Chapter 876: Those Who Carry On

Chapter 876: Those Who Carry On

The forest was quiet, the ferns rustling here and there as broodcarriers moved through them, often with podlings holding on tightly. The trees looked much older than the less-than-a-decade they'd been there.

The Elven Court had done its job well.

In a modest clearing was a single tent in front of a stone circle full of embers and ash, with cut and dried wood across from the tent. There were supplies laid out, small barrels and wooden boxes, all hand-crafted.

Sitting in front of the tent, watching two small children pushing themselves up on their hands and knees before rocking back and forth, was a male and female Terran. The female had long hair in tight braids, dark brown skin, was well muscled, and was only wearing a fur-trimmed leather skirt with hammered copper plates on the pleats. The male was wearing denim pants, a cotton long sleeved shirt, and a leather vest.

Both were watching the babies closely.

One managed to scoot backwards slightly and frowned. It tried again, kicking its feet and pushing with their hands. It managed to scoot back a little ways and ended up on its stomach. It screeched in anger and frustration, laying on the dirt, eyes closed, fists balled, crying.

The other one laid down, rolled onto his side, and started sucking its thumb, eyes closed.

"There they go," the male said.

"It is tiring being that small," the woman smiled.

After a few moments the one on its stomach dozed off and the woman leaned her head against the man's shoulder.

"It is that time," the female said.

The male sat silently for a long time.

"Your paperwork is over. You are not longer property of the Confederacy. You can now live as a free man," she continued after the long moment ended. "The Digital Omnimessiah restored your flesh. I have taught you live in it again."

"That you have," the male chuckled. He brushed his bangs out of his face. "I need to cut this."

"Let it grow out," the woman said. She got up slowly, moving over and picking up a blanket. "As with your beard, let the your hair grow out and I will braid and style it."

The man chuckled.

The woman gathered up the baby with the blanket, then moved over and set the sleeping baby down. Its foot was kicking slightly even as it frowned.

"She dreams she is still learning to crawl," the woman smiled. She moved over and picked up the boy. She set the boy down behind the girl and the baby boy put his arm around his sister and pulled her close. "He loves his sister."

The man nodded as the woman covered them up and put them in the tent. She pulled a scabbard out, pulling the belt over her head, letting the sword sit on her back as she moved over and sat on one of the logs.

"I dreamed dream-walker dreams the last few nights," the woman said. She pulled the sword off her back and leaned it against the log she was sitting on.

"You said that last night," the man said.

The woman picked up a leather bodice with engraved copper shoulder plates and began putting it on. The man watched with interest and the woman winked at him, jiggling her prominent chest before pulling the armored cups of the bodice up over them.

She pulled on thigh high boots, lacing them up slowly, kicking her heels against the ground, then tightening them again. She stood up and stomped her feet for a minute then adjusted the boots again before sitting down. She put on forearm and biceps guards, tightening the belts after flexing her muscles slightly.

The whole time, the male just watched, the woman smiling at him now and then.

When she was done, she turned and looked at the man.

"Have you decided?" she asked.

The man nodded. "Yeah. I'm coming with you."

"Why? I am interested in your reasonings," the woman asked.

The man shrugged. "Our people are nearly extinct. You, and the babies, are the only humans I know that survived," he said. "The Confederacy

The woman made a face like she'd bitten a lemon.

"put me out because I was a SUDS malfunction double and the other me, who had been running around for like three years, was killed during the Terran Xenocide Event. They're not sure what to do, so they let me go," the man said.

The woman smiled. "You are a real man. Your own man. You assaulted the World Engine of Heaven with me."

Each was carrying a baby with brown skin that were looking around.

He looked at their ID, which was so new he could feel the warmth of the lamination machine and almost smell the fresh ink.

Truxal checked the ID's, checked their paperwork, checked their destination.

"Anything to declare?" Truxal asked.

"Nanite infused melee weapons and nanite infused archaic armor in carryon," the woman smiled.

Truxal checked. They were listed as Class IX (out of 1-10) melee weapons and Class VI personal protective gears. All with Class IX nanite infusion. They were 'locked out' but the two in front of them could undo the lockout.

Truxal double-checked the transport that the two were taking to make sure the crew new. He pinged the Captain real quick, got confirmation that the Captain knew about the weapons and armor, and nodded.

The whole time one of the infant lemurs stared at him.

"You're clear," Truxal said.

He looked down at the destination.

"That's a dead world. Shade infestation that wiped everyone out," Truxal warned them.

The woman nodded, smiling.

"We are aware. Thank you for the warning, public servant," the woman said.

"Appreciate it," the male said.

Truxal stamped the female's passport, then the male's. He handed them back.

"Thank you for visiting the Telkan System. Enjoy your travel," Truxal said.

The male and female Terran both nodded. The infant lemur that was awake gave a toothless happy innocent smile as the pair walked away.

-----

Captain Kent Kalkitikak met his two passengers on the bridge.

The female was large, muscular, tall, with a predator's stare and a warm smile. The male was even larger, more heavily muscled, with almost a lazy way of moving and a slightly bored expression.

Both were dressed in archaic armor, both with swords on their backs, daggers on their belts and in their boots. They had harnesses on that let a small Terran infant recline by their sides.

"No resume?" Captain Kent asked.

Both shook their heads.

"Non-rebuilt reroll," the woman said.

Captain Kent nodded. "You have experience fighting shades?"

They both nodded.

The woman smiled. "We have quite a bit of experience recently. We will be happy to help defend the ship if we are boarded in Ghostspace."

Captain Kent nodded again. He moved a few icons on his black and red GUI.

"Glad to have you," Captain Kent said. He checked his GUI. "We'll be jumping to Ghostspace within the hour. We'll be at our destination in two weeks."

Both Terrans smiled.

"Welcome aboard," Captain Kent said.

Both babies smiled.