Zora's Aurora 2 - Silver Veil
Copyright© 2025 by Art Samms
Chapter 6
Las Estrellas was in full midday rhythm. Music from a nearby café drifted across the park’s pedestrian paths, mixing with laughter, chatter, and the soft whir of passing gliders.
Brian strolled alongside his two children, one hand balancing Brice’s snack pouch, the other keeping Aleigha from straying too far ahead. Their nanny, a cheerful woman named Miri, followed with an amused smile.
“Dad, Brice keeps elbowing me!” Aleigha complained, her ponytail flicking like a warning flag.
“Did not!” Brice shot back, mouth full. “You started it.”
“I did not!”
“Okay,” Brian said patiently, suppressing a grin. “You two have officially reached maximum lunar squabble level. Congratulations. Please accept this honor quietly while I award Miri a medal.”
Miri laughed. “I’ll take coffee instead, thanks.”
He stopped by the park gate, nodding toward the open play area where a handful of local kids were chasing floating holo-balls across the turf. “All right, troops. I’ve got a quick band meeting with Delta, but Miri’s staying with you. Be nice, don’t dismantle any playground equipment, and try not to get recruited by rival rock bands.”
Aleigha rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Sure, Dad.”
“Promise,” Brice echoed, already sprinting toward the holo-ball field.
Brian checked his chrono, gave Miri a quick thank-you, and jogged off down the promenade.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Natalia emerged from a shop clutching a slim parcel—a spare data chip for Delta’s holo-synth. Her errand complete, she decided to cut through the park on her way back to the hotel. The artificial gravity in Las Estrellas gave her stride a buoyant rhythm, her shoes kicking up faint puffs of regolith dust along the path.
She was humming softly to herself when a holo-ball rolled past her feet, stopping at the edge of the walkway. She bent to pick it up, feeling a sense of déjà vu—and froze.
The same young girl with a high ponytail—the one she’d encountered in a similar park in Denver—was sprinting toward her. Recognition dawned instantly on both faces.
“You!” Aleigha exclaimed, beaming. “From the soccer field! Back on Earth!”
Natalia smiled, her heart lifting. “And you’re the girl who calls it soccer instead of football.”
Aleigha giggled, taking the ball from her hands. “That’s me! What are you doing here?”
“I just traveled here with some friends,” Natalia said, her accent softened by warmth. “Our band has shows here.”
Aleigha’s eyes widened. “You’re in a band? That’s so cool!”
Before Aleigha could chime in with, “My Dad’s in a band, too!”, Brice trotted over, curiosity piqued.
“Who’s this?” he inquired with typical eight-year-old curiosity.
“This is my friend Natalia,” Aleigha said proudly. “She’s a musician. Natalia, this is my annoying little brother, Brice.”
“Hey!” Brice protested.
Natalia laughed, crouching to his level. “Annoying little brothers are very important. I was one once—oh wait, no, that doesn’t work. I was the annoying little sister.”
That won her a grin from Brice. Even the nanny, watching nearby, smiled approvingly.
Then, as the children’s laughter abated, Aleigha’s expression grew more thoughtful. “You said you were raised by your dad,” she said gently. “That your mom’s gone.”
Natalia nodded, her voice quiet but steady. “Yes. She passed away when I was young. My father did his best—he’s still my hero.” She paused, her gaze tender. “It’s never easy, is it?”
Aleigha shook her head, eyes bright but dry. “No. But ... it’s better now. My dad’s really great. He still misses her, though.”
“I understand,” Natalia said softly. “I think ... the missing never really stops. But it changes shape.”
A moment of silence fell between them—simple, sincere, a bridge of shared loss and quiet understanding.
Then Brice broke it, pointing dramatically. “Dad’s coming!”
Brian was strolling back up the path, waving when he spotted them—and then stopping mid-step as he realized who Aleigha was standing with.
“Natalia?” he said, slightly breathless.
“Brian.” She smiled, trying to sound casual, but the warmth in her voice betrayed her.
“You ... know each other?” Aleigha said in disbelief.
“Natalia is Zora’s Aurora’s new drummer,” explained Brian sheepishly, trying—but failing—to maintain a cool demeanor.
Aleigha, meanwhile, squealed with delight at this revelation. “Oh, that’s so cool!”
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to stand still for both Brian and Natalia. Under the glassy dome, with sunlight filtering through faint dust motes, the two simply looked at each other. The same silent pull that had caught them in the practice room returned—gentle, undeniable, and very real.
Aleigha was perceptive for her age and infused with the typical unabashed romanticism of a ten-year-old girl. She watched their interaction with the small, knowing smile of someone who had just solved a pleasant riddle.
Brian cleared his throat. “Well. Small world. You’ve met before, I take it?”
“She saved my soccer game once,” Aleigha said proudly. “Back at home. And now she’s in your band! Isn’t that funny?”
“Yeah,” Brian said softly, glancing at Natalia. “Funny how that works.”
He turned to Miri. “We’ve got that meeting with Delta coming up. You’ll get them back to the hotel?”
“Of course,” Miri said.
Natalia hesitated. “I’m headed there too, actually. I just needed to pick something up for Delta.”
“Perfect,” Brian said. “We can share a ride.”
For a moment, both seemed perceptibly nervous—neither quite sure what to do with the coincidence that had just unfolded. Then Natalia smiled again, her voice light. “All right. Let’s go before the kids decide to start a rock band of their own.”
Brian chuckled. “Don’t tempt them. Brice already turned my pots and pans into a drum kit once.”
They started off down the path together, side by side, the faint reflection of Luna’s artificial sunlight gleaming in the curve of the dome above.
As the rideshare door closed behind them, Aleigha stood watching, arms crossed, that sly, knowing smile still playing on her face.
“Dad’s finally getting it,” she murmured.
Brice blinked. “Getting what?”
“Never mind,” Aleigha said, turning back toward the park, humming one of Zora’s Aurora’s original songs under her breath.
The rideshare raced smoothly along the maglev track, its cabin glowing with soft blue light as the domed skyline of Las Estrellas drifted by outside—floating markets getting ready to close for the evening, air trams sliding past like silent fish. Inside the vehicle, Brian and Natalia sat side by side, both still riding the afterglow of that unexpected park reunion.
For a few seconds, the quiet stretched between them—not awkward, just fragile. Then Natalia broke it, voice gentle, still carrying that subtle yet melodic accent that Brian found immediately captivating.
“Your daughter is wonderful,” she said. “So kind. And very smart, too.”
Brian smiled, relaxing into the seat. “Yeah, she’s got her mom’s heart and my stubborn streak. Dangerous combination.”
Natalia laughed—a light, musical sound that filled the small cabin. “And your son, Brice ... he seems full of energy.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Brian said dryly. “Last week he tried to see if the cat would wear sunglasses and drive a remote rover. It didn’t end well.”
Natalia laughed again, covering her mouth. “At least he’s creative.”
Brian chuckled, then gave a small nod. “They’re good kids. I’ve been lucky.”
The mention of luck—and family—hung in the air for a heartbeat, but both instinctively sidestepped the deeper subject. Brian glanced toward her instead. “You handled yourself really well on stage the other night. First lunar show isn’t exactly small stakes.”
“Thank you,” Natalia said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I was nervous at first, but once the music started—everything just felt right. You all made it easy.”
He grinned. “You nailed every cue. Sophie even said your timing reminded her of Finn’s early days—and that’s high praise coming from her.”
“Really?” Natalia’s eyes lit up. “That means a lot.”
“It should,” Brian said. “You’ve got a presence up there. The crowd felt it.”
Natalia ducked her head slightly, smiling in a way that wasn’t modest so much as quietly touched. Then, after a moment, she said, “I still can’t believe all that happens around your group. It’s never quiet, is it?”
Brian snorted. “Quiet? Not with Zora around.”
That broke the remaining tension between them—both laughing outright now.
“Speaking of which,” Natalia said, between chuckles, “that air horn...”
“Oh no,” Brian said, grinning wide. “The legendary Luna Alarm System.”
“She nearly caused an artificial quake!” Natalia laughed. “I thought my eardrums were going to rupture!”
“She calls it ‘strategic sonic intervention,’” Brian said. “Sophie calls it a public safety hazard.”
Natalia’s laughter rolled through the car, and for a moment Brian forgot they were hurtling across the moon’s surface at nearly four hundred kilometers an hour. He was too busy watching the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled. The gentle lilt of her accent seemed to linger in the air even when she stopped speaking—a melody all its own.
Their conversation flowed easily after that—light, natural, full of small discoveries. Favorite foods, travel stories, favorite concert cities. Natalia admitted she’d never been to Luna before; Brian shared that his first visit was a disaster thanks to a luggage mishap and a case of motion sickness.
By the time the rideshare began to slow, both were laughing softly, their shoulders brushing just once as they leaned in to hear each other over the chime of the station’s arrival tone.
The vehicle doors slid open, revealing the grand entry to Delta’s suite—a luxurious penthouse of glass and light overlooking the crater rim. They’d really rolled out the red carpet for Zora’s Aurora, and Delta, as band manager, had gotten the prime accommodations.
Inside, Delta, Zora, and Sophie were already gathered around a holo-display, mid-discussion. All three looked up as Brian and Natalia entered together—Brian smiling easily, Natalia still radiant with laughter.
For a long second, no one said a word. Zora’s eyebrow arched, Sophie’s lips twitched, and Delta—usually stone-faced—tilted her head ever so slightly, assessing.
“Well,” Zora finally murmured, just loud enough for Sophie to hear, “somebody looks glowy.”
Sophie elbowed her but couldn’t hide her grin.
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