Relda glanced at the time and date feature of the communication system as she rocked Tayla. She propped up a bottle, and in her mind recounted recent life. Twenty months had passed since their capture, and since the twins were implanted. A mechanical hum jolted her alert.
"Relda," a baritone voice. "We're ready."
Relda clutched Tayla to her chest and looked to Raylay. Ty joined him in the doorway.
"Ship is loaded," Ty said, "and we have release documents."
Raylay waved his viewing screen.
"Well, if you'll help me with the girls," she negotiated. "The older ones are getting Ozla and Klea ready. It's just the quints."
Ty had already scooped up Asia from the little girls' playpod. Raylay took Noah and Shilah. Relda grasped Tayla in one arm and grabbed Bria with the other.
"Girls!" Relda yelled down the hall. "Time to go!"
Less than one hour later--by some miracle--fifteen passengers had loaded into the transport. Light years stretched before them as the Dialorian ship receded.
"So strange going home," Relda remarked.
"We'll be back," Raylay responded. "In roughly twelve years."
Adrenaline surged through Relda's body. She fidgeted more the closer the triplet moons became. Raylay adjusted the settings, and they penetrated the atmosphere.
The field grew through the front shield, and Raylay brought the ship down. A movement caught Relda's eye. The tavern. Scy shoved a yellow-skinned creature into the grass.
"Don't come back to my tavern," she called after him.
She smacked her palms against each other.
"Day drinkers," she muttered, adding an eye roll.
Raylay deactivated the shield. Relda stood and smoothed her garment.
"Scy!" She exclaimed.
Scy shielded her eyes with her hand and squinted into the sunlight.
"Relda?" She said. "Is that you!"
"It's me, and look here!"
She made a wide gesture with her arms, indicating the three sets of girls.
"Clones?" Scy said.
"Clones," Relda affirmed.
"And the older ones?"
Relda smiled at the oldest girls and announced, "Adopted."
Scy peered into the passenger cabin, and the older girls bared their teeth in unison.
"So, to continue the race?" Scy questioned.
Relda kept her eyes fixed on the field ahead and murmured, "Yes. There are other reasons too."