."

"It's not easy being captain, is it?" Sam asked, patting the vixen lightly on the arm.

"Not always, but it does have its rewards."

"Has Merlin told you about the ship?"

Taro shook her head. "No, we've not had much time to talk about the damages since we landed. Max tried to show him the repairs, but he didn't seem interested.  I suppose Merlin was more concerned getting us all here quickly in case you went into labor."

Samantha chuckled. "No, I didn't mean the damages. Merlin doesn't see a need in repairing the ship now that…"  She trailed off and raised an eyebrow at Taro's puzzled expression.  "No, I don't think he has told you..."

"Told me what? Why isn't the Horizon going to be repaired?"

Sam studied her for a moment and then shook her head gently. "No, that should be Merlin's job, not mine.  Besides, that would take the fun out of the recall."

"I don't understand," Taro muttered. "I thought the recall was due to your pups."

"Well, that was part of it, yeah. We did think it was appropriate that you were here for this. The rest of the news will have to come from Merlin."

"Okay, now I'm nervous. If we're not going to repair the ship, then our earlier fears must be true – you're going to lay us off since we lost all those delivery contracts!"

Samantha looked surprised and firmly gripped Taro's arm. "No, you are not losing your jobs, Taro.  Trust me!"

"But—"

"Trust me," she repeated. The Border collie closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillow. "Go talk to Merlin, Taro. Right now. He needs to give you the news before you have a stroke, and I am in need of rest."

The vixen parted her lips to speak, but Samantha merely pointed toward the door without even opening her eyes. With a feeling of foreboding, Taro ducked out of the small room and headed back to the front of the house.

The grey wolf was at the center of attention, reading aloud from the printout of a message he had just received.

"…and due to your invaluable contributions to the House of Aris, a trust fund will be set up for each of your children immediately upon notification of the births and the naming. Congratulations on your new family.  With greatest admiration, King Adion Aris, Monarch of Tanthe."

"Wow…" Pockets said.

The wolf folded the sheet of parchment and looked embarrassed. "If King Aris thought he owed me a debt, I think it was long paid off with all that he's done for us since. I need to let him know he didn't have to do this."

"Never underestimate the appreciation of a ruler toward those who have helped his House," Tristan replied. "Accept the gift, son, not for yourself, but for your children."

"After what happened between Samantha and Tinara at our reception, I'm surprised the Aris family even gives me a passing thought anymore."

"Samantha embarrassed the princess," Shannon remarked. "It is unlikely she related that bit of information back to her family to keep the focus off her herself, especially in what prompted the confrontation in the first place."

"Yeah, the King probably knows nothing about it," Justy added.

Gweniviere noticed Taro's return. "How is Samantha, my dear?" she asked.  All eyes went directly to the vixen.

Taro tried to hide the apprehension she felt and gave everyone a smile. "She's tired, but resting," she answered. "There's no change in her condition."

"Her condition?" Jerry replied with a grin. "You make it sound like she has a disease!"  Everyone laughed, including Taro, glad to have the attention diverted for the moment.

"Well, her abdomen is swollen!" Renny said lively. "Perhaps she needs one of Lori's herbal remedies to reduce the swelling!"

"Oh, wouldn't Samantha like that!" Amanda quipped.

Lorelei laughed with everyone else, until she realized the implications of the coyote's reaction.  "Hey!" she retorted with a frown.

The conversations around them became animated with laughter, so Taro chose the moment to pull Merlin to the side while everyone else was distracted.

"May I talk to you in private?" she whispered into his ear. At his look of excitement, she added, "It's not about Sam or the pups. I need to talk to you about the ship – in private."

Merlin understood and gave her a nod. The two of them started toward the back door, but Max decided to join them.  The grey wolf turned to the young mechanic with a look of apology. "Would you excuse us," he said. "The captain needs to speak with her boss for a moment."

"Uh, sure," the German shepherd said. While he returned to his seat, Merlin led Taro out to the back deck. Muted flashes of lightning illuminated the clouds above them, but there was no rain. The wind had picked up a bit, but as yet, it was tolerable.

When the wolf descended the steps to the grassy yard, Taro followed him meekly out past the large barn to a gazebo nestled beneath a large tree. Merlin motioned her to sit on a wooden bench built into the inside perimeter of the small structure, and then sat beside her.

Taro gave him a worried look. "What's going on with the Blue Horizon?" she asked. "Sam told me I needed to talk to you about it."

Conversations in the main room of the house eventually grew quiet in consideration of the expectant mother elsewhere in the Sinclair home, prompted by Shannon's gentle admonishment. Max, Lori and Amanda were down on the floor with Bill's pups, quietly showing them creative things to do with a set of blocks that Samantha kept in her house just for them.

Tristan and Gweniviere sat quietly apart while the others tried to keep themselves occupied as they waited. Pockets put away the Okami contract that he had been studying once again, and sauntered over to the immense black Silloni.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said with a slight bow to Gwen, and then to Tristan, "May I ask you something?"

The male unicorn gave the raccoon a friendly smile and answered in a deep voice. "Something bothering you, son?"

"Yes, sir. I can't seem to wrap my brain around the fact that you are here, today, when you should still be a couple months distant out in space. Could you please enlighten me how this can be?"

"I do not believe it has started raining yet," Gweniviere mused, tilting her head slightly to listen toward a nearby window.

Tristan took up her cue and nodded toward her.  "If my lovely wife will excuse us, let us take a walk outside, Mister Porter."

"Of course," Gwen replied.

"Uh, sure," Pockets replied.  Being the smallest person on board the Blue Horizon, he was used to everyone else towering over him, but beside the massive form of Tristan, he felt positively miniscule. The Silloni stood up beside him and motioned Pockets to follow him to the front door.   Renny looked up curiously, but since they did not appear to be in distress or in a hurry, he returned his attention to the magazine in his lap.

Out on the front porch, Tristan motioned to a pair of rustic iron benches beneath a large tree in the yard.  Once they had settled in, Pockets looked expectantly toward the large unicorn.

Tristan leaned forward, resting elbows on his knees and focused his deep brown eyes upon the raccoon. "I did not want to say anything in front of the others," he said, "but to the engineer of the Blue Horizon who discovered the key to decrypting priceless data, I will divulge the information you wish to know. However, I must insist that you keep what I tell you in strict confidence."  Pockets swallowed with a nod, but kept his tongue.

"Thanks to your discovery," Tristan began, "a team of scientists on Silloni began poring over Natasha Khasho's lost technology.  Despite that she was branded a pirate, the genius of she and her people cannot be denied. There were plans to many inventions created under her guidance that would be a boon to the Planetary Alignment, while there were others which would be of interest to only but a few. Be that as it may, the crowning jewel of her technology is the Particle Vault system that was often of interest to public fancy."

"She gave me encrypted plans for a small version for use on a vessel the size of the Horizon," Pockets replied with the crook of a smile, "but I was not able to read them until the key was discovered." He was unsure how much of his experimentation he should reveal to the Silloni Master, so he said nothing about the working system currently integrated into his ship's engine.

Tristan nodded. "With the data at hand, our current Regent, Master Ritchka, prompted me to assemble a team to develop the technology into a prototype combination LightDrive and Particle Vault engine. Unfortunately, time was short and we had to begin our voyage here to Dennier to make it in time for our Samantha's wedding. Rigorous development on the new system continued in my absence and a deep space probe was used for initial testing, although it met with some mishaps. When the system was stabilized and coupled with a high-tech astrogation computer, two prototype production models were completed just prior to our return home."

Pockets held his breath, instinctively riveted to his seat. "The smaller of the two systems," Tristan continued, "was installed into a standard Hoshi-class cruiser, a type common to Sillon. I met with Master Ritchka in conference about it for several days when I received word of Samantha's pregnancy. Although a couple of short test runs had been made within our star system, it had not yet been tested at greater distances. I volunteered to command two small crews to make Vault jumps within the Planetary Alignment in a series of tests.  As with all new propulsion systems, there is always a risk, but we felt confident that Captain Khasho's technology could be combined with standard LightDrive systems. If our flights were deemed successful, the Regent would consider production of the LightDrive/Particle Vault engines into Silloni-made starships that will be sold throughout the PA."

Pockets grinned widely. "Who better to release Natasha's secret technology to the public than the Silloni, who are so far from the rest of the Planetary Alignment that research into making faster long-distance travel possible would be expected?"

"That is essentially correct. Of course, word of the technology's origin would have to be kept a close secret. To the galaxy at large, there are no connections between Captain Khasho and Sillon, so this will be viewed as the result of independent research, not the exploitation of lost knowledge. To this end, we are calling the new engines the Hyld, a Hyper-LightDrive system."

"So that's how you were able to make the return voyage from Sillon to Dennier so quickly," Pockets said excitedly. "Did you have any problems with braking in time?" he asked. "We overshot our destination when our own tests with Natasha's Vault technology proved a little…"  he trailed off at the expression on Tristan's face.

Oops…   Realizing that the unicorn had trusted him with a Silloni state secret, Pockets now felt obligated to relate his own story of experimentation in return. He had to think fast, however, as he was still sworn not to divulge the existence of Se'rei and its inhabitants, but he could tell Tristan about the test of his home-made Particle Vault system.

Taro looked at Merlin with pleading eyes and dutifully waited for him to begin. The grey wolf knew the internal struggle his longtime friend must be feeling, but he was not quite ready to jump into the heart of the matter head first. Instead, he put his arms up on the railing behind him and tried to appear relaxed.

"You seem to have had a plate full of adventures lately," he said in a casual tone.

"Yeah, but no more than usual for the Blue Horizon," Taro replied, feeling anything but relaxed herself. "Why is it that a common freighter such as ours always seems to attract attention? Why couldn't our business be mundane?"

Merlin laughed. "That's because our crews have been anything but mundane, Taro. You've seen the characters we've always had on board. Have we ever had anyone in the crew that could be called ordinary?"

Taro was unable to keep a smirk from creeping across her lips. It was not long ago that she felt Amanda Black was as ordinary as they come and Merlin's comment recalled that sentiment. She could not bring herself to voice the opinion, however.

"Still," he continued, taking her silence as a negative, "you have to admit that we've had a good bunch since the beginning."

Taro tilted her head. "Are you including Connie Davies?" she asked, remembering the crew portrait inside the house.  The wolf's ears laid back at the mention of the human's name, but the dark look in his eyes was there only an instant and vanished just as quickly.

"Connie was an exception," he said in a flat tone. "I learned from my experience with her and counted that as a lesson in trust. You can never be sure of anyone's background."

"Don't I know it," Taro muttered. "Imagine my shock when I discovered that Damien was on the run for the deaths of two children."

Merlin nodded. "Connie was the only bad egg I had in my first crew, so perhaps Damien was yours.  Everyone else you hire from here on out should be just as eccentric as the rest of us!"

The vixen gave him a smirk. She did not realize it, but she was beginning to relax a little from their conversation. "Yeah, well that's going to have to be one of my next priorities. While the Horizon is being repaired," she said with a sidelong glance at him, "I will need to hire a new load master to fill the vacancy."

"So the fiasco with Damien is not duplicated, I'm going to have the SPF do extensive background checks on all applicants," Merlin replied, purposely ignoring her attempts to fish for information on repairs to the ship. “I want to know the next person is clean.”

Merlin looked up at a flash in the clouds and then listened for the rolling thunder that rumbled a heartbeat later. A few spatters of rain began to patter the top of the gazebo, so Merlin stood up and motioned for Taro to follow him. The wolf darted out into the rain, weaving back and forth across the grass.

"Quick! Between the drops!" he quipped with a grin. Taro followed him, trotting across the lawn to the large barn up near the house; he tapped in a passcode set into the side door and opened it. They darted inside, barely wet from the raindrops, just as the sky opened up. Merlin shut the door on the downpour and flicked on the overhead lights.

Taro looked out into the barn and whistled at the sight before her. A sleek personal star cruiser with gleaming red and black paint occupied most of the large building. The Starwolf-class vessel was small enough that it could be flown across the planet and land without a spaceport launching pad, yet it also had long-range capabilities for interplanetary travel. It could sleep up to three, but only required a single operator to fly it. Its sleek sport design was of a type popular across the Planetary Alignment, and its atmospheric wings were currently retracted within the fuselage for storage. Taro knew he had purchased it as a company ship, but this was the first time she had seen it.  The name Christopher Watson was painted in a stylized script beneath the Bridge window panels across the nose, its registry number below it.

Parked beside the cruiser was the long passenger van that Merlin had rented to pick up her crew from the spaceport. Next to the van were two smaller vehicles that Taro guessed were Merlin and Samantha's personal transports. Along the side wall next to a small motorboat laden with fishing poles were a riding lawn mower and a tool board equipped with numerous yard instruments. Beside the door they had entered through was a large workbench fully stocked with hand and power tools.

"This way," Merlin told her.  She followed the wolf under the tail of the Starwolf to a small cubicle in a back corner next to shelves of assorted odds and ends. Inside the enclosed cubicle were three chairs, a computer desk and a cot. Merlin sat behind the desk and Taro dropped into a chair in the corner after first removing some maintenance manuals.

"Is this the doghouse where Samantha sends you when you've been bad?" Taro teased.

Merlin grinned. "No, but I may use it as an escape as the pups grow and I need a moment of peace."

Taro chuckled, but then looked up at a sound. The storm outside moved in full force; winds shook the building and the lights flickered briefly when a loud crack was instantly followed by a rattling boom. A bolt of lightning had struck something just outside the structure, causing the vixen's ears to flatten back against her head.

She looked back at Merlin's wide eyes that looked comical above a silly grin. "What?" she asked with a lopsided smile.

"I love these storms," the wolf admitted, "but I wouldn't be surprised if Renny was clinging to the ceiling rafters about now!"

"You're mean!" Taro rebuked with a grin of her own.  The storm raged on, but the barn had been constructed to withstand the frequent gales that blew in off the sea. Merlin merely winked at her and kicked his boots off onto the rug beneath his desk.

The pair of them sat for several moments, doing nothing more than listening to the wind, rain and thunder. After a while, Taro grew used to the storm and visibly relaxed. She was not frightened by the tempest, but she held a healthy respect for what a storm of this violence was capable of doing. It might be a while before they could brave the weather to get back to the main house, so she settled in to her chair and looked over at the wolf. 

It was the first time she had been alone with her former captain in what seemed like ages, and a memory jumped to the forefront of her mind. "Since we're alone and away from potential ears," she said to him, "I just remembered there was something I needed to tell you in private."

Merlin merely looked at her curiously and gestured that she should continue. "Do you remember Rex Concolar, that cougar we took on as a passenger to Kantus not long ago?"

The wolf twitched an ear and nodded. "He's contacted the home office at least once a week since then, wanting to know if you've found his lottery ticket yet. At first, he was angry and belligerent, accusing us of stealing his millions, but then he became apologetic after hiring a private investigator to check into our company finances. When we had no sudden rise in income, and the lottery office had no takers to claim the prize, he finally decided we hadn't cashed it in. Please tell me you found his ticket."

"No such luck," Taro told him. "Sorry."

"Okay, so what else should I know about him if you needed to talk to me in private?"

The vixen shook her head, causing the blue-tipped white feather by her right ear to flutter beside her. "Nothing about him, but I wanted to give you some details about that particular voyage."

"Go ahead."

Hesitantly, she told him about Pockets and Justy's experimental Particle Vault system, how the engineer had implored her to let him test it, and her own weakness to grant him permission. Merlin listened quietly, neither voicing comments nor displaying body language to display his thoughts. Encouraged that he did not appear upset, Taro went on to describe over-shooting their goal and winding up far beyond the boundaries of the Planetary Alignment.

He seemed genuinely intrigued with the lapin race on Se'rei and the fortuitous meeting with Calissa, but when Taro related the assistance that Captain Khasho's former engineer gave with the Vault system, he suddenly appeared as if he could not keep still. Taro finished up her tale and folded her hands in her lap, silently awaiting a reprimand.

Merlin leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" he asked. "That was months ago."

"I was paranoid,” Taro replied. “I was afraid of releasing that kind of information over an open channel that could easily be intercepted. The whole PA has been searching for Natasha’s secrets. If word got out that we had a working Vault unit on our ship, who knows what kind of attention would be drawn to us.” The vixen wrung her hands and took a slow, deep breath. “Besides, I promised Calissa that I would not tell anyone about the existence of Se’rei, with or without news of the Vault. I’m sure that once word of another lost colony of Kantus got back to the scientific communities of the PA, it would be swarmed over with explorers and exploiters.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Merlin agreed. “They’ll be discovered, eventually, but there’s no need to speed up the process.”

“Despite our problems, Pockets is convinced his Vault system is usable, but we would need to upgrade our astrogation computer to a more sensitive unit in order for it to be of any real use. The cost of repairs to the Blue Horizon fairly eliminates any possibility of that, so I’m afraid he’ll have to forget about it for now.  I don’t even want to think about the legal ramifications, either. Every world in the PA would demand we turn over Natasha’s plans to them.”

“I’m impressed that you’ve thought all this through so thoroughly,” Merlin told her. “You have a good head on your shoulders, Taro. I think you’ve made a fine captain.”

The vixen beamed at his praise. “Thank you, Merlin,” she said with a tight throat. “Coming from you, that means a lot to me. I – I don’t think I’ve really done that great of a job, through.”

“Nonsense. No command is easy, even for a mere freighter,” Merlin assured her with a friendly smile. “Space presents so many variables that you can never predict what’s going to happen from one day to the next, so you must always be on the alert. I will say it again, because I believe it.  You have done a fine job, Taro.”

“Thank you.”

Another close lightning strike boomed and reverberated off the sides of the building; the wind and hard rain did not sound as if they would let up any time soon. To give her time to swallow her embarrassment at Merlin’s praise, Taro got up to her feet and peered from the cubicle out into the barn.

Behind her, the grey wolf mulled over his thoughts, but his eyes never left the vixen. She held herself well, even relaxed against the door frame looking out away from their conversation. Many things had happened behind the scenes at the home office that she was unaware of, and he felt the lull in their conversation might be a good time to reveal them.

“Taro,” he said in a calm voice. He had spoken quietly, but loud enough to be heard over the din of the storm outside.  The vixen looked over her shoulder at him, and he motioned back toward the chair she had occupied.

She sat down, but before Merlin had a chance to say anything more, she held his gaze and said, “I know you’ve been occupied with the birth of your pups, but I think we need to make plans to get the Horizon repaired and back in business as soon as possible. We don’t want to lose any more customers by—”

Merlin shook his head. “Taro, I don’t know how to tell you this other than outright, but I don’t intend to have your ship repaired.”

“What?” Taro exclaimed.

“I’m going to decommission her, probably early next week. Now, before you—“

“Merlin,” Taro gasped with wide eyes, “the Horizon is only three years old! Surely the jobs we lost didn’t amount to the cost of our ship?!”

“Taro…”

“I knew we were getting canned!” she spat in anger.

“Taro, calm down,” Merlin said patiently. “That’s not the end of the story.”

The Hestran fox snorted, crossed her arms, and then glared at the wolf. It was a confrontational stare that would normally have garnered Merlin’s wrath, but her emotions were in such a state of flux that she tensed her Hestran muscles and silently dared the wolf to come at her for it.

Instead, Merlin leaned back in his chair and looked at her with compassion. “Just as my original ship was damaged and replaced by another, so is yours, Captain.”

That took the vixen off guard. She was not sure she had heard him correctly. “What did you say?”

“That’s right, your ship is being replaced by a new freighter.”

Taro blinked rapidly and swallowed. “But… the new Okami models aren’t due to be released for another couple years,” she said. "I remember Patch once saying each new model is produced every five years."

Knowing he finally had her attention, the wolf explained. “The new ship is not an Okami freighter, but a —“

“Is it one of the new Prime-class cargo haulers from Earth?” Taro interrupted. She had seen the ads on the StellarNet channels, as well as in some magazines, but had not really given them much thought. What she did remember of them, however, the ads seemed to be promising the advancement of interstellar travel with a new type of LightDrive engine.

Merlin shook his head, but smiled at her renewed interest. “No, this is a brand new design from Sillon. Your new Kirin-class freighter resulted from the cooperative efforts of Silloni and Ryujin engineers, and Tristan has delivered it here to us.”

Taro mused. “Isn’t a kirin some kind of unicorn-dragon mix from mythology?”

Merlin grinned. “Yes, I think so. That would be fitting, wouldn’t it?”

“How long have they been on the market?”

“Here’s where it gets interesting, Taro. The new freighter is the prototype of the new Kirin-class of freighter. You’ll be flying the first one built, but that’s not all.  Tristan’s original plan was for Blue Horizon Freight Transfer to test it for the Silloni government as another ship in our fleet. However, since the damage to the Horizon is so extensive, the new Kirin is going to replace her.  You see, Taro – no one will be losing his or her job.”

“This…  is the reason for the recall?” the vixen asked. “You must have been planning this for some time.”

“Months, actually,” Merlin admitted.  “The design has been in development for the past couple years, but recent advancements in technology altered its final configuration and Tristan’s people were most anxious that we be the ones to test it for them.”

“Why? Is it because of Samantha's ties to Master Tristan?"

"Partially, but the Silloni representative said it's primarily because of our help a few years ago when that star between here and there went nova, cutting them off from the rest of the PA."

Taro sat back in her seat, amazed at the turn of events. Merlin opened a folder on the desk and pulled out several large photographs. He set them on the desktop in front of the vixen. "The Kirin holds roughly the same amount of cargo as your H-model Okami, but as you can see, it's no longer a flying saucer. It's longer, more slender, though not as tall as the other ship."

Taro studied the pictures. The vessel was royal blue with a pair of double white stripes running along its sides from bow to stern. Instead of one large cargo bay door, there were two of them side by side on the port side of the ship. It had two airlock hatches, one on the port and the other on the starboard. Something like this would have eliminated a lot of headache on our last voyage, she thought to herself. Thick polarized glassteel windows dotted the upper deck on both sides.

The photos did not depict the interior of the vessel, but from first glance, she guessed there were only two decks, rather than the three of their Okami. The aft section flared out slightly over the engine compartment, but none of the photos focused on the actual propulsion nodules from the rear. Beneath the relatively flat underbelly were caterpillar treads decorating its trio of landing gear, and it was easy to see the rotating mechanism that could turn them for lateral movement once on the ground. The Bridge was located above and just behind a softly rounded nose, and the ship's name and registry number was painted just below the forward windows.

Blue Horizon

PA28080

Taro looked up at the wolf.  "I thought the name of the new ship was the Kirin."

"It was originally, but now that's only the name of the class of vessel. Since it is going to replace the Blue Horizon, I had it registered under the same name.  However, since the new ship is a completely different class, it had to have a different registry number.  PA1138 is going to be retired just as soon as it is decommissioned." Merlin grinned and added, "You didn't think my company flagship should continue to be called the Blue Horizon?"

Taro chuckled. "No, I wasn't thinking," she replied. "You said that we would be testing the prototype for Sillon. How long is this test supposed to last?  Will we get to buy the ship from them after the testing is over, or will we need to turn it back over to them?"

"Testing period is for two years. I know that's a long time to test a freighter, but this one has a special engine and they want to make sure all the bugs are worked out of it before it's released to the public market."

"What's so special about the new engines?"

Merlin leaned forward onto the desk, his eyes practically glowing with excitement. "They have the latest Silloni LightDrive engines, but they have been specially modified into what they're calling a 'Hyld' combination propulsion system."

"Hilde?"

"H-Y-L-D: Hyper-LightDrive. It’s basically a Particle Vault and LightDrive combination." The vixen's eyes went wide, but Merlin continued. "The same decryption that Pockets used to decipher the plans Captain Khasho gave him for your home-made particle vault system on the Horizon was used by the Silloni to translate the chips she stashed in little Tim Mo's endosuit. I had Alex Rogers deliver the chips to Tristan's people for decryption, but they were unsuccessful cracking the code until Pockets stumbled upon the key."

The wolf paused and tilted his head, listening to the unrelenting thunder outside. "Once they discovered what they had, the Silloni immediately began researching how they could use the technology. Although Captain Khasho originally developed the particle vault system, those of us in the know have sworn not to make any association to her with the public, so they are calling it a Hyper-LightDrive instead. Since the Mytha star system is so far from the rest of the PA, no one should question such a world coming up with an interstellar propulsion system designed to travel faster than standard LightDrive technology. To the rest of the galaxy, it will be the Silloni who developed this system."

"I can understand that," Taro said with a nod. "When Pockets begged me to let him install his components, I lectured him on the ramifications if word got out that we had Natasha's technology. If the general knowledge to public mentions nothing of her, it should be safer to release it to the masses with everyone thinking that someone else came up with a similar system as hers."

“Not even Captain Khasho's own people will be aware that she gave away her technology.”

Taro twitched an ear. “Wasn’t Master Tristan’s daughter a member of Natasha’s crew for a while? I’m sure she knows of the Hyld’s origin.”

Merlin shook his head. “Tristan told me that she is unaware of the chips I had delivered to him, and therefore does not know the technology originated with her captain. He confessed that he purposely left her out of the loop due to her association with the Pirate Queen. After all, Laura did run away from home to join up with pirates. Although he is happy she has returned, he does not know how strongly her loyalty to Captain Khasho’s people might be. As far as she and her surviving crewmates are concerned, the Silloni had done research along similar lines as Natasha had.”

“What is she doing now?” Taro asked.

“She joined up with the Silloni Spatial Forces after spending some time as a counselor for disabled children. She wanted to go out into space before, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Fearing she might do it again, Tristan and Gweniviere have given their blessing for her enlistment.”

Rumbles of the storm continued, but the thunder seemed to be moving on. Hard rain now fell without so much wind, though it still sounded as if there were a water fall overhead. Merlin checked his watch and discovered they had not been out in the barn as long as he thought they had.  He settled back into his chair and put his bare feet up on the desk.  Taro resisted the urge to reach out and tickle his toes briefly and settled on fingering her ornamental feather instead.

“The Silloni have built two versions of the Hyld for testing,” the wolf continued. “The smaller of the two was installed in a light cruiser common to Sillon that Tristan is now personally testing, and they are currently installing the same engine in another vessel to be tested by the Spatial Police Force. The larger version was installed into their new Kirin prototype. The LightDrive part of the system by itself is faster than standard LD engines currently in use throughout the Planetary Alignment, and there are already plans to include them in all new Silloni-built spacecraft. Your ship, however, will be the only freighter in the galaxy equipped with a Hyper-LightDrive.”

“How are we going to keep something like this a secret?” Taro asked. “Giving it a fancy new name isn’t going to shield what it can do from the rest of the PA once we start making fast trips around the cosmos.”

“There won’t be any need to be secretive,” Merlin replied. “Tristan will be releasing an article to select scientific journals concerning the Hyld system, with a cover story that since the Blue Horizon rushed to the planet Sillon’s aid when the rest of the PA had written them off, our company was selected to help Sillon test its new prototype over a two-year period. Until the testing period has been completed and all bugs are worked out of the system to ensure that it is safe before releasing it commercially, there will be no further release of the technology beyond the two vessels. This is standard research and development into any new technology. The Kirin-class freighter itself had already been in development by the Silloni before Pockets discovered Captain Khasho's information; it was just about ready to be released on the market with standard LightDrive engines anyway, and would have undergone a similar period of testing before being released to the public.”

“Merlin, all this sounds great, but you must know that we’ll be under close scrutiny by the rest of the Planetary Alignment for those two years,” Taro pointed out. “Everyone will want to get a closer look at the engine system and will likely try to come up with all kinds of ways to get inside. The scientific community will be drooling to see how it works, our competitors in shipping will be jealous of our ability to delivery goods faster than they can, and I’m sure that pirates and other dishonorable organizations will want to possess the technology for their own purposes. Are we going to be able to defend ourselves from everyone?”

“At my request, the Kirin is equipped with similar combat weaponry that your ship has now. The engine room has an encrypted biometric door lock to prevent outsiders like Ms. Bennington from doing damage or trying to steal the technology, and any passengers will be limited strictly to the upper crew deck. All visitors will be forbidden under all circumstances from entering the engine room, as will most of the crew.”

Taro furrowed her brow at that last statement but Merlin continued without noticing her expression. “Pockets and Max will have to enter the encryption with a bioscan of their hand each time they enter or exit the Hyld compartment. As commander and first officer, of course, you and Renny will also have your hand scans encrypted to enter, but I do not want anyone else entered into the biometrics, no matter how much you think the others can be trusted. This is simply a measure of extra security that I agreed to make on behalf of the Silloni government.”

Taro nodded with a frown. “This is sure to give our company an edge over our competitors. We will have to be on constant alert against sabotage or other attacks like the one that nearly cost us Renny’s life. What about the Hidalgo Sun and the Mooncrest?”

“The Kirin is the only Hyld-equipped freighter Sillon has produced, and until our two-year test period has expired, your sister ships will continue operating normally using standard LightDrive engines. Since we’re not making any PA-wide announcements that we’ve got this system, it may take a while before news of our capability is spread word-of-mouth to the public.”

“Won’t that work against us?” the vixen wanted to know. “As a business out to make a profit, aren’t we supposed to advertise our capability to get things delivered faster?”