Chapter 29: Dreams and Mysteries

Kala 'saw' Ken's memories as they flooded into her.

<There was a flash of light, and then>

She saw Ken critically wounded.

<Flash>

A woman appeared, and she and Ken started talking.

<Flash>

Turning around Ken saw Amy standing there. Then the image of Amy changed to a silver-haired girl who looked at Ken.

She smiled at Ken, and flooded him with images.

<Flash>

A chamber, hidden near something important, a raven-haired girl lies in it, her blue eyes dripped tears.

<Flash>

An asteroid field. A beautiful silver haired woman thanked him for saving her life, as she boarded a shuttle to leave the Washington.

<Flash>

A planet burning in flames.

<Flash>

A woman, terrified as she's dragged into a room and strapped to a table.

<Flash>

Men chained together as they mine ore.

<Flash>

A ship floating in space, its hull perforated with holes.

'Who are they?'

As she faded out she said, 'Find them, and ask them.'

Kala's eyes snapped open and she said aloud, "Taliria, my sister/wife, how did you do this."

She started shaking as Ken watched, and then she started crying. Ken picked the woman up, and set her on his lap. He let her cry her heart out. Pulling out a handkerchief, he wiped the tears from the beautiful face as she clutched him.

"Shhh, it's going to be all right, Kala. I don't know how, but I'll try and make it right for you."

Kala shook her head, "You don't understand! Somehow my sister has imprinted her love for my husband and herself onto you, and if you're married I'll bet she has done the same to you're wife. I knew she was a powerful telepath, but she died three years ago with my husband to prevent the capture of their ship by the T'Lari. They blew up the cruiser they were stationed aboard. Even looking at you now, I can feel the love from you and I'm reciprocating it back to you, through the mind-speech. I'm not ready to love yet, but my sister and husband are forcing it on me. Why would they do this?" Kala leaned her head against Ken's shoulder and the mind speech took over again as they continued their talk.

They appeared, and watched their wife and sister being held by the human. Tali hugged their husband, looked up at him, and nodded her head.

Stepping forward, she said, 'Because, sister/wife, it is time for our people to stop their isolation. We need help, and through this human is the best way to get it. You and Ken and his wives will have to force it down our people's throats, but it must be done. No Tralcan has loved a human since Arthur. He saved our people then, and then we saved theirs by stopping the asteroid that would have shattered their planet, three hundred years ago, now it is their turn again, to save us.'

Surprised, Kala turned and saw her sister/wife standing there with their husband. Getting up she stumbled to them as she neared them. Tali lifted her hand up, stopping Kali in her tracks.

'Sister? May I not touch you?'

Shaking her head Tali looked at her sister Kala and replied, 'Because we are dead, you may not touch us. It would only hurt you. This man will be your new mate. We see goodness in him and in his wives, even though he has not rescued his third wife, yet.' Tali stopped talking as she saw Ken standing back from them. 'Kenneth Thompson, we bid you to approach us.'

Ken had watched Kala go to her loved ones, and had hung back. He watched the reunion, not trying to join it. But when the woman who had helped him months ago, spoke to him, he found himself walking towards them.

'I'm sorry I did not approach. I thought you should have a private meeting. I was trying to figure out how to get out of here, to allow it.'

Smiling at Ken, Tali replied to him, 'Ken, never be afraid to approach us. We charge you to look after our loved one. Protect her, and nurture her. Most of all, just love her. She has been alone for three years. We also beg you to help our people, as you go out to help yours who are imprisoned by the Crytherians. We wish we had known about it. We would have put a stop to it, or tried to. Be warned that one probe got away. It heads for one of the T'Lari home worlds. However, the probe is barely moving through hyperspace. Though it will take many years for it to get there, you have no more than five years to build up your defenses. You must also transplant your colonists to a secure world to build a second home. Now please take Kala's hand in yours and face her towards the lighted spot.'

Ken held his hand out to Kala, who stood there, crying.

Tali looked to her sister, and said firmly, 'Sister, please do this. You need to pledge to each other. Otherwise, all will be lost. Do you wish our race to die?'

Shaking her head in the negative, Kala reached her shaking hand out to Ken, and looked into his eyes and wept for what was coming.

'Sister, I don't want to forget you, or Ria, or our love. That is what will happen if you force this on me.'

Smiling warmly at her sister, Tali said, 'Kala, trust me on this. You have always trusted me on other things, so trust me on this. Now take his hand, and step into your place. Ria, step to Kala's left. I'll take her right side.'

Tali watched as the three of them took their place and then she stepped into hers. They formed a compass, with Ken in the northern position as head of the house.

'Ken, I ask you to take my sister/wife, as your mate: to protect her, and to help her grow. She must step from our bond, and into yours, if she is going to live. Will you do this for us?'

Standing there, Ken looked at Kala and nodded his head.

'I don't know what to say, so I'll 'wing' this. Please forgive me if I get this wrong. I do not know if I'm strong enough, but I'll do my utmost to make your sister/wife, a good husband. I'll protect her and honor her. I'll bring her into my family. I'm positive my future wives will not be upset once everything is explained to them.'

Feeling the tears running down her face, Kala looked at the man, and felt the joining taking place.

'Sister dearest, I don't want this, but I'll do as you command since you're head of the house. Tali, Ria, I love you. I expected to join with you when I died.' Looking up into Ken's face she continued what she was saying, 'Kenneth, I Kala of the house Ria, take thee as my husband. I look to no man but you as my mate, to protect your wives as my sisters, to love them as my sisters. I'll give my life for them, so they shall live, if need be. I shall bear your children and give them a home with love, honor and discipline. Will you take me as your wife with these two as witnesses?'

Looking deeply into Kala's eyes, Ken replied, 'I'll, my love, if you can accept that I'll make mistakes and not hold them against me. I'll help you raise our young and protect all of you to the best of my abilities.' Ken stopped for a second and then continued, 'Will you take me as your husband with these two as witnesses?'

Kala nodded her head, and whispered, 'I do, my love. I give thee my heart and soul, from now until I die.'

Closing her eyes, she felt the tears run down her face once more. Then she opened her eyes again, when she felt a hand touch hers. Snapping them open, she saw Ria's hand on hers. Then Tali cupped all of their hands in her own.

'Kenneth, we bind you to the house Ria! We bind you to our love. Let she who was our wife take you as her mate, and thereby join our households. We take you as our husband and brother. Protect Kala. Love her, and honor her.

'Kala, of the house Ria, we bind you to Kenneth Thompson, we pledge our house to you, and to your new family. Bring love, honor and beauty to our house. Rescue our people, and bring survival to the houses.'

Ria looked at his new brother and said, 'Kenneth we know this is strange to you, but as your brother, I offer you my seat on the Council. Accept it with the love of my wife Kala. Keep the honor of Ria, and bring glory to our house. Rescue our people. I have seen their destruction. Without the help of the people of Terra, that destruction is inevitable.'

Their hands separated. Ria turned to Ken and continued with what he was saying.

'Ken, I know you're young. You haven't even seen twenty of your years, yet. However, I see in you a person who will go far, if you believe in the ones who are under your command. I have seen the pain when you lose your people. That is a sign of a good commander, but you must not let it cripple you. Unfortunately, you will lose people in war. But think of the ones who are saved, by those who give their lives. Like sixteen-year-old Sandra Hemmer. She held off twenty-three T'Lari warriors to allow sixteen children to get down the ladder to safety. She killed seventeen of them before she died, and the rescue team killed the rest of them. Yet you beat yourself up, because the girl did her duty. She protected those who could not protect themselves. Yes, you had to look your friend Richard and his family in the face and tell them their sister and daughter was dead, and you blame yourself for it, still.'