Center Worlds - Spark Read online

  Chapter 2

  Gya's Birth - Clanworld Camelin -31 BA

  The sound of a strongly crying infant reached the ears of Ryo and Lya as she rested in the healing waters of the birthing pool. The water swirled around them, drawing away the blood and mucus, and cleaning the body of mother and child as they welcomed the newest member of both clans into the world.

  "What do you wish her named, Ryo?" Lya breathed as she gazed upon the face of their daughter.

  "We can name her Gya, after my Father. This House god is Nysa, do you want traditional naming?" He murmured as he leaned over and kissed Lya's sweat-soaked forehead, her body still reeling from the birthing effort.

  "She is the first of a new dawn for this Clan, and for yours. We should be both Traditional and modern. How about Gya Helvanyso Camelin?"

  Ryo smiled and kissed his consort. "Not Camelin, she must carry your clan name forward so we can bring you back into the Confederacy. She needs to be Desinlo."

  "Gya Helvanysa Desinlo then, female tense on everything."

  ...

  Jalena screamed as the baby's head crowned. The birth maidens carefully helped her, two of them holding her legs as another bathed her forehead with a cool cloth while her body heaved and struggled to bring the new life into the world.

  She was wracked with emotion, Kalen was gone, off on patrol when the contractions hit and even though a message had been sent off, she knew that he was too far away to be back in time. This birth would be hers alone. The child also would be gone by the time he returned, he would not have a son to carry his name.

  She sighed with relief as the rest of the baby's body slipped free of her and then she heard the cry of him as he was brought out of the birthing pool and took his first breath of air.

  The maidens laid him on her chest and she caressed him briefly before signalling, and he was taken away, never to be seen by her again. One of the maidens turned to her as she swaddled the infant in warm cloth. "Mistress, do you have a name for him?"

  "Give him Lyo. It is a strong name, for a strong boy." Jalena said, then slipped away into unconsciousness as fresh blood suddenly flowed from her.

  ...

  Viktor was frantic, but was unable to see his mate. He fought with the medical staff until Doctor Solonae came out and confronted him.

  "Understand me, Captain. Jalena has sufferd a septic infection caused by the birth. The placenta tore while it was coming from her and she hemoraged. It nearly killed her, and it took the life of your son. She is heavily sedated, and she must rest to recover."

  "My son is gone? But she will live, right? Jalena will survive this?" Kalen asked him, his eyes searching the other man's face.

  "Yes, Jalena will survive this. She may even be able to carry another child. Of that, I am not yet certain though. Only time will tell if she is able to bring another child to term. Captain, I am so sorry for your loss. We did not expect this type of complication, it is very rare to occur at all." The Doctor said, resting a hand on Viktor's shoulder.

  "What caused it to happen, do you have any ideas?" Viktor asked after a short time.

  "Possibly the long-term exposure to the cobalt radiation weakened the blood vessels of the reproductive system. Remember, the child was conceived on Desinlo, we did not have access to the modern medical facilities here on Malis. Once the child was growing, we did not dare inject nanos into the mother for fear they may impact the developing child. It is far too dangerous." Solonae explained.

  He turned and opened the door so Viktor could see his mate sleeping on a bed, with medical systems tracking her biological movements. "Go, be with Jalena. I will keep you informed of any changes."

  ...

  Ryo and Lya very much enjoyed being in the presence of their first child. Little Gya wanted for nothing, and the Clan population also rejoiced at the birth of their Leader's daughter. Celebrations spread across the planet and through Clan space. Even the Lord Emperor sent his congratulations, although he could not make the journey in person, due to age.

  As young Gya grew into an adorable toddler, Ryo discussed with Lya the need for her to learn how things had changed over the centuries that she had been isolated. She accepted his offer to travel to Tara as a student of History to learn all about the modern Confederacy. This was done in secret, she travelled under the Camelin name, with identity papers that showed her as being born to the Clan leaders, but not directly associated with Ryo. Lya spent a Cycle on Tara, absorbing everything she could about the culture and how many changes had occurred. She was always protected, Ryo felt no fear while she was gone. He knew that a member of the Lari'Sota, an order of royal companions was always with her, and then she was back. Tanned, looking even more healthy than before, and full of life and new knowledge.

  She was also very hungry for Ryo, and they spent the next four days in his chambers as she showed him just how much she had missed him.

  Gya did not remember her mother after such a long absence, but that soon changed, and the little girl was back to her happy self within days, Lya also brought with her a Lari'Sota companion for her daughter, to act as a nanny and to help raise the girl. Tiana was dedicated and loving. Also nursing, so that Gya would have mother's milk as needed until the babe was ready to wean.

  Her people had settled into Clan Camelin and were strongly integrating. Lya was pleased that so many marriages and couplings had occurred, her people were happy, and the planet was at peace. In her absence, the Cobalt Projectiles had continued to be fired every four months, but the weapon platforms concealed around Desinlo made short work of them once the Michelab ship had jumped back into Vortex or Neospace.

  Ryo had not challenged Michelab, simply ignored the single message, and there had been no more, so he did not concern himself with them much, except that he had begun to reduce trade with that clan in favour of other clans that could supply the same materials, even if they were a higher cost. He began to slowly pull his support away from Michelab. So slowly that nobody even noticed, except those who watched numbers.

  Ryo spent half his time on his planet with Lya, the other half was spent on the orbiting battlecruisr that made regular patrols around the rim of Camelin space to protect the border and let all the citizen know that they were protected. On these sojourns, the immense starship came into orbit over each of the sixteen worlds that were under the Camelin flag and stayed for a short time, so Ryo could administer clan needs, then it journeyed onwards.

  Things remained at peace for almost three full cycles, then as always, change occurred, and not for the better.