he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
Anya sat on the edge of the tub as Kate relaxed in the hot water. Kate opened one eye and looked up.
"What?" She asked
"I love watching you Kate, especially when you give into your hedonistic nature." Anya responded. "Do you want to tell me what had you tied up in knots when you returned from Kacey's. Did the two of you have another argument?"
"No, no argument. She knows." Kate stated.
"What exactly does Kacey know?"
"She knows about not being unable to conceive or carry a child to term."
"Did you tell her that you already knew?"
"Are you kidding me? There was no way in Hell that I was going to admit that mom had confided in us years ago. If she were to find out we have known for years and kept it secret, she would... I do not know or want to even think how mad she would be with all of us."
"This could get very tricky."
"Tricky? Anya this has the capability of being catastrophic. Do you remember how angry mom was when she found out Kacey and I kept secrets from her when we were younger?" Anya nodded. "Well now imagine what Kacey's reaction will be when she realizes that not only mom kept this secret and that we were part of it."
"Do you know if she is planning on talking to Patricia?"
"I think so."
"She needs to be warned then."
"I will talk to her before I report to the Bridge in the morning."
"Now you finish up here while I get the girls to bed, then I will come back and give you a nice back rub."
"That sounds heavenly darling."
"Then you have ten minutes." Anya stated. She stood up and kissed the top of Kate's head before she went into the living room. Kate closed her eyes. She heard Anya say, "Time for bed girls. Put your game away."
"Yes mama." Erica stated.
"Can we go say good night to mummy?" Erin asked.
"I believe she would like that very much."
The girls picked up the game they were playing and went to see Kate. "Mama said we could come in and say good night."
"I am glad you did." The girls leaned down and kissed Kate's cheek. "Good night my darlings. Sweet dreams."
The girls left the bathroom and went into their bedroom where Anya waited for them. They climbed into their beds. Anya pulled the blankets up and kissed each girl before she turned out the light and left their bedroom, pulling the door partially closed on her way out. She checked the lotion that she heated and waited for Kate.
Kate shut off the whirlpool and drained the tub. Stepping onto the mat she wrapped the large bath sheet around her body. She quickly dried herself off and pulled on her pajama bottoms after cleaning the tub. Carrying the top she walked into the bedroom where Anya had already turned down the bed. Kate laid face down on the mattress and cradled her head on her arms. Anya straddled Kate's hips. She poured a generous amount of the warmed lotion into the palm of her hand and rubbed her hands together before she began to massage Kate's back Kate moaned in pleasure as Anya's strong hands worked at the knots of tension in her shoulders and back.
"Anya what are we going to do? When she confronts mom about what we all hid from her all for all those years. She will be furious and never forgive mom or us for that matter."
Patricia should have told her, I hope she knew what she was doing when she kept silent all these years. Do you think Liam knows?"
"I think so. He must. She would never keep something like this from him."
"The only thing we can do is wait and help them when the blow up comes. Then again Kacey may surprise us and not react the way we expect her to. Natalia has tempered her."
"This is Kacey we are talking about. Oh right there darling." Kate groaned. "So we should..."
"Lay it down for tonight, my Kate."
"We do nothing?"
"Shh. Just concentrate on how good this back rub feels and relax."
"It does feel exquisite." Anya felt Kate relax under her hands.
"Relax my Kate. Just relax." Anya spoke softly and watched Kate's eyes close. "That's it Kate, relax."
The slow steady breathing told Anya that Kate had fallen asleep. Anya kept up the massage as Kate fell deeper and deeper asleep. She slowed her motions and stopped. Anya climbed off the bed and pulled the covers up. She put away the lotion and turned the heater off before she went into the bathroom to change for bed.
Anya laid down next to Kate and opened the book she was reading. Kate turned toward her and snuggled into Anya's side. Anya put her arm around Kate and pulled her close.
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Kacey lay still in the hour just before dawn. Her eyes staring out at the passing stars outside their bedroom windows. Her mind in turmoil. She slowly extricated herself from under Natalia's arm that lay across her stomach. Without turning on the light, she grabbed her sleep clothes and went into the living room, closing their bedroom door before she turned on the light. She went into the nursery where she stood and watched their sleeping children. She pulled the blankets up and kiss each little head. Kacey sat in one of the rocking chairs to keep watch over them.
Natalia watched her from the doorway before she walked into the nursery. "Did they wake up" She asked softly.
"No, they are sleeping the sleep of the pure and innocent. Why are you not doing the same?"
"The better question is why are you not sleeping?"
"I woke up and could not shut my mind off."
"Want to share your thoughts?" Natalia asked sitting on Kacey's lap.
"I was thinking about earlier. I think Kate already knew about my problem."
"Why do you think that?"
"She was not the least bit surprised. And if she knows Anya knows also."
"Is that so bad?"
"I do not need or want any pitying looks from them."
"Sweetheart think about this. If what you say is true, there had been no, as you called it, pitying looks from either of them. Why do you think your knowing will change anything."
"I don't know. It is just a feeling."
"I am sorry I brought up this whole having another child." Natalia said as she held up her hand to stop the protest she could see forming. "No sweetheart. If we want to have more children, I am willing to carry them. No matter what our agreement was. Do you really want more children?"
"I would love to have a houseful of children." Kacey stated.
"Then we will. Do you want to wait until we get back to Earth."
"That will make Caitlyn and Patrick three when the new children are born. Will that be all right?"
"What ever you want. We could start the process when we get closer to Earth if you want." Natalia said. "But what I really, really want to do right now is go back to bed until the children wake us up. That is the purpose of taking time off. Where we sleep late, hang out in our pajamas half the day and relax. If you put your mind to it, I bet you could do it."
Kacey laughed. She moved Natalia's arms around her neck. "Hold on sweetheart." Kacey warned as she stood up and carried Natalia out of the nursery and into their bedroom.
Kate strolled into the Mess Hall before beginning her duty shift. Patricia noticed her and poured a cup of coffee that she carried to the family table.
"You do not usually come in before your shift Kate. Is anything wrong?"
Kate sat down and motioned for Patricia to join her. "Kacey knows?"
"When?"
"I think the doctor told her when she went for her yearly exam."
"Why now?"
"They are thinking about having more children. Kacey figured it was her turn and got tested. That is when the doctor told her." Kate stated. "Mom why didn't you tell her when she was younger?"
"At first I told myself that she was to young for that sort of news. Then it looked like she would never settle down. After that I could not find the right words. Then I could not find the right time to tell her. The only reason you and Anya know is because of that day when we helped her move into her dorm and met her roommate. Was she angry?"
"That is hard to say. Usually when she is angry it is easy to see, because of that muscle that jumps in her cheek. Last night it... I do not know for sure."
"Should I go talk to her?"
"My first thought is to say yes, but I am not sure, mom. She is taking a couple days off. I am assuming dad knows also?"
"Yes, I could never have kept something like this from him. I have no idea how many times I blamed myself. Was it something I did wrong when I was expecting her? If I had done things different would this still have happened? All those years ago, I made a decision, which I thought at the time was the right one."
"At that time it was the right decision, but not telling her once she became an adult was wrong."
"Now you know, parents are not perfect. We can make the right decisions for the wrong reasons, and the wrong decisions for the right reasons for our children. The most we can hope for is that someday they will be able to understand and if needed forgive us."
"I understand why, but Kacey may not." Kate finished her coffee. "I have to get to the Bridge. Mom for what it is worth, you were right at that time. I will not interfere when you talk to her. Neither will Anya. We also will not take sides."
Kate left the Mess Hall and headed to the Bridge.
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"Report, Lieutenant Dwyer." Kate stated as she stepped off the lift.
"We had a quiet night, Captain. No problems and we are still cruising at warp seven on course for Athena. We did come across some old propulsion trails, but they were breaking up."
"Thank you Lieutenant. I will take over now."
The Lieutenant vacated the command chair to Kate as the Alpha shift reported for duty. Anya took her place behind the Navigator console. She plotted their course.
"Captain we will arrive at Athena in approximately seven days at our current speed."
"A week? We really are making good time. I thought we were not supposed to arrive for another three weeks? How did we managed to be almost two weeks ahead of schedule?"
"Exceptional navigation." Anya joked. The Bridge crew laughed.
"Not to mention fantastic and brilliant piloting." Rich added.
"Seriously people. How did we get so far ahead?"
"I was being semi serious. The new star charts that were upgraded on Gellary, helped show the best course."
"In that case we will be able to spend more time on Athena."
"Captain is it true that we will be able to watch the third Star Traveler lift off?"
"Yes. We originally aimed for landing on the thirtieth of June, but the Joint Chiefs asked us to hold off until the fourth of July instead. That will make our journey exactly four years."
"It has been an amazing journey, Captain."
"That it has Rich, and it is not over yet. We will extend our stay on Athena and really look around. We are after all explorers."
"It has been completely mapped so we have a fairly accurate picture of the planetoid." Anya stated.
"Will there be any chance of breaking out the survival huts and having a real shore leave?" Rich asked.
"We can discuss that at our next staff meeting." Kate stated. "How many ships are out right now?"
"There are twelve. Kacey increased the number to make up for only having one shuttle out at this time." Rhea reported.
"It is still hard to believe that she voluntarily took time off. I keep thinking it is all a dream." Kate joked.
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Kacey and Natalia brought the children into the Mess Hall for lunch. Patricia smiled when she saw the children. It faded when her eyes met Kacey's. A nudge from Natalia who whispered into her ear and made her give Patricia a half smile. They sat at the family table where Kate and Anya already sat and programmed their choices into the menu.
"I did not think I would see either of you for a couple days." Kate joked.
"Kate, do not start." Anya ordered.
"That is all right Anya, she has to get her jollies somewhere. She is just trying to make us blush, but it does not work anymore." Kacey stated.
"Is that a challenge little sister?"
"Oh no." Anya and Natalia stated together.
"Give it your best shot Kate."
"All right, both of you. Stop now before you start arguing." Anya told them.
"How about a change of subject?" Kacey asked as the servers brought their lunches.
"Gamma." Patrick shouted and held his hand out to Patricia. She picked him up.
"Hey there little man. Are you and Caitlyn being good?"
"Cookies." Caitlyn looked at Patricia.
"Did they have their lunch?"
"They did. We thought we would bring them to Green Haven to play before their naps. They can have cookies." Natalia stated.
Patricia handed them each a cookie. "Enjoy your lunch." She said as she handed Patrick back to Kacey and went back into the kitchen.
"I know you are taking a couple days off, but we have a staff meeting scheduled for tomorrow afternoon fifteen hundred hours. Can you make it?"
Kacey looked at Natalia. "Did we have anything planned?"
"Not a thing." Natalia replied.
"I will be there."
"Good. We are almost two weeks ahead of schedule so we will take extra time on Athena. We can have a proper shore leave. Break out the survival huts. It will be discussed at tomorrow's meeting."
"Shore leave? Does that also include the Captain?"
"Yes and also Colonels."
"Probably not for Colonels."
"Why the Hell not?" Kate asked.
"I only returned to work after being off for two months."
"Kacey that was four months ago. You can take a few days off. We will watch your children." Anya volunteered.
"We will discuss it." Natalia stated. "I think I may be able to talk my warrior into taking at least a night or two away if I make it worth her while."
Kacey cleared her throat. "Do you think I can be bought off that easy?"
Natalia smiled.