until after the birth of our son—"
"I have a brother..."
"You do, indeed, Velu. As extraordinary a person as you, though five of your years younger."
"Can I meet him?"
"Of course, but I have to assure myself of the purity of your mission. The Narians are a group much separated from what the rest of the planet is embroiled in. They're friendly enough but, as I was told by your father, not yet ready to interact with the rest of Purum. Jalur, what do you know about Akla?"
"Much less than Velu."
"Velu?"
"First, explain about how my father was your husband."
"He's dead."
"I knew that. It came to me on our journey."
"Why did you ask?"
"To test you."
Xela was taken aback but inwardly pleased.
"Velu, how do you handle the mental powers you have at such a young age?"
"I don't know. I have them and can control them but I don't understand how or why they exist. My best guess is that I'm a genetic anomaly and the increased transfer of thought and emotion between our planets has somehow given me enhanced powers."
"This is why I need to explore the purity of your intentions, Velu."
"How would you do that?"
"I will be your nearly constant companion. We'll talk of everything and explore much that neither of us understands. It should only take a few months."
"Xela, since my other father is dead you may feel my mission to the Unholy Lands is useless but it comes to me that I must venture a visit and speak with this Akla; especially because of what you indicated about his relationship to my father."
"We will discuss this later, Velu."
"Yes."
Jalur sat forward and said: "Xela, I'd like some kind of employment in your city."
"I understand you were an avid hacker on Param, uh, Anga."
"Yes, but I have a wide-ranging background in all forms of communication, electronic and natural."
"I'll arrange for our Assembly to meet with you and explore options."
"Thank you, Xela."
"You have no desire to accompany your daughter if I should decide a visit to Akla is appropriate?"
"Perhaps it will be one of my new jobs."
They all laughed and it was the happiest sound on the planet.
~~~
Xela's and Velu's relationship quickly included Xela's son, Zena. They often spent time on the waters of the Sea of Renunciation and in the mountains near Erlan. On their third excursion to the mountains, Xela brought along Rednaxela's AI, Morna.
Zena was carrying Morna and was bursting with anticipation to bring her into their conversation.
"Is it time yet, mother?"
"Nearly, Zena. Patience. Velu, what do you know of the Covert War between our planets?"
"My father told me a bit but he barely understood what had happened. Apparently, the increased plasma flow between the Worlds set up a cycle of religious fervor on Anga and the leaders began a counter-sending by trained individuals to try to disrupt what they determined was coming from your World. But that was only in the fifty years or so before ShipOne. Before that the information is sketchy. It comes to me that it had been going on, in one form or another, for hundreds of years."
"Your father spent time in the Unholy Lands, as you know, but he had someone with him who was able to, with Akla's help, penetrate that fog of the Worlds' War's history. That someone is in my son's hands. Now, Zena."
"Wake up, Morna!"
The AI's box began to glow slightly and Morna's voice said: "I am here."
Zena looked at Velu with total glee and said: "Morna, meet Velu, Rednaxela's daughter!"
"Velu, I am extremely happy to meet you. Your father's thoughts of you were always warm and respectful and he was always burdened with never having met you. Our meeting begins a new phase in my research."
Velu
George Simpson, Neal Burger