The information staring at her over the secure Athenaeum site was quite conclusive, Elsrensia decided after her fourth and final review.

Careful to recheck the details, conservative in her conclusions, the information Elsrensia requested from the researchers at her family’s medical facility on Arrhazon was all she hoped for, with a surprising proposed option.

Ronnie was due in to Manchester-Boston Regional in an hour, after spending the day in Washington at the Department of State. Addison was home, upstairs in her room studying, but Elsrensia wished Ronnie to share this information with Addison, even if Ronnie insisted that Elsrensia was part of their family now.

Elsrensia drove to the airport to pick up Ronnie, though her flight was delayed a half-hour. Fortunately, she was in the main parking garage, and thus her car was secure from towing.

Walking through the airport, she stopped for coffee, finished that, walked a bit more, checked the screens for arrival time, and saw Ronnie’s flight listed as landed. With this information, Elsrensia made her way to the general area of that gate, waiting for the passengers to disembark the flight.

People began trickling out, with a pack of about 20 people following the initial few. Ronnie emerged from the pack, spotted Elsrensia, and casually walked in Elsrensia’s direction, coat in one arm, and carry on bag in her opposite hand.

Ronnie put the bag and coat down, and warmly embraced her nouveau partner, relishing the enthusiastic greeting. Separating reluctantly, Ronnie put on her coat, picked up her bag, and the couple began the walk toward the overhead crossing to the parking garage. “How was your day, Elsren? Mine was rather hectic!”

“It was productive, Ronnie. I managed to obtain information that will surely be of interest to you – as well as Addison and Serada.”

“Oh?”

“As I suspected, the genetic masking used on llhaesa did infiltrate into the genes of the children. As also expected, the masking is flawed, and in fact can easily be corrected right here, with specific instructions provided by my family’s research facility.”

“Is this a safe procedure, Elsren?”

“Absolutely. With llhaesa, a key was implanted in her mind, and that key, in reality was sort of a code that if followed would trigger sequential and rapid destruction of the masking, while with the children, no such code exists as a simple pathway – but the flaws are there. Think of oxidation – llhaesa was fire, or rapid oxidation, and the children’s process would be rust – slow oxidation.

With what I sent for information to the research facility, they decoded the masking, and determined how to remove it without danger to either child.”

“And if the children choose to do this?”

“They will slowly change, much as a child grows during a year. We do not notice them grow three inches, gain corresponding weight, or see their features mature, but they do. So too will this work in such a manner.”

“What is your best guess on changes?”

“You mean based on what I see genetically, with the masking removed?”

“Yes.”

The couple entered the parking garage, turning toward the right, where their car was the third one on the right, in the row along the outer garage wall. Elsrensia used the keyless remote to unlock the car and pop upon the trunk, and Ronnie tossed her bag in, closing the lid.

This done, Elsrensia resumed the conversation. “I predict Addison will be significantly taller than now, and she will have a strong resemblance to llhaesa. Serry will look like you – as she does now, but she too will be tall. Of the two, Addison has the closer match to llhaesa; in fact, she is about as close to llhaesa in that way as llhaesa is to Saehressa.”

They stood at the doors to the car, talking across the top. “Should we do this?”

“Do you mean should we make the decision? I think the girls should, Ronnie, and llhaesa and Jahrae need to be involved as well.”

Ronnie opened the door and climbed in, her action matched by Elsrensia. “But Serry is so young!”

“Yes, she is, but you and I both believe in choice, Ronnie, and if she is uncertain, then we wait. If she is certain – and I think she will understand her choices – then I believe it appropriate to proceed. Think of it this way: the earlier the intervention, the clearer path her unmasked genes have in developing going forward.”

“You’ve convinced me; actually, it is more like you have reassured me, for proceeding is my inclination.

Part of me does not wish to lose the essence of who each of them are, Elsrensia, but I cannot let my selfishness stand in the way of their being who they should be but for some madman’s revenge.”

Elsrensia backed out of the parking spot, and made her way to the ramp downward, descending and rounding the circular slope two flights to the exit. She said nothing until after paying. As they drove away, Elsrensia resumed discussion of the topic.

“That is understandable Ronnie, and it is admirable that you can see the importance of letting them be all they should be, even if that means significant change.”

“We will need to discuss how you would make this change, and we need to explain it openly and clearly to Addison and Serada.”

“Yes, and while you will break the news, I’ll handle the scientific and medical explanations.

Ronnie, I should tell you, I ran simulations today on each child.” Elsrensia mysteriously offered a new tangent as she turned off the access road leaving the airport, and onto Brown Ave, heading for Interstate 293 and home.

“And?”

In five years, Addison will look as much like llhaesa as llhaesa looks like Saehressa. Serry will resemble you, but it will not be to the same extent that Addie resembles llhaesa; and she will have some features that remind one of llhaesa.

Addie will have llhaesa’s long fingers and predisposition to music.

The key here is your genes are unmasked – what they inherited from you – and so those traits are already present and visible. Llhaesa’s genes would go to work on both daughters, and will result in significant change over time.”

“What you seem to be telling me is that llhaesa’s genes will dominate, at least with Addison, and create a stand off in Serada!”

Elsrensia laughed, recognising Ronnie meant the comment facetiously. “You might say that! Seriously, your children will reflect both of you genetically and socially, and what more can a parent expect?

In your family, both of you are exceptionally talented, attractive, and very empathetic, and well, think the fruit falls far from the arlkhala tree?”

“What kind of tree?”

“Oh, sorry! An arlkhala tree is indigenous to Arrhazon. Looked at from afar, the branches seem to form steps that climb to a mutual zenith, with leaves of deep green, and a fruit that is somewhat like your apple, though a bit larger, more sour, and that retains firmness longer.

One of the constellations in our night sky is the Arlkhala Constellation, and interestingly, it plays a historical role in our family.”

“I have a hunch you are about to share a story with me.”

“I am! Not long after we first found Jahrae, she endured intense dreams. In one recurring dream, llhaesa would be associated with that constellation.”

“That is an interesting bit of trivia.”

“Actually, it is more than trivia, Ronnie. The star at the top of the Arlkhala Constellation is Arrkarhara.”

“You… think there is something to that; somehow Jahrae sensed where llhaesa was?”

“I suspect, but cannot prove. There is one more, unrelated thing that this story reminds me to share with you.”

“Is it something new or a story from back then on Arrhazon?”

“New. It appears our family just increased in size by one.”

“Llhaesa is only two months pregnant, so that isn’t what you wished to share. I give up. Explain, please!”

“It seems llhaesa and Saehressa encountered a homeless boy in Boston today, he was thrown out of his home for telling his parents he is gay.”

“Oh geesh – how sad! Let me guess, llhaesa wishes to adopt him, right?”

“Wrong. Saehressa wishes to adopt him.”

“Saehressa!”

“Yes. And the more I think about this, I agree with llhaesa – it makes a whole lot of sense.”

“Why is that?”

“Saehressa is such a loving and caring soul, yet she was without her family – excepting Jahrae – for fifteen years, losing her husband, her son, and her daughter. She has much inside to share, and given her track record with llhaesa, Saehressa is a perfect choice to parent that child!”