Strange Things: Firesetter, #6

By J. Naomi Ay

Ary never knew who his real father was, but that was alright as he was surrounded by a loving family. Sandy, on the other hand, couldn’t get Ary’s father out of her mind, despite focusing on her work as Captain of the S/S Asteroid, and her almost-marriage to Kyle. When the Asteroid is called into the galactic divide, Ary and his almost-sister, Kit are deposited on a spacebase for vacation. There, they will be met by a strange man, who will take them across the stars to the meet the one who holds the key to Ary’s future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. Naomi Ay
• Release date: Oct 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386401940

Book preview

Chapter 1

Ary never knew his real father, but that was alright, as he had been surrounded by love his entire life.  Not only was his mother always there, but his grandparents spent much of the year aboard the same ship, not to mention there were four hundred and ninety-nine other crew members, as well as their families. 

Ary’s mother, Sandy was the captain of the ship, having assumed command from Ary’s grandmother when Ary was still in first grade.  Ary’s grandparents were retired, which meant they didn’t have to work, although sometimes, they seemed to think they were captains, too. 

Whenever they sat down for a family dinner in Ary’s mother’s cabin, which Ary’s mother insisted upon at least one night a week, Ary’s grandfather would tell her all the things she was doing wrong.  Then, Ary’s grandmother would add all the other things that could have been improved. 

I saw a crewman sleeping in the shuttle bay today, Ary’s grandmother, Jill might say.  I had to yell at him until he managed to rouse himself.  Even then, when he saluted it wasn’t at all straight.

What were you doing in the shuttle bay? Ary’s mom demanded, slapping a dish of mystery meat in front of the boy.  Eat up, Ary, and then, go do your homework.

But, I don’t have any, Ary began, only to be interrupted by Jill.

Just taking a walk about the ship, stretching my legs.  On deck twelve, next to the lift, I discovered a plastic cup, and a dirty tissue.

The nurse was in a snit when I went down to Sickbay for my pills, Ary’s grandfather, Lance added his own complaints.  She snapped at my every question, and she took my blood with a needle instead of the suction ring.  She did it on purpose, I could tell, and it really hurt.  That woman is a b-i-itch.

Dad!

It’s okay, Mom, Ary would sigh, I know what that spells, and furthermore, I think she is too.

To this, Lance would wink, conspiratorially bumping fists with the boy, sending Ary’s already over stressed and angry mom into overdrive.

Dinner is finished.  Sandy would jump up from the table and snatch Ary’s dish away, even though half his dinner remained.

Get your crew in order, Sandy, both his grandparents would demand, simultaneously clucking their tongues and shaking their heads. 

Remind me when you are leaving on your next vacation, Sandy would snap, seizing their plates, too.  I think you left a light on in your condo in Arizona.

After that, the chairs would scrape back and more muttering would follow as the grandparents rose to their feet and shuffled off to their cabin.

Another delightful family dinner, Lance might say, patting Ary’s bright red hair as the old man headed to the door.

Let’s get out of here before she shoots us, Jill might add, smacking the boy’s cheek with her dry, thin lips.

Ary’s mother had a reputation for shooting a lot of things.  She was very good with her guns, and had won a lot of awards in competitions.  Some people said she was such a good shot because she always imagined the target was the center of Ary’s father’s head. 

Right through the eye, Grandpa Lance would chuckle, Not that he cared.

Ary never really understood what Lance meant by that and no one would ever explain.  In fact, no one ever explained anything about his mysterious and conspicuously absent dad.  Oh, occasionally they’d utter a word about You Know Who being You Know Where, which was inevitably followed by more scornful clucks and tsking tongues.

ARY WOULD HAVE LIKED to have known his real father, especially since just about everyone in the galaxy apparently did.

"Oh, you’re his son, people would say whenever Ary was introduced.  Then, they’d study him carefully, eyeing him up and down, usually with odd expressions on their faces.  You must take after your mother, although now, I can see there is a resemblance.  Yes, you definitely have your father’s face.  Fortunately, you’ve got your mother’s red hair so no one ever notices anything else."

Again, this confused Ary, who saw his face every time he looked in the mirror.  Granted, he also saw his wild mass of red curls, which were usually unbrushed.  In his mind, both were plainly evident, neither one eclipsing the other.

Why haven’t I met my real father? Ary asked on more than one occasion.

Who needs him? Lance would scoff, slamming a paw against Ary’s shoulder. 

That’s a difficult question, dear, Grandma Jill would reply, doing her best to provide a tactful response.  "Of course, it’s all your father’s fault, abandoning your mother to run off to You Know Where to do You Know What."

Trust me, lad, you’re much better off without him around, Lance would add.  And, I never liked him, not for a minute, and I told your mother that.

You didn’t stop telling her that, Jill might add.  And you still haven’t.  God knows, I heard your ranting almost every day.  I did like him, though.  Very much.  Then, Grandma Jill’s lips would purse as she gazed off at a speck on the ceiling tile.  With a heavy sigh, she might add, You’re much better off without him, Ary.  You’re such a good boy, thanks entirely to us.  She’d run her hand through his unruly curls, followed by another dry, tight kiss upon his cheek.  Someday, you’ll be a captain, too.  You’ll serve in SpaceForce just like we did.

Lance would chuckle again and mutter something about that serving the Bastard right, from which Ary gathered that his father was not in SpaceForce, at least not now.  After which, the subject was tabled, the conversation ended in favor of something else with Ary none the wiser as to where You Know Where was, or You Know What it was that his reclusive sire was off doing.

As to the world beyond SpaceForce, a life spent out of uniform and unencumbered by the duty to protect and serve, Ary couldn't even begin to imagine.  Neither did he wish to.  Ary loved the stars and even more so, the ship.  For the young boy, there was no other purpose for his life.

NOW THAT ARY WAS OLDER, nearly ten, if one counted time in years, instead of using the cycles of space travel, curiosity about his reclusive and conspicuously absent father became even more prevalent.  Did he live on a planet or a moon?  Was he sailing another starship or spaceplane through the stars?  Or, was he simply dead, having died in a horrific or mysterious way?

I think he's dead, Kit announced as if she knew of these things.  Kit always spoke authoritatively, even when she had no clue. 

She's destined for Command, Grandma Jill said, which always made Ary a little jealous.  Nobody ever said he was destined for Command, at least not to his face. 

Kit, despite her bossy demeanor and despite being a girl, was Ary's best friend and had been since his earliest memory.  They were almost like brother and sister, almost like twins, having been born three days apart, not to mention Kit's dad, Kyle was Ary's mom's best friend, and the Asteroid's executive officer. 

Kyle and Sandy were sort of married, although everyone knew that Ary’s father was really her husband.  Still, they spent nearly every free hour together and raised Ary and Kit side by side.  Everyone had stories of the two of them sleeping in the same crib, while Sandy and Kyle took turns commanding the ship.  In a strange way, Ary thought of Kyle as a sort-of dad, while Kit thought of Sandy as an almost-mom.

Except, unlike Ary, Kit's mom wasn't an enigma at all.  In fact, everyone knew her, as she was a famous actress, the one from that game show on the vid.  Every Friday night, the whole family would gather around the vid and watch Kit's mom turn holographic letters. 

She would wear a lovely ball gown with her blue hair piled high upon her head and smile with all three rows of her tiny sharp teeth. 

Isn't she beautiful, Grandma Jill would remark, but something in her tone would imply she didn't really think so. 

Totally hot, Grandpa Lance would respond, making a chuckling sound deep in his throat.

As to how Captain Kyle and the letter turner met, and subsequently ended up with Kit, neither Ary nor Kit ever really understood.  When asked, Kyle would wave his hands, say something about fate and time and being in the right or wrong place.

No kidding, Captain Sandy would echo, referring to her own life.  My whole existence has been in the wrong place.

This statement always worried Ary, and sometimes he'd get a stricken look upon his face.

Now, Sandy, Grandma Jill would scoff.

Don't scare the boy, Grandpa Lance would scold, giving Ary a reassuring pat upon his shoulder.  "If you hadn't met the Bastard and all that, we wouldn't have Ary here.  Right, partner?"

Right, Gramps, Ary would mumble.  "I'm the Bastard's son."

After that, Captain Sandy would smile a little.  Sometimes, she'd give Ary a tiny peck on the cheek.  Kit would usually try to take his hand, while Kyle would put an arm around Sandy’s shoulders. 

It doesn’t matter how we got here, he would say.  The point is, we’re here where we all belong.

To this, Grandpa Lance would cough.  Grandma Jill would snort, and Captain Sandy would mutter something that sounded like, Oh, please.  The only reason we're all here is because we're not all there.

This prompted a round of laughter, although Ary was never sure why everyone thought it funny.

AT LEAST, ARY’S MOM was around, unlike Kit's mom, who was only a three-dimensional vision on the vid. 

At least my mom's not dead, Kit said.  Even though she's too busy to take care of me on account she's a famous vid star.  At least she's still alive, unlike your dad.

That’s not true, Ary retorted, confident that his father was still very much alive.  Why else would the rest of his family cringe whenever the Bastard was mentioned?

As much as Ary missed his absent patriarch, every night lying his bed, wondering who and where he was, the boy counted his blessings, accepted his many kisses and hugs, and thrived in the declarations of maternal and grandparental love. 

Kit was kissed and hugged too, although Ary was certain, Sandy didn’t love her as much as she did him, even if he did look a little bit like the Bastard underneath all that bright red hair.

Chapter 2

Nobody bothered to inform Akhi that he was adopted until he was nearly fourteen years old. 

We love you exactly as much as your brother and sister, Jan always said, And we always have.  Right, Rekah?

Of course, the King of Karupatani mumbled, barely lifting his mouth from his cup. 

Even from across the table, Akhi could smell the vodka on his father’s, well—not actually his father’s—breath.  He studied the man’s—His foster father’s?—His adopted father’s?—eyes.  They were hooded and shaded, blearily hiding behind his swollen red nose. 

Maybe, it was actually better not to be related to King Rekah.  He had never been much of a father anyway.  In fact, Rekah was merely a presence who shared the same small house, who spent his time in the office up the stairs and at the end of the hall. 

During the day when Rekah pretended to work, feigning interest in the management and well-being of his small kingdom, his voice could be heard resonating and echoing across the heavy wooden walls.  Usually, he was shouting at the children to be quiet, or at his subjects to be smart, or inevitably, arguing about this or that with his brother, the High Priest Ronan.

In the evening, immediately after dining, and sometimes even before if his day was especially difficult, Rekah would depart for his well-worn barstool at the village’s single pub.  This was always a relief to the children and even more so to Jan, who would then engage in lively and somewhat happy conversations with each other, their words and actions forever constrained in the king's presence.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO brought you into this world, Ronan added, his own clear hazel eyes gazing upon Akhi with a mixture of both fondness and pity.  Our parents are not who birthed us, but who raised us with love and respect.  Our parents are...

I get it, Akhi interrupted, slamming down his fork, and shoving back his chair.

Jan shuddered in her seat, whilst Akhi’s foster siblings, Pedah and Lyra exchanged a mirthful glance.  The king briefly raised his eyes, his brows frowning with consternation.

Now, Akhi, he muttered, heavily clearing his throat.  There is no need.

No need to tell me I am not one of you? Akhi cried.  Until now?  I can’t believe this.  Did you think I would never notice I look nothing like you?  The boy rose to his feet, hurrying from the room to the front porch where the door slammed heavily, followed by his equally heavy footsteps treading down the stair.

He used to favor his brother, Jan muttered, picking at her own meal with a fork.  But, as he's grown, his features have changed.  He looks more like the others.

He looks fat, Rekah grumbled.

Me? Pedah asked.

Not you, Lyra snapped.  Haven't you been paying attention?  He's not related to us.  He has another brother.  Obviously, someone smarter than you.

But, am I fat? Pedah asked.

No, just stupid, his sister replied.

AKHI RAN INTO THE SURROUNDING woodlands, and from there, the boy walked alongside the mud covered path.  This was the primary road leading to and from the king’s village, a swollen, slushy track of dirt left nearly impassable by the recent rains.  The few carts that had managed to cross it had left long tracks carved by their simple iron wheels.  Intermingled amongst them were the imprints of many hooves, the marks of the oxen, donkeys, and horses bearing the villagers here and there. 

I’m going to run away, Akhi announced to no one, voicing an idea which had become forefront in his brain. 

Purposely, he planted his feet in the muck and soiled his tan leather boots, staining them an ugly, gray-brown.  The boy hoped he had destroyed them irreparably.  It would rightly serve his not-mother Jan to see her handiwork so ruined.  She deserved it for lying to him all these years. 

Of course, if Akhi truly left, Jan would never see these newly defiled boots, nor would she discover the mess he had made of his trousers.  What had been his best pair of leggings were now likewise covered in mud-stains all down the front. 

Due to his lack of attention, Akhi slipped on a stone, falling to his knees right smack in the center of a foul smelling mess.  During the process, his shirt had torn up one