Chapter 11
Two hundred years later.
Slowly the great hall was quieting down. The chairwoman of the committee slowly let her eyes drift through the hall again, stopping when she came to a specific table. The table itself was just as ordinary as all the other ones in the hall. But what made the table so special were the people sitting at it. The General Supreme of the Danfi sitting beside the General Supreme of the Humans. But that had been common for a long, long time. No, what was so special, some would say ironically funny, was that the General Supreme of the Danfi was a Human, and the General Supreme of the Humans, was a Danfi. Also sitting at the table, were the Presidents of the Danfi and the Humans with their partners.
"Friends," The chairwoman said. "Once again the time has come. Another year has passed and the feast of the merging is upon us. But as it should be, before the week of feasting, there first is the day of reckoning. Today we will look back at the things that happened in the last year. Later I will tell in detail about the fact that in the last year alone we explored more than one thousand planets, of which a little more than three hundred were inhabited. According to the rules these three hundred planets have been divided into five classes.
Ninety-eight planets joined the Coalition. Forty-three planets didn't fulfill the recruitments of joining and as I speak we're helping them evolve to the point where they can join the Coalition. Sixty-seven are so under evolved that we would harm them if we tried to evolve them to our standard. These planets have been left alone and are now guarded against foreign forces because they're within coalition space. Once they've evolved enough we'll contact them and they are free to choose if they want to join us. There were eighty-nine planets who did not want to join the Coalition, but do want to sustain friendly relationships with us. Once again according to the rules embassies have been opened on both sides. Fifty of them have agreed to free travel and trade. And they've also let it be known that they might decide to join at a later time. We would of course welcome this at that point.
There are three planets who turned out to be downright hostile towards us and who were threatening us with a war, even after we explained to them that joining was voluntary and that we would leave them alone if they preferred that. All three of them started to mobilize their war industries. All three of them were dealt with according to the Alenador method. Only after that did they see the error of their ways and agreed to us monitoring them passively from space. As the rules of the Alenador method dictates, we sent in five percent of our hybrid Fighters, or to use their old name, Danfi/Union Fighters. We also sent in the battle base Darnador D. As the rules state, an Icoronian elite team of ten showed them that their army didn't even stand a chance against these ten Fighters if they were truly to attack. When then one million of these Fighters, and a battle base bigger than their moon, appeared in their space, they finally decided that stopping their war efforts was a good idea.
Later, after my opening speech I'll tell the full details of all the planets. I'll also mention those who died in service of the Coalition in the last year. But first I have some extremely good news to report. You might already have heard it but let me be the first to mention this officially. One week ago, twin babies were born, the youngest members of a family that is as one with our history."
The chairwoman was interrupted with a wild applause. "A family that made sure that I can now stand here instead of sitting somewhere on a base waiting for an attack. A family that made it possible for me, as a Danfi to go home with my Human wife tonight, a home that is located on Earth. Because today is the day of reckoning, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all what some of the family members have done for us, though I know you really don't need to be reminded because there hasn't been a single person in the entire family who didn't make the welfare of the Coalition its main priority. But keeping the length of my opening statement in mind, I'm only going to mention a few.
First of all there were the architects of the peace that made the Coalition possible. General Supreme Alenador and Captain Jane Darnell, General Latennador and chief DHD Suenador. It were these two couples who brought forth the two branches of the family, which would evolve more and more into two separate, but close families. But also the fifth name out of the famous five, as they are called, will never be forgotten. General Namfos, later six star General Namfos, stayed until her death in the position she loved; being on her base and helping smooth out differences between the Union and the Alliance. Yesterday we started with the construction of a new starbase. This new base won't stay stationary like most, but will go to new territories to host the sensitive first contact negotiations General Namfos excelled at. This new base will carry the name of General Namfos and by doing so keep the name in good honor, as it should be.
But I was talking about the two branches of one family. The famous five thought that it would be a century at least before the hatred between the Union and the Alliance would die away. But this was the only thing in which they were wrong. Danfi mentality had made sure that there wasn't any hate on the side of the Alliance. We Danfi were not about to roll over and let people walk all over us, and that's what we had been fighting for all those years. But on the Union side there was hate. But when the Union members started to see that we weren't monsters, and when they saw how we had treated their POWs, the same thing that happened to Captain Jane Darnell slowly started to happen to them. They lost their main reason for continuing the war; the hate.
On the tenth birthday of the last born child and third daughter of Alenador and Jane Darnell, the official border between Union and Alliance space was officially abolished. The five children from Alenador and Jane Darnell, and the three children of Suenador and Latennador all grew up to fulfill important positions. But it was especially Darnador who had the toughest job. She was the one who took the task of changing the Union army to the system used by the Danfi. It was her son who was the first Danfi to reach the rank of general in the Union army. He was also the one who settled on Earth with a Human wife.
He and his wife were the ones who founded the first of the two branches of the family I'm talking about. Since they lived on Earth, their descendants paired off mostly only with Humans. That branch of the family has now reached the point where their descendants nowadays hardly have any Danfi blood left. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
By the time Darnador's son had reached the rank of general, the other children of these two branches of the family also had children of their own. It was the son of the youngest daughter of Alenador and Jane Darnell who became the second Union General Supreme, and thereby the first Danfi to be General Supreme in the Union army. But this was a day Alenador and Jane Darnell would not live to see. A few years after Suenador and Latennador had joined Danfi, so did they.
They joined Danfi, separated by only two hours. When Jane Darnell died at the age of one hundred and nine, she was still in such a health that she could have continued to live for a decade or so. But the death of the love of her life was too much for her. They had never been separated in life, and they were not to be separated in death. It's well known through the official archives how Jane Darnell said goodbye to her children and grandchildren. Telling them, 'My love and I were as one during life, why would this be different when we have to serve Danfi?' Two hours later her body was found beside that of her wife. She didn't commit suicide, as expected at that time; she simply decided to stop living so that she could be with her wife. By her own will, her death ceremony was held in her Danfi name; Darnell, and at the same time as that of her wife.
Over time the two branches of the family kept in close and almost daily contact. As I already said, because of the fact that one of the branches lived on Earth, and one on Danmun, they paired off more and more with people living on those planets until there was once again an almost purely Human blooded side, and an almost purely Danfi blooded side. Over the passing of time, these two branches have brought forth, seventeen elected presidents and six appointed General Supremes. But the most amazing part of the family history was seventy-three years ago. Then something happened that never happened before and will probably never happen again. At that point the two appointed General Supremes and the two elected by the population Presidents were descendants of Alenador and Jane Darnell.
And now, ten generations after the famous five, the two General Supremes are once more from these two branches of the family. Aranador is a descendant from the line of Alenador and Jane Darnell, and Samantha Blake is a descendant from the line of Suenador and Latennador.
Now, the reason why I've been talking about Human blood and Danfi blood. As it should be the General Supreme from the Alliance and the General Supreme from the Union together command the army of the Coalition. In this case Aranador and Samantha Blake. Ever since the first time the Union and Alliance General Supremes worked together, the cooperation of the two had been close, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the generation, but it's always been a good cooperation. With Aranador and Samantha Blake it clicked right away and from the first day of their cooperation they have been very close, and became even closer as they worked together.
Friends, one year ago I stood here and was delighted to be able to tell you that these two extraordinary women had undergone the marriage ceremony. And now I can tell you that just like two centuries ago the Danfi and Human blood has mingled once again. Aranador and Samantha Blake are now the proud parents of a healthy boy and girl. Two children that have all the normal traits of a Danfi/Human child. The eyes of a Danfi, the blood color of a Human, the Human body temperature, the Danfi strength, the Human resilience for foreign diseases, and the Danfi endurance."
Once more the chairwoman had to stop her speech for a loud applause. "Aranador and Samantha Blake have decided on the following names, to remember those who should never be forgotten. The girl will be named Alenador, and the boy will be named Latennador. Because both names already contain the Nador family name, they have also chosen to give their children a second name, to be used as a last name if the children ever desire to do so in the future. These second names will be for both of them the name Blake.
Now, my friends, before I start to truly go into detail about the last year, join me in a moment of silence to honor those who made it possible for us to sit here together in this room instead of being out there in space fighting a senseless war."
The chairwomen lowered her eyes to the table in front of her while everyone else in the room did the same.
The end.
~~~~~~~
Epilogue.
Jane felt arms close around her from behind and smiled.
"Are you spying on our descendants again?" Alenador asked as she peeked over her wife's shoulder into the pond.
"Guilty as charged," Jane admitted as she waved her hand over the water and the scene shifted from the great hall to the nursery that held the latest additions to the family. "I love this little trick to be able to see them."
"I know," Alenador agreed. "As do I. That's one of the reasons that it's one of the powers that Danfi gave to us. And talking about our leader; he's looking for us."
"Really?" Jane asked, turning away from the pool to look at the other half of her soul. "I didn't hear him call."
Alenador shrugged. "It's not a 'right now' situation, so he decided to stick to verbal communication. He has a little job for us."
"Really?" Jane asked again, this time with a broad smile. "I love his little jobs. What is it?"
Alenador kissed those tempting lips that were so close now. "You'll love it. We're going to be mortals again for fifty years or so... well, mostly mortals. We'll keep our powers and memory but we're only allowed to use our powers in case of emergency for the more powerful ones. And tricks like the one you just used we have to do in private only."
"Oh, I'm liking it already. Um, we will be together, right? And we will come back again?"
"Yes to both," Alenador assured. "Don't worry, we already earned our place at Danfi's side. We can come back when we're done and tell our family all about our adventures. Suenador, Latennador and Namfos have a few missions as well. But they'll be in different places so we won't see them until we are all back."
"Great," Jane said happily. "That means centuries of stuff to talk about that doesn't involve people from here. So what are we called for?"
"To be the best of friends. There's this shy young Danfi girl that just entered the academy that has huge potential. Huge, more than I had when I was a young mortal. But she is unsure of herself and messes things up all the time. She only barely passes tests because she's telling herself that she's no good. She needs someone to pull her out of her shell. That urges her to go to parties, to meet people, to have fun. Guess who that will be."
"Oh, I'm going to be the wild one this time? Cool. And you?"
"I'm going to be the responsible one. You and I are going to be lovers so she'll be exposed to both; be responsible, but have fun. Think of others, but don't forget herself. Hey, you wanna know the best?"
"Sure," Jane said before stealing another kiss.
"We're both going to be pilots. You're getting back into a Fighter, my dear."
Jane's eyes lit up. "Oh, tell me, what did I do so right to be rewarded like this?"
Alenador laughed. "You, my dear, did all right centuries ago. Danfi might have placed all the right tools, but you used them. Danfi might have given people the idea of leaving that crystal in his cave, and to use a pedestal, but it was you who grabbed it, and with it the chance to finally unite our people. You're Danfi's favorite pilot for a reason. So don't be too surprised when he gives you the occasional mission that puts you in a Fighter as a mortal. I'm just glad that I can tag along and play in the mortal realm along with you."
Jane nodded solemnly. "Yeah it's such a drag having you around. You're such a spoil sport all the time."
They both laughed. The truth was that Jane was the playful one, the daring one, the one that did things that made people groan in frustration... and love her for it. While Alenador was the mischievous one. The one that came across as serious and thoughtful. That didn't play while on duty. Only so that she could surprise you time and again by mischievous pranks that you were never expecting.
As a couple they were the kind of friends that everyone with a good soul longed to have. And the young shy girl that would get to know them at the academy and would enjoy their friendship for fifty years, that would bloom to become the bringer of many changes that Danfi wanted for his people... For her they would be her best friends in life. Friends that she would loose in a shuttle crash half a century after getting to know them, only to meet them again in Danfi's realm fifty years after that.
"I love the idea of being able to grow old with you again," Jane said with a smile. "We meet her at the academy? So we'll be... what twenty?"
"Honey, she's a young girl. We'll be her age; sixteen."
Jane made a show of opening her eyes wide and forming a huge grin on her face. "Wow, we'll be sixteen and lovers already? Damn, I'll be getting some this time long before I did in my other life."
"Oh, listen to you, will you," Alenador said playfully. "You sound like we made love for the last time when we were mortals instead of only yesterday."
"Yesterday?" Jane repeated as she took one of Alenador's hands and started to pull her along. "Come on."
"Where to?" Alenador asked confused. Or at least, she pretended to be confused; she knew her wife only too well after all.
"To see Danfi so that he can tell us our mission, and I can take you to bed one last time before being mortal again. I like not being limited by stamina."
"I don't know," Alenador disagreed. "I kinda like being able to be worked out by you until we both can't move anymore. Instead of simply stopping because we both had enough."
Jane grinned. "Then there is that. Let's get going. Maybe we get lucky and Danfi changes how we look before we are sent back. That way I can get my hands on your godlike body while you're actually still godlike."
"Eh, immortal isn't godlike," Alenador corrected their old playful argument. "Come on, my blonde non-goddess. Hey, what would you think? You be the redhead this time, and I go for brunette, almost black hair?"
"Deal," Jane agreed. "But only if we go for a height difference this time. You be tall, just in the limit for being a pilot, while I go for small, just tall enough to be a pilot."
Jane nodded as she formed the mental picture. "Oh yeah, I'm loving it already. Me being a small temperamental redhead with a short fuse and a, 'are you looking at me' mentality. While you're my tall, calm, and reasonable lover who's always holding me back from beating the living crap out of people."
Alenador smiled. "Considering that even here you're still practicing your martial arts, it might be a good thing if I actually do hold you back; seeing that you're now so good that you could teach a few things to the teacher who taught your teacher."
Jane shrugged. "So I invented a few moves; it's not like I'm running out of time here."
"A few?" Alenador asked. "Honey, you have more new moves than old ones. Come to think of it, since we are both Danfi living on Danmun... most of the time... why don't you teach your new martial arts style to a few people there?"
Jane stopped walking and asked eagerly, "Do you think Danfi would allow it?"
Alenador thought about that for a moment before saying slowly, "Yeah, I think he might. He's not resolutely set against people that he sends back giving something... improved... to his people, as long as it's not something truly new. Martial arts already exist. People that learn your new style would more than likely have practiced a different style otherwise. It's just that truly new things have to be done by newborn Danfi. Just look at Friolais. When he was sent back the first time he improved the Danfi body armor to the standard they're still using today."
Jane took a moment to picture their friend, who had joined Danfi centuries before Alenador and Jane were born and who they only met once they joined Danfi as well.
Then she corrected, "They are 'mostly' using today. A few changes have been made in the last couple of centuries. But yes, it's basically still the same body armor they had when we were alive. And I see your point. He didn't make the armor stronger or longer-lasting or things like that. But he did improve on the rest like how comfortable it feels or the fact that after he was done you could actually see something through the vision system."
"Well there we go," Alenador said. "That's how we start interacting with our new friend. We see this shy young girl and we assure her that knowing martial arts builds confidence. You train her and because of that we spend time together and a friendship builds. And while you're training I hang around and watch of course. After all, since you and I will be lovers and so young, it will be fully expected for me to hang around you guys and get horny as hell from seeing my girlfriend move in all kinds of sexy ways."
"And this will be different from now... how?" Jane asked amused. "You're even hornier than me. On any given day I just have to wink at you and you ask me 'what position'."
"Funny... but true," Alenador agreed with a sexy grin. "Even after all these years I just can't get enough of you, my love."
Then a thought struck Jane. "Hey, seeing that we're getting new bodies anyways since we can't go running around as look-alikes of the famous Alenador and Jane Darnell, what would you think if, besides what we already just talked about, we are mostly Danfi but with a trace of Terelanian thrown in? Just enough for the beautiful skin and nice body odor."
Alenador pretended to think about it. "I don't know, I kinda like the way you smell when I have you all sweaty."
Jane grinned. "Babe that's love driven liking. I was more thinking about daily life. About walking into our home and thinking 'that smells wonderful' instead of thinking that somebody, who I'll not mention by name, didn't put her stinky clothes into the cleaner unit. Come on, what do you think? Me smelling slightly of strawberries with a hint of cherry and you smelling more like,"
"Lavender," Alenador interrupted. "As you know, ever since I visited Earth for the first time, lavender is my favorite scent... well, not counting a hot and sweaty blonde, soon to be redhead, that I call my wife."
Jane smiled. "Since I also like the smell I would love for you to smell like lavender. But you have to keep in mind that it's a purely Earth smell. So there's no way that a Terelanian could smell like that. Now, if you were to smell like Granias weed with a hint of Plania shrub thrown in, well that would be something different since those are quite common Terelanian scents. And that it smells exactly like lavender... well, you can't help how you were born."
"Oh, I like that idea," Alenador agreed. "Now come on. Let's go see Danfi. Then I can take you to bed for a goodbye romp to this body for the next fifty years. And then we can have a dinner with the family before we go and meet our new friend in our new mortal life and make lots of memories to tell our family about once we're back here."
They started to walk again, this time arm in arm.
"We won't be having any kids this time, will we?" Jane asked.
"No," Alenador said. "Danfi said that we've established our family. This time it'll be just us. It will give us more time with our new friend anyway."
"True," Jane agreed. "Besides, I think I'm in the mood for a mortal life where I don't have to give birth."
"You wuss; you had to go through it only twice, I had to do it three times."
"Twice was more than enough. I'm glad I did it, I love our children, but I never want to do that again. I rather cut one of my arms off."
"Oh no," Alenador disagreed as they walked into one of the buildings. "I like what those arms can do way too much. I love how you...."
The banter back and forth continued and faded away more and more as they walked deeper into the building.
And somewhere on Danmun a young sixteen year old girl was sitting in her room, crying, and praying to Danfi for some guidance in her life. But never in her wildest dreams did she dare to hope that her prayers were being heard and that she was in for one wild and wonderful ride of a life.
End epilogue.
Finished 18 Aug 2003 (first edit)
Finished after having sat on my HD for almost six years: 14 Feb 2009