As Fiza's art class was concluding, Lana was coming through the teleporter in Quinn's office. She had a meeting with Oscar about her planet. Peter was there to meet her and help her get where she needed to go since this was her first time there.
As they walked toward Oscar's office, "I assume you want to see Sil while you're here."
"Of course. I also want to meet with Fiza and Mandy while I'm here and inspect their quarters. I'd like to have dinner with as many of you as I can." Quietly she added, "I know not all of you will eat." In a normal tone, "perhaps Helen could join us as well? And the person who's with Sil?"
"I'll contact Quinn while you're talking to Oscar."
Lana nodded and knocked on the door they just arrived at.
She heard Oscar's voice from the other side, "come in."
As she walked in, Oscar stood up. As Oscar's head went up, he paused. He slowly elevated his body and head. His jaw dropped when he saw it was Lana's face but not Lana's body.
Lana giggled, "It's me. We need to speak about my planet. About an area of the planet many people died trying to get to? Do you know anything about this?"
Oscar sighed, "we were at war…"
Lana nodded.
"What happened to you, Lana?"
"I'll answer your question with another question. What happened to the woman whose twins were taken from her and sent away about 17 years ago? Do you know about her injuries?"
"Injuries? I was told a woman was feverish and was unable to take care of the babies."
"So the woman couldn't have been moved with the babies?"
Oscar leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't there and was told about it after the fact. It was 17 years ago. I don't really recall much. What's your interest in this and that planet?"
"That woman was my mother. The first memory of my mother the trees have is of her severely injured. She had wounds on her back. Strange wounds. It wasn't until her weapon altered my form that I fully understood. Someone or something removed her wings. My interest in that planet is it's the only known sighting of my mother. Are there any files at all about the quest to get to that location? I don't know if she came from there somehow but I need to know what you know. I need to know where I came from. It's clearly not here…"
Oscar nodded, rubbing his chin. "I'll have every file we have on that planet, regardless of how insignificant we may deem it, sent to you. Were you able to ask Mona … Before?"
Lana nodded sadly, "yes. She said she would have someone contact me but that hasn't happened yet. I trusted her but it was her people who took my brother and I from our mother. There are… other issues as well. She had some unsavory people working for her on that planet. I doubt she knew because she would have stopped it."
Oscar nodded, "Mona was a very honorable woman."
"I miss her," Lana said sadly, "I didn't even know her well."
Oscar nodded, "Mona took a liking to you. I feel like I failed to protect her." Oscar sighed, "Have you toured our campus yet?"
Lana shook her head, "no. I've asked the Cursed Faction to have someone show me around. I have two family members here and I wanted to inspect their quarters and such. See how they are faring so far, that sort of thing and have a meal with them."
Oscar nodded, "if you have any problems, I'd like to know immediately."
Lana nodded and stood up, "thank you Oscar. I can't possibly express how important this is to me."
Oscar reached across his desk and extended his hand. She clasped his in a handshake. "It's good to see you. I hope your family is well."
Lana smiled "you and yours as well," and left the room. She found herself wondering if he was always this way or if his mistakes of the past were catching up to him. The monster Duke was no longer at his side. Truedream was missing. His list of nefarious allies was growing thin. Perhaps he was realizing the light was a better place to be.
Lana was escorted to the student dorms where she garnered a lot of looks from the students. She had her usual escort of Shalt and Caser with her. Griddlebone had also become part of the normal team, though she now had six baby maccavities riding on her back. Caser was carrying two human babies.
Lana was taken straight to the room Fiza and Mandy shared. Mandy was there but Fiza wasn't.
"Where's Fiza?"
"She took art and the teacher said he knows you so she is escorting him to where we'll be having dinner, I guess. I'll just leave with you."
Lana nodded and looked over the room. It was much nicer than the room she had and she felt she did pretty well with what she had. At the same time, Lana couldn't really compare the two. This building was recently built. It had wooden flooring. The walls were painted a soft cream rather than the standard sterile white. The furniture was all modern but built well at the same time to withstand the taxing lifestyle teenagers tend to live such as throwing themselves on the bed in fits of rage.
Each room now had their own kitchen and bathroom, there was no sharing required for either room. Everything needed in a standard kitchen was provided but the students were responsible for anything lost, stolen or damaged which was reasonable.
Lana nodded in satisfaction and they left the room heading to one more stop before joining the others. In the next room, there was a non-descript boy and a young handsome one with sandy brown hair. Lana chuckled at Peter's mud mask at work. She could tell it was Sil. She entered the room to ensure it was the same or better than what the girls had. When she was satisfied, she asked the boys to follow her.
Lana heard the murmurings in the hall about how a female with wings was getting a personal tour by a head general. She smiled broadly as she heard what people were saying.
"Is she from the Cursed Faction?'
"Can she teach me her ability?"
"General Peter is being really nice to her, she must be really important or powerful?"
"She has matching beasts!"
Sil couldn't take it any more and picked up Olivia, handed her to Lana then picked up Owen for himself. If the people were going to gawk at him and make him feel uncomfortable, he could at least hold his baby.
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