8

Arneora sat in the comfortable high-backed chair by the fireplace in her private study, brooding over recent events. Someone or something had been getting into Erlanna's quarters and going through her belongings. Wherever her young assistant went, one or more of the Watchers had escorted her. They had been monitoring the hallway outside of her quarters. There had been no attempts made to transport anyone or anything in or out of her rooms. Yet, items had inexplicably been disturbed on several occasions. To make matters worse, Arneora couldn't get the thought out of her mind that something had been waiting out in the hallway near the door to her own chambers, watching. She was annoyed...very annoyed. And that could be dangerous as Dra'kans have a tendency to incinerate things when they're angry.

Arneora had few peers on her world--she was the Dra'ka Nulen, the oldest, wisest, and the most powerful of her kind on Dra'ka. There was only one other who equaled her and that was her friend, Valerna--Erlanna's mother. However, Valerna was in the realm of the First Ones, wielding her skills to help create the mighty Weapons of Light along with the legendary Thabbani smith, Nevi nBan, or Dakanevinbanansathchan, as the Thabbani called him in these times.

Arneora briefly recounted the times way back in the Elder Days when she and Valerna, T'Nalan, and S'Aral, were young and among the most gifted of their generation. They explored the then young galaxy and had founded what would become the Dra'kan civilization. Arneora smiled when she thought of S'Aral, for he was a handsome male who was charming and kind, loving, and enjoyed life. They had made a great pair and together had several hatchlings who had grown up to become respectable adults and had taught their own hatchlings the same values that their parents had taught them.

She missed those days.

Kh'nar was, as far as Arneora was concerned, a loathsome creature who she despised. Her attitude towards the current leader of the Dra'kan Council now bordered on open hostility for his repeated attempts to have his way with Erlanna and his demeaning harassment of others. She wasn't alone in her assessment of him.

Fae'ela was thorough in her quest to dig up anything and everything she could get her claws on concerning Kh'nar. Others he associated with, business dealings, collections, finances, those who were known to work with or for him, those who had grievances against him, all of the known ins and outs of his chambers, what he found entertaining, what he didn't like...Fae'ela dug deeply into it all. What she had found so far was enough to have him removed from his position on the Council and likely forever barred from having any position that had a modicum of power or prestige. However, what she really needed was physical evidence of his attempts on Erlanna. Fae'ela had the testimony of the Dra'ka Nulen's assistant, that of Arneora herself, plus a statement by the Mûr Tua'ansa healer and the medical scanner data (even if it was collected by a primitive device) provided by the Terran healer before they left to continue their mission. Unfortunately, Kh'nar had gone to great lengths to conceal his movements.

"There has to be something_he missed..._" Fae'ela thought to herself as she sifted through the piles of information.

"I wonder if anyone has heard from the master of the black ship that was here."

"Captain Daugherty, the Terran?" Qinara asked between bites of her food.

"Yes, him," Azurella replied.

"Not that I can think of at the moment. Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking of the time he challenged Kh'nar before the entire Assembly," Azurella replied.

Qinara casually ripped another chunk of meat off the bone and gulped it down.

"That was the best part of the entire council meeting," Qinara said with a slight chuckle. "Too bad Captain Daugherty did not have the physical ability to take on Kh'nar...I would have paid_to have seen _that!"

Azurella smiled.

"I liked the look on his face when Fae'ela's Inquisitor's staff was embedded into the platform between his legs, narrowly missing him."

"If it had, that would have solved one problem, at least," Qinara commented with sarcasm.

"No doubt," Azurella agreed. "However, one must give the captain something for having enough backbone in the first place to at least try to do the right thing."

"True."

The two females continued their meal in silence for a time until Qinara asked, "Have you been able to find what has been getting into Erlanna's chambers?"

Azurella snorted softly and replied, "No. It is baffling--the door shows no record of having been opened by anyone except her, the transport scramblers are functioning as they should, no life signs have been registered other than hers or ours when we are there with her, and the entire place has been checked for openings or cracks that should not be there. The ventilation system is monitored for any substance other than normal air as well as anything moving through them. Yet, something is going through her things when no one is there."

Qinara's color darkened.

"Could there be someone moving things using mental abilities?"

Azurella frowned and said, "Not that anyone has been aware of."

"If only we could have one of the Nomenara assist..." Qinara suggested.

"Or have a Great Lupin sniff around..."

Both females looked each other in the eye for a moment, silently agreeing that either option would be welcomed at this point, for their investigation seemed to have hit a dead end. If only they could catch who or what was moving things in Erlanna's chambers or figure out how her belongings were being gone through. It was a frustrating mystery they needed to solve...and quickly.

* * * * *

Arneora had been studying the image recorded of the galaxy showing all of the known civilizations, past and present, all of the worlds known to have been seeded by the First Ones, all of the worlds that were known to those of the Elder Races, the homeworld of the Dark Bloods, those who had fallen in with them, and where the Dark Bloods and their minions had been attacking. It had been James' idea to show all of this at once. Arneora took it one step further and had the attack plot animated, showing the directions the attacks had occurred over time. It was highly complex, yet...there was also an apparent simplicity to it. Arneora contemplated the progression of the attacks. Was she missing something? She felt that there was some small, though crucial, bit of information that was missing. But what was it?

Becoming frustrated, Arneora stepped out of the holographic projection and headed towards her favorite chair. Before she sat down, Arneora looked over at Erlanna, who had been sitting at a work table, going over old charts and documents. She smiled wistfully, seeing that her assistant had dozed off with her head laying on her arms which were folded on the table. Erlanna had been having difficulty sleeping lately--having her personal things appear to have been gone through while she was away from her chambers despite no discernable reason as to how they had been disturbed, had been quite unsettling. Erlanna needed the comfort of someone who cared about her. Her own mother had not seen in ages, for she was in the timeless realm of Ayoo-t'ahna Nal-Zhidôr, the home of the First Ones. Arneora knew that Erlanna missed James, though he was far away at the moment and, from what little Naoia had mentioned, might not be back any time soon. There was only one other thing to do in this situation. It was already late, so Arneora went to Erlanna.

"Child? Perhaps you should get some rest."

"Uh...wha...oh."

Erlanna sat up and rubbed her eyes, when she did, Arneora saw the tell-tale crystals on the table--she had been crying.

"I'm sorry, Dra'ka Nulen, I...I should not have..."

"Do not worry about all of this, dear, it is late, and this is all old--one more night will not make a difference to it. Come, you may stay with me tonight--no one will dare bother you here."

Taking her by the hand, Arneora led Erlanna to her own rest chamber. There was plenty of room for several. S'Aral had created the space for them both and their hatchlings, long, long ago. Arneora changed into her full form and bade Erlanna to do the same. Once she was settled down for the night, the much larger Arneora curled around her young assistant and covered her with her wing, as a mother would her own.

"You are safe, child; dream of nicer things this night."

* * * * *

Outside of Arneora's chambers, a section of wall seemed to ripple ever so slightly. There was a subtle pattern to the rippling that would have gone unnoticed if no one had directly observed it. Shortly thereafter, a section of floor in front of Erlanna's quarters rippled in response with its own subtle pattern. Then, slowly, the section of floor looked as if it acted as a stone-colored fluid and began trickling horizontally, much as how water might seep out of a crack in a cave wall. The trickles made their way towards the door of Erlanna's chambers, creeping slowly along. When they reached it, the trickles simply flowed through the slim gap under the door.

No one had thought to point an imaging sensor at the floor.

* * * * *

Kh'nar relaxed in his den, though the expression on his face would be disturbing if anyone saw it. While he knew the Watchers and Inquisitor Fae'ela were closing in on him, he didn't care. He would have his revenge on Arneora for humiliating him in front of his peers thousands of millennia ago. One of his agents had found what he needed to secure the object of his desire. Once she was Bound, there would be no testifying against him, and she would eventually be secreted away at a later time...and shortly thereafter, his revenge would be complete. But before then, he would have to make sure a particular group of Watchers were directed off world. Once the Binding was done, it could not be contested since he still held the position as head of the Dra'kan Council. He could get the majority he needed to pass the ruling.

"And then you will be mine," Kh'nar murmured, clenching a fist and he grinned cruelly.

Kh'nar looked over to a table, upon it, in a case, was a data cylinder. The contents were the computer records that held the one small overlooked error that led to the discovery of the files that had been accessed and downloaded to a data cylinder. The files in question were mostly information that had been gathered on the offensive and defensive measures and battle tactics of the Dark Bloods and their minions. But there was another group of files, among those that Kh'nar and those who were under his sway, coveted as belonging solely to the Elder Races, and to the Dra'kans in particular--replicator technology. Even though a fair number of the space faring Younger Races had developed on their own a means to transport beings and materials by the conversion of matter into patterns of energy and back into their original material forms, and that it would likely only be a matter of time before they stumbled upon how to replicate objects via an extension of that technology, Kh'nar and others insisted upon keeping that technology from the mortals for as long as possible. Kh'nar didn't care how the Dra'kans themselves acquired replicator technology in the first place--it had been freely given to them by the Y'Nahrans, who incidentally, also developed the gateway technology many of the Elder Races enjoyed the use of, with help from the First Ones.

Dra'kans, by their nature, tended to hold on to things they acquired for long periods of time, which, being immortal, could be understood. They might be thought of as the original hoarders, and in general, there was nothing they coveted more than their own private hoard. One of the surest ways to make a good impression with a Dra'kan was to give a gift of hoard. Over time, they had developed some rules concerning hoards, though mostly they were rules governing courtesy. Art, books, knowledge, music, and artifacts were generally the most desired. Wealth was subject to personal tastes. Items such as metals and gems had their uses in making useful items and works of art--they had little other intrinsic value to Dra'kans, unlike among the Younger Races who tended to use them for currency. After all, Dra'kans had replicator technology, they could simply make whatever metals and gems they wanted. It was the inspiration and creativity that went into making beautiful works that they desired.

Kh'nar's desire for "creating something beautiful" was twisted by his desire for revenge. Erlanna, Arneora's beautiful young assistant, was simply an end to a means--and that was to create the hatchlings he fervently desired. They would be the crowning pieces of his hoard.

* * * * *

While Erlanna slept, she dreamed of James. She wished to be with him and his friends on their grand adventure, to fly among the stars and see with her own eyes the wonders of the universe, just as her own mother had done with her father and their friends when they were her age. She had heard their stories as a youth and often tried to imagine the things they saw. It was not long after she learned how that she yearned to fly "out there", among the stars. No matter how hard she tried, Erlanna could never get high enough for the air would become too thin and too cold. Once, when she was older and stronger (and had found a good strong updraft), Erlanna had flown high enough to briefly see the curvature of her world. When she returned, she excitedly told her parents what she had seen, though she had even more questions. "Why was it so hard to breathe that high?" "Why did it get so cold?" "Why couldn't she fly any higher?" "Why did the horizon look like it did?" In time, young Erlanna's questions were answered, some to her disappointment (she couldn't fly up to the stars like she could fly through the air, for example), though her curiosity and desire to learn led her into new areas of knowledge.

Erlanna never knew what had happened to her father, S'Aral, for her mother would not speak of it. Instead, Valerna buried herself in her work, to hide her broken heart from her youngest daughter. Arneora, her mother's long-time friend, offered to take Erlanna under her wing, so she went to study with the Dra'ka Nulen, for Arneora had held that title for some time by then.

One day, a strange being arrived, one that Erlanna had never seen before, appearing in a swirl of multi-hued light. She was nearly as tall as Erlanna in her smaller form, though instead of scales, the stranger was covered with fur. The stranger exuded a power that nearly overwhelmed sensitive Erlanna. Valerna introduced her daughter to the strange visitor, whose name was Naeressa Halinu'ena, Valerna and Arneora spoke with her for a time in private. Arneora stepped out and came to Erlanna.

When Valerna came out of her workshop, she went straight to Erlanna. Looking at Arneora for a moment, Valerna said quietly, "It is decided".

"Erlanna, dear, your mother needs to be elsewhere for a time to do something very important. I may be gone for some time, though I will be back. You will stay with Arneora and be her assistant. She will make sure you have all that you need. Now, I need to pack some things. Will you help me?"

"Yes, Mother," Erlanna replied.

When it was time for Valerna to leave, the large storage container her things were packed in disappeared in a swirl of multi-hued light. The four of them walked out the main entrance--what Erlanna saw left her speechless. An incredibly huge furry beast with strangely glowing pupil-less eyes and bands of scintillating energy flowing slowly around its body stood tall on four legs. It looked down at the four with its tail swinging from side-to-side as if happy to see them.

"I will get Kal'en ready to depart. Do not be long," Naeressa said to Valerna, and with that, she transformed into a swirling ball of light and ascended into the gigantic beast.

Taking hold of her youngest daughter's hands, Valerna said, "I must go help the First Ones, my child. How long I may be gone, I do not know, though I will return when I can. I know you will be good, my sweet child, that is one thing that I will not have to worry about. Listen to Arneora, you can learn much from her." When odd sounds started coming from what Erlanna would eventually learn to be a "beast ship", Valerna hugged her daughter tightly and said, "I love you. Your father loved you, too. Know that above all else." Valerna gave Arneora an equally strong hug. "I shall miss you, too, my dear friend. And Erlanna..."

"I will take good care of her, dear. Dra'ka will not be the same without you." Arneora and Valerna put their foreheads together with their arms around each other's neck. "I hope you will find what you need, my dear friend. You will always be as a sister to me."

"And you to me," Valerna said. Stepping back, she turned and looked up at the gigantic beast. "I am ready". Valerna disappeared in a swirl of multi-hued light.

The bands of scintillating energy began to move faster around the beast as it lifted its head and looked towards the sky. It made a deafening sound--a howl--and then turned a bit and leapt into the air, appearing to run as it climbed into the sky. When it was no more than a bright point, it flared with light and streaked away. It would be several thousand years before Erlanna would see her mother again.

While Valerna was in the realm of the First Ones, Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr, she would indeed find what she needed again in the charming, furry metalsmith, Nevi nBan of Thabb.

Erlanna, had found something that she had not realized she needed until she met James. Despite the fact that he was a mortal of a completely different species and had mates that he loved deeply, Erlanna had fallen in love with him and had openly declared it as she shed her crystalline tears at their parting. By unwittingly catching them bare handed, an unbreakable bond was formed between immortal and mortal. Although such a bond had often ended badly for others; for Erlanna, however, would the strength of the wolf in James be enough to save her from Kh'nar?

* * * * *

"Again, something was in here! Qinara fumed, her color almost immediately turned to black and deep shades of gray when she checked Erlanna's quarters the next morning.

"I do not understand," T'Ranael said, shaking his head while checking the security logs. "That door had not been opened since we closed it, the ventilation is still sealed, and the transport scrambler is in working order--I tested it personally!"

"I have found _nothing_that would indicate the slightest trace of a lifeform having been in here, except those of our own signatures," Azurella added.

"Clearly something has been missed that has not been thought of," D'Narial said. "What are we missing?"

"I will examine the recordings much more closely in my workspace on the ship. Perhaps there, something will make itself known," Azurella announced as she swapped the imaging sensors.

"Do you suspect the image analyzers at our ground facility may have been compromised?" D'Narial asked.

"Just to rule out _that_particular scenario, unlikely as it may be, it would be prudent to go over the images with equipment held under the highest security measures," Azurella replied.

D'Narial thought on that a moment and said, "Do what you deem necessary. Report anything you find, however insignificant."

"Or anything you do not_find that _should be found," Qinara added, shooting a quick glance at her superior.

"I agree with Qinara," D'Narial seconded.

"Then I will inform you as soon as I learn something," Azurella said. She gathered up the sensors and touched a stone on her wrist bracer, disappearing shortly after in a swirl of light.

"Conduct another inventory, see if anything is missing or has been added since the last. If something has been added without clearance, contain it and then run a full analysis on it," D'Narial instructed.

After several hours of searching every nook and cranny, nothing was missing and nothing had been added. The things that had been moved after the last search were thoroughly scanned before being handled.

Fae'ela came by to check on the progress of the latest security check on Erlanna's chambers. She was understandably upset to learn that once again something had gotten in and disturbed things. When Fae'ela left Erlanna's chambers, she almost went straight back to her desk, but then she thought of something and changed her mind. Instead, she went to pay a visit to the Dra'ka Nulen.

"Inquisitor Fae'ela, have a seat," Arneora said, waving a hand towards a second comfortable chair that she recently had brought out of storage and placed near the fireplace in her private study. When Fae'ela sat down, Arneora stated, "I assume this visit concerns the investigation."

"Yes, Dra'ka Nulen."

"I take it something is troubling you about it."

Fae'ela thought how best to say it.

"Something continues to get past the security measures that have been put in place. Azurella has taken the latest sensor data to the Faln Aore where she believes it can be gone over more thoroughly. She wishes to rule out any possible compromise to the instruments at their ground facility."

"That is a sensible precaution. However inconvenient it may be, perhaps it would be prudent to have the instruments and other systems at the Watchers' ground facility examined for discrepancies," Arneora suggested.

"I will have that done, Dra'ka Nulen."

Arneora nodded her head thoughtfully; after a moment she brought something up that had been bothering her.

"This whole situation...something does not feel right about it. I wonder, could it be that our attention is being directed away from something else?"

"A ruse of some sort?" Fae'ela asked.

"Possibly. If it is, then it is an elaborate and very subtle one. Kh'nar has always been a schemer, though if this is a ruse of some kind, this is likely beyond his ability."

"Master D'Narial and his crew all agree that they are missing something, though they are presently at a loss as to what, exactly, they may have overlooked. This does not make any stretch of logical sense," Fae'ela said.

"Then, perhaps, we need to consider the illogical. We need someone with a devious mind to look into corners we cannot think of," Arneora suggested. "Kh'nar may be mad, though he is not the brightest. I suspect there is still someone helping him that has not been found yet. Someone with the skills to avoid instruments and sensors."

Fae'ela considered what Arneora said and an idea was starting to form in her mind.

"I...may have an idea. With your permission, I would like to check some things."

"By all means, do what you need to do. If anyone quibbles about it, direct them to me," Arneora instructed.

After Fae'ela left, Erlanna brought in a tray with snacks and drinks.

"Ah, there you are, dear. You just missed Inquisitor Fae'ela--she had some news; not quite what we would wish to hear, though perhaps from our conversation, she may have an idea or two."

Erlanna quietly set the tray down on the table between the two chairs, poured the drinks, and handed a goblet to Arneora. After filling her own, she sat down with her characteristic grace. Arneora didn't hesitate to take a drink and pluck a couple juicy tidbits from the tray. When she was reaching for something else on the tray, Arneora paused, noticing that Erlanna was simply holding her goblet in her lap and staring into the flames.

"Erlanna...?"

When her assistant was slow to respond, Arneora was about to say her name again, though Erlanna slowly tore her eyes away from the fire.

"Yes, Dra'ka Nulen?" she asked quietly, quickly lowering her eyes.

Perplexed, Arneora put her goblet down on the table and leaned towards Erlanna.

What's wrong, dear? Speak to me," she asked gently.

Erlanna looked up briefly to meet Arneora's eyes before looking back down again.

"I...I wish I could have gone with James and his people. They were so...nice. I...I've always wanted to explore what lies between the stars, like...like momma, and...father, and...even you used to, long ago. If I could have...I would be away from...from..."

Arneora looked at Erlanna sympathetically and reached out to put a hand on her arm.

"I understand, child. Just between you and me...I would have, too. For a mortal, James is...how shall I say, quite a find. Why, if I was your age, I'd be tempted to...well, do the same thing you want to, honestly. When you have lived as long as I have, there is not much chance for romance anymore. Ah, well...neither here nor there, I suppose. But I do understand, my dear." Arneora was silent for a few moments. "I promised your mother that I would look after you until she returns. I have no idea how long that might be, and neither does she. That is the thing about where she is at, Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr is unlike anywhere else. There is no time there, at least not as how any non-First One can understand it. The beauty of it is...beyond comprehension."

Have you been there?" Erlanna asked, growing interested.

"No, I have not, though Char'ena showed me her memories of home one time. I...would like to, someday, maybe when this universe is no longer worth being in," Arneora said the last quietly, almost in a whisper.

She looked off into the flames idlily dancing about in the fireplace for several minutes, lost in thoughts of better times, remembering faces of old friends who had passed beyond the veil, recalling the love she once shared with T'Nalan.

Bringing her attention back to the present, Arneora cleared her throat and reached for her goblet. A wisp of steam escaped her nostrils when she swallowed, slowly drifting away in the still air. When she glanced over at Erlanna, a thought came to her. Arneora quietly chuckled a bit.

"Erlanna, I have an idea...come with me."

* * * * *

"I have the record of the files that were copied without direct authorization by the council," Kh'nar stated, sliding the hand terminal over to Ni'ral, the council member who was head of security. "Now tell me, is this not severe enough to charge her and have her bound for the specified length of time?"

Ni'ral picked up the hand terminal and read through the list. It contained a number of files pertaining to numbers, types, strengths, weaknesses, known armaments and defenses, battle tactics, crew size, speed, and propulsion data of every vessel of the Dark Bloods and their minions that had ever been encountered.

"Note also, the last entry," Kh'nar instructed.

Replicator technology--including specifications, materials, energy requirements, and all of the science and other necessary associated technologies required to build, power, operate, and maintain, plus the uses and how to adjust the equipment from replicating food to industrial materials.

Ni'ral read through the list with his mouth agape in disbelief.

"How...how did you _get_this?"

Kh'nar leaned back in his chair with a satisfied look.

"I have an expert with computers who was able to find his way into the carefully hidden paths it took to acquire the information. She deliberately covered her tracks, which implies this was not_a spur-of-the-moment opportunistic event. This was _planned by someone who knew what they were looking for, and not only were security measures willfully_circumvented, she used the _Dra'ka Nulen's own terminal to do it! Imagine the scandal!" Kh'nar said the last with glee, in hushed, conspiratorial tones.

"But, Kh'nar...the Inquisitors have you under investigation as it is!" Ni'ral said nervously. "This will look suspicious!"

"That, my friend, is why you_are going to bring this up. You _are in charge of security, and is this not a security matter?" Kh'nar countered.

The look in the council leader's eyes made Ni'ral nervous.

"If we have a solid majority, then I can abstain and claim it is due to the 'concern' over a 'suspicion'. Once she is Bound, then she will be unable to testify, and without her testimony, then there is no proof. And, as I recall, there is no evidence that I was ever _in_her chambers."

Kh'nar leaned back with arms folded and a smug look on his face.

"I would need to have it look like I acquired this information through my own terminal, if there were any possibility for this to work as you say," Ni'ral said.

"Leave that to me...and my computer expert."

"But, Kh'nar, what if this does not work as you expect?" Ni'ral asked, clearly nervous over the possible consequences.

Kh'nar replied in a low voice--a wisp of smoke came from his nostrils and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"See that it does."

* * * * *

( Note: The author recommends listening to "Cry of the Dragons (Ft. Sharm)", by BrunahVille [https://youtu.be/Vrei8tT2IZE].)

It was a beautiful clear day. The air was perfect for flying.

This was the first time in a long while that Erlanna had flown with Arneora. As they made their way through the mountains, Erlanna felt her spirits lift. "Grounders", those who needed machines to fly, could never know the sheer joy of flying as did those who were born with wings. While Arneora flew or glided more-or-less steady, Erlanna enjoyed herself doing loops, spirals, dives, climbs, and other acrobatics. Arneora watched and smiled, though she kept an eye out for any hint of trouble. Not that she was expecting any, since no one knew where they had gone. The particular route she had chosen had various places where they could duck into and hide if necessary--small caves, overhangs, and some very old dens that no one had lived in for thousands of years.

Once, Erlanna had dived close enough to Arneora to brush her tail against her elder. At first, Arneora was about to say, "Hey, watch it!", but then a bit of mischief arose within her and she dived after Erlanna. It became an impromptu game of "tag". Erlanna, being the smaller of the two, was more agile; Arneora, however, was not only a powerful flyer, she had some tricks that a younger Dra'kan would not know of.

They stopped for a rest on an outcropping of rock. The sight would have awed many mortals, especial those who had myths and legends of dragon-like beings (which usually had been started by the Dra'kans themselves). A huge "dragon" who was ancient beyond belief, with shiny gold scales, white mane, and golden eyes; perched next to her was a slightly smaller "dragon" with brightly polished silver scales, brilliantly white mane, and sapphire blue eyes, who appeared to be bathed in light.

"We should head back, it is almost time for dinner," Arneora said, looking off towards the horizon, judging the low angle of the sun.

"I think I have worked up an appetite," Erlanna said as her innards grumbled.

"Good, I was beginning to wonder, dear. You have not been eating as much lately."

"I know..." Erlanna said meekly, looking down.

Arneora extended her wing and lifted Erlanna's chin.

"Follow me...if you can!" Arneora taunted with a grin.

She dived off the rock she had been perched on and dove downward, closely following the steep face of rock, extending only her upper arms a bit to stay within ground effect. Far below was a river that had cut through a gorge, which she aimed for. Surprised, Erlanna dived, too, following the elder Arneora--dodging obstacles along the way. When Arneora was nearing the bottom, she swooped to the left and spread her wings, skimming the surface of the river with the tip of her tail. Erlanna copied Arneora's moves as closely as she could, though she almost got too close to the water. Once they climbed to a reasonable altitude, they flew casually side-by-side the rest of the way back. When they arrived, Erlanna let Arneora land first and slightly ahead of her. Flying in the air together was one thing--while back on the ground and around others, proprieties had to be observed.

"Well, that was fun," Arneora said, still breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Thank you," Erlanna managed to say when she caught her breath.

Arneora draped a wing over Erlanna and said, "You can fly with me any time, my dear."

* * * * *

"Are you sure about this?" Fae'ela asked.

"Absolutely. I have the original logs pertaining to the files that the Dra'ka Nulen's assistant had copied as well as the evidence that Kh'nar, or someone using his terminal, had dug into the system and found the same traces I did. I looked again for other activity that he may have been involved with, and...the traces from Kh'nar's terminal have been altered," L'Veran explained; he had been on the design team for the current data system and knew all of its in's and out's better than anyone.

"What do you mean by 'altered'?" Fae'ela asked.

"They no longer show that Kh'nar's terminal had ever been used to dig for information on those files. It is as if it never happened. However, I have the original date/time stamps as well as full documentation when I performed the initial search. That will stand up to any scrutiny. Digging deeper, I found that now everything points to the terminal used by Ni'ral when they did not before. I have everything saved from his_terminal on the same date and at the same time I had performed the first check into Kh'nar's. Whoever did this, knew what they were doing, though they don't know our data system like _I do. All we need to do now is to find this other person who is working with Kh'nar and trying to cover his tracks."

"Can you do a detailed inspection of the surveillance data, particularly the visuals, that we have been collecting on him to see if those have been altered in any way?" Fae'ela asked.

"I will do what I can," L'Veran replied.

* * * * *

Azurella was busy on the Faln Aore performing similar inspections of the data collected around and in Erlanna's chambers that L'Veran was doing with that collected around Kh'nar's.

Pulling up the most recent video recording, Azurella sped through to the point where they had left for the night, securely locking the door to Erlanna's chambers behind them, and then paused the recording to note the time stamp. She fast forwarded it again until she found the exact moment that they arrived to check on things in the morning. Again, she paused the playback and recorded the time stamp. Setting the two time stamps as the beginning and end of the segment she wished to scrutinize, she began playing it frame-by-frame, paying close attention to the door and the immediate area around it. Azurella looked for any anomaly, even if it appeared to be nothing more than a small insect flying around. It was a slow and tedious process that dragged on...but then she thought she saw something. Backing up several frames, she advanced it again, one frame at a time, until...there! Something_moved! She backed it up and replayed the same few frames several times. Sure enough, something appeared to have moved ever so slightly. She focused her attention on the floor directly in front of the door, zooming in and enhancing the image, cycling through the spectrum on each frame. Over a period of time, Azurella noticed something odd about the way the section of floor looked...the coloration and the texture...they seemed to fluctuate. Was there a _pattern_to it? And then it did something that made her wonder if she was hallucinating...it began to drip. _Sideways.

L'Veran, in his workspace, watched the video playback from the imaging sensors that had been watching the entrances and exits of Kh'nar's chambers. The council leader had a well-established pattern that followed his work habits--it was in the evenings_that L'Veran concentrated on as that was when the alleged assaults on the _Dra'ka Nulen's assistant were taking place. He specifically watched the recordings on the dates they had occurred. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until one evening--the time she had suddenly appeared in the guest chamber being used by the mortals who had visited--Kh'nar had opened his door enough to look out into the hallway...and then looked up right at the imaging sensor and grinned, before withdrawing and closing the door.

"So, he knew where the sensor was located...how did he find that_?_" L'Veran thought to himself.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary after that for the rest of the evening. He had been inexplicably found mostly buried in snow deep in the south polar region during an unusually fierce winter storm. However, L'Veran went back to when Kh'nar had looked out his door and right at the imaging sensor. Pulling up the datastream and the video feed, side-by-side, L'Veran stepped through the video frame-by-frame...

"What was that?"

L'Veran stopped and backed up, then...one frame...another...and another...and...

There, barely noticeable...a nearly imperceptible jitter. L'Veran repeated the segment several times and compared what the imaging sensor saw to the raw datastream. Could it have been a random power fluctuation or perhaps noise caused by something? L'Veran knew the data system inside and out because he had helped design and build it; however, he needed the expertise of another who was familiar with surveillance equipment.

"That was not caused by a power fluctuation," said Janineh, a Smith who knew the power system well and had a specialty in sensor devices. Pulling up the logs for the power system that evening, and especially during the time frame in question, there was no evidence of even the tiniest fluctuations that could have caused what L'Veran saw. Peering closely at the datastream, she stopped at one particular point and said, "There is your culprit."

L'Veran looked closely at the data. When he straightened up and looked at Jamineh, she grinned slightly.

"That, my friend, triggered the buffer to do a repeat send, forcing it to think there had been an interrupt in the communication stream. It would be just long enough that a person could get through a door and out of view before the imaging sensor could send more into the buffer."

"But there were no interruptions between there and the data collection system," L'Veran pointed out.

"That was an internal_command--your data system had nothing to do with it," Jamineh said. "Something _external_to the device triggered an _internal command to cause a simulated communication interruption, tricking it to do a repeat send."

"How could that have happened?"

"Someone would have to have an imaging sensor of that particular make and had taken it apart to study everything about its internals and how they operate. That is not something just anyone could do."

"That definitely rules out Kh'nar--he may be devious, clever even, to a point, but he is not savvy enough to something of this nature," L'Veran said. "I must contact Inquisitor Fae'ela..."

* * * * *

The timer had been set. The events to follow would trigger the countdown.

* * * * *

When Naoia and Erlanna were returning to her chambers, the Dra'ka Nulen had an odd feeling, like they were being watched. It wasn't the surveillance sensors that had been keeping a watch in case Kh'nar should come by again just to make his irritating presence known, there was...something else that she could sense at the edge of her awareness. Whatever it was, it was not of Dra'ka--in the billions of years of her existence, she knew every life form that had ever existed on her world; whatever this was, she had sensed it before. Arneora could feel it in her scales. It was an annoyance that irritated her--and this time, she was going to do something about it.

Once in the room that Erlanna used for her office, Arneora said quietly, "You go ahead, dear, I need to check something first."

Looking confused, Erlanna hesitated before opening the other door that led into the large private study. With a slight smile, Arneora gently shooed her assistant on in and then made sure the door was shut.

Arneora moved stealthily to the outer door and waited, focusing her awareness on the hallway. Her hand was ready to open the latch in an instant. She waited several moments...there were no other Dra'kans in the hallway. She waited a bit more...still nothing moved. A few moments later, she felt it. The energy surge when something was beginning to shapechange. Arneora slowly inhaled a deep breath.

The door jerked open, there was a hiss like something had sprung a leak, then...the hallway erupted in blinding, terrifying flame that swept from side to side. The few decorations disappeared instantly in the intense conflagration. There was a hideous scream...

D'Narial, Qinara, Azurella, Inquisitor Fae'ela, Arneora, and Erlanna watched nearby while forensics specialists examined the charred remains of whatever had attached itself to the wall opposite the door. Arneora had the presence of mind at the moment of her attack to not have psionically enhanced her flame--if she had, rock would have melted like ice in a blast furnace and whatever the thing was, it would have been vaporized.

As the forensics specialists were taking away the charred remains, they said that they would have a preliminary report soon.

"How did you know something was there?" Fae'ela asked.

"I felt like we were being watched. It was not the first time," Arneora replied.

"You had sensed something before?" D'Narial asked.

"The first time was when you caught Kh'nar hanging about my door, not long after James, Rhuw-Rha'an, and their crews had left. There had been other times since."

"Why did you not mention this before?" Fae'ela asked, taking notes.

"Dear, at my age, I do not pounce at the slightest little thing that annoys me. If I did, Kh'nar would have been toast a long time ago, and so might a fair number of others," Arneora replied sarcastically.

"But this time, you did," D'Narial observed.

"Only because this time it irritated me." Softening her expression a bit, Arneora added, "You might want to look for more of those things--if there was one, there could be others."

After Arneora and Erlanna went back in to Arneora's study, the others walked towards Erlanna's chambers. Along the way, Fae'ela filled them in on what L'Veran and his associates had discovered. That, in turn, prompted Azurella to share what she had discovered.

"Could what you found be the same as what the Dra'ka Nulen had flamed outside her chambers?" D'Narial asked.

"One way to find out..." Azurella suggested.

When they were near the door to Erlanna's chambers, everyone got into position--D'Narial and Qinara were a short distance past the door and Azurella and Fae'ela were a short distance away on the opposite side. When they were ready, the three Watchers drew their weapons and set them on heavy stun. Fae'ela took aim at the section of floor directly in front of the door. Taking in a breath, she cut loose with a short blast of flame. There was nothing at first, though after a moment, the hypergolic fluids had heated the center of the floor a fair amount...then it heaved, gathered itself up...and screamed.

"What...is...that thing?" Fae'ela asked after the three Watchers fired simultaneously and continuously until it was subdued.

"I have no idea," D'Narial replied. He quickly called for assistance, keeping his weapon trained on the strange creature. Qinara and Azurella also kept theirs trained on it as well.

Some while later, Arneora got a call.

/* "Dra'ka Nulen, we have some news you may wish to know about." */

"Ah, Inquisitor Fae'ela. Is it about this evening?"

/* "Yes. We found another_creature_." */

"Indeed. And its condition?"

/* "This one is slightly_less...well done, and...it still lives_." */

"Interesting. I trust you have it contained so that it cannot escape."

/* "Given its shape-changing ability, we have it in statis and contained in a force-shielded chamber. Should it attempt to get through that, there are disruptors targeting the entire unit." */

"Well, that should make certain it cannot cause any more mischief," Arneora said with a hint of sarcasm. "Where did you find it at?"

/* "It had made itself look as if it were part of the floor outside of your assistant's door. It apparently had been rather slowly moving only a small part of itself at a time underneath the bottom of the door." */

"Well, that solved _one_mystery, now if only it can be determined what it is, how it came to be here, what is the reason for it, why it has been moving Erlanna's things around, and who is its master."

/* "We will keep you informed as we learn more." */

"You do that. Is it safe for Erlanna to be in her chambers?"

/* "Perhaps not quite yet. We are working on a way to quickly detect these creatures without damaging anything." */

"Very well, then. I would rather be certain than not. Is there anything else to report?"

/* "There is one other item, though I would prefer it not be mentioned over the communication system for security reasons." */

"Then we shall meet tomorrow at your earliest convenience."

/* "Yes, Dra'ka Nulen. A pleasant night to you." */

"Well, they found what had been getting into your chambers and moving your things about. Perhaps they will be able to discover why and who sent it," Arneora said to Erlanna after the call ended with Inquisitor Fae'ela. "Until they can determine it is absolutely safe for you to be in your chambers alone, you will continue to stay here with me."

"I do not wish to be a burden..." Erlanna started to say, though Arneora held up a hand.

"You are not, dear. You are as much family to me as my own are. Your mother and I are practically like sisters, and I promised Valerna that I would look after you while she was away and would be there for you in every way, just as she would if she could. The First Ones have her doing something important that has to do with defeating those horrible Dark Bloods and their minions, and possibly others. Believe me, _I_miss her, too."

Arneora pulled Erlanna into a hug and held her, rocking slightly.

"Now then, it is late, we have had a long day, and at least not all of it was annoying," Arneora said softly. "We should rest..."

* * * * *

After a round of late-night discussions, Ni'ral managed to persuade two other council members to call for a special session. If three more could be convinced, there would be enough to force the summoning of the entire council. While Ni'ral may have been an adequate administrator, he was not a technical type--that was for others to figure out. How Kh'nar managed to get the computer records altered so that it would appear the tracing of the files that were copied without authorization was moved from his terminal to Ni'ral's was beyond his ability to understand. Ni'ral didn't question that the copying of the files by the Dra'ka Nulen's assistant were not authorized--he understood that procedures had to be followed and they clearly had not been. However, if there was to be a large-scale all-out war between the remaining Elder Races and however many of the Younger Races that had sufficient capability to join that fight, should they not be allowed access to the information that the Dra'kan Watchers had been collecting for that very purpose? If those who had come were representatives of the Sol Federation of Worlds and the Mûr Tua'ansa Star Empire and they were friends of the Dra'ka Nulen herself, then--in Ni'ral's mind--he didn't see that much of a problem, only that the acquisition of such files did not follow the proper procedures, and for that reason, a punishment could be meted out. Ni'ral had slightly more of a problem with copying of the files that held all of the necessary information needed for replicator technology. He had no personal knowledge of the people or their history, and therefore did not know if they were ready for it. That was not for him to decide, what he could_decide was if the possession of such knowledge by those who were unsuitable were to pose a threat to Dra'kan security, then giving it to them should incur a stronger penalty. Only the _Dra'ka Nulen and Shipmaster D'Narial and his crew had direct contact with the crews of the foreign ships, and even then, it had not been a sufficient length of time.

According to how Dra'kans viewed such things, being that they were immortal and most were hundreds of thousands, if not hundreds of millions of years old. How could knowing a handful of people for a paltry few days be enough to know how their entire culture_could handle something like replicator technology? Of course, Ni'ral did not have the insight of the First Ones, and why would he? He had never met one. The_Dra'ka Nulen was rumored to know one or more First Ones. Ni'ral didn't think about the fact that the Terran in charge of the black ship knew one of the Great Lupins the day they appeared and disrupted the council meeting in the Great Hall. He had been too concerned for his own tail that day.

* * * * *

"Those meddling fools!" Kh'nar fumed upon learning what had happened to the pair of Hy'cranith shape-shifters he had traded a substantial amount for their acquisition and training. "They were doing such a good job keeping the attention of that blasted upstart, D'Narial, and his ilk away from me! Now I am going to have to find a way to get them away from Dra'ka long enough for me to have that hag's lovely little assistant Bound and taken off-world to my other den! Arneora, nobody is going to stop me from having my revenge upon you for humiliating_me in front of my peers all of those eons ago! _Nobody!"

Kh'nar was about to knock a stack of books, papers, and other things off of his desk in rage, but he stopped at the last instant when he spied something sticking out from it. Carefully removing the bound documents, he glanced over them...then he read them again, more carefully. His eyes shone a bit brighter as a devious idea formed in his head.

"That just might work..." he muttered.

Kh'nar plotted and finagled over the next few days, getting little rest. His latest plan consumed much of his time. He convinced himself that it would work spectacularly.

* * * * *

Ni'ral managed to get the votes required to call a special session of the Dra'kan Council. When he told the members why he had called for this meeting, that there was an important security issue that needed addressing, he was able to make a convincing argument for having a closed session to deal with the situation. They voted in favor of it and arrangements were made for the following day.

Kh'nar hatched his latest plan that would, if everything went properly, get the Faln Aore and its crew away from Dra'ka long enough to have Erlanna Bound and then taken away "to serve out her sentence" for stealing "sensitive information and giving it to mere mortals who could put it to misuse and disrupt the natural balance of power in their part of the galaxy, which could draw resources away from dealing with the Dark Blood problem."

Dra'kans, especially those who were political types, loved to debate issues...sometimes taking extraordinary amounts of time to haggle out seemingly minor technicalities. Kh'nar was no exception to this as he had been known to obstinately drag out debates on procedures to the point of ridiculousness. This time, however, he couldn't get the situation resolved the way he desired quickly enough.

Time was of the essence, and he couldn't comprehend that he was making the clock that was running against him run faster.

* * * * *

The crew of the Dra'kan interceptor, the Faln Aore, had been on standby in case they were needed to assist with chasing down minions of the Dark Bloods. They had been helping Inquisitor Fae'ela with her case against Kh'nar since they knew without doubt what he was up to. D'Narial had a good crew who worked exceptionally well together, and they all had the utmost respect for the Dra'ka Nulen. They had vowed to protect Erlanna from Kh'nar's machinations until he could be dealt with. They knew the real story behind his actions--a misplaced and overly exaggerated desire for revenge for something he had clearly been in the wrong about, and that desire had slowly grown over countless millennia to the point of madness. They knew that Kh'nar needed to be stopped--they also knew that if he wasn't stopped according to Dra'kan laws, then one of the First Ones _would_make him the subject of The Hunt. There would literally be absolutely nowhere he could run and nowhere he could hide, anywhere in the multiverse or beyond, that the Great Lupins could not find him. Once they were on his trail, the end was inevitable. There would be no mercy.

As much as they loathed Kh'nar, it was a widespread belief that if one of their kind had to be taken down by the First Ones in such a manner, then the whole was diminished by the shame of it. Just because they were immortal, it didn't mean that they could do whatever they wanted to whomever they wanted for any or no reason. The Path that Kh'nar had been going down was nearing the point of no return. D'Narial and his crew aimed to stop him if they could.

But the question was, due to Kh'nar's madness, would they have a chance?

* * * * *

An intelligence post had picked up a distress call from a freighter carrying relief supplies to a world belonging to the Noridonans that had recently been a target of an attack by the R'Quz, another people who had become minions of the Dark Bloods. Other Dra'kan ships in the area were busy dealing with other things. Assistance was needed immediately--were there any fast ships that could help?

The Faln Aore was on standby for the very reason that it could be available on quick notice. Since it was an interceptor-class ship, it was equipped with the latest trans-dimensional slideslip drive and could get nearly anywhere fast.

The call went out, the status of the Faln Aore was changed from standby to full duty. The ground crew began prepping the ship for departure; the crew were summoned.

* * * * *

Kh'nar looked smugly as the council, who was in a closed session, voted to have Erlanna brought before them for questioning and judgement. There were enough votes that Kh'nar could abstain with the appearance of "fairness", so that it didn't look as it truly was--a way to keep her from testifying against him at a trial.

Kh'nar thought his computer "expert" had done an excellent job at redirection, foiling the imaging sensors, and creating the current ruse. In fact, he had thought the "expert" had done _so_well that he awarded him appropriately--he was "disappeared"; most likely by a reverse use of the very replicator technology that Kh'nar (using Ni'ral to do it for him) claimed could be used inappropriately by the mortals.

It was up to the council's own guards to work out how to get Erlanna away from the Dra'ka Nulen, or the other way around, if that should prove to be easier. A plan was conceived and hatched, but would it work as planned?

* * * * *

"Erlanna, dear, it seems that the Watchers have determined it is safe for you to be in your chambers, if you wish to go there and straighten things up or get anything you might need. They figured out a non-destructive way to find those nasty shape-changing things. So far, they have not found any more of them. The Smiths have made an improvement to your door so nothing can squeeze itself under or around it and I understand they also did something to your ventilation to prevent the things from getting through that way and still provide you with fresh air. Perhaps we can go there later today and see what they did--hopefully, they managed to make it match the rest of my décor. If they have made it look like a horde vault, then I will remind them that it is a home and not a high-security _military_installation," Arneora explained.

"That would be nice, Dra'ka Nulen," Erlanna said with a relieved smile.

Arneora smiled back and patted her assistant on the arm.

"I need to go see about a few things. You should be perfectly safe here--no one would dare violate _my_chambers. Just in case, though, you know how to reach me," Arneora added, indicating her arm bracer.

"Yes, Dra'ka Nulen."

Not long after Arneora left to attend to business, Erlanna heard a sound outside one of the large windows. She knew that Arneora had several tamed flying creatures who would come to visit and she would give treats to.

"Perhaps the little feathered ones have returned--I have not seen them for a few days. I will get their treats..."

When Erlanna carefully opened the large window, she did not want to frighten Arneora's little friends. She stood still for a moment, holding the tray, hoping that they would recognize her and come to the window. When she didn't see them, Erlanna leaned forward to look out. It was a mostly clear day, a few wisps of clouds slowly drifting by, and the sunlight shining in was warm...and bright.

"Where are you, our little friends? I have your favorite..." Erlanna called out, but she was cut short by a different sound as something came down from above and hovered in front of the window.

The sunlight behind it made it so that she couldn't plainly see what it was...until it was too late.

The last thing she remembered was a flash of light and a strong shocking jolt, just before everything went dark.

* * * * *

When Arneora returned, she called for Erlanna as it was nearly time for their midday meal. When she didn't get a response, Arneora quickly became worried, and rushed through her chambers looking for Erlanna. Then, she saw the open window...and a tray lying on the floor, with treats apparently meant for her feathered friends scattered about. There was no sign of forced entry.

"By the First Ones...no!"

* * * * *

When Erlanna came to, she was lying on the floor, but it was not the floor in the Dra'ka Nulen's chamber with its tile mosaic. Sitting up, she felt an unusual stinging sensation all over and not only was her mouth dry, but her head didn't feel so good, either. It was almost like the time when she was much younger and had been racing to get home in time before a storm hit. Just as she was about to touch down, she felt her mane stand up all along her body and a strong tingly sensation dancing over her...just before lightning struck close by. Almost too close. The room was small and utilitarian. The doorway was open, so she got up to go see where she was and why.

*SIZZLE!*

"OW!" Erlanna exclaimed, holding her hands to her muzzle, her eyes wide with surprise. She stepped back a little and held her hand out...

*SIZZLE!*

Erlanna jerked her hand back and rubbed her fingers. Not knowing what was going on, she went to push a stone on her wrist bracer...but it was gone. Someone had removed it. She was beginning to get scared.

"Where am I?! What do you want with me?!" she called out.

There was no answer right away, though a short while later, she heard multiple footsteps approaching. Erlanna carefully looked through the doorway, now that she knew it was force-shielded--when she saw two males coming towards her, she opened her mouth to speak, but then she recognized the uniforms.

"Council guards! Oh, no...no!"

Erlanna began to panic, then she saw a third individual following behind them, who she recognized.

"Ni'ral...he...he's the head of security, one of Kh'nar's henchlings! He must have somehow found out about the data cylinder! Ooh, no...no...Dra'ka Nulen! Arneora! Help me! Momma!"

* * * * *

Kh'nar sat in sullen silence in his office, waiting to hear from Ni'ral.

"This has to work...this has_to work...!_"

How long he waited, he didn't know, though the time that had passed was not as long as it felt like to him. When the orb on his desk lit up and Ni'ral's face appeared, Kh'nar sat up and leaned closer.

"Did it work?" he demanded.

/* "The suspect has been brought to the holding area, and..." Ni'ral held up Erlanna's wrist bracer, "...calls are understandably restricted while in containment."

Kh'nar grinned from ear to ear.

"Excellent! How much longer before the preparations are complete?" Kh'nar asked with a look that Ni'ral found unsettling.

/* "All I know is that they...are in progress, and will be ready when they are ready." */

"Tell them to move faster! This cannot wait!" Kh'nar demanded.

/* "Kh'nar...this must_be done_ exactly_! There can be no rushing the process, and you_ know_that as well as I!_" */

Kh'nar fumed, though somewhere in his deranged mind he knew Ni'ral was right. If the process was botched, then all of his plans for sweet revenge would be foiled and, if it were to be proven that he was the cause of it, then the Watchers would be coming for him...and it would not be to simply detain him.

"As long as it is done as it should, then," he said after his initial flush of anger. "What of the Faln Aore?"

/* "I have heard that it is being prepared for flight as we speak and the crew has been summoned." */

"Good. As soon as we may proceed, inform me."

Kh'nar abruptly ended the call and leaned back in his chair. His eyes darted to and fro, his hands nervously clenched and unclenched. He was thoroughly corrupted and consumed by his desire for revenge.

* * * * *

Fae'ela looked up from her desk and across the office space towards the door to the waiting area. There was a commotion. When the door flew open, and the Dra'ka Nulen came charging through with a look of fury blazing in her eyes, Fae'ela knew something _bad_had happened.

"SHE IS GONE!!!" Arneora bellowed.

"How?" Fae'ela asked, quickly figuring out who the Dra'ka Nulen meant.

Through a window. She must have thought my little feathered friends had stopped by and opened a window. There was a tray that had been dropped on the floor and little treats that I kept for them scattered about. She was stunned and taken out through the window!"

"How?"

Arneora removed an orb from her belt pouch, sat it on Fae'ela's desk, and spoke a command word in the ancient tongue. An image projected from the orb showing Erlanna being stunned from something hovering outside, and then she disappeared in a swirl of light.

"There is no doubt in my_mind who did this! That fool _Kh'nar! He just made himself dead meat!" Arneora said with a hint of a growl.

"I will call the Watchers and have them..."

"You do not understand, child. Mistress Naoia has vowed that if he does anything to Erlanna, _she_will invoke The Hunt!"

Fae'ela's eyes grew wide.

"He must be stopped, now, while we can still deal with him!"

"I will go to the Watchers headquarters myself!" Fae'ela said emphatically. She touched a stone on her wrist bracer and spoke into it, "Emergency transport to the Watchers, main office!"

Fae'ela promptly disappeared in a swirl of light.

* * * * *

Fae'ela forced her way into the main office of The Watchers, visibly upset about something.

"I need to speak to Shipmaster D'Narial--now!"

"Inquisitor Fae'ela, the Faln Aore is about to lift, they're heading out to assist a..." the office worker started to say.

"It is a ruse! Kh'nar set her up! They're going to Bind her!" Fae'ela exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? Set_who_ up?" the office worker demanded.

"Erlanna, the Dra'ka Nulen's assistant--D'Narial said she is under the protection of you Watchers! Why is no one stopping him?!" Fae'ela demanded, nearly shouting.

An officer poked his head out from a side room upon hearing Erlanna's name mentioned and quickly came to the front desk.

"Tell me, what is happening?"

"Kh'nar...he and his lackies concocted a ruse to get D'Narial and his crew away from here so that he could charge Erlanna with stealing information and giving it to mortals--information they actually need in order to have a fighting chance against the Dark Bloods. It is all an excuse to Bind her so that she cannot testify against him for repeatedly assaulting her. And the reason why he's been doing that_is because he's revenge-mad over getting put into his place by the _Dra'ka Nulen for his own wrong doing way before any of us were hatched! That is why the Terran shipmaster stood up to Kh'nar in The Great Hall before everyone and openly challenged him--he knows what really_happened to her because his own healers tended to her. Kh'nar _has to be stopped or the First Ones will kill him and perhaps anyone else involved!" Fae'ela tried to explain quickly.

"How did you learn of this?" the officer asked.

Snorting, Fae'ela replied, "There isn't much time--suffice it to say that I have been building the case against Kh'nar for his assaults on the assistant with D'Narial and his crew's help. My data specialists discovered evidence that proves this is a ruse! The Dra'ka Nulen came to me a short while ago when she could not find her assistant. She told me that Mistress Naoia swore what she would do if Kh'nar ever did anything to Erlanna again, that she would invoke The Hunt!"

There was a collective gasp by all who heard what Fae'ela said. The officer immediately contacted Flight Command to try and stop the _Faln Aore_from lifting.

* * * * *

"Bring up the prisoner!" Ni'ral announced when the council was ready. Two of the council guards took the small lift down to the containment area.

( Note: The author recommends listening to "Dragon Den", by Dirk Ehlert [https://youtu.be/KvlmGQAqkww].)

The two guards marched to the doorway of the containment cell where Erlanna was being held. One deactivated the field then the other went in. Without saying a word, he grabbed Erlanna by the arm and pulled her to the door. Once through, the second guard took hold of her other arm and an announcer circuit signaled the opening of a wide door. As the door lifted upwards, a large metal slab glided in silently, suspended above magnetic levitation rails. In the center of the metal slab was a short dais, and in the center of that were two footprints embedded into the material--they just happened to have been the same exact size as Erlanna's feet. The guards forced her to step up onto the dais and one said, "Stand there!" while pointing at the footprints. Erlanna meekly complied.

Within moments, the metal slab silently raised up through a large vertical shaft. Erlanna could see other levels on the way up. Near the top, two large doors lowered a bit and then slid apart, revealing a huge open space. As the slab rose into position where the doors had been, she realized now where she was...in the Great Hall, just as she had seen before on the viewer when she watched the lone R'Hinsi female being brought up back when James was there in the crowd.

This time, however, the only one's present were members of the council, the council guards, four other individuals she had never seen before who were wearing some sort of ceremonial garb...and Kh'nar.

"Erlanna, daughter of S'Aral and Valerna, assistant to the Dra'ka Nulen, you have been found to have copied security files with information about the Dark Bloods and their minions without express authorization of this Council, and you have copied files pertaining to replicator technology--all of these you gave to mortals whom this Council deems are not ready for such knowledge. It is known that you used a terminal within the Dra'ka Nulen's own chambers, and you copied said files with intent and attempted to cover or otherwise hide all traces of your unauthorized access. You willfully ignored established procedures. What do you say for yourself?" Ni'ral announced, reading off the charges.

Erlanna was shocked--she had been very careful; how could they had known?

"The Younger Races need_that information on the Dark Bloods if they are to have _any chance at fighting them! It is the reason why the Watchers have been collecting it! The Dark Bloods mean to attack all of us!" Erlanna countered the claim passionately. "By the time you finished debating it, the war would be over and we would be no more!"

"So you say. And of the replicator technology?" Ni'ral asked snidely.

"The Terrans and others of their Sol Federation already have matter transport devices, it will only be a short time before they will develop their own version," Erlanna replied.

"You admit to giving the mortals the files mentioned that you obtained without authorization?" Ni'ral asked.

"Yes, because you cannot decide what to have for your own first meal without debating it for centuries!"

"Let it be recorded that the prisoner has made full admission of guilt and acted in defiance of this Council. I move that the prisoner now be Bound for the specified time for theft of security data and the giving of advanced technology to mortals deemed not ready for it," Ni'ral announced.

"What?! No!" Erlanna cried.

One by one, the council members all raised a hand, except for Kh'nar, who abstained. He looked on at Erlanna with a vile, smugness.

"It is decided! Enchanters, BINDHER!"

Erlanna screamed as the energy wielded by the four Dra'kans in ceremonial garb swirled up around her, binding the matter of her body into an ultra-dense petrified form.

She wailed one last word in pain and fear as the upper part of her body was being petrified...

"JAMES!!!"