Daniel Arenson: The Heirs of Earth (Children of Earthrise Book 1)

Fillister froze. His wings stopped flapping and he clanked onto the floor. He looked up at her.

"You . . . saw Jade? Our Jade?"

"I tried to save her," Rowan whispered. Her voice cracked. "I tried, Fill. I tried so hard, but the scorpions still have her. They did something to her. Changed her. Hacked into her brain using those implants. All those evil things she did? The scorpions made her do them. My sister is not to blame, not evil. I know this. And I'm scared I'll never get her back. That I didn't love her enough. That she doesn't love me, or . . ."

"Now, now." Fillister flew up and nuzzled her. "You love Jade very much. I know that. She will too someday. Chin up! I promise you, Row, if there's a way to get her back, we'll do it." He nodded emphatically. "We ain't giving up on the girl yet. She's family, after all."

Rowan hugged the dragonfly to her chest, careful not to bend his wings.

"Fill, do you remember all those nights in the ducts? Nights reading books. Writing our Dinosaur Island movie scripts. Watching fantasy movies. Listening to music. Dreaming. Hiding. Fleeing exterminators. Sneaking down to steal food and water. Being so scared all the time."

"It was a hard life," Fillister said. "But we had each other."

"We used to dream of seeing the stars. We'd climb to the top of Paradise Lost, gaze through the tiny porthole, see one star, maybe two, three on a good night. We'd dream of flying among those stars. Meeting other people." She lowered her head, tears falling. "I never thought it would be like this. So painful."

"Chin up!" Gently, Fillister nudged her head back up and hovered before her eyes. "We'll get through this, Row. We'll beat them scorpions, same as we beat them exterminators. There's still beauty out there. Among the stars. There are still wonders to behold. Not all is darkness and pain." He turned toward the mouth of the cave, and they gazed out at the stars. "See there? See those lights? That's hope. Up there, among the stars, a human fleet awaits us. Humans, Row! Real humans. Real friends. Your people. Might be they even got a cute robot or two." He waggled his tiny metal eyebrows. "I've had me eyes on that Brooklyn bird!"

Rowan couldn't help but laugh. "She thought you're an ant."

"Ah, she's only playing hard to get, she is! Wait till she sees me put on the old Fillister charm." The robot tugged at Rowan's sleeve. "Now come on, Row. Let's get up there. Fly among the stars, alright?"

She nodded, rose to her feet, and patted her pistol. Lullaby was heavy and comforting on her hip.

"Let's go up there," she said. "Let's fight. Let's love. Let's see some wonders." She grinned. "And let's watch some movies."

* * * * *

"Rowan, I'm sorry."

Bay knelt by the bedside. Rowan was lying there, watching The Princess Bride , one of her favorite movies.

"Shh!" she said. "It's the big sword fight scene."

Bay rolled his eyes. "Rowan! You've seen this movie a million times."

"Fine, fine." She paused it and propped herself up on her elbow. "What are you sorry for?"

They were inside Brooklyn. The rest of the fleet was hovering around them. They were still orbiting the frozen planet, but shuttles had been ferrying up the last survivors from the caves. Soon thousands of humans would be aboard the fleet, and they would be ready to fly out.

Bay lowered his head. "When you joined the Heirs of Earth, when you spoke your vows, I wasn't there."

Rowan nodded. She spoke in a small voice. "I know. I wanted you there."

"I'm sorry I didn't attend. It was . . . hard for me. To hear vows spoken. I hated the Heirs of Earth, wanted nothing to do with the organization. And . . ." The words seemed to pain him. "I hated that you joined. Because it meant you would fly away from me."

Rowan glanced at the mirror on the wall. She still wore her uniform. Her brown hair was still short and messy. Her feet were bare.

" And you said I look like a hobbit," she said.

"You do!" Bay smiled, the weight seeming to lift from his shoulders. "So, my little Frodo. Today aboard the Jerusalem , I'm saying my own vows. I'm joining you. And, dear lady, I would be honored if you attended."

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh, so now I'm a lady!"

He nodded and took her hand in his. "My fairest lady of the Shire."

She rolled her eyes. She pointed at some of his artwork that hung on the walls. "Oh, I've seen your ladies. I might need a pair of melons shoved down my shirt."

Bay actually blushed. "Those are warrior princesses, Rowan."

"And what am I, chopped liver?"

He groaned. "Just come hear my vows, all right? I want you there."

Rowan smiled and hugged him. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Well, definitely not for this frozen world we're orbiting. Maybe I'd miss it for Earth. Or Middle Earth." She mussed his hair and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're joining us, Bay Ben-Ari."

"Now turn around so I can change. I gotta get into my new uniform."

Her eyes widened. "I want to watch you get undressed!"

"Fine," Bay said. "So I get to watch you next you—"

"Turning around!" She faced the wall.

Bay got dressed in clothes his father had given him. Brown trousers. A white collared shirt. A long blue coat with silver buttons. A tawny cowboy hat. He slung a rifle across his back, its bolt bristly with brass gears, its stock carved from real wood. He looked at himself in the mirror. His dark blond hair and beard were cropped short. The sleeves on the coat were the right length; his bad hand was exposed. It hung at his side, curled inward, stiff and useless. But lately Rowan had been smiling freely, revealing her crooked teeth without shame. Maybe Bay needed to be a little less shy too.

"You can turn around now," he said.

Rowan faced him. "You look . . ." She blushed. "You look very handsome. Like a prince."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that'll help me when fighting the scorpions. Why look like a fierce warrior? It's Prince Charming that'll intimidate them!"

"Oh, I never said you were charming." Rowan mussed his hair. "More like Prince Grumpypants."

Brooklyn's voice rose from the cockpit. "I can hear you two flirting, you know!"

"We're not flirting!" they both said together.

"Sure," Brooklyn said. "And I'm not a talking starship who almost certainly has ants in her engines. Are you meat-bags ready to fly over to the Jerusalem already? I'm rusting here!"

Rowan looked at Bay.

He nodded. "We're ready."

Brooklyn took them to the flagship, and they climbed aboard. Emet was already waiting in the new conference room. Leona and a few other Inheritors were there too. Bay was nervous. For a decade now, he had slunk in shadows, shying away from a crowd. But he squared his shoulders, approached them, and stood in the open light.

"Bay Ben-Ari!" his father said. "My son. Are you ready to take your vows, to join the Heirs of Earth?"

Bay was silent for a moment. He thought of his life on the grassy world of Vaelia. He thought of losing Seohyun. He thought of the long decade, lost in the shadow, grogging and drugging and whoring and forgetting who he was. Forgetting his humanity.

There is a new life for me, he thought. With the Heirs of Earth. With my family. With Rowan.

He looked at her. Rowan stood beside him, smiling warmly. She patted his arm.

Bay looked back at his father. "I'm ready."

Emet nodded. "Then hold the Earthstone in your hand, Bay. And speak your vows."

Bay took the crystal from Rowan, this ancient artifact that contained Earth's cultural heritage. And he spoke with a clear voice, his chin raised—the vow thousands had spoken before him, that thousands would still speak.

"Earth calls me home. I vow to forever heed her call. I vow to cherish Earth, to sing her songs, to preserve her heritage. I believe, with all my heart, that Earth is the homeworld of humanity, and that someday I will see Earth again. All of Earth's children are my brothers and sisters. They are lost, but I will guide them home. Wherever a human is in danger, I will be there. I am Earth's child. I am ready to fight, even sacrifice my life, for my homeworld. Someday Earth's lost children will return home. I will not rest until that day."