Last time for this one: Fran is the beta queen for getting this done so fast! Judyblue, 2browneyes, Gabby and Michele pr-eread this tale (aside from this chapter) Thank you all XOXOXO

BPOV

8 Years Later

The days and weeks following the death of Captain were ones of constant revelations for our society. Not everything went as smoothly as one would hope, but through continued commitment and gentle urging, Edward and I were able to lead our people in the right direction—the direction of the future.

Some immediate changes brought uneasiness from our oldest members, and even outright disdain from others, but even that fell by the wayside under the masterful leadership skills of my mate. He has the ability to command a situation even more fervently than his father before him.

Dr. Hale was one such case. Edward's dismantling and reappointing of the advisory board members was met with silence from society, though we could feel the disapproval. Dr. Hale used Edward's encouragement of expressing one's feelings to argue vehemently against the changes. No matter how strong his denial, my mate stood firm.

There was a sense of concern floating in the air, but once our people were able to witness the new board in action, it all evaporated into nothingness. Dr. Hale had nowhere else to turn. He now resides with other elders who have been relieved from their duty to our people while Rose not only leads Healing, but she also holds his place on the board.

My work with the future mates was a gratifying experience and is something I still oversee today, though Angela has taken the lead since my duties as Commandessa come first. Not all of the next generation selected their own mate, but a larger number of couples than I expected did choose.

Over the course of the past eight years, we have grown into a tolerant and outspoken society. Gone are the days where our people only work hard and stay silent. They are now engaged while they work, forming their personal opinions on how best to benefit us all. Of course, it is up to my mate and me to make the final decision, but they feel their words have validity, which pushes them to speak out.

After leaving my oldest, Masen, at his class, I take my daughter's hand, and we make our way toward hers. At six and four, my children are already into their learning era. From the ages of three to fourteen, our society does everything possible to arm them with all the necessary intelligence training. At fourteen, they will enter the workforce, but with the new preliminary-mating sessions in place, they will also spend additional time forming bonds with their peers—and possibly future mate.

"Mother, Masen said the sky is going to be purple tonight," Marie says as we follow the corridor to her classroom. She is referring to the yearly meteor shower. When it happened shortly after landing, we were awed, but since, we have learned that it is a yearly event. It has become a celebration among our people.

I nod to my Edward-clone and swing our hands between us. "Yes, baby. Do you not remember it from last year?"

She pauses right outside her classroom door and turns to face me, her expression one of intense concentration. "I do not think so, but is it going to be scary like that one thunderstorm?"

I squat before her and tweak her bronze ponytail. "No, this will not be like that," I reply, already shaking my head. Alterna does not get many days of rainfall, but when it does, we get an enormous amount. The very first time was quite the experience for us all. Many of our young children were frightened by the booming noises as the clouds collided overhead. "This will be beautiful. It is actually one of my favorite nights of the year."

Her eyes widen. "Oh, I cannot wait to see it." Just then, one of her friends walks over, and with a quick hug, Marie turns, already addressing her classmate. I watch them enter the classroom side by side.

As I go to rise, a gentle arm lands on my forearm, providing extra support. "Easy there, missy," a voice I know and adore says.

A smile lights my face, and I wave her concerns away. "Pfft, I am completely fine, Alice," I say as I start down the corridor.

"Being extra careful never hurt anything," she says in her usual upbeat manner. "Are you headed to the meeting?" She falls into step beside me.

I cut my eyes in her direction while she studiously avoids meeting them. "Ah, Edward sent you to accompany me?"

Her hand goes to her chest as if she is appalled, and she looks at me with the most innocent expression. "Of course not, Bella. I just left Jackson at his class and saw you, so I joined you."

I giggle a little. "Alice, it is okay. I am pleased that you wish to accompany me for the walk over."

Immediately her demeanor lightens, and her shoulders relax. "Good." Then she runs her fingers over the soft material of my silver sheath. "This looks beautiful on you. I am so happy that you like it."

"Of course, Alice," I say, bumping her shoulder lightly. "Your design abilities are proving to be very competent."

She smiles, and it fades away on a wistful sigh. "I only wish I was not so restricted by pod color."

"Alice—"

She throws up her hands. "I know, we are not there yet, but I only hope we get there before I am old and retired."

As we exit Education, Blue swoops down to flutter beside me. I run a finger across his head and return to my conversation. "Can you not clearly see that with each Mating Ceremony we are becoming a more diverse people? With mates intermixing pods, the system is becoming outdated. It is my wish to completely phase out the "pod of origin" ideal and replace it with a "pod of profession" concept. But, as with all things, it will take time."

"I understand," she says with a huff. "But I wish Edward could just declare it obsolete and allow me to design all new clothing in Alterna inspired colors."

I shake my head as she pulls open the door to Commanding. "I am not sure I am ready for Alterna inspired colors, but a nice red or deep blue might be nice."

"I can work with that," she latches on like a lifeline. "Anything aside from these same drab colors."

Grabbing her arm lightly, I draw us to a stop before we make it to the sliding doors to my mate's office. Alice, for all her griping about colors and styles, has actually been a great help to us on Alterna. She has introduced fabrics that are able to withstand the changes in temperature we experience here. "And I promise to give you that opportunity, but you must give us time. We will not rush into decisions on this matter."

"Fair enough," she concedes before stepping closer and waving her wrist over the doors. They slide open, and with a scan of the room, my eyes land on Edward.

He is already at the table with several other members of the advisory board. But it is as if he senses my presence because he stops mid-sentence and strolls across the room to meet me.

"Commandessa," he says as he takes my hand and brings it to his lips while keeping his eyes directed at me. A flush of heat passes over me, and I pull my hand back swiftly.

"Commander," I retort, keeping my voice as level as possible. "I do not think your mate would approve of your flirty nature."

He lifts a defiant brow. "What she does not know will not hurt her." Moving around, he slips am arm behind my back and begins guiding me further into the room, pulling out a chair so that I may sit. "Here you are."

I eye him peculiarly before allowing my lip to lift at the corner and take a step closer. "I hope that everyone gets such spectacular service, Commander." Brushing my hand down his chest, I turn and take the proffered chair, smiling smugly to myself. I can only hope that I have affected him a tenth of the amount he affects me these days.

As I wait for him to begin this meeting, I peer around at the others present. Rosalie represents Healing, James is here for Farming, Emmett for Engineering—but also because he is my husband's close, trusted advisor—Alice is here because she is part of the Commanding family, Jasper represents Commanding and Ben is here for Education. Each and every one of them embraces the changes and urges their pods to be more forthcoming with their thoughts and ideas. It has taken years, but as a society, we have improved significantly over where we were eight years ago.

Once I am finished with my ponderings, and Edward has still failed to speak, I chance a glance in his direction—only to find his eyes boring into mine with a look I know so well. Again that flash of heat moves over my skin before I can tamp it down, and he notices.

With a triumphant smirk in my direction, he takes his seat and peers around the table. "Good morning, members. Let us begin with an update on the new specimens we are studying. Rose, you have the floor." My mate waves his hand over the table so that she may proceed.

"Thank you, Commander," she replies as she slides an image into view for us all to see. "Each of the specimens I will be showing you today has been recorded and antidotes created. With the locale being so far from society, I do not have any fear of an accidental poisoning, but were it to happen; we are prepared."

Since my intentional poisoning, Edward has made it a priority to have a recovery team constantly seeking out and bringing in new specimens for our catalogue. After the work is completed, all creatures are then returned to their own locale for fear of one of them escaping into society. So far, we have covered a four-hundred-mile radius, and are ever enlarging that boundary.

"JAKE," Edward calls after supplying Rose with a nod. At his appearance, Edward says, "Compile the record for these species." This is our normal procedure. Once the specimens have been cataloged, JAKE combines the retrieval information from the coptor with Healing's information to produce a complete record that will be accessible in society and to the men in the field.

"Do you have anything else to report?" I direct my attention to Rose as JAKE disappears.

One of her brows lifts as she peers at me. "Specific Healing business, no, but I can add that all preparations for tomorrow morning are in place."

Before I can respond, a warm hand encloses itself around mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Rose. We trust you implicitly," Edward says, causing moisture to flood my eyes.

My emotions are undeniably ridiculous these days. One second I wish to throw my mate down atop the table and undress him in a room filled with people, and the next, I am ready to bawl. I blink my eyes rapidly and smile.

After a deep breath, I peer around and settle on Emmett. "Do you have anything new to report?"

"Not exactly new, but I wish to confirm what I relayed at the last meeting," he begins, leaning forward to prop his large arms across the table. "I have performed the distance tests, and all systems are functioning properly, giving the TwiCharacters a complete, fifty-mile radius of surveillance around our community."

This is another area where Edward has been fierce. Last year, JAKE alerted us that Peter had breached the perimeter. After nothing for years, he was suddenly here, entering our societal space. My mate and his closest confidants, Jasper and Emmett, led the charge, ready to capture him and follow one of Captain's last decrees—death, if Peter were to return.

As it turns out, it was unnecessary. He had crawled here, on his deathbed, in an attempt to atone for his harsh acts. Though Edward was against it, I demanded to see him and offered my forgiveness as he lay in Healing, taking his last breaths. His time in the wilds of Alterna had been unkind; he had aged many years in the span of a few. In the end, it was determined that exposure to a large number of bites while banished had built up a toxicity level within him and damaged his immune system. A single bite from only a slightly venomous creature was enough to prove fatal.

"Very well." Edward nods. "I do not want this project to end here. The further we are capable of monitoring, the safer our people will be."

"Yes, sir," Emmett replies. "Perhaps we should concentrate on combing the current area so that we are certain that there are no unknown venomous creatures present. That would be the only failure in the system as it now stands. The Characters make constant scans for known assailants."

"I agree," Rose adds, glancing at Emmett before meeting Edward's eyes. "Fifty miles is a large area, but that does not matter if we are already harboring an unknown."

Jasper nods his head and leans forward. "Though we have performed a search of the monitored area in the past, I have to agree with Emmett and Rosalie. It is imperative that we deem the area secure and we cannot do that without utter certainty."

"This is your area of expertise, Jasper. If you think it should be done, then it shall," I say, giving him a slight tilt of my head. "Perhaps that is more important than expanding the perimeter at this point."

"I defer to your Commandessa," Edward says, lifting a brow at me. "If she, and all of you, think this is a priority then who am I to disagree?"

"Well, you are the Commander, sir," James breaks in, forever the one to remind Edward who is actually in charge. "Can we not do both at the same time?"

"Thank you, James." Edward chuckles. "And to answer your question, I think we can, but it would lessen our resources. I am pleased with the path we have chosen."

We continue getting updates on different pod aspects, and as a group, we talk through and decide the best way to move forward. By the end of our meeting, Edward and I are ready to tour the prototype of a single family home. Though Tesla is a huge ship, we must be prepared to move beyond its walls. Emmett has overseen the design, and the members of Farming have assembled what we hope to be the beginning of our community outside of the ship's walls.

"May I accompany you, mate?" Edward is standing before me, holding out his hand to assist me with standing.

I roll my eyes but take it anyway. "Yes, thank you."

Once I am standing, he wastes no time in sliding his warm body right up beside me and looping his arm around my back. "How was your morning?" he asks lowly, his breath fanning across my neck as he speaks.

I cut my eyes to him. "You mean the thirty minutes we were separated while I dropped our children to class? The same thirty minutes in which you had Alice escort me to the meeting?"

Only because I know him so well do I even notice the slight bit of panic that runs through him at my accusation, but I cannot even find it in myself to care about his overbearing ways. It comes from a place of love and concern, and I could not feel more cherished. I am eager for tomorrow to pass so that he can lose this fear that resides inside him.

"I am sorry, beautiful," he says, but his eyes are unapologetic.

I push my arm around his waist and offer a light squeeze to his hip. "You are not, and that is okay. I love the way you love our children and me."

He flashes his free wrist at the office doors, and we exit into the corridor. "Good, because I am not sure I could make myself worry less."

"We are almost to the finish line." I press my body closer to his side. "This time," I add, focusing all of my attention ahead of me.

His steps falter slightly, but he manages to stay on track. "Bella, do not start. Not now. Not when we are almost through this."

I sigh, but I can at least give him this little bit. So I will drop it—for now. "You are right, Edward. I apologize. We have plenty of time to decide."

He takes a deep breath and swipes his wrist over the outer doors to Commanding. Once we are outside, Blue comes swooping down for an exuberant greeting, happy to see both Edward and me. Though he is my pet, these two have grown quite fond of each other over the years.

"Hello, little buddy," Edward greets him, in a voice similar to the one he shares with our daughter.

I hold up my free arm to allow him to land, and he does so easily. Though we have seen other bird-like creatures in the skies and trees on the outskirts of our community, no other has approached anyone the way Blue has done to me. I do not know if he was lonely, or if he is just special, but I am thankful for every single day I have been able to spend with him.

After a few strokes along the side of his neck, I lift my arm higher and watch as he takes off and flutters to the nearest brush. When I turn back to my mate, he is staring at me in the same way as earlier.

I shake my head. "Edward, you cannot keep peering at me that way, especially now."I accentuate my last words so that he may read between the lines. "You know how it affects me, and I am no position for my fantasies to be fulfilled."

He pushes his body as close in front of me as is possible and frames my face with his large palms. "I apologize, beautiful, but I almost cannot help myself. Do you realize how lovely you are to me right now?"

I heat at the desperation I hear in his voice, our former adventures popping into my mind. "In the past, we have made use of such times," I say suggestively, leaning my face to nestle closer into his palm.

He brushes his fingers along my brow with one hand and runs his thumb over my lip with the one still enclosing my jaw. "You cannot tempt me at such a time, Bella. This is different. Not this time."

My eyes fall closed at the determination I hear in his words. By the time I reopen them, I have rebuilt my resolve. "Right as always, Commander. Let us tour this home so that we may retrieve our children and prepare for the light show."

He gives me a small smile and begins guiding me toward Farming. When we are almost there, he leans close so that he is speaking only to me. "It will not be too long before I can have you again, and when that day comes, all I can say is, be prepared."

Chills race over me with his words, but he is right. Currently, we are a smoldering pile of ash. When we come together again, we will blaze brighter than the suns.

Once the prototype home comes into my vision, I am completely awed. I do not know what I did expect, but this is not it. The structure is made of glass and Alterna-colored bamboo, with fronds woven for the roof. It is a large square, and though the insides are not completely finished, I can clearly see the expected layout. I find it ingenious. These homes will prepare our people to learn to live for themselves, independent of Tesla.

While Emmett and Edward discuss technicalities such as power and water, I wonder around and take in every single aspect of the building. My mind is assessing what I am seeing and determining if I have suggestions for improvement. By the time we are done, I have cataloged a few ideas for when we next meet.

As we traverse back through society, hand in hand, we talk about the evening's festivities. The word itself implies some of the progressions we have made as a people. By the third year of its occurrence, we had already formed a celebration in honor of the yearly show.

"You know Marie has forgotten the show from last year," I point out, remembering her question from this morning.

His brows lift as he peers at me. "Masen has been raving about it for days."

"Yes, that is how she knows."

"Interesting." He rubs his chin. "Then let us make this event more memorable for her." He gives me his winning smile, and my insides turn to goo as they always have.

"You know," I start, prepared to pay him a compliment, but he pulls us to a stop and faces me before I can say more.

"Bella, I know what you are going to say, and while I appreciate it, I am just being a good father to my children—our children." He takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. "You know; our love affects every aspect of my life. Even a matter such as being a parent. Because I love you, I love them. They are a part of us."

I tilt my head and ponder his words, wondering if what he says is true. I would love to say that it is, without a doubt, ridiculous that we may not love our children, but as I think of our own parents, I cannot be so sure.

I smile and cup his cheek. "What lucky children we have then."

He grips my hand and kisses it softly before twisting and bringing them down between us to continue on our journey. Once we reach Education, I pause outside to wait on a bench with Blue perched beside me while Edward ventures in to retrieve the children.

As I run my fingers absently over his soft fluff, I begin to notice something I had not before. His colors have paled; even his eyes are not as vividly blue as they used to be. Feeling concern, I make a note to speak with Rose about it tomorrow at the first opportune moment.

My mind is immediately distracted as I hear the laughter of my youngest. She is perched upon her father's shoulders, giggling as he pretends to fly her around. My son, on the other hand, is peering at them with his nose turned up. Apparently, he is too grown for such childish games, already his father's protégé in training.

Even still, I am lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a small, one-armed hug as soon as I stand to greet him. "Hello, son. Were your classes enlightening enough for you today?"

He shrugs. "I guess. We studied about the meteors, which I have heard before, but I was younger then, so a refresher course was not very annoying."

I cannot help myself; I smile at my too-grown-up, six-year-old. "Oh, yes, I can see how you might need to brush up."

Just then, my mate and his addition twirl into our space. "Look, Mother, I am flying!" I smile at her, but before I can reply, Blue takes off and joins her, fluttering about beside her. "I am flying like Blue!" Marie exclaims again, and I could not be any more at peace than I am in this moment.

"I see. You two make a beautiful pair."

"Can we see the lights now, Mother?" she asks excitedly, already motioning for Edward to place her on the ground.

"Soon, sweetie," I reply, removing her school bag, only to have Edward lift it out of my hand expediently. I give him a playful scowl and turn back to my daughter. "We need to take your things home, and we will begin the evening by gathering at the eating space."

Her eyes widen. "Everyone?"

"No, Marie," Masen swoops in to answer her curiosity. I watch as he places a guiding arm on her shoulder and begins leading her toward home, speaking to her the whole way.

I smirk as my mate joins me to do the same. "Like father, like son."

"Ah, but I think my intentions are veering in a much different direction than Masen's." He wiggles his brows in an Emmett-like fashion.

I shake my head. "Will you ever quit?"

"I hope that you would never wish such a thing." He feigns hurt by placing a hand over his broken heart.

I nudge his side, pushing myself closer to his lean form. "Never."

He smiles brightly and guides us to follow our children.

After we have eaten, we move out into the clearing in preparation for the night's events. Some people are already gathered, and others are just entering the eating space, but the excitement is reverberating through the air. It is in the smiles on the faces around me and in the children who run and play.

As the suns set, the anticipation builds and the crowd grows larger, until one, large violent streak races across the sky. Everyone and everything falls still. Like a snapshot, an instant frozen in time, I record this moment; the heads tilted skyward and the tiny hand that grips onto mine so fiercely.

More streaks flash, and the light reflects off the bodies around me. Bright bronze hair and ivory skin tints purple as smiles start to form. Even my reserved son cannot contain the joy the night sky is bringing him. My mate moves behind and closes his arms around me to cradle our newest asset. Together as a family, as a community, as one, we enjoy what life has to offer.

Later, after the children have worn themselves out and we have returned home, we snuggle them in and kiss them goodnight. Edward then guides me to the lavatory and starts the steam. As if I am the most fragile being, he removes my clothes and guides me into the warm enclosure.

"I will retrieve your clothes." He leaves me to wash and dry, and by the time I open the glass door, he is standing, ready to receive me.

"I can get dressed on my own," I say on a giggle as he is already trying to steer my arms into the soft material.

My mate pulls my back against him as he snaps the closures of my gown and places open mouthed kisses along my neck. I allow my head to fall back against his chest and lean so that he has more access.

Once he is done, he whispers, "Go to bed, beautiful. I will join you shortly."

I can do nothing but nod and follow his command.

Once I reach the bed, I retrieve my journal and attempt to order my thoughts. I wish to convey my challenges as well as my successes.

I have always been a strong woman, and that strength is what led me to Edward—my perfect match. One simple deviation from routine changed the trajectory of not only my life, but everyone present in society. It is my hope that the lessons we learned can be used as a guiding beacon for generations to come.

As for us, we will continue to shape the future, making it burn brighter than the streaks across the sky tonight. With Edward by my side, together as one force, we are unstoppable.

Dear Diary,

As I prepare to bring my third child into this world, I am both exhilarated and wary. This is a new step for our people, an experiment into the unknown. With limited space on Tesla, the population had to be maintained in a very specific way, but that no longer applies here on Alterna.

When someone actually spoke up and posed the question, a revelation rocketed through me, through us all. Our stringent, two children per couple rule was obsolete, but deciding who would be the first couple to move past it became a huge debate.

I felt that as leaders of our people it was our duty—and secretly my wish—that we also lead in this venture. I was met with swift and unexpected opposition. My mate was too fearful of the "what ifs." Others even went so far as to say a lower standing couple of society should be the "Guinea pigs."

I was both appalled and outraged, standing my ground and refusing to back down. It took almost three years before Edward finally gave in, and we are here. Tomorrow, I will deliver a tiny daughter, once again leading my people into the unknown, blazing new paths for future generations.

Okay, that's all. I haven't finished reviews from last chapter, but I really hope to be able to do them all this week. I appreciate every word you have left on this fic and love you all to pieces. **If there is a MD2, please know that this Epi will be null. I will not confine myself to the words contained in this chapter, plotwise.

Hopefully, I'll see you in the next month or so with Thrice Betrothed, and my SLT Outtake will post in a month-ish. Also, like "Fyregirl Fics" on FB for teasers and stuff.