the latest reports that occurred during the past two weeks. We did not cause them.”
The twins looked at each other. For as long as they could remember, Drak never expressed fear or worry. Two sets of eyes watched him. He seemed to be trying to come to a decision about what to say next.
Johan spoke up, “You said that we were not the cause, so that leaves the planetary guard. Maybe they were flying maneuvers in our area. It’s easy enough for them to conduct nighttime flight training. Has any one cleared it with them?”
Collin was listening to his brother but also kept an eye on Drak. He could just barely sense the conflicting thoughts in Drak. Drak had lowered his blocks. Collin tightened his mind link to get a better grasp at what was going on. Drak however was more adept in the use of the mind link. The attempt by Collin caused the blocks to be reinstated, temporarily diverting Drak from his meditative thoughts. Now he sensed that Johan had joined his brother in creating a stronger mind link to him. Anya chose that moment to enter the room.
There they go again, she thought. No talking, just staring at each other. She had given up wondering why they did it. Whenever she asked about it, they would laugh and say that it was a game. Then they would ask her if she wanted to play. Her reaction was to leave them alone, saying she had no time for such childish foolishness. Now that she thought about it, within the last two years, the times of finding the three engaged in the staring game had increased in frequency. Well, let them play their game, she thought. She only wanted to tell them that she would be going to her cousin’s this evening. Knowing from past experience that it would be useless to disturb them, she went to the kitchen and left a note.
Earlier, she was sorting the dirty clothes in preparation to do laundry when she felt an urge to call her cousin. Her cousin, happy to hear from her, invited her over to go with them to see their daughter in an evening dance performance and then dinner at the local lodge. Not having seen them in some time, Anya was happy to agree to the night’s entertainments. In the note that she left for Drak, she added that she had decided as an afterthought that she would be spending the night. She would be back in the morning in time to fix breakfast.
Looking around and seeing that everything was in order, Anya went to her room. She packed her overnight bag and returned to the kitchen window just in time to see her cousin’s truck turn onto the roadway leading to the house. She picked up her bag, blew a kiss in the direction of those whom she thought affectionately of as her guys, and left.
They heard the door close and waited to hear the truck drive away, and they smiled at each other, knowing they had done it again. They had “suggested” through the mind link that Anya call her cousin. And as it had worked every time, her cousin was ready with plans for Anya to take a break and come for a visit.
In a way, they felt that they were doing Anya a favor. She was such a mothering hen that if left up to her, she never would find time to spend away from the farm. Her belief was that there was something pressing that required her attention. The fact was she loved being around and doing for her “family.” As she was so fond of saying to them, “Unlike a man, a woman’s job is never done.”
With Anya out of the way, the twins renewed their attempts to break Drak’s block.
<Good try, but you need more time and practice> he sent to them.
Aloud, he said, “What has been weighing heavily on my mind is the fact that there is so much that you still need to know. I have always known that this time would come, but it just arrived sooner than I anticipated.” This caused puzzled looks to be passed between the twins.
“You know that over the years, I have insisted you study among other things the history of the Nissarian system. I had you become proficient in understanding its geography of planets. I drilled into you facts about the political environment it operates under with particular concentration on the planet Racine. This was done with a specific purpose in mind. You needed to know where you came from.”
The twins began to feel uncomfortable. This was too unexpected. Collin said, “Come from? What . . . adopted? We are adopted?” Then his face blanched. “Kidnapped! Surely not!”
“Wait,” said Drak, “evidently, I am not getting this right. Let me explain by starting at the beginning with no interruptions. I can see that you need to concentrate on listening so you don’t go off on wild-goose thinking. You do not call me ‘Father’ because I am not your biological father. We resemble each other in looks because I am a relative, your cousin, more specifically, your father’s first cousin. Our fathers were brothers.”
And so Drak quietly told the twins about all of the events that happened in the past that landed them here literally on Base II. The twins were stunned. They just sat looking at nothing in particular, each caught up in coming to terms with what had been said. Drak felt awful seeing the looks of confusion on their faces. He had not thought it would be as bad as this. He had tried the best he could. He could not help having loved these boys as if they were his own. He thought that he now saw disappointment and lack of understanding on their faces.
Johan was the first to speak. “As long as I can remember, calling you Drak was my substitute word for ‘Father.’ Nothing that you have said has caused that to change.”
Collin added, “Same goes for me. I understand now why you preferred we call you by your first name even when it was evident that we shared the same genes. I was also beginning to resent that we trained so hard and were good, yet you would not allow us to join the planet patrol. I see the sense in that now.”
Drak looked at the twins and smiled. It seemed the worst was over. He had laid all the cards on the table and had survived. They had survived. “I have raised you as any father would. I have pride in all that you have accomplished. You are and have always been my family. I would be proud to have you call me ‘Father,’ but the truth is I am not, and he may still be alive. For political reasons, he had me become the father he could not continue to be. I want you to know that he had no less of a love for you than I.” Drak watched as the boys nodded their understanding.
“I am speaking out now because our peaceful existence may be about to change. The time has come. You need to acknowledge your true heritage as the younger sons of the House of Omarlo, ruling lord on the planet Racine. Depending on the outcome of the long ago invasion, your father is Lord Imir Omarlo. Your mother is the Lady Tess Omarlo, daughter of the House of Marlis. Your father’s heir is your older brother, Prince Rarg Omarlo. You are Prince Johan and Prince Collin Omarlo of the planet Racine. I am General Drakar Omarlo, supreme warrior protector of the House of Omarlo.”
All of a sudden, the brothers burst into laughter. They couldn’t talk and explain why they were laughing, and it left Drak stunned and worried. They finally managed in between bouts of laughter to get over to Drak that it was the way he said their names with so much pretentiousness. They couldn’t help themselves. The laughter became infectious, and soon Drak too broke down and joined them. Most of the names they remembered from their studies, but to hear Drak as he called out the names struck their funny bone.
When at last they had quieted down, the twins then questioned Drak about the older brother. They were used to each other but curious about him. Having an older brother seemed such a foreign idea to them. They did not remember him. He explained that Rarg would be turning twenty-one soon. He had remained on Racine, as was his duty as heir, with their parents. It was hoped it would allay suspicion and delay an immediate hunt, giving them time to escape. The plan was to ensure sovereignty remained with the House of Omarlo, but if that was not to be, their father wanted to guarantee the survival of his family name.
“There is more,” said Drak. “Racine developed a device, which in the right hands would control tyranny in the system. However, it could also be used as a means to cause absolute chaos in the wrong hands. With it installed on every ship in a star fleet, one could invade a planet in stealth—unseen and appear positioned to demand total surrender or cause maximum destruction. Since COP was unstable at the time of its invention, Lord Imir chose to send the prototype and specs with us. When we left, the existence of such a device was a rumor. Naturally, the device could not be found to exist after the invasion. It was hoped that as the years passed,