Khetala stayed, too, at the insistence of the Kendoro sisters, -who felt the younger woman would be in danger from Kisia Manjari’s contacts if she returned to Kezdet right away.
And then one day, while Reamer was teaching laser torch work to the little boy who had first expressed an urge to learn metalwork, a new ship called for landing clearance on Manganos. The duty officer, Jana that day, called out to the rest of the people in the com center, community hall, school, and administration building rolled into one, that it was the Hawn and someone had better fetch Mercy-Rafik and Mercy had returned from Rushima by that time-and Judit. Their brother was aboard.
Reamer went over to the com station to see what all the fuss was about as the Haven docked, the hatch opened, and out poured dozens of children of all ages, plus one guy a little younger than he was and another guy a whole lot older, and very familiar.
“Johnny Greene!” Reamer cried when he saw his old friend.
“Well, I’ll be, if it isn’t Rocky Reamer!” Greene responded, pumping his hand and clapping him on the back. “Who set off enough blasting powder to get you into space after all these years? I thought your feet were rooted dirtside.” Reamer explained.
He had first met Greene through some rock hound friends, years ago, and Greene had had him make a piece for some lady he was interested in back then. They’d hit it off and since then had run into each other off and on over the years when Greene was dirtside, where he liked to cruise the nano-bug markets, or needed another piece of jewelry, or had found some interesting mineral specimens he wanted to unload. Though up until now Reamer had been a wayfarer and Greene had been a spacefarer, their paths crossed often enough for them to know they liked each other. When you had similar interests and some of the same friends, it could be a pretty small universe.
“I didn’t know you had any kids,” Johnny said, when introduced to Turi and Deeter. “When did you get married?”
“Right after you were on Kezdet last,” Reamer said, pretending to look only at the tops of his children’s heads to hide the fast blinking he had to do when he talked about Almah. “We had a good life for a while there.” He tried a grin and managed it. “Now Turi has to look after us.”
“They’re a handful, too,” Turi said in a dry way that made Johnny laugh.
“But look who’s talking,” Reamer said, indicating the scores of young people and children that now swarmed into the building. “These all yours?”
“Not by a long shot,” he said. “The Haven is a Starfarers ship. These kids are the survivors of the original crew. The ship took aboard some banditos pretending to be refugees, and they overpowered the adults in charge of the ship and spaced them. Fortunately, Calum there”-Johnny lifted his arm to wave at Baird who was crossing to meet him “and Acorna were able to help my buddy Markel liberate Dr. Hoa, who was being held by the bandits, and provide sufficient diversion that the kids of the original Starfarers’ Council were able to regain control of the ship and do unto the bandits as they had done unto the Council. I was already aboard as tech crew and the bandits didn’t bother me, so I was able to help Markel and the others when the opportunity came. Pal Kendoro also came aboard later to help out. He got a hail from his sisters and the whole ship felt like it was time for shore leave. So here we are.”
Reamer shook his head, laughing. “Never a dull moment, eh, Johnny?”
“Not if I can help it. Though there were times when I wished life was a little less exciting, to tell you the truth,” Greene admitted.
Later, in the dining hall, when the moon base community was taking its evening meal, the Starfarers Joined them. Adreziana, Pal Kendoro, Johnny Greene, his friend Markel, and other members of the Starfarers’ Council sat at a table with Baird, Giloglie, Nadezda, and the Kendoro sisters. Normally the adult administrators spread themselves throughout the dining hall, making themselves available to hear any problems or complaints from the student/residents. But the kids were all aware by now of the Linyaari horns that had been found and everyone was anxious to make sure Acorna and her people were well and that no harm had come to them.