3

"Well, I see the children have found the first piece of their puzzle," Naoia announced with quiet satisfaction.

"So, they have figured out the purpose of the chamber?" M'hanya asked.

"They have seen how it reflects the energy given off by the Heart, but they do not yet understand it fully. Given time, I have no doubt they will learn--this particular group seems perceptive enough to continue," Naoia replied.

"But are they _determined_enough?" M'hanya asked.

"Oh, I think so, my dear. It won't be much longer until they make the hop to Chenau-Ri[1]and sniff around those old ruins. Frenisa made sure to leave enough there to pick up the next leg of the trail."

M'hanya thought on that for a moment, and then asked, "Won't they pass close to Nekharn space? If the servants of the Dark Bloods detect them..."

"We will be following discretely and keeping a close watch on the youngsters. If they should run into trouble that they won't be able to handle, we will provide assistance. The Old Watch have kept their eyes on the Nekhar--so far, they have done little but pout since the days of Nekhamun-Srat. If they try to stir anything up when our young friends pass by, Sa'leh will be more than happy to nip their tails and put them back into their place," Naoia said with a slight smile.

M'hanya smiled, too, recalling the wily Defender who was tasked with keeping an eye on the minions of the Dark Bloods called the Nekhar. Sa'leh Daan-tu'ena, or Storm Singer, as she was more commonly known, shared a lot in common with her twice great granddaughter who was known as Night Song among the youth born on Y'Nahra. Sa'leh, of course, was one of the First Ones, just as Naoia Anensu'ena and M'hanya Fera-we'ena, and between them, they would be keeping a close watch on the progress of the two crews.

* * * * *

/* "Stewert to Miss Eriksson" */

Shauna nearly bumped her head in surprise when she suddenly heard Sylvia's voice in her comm set--she was working on some equipment in Engineering and had totally forgotten that she was expecting a call.

"Yeah, go ahead."

/* "I have a Mr. Sy'k'rell Renan'ueni waiting to speak with you on a private channel. Where would you like me to direct the call?" */

"Um, gimmie a sec, and send it to my office," Shauna replied, quickly running her fingers through her mane as she headed for the small sound proofed compartment that served as the Engineering Office.

/* "Aye, ma'am. It'll be Comm Channel four-one-alpha. Stewert out." */

Shauna slid the clear, double-walled, reinforced glass-steel door shut to the Engineering Office and sat down behind her desk--this was a call that would hopefully lead to her finding out more about her older brother, Cameron. Switching on the terminal, she pulled up the communications channel and accepted the call.

[Shauna]: "Um, good afternoon, Mr. Sy'k'rell. Thank you for calling me."

[Sy'k'rell]: "Waiting for you long, have ours. Arrive safely, knew you would, Hauvri'ahn did. To ourhome, come, tell you of her and yours we shall. Directions I give..."

Shauna took down the directions to the family home of Sy'k'rell Hauvri'ahn, the Élendorian lady friend of her lost brother Cameron. She chatted with Hauvri'ahn's father for a short while, and after they closed down the connection, Shauna leaned back in her chair to think.

"I really need to go pay them a visit, but James said we all have to go to that shindig at Miss Ja'f'darwe's clan...or whatever they call it. I know he's itchin' to get back out into the black and start hunting for that rock-thing. I do, too, since it looks like it went in the same direction as that dead world Cameron was diggin' on. There_must _be some sort of a connection there--everything so far seems to be pointing towards something, but...what? I wonder if Mr. Sy'k'rell knows what happened to Cameron and his daughter. So, three people disappeared on that dig--Cameron, Hauvri'ahn, and...let's see, who was that other guy...'A' something...Arlan, I think that's his name. Poppy's mate, yeah. Why them and not anyone else? Wait, that weird wolf guy with the eyes...he disappeared, too. I wonder who_he _was working for...I didn't find any wolf G.E.L.F.s on the list of team members. Hmm...maybe he was on the ship that transported them there, or something. Jeez, look at the time! I'd better get Two-Sixty-Six to finish up, and then haul my tail forward to talk to James a minute."

* * * * *

Ja'f'darwe Ræha'ahna stood in the observation lounge as the distinctive_Jenwi'i_-class Élendorian long-range executive shuttle made its final approach and landed gracefully on the elevator pad. Having a wealthy uncle who was the Élendorian Union's highest-ranking ambassador had its perks, such as having use of the D'wena's luxurious executive shuttle. Ræha'ahna was pleased with herself for successfully bringing Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna to Élendor Prime so that she could be with Felix Canberra, even if it would only be for a short while. Felix was the lowest ranking member of_Nightwing_'s crew, though in Ræha'ahna's mind, his work was no less important to the smooth running of the ship than anyone else's.

When Læree'ahna exited the shuttle, she paused for a moment to savor breathing in the air of her people's homeworld. The atmosphere was refreshingly humid compared to the much drier air of Élenswena, the colony world she had grown up on. As far as her eyes could see from atop the butte where the starport was located, the view was of lush greenery in all directions. She would have stayed there for a while longer if it were not for the announcement to clear the elevator pad.

Læree'ahna walked briskly towards the passenger entrance into the complex with a handling bot following her, carrying the luggage she had brought for the trip. Once inside the large terminal, Læree'ahna was greeted by a young adult male in the livery of D'wena Ja'f'darwe. She followed him to the observation lounge where she met Miss Ja'f'darwe.

"S?'al-wæ kwe's?, s?'al-wæ d'm?-fren, uia Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna. Nia Ja'f'darwe Ræha'ahna awi, Ja'f'darwe sheya anweia", Miss Ja'f'darwe said, greeting Læree'ahna in the traditional Élendorian manner.

"S?'al-wæ kwe's?, s?'al-wæ d'm?-fren, uia-ni Ja'f'darwe Ræha'ahna," Læree'ahna responded respectfully.

(The following is interpreted from the Élendi language into Standard Terran English equivalent.)

"I trust you had a pleasant trip from Élenswena, Miss Sa'n'sriel."

Læree'ahna bowed her head slightly and said, "Miss Ja'f'darwe, it was indeed quite pleasant."

Ræha'ahna smiled benevolently and gave the feathered end of her tail a slight rustle, indicating her satisfaction.

"The Terrans and their friends will not be on the homeworld long--we should make use of the time efficiently. Come, your_uiseh'nwia_ awaits your surprise visit."

The green parts of Læree'ahna's skin paled as the brown parts darkened briefly.

"He does not yet know?" she asked, somewhat shocked to learn of it.

"It will be our little surprise," Ræha'ahna said in a conspiratorial tone."

Læree'ahna followed Miss Ja'f'darwe, with the young male in livery bringing up the rear with the luggage, to the personnel transport tubes. They were soon deposited on the hanger level reserved for visiting military craft, and after receiving clearance to enter, they proceeded to where_Nightwing_ was berthed with a security officer escorting them. When Læree'ahna saw the utterly black, dagger-shaped, long-range scout ship, she reacted in shock. Even though Felix had explained the ship's appearance to her, she found the sight of it unsettling.

"It is as if we are before a hole in reality!" Læree'ahna exclaimed quietly.

Miss Ja'f'darwe looked up at Nightwing and nodded her head.

"I suppose one might become used to it, though, I am still at a loss to know how. In space it is practically invisible to the eye--one must look to see where the stars are not. When I first saw_Nightwing_ through the view port of the diplomatic shuttle I arrived on, I could see nothing of it even though our pilot had come alongside to attach to the boarding tube. All I could see were the flashing of the strobes marking the location of the airlock. Fortunately, the ship is quite comfortable inside as military vessels go."

Læree'ahna felt more uncomfortable the closer they came to the black ship. When they were near the forward landing strut, Miss Ja'f'darwe withdrew a handheld comm unit from her waist pouch and contacted the ship's Communications Officer.

"Miss Stewert, is the captain onboard?"

/* "Moira says he is in his office at the moment. Do you wish to speak with him, ma'am?" */

"If he is not terribly busy, yes."

/* "One moment, please..." */

James came online and inquired, "/* "What may I do for you, Miss Ja'f'darwe?" */

"I wish to bring a visitor onboard with me. I do not believe you have met, though I am certain you know_of_ her. The young lady in question is well known to your yeoman--she is his_uiseh'nwia_."

There was a slight pause before James spoke.

/* "I will meet you at the boarding lift airlock, shortly. Go ahead and come on up." */

"Thank you, Captain. Ja'f'darwe, out." Reverting back to Élendi, she asked Læree'ahna if she knew enough Terran Standard English to not require an interpreter.

"It...has been...some time since...I have...used their words," she struggled to say.

"Well, I am sure Petty Officer Canberra can give you a refresher," Miss Ja'f'darwe said with a slight smile.

The young male with Læree'ahna's luggage was instructed to wait with the security officer a short distance from the ship, while the two females went aboard. Læree'ahna watched with a mix of emotions as Miss Ja'f'darwe went to the lift control on the forward landing strut and brought it down. They stepped onto the lift, and then it carried them up into the ship. Læree'ahna tried to remain calm as she was drawn closer and closer to the blackness of the ship.

Once the lift came to a stop, Miss Ja'f'darwe opened the outer door to the airlock, and stepped inside.

"Come, come, it's quite alright. The captain is on his way to meet us."

By the time the airlock doors cycled, Moira's android avatar was already waiting for them.

"May we come aboard?" Miss Ja'f'darwe asked politely.

"James has authorized me to grant you and your guest permission to do so. He is...almost here."

Moira's avatar looked down the passageway and saw James exit the lift. In less than the time it took him to reach them, Moira had used her facial recognition and voice analysis subroutines to identify Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna and had considered informing Felix that she was here on the ship. However, since she had not been privy to any decision concerning having the civilian onboard, and it seemed to her that James had not, either, Moira thought it best to wait and see what would happen. In the meantime, Moira went about making her routine check of internal systems, checking in on the science team and their progress, performing a quick inventory of the galley to see if the supply bots should restock from ship's stores anything that might be needed for the next meal, updating the maintenance schedule for the SRBs, going over the customs related to the observation of_N'ha arna Hue'swo'aja_, checking with Fleet Command for the current patrol assignments and the present whereabouts of her sisters, and several dozen other things.

"Captain," Miss Ja'f'darwe said as James approached.

"Miss Ja'f'darwe," James said, giving a nod of his head in acknowledgment.

"This is Miss Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna of D'wena Sa'n'sriel, from Élenswena. She is the_uiseh'nwia_ of Petty Officer Canberra."

James turned his attention to the younger Élendorian woman. Holding his forearm up at the appropriate angle for the traditional Élendorian greeting, he said, "Welcome aboard_Nightwing_, Miss Sa'n'sriel."

When the captain was introduced to her, Læree'ahna greeted him first in Élendi, and then in broken Terran Standard English.

"S?'al-wæ kwe's?, s?'al-wæ d'm?-fren, una Cap-tan Daw-er-tee. En-glash is...used...n-not often my home."

James smiled and nodded his head.

"I understand. Your colony is not exactly on the tourism routes for the majority of people in the Federation." Glancing at Miss Ja'f'darwe James added, "If you will come with me..."

Ræha'ahna spoke softly to Læree'ahna, prompting her to follow James.

"Do you require my assistance, James?" Moira's avatar asked.

James waved his hand for Moira's android avatar to come along. She smiled slightly and proceeded to follow them to his office.

James asked the two Élendorian ladies to have a seat on the small couch in his office, and he took his chair at his desk. Pressing a control pad on his comm panel, James said, "Captain to Petty Officer Canberra." After several seconds, James was about to call again when Felix answered.

/* "Canberra here, sir." */

"Come to my office as soon as you get minute."

/* "Aye, sir, on my way, ey." */

James smiled and pressed the control pad again to end the call.

"He'll be here shortly, Miss Sa'n'sriel. May I offer you something to drink while you wait?"

Læree'ahna looked to Miss Ja'f'darwe, who said something softly and nodded her head.

"Please, water I would like."

James smiled and, giving a slight nod, said, "That I can do." He got up and went to the small beverage dispenser in his office, pulled out a disposable cup, and filled it. When he handed it to Læree'ahna, he saw the green part of her face change color slightly as she thanked him. James knew enough about Élendorians to recognize that it was a sign of humility on her part.

"Would you like anything, Miss Ja'f'darwe?" James asked.

"Thank you for offering, Captain, but I will be leaving soon--I must help with the preparations for tonight's celebration."

"Ah, yes. We'll be there--will formal attire be required?"

Giving a soft chuckle, Miss Ja'f'darwe replied, "Hardly, Captain. This is strictly informal, just family and friends."

James was relieved to hear that, especially since her uncle was a high-ranking ambassador. He didn't fancy having to suit up in full dress uniform.

It wasn't long before Moira quietly said, "Felix just entered the bridge."

James swiveled his chair around to get a better view of his Yeoman as he stepped into the office. When the announcer chimed, James said "Enter," and the door opened.

Felix stepped into the captain's office and promptly asked, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

James smiled and said, "You have a special visitor, Canberra," and he nodded his head towards the couch.

When Felix saw who the captain meant, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Mrrr?" he uttered, not quite believing it.

"Quit gawkin' like an eejit, Canberra--your cailín[2] came a fair way to say 'hi'," James prompted with a chuckle.

Læree'ahna stood and the two rushed together, stopping at the last moment to greet each other as two who were close in heart would among the Élendorians. Læree'ahna grasped the_te'nwah_ she wore around her neck with her left hand and placed her right one over the_te'nwah_ she knew he always wore. Felix pulled the necklace out from his undershirt, placing his left hand over Læree'ahna's right hand, and his right over her left.

"_S?'al-wæ kwe's?, s?'al-wæ d'm?-fren, un'na'i uiseh'nwia_Felix," she said to him in quiet excitement.

"_S?'al-wæ kwe's?, s?'al-wæ d'm?-fren, un'na'i uiseh'nwia_Læree'ahna."

The two then embraced lovingly, and Felix began to purr loudly, rubbing his face against hers. She wrapped her tail around his ankles and made a soft sound almost like a gurgling sigh.

James leaned back slightly in his chair and smiled. He didn't mind doing something nice for his crew now and then, even if the idea for this meeting wasn't his. Still, the position of Ship's Clerk was often underappreciated by many captains, but James thought well of Canberra, and had hand-selected him to be on his ship. If something was needed, the Yeoman had a knack of finding and getting it--and that was as useful a talent as anything on a long-range scout ship.

Miss Ja'f'darwe looked questioningly at James when he spoke the strange words. Given what she was sensing from him, they must have been meant in a nice way, so she made it a point to ask him about it when they had a moment alone.

"Perhaps they would enjoy some time to themselves," Miss Ja'f'darwe suggested to James.

The captain gave a thoughtful glance to the attaché and then asked Moira, "Is the Ship's Library clear?"

Moira's avatar paused for a brief moment before answering.

"Yes, James, it is."

"Very well. Canberra, you may take your lady friend down to the Ship's Library--keep an eye on the time, though, as we are all going to that little shindig Miss Ja'f'darwe's family is throwing tonight. Be ready by eighteen-hundred."

James caught Miss Ja'f'darwe's attention and gave a slight nod towards his crewman's_uiseh'nwia_.

"Of course, Miss Sa'n'sriel is also welcome to join us this evening, Captain."

"Hear that, Canberra?"

"Mrr? Oh...aye, sir. Læree'ahna, sahli un'na'weyan. Na'leh?"

Læree'ahna bobbed her head to both Miss Ja'f'darwe and James, and said, "Very much th-thank yew."

"My pleasure, Miss Sa'n'sriel. I'll see you and Petty Officer Canberra at eighteen-hundred."

Læree'ahna bobbed her head again, and then she and Felix exited the captain's office for a quiet visit before the two crews mustered for the celebration they would be attending.

When the door to the bridge closed behind Felix and Læree'ahna, Miss Ja'f'darwe stood elegantly, and started to head out, but she stopped by James' desk.

"What language were those words from when you spoke to Petty Officer Canberra? I did not recognize them."

James thought for a few seconds, recalling what he had said.

"Ah, just some from my Irish ancestry. The whole time you've lived on Terra, you've never been to Ireland, have you?" he asked with a sly grin.

"No," Miss Ja'f'darwe replied with a slightly puzzled look.

"The land of forty shades of green...you would blend right in."

Even though she had grown up around Terrans and had learned to communicate in their manner, Miss Ja'f'darwe wasn't quite sure what to make of the captain's remark--was he just teasing in a good-natured way, or...? She had known James for over half a Standard Terran year by now, though he always kept his feelings guarded around her for some reason. Ræha'ahna knew without a doubt how strongly he felt about Lilly and Tanya, and they with him. It was such an unusually strong bond between the three of them, far stronger than she had ever felt between any mated couple, and it made her curious. For now, though, she would simply let the statement pass.

"I should be on my way, Captain. We will be expecting everyone to arrive in time for the celebration dinner."

James rose from his chair, cast a quick glance towards Moira's avatar, and they walked Miss Ja'f'darwe to the door of his office.

"We will all be there on time, count on it," James said with a polite smile.

Miss Ja'f'darwe briefly closed her eyes and nodded her head once in acknowledgement and stepped out onto the bridge.

When James was sure the diplomat was no longer on his bridge, he and Moira's android avatar stepped out. Seeing Tanya fiddling with something on her navigation console, he went to see what she was up to.

"Watcha up to, babe?" he asked quietly, leaning down to nuzzle his mate.

Tanya leaned her head against his and said, "Oh, just updating our charts while I had a moment. So, that was Canberra's lady friend, ah?"

James chuckled softly and replied, "Yeah. Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna, is her name--she seems nice enough."

"Élendorians...they always have to have tongue-twisting names, ah?"

"Not nearly as bad as the Thabbani--I don't think I'll_ever_get all of Miss Thavi's name down, let alone figure out what it means."

Tanya chuckled softly and shook her head.

"I have to agree with you on that,moi lubov."

James kissed Tanya on the cheek and then headed towards the passageway. Moira's avatar followed him.

When they were off the bridge, Moira said, "The_Nelson_ is scheduled to make orbit by zero-one-thirty, and the fighter that is being transferred to us will launch for the surface shortly thereafter."

"Have you been in contact with their ship's A.I. entity by chance?" James asked.

"No, they are currently running quiet--minimal communication traffic only. I have left word through COMSTA ALPHA-INDIA ONE-TWO-NINER-FIFE[3]for the Nelson to contact me directly when she is within one light hour of this system."

James recognized the communication station Moira mentioned--it was one designated solely for handling communications between ship A.I. entities, and the nearest one for the sector of space they were in. He also frowned slightly at learning the carrier was running quiet.

"Why are they running quiet? If they're on the way here from the FOS at Terra, that's kind of unusual."

"I agree. There have been no alerts posted, and local comm chatter appears normal. Perhaps they are running under sealed orders," Moira offered.

"Possible," James agreed. "I'd like to have a chat with_Nelson_'s CO when they arrive."

"As you wish, James. I will attempt to arrange it."

"Thanks, baby cakes," James said, giving Moira's android avatar a hug and a kiss on the cheek. As he walked off, he asked, "Hey, would you mind asking Shauna to meet me in the hanger bay? I gotta make sure we have things squared away back there so we can get that fighter onboard."

"As you wish, James."

Moira's avatar stood there for a moment while she contacted the ship's engineer and alerted the handling bots that they may be needed to assist the captain at his discretion. With nothing better to do at the moment, Moira's android avatar headed to the computer core for a routine maintenance check.

* * * * *

The Ship's Library was a smallish room, large enough for three, two-meter tall, racks of old-fashioned print books, two dozen PADs for reading e-books in the extensive computer database, a U-shaped couch, some well-padded reading chairs, a computer terminal, a drink dispenser, and even a fake fireplace with a holographic "fire" that crackled and popped realistically. It was one of the quietest places to sit onboard_Nightwing_, with the added noise isolation, and the most comfortable--with the possible exception of the captain's cabin.

When Felix led Læree'ahna into the room, she was amazed to find such luxury on a military vessel.

"I didn't think I'd get to see you while we were here, ey," Felix sent privately to Læree'ahna when they got settled onto a couch.

"Sent for me Miss Ja'f'darwe had by private shuttle."

"She had a private shuttle come and get you?" Felix asked in surprise.

"Is so, my uiseh'nwia_! Not believe it, I could, but..._"

"...But it doesn't matter--what does_is that you're here, and we can be together for a bit, ey_."

Læree'ahna smiled and pulled Felix to her.

"Missed you, I have," she sent to him while they snuggled together.

Felix looked Læree'ahna in the eye and, touching the side of her face, he sent, "You are still my choice over all others, Læree'ahna...I love you."

The greens of her skin lightened and the browns darkened, giving away her excitement.

"O_ver all others, Canberra Felix, choose you I do. Different we are, though, none I want but you. Explain how, I not know, just is._ My heart is yours."

Felix knew in his own heart that--despite what he might feel for Poppy or Zhir-Chi'an, he truly wanted to be with Læree'ahna. Not knowing what may be ahead for them on their current mission, Felix knew it might be unwise to take the next step in his relationship with Læree'ahna, but if things went bad and something were to happen to him, he thought Læree'ahna should at least have the benefits allowed for a surviving spouse.

Felix sat up and turned so that he could face Læree'ahna. Putting his right hand on her_te'nwah_, he asked out loud in a solemn voice, "Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna of D'wena Sa'n'sriel of Élenswena, I offer myself to you as your one and only true mate--would you have me as such?"

She flared the feather-like appendages at the end of her tail in total surprise.

"Select you only as my own?"

Felix nodded his head and said, "I'm serious, Læree'ahna. I know this is sudden, ey, but we may be gone a long time and...I want to make sure you'd be taken care of...if...," he tailed off, not wanting to think of that possibility. "The captain can perform the ceremony right here on the ship, and Miss Ja'f'darwe could be the witness for your people."

Læree'ahna thought hard on it to make sure of her own feelings. After a few moments, she placed her right hand on his_te'nwah_, and said, "Canberra Felix of D'wena Canberra of Terra, accept you I do, my one and true mate."

Felix grinned broadly and then, wrapping his arms around her, he gave Læree'ahna his affection as any cat would.

He gave her a gentle love bite.

* * * * *

"You want to do what?!" Tanya demanded, not believing what she just heard.

"We want to be joined, ma'am," Felix replied, still holding Læree'ahna's hand.

"Now?!"

"Before we leave Élendor, ey."

"Please, both ask we do..." Læree'ahna pleaded.

Tanya eyed both and asked, "You seriously want the captain to marry you, here, on the ship, before we head out into the black to chase down this...this... crystal-thing we're supposed to look for?Ty sumasshedshiy?!"[4]

Læree'ahna looked questioningly at Felix, not understanding the strange words.

While he didn't know Tanya's native Russian language, he had heard her rant enough times to have an idea of what she had said.

"Ey, who knows when we may get another chance, ey?"

"Do either one of you have_any_ idea what you are getting yourself into, ah?" Tanya demanded.

"Aye, ma'am, we do. Læree'ahna and I have been talking about this for some time. You know that I spent seven months on Élenswena, ey?"

"I remember Ja...the captain mentioning it last year after that...little perfume incident."

"Pledged to each other ourselves already and accepted. Undone this cannot be--legal it must be made."

"Aye, ma'am, I've already filled out the proper forms," Felix said, handing the data chip to Tanya.

Tanya knew that the Yeoman was typically very thorough when it came to filing forms for various things, so she had no reason to doubt that the proper forms were indeed filled out.

"Alright, I will take this to the captain and see what he says, ah?"

"Thank you, ma'am."

Tanya muttered something under her breath in Russian as she got up to go find James.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," James said quietly after Tanya, rather animatedly, told him about Canberra's request.

She looked at him in open-mouth disbelief.

"A couple of months ago, Canberra was in my office, having me sign off on some requisitions, and he asked about it. I knew he has been keeping in touch with Miss Sa'n'sriel from the comm traffic reports Syl sends me," James explained. Seeing the look in Tanya's eyes, James added, "It's not like you, me, and Lil don't know anything about long distance relationships."

Tanya's ears and tail dropped, knowing exactly what James meant.

"You mean to go through with it then, ah?"

"If it's what they truly want, and everything's on the up and up, why not? I've asked Canberra more than once if he knew what he was getting into with an Élendorian gal, and he insists that he does. Frankly, he's lived on her world long enough to know the culture better than you and I do. It's his choice...well,their choice, I should say."

Tanya thought for a moment, and then said, "Da. The timing of it, though..."

"Yeah, our schedule is going to be tight, but I think we can squeeze it in." James inserted the data chip into his PAD, pulled up the forms, and signed off on them. Withdrawing the chip from the reader port and handing it back to Tanya, James added, "Give this to Syl and have her send it off to the appropriate department in BUPERS[5]for processing."

"So, when do we make the time for this? We have that celebration tonight, the fighter is going to be delivered in the wee hours, and then we lift in the morning."

James thought on it for a few moments.

"Moira?"

/* "Yes James?" */

"Show me on my PAD where Élenswena is in relation to our projected flight trajectory to NGC-2359 from Élendor Prime."

/* "As you wish, James. The colony world of Élenswena, approximately six-point-eight light years in distance, will require only a very slight deviation from our projected route." */

James looked at the graphic on his PAD--the colony world was slightly left and below of the flight path, so it would not add appreciatively to the time it would take to reach their next destination.

"Moira, we'll be making a quick little detour to Élenswena--please update the flight plan and Tanya's nav chart."

/* "As you wish, James. Am I to assume that we will be taking Læree'ahna home?" */

"That's affirmative, Moira."

/* "I shall arrange accommodations for her. Is there anything else I may do for you, James?" */

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

Looking at Tanya, James said with a chuckle, "Yet another first."

* * * * *

"Yo, Diz!"

Lieutenant Diwenzi "Dizzy D" Cha'rhu'ez, popped her head up and looked towards the voice of her crew chief.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" the diminutive Veswan female pilot yelled back.

"CAG[6]wants to see you and 'Runway' ASAP."

"What for?" Lt. Cha'rhu'ez asked, not sure if she should be worried or not.

"Dunno, he said you both were to 'haul tail' to his office."

Lt. Cha'rhu'ez heaved a sigh and poked her head into the access hatch of her F/I-417 Peregrine fighter/interceptor.

"Ai-a, Runway! C'mon, we gotta go see what CAG wants. Now, skunk-butt!"

A string of mild expletives came from inside the fighter, followed shortly by a bushy black tail with a broad white stripe on top, followed by the rest of the SIO. Ensign John "Runway" Donnelson, eldest son of Admiral Kenneth J. Donnelson, was the Sensor Intercept Officer, or SIO, for Lt. Cha'rhu'ez. Ens. Donnelson was a skunk G.E.L.F., who had flown with Lt. Cha'rhu'ez since they had been assigned to the_Nelson_, as part of Squadron VF-937.

On their way to see what the CAG wanted, Lt. Cha'rhu'ez asked, "So, how's that sensor upgrade coming?"

"I was doing the calibration checks...I'll probably have to start them all over again when we get back," Ens. Donnelson replied sarcastically.

"Cheer up, Runway, the bird will be ready for our next SCM,[7]" Lt. Cha'rhu'ez said with a broad grin.

"Yeah, well, I don't know why we have to have_this_particular upgrade--it's something that belongs on recon craft," Ens. Donnelson said, shaking his head.

"So? We get targets before they get us...that's good,ai'ya? You find 'em, I shoot 'em!"

"I dunno, Diz, we're the only one getting the upgrade--I checked with the other 'back seaters', nobody's getting this thing but us."

"Nobody else?"

"Just us."

Lt. Cha'rhu'ez thought on that for a few seconds, and then looked up at her SIO.

"Yiezwa!" she exclaimed softly.

"Ah, 'Dizzy D'...'Runway', just the two I need to see," Commander Sa'mur R'sahn, the Cana'aran officer who held the position of CAG onboard the_Nelson_, said as the two entered his office.

Lt. Cha'rhu'ez and Ens. Donnelson stopped before the CAG's desk and came to attention.

"At ease. Command chopped you two new orders--you're being transferred to another ship that's currently on Élendor Prime. You're slated for launch as soon as we enter high orbit." Seeing the dumbfounded looks on their faces, he added using a softer tone, "I have no idea what this is about, seriously. All I know is that this came from on high, and you two were specifically picked for whatever this mission is. When I asked, I was told it was above my clearance." The commander shoved two data chips across his desk towards the junior officers. "These are your orders and your transfer checklist. Get your things packed and loaded on your bird and get checked out." Commander R'sahn stood with his usual feline grace and held his hand out. "Luck to you both. Wherever this takes you, good hunting."

Although shocked by totally unexpected and sudden transfer, Lt. Cha'rhu'ez and Ens. Donnelson shook the CAGs hand, picked up the PADs, took a step back and saluted.

"Best get a move on--we'll be arriving by no later than zero-one-thirty tonight, so be ready to launch then. Dismissed."

"Jeezers, somebody has it out for us, or what?" Ens. Donnelson asked while he read the orders.

"Dunno, skunk-butt," Lt. Cha'rhu'ez replied, scratching an ear. "I don't see what ship we're being transferred to...just that we're to land at Wens'ayla'lae Starport and proceed to the military hanger on Level Three South, berth one-seven-alpha."

"Somethin's screwy about this..." Ens. Donnelson said apprehensively.

"Copy that."

* * * * *

"You are certain this is the correct place?"

James glanced up and said, "It's the address on the invitation, Rha'an. Check it out for yourself."

James held the rolled-up scroll, but instead of taking it, she sent, "I will accept your word that it is so, James."

"I've never been to an Élendorian's house before, have you?" Lilly asked James.

"Only to the embassy back home, when I met Miss Ja'f'darwe's uncle, the ambassador," James replied to his mate. Reaching for the announcer plate, James added, "Well, here goes..."

The twenty-eight members of the crews of both_Nightwing_and the Chel-Sar Se'nika, along with the seven members of the science team and Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna--a sizable party by most reckoning--were ushered into the large compound of D'wena Sa'n'sriel. To James and the others, the central courtyard was filled with lush vegetation, with flowers and soft multi-colored party lights aplenty. Miss Ja'f'darwe Ræha'ahna met them all and made the introductions to her gathered family members.

Privately James sent to Lilly, "Jeezers, what crowd_!_"

"Yeah, and I thought we had a big family!" she replied in disbelief.

James estimated there must have easily been between two hundred fifty and three hundred people that were relatives of Miss Ja'f'darwe, and then there were another hundred, at least, who were friends of the family.

Zhir-Chi'an had met Felix's_uiseh'nwia_, Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna, when they had gathered to take "the tube" from the starport to the terminal closest to the family compound of D'wena Ja'f'darwe. She greeted Læree'ahna respectfully, of course, but she still felt a bit of remorse after seeing--and sensing--how strongly Felix and Læree'ahna felt for one another. Chi'an tried to remember Felix's words when she and Hre'an had first spent a night with him. She had grown rather fond of the feline G.E.L.F. during their travels together and her time on his homeworld, which had made meeting his_uiseh'nwia_ somewhat difficult for her. Læree'ahna, for her part, accepted Chi'an warmly and didn't seem to mind at all that Chi'an had spent time with her Felix, for she surely knew as nothing was kept from the other. Word had quickly gotten around both ships that Felix and Læree'ahna were going to be joined onboard_Nightwing_--it was a truth among those who served on starships, that nothing traveled faster than the latest scuttlebutt.

"Too many tall people!" Thavi exclaimed quietly with a bit of sarcasm.

"I know what you mean," Chief Sorrel agreed.

Thavi did a double take at the medic's words, since Mindy was taller than Thavi, though only by less than eight centimeters. Still, the two were dwarfed by the Élendorians, who were on average about James' height, and they felt positively tiny next to the Mûr Tua'ansa...and Lt. (j.g.) Shauna Eriksson towered above all.

"Food smell good, though. Thavi hope they have good dancing music."

"From what I've heard of the music you've been playing on the ship, I think Moira would be the only one who could keep up with you," Mindy said with a smirk.

"And what's wrong with Thavi's music?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"Nothing, it's just...a little_fast_. Don't you ever slow dance with anyone?" Mindy asked.

"How slow is 'slow'?"

"You know, like when the captain dances with Lilly sometimes."

"Hmpf, what's fun about_that_?" Thavi asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

Mindy stared in disbelief for a few seconds.

"Haven't you ever been with a guy you really liked and just wanted to be...really_close_..."

"Thavi only ninety-eight, how many males Mindy think Thavi's had chance with?" she said with mild exasperation.

Mindy nearly choked on the drink she had been given when they arrived at the party.

*Cough* "You're how old?!"

"Ninety-eight. Oh...Terran years...that's, um...(makes soft chittering sound as she thinks)...seventy-two. Thavi still young--plenty of time to find good male," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. When Thavi saw the look on Mindy's face, she added, "Thabbani live at least three times longer than Terrans. Like Thavi said, plenty of time."

Mindy saw the sharp, canine-like teeth in Thavi's mouth when she grinned, and knowing just strong Thabbani are, she couldn't help but feel a little primal shiver run through her body.

Miss Ja'f'darwe insisted on sitting next to James during the meal so that she could point out what was likely "spiced" and what wasn't. She knew that the captain was susceptible to certain additives, and most likely so was the rest of his crew. Læree'ahna, who sat next to Felix, also sat next to Chief Sorrel, and did her best to do the same so that Mindy could keep her wits about her in case anyone would need her detox drugs later.

Before the meal proper began, after everyone had been served drinks and appetizers, Ja'f'darwe Ywe'ahna stood followed shortly by a light chime sound that immediately caught the attention of all the Élendorians, who promptly quieted down. This in turn got the attention of the non-Élendorian guests.

Speaking first in Élendi, and then in the typical Élendorian version of Terran Standard English, Ywe'ahna said, "Welcome all this evening are! Observe we do this time of_N'ha arna Hue'swo'aja_. For guests who not of our world are, beginnings we celebrate many--the season of much rain, flowering of_selanja'i_, and more. New beginnings we celebrate even of those soon who will be mates."

A melodious cheer erupted from the Élendorians as Ywe'ahna called to the front those in the family and those among the friends of the family who on this occasion were announcing their joining. Seventeen couples stood before those gathered for the festivities, but Ywe'ahna was not quite done--she still had one more couple to call forth, making the total an auspicious eighteen (seventeen is considered less than lucky in Élendorian tradition).

"Ba'na'jwi na-hana... nua Sa'n'sriel Læree'ahna, awi, Sa'n'sriel sheya anweia e Élenswena, nua Canberra Felix_, awi,_ Canberra_sheya anweia e_ Terra. Sahli un'na'weyan. Na'leh?"

Felix and Læree'ahna exchanged surprised looks with each other--when they looked towards James, Miss Ja'f'darwe was whispering something in his ear. James leaned forward enough to look around her so that he could make eye contact with his petty officer.

"Go ahead, Canberra," he sent privately.

Felix and Læree'ahna made their way up front to stand with the others. Felix felt a little self-conscious since he was the only non-Élendorian among the soon to be joined couples; however, both he and Læree'ahna were warmly welcomed and included--prejudice among Élendorians was virtually unheard of in their culture.

The rest of the evening was spent eating and drinking and enjoying the provided entertainment. It was a lavish party, as far as the two crews and the science team were used to, but then again, the D'wena of Ja'f'darwe was quite well-to-do, and were "kith and kin" to one of the most powerful and well-respected diplomats in the Sol Federation of Worlds.

"Sae, he hud tae gang 'n' dae it," Ivor said to Sylvia, when he figured out what was going on when Felix and Læree'ahna were called up to stand with the other couples.

"It certainly seems official, doesn't it?" Sylvia remarked. "The captain had me send Canberra's forms in to BUPERS, and they're being processed. I wonder what they're going to do now."

Ivor shook his head slightly and said, "A dinnae ken. Dae ye think she wull wantae shift tae Canada?"

Sylvia thought on that a moment.

"I wouldn't think she'd want to, after living on Élenswena--I hear it's fairly warm and dry there."

"Aye, she kin be warm-blooded, bit she is aye a lizard, efter a'."

Sylvia nodded her head and then said, "I don't see how Miss Ja'f'darwe stands living in Switzerland. A little too chilly for my liking."

Ivor laughed a little and pulled Sylvia close.

"Ah wull keep ye taps aff, loue."

"Oh, I know you will..."

Later that evening, both crews retired back to their respective ships, with Læree'ahna accompanying Felix. It was nearly midnight, and James still had plenty to do before going to bed. The_Nelson_ would be arriving soon and the fighter would be making planetfall not long after. Back in_Nightwing_, James, Shauna, and Moira's avatar went to the hanger bay to make sure everything was ready.

"So, how are we getting that bird in here, wait until we get in orbit, or do we go topside and bring her in using the towing beams?" Shauna asked.

"We'll have the fighter park beside us for what's left of the night, and then tomorrow we'll bring her aboard after we reach orbit. I want to go take a quick look at that structure were The Heart was while the ground crews prep us for lifting. I can leave Zach in charge if you two want to come along," James replied.

"Will Tanya and Lilly be going with you?" Moira asked.

"That's the plan."

"Hauvri'ahn's father wants to give me some things before we lift. I can have him meet me in the terminal up topside while you're off looking at that building, or whatever it is," Shauna said.

"That was your brother's lady friend, right?" James asked.

"Yeah. I guess they were pretty close--a bit_too_ close for some in my family at the time. Nobody ever heard from them again after they disappeared from that dig. I guess he was going to come back for me, and would have, if...whatever happened to him hadn't of happened. I gotta know, James..."

James put his arm around Shauna's waist and looked up to meet her eyes.

"Do what you have to do, just keep an eye on the time. I want to be ready to lift before the midday traffic hits hard."

"Roger that, James. I'll have the engines all warmed up and ready to head out into the black when you give the word," Shauna said.

You want to come with us?" James asked Moira.

"If I am not needed for a particular task, I would like to come along," Moira's android avatar said.

"Okay, well, I'm going to head to the galley and grab some coffee, and then I'll be in my office. I want to talk with the CO of the_Nelson_when they arrive."

"I am keeping watch for them," Moira said.

"I'll see you later, then," James said, giving Moira and Shauna a quick hug before heading off.

"Well, I think I'll check Engineering to make sure everything is ready to lift tomorrow," Shauna said, stifling a yawn.

"I will assist you. You should get as much rest tonight as you can," Moira offered.

Shauna nodded her head, and the two struck off towards the engine room.

* * * * *

The attack carrier Nelson arrived in the Élendorian system at 0047 with her battle group, slightly ahead of schedule. As soon as James got word, he promptly had Sylvia put him through to Captain Aria Davis.

/* "Captain Daugherty, I was told by Command that you'd likely be calling as soon as we arrived. I don't know much of what I can say--this was a shock to me as much as it probably is to you." */

"Good evening, Captain Davis. You have to admit, a SLG getting a fighter is...not exactly_normal_ SOP."

/* "Understood, and you do have that Mûr Tua'ansa ship traveling with you--surely it has armaments." */

"They do--haven't seen a demonstration of them yet, but I've seen some of what their sidearms can do. Their pilot, though, has no combat experience, so my XO and I plan on giving her a crash course along the way, just in case. Still,Nightwing can handle a lot on her own, so again, why the fighter?"

/* "My CAG asked the same thing...we got told that the reason was 'above our clearance', so we're having to give you one of our F/I-417s whether we want to or not. Whatever you happen to run into out there, try to bring them back if at all possible." */

"We'll do our best. When will they be here, if I may ask?"

/* "They should be launching any second now. Ah, they've just hit vacuum, so they should reach the Wens'ayla'laeStarport in...twenty minutes or so. We're not staying; as soon as our data synch is finished, we'll be on our way. Good hunting,_Nightwing...whatever it is you're after.Nelson _out." */

James leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't liked the sound of what the skipper of the_Nelson_ had told him, particularly the part about "...above our clearance." The long-rang scout ships were no strangers to conducting "black ops" missions, though James felt that finding an ancient relic was hardly a covert mission. Find the thing, if possible, and bring it back--seemed straight forward enough. James looked at his cup and decided to go down to the galley and get a refill, and then have Moira's android avatar accompany him to meet the fighter crew.

Along the way, James wondered why "F/I-417" was nagging his thoughts.

* * * * *

Ensign Donnelson felt the sudden slam backwards into his seat as their bird accelerated down the mag-lev launch tube at full impulse. Mercifully, the high-G acceleration lasted only few seconds until the inertial compensators caught up. Launching was (almost) always the hardest, although certain combat maneuvers were close, and retrievals...they could get hairy if you had damage and came in hot.

"Yo, Diz, ever been to Élendor Prime before?"

"Nope. Have you?"

Heck no, this is the first time I've been out this way. Ever."

"Well, this might be a fun trip."

John looked around the front seat and saw Diwenzi grinning in the mirror.

Not a good sign.

"Diz, take it easy, will ya? We're not dodging 'roids[8]--we're entering_civilian_ space, so mind the stick."

"Yeah, yeah, I haven't hit anyone yet while in traffic, so what are you fussin' for, skunk-butt?"

"Just don't get everyone screaming at us, alright? We have no idea who our CO is going to be on the ship we're getting transferred to."

Diwenzi was quiet for nearly a whole minute.

"Ai-a, did I tell ya what my cousin did?"

"Which one? You got like...forty of them," John shot back sarcastically.

"No, I...well, maybe by now...anyway, my cousin Yanizi...you'd like her. She..."

And for the rest of the way down, Diwenzi went on and on about one of her favorite subjects--her family's antics. John had learned to tune her out whenever she got to talking about such things as he'd heard one variation or another of it since they were assigned together. He concentrated on seeing what he could from his canopy's windows. John picked up the directional beacon and listened to the comm chatter. It was going to be a night landing at a strange starport, and he hoped Diwenzi would not scare the locals.

"Hey, Diz...we should be coming within visual on the starport. Do you see it yet?"

"Ai-a, it just popped over the horizon. Switching comms to local controller..."

Diwenzi made contact with the starport's traffic controller and received clearance to enter the pattern. Applying the braking thrusters slowed their forward velocity below hypersonic, and then the sonic boom provided an audible confirmation that they had transitioned to subsonic. Traffic was light at this particular hour, so they only had to orbit once around the starport before receiving clearance to land.

[Tower]: "Razor one two seven, this is Wens'ayla'lae Control, you are cleared to land at Pad fo-war Right."

[Diwenzi]: "Wens'ayla'lae Control, this is Razor One Two Seven, copy Pad Fo-war Right. Initiating manual landing cycle."

"Diz, did you just tell them that you're landing_manually_?" John asked.

"Yeah. Somethin' wrong with that, skunk-butt?"

"Only if you make us crash and burn," John replied sarcastically.

"Not likely, e-cha'li[9]--if I can land this bird on a moving carrier, I can land on a nice piece of flat rock."

"Diz..."

"What?"

"...I'm not your boyfriend."

"You wanna be, I know you do," Diwenzi said with a laugh.

"Just make sure we land in one piece, will ya? Jeezers."

Diwenzi laughed and said, "Watch me nail this..."

John grimaced and squeezed the armrests tighter.

After the elevator lowered them down to Level Three, a tug proceeded to take them to their assigned berth. When they saw that they were being towed towards an utterly black dagger-shaped ship, and the two in black uniforms waiting for them, Diwenzi turned in her seat so that she could look back at John.

"Yiezwa!! Is that...?!"

"Oh...jeezers...!" was all John could say.

* * * * *

James stood with his arms crossed near the port-side Field Emitter Pod with Moira's android avatar, waiting for the arrival of the F/I-417 Peregrine fighter/interceptor that had been assigned to his ship after receiving the call that it had arrived and was being brought down to their level.

"I don't understand why Command would have me carry a fighter. My shuttle is quite capable at performing such a role should it be required. Although the_Se'nika_'s offensive and defensive capabilities lack my range of choices, they make up for it with their adaptability and sheer power," Moira said, making conversation while they waited.

"I don't either, baby-cakes. As far as the shuttle is concerned, it would have to be either me or Tanya flying it to be used effectively in combat." James turned to look Moira's avatar in the eyes and asked, "And just how do you know what the_Se'nika_'s weapons and shields can do?"

Moira smiled slightly and said, "I...made a suggestion."

James raised an eyebrow.

"I suggested to Tres-Sal'an that we should compare capabilities so that we could effectively plan our tactics accordingly in case we might need to fight our way out of a situation."

"That's their Weapons Officer, correct?"

"Their equivalent, yes," Moira acknowledge.

"And...?" James prompted.

"She asked Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an. I explained my reasoning for the exchange of such information, and the Commander agreed. You had made plans on teaching Thir-Bre'an in combat maneuvers, so it made sense to exchange weapons and shield specifications so that we might utilize what we have to each other's advantage."

"And you were going to tell me this...when?"

"When you could arrange the time to sit long enough for me to discuss it with you and show you what I learned," Moira replied with a slight smile. Quickly changing to a serious expression, Moira added, "We do not want to fly between the_Se'nika_ and whatever she fires at, James."

James arched an eyebrow again at Moira's cautionary statement.

"Alright, we'll make some time to talk about this more, but I want to have Tanya, Zach, Shauna, and Sonya in on it."

"As you wish, James."

Moira said nothing else until the tug pulling the fighter came into view.

"Here they are."

James and Moira's avatar watched intently as the Peregrine was towed into place next to the ship. When he saw the names that were stenciled just below the canopy windows, James said in a low voice, "Oh, bloody hell..."

The hatch on the fighter's lower starboard side behind the rear seat opened and bushy black and white furred tail emerged first, followed by the rest of its owner. John waited until Diwenzi exited, and then they both walked over to greet his cousin.

Diwenzi and John both came to attention and saluted James, who returned their salute.

"Captain Daugherty...um, we had_no_ idea we'd be..." Diwenzi started to say.

"Getting transferred to_my_ ship, I know," James interjected. "Well, we can hash that over later. It's late, so let's get you two onboard and your gear stowed. Canberra has your quarters prepped, and he'll get you squared away in the morning after breakfast. We'll get your bird onboard tomorrow once we're in orbit. I plan on lifting before the midday traffic gets heavy."

"Aye, sir," Lt. Cha'rhu'ez said.

"Let's give them a hand getting their gear aboard," James said to Moira, and the four walked over to the fighter.

A short while later, Diwenzi and John picked who got which rack, and then stowed their personal items in the lockers.

"It's a little smaller than what we had on the_Nelson_," John quipped, as he looked around the space.

"Eh, fine enough for me--just like back home. I don't mind small spaces with no windows," Diwenzi said, sitting on her rack and working on taking off her boots.

"That's because you live underground, and your homes are like burrows," John said with a bit of sarcasm.

"So? You want windows or something?"

"As a matter of fact, that_would_ be nice, but...I don't think they_have_ any viewports on this ship."

"Nope, only see out from the bridge or hanger bay when the doors are open--I checked back when we had libs in Alaska," Diwenzi said with a smug grin.

"Figures."

While they were getting ready to hit their racks for the night, John looked up to the overhead and said, "Moira? Would you please wake us at 0600?"

/* "As you wish, John. Do either of you require anything before you go to sleep?" */

Looking over at Diwenzi, who shook her head no, John said, "Nah, I think we're fine for the night. Thanks, Moira."

/* "I will switch your lights to night mode. Sleep well." */

John and Diwenzi both said their goodnights to Moira, who then dimmed the overhead light down and then switched on the stateroom's blue night lights.

Later, after they had crawled into their racks and were situated for what was left of the night, John said, "Ya know, Diz, this is going to be strange."

"What, sleeping in the same compartment with me?"

"No, not that...being here."

"Oh, the ship, you mean."

"Yeah."

"You can come curl up with me anytime, Runway," Diwenzi said suggestively.

"Keep dreamin', Diz."

"You don't know what you're missin'..."

"Yeah, well, if you weren't my pilot...maybe."

"Ah, so you would, eh?"

"Say 'good night', Diz."

John rolled over onto his other side, facing away from her, and pulled his blanket over his head. Diwenzi stared from across the small darkened stateroom at John's back for a few minutes before shaking her head and snuggling under her own blanket.

"Someday, skunk boy, you'll wanna be my e-cha'li_...and then..._"

Diwenzi eventually drifted off to sleep with the corners of her mouth pulled back in a little smile.

* * * * *

When James and Moira's android avatar returned to his cabin, Tanya and Shauna were already asleep, and Lilly was waiting up for them.

"Hey, Lil," James said as he and Moira entered through the back door to the captain's cabin.

"Did they get here?" Lilly asked, referring to the fighter crew.

"Yeah, they're onboard and should be hitting their racks. You'll never guess who they are," James replied quietly.

"Anybody we know?" Lilly inquired, standing up to give her mate a hug.

"Oh, yeah...of all the people who could have been assigned, it's the 'boychik' himself."

Lilly's jaw dropped.

"John?!"

"Him, and Lt. Cha'rhu'ez."

"Jeezers! Hey, did Uncle Kenny have anything to do with that?"

"I don't know, Lil. I'd think he'd be against having any more relatives on the same ship at the same time. He didn't exactly like you, me, and Tanya all being together, but you know I fought to get you two on my ship."

"Yeah, I know ya did, and...yeah, come to think of it, he_would_kinda frown on any of the rest of the family being on here--especially any of his own kids," Lilly agreed.

"I have so far been unable to learn why a fighter was even assigned to me," Moira said.

Lilly looked from James to Moira and back.

"What's goin' on, Jamie?" Lilly asked with a bit of nervousness in her voice.

"I don't know, Lil. I talked to the CO of the_Nelson_, but she got told by higher-ups that it was 'above her clearance' when she asked to know why she had to fork over one of her fighters to us. I guess it's just something we'll have to deal with and make the best of the situation. They're with us for the duration of this mission, however long or short that's going to be," James explained.

Lilly looked thoughtful for a moment, and then asked, "What time are we lifting tomorrow?"

"I'd like to be off the ground by ten-hundred, if possible."

"Are we still going to where that Heart-thingy was at?"

"Yeah, right after breakfast. Moira's coming with us, though Shauna's going to meet the father of her brother's lady friend."

"Yeah, she told me about that. What time is it?"

"It's currently 0137 hours," Moira replied.

"Dang, why'd they have to get here in the middle of the night? C'mon, you two--time for bed!"

"Yes, ma'am," James said with smirk and a mock salute.

* * * * *

Moira's android avatar gently wakened James at 0600 in the morning. Tanya and Shauna had awakened early to start the pre-lift check, leaving James and Lilly to catch a little extra shut-eye. Lilly normally had little to do on such occasions, other than going around with the rest of the enlisted members of the crew to make sure everything on the_inside_ of the ship was properly secured for getting underway. Since ST1 Carmen Li was onboard, Ivor could show her what to check for while Lilly, James, Tanya, and Moira went to check out the structure.

Rhuw-Rha'an teleported the four to the location where The Heart had been housed as she wished to see the place for herself.

"The pictures the others took just don't do this place justice," James said, looking up at the tree-like columns.

"I agree, James," Rha'an sent, herself feeling awed by the structure.

"Here's the way in that Zach found," Tanya said, offering the PAD to James with the route pulled up.

James took it, looked at the mapped pathway, walked around until he found the starting point, and said, "Over here."

They wound their way in among the tree-like columns, which grew closer and closer together until they became a solid mass. Carefully hidden was the actual opening that let them inside. It quickly grew dark enough that even Rha'an and Moira couldn't see, so they turned on the lights they carried. It wasn't long before they came to the inner chamber where The Heart had been housed.

"Jeezers..." Lilly nearly whispered when she saw the interior.

"I have never seen the like," Tanya added as she looked around.

"Nor have I. This is truly...remarkable", Rha'an sent openly.

"This is billions of years old, yet it looks as if it had only recently been constructed," Moira observed.

"Jamie...?"

"Yeah, Lil?"

"Uh...come look at this..."

James turned to see where Lilly was and what she was looking at. Walking over to her, he found that she was staring at a figure that bore an odd resemblance to...could it be...?

"Jamie...this looks kinda like..."

"Ye gods..."

The image Lilly lightly ran her fingers over was similar in size and appearance to...

"...my twentieth great grandmother...!" Lilly whispered in shock.

James put his arms around Lilly and felt his heart skip a beat.

Tanya let out a soft whine when she looked at the image next to the one James and Lilly were looking at. It looked like a female wolf G.E.L.F., only much taller, and apparently wearing what looked like a simple breechcloth. The facial resemblance to her own first G.E.L.F. ancestor, who five hundred some years earlier, had also been James' own twentieth great grandmother.

"Oh, sweet..." James choked on his words when he saw, or thought he saw, his own relative in the relief image.

"No way, Jamie...humans weren't even around yet when this place was made, let alone us G.E.L.F.s! How could they have known...?"

"I...have...no...idea."

"You say these two images look like ancestors of yours?" Rha'an asked.

"Very much like them...different somehow, but...not...I don't know how to explain it."

"Interesting in that the hair style of this image looks much like yours, Lilly, yet the apparent fur pattern seems to match that of your ancestor. I remember the photos of her that you showed me once," Moira said.

After several seconds of silence, Rha'an asked, "How, exactly, were the people of your world inspired to create the G.E.L.F.s? Do you know?"

"I can't say for sure," James said. "We know that they re-engineered DNA samples of four-footed animals to match certain sequences of human DNA so that they would be able to walk upright, change front paws to be more like hands, and increase their intellect. But what_inspired_ them to do what they did...nobody really knows. Some information was lost during the Purity Uprising of 2213, though the science behind the re-engineering survived."

"I do not believe my kind are represented here among these figures," Moira observed.

"I don't know, Moira...any one of these could be like you and we'd have no way of knowing it."

Softly clearing her throat, Rha'an said aloud for Moira's benefit, "If it were not for my abilities, you would be indistinguishable from any other human female to me--unless you did something they could not."

Moira smiled slightly

While they looked around the chamber at the other images, Lilly's curiosity drew her to the raised dais and the two figures there. Both were much taller than she was, and even though their eyes had a decidedly wild look about them, their expressions were like loving parents. Standing before the figure on the left, Lilly acted on an unexplained impulse and grasped the right hand which was held lower as if to support the bottom of something.

"Hey, Jamie? This one seems kinda familiar, too, like...YI!"

Hearing Lilly's cry, everyone immediately turned and started towards her.

"What's wrong, Lil?!" James asked in great concern.

"C-Can't...m-move..."

As soon as James and Tanya reached Lilly and put their hands on her, the two figures erupted in a bright glow, filling the chamber with light...and their minds with a voice.

"Welcome, children of our children. We have waited for you to grow wiser in the ways of things so that you could make your way to a place of The Heart. Take up our trail, follow it, and it will lead you home. We will be waiting with open arms_if _your own hearts are full of love. You are not alone in the Great Night among the stars, for we have always been with you."

The light subsided and faded away, and Lilly collapsed into James and Tanya's arms.

"Lil! Talk to me...!" James said, brushing her fur/hair from her face.

"Lili, DorogAya moyA, U tyebyA vsyO v aryAdke?" Tanya asked worriedly, forgetting in her concern to speak in English[10].

James looked up at Rha'an and said, "She's not responding."

"We must get her to the Se'nika_--I will alert Frer-Sha'an_."

James picked up Lilly and held her in his arms, and Rha'an teleported everyone to her ship's infirmary.

"Give her to me, James," the healer gently ordered as soon as they arrived.

James let Sha'an take Lilly from him and placed her on the treatment bed. Tendrils grew out of the sides of the bed and snaked their way over Lilly's body--they were connected to the diagnostic display and began feeding information about her current state.

Frer-Sha'an placed one hand on Lilly's chest and the other on her forehead. What the sensors detected matched what she sensed.

Turning to James and the others, Sha'an said aloud, "Lilly is in a state of mental shock--not unlike an overloaded circuit that has shutdown to prevent damage. I will have her out of it momentarily."

"Will there be any...lasting effects?" James asked.

Sha'an smiled gently and said, "She will be the same as always when she awakes, though she will remember what happened."

James let Frer-Sha'an work her gift of healing on Lilly--there was no outward sign of anything happening, though after several moments, Lilly's eyes flickered open.

"J-Jamie...?"

"I'm right here, Lil...Sha'an's tending to you, so just lie there until she says otherwise, okay?"

Lilly nodded her head and closed her eyes again. While she rested, Frer-Sha'an keyed in some instructions to the bed's control panel, and a new tendril grew out of the bed and slithered up inside the sleeve of Lilly's uniform. Within seconds, the vine-like growth began undulating.

Seeing the expressions on the faces of James and Tanya, Sha'an said, "I am giving her a solution that will help restore the mineral balance and pressure in her circulatory system. It will not take long."

When it was time, Frer-Sha'an's fingers lightly danced over the control panel for the bed, and the various tendrils retreated back into the bed, including the one that had been in Lilly's arm.

"Wake now, Lilly."

Her eyes fluttered open, and Frer-Sha'an sat Lilly up on the bed with her legs over the side. She looked up at James and held her arms out--he held her close, rocking slightly.

"You gave us a bit of a scare there, Lil," James said softly.

"What the heck happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Sorta. It seemed like a weird dream that was way too real for my liking."

"It was no dream, babe."

"We all experienced it, even me," Moira added.

"Wait...you heard that voice in your head?" Lilly asked in bewilderment.

"Yes," Moira replied with a nod of her head.

"Jeezers!"

When James, Tanya, Lilly, and Moira's android avatar were back on_Nightwing_, the crews made ready to depart Élendor Prime.

It was quite a sight for those travelers at the Wens'ayla'lae Starport to see the scout ship come up on the large elevator pad. It was a sunny day out, but not a single glint of sunlight reflected off of_Nightwing_'s black hull. For most everyone at the busy starport, it was the first time they had ever seen a long-range scout ship, for those who were there when she landed, it was only the second time in their lives. They did not know that it would be some time before they would see the ship again.

* * * * *

"Naoia, the children managed to trigger the message you left for them," M'hanya reported.

"Ah, very good, then they are on their way."

"They are departing for Chenau-Ri as we speak."

"Excellent. Char'ena, dear, keep an eye on them from a discreet distance, but let's stay close enough just in case."

/* "Yes, Mistress." */

The giant wolf ship slipped unnoticed out of the Élendorian system, easily keeping pace with the two ships.

Naoia was pleased that things were unfolding as she expected. The First Ones had been content to stay in the background, quietly watching the younger races grow and develop, and spread themselves out into the Great Night of space. From star to star, they made progress, though occasionally some recalcitrant miscreants, such as the R'Hinsi, insisted upon being a pain in the tail. Naoia was determined to teach them a lesson if they misbehaved again. She preferred to let natural evolution and the consequences of one's actions to take their course--as did many of the First Ones--once things were set into motion. But there always seemed to be those civilizations who insisted on being_anything_but civil. The Wurnak Da'i were a troublesome lot, for they had fallen in league with the Dark Bloods early on. Of course, Naoia and others of her kind had seen what certain of the younger races had done to the Wurnak Da'i when they began their recent murderous spree.

Sa'leh Daan-tu'ena found the unmanned courier vessel with the recorded message heading towards its homeworld and had a good laugh at its creativity. She made sure it got to its destination and also made sure the message got seen by those who needed to understand that such misbehavior would be dealt with harshly. Predictably, it enraged them further, for they were not quite the sharpest tacks in the box and had a habit of missing the point. So, to slow them down a little, Sa'leh made sure a few of their capitol ships developed an annoying tendency to have inexplicable malfunctions at random intervals, with the aforementioned warning popping up on their display screens during a malfunction. The closer they got to the edge of their traditional territorial limit, the more frequent and the more severe the malfunctions became. This served to increase their paranoia to the point where they had decided to redesign their systems in order to get rid of the "curse", starting with blaming those who had created the current equipment...and then executing them. Sa'leh shook her head and thought the entire race were a bunch of tail-for-brains who refused to learn.

"Well, what should anyone expect from those who want to be in with those fool Dark Bloods," Sa'leh thought to herself. "I suppose if all but a handful were wiped out, they_still _wouldn't get the point. At any rate, they seem to be staying put for the time being. I better check on the Nekhar and make sure they are still behaving. As Naoia said, we may have to directly intervene in case they mess with her new charges, but if we do_that, it's likely to stir up the other old races. Sounds like fun, though._

"It's been way too quiet around here..."

---

[1]Chenau-Ri - the dead world located in NGC 2359 where Cameron Eriksson, Sy'k'rell Hauvri'ahn, and Arlan Schneider disappeared.

[2] Cailín - "girlfriend" in Irish Gaelic (to hear it pronounced, go to https://www.teanglann.ie/en/fuaim/cail%c3%adn and use the Ulster dialect).

[3]Communications Station AI1295 near the Élendorian sector.

[4]Ty sumasshedshiy (?? ???????????) - are you crazy?

[5]BUPERS - Bureau of Personnel

[6]CAG - "Commander, Air Group." Traditional title, dating back to the "wet navy" aircraft carriers of the 20th century.

[7]SCM - Space Combat Maneuvering ("dogfight" practice).

[8]Roids - short for asteroids.

[9]E-cha'li - Veswani equivalent of "boyfriend".

[10]Tanya says, "Lilly, my dear, are you okay?" (????, ??????? ???, ? ???? ??? ? ????????)