see
what he would say. She would be staying on Terraneu, with him if he wanted her.
“Ava, how could you doubt that is what I want?” he went to place fleeting
kisses all over her face. “I have been waiting so long to be close to you, to
hear you say that you want to stay here. I was beginning to give up hope.”
Ava grabbed his face between her hands, “I may have to go to Earth on the
next mission to help, but when that is over I will be coming back.”
“You are going to Earth on the next mission?” he didn’t look at all happy
with that statement.
“I might have to go.” Ava
assured him. She was ready to get away from the serious talk about Earth and
back to their closeness from a moment ago. “We can face that when the time
comes. Right now there are more important things to think about.’
“What could possibly be more important? Ava—”
She just raised her eyebrow and lifted her face to place a kiss on his
chin. “You could not possibly—” she placed another kiss on his jawline closer
to his ear. “Putting yourself in danger—” she found the sensitive spot on his
neck and bit softly. “Never mind. You are right…more important things.”
Laughing softly she pulled Knadyn into her arms.
Chapter Eighteen
Her father showed up with a few weeks left before the next portal
activity. Ava had gone into the transport room expecting to see her food and
instead a stranger was standing there. She had been about to ask who he was and
what he wanted, when she noticed his eyes. Well they were her eyes in a way
too, since she had gotten that feature from her father.
“Ohh my…” she was speechless. She had never seen a photograph of him when
he was younger but this was unbelievable. “You look so…great!” She had laughed
and then threw herself into his arms. He did look young…and healthy! Whatever
they had done to him, her father now looked to be in his twenties. His hair
wasn’t as pale as hers, but a more muddy blond color. The lines around his eyes
and mouth were gone. His body was lean and fit. If this was something they were
going to offer the people of Earth, the government faction didn’t have a chance
of holding onto power.
“Thank you my girl.” He kissed her on the cheek and handed her the basket
of food. “This is what the change does. Takes what your genetic blueprint had
planned and makes you the perfect version of it. Kneus did a modified ‘fix’ on
me. I can’t eat solid food anymore, and I won’t live as long as those here on
Terraneu, but it is enough. I have myself back Ava.” He had laughed and pulled
her along out of the teleport dome, “My brain is working like it used to. I don’t
have to search for the right word and I can do the equations in my head. It’s
all back.” He looked at her and his smile was blinding. “Before we get to
Knadyn I have to tell you. They have agreed to have a presence on Earth. The
community voted and the next portal activity their demands will be taken to the
leaders of both the rebels and government leaders. For now, we can keep this
information between the two of us.” He patted her hand excitedly. “Enough about
that stuff, how are you doing?”
“I’m good dad. I have decided to stay on Terraneu.” She led him along the
path to the patio where Knadyn was sitting waiting for her. “Knadyn.” She
called out and he turned toward her with a huge smile on his face, “This is my
dad.” She saw Knadyn start in surprise that they had company, then recovered
and hurried to join them.
“Steve…that is Mr. Howard.” He talk hurriedly in his nervousness, “It is
so nice to finally meet you officially. Ava has told me all about you. Well not
all about you, just the nice things.” Looking horrified he blurted, “Not that
there would be not-nice things. I am sure that—”
“It’s okay to breathe Knadyn. You can call me Steve.” Her father went and
patted him on the back. Then shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet
what he would say. She would be staying on Terraneu, with him if he wanted her.
“Ava, how could you doubt that is what I want?” he went to place fleeting
kisses all over her face. “I have been waiting so long to be close to you, to
hear you say that you want to stay here. I was beginning to give up hope.”
Ava grabbed his face between her hands, “I may have to go to Earth on the
next mission to help, but when that is over I will be coming back.”
“You are going to Earth on the next mission?” he didn’t look at all happy
with that statement.
“I might have to go.” Ava
assured him. She was ready to get away from the serious talk about Earth and
back to their closeness from a moment ago. “We can face that when the time
comes. Right now there are more important things to think about.’
“What could possibly be more important? Ava—”
She just raised her eyebrow and lifted her face to place a kiss on his
chin. “You could not possibly—” she placed another kiss on his jawline closer
to his ear. “Putting yourself in danger—” she found the sensitive spot on his
neck and bit softly. “Never mind. You are right…more important things.”
Laughing softly she pulled Knadyn into her arms.
Chapter Eighteen
Her father showed up with a few weeks left before the next portal
activity. Ava had gone into the transport room expecting to see her food and
instead a stranger was standing there. She had been about to ask who he was and
what he wanted, when she noticed his eyes. Well they were her eyes in a way
too, since she had gotten that feature from her father.
“Ohh my…” she was speechless. She had never seen a photograph of him when
he was younger but this was unbelievable. “You look so…great!” She had laughed
and then threw herself into his arms. He did look young…and healthy! Whatever
they had done to him, her father now looked to be in his twenties. His hair
wasn’t as pale as hers, but a more muddy blond color. The lines around his eyes
and mouth were gone. His body was lean and fit. If this was something they were
going to offer the people of Earth, the government faction didn’t have a chance
of holding onto power.
“Thank you my girl.” He kissed her on the cheek and handed her the basket
of food. “This is what the change does. Takes what your genetic blueprint had
planned and makes you the perfect version of it. Kneus did a modified ‘fix’ on
me. I can’t eat solid food anymore, and I won’t live as long as those here on
Terraneu, but it is enough. I have myself back Ava.” He had laughed and pulled
her along out of the teleport dome, “My brain is working like it used to. I don’t
have to search for the right word and I can do the equations in my head. It’s
all back.” He looked at her and his smile was blinding. “Before we get to
Knadyn I have to tell you. They have agreed to have a presence on Earth. The
community voted and the next portal activity their demands will be taken to the
leaders of both the rebels and government leaders. For now, we can keep this
information between the two of us.” He patted her hand excitedly. “Enough about
that stuff, how are you doing?”
“I’m good dad. I have decided to stay on Terraneu.” She led him along the
path to the patio where Knadyn was sitting waiting for her. “Knadyn.” She
called out and he turned toward her with a huge smile on his face, “This is my
dad.” She saw Knadyn start in surprise that they had company, then recovered
and hurried to join them.
“Steve…that is Mr. Howard.” He talk hurriedly in his nervousness, “It is
so nice to finally meet you officially. Ava has told me all about you. Well not
all about you, just the nice things.” Looking horrified he blurted, “Not that
there would be not-nice things. I am sure that—”
“It’s okay to breathe Knadyn. You can call me Steve.” Her father went and
patted him on the back. Then shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet
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