Page 64 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
The thought of the stern, controlled Ellion transformed by fatherhood made Nena’s heart warm. “Does she have wings?”
“Yes, but they’re smaller, and no scales. I told Ellion that we are excited to meet her. They have our suite prepared in the fortress ship. They finally located the exact location where it sat when our mother ruled. Ellion says it will remain there.” Madrian’s voice carried a note of deep satisfaction. “He also said that twenty-six more Zaruxians have returned. There are precious few of us, but the population centers are being rebuilt, and with better planning this time. No more of the Axis’ cold efficiency—they’re designing spaces for families, for community, for joy.”
“What do you hear from the others?” Nena was in regular contact with her friends, and they gathered together frequently, but she liked hearing Madrian’s updates.
“Razion and Lilas are currently somewhere in the outer rim, helping establish new trade routes between liberated worlds. Last I heard from Razion, they’d gotten into a spectacular betting match with a Wi’luon merchant prince and somehow ended up with three new ships and a contract to transport luxury goods.”
Nena rolled her eyes, imagining Lilas’ sharp tongue and Razion’s roguish charm wreaking havoc on unsuspecting merchants. “Those two will never give up the wandering life, and Lilas loves it.” Although Lilas and Razion were technically based on Zarux, they were rarely there.
Madrian chuckled. “It sounds like they’re having the time of their lives.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“As you know, Takkian and Sevas are doing well setting up training and defense systems on Zarux. The planet needs to be able to defend itself, even though it’s unlikely anyone will touch this system again. Sevas is apparently a terrifyingly effective instructor.”
“She is. One time she tried to show me how to punch.” The thought of Sevas channeling her warrior skills into protection rather than mere survival felt right. “I couldn’t hold a shovel for two days. At least we have Stavian and Cerani nearby all the time.” The other couple had chosen to live on Teria as she and Madrian did.
“Yes. Stavian’s engineering expertise has been invaluable for the terraforming projects, and Cerani’s artistic vision…” Madrian gestured toward the village below, where Nena could see the graceful lines and organic curves that marked Cerani’s influence on the architecture. “She’s helping our people remember that beauty and function can coexist. You know how well she’s doing with the schools. The literacy rate of settlement-born Terians is up to ninety-six percent.”
The four of them had fallen naturally into leadership roles on Teria, though it bore no resemblance to the rigid hierarchies of the Axis. Instead, it was collaborative and organic. People brought their strengths to common goals. No one was forced into roles they didn’t want.
“The progress has been remarkable,” Nena said, thinking of the transformation she’d witnessed. “When we first brought people here from the settlements, so many were broken. Afraid to make choices, afraid to hope.”
“And now, it’s so different.”
Nena smiled, remembering the village council meeting from the previous evening. “Now they’re arguing about whether to prioritize expanding the schools or building out the farming lands first.Vehementlyarguing. With passion and conviction and no fear of consequences.” Her voice grew thick with emotion. “They’re acting like free people.”
Thepsiakradiation that naturally occurred under Teria’s surface was proving to be as vital to Terian health as they’d theorized. Already, people who had seemed prematurely aged by hardship and oppression were showing signs of renewed vitality. Children born since the liberation were thriving in ways that would have been impossible in the settlements. Best of all, preliminary studies suggested that Terian lifespans were returning to their natural length—centuries rather than the decades that had been their lot under Axis rule.
“The radiation supplements we’ve been sending to Zarux are working well too,” Madrian added, as if reading her thoughts. “All the Terians who live there are seeing enormous improvements in their health. Turi will live as long as Ellion, now, and their daughter won’t need the supplements at all.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the world wake up around them. Nena felt a deep contentment settle over her. It was the kind of peace she’d never imagined possible on Settlement 112-1. She had everything she’d ever dreamed of and things she’d never dared to dream possible.
But as she glanced at Madrian, taking in the slight tension around his eyes and the way his fingers drummed absentlyagainst her arm, she sensed something else beneath his contentment.
“What’s troubling you?” she asked softly.
He was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Sometimes I wonder if I deserve this,” he said finally. “This peace, this happiness. After everything I did in service to the Axis…”
Nena turned in his arms, cupping his face in her hands and forcing him to meet her gaze. “Madrian, we’ve talked about this.”
“I know. But seeing our people flourish, watching children play without fear, knowing that worlds are free because the Axis fell…” His voice grew rough. “The contrast between what I helped maintain and what we’ve built here is sometimes overwhelming.”
She could see the old guilt in his silver eyes. The weight of decisions he made in ignorance and conditioning was something he’d probably carry forever, but she’d learned how to help him bear it.
“You chose differently when you learned the truth,” she said firmly. “Every free world, every liberated people, every child who gets to grow up knowing their own name instead of a number, exists because you chose to be better than what they made you.”
“Because you showed me I could.”
“No,” Nena corrected gently. “Because you already were. You just needed permission to remember.”
The tension in his shoulders eased as her words sank in. This was a conversation they’d had many times over the pastmig-cycle, and she suspected they’d have it many more times in the cycles to come. Healing from that kind of conditioning was a process, not a destination.
“I love you,” he said simply, the words carrying the weight of absolute truth.
“I love you too,” she replied, then stood and took his hand. “Now come inside. All this talk of flourishing and growth has given me ideas.”
The heat that flared in his eyes made her pulse quicken. Even after all this time, the hunger between them remained as powerful as ever. If anything, it had matured into a bone-deep knowledge that they belonged to each other.
