Lillian, Soren, and Ion

It was a cold day, and Lillian had brought Ion to the hospital.  "Why exactly are we here, Lillian? Are you still hunting for Soren?  Your father says he is as dead as a door nail."  Ion asked.
Lillian smirked, "My father has to say that.  He is hiding Soren and my secret."
Ion looked at Lillian puzzled, "Secret? Like what?"
Lillian giggled like a school girl, "Like that Soren and I got married... wait you know that one."  She paused.  "Ion, when Soren and I got married, we headed out the next morning to return to Yetim.  He placed me on his good steam speeder, and he road my old one, in part because he was planing to work on fixing it as soon as we got home."  Lillian paused, "But we didn't make it.  Two miles out from Yetim, my steam speeder exploded. Soren lost 3 fingers on his right hand, and 2 fingers on his left. His face is badly burned, and his right leg is mangled.  He has been in the iron lung in a comma ever since."
Ion thought for a moment, "First, that explains why communication stopped about 6 months ago."  He paused, "Has anyone tried making a portable breathing tank for him?  I know for a time they made them in the 1950's through the 2030's, until the plague struck.  It might help him heal faster."
Lillian shook her head.  "No, none of us here have any knowledge of how that was done."
"I have some old blueprints, and I am sure I can come up with something workable.  Maybe we can get you

and Soren home to Yetim, and he can awake at home and not in this ucky place."
"Ion, Soren and I would be forever in your debt if you could, and even more the orphans back in Yetim." Lillian huged him.  "I am sorry.  It is just, you have given me hope for the future for the first time in ages."
"I bet get to work then."  Ion said.  "While I am at it, I will make a mask for the half of his face burnt and a brace for his leg.  It wont be pretty, but he will walk again." with that Ion headed back to his smithy hut, near the airstrip where the A'ts'inna Celpins took off and landed, perfect inspiration for his work.

~ Ion 'Kles

Ion 'Kles

Ion 'Kles got off the Ceplin at A'ts'inna, and looked around at the mesa top community.  Avery Trading post, that is were he had to get to.  He kept practicing what he would tell Soren and Lillian, " I have been a airship pirate, cowboy, and am now a farrier.  I have headed out from the Blue Mountains, having stopped over in Ozarks for my training in horseshoeing first, towards the desert southwest.  I was invited by Soren Kasa, to head out to a trading post he and his future wife were planning to start near a system of orphan caves.  I was not an orphan, but might as have been..."

He saw Lillian heading into the trading post, draped in her black cape.  He caught up with her, "Lillian, I have not head from Soren since he last traded in A'ts'inna, but you have kept me posted, and insured me your father can use me till it is time to build the post.  Oh, I am Ion 'Kles..."
"Oh, of course.  You work for me now.  Father cant say no." That girl has some guts.  I just trust she is correct.

~ Ion 'Kles