The fortress that the Muse of Mischief and Agent Brzko call home is amazing. The house is large and sits high atop the rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. On a clear day the view continues for miles. And the sunsets… they have found none better in the Universe.
From the outside, the home looks like any other large home along the coast. It sits far off from the entrance gate, so the house cannot be seen from the road. There is a large stone fence surrounding it. Inside that fence is another that cannot be seen, it’s basically a force field, Gaznzulian technology to keep them safe from intruders.
The front of the house overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The front all is two stories tall and all glass, providing an endless view. The decor is interstellar eclectic. Most of the art looks like it’s from Earth but it is in fact a collection of things from throughout the Universe. There is a collection lining the windowsill in the dining area, to the casual observer they look like shells with a few glass pieces mixed in. But the items that look like glass are actually the discarded shells of the sw’dell of the Black Sea Planet. But the seas of the Black Sea Planet are very different from the seas of Earth.
A selection of the art has been created by Brzko. He is an amazing artist, and enjoys painting whenever he has the time, which of course, is not often. The main hallway is lined with a series he painted, representing the Birdohnirc of Drolla O0. These are amazing little freshwater hive beings. They look a lot like the exotic goldfish of Earth but they connect to make one being, and then separate to gather food and explore. They never stray far from their group. Each group combines to make one amazing being, each one is unique. They look like colorful underwater flowers with their long fins flowing in the current; each has a unique pattern of color.
The Muse of Mischief was sitting on the window bench in the living room, looking out over the ocean, when Brzko brought her, a champagne flute a sat next to her.
“Champagne? What are we celebrating?” she asked.
“Clyrea X9 M. It’s the first real clue to discovering our origins, to discovering what we are.” He clinked his glass against hers and they both sipped.
“It’s exciting isn’t it Brzko? But sometimes I think I need to just accept what my life is and not worry about trying to figure out where I’m from, or what I actually I am.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to research Clyrea X9, or
the area where it may have been?”
“Hell NO! I can’t wait to start. I guess I’m just preparing myself for the possibility that we’ll never know what we are or where we came from. And that has to be OK because look at our lives. We can go anywhere, and anytime, we want to. We have an amazing group of friends and colleagues throughout the Universe. And we get to spend our time doing things like apprehending criminals like the Brusher, helping Rogsaars get back to Myaad, and saving the future leader of the planet Suus from villains. I can’t imagine a better life.”
“I see your point M, and completely agree. To us, to our awesome life…!” Brzko said raising his glass and clinking it against M’s again. “Once the Rogsaars leave Ploosnar we should have some time to ourselves, we should start on Trella if…”
He was interrupted by an audible alert from the interstellar communications portal “Attention please: Incoming message marked urgent.”
They were far too comfortable kicking back on the window bench overlooking the Pacific Ocean to get up and go to the office and receive the message. M picked up her tablet, “Display the message on Muse of Mischief Tablet, authorization M5B7pigsinflight.”
Brzko laughed at the comical password she used.
It was a video message from Bartala “Hello, I know you two must be enjoying a little rest before the Rogsaars depart tomorrow but I must tell you something as soon as possible. Please call me!”
“OK, either he discovered coffee and drank way too much of it, or he’s got some really good news.” Brzko said, chuckling at the excitement that was oozing from Bartala in his message.
They both laughed.
“OK, don’t frighten me with the idea of Bartala on high doses of caffeine!” M said. “Can you imagine what would happen if he discovered something like Red Bull? I’ll call him back.”
“While you do that, I’ll make dinner. How does stir fry sound?”
“Fantastic.”
Brzko made his way to the kitchen, and M donned her communication link and activated it. She could tell that Brzko was on earlink com while cooking, he’d be able to listen in. M sat down in front of the interstellar communication portal in the office and initiated a link with Ploosnar. Bartala must have been waiting by his portal, he answered immediately.
“M, M, M, she’s done it, she’s done it!” he was just about yelling, and standing, in front of the communication portal that was meant to be used while seated. She could only see his belly.
“Hi Bartala, who has done what, and sit down would you?
I don’t want to stare at your belly.” M said.
The Emperor sat down; his Londo style hair was an absolute disaster. It looked like he was wearing pajamas. “Empress Nalau, she initiated the surrogate rituals. I will be a father in 300 cycles. Can you believe it M, I’m going to be a father. We are going to have a son.”
“Congratulations Bartala, I know you’ve waited a long time for this. How is Nalau?” M asked as she heard Brzko’s words in her ear, tell him I said congratulations.
“My beloved Nalau is fine. She did not tell me until they were sure that the process was successful. Now we just wait for the child to develop with the surrogate. I want to celebrate, when will you return?”
“Brzko says to tell you congratulations. We were planning to return tomorrow just before midday. But we can return in the morning if you like. I guess we should take that trip to Trella right away. You’re going to be very busy once your son arrives.” M said.
“Yes, yes, let’s go to Trella. I want to explore again, before I am a father.” Bartala said.
“You look like you could use some sleep too. Are you going to be able to sleep?” M asked her old friend.
“No, yes, I don’t know. So many things are circling in my head. We must decide on a name, we must hire a nanny, we must prepare a nursery. I have to go M, I have much to do.”
“OK Bartala, give our best to Nalau and try to get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.” M said. Just as she ended the communication link, she heard Brzko through her earcom link.
“Dinner’s ready.”
As she walked into the kitchen the smell hit her and she realized just how hungry she was, “It smells fantastic. It smells like fresh niptdyn but we didn’t have any. Did you aperture out to the market on Drolla O0 while I was talking to Bartala?” M asked.
“Yep, guilty as charged.”
“What do you want to do after we eat?” M asked as they took seats at their dining table.
“Paint, you?”
“Beach walk then sleep.”
The Muse of Mischief 