The Mistaken Failure is a Demigod Short Stories by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

Jumper visits with their families

The first came here a lot, even if she wasn’t bringing freed slaves. She said that it was just to rest up. She just felt relaxed when she visited. You could see it. When she jumped here with rescued slaves, she had a relieved look to her. It was the letting go of the tension of risking her life to save us.

After a while, we were surprised when she jumped, with my group, to our planet with a mate. I was told that she had a different look to her. It was the almost the same relief but this time she looked less stressed. She had backup.

They made many jumps with slaves but also they came on what they called vacation.

There came the sad day. The male jumper came to us and told us that his mate, the first, had died in an accident. She was buried on her home planet. He wanted us to know that she was most proud of what we made of ourselves.

He was sad but told me that he was going to make a few runs to the last planets they looked at. He said that he would make those jumps for her to fulfil her wishes but asked if anyone wanted to help. He would do the over powering of the overseers but he will need the help to gather up the slaves and get them to the jump point.

Of course we said we would help. We did and successful y rescued another one hundred plus slaves. When we finished the last one, he looked sorrowful and said that he may not be jumping anymore. He told us that it was not the same as when she was with him.

We assured him that we were grateful for what they did for all of us. We reminded him that he was always welcome to stay with us. We would feel honored if he would even settle down here.

He told us that he would visit but, when his time came, he wanted to be next to her.

It was a few years since that time, so it was a surprise when the humming returned. We al gathered and he stepped out but this time he had a woman with three children. They were of our race.

He proudly told us that she was his new mate and these were his sons. We were ecstatic to see that some things had changed for the better.

We were told of their meeting and how they fell in love. His new mate was happy and so were we. Their sons were having a wonderful time playing with our children.

He told us that they wil be making regular visits because they wanted to show his sons what pride can do for your self esteem. Show them that having skil s and ambition wil take you to the stars. We knew what he was saying. We say the same thing to al the children.

Over the span of years, they came regularly. Each time they were welcomed. A few times they jumped with a new baby. All our women almost fought to hold those babies.

Those were treated like our own.

We watched them grow. We also watched as both he and his mate grew old.

One day he returned alone. He told us that his five sons were now very important people. They were owners of very successful companies. He continued on for a while then looked down. He told us of the passing of his second mate. This time he said that it was old age.

He stayed for a while with us then went back to his planet. He did jump back a few times.

These times, he would tel us about his finding the next successor of the jump.

She was a young girl who looked almost exactly like his first mate when she was young.

He was writing tales of adventure from his first wife.

This went on for quite a few years. We saw that each time, he was getting closer and closer to his end.

After a year of him not jumping to visit, we figured that he went on to the next life. What he cal ed, his final jump. We heard the humming and saw a woman come out that the elders thought was the first. She came out with the youngest son of the old man. Also with them was an monster that they cal ed Hero. Big black four legged thing that looked like it was a horse. We were told that it was their protector and could tel good people from bad. Their monster was very friendly and let our young ones climb on it.

They told us that the old man went to his next life and he was laid to rest between both of his mates. We had a celebration of their lives. She and her mate came here at least once a year. They said that they no longer did the risky things that their predecessors did.

They did, however, made it a point to bring each new born to us. Again it was almost a fight but it went from the elder women to the younger to get to hold the baby. The entire time they were here that baby was treasured. She had two sons and a daughter.

They are very happy.