In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

with him. I don’t think there will be difficulties; unless I miss my guess, Grouter and van Doyle are about to be up to their ears in trouble with IPP."

"The program!" Zack exclaimed. "Will the changes you made stand up to a police inquiry?"

Katherine shrugged. "All I did was make their alterations more obvious. My changes will look like new information written into the database because of records entered after the war."

She smiled at the children. "Juliette and I have met, but since the rest of you don’t know me, I am Lady Katherine of Clan O’Teague. Why don’t you introduce yourselves to your new Uncle and tell him a bit about how you came to be at the center?"

The twin boys, age twelve, looked at Zack with identical measuring stares. "Are you really our father’s brother, sir?"

"In a manner speaking. Timon was my blood brother and best friend from the time we were children. We were raised in a placement center after both of us were orphaned. We adopted each other, entered the service together and served together. I was with him when he died. I gave him my word to look after you and teach you how to become men."

He looked at the bigger twin, "Rodrick, right? And you would be Rupert? Welcome home boys."

They nodded silently. Katherine decided that the boys’ dark skin, eyes and hair from their mixed-race heritage would pass as a family resemblance.

The girls didn’t resemble Zack at all. Violet was the youngest, and she plainly showed her mixed Asian ancestry. Lucinda the next oldest of the girls, had a pale complexion, ash blond hair and grey eyes. All the children looked underweight a trifle but none of them looked malnourished, and they wore clean if worn clothing. Mentally, she judged their sizes. A visit from the tailor would be in order, she decided.

"Where are we going?" inquired Juliette.

"We are going back to the base. We have quarters there until the Dancing Gryphon is ready to leave. Since Zack is billeted with his unit, you five will stay in my quarters with my Aunt Corrine and me. We were allotted a General’s accommodations so we have extra bedrooms and a recreation room."

"I’m hungry," Violet announced.

Katherine smiled at her. "As soon as we get your gear dropped off in our quarters, we’ll head down to the commissary for a snack," she promised. "What kind of foods do you like to eat?"

The dinner table that night was quite crowded. Corrine had suggested that the three men join them for meals shortly after choosing their unit. With the addition of the children, it made the meal almost feel like home, Katherine realized. At Glass Castle, as well as a table for the Laird’s family, the dining room was often crowded with visitors to the clan and students of various ages.

By the time she could finally sit down at the table, Katherine had settled two wrangles over who got to sit by Sooka, showed Roderick and Juliette how to use the selection buttons on the robochef and persuaded Rupert that a few vegetables wouldn’t poison him. She hoped it would grow easier once she and the children learned each other’s food preferences.

Once everyone was occupied with filling their bellies, Katherine could address her own needs. Becoming the mother of five children all at once was a new and worrisome experience. She knew she had a long way to go to win the children’s trust. Juliette, while grateful for the rescue from van Doyle’s clutches, was still wary of her intentions and she had a powerful influence on the others.

Gideon cleared his throat, "Um—Lady Katherine, I have a favor to ask."

"Yes of course if I can. What can I do for you, Lord Gideon?"

He looked a little self-conscious at the title. "I too have two wards I want to take with me to Vensoog. Lucas is sixteen. His grandfather sent him to me when Gwynedd was overrun. He is old enough to stay with me in the barracks, but my niece Jayla is only thirteen and for obvious reasons, I would rather she not be quartered with the unit. My brother and his wife had sent her off planet when they learned Moodon had become a target. After Moodon was destroyed and they were killed, she became my ward. She and Lucas will arrive on the nineteenth. Would it be possible to make room for Jayla in your quarters?"

"Of course. We’ve been given a General’s lodgings and have plenty of bedrooms. If we need more rooms, there are always those handy portable walls! It might be possible for Lucas to stay with Corrine and me too. We’ll figure something out."

They were cleaning up the table from the meal when a tall, athletic blond woman approached and greeted Zack with enthusiasm. Hastily disengaging himself from her attempted embrace, he introduced her as Lieutenant Darla Lister from Colonel Lewiston’s command.

"Don’t be so formal Zack," Lieutenant Lister said. "I’m sure your new friends can spare you long enough to spend the evening with an old friend."

Zack sent Katherine a harassed look. She responded immediately, "It is nice to have time to visit with old friends, isn’t it Lieutenant? I’m afraid though, that Zack has other duties this evening. This is a new place Zack and I’m sure your new wards would appreciate your being on hand to help them get settled in for the night."

Zack smiled quite naturally at Darla. "Yes, I’m sure they would. Perhaps some other time?"

A spark of red anger showed in her eyes at his rejection, but she was too well trained to let it be noticed. "Why Zack, you didn’t tell me you had gotten married. And to a woman with so many children too!"

"Although I will get married shortly, I don’t have the name of my bride yet," he responded coolly. "These are my nephews and cousins. I’ve just taken custody of them from the Placement Center. They will accompany me to Vensoog."

Darla watched the group