Forrorrois: Tears of Many Mothers

Forrorrois landed her shrouded long-distance scout ship back in the hangar bay of her base. She had ignored all messages from the Tollon to return over the past hour. Barely waiting for the ramp to extend, Forrorrois leapt to the floor of the hangar bay with her helmet still on and ran into the living quarters. The lights burning in the living room made her heart race. She burst from the hallway to see her mother sobbing in her father’s arms, clutching Celeste’s small yellow blanket. Forrorrois reached out with her mind and searched the shelter, but she couldn’t feel the one small essence she craved for.

“Oh, Danica,” her mother wailed. “She’s gone...they took Celeste...we couldn’t stop them!”

Forrorrois’ heart froze at her distraught mother’s words. The grief in her father’s eyes burned into her soul. “Who?” she whispered, leaning heavily against the wall.

“Two women,” her father replied, still rocking her mother.

“All we found was her blanket,” her mother sobbed.

Shaking, Forrorrois stepped over to her parents and touched the soft yellow knit blanket. An image flashed in her mind, driving her to her knees, as two Eldatek females dressed in dark red robes burst into the living quarters and cornered her parents. They began shouting orders in Eldanese demanding Celeste. Her parents shielded her daughter when the robed females stepped forward and fired a stun weapon. Forrorrois gasped as her parents fell to the floor. Celeste screamed when one of the Eldatek grabbed her. Suddenly, Forrorrois fainted as the image faded in her mind.

She came to as her father shook her.

“Danica!” he called out.

Forrorrois opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. Her father steadied her.

“What just happened?” her mother gasped.

Forrorrois looked at both of them and realized they had just shared the same vision. “I saw what you went through,” Forrorrois whispered, tears streaming down her face. “It wasn’t your fault,” she replied, coming to her feet. Her parents stood with her. She wrapped her arms around them, still trembling from the shared vision.

“Oh, Danica, why?” her mother demanded.

“I spotted a ship leaving the atmosphere about an hour ago,” Forrorrois replied. “When I tried to get a fix on them, they jammed my sensors—as well as those of the Tollon’s. Whoever took Celeste went to a lot of trouble and had a lot of inside information.”

“You’ve got to find her, Danica!” her father pressed.

“I will,” Forrorrois said, pulling them both into a hug, once more. “I’m sorry you were put through this...I’m so sorry,” she repeated over and over. After several moments she pulled back, touching her hand to her helmet when another message was received from the Tollon. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got to return to the Tollon. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I won’t come back until I’ve found her. I’ll send Jack to stay with you while I hunt them down.”

Her mother paled at her words. “Keep safe...”

Forrorrois opened her mouth to speak but the words failed her. She nodded her head and turned to leave. The touch of her father’s hand on her shoulder made her look back.

“God speed,” he whispered.

“Thank you. I’ll send a message when I’ve found something. I love you both, don’t ever forget that,” she replied, pulling them both into a final hug. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Forrorrois turned. “I’ll find the beings who took her.”

“Oh, Danica, please find her,” her mother begged.

“I will, Mom, don’t worry. And when I do, the beings responsible will pay.”

Forrorrois raced out of the living quarters back to her long-distance scout. The thought that the Eldatek might have had something to do with her daughter’s abduction still swirled in her mind. If ever she needed to speak to Trager, it was now.