FSE

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2

"Personal log entry, Terran Standard Date: 2515-01-20; Time: 2312 hours FCT. Our first day on Elysinar has been quite interesting, and an eye-opener. Meeting the being called Char'ena was, putting it mildly, a very strange experience. The images she put in my head--I'm still trying to figure out what she was trying to show me. Whole galaxies streaking by, the sense of leaving the universe--if that's possible--and entering some landscape that seemed more real than real, and images of others of her kind. She looked like a wolf, moved like a wolf, acted--more or less--like a wolf, felt like a wolf when I touched her, but..._is_she? I don't know. Char'ena is certainly too big to be even one of the so-called 'dire' wolves from prehistoric times. Her eyes--can't seem to get them out of my head. They're not normal wolf eyes, that's for sure, and I can't shake the feeling that I've seen them before. When she singled out Lilly, Tanya, Miss Redhill, and Petty Officer McElroy, saying that they look like others she knew, I wonder why she didn't say anything about the other G.E.L.F.s. Who knows. Char'ena seemed to know something about the Fansq as well. Elí and Meyleh stayed close and kept looking over their shoulders the whole time we were walking back to the ship to get some rest.

_ _

"The Drianedans seem fairly nice, though I could tell that they are uneasy with our presence. Except for the one named Althena--she seemed a lot more relaxed and talkative. It's sort of ironic that when she stands next to me, it's like when I stood next to the Empress on Mûr Zhæn--there is that much height difference between us. The shocking part was when she said she is over four thousand years old--jeez, talk about somebody who doesn't look their age! I would have guessed her to be in her twenties! She's quite a looker for only being around one hundred twenty centimeters tall...and as old as she says she is.

_ _

"We've noticed that the Drianedans have some very unusual abilities, such as literally walking into a tree and disappearing. After discreet scans, the trees seem quite ordinary, other than being extremely tall for hardwoods--we calculated many are over three hundred meters in height. The Drianedans also seem to be able to move through the undergrowth without making a sound, or apparently without disturbing so much as a leaf or blade of grass. I'd like to know how they do that.

_ _

"Speaking of trees...from what John told me after the incident with Lt. Cha'rhu'ez, I have to admit that her tree climbing ability is impressive--she's just as fearless, and quick, as a bloody chipmunk after drinking a triple shot of espresso. Now I know why John cautioned me not to let her fly the shuttle when they caught a ride with me when I was picking up Zhir-Chi'an in Switzerland. And people think I fly like a proverbial bat out of hell! (*chuckle*) I think that was the first time I've witnessed Thir-Bre'an levitating herself. According to Rha'an, that ability isn't common among her people.

_ _

"Speaking of bats, Sylvia has been trying to figure out how the Drianedans can speak our languages. Well, all except for Miss Thavi's--Moira is the only non-Thabbani I know of who can read, write, and speak their language. None of our Mûr Tua'ansa friends have sensed any telepathic ability in the Drianedans, and we've never seen any kind of translation devices--unless they're implanted, perhaps? Can't say for sure.

_ _

"Well, Lilly is staring at me--I should get to bed. She's been acting a little different since that shared dream we all had, and particularly since she made the discovery about one of the images in the chamber that held The Heart on Élendor Prime. That still_gives me goosebumps just thinking about it._

_ _

"End log entry."

James leaned back in his chair, contemplating the day's events for a few moments, and then blanked his terminal before retiring for the night.

* * * * *

"Good morning, ladies, may I join you?"

"Of course, Zach," Thir-Bre'an replied with a friendly smile.

Zach took the empty seat on Bre'an's right. Around the corner to his right was Rissanivi, and around the other side was Diwenzi.

"Where's John at? I thought he would already be here," Zach inquired.

"He was talking with Canberra last I saw him, something about his cousin's birthday," Diwenzi replied.

"Um, _birth_day?" Rissanivi asked, cocking her head a little and blinking her eyes.

"It's a long-standing tradition on Terra to celebrate the anniversary of the day we were born. It must be getting close to Lilly's," Zach said.

John walked in at that point and joined the other pilots at the table.

"Hey, folks, what's up?" John asked as he sat down next to Diwenzi. Any coffee left in that?"

"Ai-a, skunk-butt. We just started talkin' about birthday stuff," Diwenzi replied, pushing the thermal carafe over to him.

"Cool. You tell them about Lil?" John asked as he started filling a cup for himself.

"Yeah, and we're talking about the different customs on our homeworlds," Zach added.

"Ah, okay," John said.

"We do not celebrate birthdays as Terrans do, though there are three events of particular importance in one's life we observe on Mûr Zhæn. The first is Thu-Pa'zin_, the 'Eve of Acceptance', when a child is accepted into the clan at the age of three sun-circles; next is_ M'su-Kas_, the onset of puberty, which is about the time when a child's ability to move objects with the mind and the ability to relocate begin to manifest; the third is_ Nakanu Séchin_, when full adulthood is reached on one's twenty-first sun-circle_," Bre'an explained.

"Um, when does...the, um, mind-speak thing start?" Rissanivi asked.

"As the child develops within the mother, and her or his consciousness begins to emerge, so does the ability to communicate mind-to-mind. First it is with the mother, though as the mind grows and becomes aware of others, the distance lengthens. With training in the mental sciences, our abilities strengthen to the level they will be for each individual. All of us share--with some variation in strength--the abilities Terrans call 'telepathy', 'telekinesis', and 'teleportation'; some, like myself or our healer, Frer-Sha'an, may have other abilities."

"I saw how you were able to levitate yourself when you caught Diwenzi yesterday. That could be fun," Zach said with a sly grin.

"Yeah, that was something," John agreed.

"My Honored Mother might disagree with you. She still claims that I was, as you might say, 'quite a handful'," Bre'an said with a mischievous look.

"Somehow I just can't imagine you being anything other than the nice lady you are," Zach said with a smile.

Bre'an raised an eyebrow at Zach's comment, and then seemed to examine the contents of her cup.

"If only you knew," she sent softly.

Rissanivi, who had some skill watching the reactions of others from her years of being a moderately successful business person, noticed that as soon as Zach said, "nice lady", Thir-Bre'an's demeanor changed slightly. When Zach was about to ask something, presumably what she had meant by, "If only you knew", Rissanivi thought it might be best to quickly change the subject.

"Um, how many...years, that it? How many is, um, Lilly?"

"Huh? Oh, Lil's going to be 36," Zach replied, slowly tearing his eyes away from Thir-Bre'an and turning his attention towards Rissanivi.

"So, um, how do Terrans observe, um, _birth_days?"

"Oh, it depends on where they're from on our homeworld--different regions have different traditions. Where the captain, Lilly, John, and I are from, we usually have a meal of the person's favorite food, then there is a cake with lit candles on it--usually one candle for however many years old the person is, and then after that the person gets to open whatever presents they were given," Zach explained.

"Candles? What that?" Rissanivi asked, tilting her head to one side a little and blinking.

Using his thumb and forefinger to approximate the dimensions, Zach replied, "Candles used on birthday cakes are about so wide and so long, and they are made out of wax. They have a cotton string in the center for a wick--that's the part you light on fire, and the wax is usually colored some way."

"Curious. What is the purpose of the candles?" Bre'an asked.

"I'm not sure when it got started, though each candle is supposed to represent one year of a person's life. The celebrant is supposed to make a wish for something without telling anyone what it is, and then blow out the candles. The lights are dimmed, the cake is brought out with the candles lit, and everybody sings the birthday song. When the song is finished, that's when the person makes their wish and blows out the candles."

"That, um, interesting thing to do," Rissanivi said. "On Vey'a we celebrate Se'le'aniti--Hatching Time. When hatchlings gain sentiency, they, um, brought into family--takes, um, around thirty to forty day-cycles. We give hatchlings name then. Not much we celebrate after that, other than special days. When one stops, we have special ritual. Sad time when one stops being." Rissanivi heaved a sigh.

"You lost someone close?" Diwenzi asked quietly.

Rissanivi looked up, cocked her head, and blinked.

"Lost? Um, maybe...yes, but not same as when one stops. Lost friends out here somewhere, I help find. Hope they not stopped being. That would be sad--worse for Big C's sister."

"You mean Cameron, right?" Zach asked.

"Um, yeah, Big C. He nice guy. Arlan nice guy, too--kept me warm at night when we got stuck on fifth world in N'man system. One cold place! I not like ice caves! They found some old, old stuff there. Um...forgot how to say Big C's special lady friend's name..."

"Sy'k'rell Hauvri'ahn," Zach said.

Rissanivi blinked rapidly a few times and asked in amazement, "How you remember that? Did you know her?"

"I've been around Élendorians. No, I only know about her from what Miss Ja'f'darwe has told us. You knew they were mates, didn't you?"

"Hmm. Huh? How you know that?" Rissanivi asked.

"By her given name. If she was single, it would be Hauvri'ahna. We found out when Petty Officer Canberra married Læree'ahn--Élendorian females drop the 'a' off the end of their names when they choose to bind themselves with their 'true' mate," Zach explained.

"It was a simple, though elegant, ceremony, not unlike on my homeworld," Bre'an said.

"Got anybody you're interested in, Bre'an?" Diwenzi asked.

"Interested in? Perhaps. However, Pairings in my culture are arranged by the Head of one's House. My Honored Mother would undoubtedly rather see me paired and attending to the duties of House Thir, than have me in the Imperial Star Service piloting a Chel-Sar_class exploration ship so far from home_," Bre'an replied.

"What type business your family do?" Rissanivi asked.

Bre'an paused several seconds, contemplating how to answer.

"House Thir...is an upper First Circle House. We are involved in the government of our world, specifically, in the regulation of currency."

The jaws of the other four pilots at the table dropped in surprise.

"Upper First Circle?" Zach asked in astonishment. "Jeezers, if I remember right from our stay on Mûr Zhæn, that would make you..."

"Properly, I am 'Lady Apparent Thir-Bre'ana, First Daughter of Lady Thir-Ari'ana, of House Thir, Upper First Circle, and Pilot First Grade, Imperial Star Service'," Bre'an sent with a touch of reluctance.

"Jeezers," Zach said under his breath.

"As long as I serve the Empress as the pilot of one of her exploration ships, I prefer to be simply Thir-Bre'an to my crewmates and friends--I neither expect nor wish any special consideration. I enjoy this over all else...much to my Honored Mother's annoyance," Bre'an sent with sincerity.

"I know what ya mean," Diwenzi said.

"Is your own Honored Mother annoyed with you for being a pilot?" Bre'an asked.

"Huh, more like her entire planet," John said.

"What you mean?" Rissanivi asked, cocking her head.

"Everybody thinks I'm sabi'ch'we," Diwenzi said glumly.

"They think she's loony-toons," John added, pointing a finger to the side of his head and moving it around in a circle. Seeing the looks on the faces of Bre'an and Rissanivi, John explained, "See, Veswans live in forested areas, and make their homes underground. They generally don't like wide open spaces, and they think anyone who flies is not right in the head. Flying out in space is something only insane people do."

"But I like flying...it's all I wanna do," Diwenzi said.

"And climb trees, apparently," Zach added with a chuckle.

"They've turned it into a national sport," John added with smirk.

"Hey, keeps this lil' gal in good shape!" Diwenzi said proudly.

"Got that right, Diz," John said, grinning as he patted her on the shoulder. "Seriously," he continued, turning his attention back to the pilot of the Se'nika, "I'm glad you saved her bacon, Bre'an. If that Aral guy hadn't of distracted her, she wouldn't have missed that branch."

"'Bacon'?" Bre'an asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's an idiom for saving a person's life," Zach explained.

"Ah. Interesting. I could not allow you to get hurt in such a way. While doing what we do has its own inherent dangers which could end our paths at any given time, falling from such an activity would be less than dignified. Though I must say, you do seem to have considerable skill in that area," Bre'an sent with a measure each of concern and admiration.

"Thanks, Bre'an," Diwenzi said appreciatively.

"You can have trees, I want nice swim in warm pool!" Rissanivi exclaimed.

"Now that I can agree with," Bre'an agreed with a smile.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. I miss going to Chena Hot Spring back home in Alaska, especially in the winter. Relaxing in the forty-degree Celsius water, watchin' the aurora overhead...and then having dinner at the restaurant there...mmm."

John leaned back in his chair, put his arms behind his head, and looked up with a smile on his face as he reminisced.

"Sounds nice, except not like cold time. Maybe we find one here..." Rissanivi said, giving John a suggestive look, which didn't go unnoticed by Diwenzi.

"Perhaps we should inquire if there is a suitable hot spring," Bre'an suggested.

"I'll ask," Zach said with a grin.

* * * * *

"A lovely night," Vren-Kan'ta sent as he walked beside Cara, keeping a respectable distance between them, and his hands clasped behind his back.

"Yeah. This place looks like it came right of a fairy tale," she agreed.

"A 'fairy tale'? I am not familiar with that term."

"Oh, it's a type of fantasy story from my world. Fairy tales usually have a hero and heroine, something supernatural like maybe a dragon or unicorn, an enchanted forest, magic, and there's often some kind of moral to the story," Cara explained. "Do you have anything like that back home?"

Kan'ta thought for a bit on that.

"We have story plays that may serve a similar function. On Mûr Zhæn, the beasts are real, the forests have ways of their own, and I suppose the abilities of our people would seem like your magic."

"We didn't get to see much of your world when we were there. I did enjoy seeing your capitol city, though."

Kan'ta was silent for time while they walked along--when he was sure of what he wanted to say, he sent, "Depending on our route back home, if we are able to stop for a time on my homeworld, if you would allow, perhaps I could show you more of Mûr Zhæn."

Cara looked up at Kan'ta, who was easily head and shoulders taller than she was, and smiled.

"I'd like that."

The continued to walk through the part of the city near the spaceport, admiring how well the buildings and streets complimented the environment. Most of the Drianedans gave them a wide berth, giving quick nervous glances, especially towards Kan'ta, who was like a storybook giant compared to the locals.

At one point, Cara said quietly, "It's awfully hard to tell how old they are, have you noticed?"

"Yes. I have learned that the female named Althena is over four thousand of their sun-circles. I must admit I have difficulty comprehending that."

"Yeah, me, too. I had a hard enough time with how old Miss Thavi is, let alone with how long your people live...but, that's nothing compared to these people!"

"Indeed. I suppose to your earliest ancestors, present humans would seem long lived."

"I suppose," Cara agreed.

"You mentioned the Thabbani--if I may ask, how old is she?"

"She said she's only ninety-eight...I think that's seventy-something in Terran years. She sure doesn't look it!"

"Do you know how long, on average, their lifespan is?"

"Um...I think it's somewhere around three hundred years," Cara replied.

"Theirs?"

"Yeah."

"I wonder how long of a lifespan these people have."

"Probably a lot longer than we can imagine."

Cara and Kan'ta continued their walk, enjoying the sights, sounds, and scents of Elysinar. Eventually, they headed back to their ships.

Along the way back, when they were between the city's edge and the spaceport, Cara said, "It's kinda dark here."

"I see well enough."

"I think everybody sees better at night than me and Miss Salnuano."

"The reptilian pilot?"

"Yeah."

"I was under the impression that Terrans had the ability to see in the dark."

"Nah, that's mostly the G.E.L.F.s or those who have G.E.L.F. in their ancestry, like the captain and Mr. MacCloud. Us regular humans don't see very well at night--particularly women."

"Why is that, if I may ask?"

"I don't know, probably some evolutionary thing."

"Interesting. Things are much different on your homeworld than on mine."

"I bet. Yours was pretty strange to us, too, especially trying to get used to having to do everything at night."

"I understand that poor Chi'an had quite a time adjusting to your world during her stay there."

"I heard! Felix said something about an incident with a shark at the beach, and then there was a time when she tried eating lobster in a restaurant. Apparently, it kinda freaked some people out when they saw Chi'an bite a chunk out and ate it, shell and all."

"She claimed it was good, though the smell of the yellow liquid served with it was nauseating."

"You mean, the melted butter?"

"I believe that is what she said it was called, yes."

"What's wrong with butter?"

"Forgive me for saying, but...the smell, it is... revolting."

"Oh, c'mon, it's good! I put it on a lot of things!"

Kan'ta grimaced at the thought. He was about to say something else on that topic when there was a strange sound near some bushes about eight to nine meters to their left.

"What was that?" Cara said quietly, suddenly becoming nervous, and stepping closer to Kan'ta.

"Just a small animal with its little ones--they appear to be feeding on the leaves."

"I can't see a thing!" Cara whispered.

"Close your eyes a moment."

"What? Why?"

"I can show you what I see."

"You can?"

"Yes. Close your eyes..."

"Okay, they're closed."

Kan'ta looked towards the animals and sent what he saw to Cara.

*gasp!* "Wow, that's...this is what you see?"

"Yes."

Cara was totally amazed--knowing that the Mûr Tua'ansa could see from deep infrared through far ultraviolet was one thing; being able to actually see that for herself through his eyes, and how his brain processed the visual information, was unreal.

When they were back at their respective ships, Cara said, "I had a good time."

"It was most enjoyable."

There was a moment of awkward silence as they were unsure what to say next.

"Um...you...want to, maybe, have dinner with me? Tomorrow?" Cara asked, not sure if it was appropriate for her to do so.

Under the light that shown down on Nightwing's forward boarding lift, Cara saw Kan'ta's ice blue eyes darken slightly.

Bowing his head, he sent, "That would be acceptable."

"Okay, great! Um...seventeen-thirty hours, okay?"

"You may wish to contact me when it is near the time in case Sri'an does not have your time system programmed into our ship's...'computer', I believe you would call it. I will ask her when there is a chance."

"Oh, sure, no problem. Yeah, we kinda have completely different clocks, don't we?"

"Yes."

"Um, okay...tomorrow, dinner, our crew's mess, I call you to make sure you got the time thing right."

"I am looking forward to it."

"I'll make sure there's no butter on yours," Cara said with a grin.

"That would be appreciated," Kan'ta smiled back.

Cara stepped onto the boarding lift and pressed the button to go up.

"Good night, Kan'ta."

"Sleep well, Cara."

* * * * *

"I certainly was not expecting the First One's Great Lupin to make an appearance!" Althena insisted.

"Gently, my friend, no one is suggesting otherwise. It was a surprise to us all," stated Brana Floran, one of the elder council members.

"Whatever possessed it to desire to meet the strangers?" Noran asked.

"They're hardly strangers_now, Noran. They wouldn't _be here if Mistress Naoia had not taken an interest in them! She knows they are good people--why can you not accept that? I have not sensed any ill feelings in any of them--they are simply curious, and they are well-mannered. You should keep that in mind, Noran," Althena said the last icily.

"Althena is right," Brana agreed. "These people have been nothing but polite and friendly, and are good natured. The horned ones have a strong sense of personal honor which would prevent them from doing anything disgraceful. They are not a rash people."

"The one furry female who climbed the talnasia tree seemed rash to me," Noran quipped.

"Her people are forest beings, just as we are," Aran said in her defense. "After a long period in space, she was simply overwhelmed with joy at being in a forest again, to feel its living breath fill her lungs and the life surrounding her. Do not confuse her joy of being who and what she is with being rash and therefore dangerous. Being surrounded by metal for long periods would wear on any of us. I understand that the two young Fansq females have set up a garden of sorts within the black ship, and the one named Diwenzi spends much time there, as do the green ones."

"I agree with Aran," Althena stated, crossing her arms. "They may be different, but they value life_and the living of it, no less so than we. Perhaps if we send a portal to their world, and actually _visit them, then we might be more inclined to accept them as the friends the First One intends them to be."

"What?! You would send a _portal_to them?" Noran asked incredulously.

"Calmly, Noran. Althena, your suggestion has some merit to it. What is your thinking?" Brana asked.

Althena collected her thoughts for a moment.

"The Fansq girl, Meyleh, told Aran that the governing body of her new friends' civilization have offered to give her people a world in their space to call their own so that they may live in peace according to their own ways. It is some distance between the world the Fansq now live on and the one that has been found for them. I suggest sending a portal to the current Fansq world and another to their soon to be new home, and let our visitors be the ones to lead them. Once the Fansq have arrived at their new home, retrieve the portal from their old one. We would have a direct terminus to a world within the Sol Federation space near a planet whose inhabitants are known to be non-violent. We could drop in, from time to time, and visit the Fansq and perhaps their friends. The people of that federation have shown their willingness to help others and stop the advance of the minions of the Dark Bloods. Young as their races are, they may very well prove to be allies in that part of the galaxy--why not make and then strengthen those ties?"

Brana thought carefully on what Althena said.

"I find no disagreement with what you propose. I will bring this to Mistress Naoia and ask for her blessing upon it. She may wish to adjust the details of it according to what she is aware of."

A short while after the meeting was adjourned, Noran went to Althena and again voiced his concerns.

"Noran, change may either be for good or ill--I prefer to find changes that will be for good, instead of being afraid of those that might bring otherwise. Even if there should be unforeseen changes that are not what we want, we must deal with those, too, in their turn. We cannot simply hide behind our wall while others fight for the same ideals we also hold dear. The older races are returning to join in this fight--we should add our strength, too. Besides, the younger races offer fresh ways of seeing things. Even we still have a thing or two to learn."

"I hope you are right," Noran said with concern.

"We have been sitting for so long we are becoming like stone--cold, hard, inflexible, and gathering the moss of age. As a people, we have forgotten to be as the young sapling, who bends but does not break when the winds blow. Be a cold, dead, stone buried under an armor of ice if you wish, Noran--I will continue to grow with the trees and reach for the light."

Noran watched Althena walk away and disappear into the forest. As much as her words stung, he grudgingly admitted she was right. Noran walked alone for a time, going wherever his feet chose to take him, until he spied something that made him think. He sat down on the ground and gently touched the tiny seedling that had sprouted up. Thinking on what Althena had said, Noran carefully scooped up the seedling and carried it to a small clearing.

"You deserve a chance to grow, little one. There is better light here--reach for it, and become stronger for the reaching. In time, you will be shelter for others against the storm."

Noran sat and thought on the seedling for a time, and what it represented. Then, looking in the direction of where the three alien ships were, he made a choice.

"Yes, Althena, even we may still have a thing or two to learn, and I am no exception. I will go to their worlds and learn of these people and their ways, just as our kind did in the Elder Days. And when the time comes, our strength will be added to theirs."

* * * * *

Lilly sat alone on the starboard-side landing skid, watching the sun set. She twiddled a piece of grass in her fingers, though her mind was on other things. Lilly felt restless, and uncertain. The discovery she had made that proved beyond doubt, at least in her mind, that one of the images in the chamber on Élendor Prime was one of the characters in her ancestor's book, confounded her. On top of that was what her cousin, John, had suggested. "...What if one of them had been there then?" he had asked. Lilly pulled out her PAD and thumbed it on. Accessing her personal photo album, Lilly pulled up the family photos of the old homestead in the wilderness. She flipped through them until one in particular appeared--it was a photo of her and James' twentieth great grandparents together, taken by Zach's own twentieth great grandfather. They were on the front deck of the house having a barbeque dinner, during the spring of 2013. There were others there--a cat G.E.L.F., a mouse G.E.L.F., and a human woman with long, black hair, plus the wolves she knew about. Lilly saw that they were laughing about something, and having a good time. Flipping to the next photo in the collection, Lilly saw her and Zach's twentieth great grandmothers bringing the food to the table. She smiled, thinking how great it would have been to be there. According to family lore, Lilly's twentieth great grandmother was quite a cook. Flipping through more photos in the collection, Lilly stopped on one and her eyes welled up. Her twentieth great grandfather was sharing a toasted marshmallow with her twentieth great grandmother, and the love they shared was also plainly evident.

"So much like me and Jamie..." she whispered.

Lilly was so caught up in looking at the photo that she didn't notice the swirl of light behind her, or the sound of claws lightly clicking on the paved landing pad, until she felt a large, furry muzzle touch her cheek.

"What the...GAA!!!"

Lilly spun around and landed on her tail, looking up with eyes wide with fright.

"Sorry, I not mean to scare."

"Ch-Cha-Char'ena...???"

"I keep watch, keep friends safe. Keep you safe."

"M-Me? Why? From what?"

Char'ena went around the strut and stepped over the landing skid, coming around to where Lilly was sitting on the ground. Not knowing what to do, Lilly stayed still while the huge wolf being lay down against her.

"You look at past?"

"Huh? Oh...this?" Lilly asked, picking her PAD up.

"Show me."

"Uh, okay..."

Lilly did as Char'ena wanted, showing her the old family photos on her PAD.

"I know that one," the huge wolf being said when Lilly showed one particular photo.

"Wha...him?! How?!"

"Just do," Char'ena replied casually.

Perplexed, Lilly switched photo albums and pulled up a particular image to show.

"Do you know this one?"

Char'ena looked at the image and then pressed her face close to Lilly's, looking her eye-to-eye.

Everything Lilly saw changed. She was no longer on Elysinar, but on some other world. The trees were still large, though different. The air had a different scent to it. Before her was the person in the image, only not as a drawing--she was real flesh and blood and fur. There was an echo of someone talking, of laughter. Then the person stepped to the side and Lilly felt a weight on her back. The view shifted, somewhat higher up, and then everything went into motion, like a video camera had been put on a horse's head to capture the animal's viewpoint when it ran. Eventually the motion stopped, the ground seemed to get closer, and the face of the individual came back into view. This time, the face was much closer. Lilly felt it press up against hers and fingers of a hand working into thick fur. When Lilly's vision came back to the present, tears were rolling down her cheek.

"I give you ride."

*sniff* "Seriously?"

"Only special people I allow. Lilly special--give ride now, will carry later."

Lilly had never ridden a four-footed horse before, or any other large animal--let alone anything resembling a wolf. Cautiously, she climbed onto Char'ena's back and held onto the thick fur on her neck. The Great Lupin stood and then sauntered past the ships to the grassy area nearby.

"Hold on," Char'ena instructed, and she took off at a run.

At first, Lilly was a bit scared, but the farther they went, the more she learned the movements, and her confidence gained. It seemed easy enough while in the level grassland around the spaceport, but when Char'ena leapt into the trees, the words, "hold on", took on a whole new meaning. Over fallen logs, stones, and streams the Great Lupin jumped, running as if she were on the hunt with her packmates. Char'ena's thoughts were of the moment, and those she shared with Lilly. The feeling of being totally wild and free in ways anyone could barely imagine were nearly overwhelming. The concepts of space and time meant nothing to Char'ena--indeed, as she ran, what Lilly saw seemed as if the woods and the places between galaxies began to blur together. How far they went or for how long, Lilly had no idea. It was dark by the time Char'ena returned Lilly to where they began. After she slid off, the Great Lupin rolled onto her side and pawed at the air. Remembering the wolves back home and how James would treat them, Lilly smiled and gave Char'ena a good belly rub, which the Great Lupin seemed to enjoy greatly.

"Thank you, that was...just..." Lilly said, giving Char'ena a hug.

"Lilly have good birthday now?"

"Yeah...huh? You know about my_birthday_?"

The Great Lupin got up and gave Lilly a gentle lick.

"We know many things, dear one."

Lilly cocked her head a little at the change in Char'ena's speech, but before she could say anything, the huge wolf turned and trotted off, disappearing in a swirl of light.

"Jeezers!"

* * * * *

The door to Felix's office space opened. When he looked up from his work to see who it was, he immediately started to stand.

"As you were, Canberra," James said, motioning with his hand for the clerk to stay seated. "You wanted to see me about something?"

"Oh, aye, sir. I wanted to see what you thought of this, ey..." Felix swiveled his chair around and scooted over to a bottom cabinet door. He deftly entered the security code to unlock the door, opened it, and removed something covered with a towel. Despite being sealed in a container, James' sensitive nose detected a particular scent.

"Petty Officer Canberra, is _that_what I think it is?" James asked, giving the clerk a suspicious look.

"I hope so, ey," Felix replied with a slight mischievous grin. "Would you mind shutting the door, ey? Don't want the surprise to be ruined, sir."

"Surprise, eh?" James asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Okay, I'll bite," he added, and reached behind him to close the door.

Felix removed the towel, and then carefully removed the cover. When the smell hit James' nose full force, Felix grinned broadly.

"Where in the heck did you get the..."

"Before we left Eielson, ey. A mate of mine knew a guy who could get his hands on some and get it up to Alaska before we lifted. I had it well stashed--mostly so somebody wouldn't find it and drink it before it could be put to proper use, ey," Felix explained.

"And the other..."

"Made a quick trip down to a vineyard in California--convinced the owner to let go of some grapes in exchange for something I found out he needed, ey."

When James saw Felix beam like the fictional Cheshire Cat, he had to give his head a little shake.

"So, who baked the thing?" James asked.

"Well, sir, there was only one person onboard who has the precision to create such a masterpiece of fine and delicate culinary perfection..."

"You got Moira involved."

"Ey, Mr. Slis'issa helped, too. He's a chemist, you know, ey."

"Canberra...I gotta hand it to you, if anyone was able to pull this off..."

"Thank you, sir."

"Lock that back up. I'm sure it's bound to be a fire hazard. Speaking of, you didn't happen to..."

Felix was one step ahead. He reached into a drawer of his desk and produced a box of pink striped birthday candles.

"When you light that, we probably ought to have one of the DC[1] bots standing by," James quipped as he turned for the door.

"Ey, it's guaranteed to be potent, sir."

"That's what I'm afraid of. Carry on, Canberra," James said as he closed the door behind him.

"A raisin-rum cake...of all the...if that was Violet's old recipe...ye gods. I bet boychik must have snagged a copy from his mom before we left Élendor. Wait a minute...Canberra got the ingredients before we left Eielson. He might have asked Aunt Flora...unless Poppy gave it to him. Hmm, at any rate, it should be one rockin' party. Heh, at least my little surprise came through with that last message squirt we got. Syl wouldn't open anything marked "For Captain's Eyes Only", which Uncle Kenny was kind enough to seal it under--hopefully Moira wouldn't, either. Lilly has worked hard to earn it, and I want to be the one she finds out about it from--right when everyone else does."

James continued mulling over things in his mind. Shauna's promotion to full Lieutenant came through, pending completion of time in grade, which should be in another two months. In six months, Mindy would be frocked to Senior Chief; and if it went through, Zach would be up for promotion to Lieutenant Commander the following year. Both Bronski and Canberra would also be close to making Petty Officer First Class.

"If we stay out here long enough, I might have to start promoting the bots," James thought with a chuckle.

* * * * *

Later that evening, James was starting to get ready to hit the sack for the night. Tanya was in the shower, Moira's android avatar was working on a project with Lt. Cdr. H'alwa and Miss Thavi, and Shauna was already stretched out on the bed reading something on a PAD. When James heard the blow-dry system kick on in the shower, he knew Tanya would be out soon.

"Reading something interesting?" James asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Ever since Lilly dug up that picture, I got curious, and started reading that story your ancestor wrote. I haven't got far on the first book yet, but it's kinda interesting," Shauna replied.

"First time you've read it?" James asked.

"Yeah. How many times have you read it?"

"Lil and I read it together when we were in the ninth grade, and I read it at least once more before graduating high school. It just seemed like a good story back then, but with what's been going on lately, I might have to read it again just to see if anything in it could be relevant to what we know now."

Shauna nodded her head in agreement.

"That's why I decided to read it. Couldn't hurt to give it a try."

"Well, if anything happens to pop out at you, mention it. Your take on it might be different than mine or Lil's," James suggested.

"Count on it. Hey, speaking of the little black-n-white, where is she?" Shauna asked, putting the PAD down.

"I don't know...she wasn't at dinner tonight. Has she said anything to you about working on something?" James asked.

"Nope. I haven't seen her all evening."

Tanya came out of the head and asked, "Seen who?"

James looked up at her and said, "Lil."

Tanya furrowed her brows, trying to think when was the last time she saw Lilly.

"She said something about watching the sunset."

"That's been hours ago," James said, growing concerned. "Moira, locate Lilly for me."

/* "Lilly is with Miss Ja'f'darwe at the moment. They are in Lift-1, coming up to Deck 1." */

"Thanks, Moira."

/* "You're welcome, James. My android avatar will be somewhat late joining you tonight. I trust you don't mind." */

"We'll keep a spot warm for you, dear," Tanya added with a chuckle.

/* "Thank you, Tanya. Do you require anything else?" */

"That's it, for now, Moira," James replied.

/* "As you wish, James." */

A few minutes later, Tanya heard voices outside the private entrance to the captain's cabin.

"They're by the door," she said quietly.

When the door opened, Shauna tossed the blanket over herself, and Tanya quickly tied her robe closed. All three felt the unmistakable presence of Miss Ja'f'darwe.

"Yeah, c'mon in. Jamie?"

James and Tanya heard the slight waiver in Lilly's voice and became concerned.

"What's wrong, Lil?" James asked, standing up. "Miss Ja'f'darwe."

Lilly hesitantly started to walk part way to James--when he held his arms out to her, she rushed the remaining distance and threw her arms around him.

"Hold me..." Lilly said weakly.

"I've got ya, Lil," James said in a quiet, reassuring voice.

When James cast a questioning glance at the Élendorian, she said, "I apologize for the late hour, Captain. Lilly has had quite an experience this evening."

"Are you okay, luv?" James asked softly.

Tanya joined them, wrapping her arms around Lilly and nuzzling her.

"All okay now, da? Come, sit and tell us what happened," Tanya gently insisted.

When Lilly sat down on the edge of the bed with Tanya, James called out, "Moira, tell Ensign Donnelson that his presence is needed in the captain's cabin, on the double."

/* "As you wish, James. Is there a problem?" */

"Just a bit of a family issue," James replied, giving a quick glance towards Miss Ja'f'darwe who gave a slight nod of her head to confirm his suspicion.

The holographic emitters came online and Moira's image coalesced.

/* "This form will have to suffice until my android avatar arrives. She will be here as soon as possible." */

"Hey, um, somebody want to toss me my robe, please?" Shauna asked.

James picked it up and handed it to her when he sat down beside Lilly. Just as Shauna was tying the belt of her robe, the door announcer chimed.

"Enter," James called out.

John stepped in, wearing his tank top and sleep shorts, wondered why the Élendorian diplomat was there, and went straight to James.

"What's up, cuz?"

"Pull that chair up for Miss Ja'f'darwe, and then get the two side chairs from my office and bring them in here," James instructed.

"Sure thing," John said, quickly doing as instructed.

When everyone was seated, James looked momentarily at Miss Ja'f'darwe before turning his attention back to Lilly.

"What happened?" he asked calmly.

"I had gone outside for a short stroll to take in some of the night air. I found Lilly sitting, hunched over with her arms and tail wrapped around her legs, on one of the landing skids. I sensed strong emotions in Lilly, so I sought to comfort her if I could. As soon as I touched her, powerful images filled my mind." Leaning closer, she reached for and held Lilly's hand. "Your family is around you, Lilly. Take strength from the bond you share with them. Tell as much as you can put into words of what happened."

Lilly sniffled quietly.

"I...was lookin' at the old family photos and doin' some thinkin' when she came up behind me."

"Who?" James asked softly.

*sniff* "Char'ena."

There was a collective gasp.

"She...she talked to me, and wanted to see what I was lookin' at, so...I showed her." Lilly looked up at James and continued. "When she saw him, she said, 'I know that one', but wouldn't say how, just that she did. So, I pulled up that old drawing and showed it to her, and then Char'ena put her head close to mine and...I saw her! The real_person! I _felt her and heard her voice! And her scent...jeezers, Jamie, I know what that perfume smells like! The stuff she wore in the story!"

Lilly buried her head against James' shoulder.

"Apparently, Char'ena shared memories with Lilly, much like she did with you," Miss Ja'f'darwe said.

"How do you know..." James started to ask.

"I was standing right behind you."

"Oh. What else happened, Lil?" James asked, gently stroking her fur.

*sniff* "S-She...gave me a...a ride."

"A ride? How?"

"Like...like a four-footed horse. On her back. I held on and she walked out into the grass, and...then she took off! She ran into the trees...it was like...like the wolves back home, chasin' somethin', but not really. I...I never...felt like that before!"

"Like what, Lil?" James prompted.

When Lilly couldn't speak, Miss Ja'f'darwe--who was still holding Lilly's hand--filled in the rest.

"Char'ena formed an intimate mental bond with Lilly, beyond anything I have ever sensed, let alone even heard of. She knows what it's like to actually be a true ancestor of all wolves, to be totally wild, no care, the only thought was of the moment. Time means nothing, and space, at least as how we experience it, means nothing to this Char'ena."

"Is Char'ena...one of the First Ones?" James asked.

"I don't think so, but I'll wager she's closely associated with them in some way. I think Lilly may been shown a glimpse of where they're from--I think you have, too, James."

"Jeezers, Lil, talk about going on the proverbial ride of your life!" John exclaimed softly.

*sniff* "Yeah, no kiddin'," Lilly replied. "Hey...she knows it's my birthday! I...I asked her how she knew that, but the way she replied didn't quite sound like her."

"What did she say?" James asked.

"It stuck in my brain--she said, 'We know many things, dear one.'"

"Crapola, you think maybe one of those First Ones was speaking through her somehow?" Shauna asked.

"That sure didn't sound like how I remember hearing Char'ena talk," James pointed out.

"What's goin' on, Jamie?" Lilly asked, looking her mate in the eye.

"Jeez, Lil...I wish I knew. I really do."

* * * * *

The next afternoon, Cara, Felix, and Læree'ahn, took it upon themselves to decorate the crew's mess for Lilly's birthday. Felix broke out the appropriate decorations from ship's stores--a large banner that read, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", printed napkins, party favors, and the traditional cone hats. Elí and Meyleh made sure there were enough fresh strawberries from the hydroponics bay for everyone to have a small dish of the sliced and sugared berries. SRB-5836 and SRB-5917 brought in a string of lights they had fashioned for the occasion, along with a power pack for them. John enlisted Diwenzi's help in the galley while he cooked Lilly's favorite dish--chicken cacciatore. Of course, the "chicken" wasn't real, having been created using the protein resequencer, though the texture was close enough, and with the right flavoring and seasonings, it was passable.

Tanya stopped in to check on the progress.

"Ah, now this looks like a proper celebration, da?"

Felix smiled slyly and said, "Should raise some spirits, ey?"

"Da, hope so. Could use good party. All is needed now is music!" Tanya said with a big grin, and a little thicker Russian accent than usual.

"I think we'll save the kalinka_dance for _your party," John called out from the galley.

"Ah, you been practicing, boychik? This I'd like to see!"

John popped his head out and said, "Hey, that thing is hard, particularly for G.E.L.F.s! I showed a video clip of it to Miss Thavi the other day, and she was amazed that any human had the leg strength to dance like that."

"I bet it is for anyone with digitigrade feet," Cara piped up. "The lower leg angle is all wrong for it."

"And don't forget the tail, ey," Felix added.

"Oh, yeah, I bet that would get in the way, especially yours, Mr. Donnelson," Cara agreed.

"Ai-a, you'd need a short_tail for that," Diwenzi said with a smirk, giving hers a few quick flicks. "He's got a _dust mop for a tail!"

Tanya laughed and said, "Da, his side of family all have unusually long, fluffy ones for skunks!"

"I bet it'd be good for snugglin'," Diwenzi said teasingly, causing everyone to laugh.

"I suppose it would," Cara said quietly to Læree'ahn, who smiled at the thought.

* * * * *

"I would merely accept it for the rare and wonderful gift it was meant to be, Lilly Donnelson," Aren-Tal'an sent, after hearing about what had happened the night before.

"Indeed so. For one so close to the First Ones to choose you, of all people, to experience such, is beyond measure," Rhuw-Rha'an agreed.

"I can understand why Lilly would've been scared, suddenly having a giant wolf sneak up from behind and put its muzzle next to her face," James said, holding Lilly's hand and looking into her eyes.

"No doubt much the same if one of us were to have a large ghe-wazi of our world do something similar," Frer-Sha'an said, agreeing with James.

"Whatever those critters are, at least you would be able to teleport away from it," James pointed out.

"True enough, James," Rha'an was forced to agree.

"At any rate, it's the second time in as many days that Char'ena has appeared, and she seems more interested in me, Tanya, Lilly, Miss Redhill, and Petty Officer McElroy, than anyone else," James said.

"And Elí and Meyleh, too, don't forget them," Lilly added.

"Yeah, and the Fansq gals," James conceded.

"There must be some particular reason why she chose to point out only the five from your world, and not the others," Rha'an suggested.

"Char'ena said she was keepin' watch and keepin' us safe, and me in particular, but she didn't say from what, though," Lilly said, looking up at the others.

James glanced quickly at Sha'an, meeting her eyes, recalling the dream Lilly had. Sha'an understood, though said nothing about it while Lilly was there.

"Maybe she was just trying to making you feel better after startling you. I'd think if I was out in the boonies and had somebody like her on my side, I'd probably feel a little safer," James said to Lilly with an easy smile.

"Maybe...yeah," Lilly agreed, thinking on it.

"I find it interesting that the First Ones have been to the homeworlds of all of us on this adventure, or perhaps have had a hand in the actions of others such as Miss Eriksson's brother. Surely that cannot be a coincidence," Tal'an observed.

"Before we started on this mission, I thought the rumors and tall tales of ancient mythological beings roaming the universe were just the modern equivalent to sea stories told by sailors on my world centuries ago. Now..."

"...You are thinking there is truth to them after all, yes?" Rha'an interjected.

"Sure seems like it," James agreed. "When we met, I was amazed by what you folks can do, though that's a lot easier to understand than what these Drianedans seem able to do. Moving objects with your mind is one thing--stepping into a solid tree only to pop out of another one some distance away is entirely different. Makes you wonder what else we're going to run into out here."

* * * * *

"Would any of you folks like to come take part in a little celebration we're having on my ship?" James asked, extending the invitation.

"What is the occasion for the celebration?" Althena asked, taking an interest in James' offer.

"We're celebrating Lilly's birthday tonight, James replied.

"Someone has given birth to a child on your ship?" Noran asked, looking a bit skeptical.

"Uh, no...it's actually the _anniversary_of the day Lilly was born. By our calendar, thirty-six years ago on this day, was when Lilly was born--she's the one I told you about who had the experience with Char'ena last night."

"Ah, the female with the black and white striped furry tail," Noran said, realizing now who James meant.

"Why do you continue to celebrate this event? Would not the original day be enough?" Althena asked.

"Well, I suppose that when life is short, every time you've survived another year is cause to celebrate, and you hope to make it to another year," James suggested.

"An interesting view. I will take you up on your offer, it might be an interesting experience and a chance to learn a little more about your people and their culture," Althena said. She asked Noran, "And what of you? Will you wish to learn something of these people and their ways?"

Thinking of his earlier decision inspired by the tree seedling, he replied, "I believe I will join in your celebration. Life is a precious thing, after all."

"Excellent. We will be starting with dinner, which is in..." James made a quick check of the time using his PAD, "...forty-five of our minutes. That should be ample time to walk to the ship from here, unless you wish to use some other means."

"We have a small conveyance to travel over open areas. I shall return with it shortly."

Noran got up and headed towards the door of the old hangar. A few minutes later, a larger door opened and Noran drove a small grav vehicle, similar to a child-sized golf cart, into the building.

"We will follow you to your ship," Noran stated, waiting for Althena to take her seat.

It took James about ten minutes on foot to reach his ship, with Althena and Noran following alongside in the small grav vehicle. Using his comm set, James called Moira and told her of the two visitors who would be joining them for the party.

"It does not seem to reflect any light," Althena observed when she looked up at Nightwing.

"She has a special skin that absorbs and traps light, making it very difficult to see us," James said.

"But why would you not want to be seen?" Althena asked out of curiosity.

"You can't shoot something if you can't see it," James replied with a grin. "Some cultures, we've found, tend to shoot first and ask questions later, when they see a vessel they don't recognize. We explore places we haven't been to before, map the locations of stars and such, and if we run across a civilization we don't know about, we can quietly observe them for a time without being noticed, to see if they might be open to making contact with another civilization with interstellar space travel. If it's a primitive world, we leave them alone so they can advance at their own pace, and we mark their space as being off limits until they achieve interstellar space travel. Sometimes we might have to keep an eye on those who are trouble makers, just to make sure they're not bothering anyone, and if they are, well, then we will attempt to convince them not to. Long-range scout ships, such as Nightwing and her sisters, try to avoid trouble whenever possible; however, if it can't be avoided, then we can put up a good fight if we have to."

"So, you prefer not to fight, but will if you must," Althena said.

"Yes, ma'am. We're not out here to cause any trouble, but...sometimes trouble will find you whether you want it to or not," James replied.

"Have you found trouble while on this journey of yours?" Althena asked, though she already knew the answer, wanting to hear his response to the question.

With a quiet sigh, James replied, "Unfortunately, yes, ma'am, we have." James brought the boarding lift down and stepped onto it. "If you please..." James prompted his guests to set onto the lift.

Althena thought about what James had told her, and compared that to what Mistress Naoia had said of her own observations of them. The more she talked with and got to know the captain of the black ship and the others, the more she thought that they might be worthy friends. They would only be staying another two days, and then they would be on their way. She had no idea when, or if ever, they might return again.

* * * * *

James slipped off to his office for a bit in order to get something. Once inside, he went straight for his desk to open his personal safe. He smiled to himself as he retrieved a padded envelope and opened it. He removed two items from the envelope--a data chip and a small case. James opened the case, lightly ran a finger over the contents, and then shut it, putting the case in his thigh pocket along with the data chip. After closing and locking his safe, James dimmed the light and headed off to get Lilly.

* * * * *

"Hey Lil. We've got a party with your name on it," James said, putting his arms around her.

"Kinda hard to top what Char'ena did," she said, looking up into his eyes.

"I suppose." James said quietly. "Felix and Læree'ahn did a pretty good job setting things up for ya, and the _boychik_made your favorite."

"John? He cooked something?" Lilly asked somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, smelled pretty good, too, last I checked."

Lilly put her head against James' chest.

"I got what I want right here."

James put his face to Lilly's head, kissed it, and then rested his cheek on it. They stood there for a few minutes, rocking together slightly.

"I love you, Lil," James sent privately to her.

Lilly took slowly took in and then let out a deep breath.

"I love ya, too, Jamie," she sent back, looking up into his eyes.

They kissed long and slow, sharing the strong love they felt for one another.

"We ought to get in there. Felix really did go all out for ya, luv...I think you're going to get quite kick," James said with a slight smirk, which got Lilly to wondering what was in store for her.

* * * * *

The crew's mess erupted into cheers, whistles, and various other boisterous sounds when Lilly walked in with James. She stopped dead in her tracks and gawked at the decorations, food, and the stack of presents. John was holding out a plate for her, and motioning with his hand to get his cousin over to the serving line.

"C'mon, birthday girl, ya got first dibs!" John called out.

The insides of Lilly's ears darkened a bit from embarrassment by all of the attention. With a nudge from James, Lilly went to John and took the plate he was offering.

*sniff-sniff* "Is that chicken cacciatore?!" Lilly asked in disbelief. When John said it was, she asked, "Where_did you get _chicken...?"

James leaned in and said into her ear with a little chuckle, "Just assume it is and leave it at that."

When the meal proper was over, Felix disappeared into the galley for several minutes. At a pre-arranged signal, Moira dimmed the lights, and Felix returned with the cake with the correct number of lit candles on it, and John leading the birthday song. When it ended, there were more cheers, whistles, and other sounds, along with someone shouting, "Make a wish!" Lilly looked over at James, gave him a quick kiss which prompted some whistles, and then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, opened her eyes and blew the candles out. The room erupted into cheers.

"Jeezers, is that...nah, _can't_be..." Lilly started to say in disbelief when she smelled the unmistakable aroma.

"Genuine rum raisin cake, with _real_Jamaican dark rum!" Felix said, feeling quite proud of himself for pulling the proverbial rabbit out of his hat.

Lilly's jaw dropped as she looked at Felix and then to James.

"This falls under 'captain's discretion'--in other words, hurry up and cut yourself the first piece so we can all have some!"

James' comment brought laughter, and Lilly proceeded to take the first piece, leaving the rest for Felix to cut and hand out to everyone.

"Wowsers!" Lilly said with little cough and a shudder, "That's...we oughta sleep good tonight!"

Felix laughed and said to James, "Ey, I told you it was potent, ey!"

"Just curious, Canberra, where did you get the recipe from?" James asked when he could breathe again.

"I've got my sources, ey," he replied with a grin.

"Uh hmm, and your source would happen to be named, 'Violet', by chance, would it?" James asked, giving his Yeoman a suspicious look.

"Er, I'm under strict orders not to divulge the source, sir."

James looked over at Lilly and said, "He talked to Aunt Flora. Had to."

"That's what I'm thinkin'," Lilly agreed.

After the cake was served and the presents opened, James stood a short distance from the tables and called for everyone's attention.

"On occasions such as this, folks usually save the best for last, though I got to admit, that cake was pretty damn good, and so was the food. Let's give a big hand to our ever-resourceful Ship's Clerk, Petty Officer Canberra, for putting this little shindig together."

Felix stood up and gave a bow to cheers.

When things quieted down, James pulled something from his pocket and continued, "I said I was saving the best for last, so...Cryptologic Technician, Petty Officer First Class Lilly Donnelson, front and center."

Lilly, with a perplexed expression on her face, got up and stood before James.

"In the last message traffic received from Command, Petty Officer Donnelson here has successfully completed all exams and qualifications, has the required performance evals and time in grade, for the rank of Cryptologic Technician Chief Petty Officer, effective immediately. By order of the Chief of Naval Operations, Sol Federation Space Service, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer, and will assume the duties thereof." James replaced her CT1 shoulder insignia with the new CT CPO insignia. He shook her hand, and then handed her the case and data chip. "Well done, Lil, you deserve it. We're all proud of you."

The crew's mess erupted in cheers and boisterous applause as James gave her a quick hug and then let everyone form a line to congratulate her.

Lilly hadn't given much thought recently as to when she might be promoted. With all the things they had been through since they left Terra for Élendor Prime, it had caught her by surprise.

"Hey, anybody up for some music?" John called out.

The party was now in full swing.

* * * * *

"That was an interesting celebration," Althena commented after the party was over.

"They certainly know how to enjoy themselves," Noran agreed.

The party had lasted into the wee hours of ship's night, and both Drianedans were exhausted. The one named Thavi had insisted on dancing with Noran a few times, and none of the music they had danced to was even remotely slow. The two Fansq females and the two Élendorians, accompanied by the more musically inclined members of the crews, had performed songs and dances popular among their own people. The Vey'ani pilot, Rissanivi, wowed everyone with an exotic--and quite sensual--dance, complete with music from her homeworld that she had brought with her. Noran had quietly commented to Althena at the time that he never would have guessed that a reptilian could move in such ways.

As they walked back to their respective homes, Althena asked, "So, what do you think of these people now, after you have seen this aspect of their ways?"

Noran thought on that and said, "They are certainly...different...than others we have encountered in more recent times. If these few we have met truly are as considerate, respectful, and full of life as they have shown themselves to possess, then what other aspects of their culture would we miss out on experiencing should we continue to keep to ourselves?"

Althena's own thoughts agreed with Noran.

"Do you still believe it is foolish to send a portal to the world they offered the Fansq, given what we know of them?"

Noran considered that, and replied, "The Fansq would not abuse its use--they are too peaceful. That would be a strong symbol among the others, I think."

"Only worlds that are truly at peace with one another may have use of a portal to travel freely amongst the civilized societies?" Althena asked.

"That would seem appropriate," Noran suggested.

"Then, we agree on that point. I will bring this to Brana and see if he also agrees."

* * * * *

The next day, the council spent the entire morning discussing their visitors and how much they were allowed to tell them. When it was decided, they sent for James, Rhuw-Rha'an, and Rissanivi.

"Long ago, our ancestors originated on a very special world in this galaxy, and when they grew wiser in the way of things, they eventually set out to explore other worlds, to see there was to see. By the time your own star had orbited this galaxy seven times, Captain Daugherty, some of our people had settled this world. We continued to explore, and had made contact with others--some are now lost to the passage of time, others have moved on to become than they were, and some few others still remain, as we do. You may encounter some of the others along your journey. As you undoubtedly have discovered, there is a 'darkness', if you wish to think of it as such, that has been slowly spreading. It has touched your world, Commander. This 'darkness' is a very, very, old race who arose on their own during the Elder Days of this universe. Once they learned of the First Ones, they began following them about, hiding on the worlds they have touched, and trying to corrupt any other forms of life they could to further their own ends. Over time, they have attracted others who were weak and easily broken, and forced them to become their minions. You have run into some of those minions already on your journey, and you may run into more. They have names such as the Wurnak Da'i, Pliq, Nekharns, Onim, and Yarthenin. The true name of this malevolent race is likely one none of you are able to easily pronounce, though they are often simply known as the Dark Bloods. The reason why they are called such is because what passes for blood in their bodies is a black fluid," Brana explained.

"We've been hearing of 'Dark Ones'--I assume they're the same people as those Dark Bloods you just mentioned," James said.

"Yes, they are called that by many in these parts," Brana agreed. "The powers they wield are what you might think of as 'magic', for it will seem like such. It is tied to their homeworld, which is, by all accounts, a forbidding and frightening place. I strongly caution you all to avoid coming into contact with the Dark Bloods--you simply do not have the means to combat them, especially not face-to-face."

"We have driven them from our homeworld long ago, though there is something of theirs that they left behind, buried in caverns under a lake we call, nir-Tha'es. There is a prophesy that a warrior will come who will take up the original Blade of Mûr Tua'ansa and defeat the remnants of the an'im-Raleen, or 'Dark Souls', when the time of a great battle among the stars is at hand. It would seem that such a battle is coming," Rha'an said.

"How could you have defeated them?" Noran asked skeptically.

"We are not without our own_abilities_," Rha'an replied with a bit of annoyance.

To prove her point, Noran was suddenly yanked out of his chair towards where Rha'an was sitting. She teleported herself so that she intercepted him in the air at the halfway point, grabbed him by his tunic, and slammed him to the floor of the large open space. In Rha'an's hand was her activated weapon, pointing at his throat, and from her mouth came a dreadful hiss with her deadly fangs bared.

"If I had wished you ended, there would be nothing left of your body." Rha'an stood up, deactivated her weapon, and raised Noran up to her eye level using her telekinetic ability. "When the need arises, we Mûr Tua'ansa are formidable warriors," she added with an unsettling grin. Softening the expression on her face and touching much more gently, Rha'an straightened Noran's tunic and hair. "If I have caused you harm, I will summon our healer to attend to any hurts," she sent gently.

"I...I think...I am okay," Noran said, still in a bit of shock at how quickly it had all happened.

Rha'an gave a nod of her head and turned to walk back to her seat. Without needing to look, she gently returned Noran to his own seat and then released her telekinetic hold on him.

"Jeezers, Rha'an...he probably needs to change his underwear after that little demo," James sent privately.

With a slight, mischievous smile, Rha'an sent back, "If he had doubts about our abilities, he is sure to have a better understanding now."

"I would rather experience some of your other abilities," James playfully suggested.

"I will keep that in mind, James," Rha'an sent with a sly smile.

The sudden demonstration of Rha'an's abilities kicked Rissanivi's appreciation of them up a couple more notches.

"Oyba, glad they on our_side!" she thought to herself. Thinking a bit more on it, Rissanivi smiled a little. "_Ha, scare ol' rude dude Injokip plenty if did that to him!"

"Are you all right?" Althena whispered softly into Noran's ear.

"A little sore, but undamaged," he replied, moving his head and shoulders a little.

"They have a strong sense of personal honor--you should not have questioned her ability to fight. There are many dangers on their world, and they have evolved accordingly to deal with them," Althena admonished.

"How do you know this?" Noran asked.

"You forget that I have been to their world once," she replied. "Now hush, and listen."

* * * * *

"So, what is your impression of the youngsters?" Naoia asked Char'ena.

/* "I like, remind me of the others we know." */

"And the one named Lilly?"

/* "You worry about?" */

"You've noticed, eh?"

/* "Yes, Mistress. The Heart scared her. We keep safe?" */

"It did, unfortunately, and yes, I will catch her in time, and then we will take her home to rest a bit. It's a pity to test them so, but...The Heart knows what it has to do," Naoia replied.

/* "As do we?" */

"Yes, dear, as do we."

A short time later, Char'ena asked, /* "Where next do we go?" */

"Ah, we will be making sure our young friends pay a visit to Arneora, Naoia replied with a slight smile.

/* "Friends might be scared, Dra'kans much larger than they are." */

"Hmm, you do have a point there, dear. I better tell Arneora to be very gentle and not scare the fur off of them. She can be a bit rambunctious at times."

/* "Yes, Mistress." */

"I think I'll go do that right now while I'm thinking about it. I shall return in a bit."

/* "I wait here." */

* * * * *

As soon as she arrived on their world, Naoia looked about for the Dra'ka Nulen.

"Alright, you scamp, I know_you're around here somewhere...I can _smell you! Don't make me have to find your big scaly carcass!"

The ground rumbled from loose stones tumbling off of something large buried beneath them.

"Who disturbs my nap?! Oh...Naoia, it's you, I might have known. What do you want now?"

"Sleeping again, I see. Really, you should be paying more attention to things," Naoia said with a bit of playful sarcasm in her voice.

The rocks shifted again and a large reptilian head lifted from the rubble, eyeing the First One.

"You know darn well I know what has been going on lately."

"My young friends will be coming here shortly--you need to be gentle with them. And don't be trying to scare them, either! I'll be keeping an eye on them."

The stone rubble became a small avalanche when the Dra'kan raised herself up.

"Now, why would I want to scare them? There are plenty out here that deserve a good fright."

"On that, I agree with you, Arneora. Just the same, don't get too rowdy with the young ones--you might inadvertently flatten them, and I won't take kindly to that!" Naoia said, quite sincerely.

*sigh* "I will be careful--you have my word on that."

"Good."

"These are the Terrans Nehv-re'dan told me of?"

"And their friends, yes," Naoia replied.

"Any good-looking males?

"Arneora!"

[1] DC - Damage Control.