2

Salen-na'thal Ranarilan and Nar'sena went back into R'Hin's past to the time of the grandfather of the current emperor. Salen-na'thal scrutinized the people surrounding the royal grandparents and parents, and the events--however minor--all were a part of. They also checked out both the major and the minor cultural centers of the world of R'Hin, gathering as much about the R'Hin people as they could in order to find what, exactly, led up to Emperor Hra'ji II Anorizhan ordering systematic attacks on all neighboring civilizations.

Centuries in their past, the R'Hinsa had once been a free and open society. Like most worlds, they were not without their growing pains--alliances were formed and broken, trade imbalances, petty rivalries that came and went, wars between different factions, and natural disasters that reshaped cultures, among other things. By the time they had achieved spaceflight and had started to explore the other worlds in their star system, the R'Hin civilization had worked out most of its problems among themselves. When the R'Hinsa were taking their first tentative steps towards the stars, they were a united people. Things went well in the beginning of their interstellar era, exploring uninhabited worlds in nearby star systems, then they picked up their first signals from other civilizations. The R'Hinsa explorers were cautious when it came to making First Contact with an alien civilization, not knowing what to expect.

The Gen'aori had already established trade relations with three other spacefaring civilizations around them, including the J'Farka, whose own civilization was also adjacent to R'Hin space. Not wanting to rush into things blindly, the R'Hin took a slow and methodical approach dealing with their newly found neighbors. However, a small number those among the R'Hin still followed their interpretation of old ways among their people, including "keeping outsiders at a distance". Over time, they became increasingly influenced by the more extreme amongst them who fanned the flames of paranoia against those where were "other". At first they only suggested that some people were becoming infatuated with things from alien cultures, then their suggestions turned darker with claims that those in power were becoming "corrupted" by alien influence. The conspiracy people began to work their way into positions of influence, whispering into the ears of the staff of the advisors who had the ear of the young heir-apparent.

Emperor H'Jun the IV learned about those who were spreading such lies and publicly denounced them as fools. It wasn't long after that the emperor died in his sleep during the night. The conspiracy people claimed it was "proof" that those under "alien influence" were responsible, despite the fact that the emperor had a history of a now rare progressive disease that usually proved to be fatal in those reaching early middle age.

After his still teen-aged son was crowned Emperor Hra'ji I, the conspiracy people worked to get their members appointed as his advisors, to the point of having his father's advisors quietly assassinated. They worked slowly to reshape the traditional government and began to close off the R'Hin Empire. By the time of Hra'ji II, the Zavokh, the R'Hinsa equivalent of a Secret Police, were detaining anyone who questioned or spoke out against what the government propaganda machine spewed. People either disappeared or were made public examples of. Dark days had descended upon the R'Hinsa.

Not all was lost, however. There were those who still worked to throw off the oppression and attempt to restore the R'Hin Empire and its people back to the time of the H'Jun Period. They gathered in secret and had to be ever watchful against government agents. Connected to this group was the Harankhek clan, who still held to the ways of a free and open society, though they did so at risk.

Salen-na'thal watched with particular interest as a newborn Khel'zet grew over time into adulthood, what shaped her thought processes, her beliefs, and her ideology.

"Well, Nar'sena, I think I know why The Heart picked this particular young lady from among these people," he said to his Great Lupin companion. "She's fair-minded and knows right from wrong, plus, she can see past her own nose and consider other ways of doing things."

/* "Khel'zet seemed to fit in good with Mistress Naoia's young friends." */ Nar'sena commented.

"Yes, dear, she does at that. Oh, well will you look at that_..._"

/* "What is it, Master?" */

"It appears the daughter of their current emperor also desires to be rid of the tyranny that her father espouses. Hmm...I think I'll go have a little chat with her. I'll be back shortly."

/* "I wait here." */

Tre'shalin Anorizhan, the eldest child of Hra'ji II Anorizhan, was the next in line for the throne. She did not like how things were on R'Hin, for she saw the people living in misery. They had accomplished so much good in the past, but the advisors of her grandfather and her father had worked their poison upon their society, darkening their world with fear and distrust. Tre'shalin was horrified when her father--at the urging of his advisors--ordered the military to begin attacking the neighboring civilizations after the unremarkable star had suddenly exploded without warning. The shockwaves affected many other star systems around it besides their own. The astronomers had no idea how or why it exploded--it should have been impossible. Of course, the conspiracy people came up with an outlandish "reason" that was patently false, and she knew it. However, none of them would ever learn the true reason why the star exploded, which was due to a simple miscalculation by a certain underexperienced pilot flying a cruiser powered by a trans-dimensional side-slip drive, who had begun his re-entry into normal space slightly short of where he should have. Thankfully, the star did not have any habitable planets orbiting it at the time.

Of the royal family and court, Tre'shalin was the favorite among the people. Her visage was softer and her eyes were full of care, though she was also highly intelligent and missed little. As long as other members of the Royal Court were present and nearby within the walls of the palace, Tre'shalin would act as they thought she should; in private and away from prying eyes and ears and surveillance devices, she could be free with her thoughts and words.

One night, after a truly loathsome evening of having to endure listening to the foul words spewed by the oily tongues of her father's advisors, Tre'shalin made her way to her inner chambers and got ready for bed. Not long after she pulled the covers over her, she was fast asleep.

Tre'shalin awoke during the night to a startling sight--she was in the hills overlooking the palace and the city below it. The moon was high and full, the wind was still and smelled of cool, clean forest air.

Sitting up in her bed, she asked aloud, "How did I get here?"

"My doing, child," said an elderly voice.

Surprised, and pulling the cover up closer, for she was in her bed clothes, she turned her head in the direction of the voice she heard.

"Who _are_you and what is going on?!" she demanded, feeling more than a bit frightened.

A heavily cloaked figure sat on a large rock under a tree. She could not make out anything distinguishing about the person; indeed, the closer she looked, the more indistinct the figure seemed to become.

"None among those of your world know of me, though perhaps a few of you may have heard rumors of my kind. Not to worry, child, at this moment you are the safest person on this world. If anyone were to look, they would see you sound asleep in your room and nothing amiss. However, you are here, exactly where you think you are. As for why, well, I thought we should have a little chat and this seemed as good a place as any," the cloaked figure replied.

"What do you want with me? Are you one of my father's advisors, trying to find out what I know in some sort of a simulation?" Tre'shalin asked.

"No, child, this is all quite real. This is no dream, no hologram, no deception, and I already know more than you ever could." Seeing that she was slipping a hand under a pillow, the cloaked figure added, "If you're looking for this, don't bother. You can't do anything to me with it."

There was a little swirl of multicolored light beside her and the knife she kept under a pillow appeared.

"Besides, I brought you here to chat, nothing else. None of your people will ever know what we've talked about. Unless you say something to them about it, though I suspect those idiots that fool of a father of yours listens to might get worked up over it, and that wouldn't be a particularly wise thing to do, as you can probably imagine."

Tre'shalin thought for a moment and knew the mysterious being was unfortunately correct.

"Very well, then. What do you wish to talk about out here?" she asked.

The cloaked figure seemed to look directly at her, and from under the full cowl hood...for only a moment...she thought she saw a pair of golden-colored eyes shine with an inner light, the likes of which she had never seen before. It made her abdomen tighten with unease.

"I came here, to your world, to find out a few things. You have heard about a certain female member of your military who had suddenly disappeared from a transport ship bringing her back home from her duties at a listening post," the cloaked figure began.

"I...might have...", Tre'shalin started to say.

"I know_you have, I was standing there when you did. You just couldn't see me. As for the female in question, she had no idea that she was about to join some others on a special journey. Only a very select few ever get picked for this. At this moment, she and the others are beyond all realms of existence. Where they are, they will be given something very special and will learn a thing or two that will be necessary in what is coming. When this female of yours returns home, she won't be alone. You will welcome them and all of you will hear what she and the others have to say. Change is coming, child, and you will be part of it. However...the_choice will not be made for you, you must decide. Not your fool of a father, you."

Tre'shalin thought about what she had been told.

"What is this 'choice' that I am to make, what will happen one way or another, and...why me?"

"Because you might actually know the difference between right and wrong, which some among you apparently do not. As for the choice itself, what it's about...you will have to hear what is said, then you will have to act upon it. Or not. All I can suggest is that you listen to your own heart of being and not those who think_they have the right to tell you what to do. I cannot be any more specific than that because to do so would influence your choice far more than me simply telling you that you will have to make one. Only _you can choose," the cloaked being replied.

"What do I do before then?" Tre'shalin asked.

"Watch, listen, and think."

"Will _you_be back?"

The cloaked figure seemed to stand, and when it did, little motes of light began to swirl around it, growing ever brighter and numerous until the figure dissolved and became a swirling sphere of light within which was a vague form and a pair of blazing eyes that glowed like twin suns. The energy form approached Tre'shalin at about the speed that someone might walk. She drew back a little and pulled her covers closer, not knowing what to expect next. When it stopped, she was enveloped by it, then the vague form within shifted and part extended and touched her cheek. Tre'shalin felt a warm tingling all over her body and she felt...something...touch her.

"I normally do not appear to mortals, child; my concerns are generally of other things. There is one who has been quietly working in the background, helping as she may. She is here, now, on your world--helping a poor young adult female and her male child at the moment. I will ask if she will come check on you from time-to-time. You may trust her. When you speak with her, be honest, for she will know if you are not being so."

"How...how will I know this one you speak of?"

"She will appear as if she could be anyone and everyone, though...you will know her by her eyes. Now then, back home you go."

With that, Tre'shalin felt something touch her forehead and then everything dissolved around her. When she woke up, it was morning, and Tre'shalin found herself back in her room, exactly as it had been the night before. Even her knife was in the spot she normally had it under its usual pillow.

A few days later, Tre'shalin's mind had set aside the interesting night she had and was busy dealing with other things. While sitting on a patio having tea with some of the young ladies of the court, an average-looking servant girl came around with the teapot. When she began filling Tre'shalin's cup, the emperor's daughter looked up...

...right into a pair of intense violet-colored eyes.

* * * * *

"Time to wake up, dear."

Her eyelids twitched, fluttered briefly, then opened.

"How do you feel?"

Turning her attention towards the voice, she blinked. It struck her as odd that she blinked, though it seemed appropriate to do so. The figure who stood nearby looking down at her did not look like anyone she should know, yet...

"Where am I?"

"You are where you have always been and you are also in this..." the figure said.

With a wave of a hand, a flat rectangular object appeared in a swirl of light that showed an image. The image was a reflection, and when she looked at the reflection, she saw that it moved when she did.

"This is the new form that we created for you, Se'nika. You and she are linked together--she is a physical extension of you so that you can interact directly with your crew and with others," the figure said.

A name popped into her thoughts as she moved her arms and hands, touching the form she found herself being part of.

"Moira..."

"Yes, dear, like Moira. It might take you a little bit to get used to being the ship _and_this bio-mechanical form at the same time, though you shouldn't have any problems. We made sure everything was stable before waking you. This part of you can act independently of the part of you that is the ship, though you will be in contact with each other most of the time. What one knows, the other will as well. So, how do you feel?"

The new form that Se'nika now shared looked at herself and saw that she had arms and legs, and a tail, too, much like those of her crew, though...she looked distinctly different. Running her fingers across the surface of her arms and other parts of her new body, she found the skin to be smooth and there was a sensation of warmth. It was not just a numerical value to be measured and compared against allowable limits, she actually felt it. She noticed her chest moving and felt_the air enter and leave, in and out, in a steady rhythm...and it had a _scent.

"I...do not seem to have any...malfunctions," Se'nika said through her new form.

"Good, now let's try standing up and walking around a little."

"Do you have a name?" Se'nika asked.

"Of course, dear. I am A'amahi Afer-ael'ena, I'm one of the First Ones."

"First Ones...I remember. My crew...they are still resting?" Se'nika asked.

"Yes, they are. Would you like to see them?" A'amahi asked.

"I have them on my short-range sensors," Se'nika replied.

"I meant with your eyes, dear--you do have a pair of eyes now, you know," A'amahi said with mild exasperation.

Se'nika's bio-avatar raised her hands to her face and touched her eyes, jerking her head back a little and blinking rapidly with an expression that was a mix of surprise, shock, and confusion.

"Those are actual eyeballs, dear, not imaging sensors. It's not a good idea to go poking them, even though the soft parts of this new form of yours can self-heal unaided, to an extent," A'amahi cautioned her.

"I...shall remember that," Se'nika said. "To answer your question, yes, I would like to 'see' my crew."

"Good, now let's get you on your feet so we can go pay them a visit."

A'amahi could have easily whisked Se'nika's new bio-avatar off the ship to where the crews were, though she opted to make Se'nika walk the distance in order for her to get the feel for moving on her own. Once she stood and took a couple tentative steps, she paused and looked at the encasement containing the ship's now augmented "brain".

"It is..._strange_to...see myself this way," she commented.

"In time, dear, you will know the inside of your ship body just as well as those of your crew. I wouldn't doubt that Moira had a similar experience when she saw her ship body from the outside for the first time," A'amahi reassured her, giving a few gentle pats on her arm.

Se'nika's new bio-avatar moved carefully, though with a certain grace, through the ship. Descending the boarding ladder went slow as she negotiated steps for the first time. Once outside she experienced many new sensations--sounds, scents, the texture of the ground and the colors. She looked all around, completely taken by what she experienced, for this was far different than mere sensor data. Unlike Moira's android avatar, Se'nika's bio-avatar felt a new sensation on her face. Reaching up to touch her cheek, she looked at the tips of her fingers--they were wet.

"Here they are, dear," A'amahi said, waving a hand towards Se'nika's Mûr Tua'ansa crew.

"Why do they take their rest here and not in their own beds that I provide for them?"

"They have been through a lot on their Journey and they need to be 'recharged', you could say, in a way that might not make sense to you at this time. They will have more to face after they leave here so we wish to make sure they will have the strength they need to do what they have to do. The essence of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr--our home--is seeping into them, and into you, too, I might add," A'amahi explained.

"What will that do to us?" Se'nika asked.

"Well, that gets a bit complicated, dear, though all of you will likely live a bit longer at least, providing you don't get blown up or something," the First One replied.

"Interesting."

The two walked around, allowing Se'nika time to visually identify every member of both crews, including Rissanivi, with A'amahi providing the names of those who she had not been introduced to before. When she got to Felix, she knelt down and gently touched his face.

"This one, I remember. He was kind to me and my crew when we had been damaged by the Wurnak Da'i." Se'nika stared at Felix for several moments while he slept; then, hesitantly, she leaned close and whispered into his ear. "I shall not forget, Felix Canberra."

For a second time since she had been awakened, moisture from her eye ran down her face, and fell to the ground next to Felix. Just as she stood, a twinkle of light flickered where the tear fell--Se'nika's bio-avatar saw it and paused to look in wonder at what happened next.

A flower of a Tykua-niya vine sprouted and grew from the spot before her eyes, glistening with the light of stars shining within.

* * * * *

After leaving Naoia and her latest charges, L'saren arrived at what she felt was a respectable distance and walked slowly in contemplation the rest of the way towards a place she was well familiar with. It appeared as a small cliff face with a ring of tall vertical stones surrounding it and an inset area within the rock face where there was a pool at the very center. Above the pool at the top of the small cliff was a great silvery tree. Beyond it and extending as far as could be seen in either direction was only a fog that faded into darkness. This place was where the First Ones began, and she was the first among them all, the Eldest of Old, as some would say. The first living being. There had been nothing else here then, only the fog and darkness beyond; when L'saren's consciousness had grown aware, she found that she was not alone. The Others, were not alive in the sense that she was, for they seemed to have emanated from the realm itself--manifestations that moved and thought and did things of their own accord, coming and going as they willed. Where they went or from where they came, L'saren never knew. None of the other First Ones who came after her ever knew, either. The Others became aware of her existence, and being curious, they came and investigated. When The Others met the one who would eventually become known as L'saren Fey-sel'ena, they were cautious at first, though she was curious about them, too. Eventually they started to play simple games, gradually increasing complexity. Whenever she would need a break from the games, she would grow still and some of The Others would grow still next to her.

The arrival of another like her always drew the attention of The Others and her as well. Unlike The Others, each First One had a distinct personality and they began to recognize each other as separate entities. There were no words yet, only thought forms, though those served well enough then. The one who would become known as L'saren was aware of something else, another personality, different and stronger than herself or the others like her, and who seemed to have no limits. It was from this other, greater personality that L'saren would learn was her true origin, where she actually came from, and she passed this thought form on to the others like her. It was then that they heard a sound--it was oddly pleasing, and they all became still and listened.

The sound came to them with thought forms and they learned to associate those sounds with meanings. It was the beginning of what would become language. The First Ones learned the sounds that matched specific thought forms, then they grew curious and experimented with combining sounds and thought forms into new sounds and thought forms, ever growing in complexity.

The First Ones eventually concocted sounds that represented themselves--the idea of giving things names had begun. However, their realm was still featureless, a fogginess that disappeared into a darkness. The greater entity showed them that they had the ability to alter their surroundings and taught them the concept of energy and how to manipulate it into solid objects and how to reverse it. They had the ability to create their own environment as they saw fit.

Along the way, the First Ones discovered that they each had certain things that they could do better than others. When one had discovered a particular talent the others were excited and encouraged it. There was no notion of jealousy between them as they discovered their abilities and to what limits, if any, there were to them.

L'saren, being the first of the First Ones, kept a close relationship with the greater entity, who she would eventually learn was the one they all came from. To L'saren was given the ability to see things before they happened and where paths might lead. She was the first among her kind to combine sound and thought forms and to manipulate them. This was the beginning of what other living beings to come would think of as magic. L'saren was shown that more beyond their realm would be forthcoming and, since they were a part of the one they came from and had been given the essence of Life, they would have a part in guiding the development of other living things.

L'saren and the other First Ones had used their abilities to create the place she was now at to be symbolic of their respect and love for the one who could not be fit into the inherent limitations of a mere name, though they would eventually think of the one they all came from as being the Great Mother. The huge silvery tree would come to represent Life and the living of it, it would be a symbolic shelter against storms, a steadfast companion with its strong trunk and roots sunk deep into stone, the Foundation upon which all else is built. The vertical stones would come to be The Great Circle with its many meanings. The pool also came to represent many things, including that of the Great Mother herself, the Giver of Life, the shaper of all things, time and timelessness, of mystery and knowledge, of beginnings and endings, and of thirst and the quenching of it.

It was to this place that L'saren often returned, to peer into The Pool, to see into other places, to see the ripples made by the actions and non-actions of others. For this visit, she looked for something in particular, something that her friend Naoia had brought up. The three Terrans: James, Lilly, and Tanya--did _they_have a connection to certain others, and if so, what was it? L'saren saw back through their history, through their family lineage...

"Well, that's interesting, they're just like these three in many ways, but the furred ones don't go any further back than their time. Oh, what's this...Ah, now that_might be another connection. Dear little Meri donated some of her tissue and A'amahi slipped her genetic information into the making of the Terran recreation of the Skunatii. So, Meri and this one named Rosie and Lilly...yes, I_ do_see how they are very much alike in their personalities and...in...their hearts of being. And this Tanya...Naoia thinks she's just as feisty as Ahnia is, though how could she be...there, those three are the same in their spirit. Now, what about this James fellow...hmm, he_ is very much like the mate of the one named Rosie. Both have some lupin in them--one from getting tinkered with and the other from his bloodline. How could they be in any way connected to...oh, my dear children, that's it! The way you three think and remember things! Mind...spirit...heart...three, three, and...three. Oh...my..._surely _this could not_be a coincidence! Did The Heart do this, or...did_ She do this? It seems they were all at a juncture of time and place when they were most needed to...set certain events into motion. Or, at least the last three have and will be again. But first...I..."

L'saren felt a familiar sensation that only one could cause.

* * * * *

The change caused by Naoia giving of herself in order to keep Lilly alive, had already taken root throughout her body. Just as Dahmietra had begun to change from the sharing of the unique "blood" of Mist Runner's First One parents while they were in a physical form during the adoption ceremony, Lilly would become more than what she had been. Unlike with Dahmietra, Lilly had received far more of Naoia's life energy, and it would not be much longer before that change would become apparent. Just how much would Lilly change, and in what direction, was still anyone's guess at the moment.

As Lilly lie sleeping next to James, the change began to manifest.

Char'ena, who had been staying nearby, suddenly lifted her head and looked quizzically at Lilly. She quickly got to her feet and went to Lilly, sniffing her.

"Mistress Naoia said Lilly will change because of the giving, but...it happens now."

Thinking quickly, Char'ena called her packmate, Mah'rena, over.

"Go fetch Mistress Naoia and Mistress A'aleen. Lilly is changing now, will need their help. Go quick!"

Mah'rena took one look at Lilly and saw what Char'ena meant.

"I go, back quick!"

With that, Mah'rena bolted, disappearing in a swirl of light.

Char'ena leaned her head down and pressed it against Lilly's.

"Sent Mah'rena to fetch help with change. I stay with."

A'amahi picked up on the urgency of the two Great Lupins and saw one leave quickly. She went over to Char'ena who was next to the black and white furred one that Naoia had kept alive until she could be healed.

"What is going on, dear?" she asked with concern as she approached.

"Lilly begin to change now. Sent Mah'rena to fetch help for friend."

Bending down to look closer, A'amahi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, dear, you're right. This is happening rather quickly. Too quickly. Poor child, this is a bit outside of my area of expertise. I..."

Three swirls of light appeared a short distance away. A'aleen was the first to reach Lilly, kneeling down next to her and taking a hold of her hand while placing her own on Lilly's forehead. Naoia knelt down next to Lilly's head, looking upon her with great concern.

"Let's see if I can convince this to slow down to a respectable rate, instead of clawing its way through her body," A'aleen said as she began to concentrate her efforts.

Naoia grimaced slightly, drooping her ears, and looking repeatedly from Lilly to A'aleen and back, the worry plainly seen in her eyes.

Motes of bright red energy swirled around A'aleen's form and flowed around and into Lilly's body, which itself had already begun to sparkle with a golden-colored light.

"Not so fast, my dear child...a little more...there now, that's better," A'aleen said after a while. "Good thing it began here instead of at some point back in their home universe so that I could attend to her quicker."

"Do you have an idea yet what is happening to her?" Naoia asked cautiously.

"She is going to have more of your abilities than Dahmietra got of mine. You knew that she has some lupin in her..." A'aleen said, glancing up at her friend.

"I sensed it while I was holding her on the way here," Naoia said. "I was hoping it wasn't enough to make too much of a difference."

A'aleen glanced up again and said, "It was enough."

An audible sigh escaped Naoia as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Figures."

A'amahi, Char'ena, and Mah'rena, all looked from A'aleen to Naoia and back, with the two Great Lupins slightly cocking their heads.

"You're saying that this one is not all that she appears?" A'amahi asked A'aleen.

"She has a trace of human in her as well," A'aleen pointed out.

"Lilly is a cousin of James'. Second cousin, once removed, as I remember," Naoia said.

"That's an interesting mix," A'amahi commented, beginning to calculate the possible combinations of traits that could be involved.

"Tell me about it," Naoia quietly retorted with a hint of sarcasm.

It took a while longer for A'aleen to fully get the change within Lilly under control and settled down so that it could complete in an orderly fashion instead of wildly changing her in unpredictable ways. When it would be time to awaken Lilly, A'aleen would have to be there to bring her out of the sleep herself so that Lilly wouldn't inadvertently do something that could cause harm to others.

* * * * *

Arlan began to nod off. There wasn't anything better for him to do, nothing that he could work on, and not much he could keep himself occupied with. In short, he was bored. Throughout most of his life, Arlan was a perpetual tinkerer, though since he had been in the realm of the First Ones, he had nothing to do, except to wander around to see what he could see, which after a while, it was pretty much the same - an oddly beautiful wilderness where the colors seemed more real than real and everything looked as if it was partially transparent and one could see open space beyond, complete with stars.

Arlan had made his way back to the pool of water and contemplated what he had experienced since they had left Mars with Nial-sa'fel. About the time he had started to think of his encounter with the one he had taken to thinking of as the Cosmic Momma, he began to get sleepy. He moved over to a tree that grew next to the rock he usually sat on and leaned his back against it. There was a soft cushion of moss underneath him and, being relatively comfortable, he nodded off into a deep sleep.

Unbeknownst to Arlan, he was soon not alone, for several of the "critter beings" as he and Cameron called them, appeared and approached with curiosity. The larger ones approached first and sniffed him, peering into him with their glowing pupil-less amber eyes. Some of the smaller ones then scampered around Arlan, rising up and putting their forepaws on his legs. One climbed the tree and positioned itself above his head, then started making quick little movements with its forepaws on the surface of the tree. A light gathered at the spot and a branch began growing out over Arlan's head. When the branch was thick enough, the little squirrel-sized "critter being" climbed out onto it and then looked down at Arlan's face, peering closely from only a hand's width away. The denizens of the realm who were examining Arlan, all looked at each other, from one to another, as if in some form of silent communication, before they all suddenly turned to look in the same direction--the way that led deeper into the dark and mysterious part of the ancient forest where Arlan had been once before.

Many people on countless worlds throughout the multiverse and other realms had tried to conceptualize and give a name to what they wanted to believe was responsible for their existence, though being mere mortals, they could perceive but only an infinitesimal part, and more often than not, they mostly got it wrong due to their own biases and wishful thinking; those who were generally considered to be immortals, could perceive a bit more, though their understanding was still limited. The First Ones, of course, knew much, much more than all other living beings as they were closest to it. However, the denizens of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr, those beings who were emanations of it, knew exactly. They were part of it.

What walked towards Arlan had again manifested in the bipedal female form that he had experienced before, which looked like a walking hole into the cosmos. When She stopped in front of Arlan and looked down at him, her expression softened, and She smiled. Sitting down next to him, She gently pulled him closer and began to softly sing.

( Note: The author recommends listening to "Siren (Extended Version)", by Dwayne Ford [].)

Arlan dreamed he was floating in space. He had no pressure suit, though he felt no discomfort. It was neither hot nor cold. When he looked at his body, it was as if he was a ghost, or at least how he imagined one would be like. He saw the stars, nebulas, even whole galaxies through his ethereal form. He was not afraid in the least; curious, perhaps, but not afraid. He heard the most beautiful voice he could ever imagine singing and he yearned for it. He felt himself move, or perhaps everything moved about him and through him, as his desire carried him closer and closer to the source of the song. Looking about, it seemed as if he was about to come to an edge...an edge of what, he couldn't tell, only that a foggy barrier was approaching. When he arrived at it, he felt something pass through him, and he found himself entering...what, another universe? It seemed like it to him as he saw galaxies fly by him at a mind boggling speed. He saw an intricate web connecting clusters of galaxies, just as he had seen in some astronomical photos back home. He passed through another wall of fog, and perhaps several others, for the singing was gradually getting louder and clearer in his mind and in his heart of being, and he was focused on that voice. Arlan happened to look around again after he saw no more galaxies--behind him was what looked like a bumpy shape that, here and there, were tiny flashes of light and a new bump would appear. Then ahead of him there was another barrier, and once he passed it, everything was bright and warm. Arlan passed through that region and the thought of it all as a shell within a shell within a shell came to him. He also saw other shapes, though he was moving too fast by this point to get a good view...or, at least he thought he was moving faster and faster as everything was getting smaller as if moving away. Then again, maybe he was getting larger.

Arlan had no idea how much time might have passed, if it indeed had passed, though now he saw something else. He saw a form that seemed to have encompassed everything he had seen within it, assembled together to form a whole, a shape, that began to look like...

...Arlan opened his eyes and felt himself being held in the arms of a warm furry body. Only, the body was full of stars...and galaxies, and...maybe whole universes. It was the source of the singing.

"Did heart of being like the song?" She asked, gently stroking her fingers through his white hair.

"It was...beautiful," Arlan replied, coming fully awake now that She was speaking to him.

She smiled and kissed him.

"Would heart of being like to see something?"

"Sure," Arlan agreed.

She started to stand up so Arlan started to stand, too, but his head hit the branch that was just above it.

"Hey, that wasn't there before..." Arlan said, rubbing the top of his head and turning so that he could see what was in the way.

She giggled softly, which Arlan found to be a pleasing sound, and She pointed to the branch. The small "critter being" that had made it came running, pounced on Arlan, and scurried up his torso, jumping from his body to the tree. Getting above the branch, it turned around and began working its paws at the base of it. Arlan watched in wonder as little motes of light gathered at the base of the branch...and then it receded back into the tree. When the tree truck was back to the way it was when Arlan first sat down and leaned against it, he looked in wonder at the tree and the little critter being. He reached up and touched the spot to confirm what he thought he saw happen. The little critter being scurried down his outstretched arm, ran around his shoulders behind his head to the shoulder of his other arm, and began rubbing its head against his face.

"Okay, okay," Arlan said with a light chuckle, petting the little critter being. He felt it give him a lick on his cheek before it launched itself off his shoulder onto the ground and scurried away.

With an amused look on her face, She held a hand out to Arlan, saying, "Come."

Arlan got to his feet, brushed off the seat of his pants, and then took ahold of her offered hand.

As he had seen before, Arlan saw her dissolve into a brilliant light, crackling and surging with energy and color, within which was a vague form with fiery amber eyes...and then everything disappeared.

Where they appeared, Arlan recognized it from a photo he had seen once. It was a typical house in the northern part of the Australian Outback. It was a warm evening, the sun had set, and there was a lone figure sitting in an old wooden rocking chair on the verandah, apparently dozing. Right away Arlan noticed that he was in an ethereal, ghost-like form. They walked together, still hand-in-hand, towards the house. Once they had stepped up onto the verandah, Arlan recognized the dozing figure.

"Alicia..." he uttered softly, his heart beginning to beat strongly from the emotions flooding through him. Looking worriedly at his companion, Arlan asked, "She...she's not...?"

"No, heart of being, this one has not yet fled this form," She said softly.

Arlan stepped closer and saw that there were two prints held loosely in Alicia's hand in her lap. He bent down to look at it in the dim light coming through the window--the top one was a photo of the two of them together that was taken back on Mars years earlier in one of the large gardens within the dome of Alba City, the other he could only see a small part of. His companion reached for the images and slid them out from under Alicia's hand and showed them to Arlan. He smiled fondly at the first image, recalling the enjoyable time they had; when he was shown the second image, he nearly choked when he saw that it was an image that had been captured by the security system just as the alien artifact was beginning to transport him back to the time and place he had been--the frantic expression on Alicia's face as she rushed to him. The image came to life and he heard the commotion and her voice crying out his name as she reached for him.

When Arlan turned his attention back to his enigmatic companion, She anticipated his question and said softly, "Needed to show so that heart of being sees and understand more about this one. To both I give this..."

Although Alicia was apparently sound asleep, an ethereal form of her, not unlike his own, straightened up in the chair and opened her eyes.

"Ar...Arlan...? Oh, crikey!" she exclaimed, her ethereal form getting up, holding her arms out to him.

The ghostly forms of Arlan and Alicia embraced each other tightly. When they pulled back a bit, Alicia put her hands on either side of his face and they kissed longingly. A short while later, Alicia took a moment to look at their forms in wide-eyed wonder. She turned around and saw her own body sitting in the rocking chair, slumped over as if sleeping.

"Oh...my...Arlan, luv, don't tell me we...we're..."

"No, heart of being, your stream of Life still flows, as does this one's. I give this to both so both understands and both not be lost in time."

Alicia noticed, then, for the first time that Arlan was not alone.

Seeing the expression form on Alicia's face, Arlan said with a slight smile, "She doesn't really fit into any sort of name, though I kinda think of her as the 'Cosmic Momma'. And yeah, she really does look like how you think she does." Touching her cheek and gently turning her attention back towards him, he added, "I can't explain how she did this, but...I'm still around, just...very, very far away for now. Cameron and Hauvri'ahn are still where we are, too, and they're okay. We'll get to come back, though I'm not sure when."

"Arlan, luv...ya don't know how much I..."

Arlan smiled and placed his hand on Alicia's chest over her heart.

"I know..." he took her hand and placed it on his chest and added, "...I do, too."

A tear rolled down the cheek of the still sleeping form of Alicia, sitting in the rocking chair.

When She put her hand on Arlan's shoulder, he knew it was time.

"I think I have to go. When I come home, I'm going to come find you. I...I may or may not be alone, but...we'll see how things go." Arlan looked over to his companion and asked, "She _will_still be here, then...right?"

"Yes, heart of being, this one will not be gone when you return. Both will have chance to make choice," She said.

A smile grew on Arlan's face and he turned his attention back to Alicia.

"Wait just a little longer..."

"To the end of the world, if I hafta, luv..."

They embraced fiercely and kissed longingly until they both heard, "Come." Alicia's ethereal form started being pulled back towards the chair, their hands sliding down each other's arms and holding for only a moment before slipping apart. The ghostly form of Alicia blurred and went back into her body, then Arlan's companion said again, softly, though irresistibly, "Come..." When he took her hand, there was a brilliant flash and they were gone.

Alicia woke up, still holding the images in her hand. When she looked down at them...perhaps it was just her imagination, wishful thinking on her part, or maybe...it was a lingering bit of the too real dream she had.

The image of her and Arlan together in a garden of Alba City seemed to animate and...the two of them kissed.

Looking out at the starry night sky, Alicia got up and walked out a short way into her yard. Holding the prints against her chest, Alicia looked up.

"Arlan, luv...I'll wait fer ya..."

Where they appeared next was a place that Arlan immediately recognized. It was Poppy's home in Gelfheim, Alaska. Given the low angle of the sun and the bright yellow of the birch leaves, Arlan knew it was during the short fall of his home state. In his current form, he couldn't feel the temperature of the air, though given the way the two kids and the older adult female were playing together in the yard were dressed, it was a good indication that it was cool. They weren't there long before the front door opened and a female skunk G.E.L.F. came out onto the small deck.

"Daisy! Rosetta! Time to eat!"

"Coming momma!" they both called out in unison.

They started towards the house, though the two girls stopped and went back to pick up their things. Arlan immediately recognized the female skunk G.E.L.F. standing on the deck.

"Poppy..."

"This one also reason why heart of being got lost in time," She commented.

Overcome with emotion, Arlan couldn't talk, only nod his head.

Following the two girls and the adult inside, the house seemed much the same as when he was last there. Poppy was pulling the food out of the warming unit and putting it on the table, something that she had brought home from her job at the café.

"Well, I'd better head home and start on my own dinner," the older adult female said, while the girls were getting cleaned up.

"Thanks for watching them for me, Auntie Flo," Poppy said, giving her a hug. Before Flora left, Poppy asked, "Auntie Flo? Has anybody heard anything of Jamie yet?"

Poppy's aunt slowly shook her head.

"Kenny hasn't heard a thing since they lost communication with the Mûr Tua'ansa ship they were with. All they know is that the last position data they got was somewhere outside of our galaxy, heading away at some unimaginable speed." She saw Poppy look down and let out a sad sigh. Flora put her hands on either side of Poppy's face and lifted it up. "All we can do is hope, dear. Despite the crazy things that always seems to happen around him, Jamie somehow manages to bring everyone back."

"Even Arlan?" Poppy asked so quietly her aunt almost didn't hear her.

Flora hugged her niece and said softly, "If Jamie can find him and the others, he will, baby."

Arlan knew, then that Poppy's cousin had been searching for him and his friends. He briefly wondered what would have caused the military to come looking for him, though He was glad that_somebody_ had been.

"Is this some alternate history, or will my girls be here whenever I get back?" Arlan asked his companion.

"They are here, where they were meant to be, heart of being."

"And me...?"

"As said before, you have choices--one, or two, or three; one and two; two and three; one and three; all three; or none. Choice not need to be made now, heart of being still have more to do."

"I...understand."

Arlan stood behind Poppy and put his ghostly hands on her shoulders, leaned down and spoke softly into her ear.

"I wish I could've been there when they were born. I would've been, if somebody hadn't knocked that artifact over, making me have to catch it." He looked at his two girls, Daisy and Rosetta, and smiled warmly. "Our kits...they're beautiful, just like their momma. I'm sorry you had to raise them by yourself. You know I would've been right here helping to raise them together with you, but I...I guess I'm supposed to be doing something else, though I don't know what yet. I'll be back...I don't know how or exactly when, and I may not be alone, though...I _will_be back. It might take me a while to explain all that happened...I just hope you'll at least listen. I know it's all going to sound crazy. Ah, Poppy, I never meant for any of this to happen--if there's any way that I can make it right, I'll try to do so. I haven't forgotten..."

Arlan went to each of his girls and gave them a ghostly hug and a kiss on their heads.

"Your momma is raising you girls as best as she can, and she's apparently doing a good job. Though...I wish I could've been here for you two, to be a proper daddy for you. I'm sorry I haven't been able to be in your lives since you popped out...I hope you'll be able to forgive me and let me make it up to you somehow. I want to meet you whenever I get back, that is...if you want to. Be good for your momma. I love you both."

Tears were streaming down Arlan's face when he went back to say one more thing to Poppy.

Giving her a hug and whispering into her ear, he said, "You're still in my heart, Poppy. You and the girls both. If only you knew..."

Arlan kissed his mate and was about to stand up straight when by chance he happened to look at Poppy's cup. A latte was her favorite drink and she had made herself one with plenty of foam.

"If only..." Arlan said to himself.

He stuck his finger into the foam on top of her latte and, bending his will to it, he tried to draw something that he knew Poppy would know. He didn't know if she could see it, though he had to try.

Smiling a knowing smile as She glanced at Poppy's cup, She grasped Arlan's hand and said, "Come."

Poppy and the girls had grown quiet for a while during their meal. Poppy thought about Arlan again.

"I still miss him," she thought to herself. "I hope Jamie can somehow find him and bring him home. At least I want to know whatever happened to him. If he's still alive somewhere out there in the black, I hope he thinks of me."

Poppy reached for her cup--when she brought it up near her face to take a sip, she stared at it quizzically for several seconds, then her eyes widened in recognition and she almost cried.

In the foam, there was something quite unmistakable that wasn't there before...

"Poppy's Latte Cup" (from DofD-5, ch-2)")

(picture of a cup of latte with an "A" drawn in the foam)

* * * * *

The structure had been among the first created by the First Ones. Its age was unguessable. Nevi had called it the Temple of Stars for it did look as if it could be, though to what, he didn't know. He and Valerna had flown to it from their workplace numerous times once they had discovered it when they had first flown together.

Once they landed at the beginning of the way up to the Temple, Valerna changed back to her smaller anthro form so she could walk hand-in-hand with Nevi. The view was perhaps the most magnificent one they had seen in the realm of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr since they had been brought to it by Naeressa Halinu'ena untold centuries ago, if one used the method of marking time back on their homeworlds. Like many places in the realm, the structure seemed partially transparent with what looked like stars shining through from within. It was a blend of stone and plant, of water and sky, of light and dark and many colors.

Nevi and Valerna had never ventured far into the structure, being awestruck just seeing the first hall. This time, though, someone met them just outside the entrance. They were not expecting to be greeted by anyone as they never had before. This was, in fact, the first time they had ever seen anyone else at the Temple.

The energy form coalesced as it came closer until it became a physical being. They did not recognize the individual, though he certainly seemed to know them.

"Greetings, children! Come, come, you are just in time!" the being said, emphatically waving for them to follow him.

"I'm hardly a child," Valerna quipped with a good measure of sarcasm in her voice.

Turning to look at her with a bemused expression, the being said, "Ah, typical reaction of those born outside. My dear Valerna, a few billion of your turns of seasons hardly makes you anywhere near as old as we First Ones. Your universe, well, basically all the rest of existence, for that matter, wasn't even a thought yet in the mind of the Great Mother when we came to be, my dear child." He laughed and added, "Now come, both of you. I'm sure you don't want to miss it!"

He started walking away when Nevi called out, "What is First One's name?"

He came to a halt and turned around, putting his hands on his hips.

"You want to know who who is?"

"Thabbani have no concept of things like 'I', 'me', 'mine', 'you', 'your', and such," Valerna said with a bit more sarcasm added this time.

"Oh? Odd."

Just as the First One started to turn again towards the entrance, Valerna said in exasperation, "He asked you for your name."

"Oh? Well, why didn't he say so?"

"He did," Valerna replied in a low-pitched voice.

"Oh, well, in that case..." the First One looked directly at Nevi and said in a strong clear voice, "I am Tyrûn-Gil'ithel, I am the head of The Keepers, young Master Nevi nBan of Thabb. I won't bother with saying the current long form of your name and that of your world...it takes too long. I have better things to do than ramble off an overly long string of letters. Now, come along, there is something you both should see."

Not knowing what else to do, the pair followed the First One. They passed through the large outer room, down a long hallway, and entered into the center part of the Temple. Once through the doors, Nevi and Valerna stopped in their tracks and stared in complete awe at the sight before them.

Floating in the center of the large chamber was a huge multifaceted crystalline object that glowed a bright red light, sending forth rays of light in numerous directions. The aura around it seemed to pulsate to a low, slow, rhythmic hum. Where the rays touched what looked to be curved walls, ceiling, and the floor underneath, they appeared to keep going, as if stretching into infinity. Smaller versions of the huge crystal slowly orbited it--sometimes one would flash and disappear along one of the rays of light, and sometimes one would appear in the opposite manner.

The floor Nevi and Valerna were on circled around the crystal like a ring that was suspended without any support or attachment points, save for the entry into the chamber. There were several other First Ones in the chamber, all--including the one who met them at the entrance--wore the same type of robe-like garment. Some were gathered in small groups of two or more, others were alone performing some task or another.

"What _is_it?" Nevi whispered to Valerna.

"I...do not know."

A bright ray of red light shone on them, coming from the center of the crystal.

A booming voice said, "YOU HAVE A QUESTION. STAND BEFORE ME AND I WILL ANSWER." The voice they heard spoke in a strange language and also their own native language, simultaneously.

The First Ones all stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the visitors.

"Well, now you had to ask it a question. You might as well get your answer--come this way," Tyrûn-Gil'ithel said with a bit of resignation in his voice.

As they walked towards the crystal, Nevi tugged on Tyrûn-Gil'ithel's sleeve and said, "Nevi asked Valerna if Valerna knew what it was."

Tyrûn-Gil'ithel did a double-take and asked, "Did you mention her name in your question?"

"No..."

"Then you asked it the question." Anticipating the argument he was about to get, Tyrûn-Gil'ithel waved a hand in a dismissive gesture and said, "We created it. After working with it for...however long it's been since, one gets to know its quirks." Leaning closer and speaking in a conspiratorial tone of voice, "It can be a pain in the tail at times. Ask Naoia, if you don't believe me--she'll tell you _all_about it, if given a chance."

Tyrûn-Gil'ithel led them to a podium-like area at the edge of the level. They looked down and saw how much lower the bottom of the chamber was than the level they were on. They also looked up and got more of an idea of the true size of the crystal.

"Alright, tell these youngsters the answer to their question, though make it brief. They can have a history lesson later, understand?" Tyrûn-Gil'ithel ordered, putting his fists on his hips as he addressed the huge crystal. "And keep the volume down to an acceptable level, too! They do have ears, if you had noticed, and they can hear just fine! And so can the rest of us!" Turning to Nevi and Valerna, he said, "Stand here."

They moved to the spot Tyrûn-Gil'ithel pointed to and just as Nevi was about to ask, they were given their answer.

* * * * *

Naoia stayed with Lilly once A'aleen got the rate of change occurring slowed down to a more orderly and predictable level.

"You will need to be careful and take things slowly, my sweet child. In a short time you have become far more than any of your people should be yet, and you will outlive them all, well, except for the others here with you, though you will end up more like me in some ways. You have no idea what it took to keep you among the living, my dear girl--it was that close. But you don't need to know the particulars of that."

Naoia sensed something and looked up just as a swirl of light appeared.

"Ah, there_you are, Naoia. I found something about your young dark-skinned friend over there _and some other interesting bits from her world that you will want to know."

Her expression changing from one of concern to one of curiosity, Naoia asked, "What did you find?"

Salen-na'thal sat down near Naoia and was about to speak when he paused to look at Lilly. He looked a little closer for a few moments before straightening and turning his attention back to Naoia.

"That's the one you had to hold."

"Yes."

Glancing back at Lilly, Salen-na'thal said in a soft voice, "The change is quite far along already, I see."

"A'aleen had to slow it down--it was happening too quickly."

Salen-na'thal let out a small quiet sigh and shook his head slightly.

"How are _you_doing, my dear?"

"I'll survive."

Salen-na'thal tilted his head downward slightly while locking his eyes on Naoia, giving her "The Stare".

"Oh, alright, Char'ena wouldn't let me do anything until A'aleen tended to me, too," Naoia said with bit of exasperation.

Salen-na'thal gave Naoia a questioning look.

"She grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let go until I relented."

Chuckling slightly, Salen-na'thal said, "You can't out stubborn a Great Lupin once they set their mind to something."

Naoia responded to that remark with a snort.

"So, what did you find out on R'Hin?"

"Oh, quite a bit. Nar'sena and I went back a few generations...a lot has changed since then. Do you want the short version or the long version?"

"Give it to me...all of it."

Salen-na'thal held his hand out to Naoia--when she held it, a pulse of energy transferred between them.

After a moment or two, Naoia said, "You were right, that is interesting."

"Personally, I would put my vote on that Tre'shalin girl. I think she would be the one to get the R'Hinsa started on getting their civilization straightened back out. They do have a lot to offer the other Younger Races who live in their part of the galaxy, especially when it comes time to deal with those fool Dark Bloods. We don't need them to start spreading to other galaxies, like they're about to."

Considering what she now knew about the R'Hinsa in context with other things, Naoia had to agree.

"I see your point. I'll give her a chance when I take my young friends to their world for a visit. I want to make sure Khel'zet gets her name cleared and that they will listen to what she and the others have to say. Besides, Khel'zet has other, more important, things ahead of her than worrying about what that idiot emperor of theirs might do to her relatives and friends back home."

"And with no singularities required," Salen-na'thal added with a smirk.

Naoia looked with a hint of a scowl, though she did smile slightly at the reference.

After she stopped to quietly observe Lilly for a time, gently stroking her white fur-hair, Naoia looked up again at Salen-na'thal.

"Thank you for finding that about the R'Hinsa."

Salen-na'thal smiled and held his hand out to Naoia again.

"Ah, beneath that no-nonsense exterior, you're still a sweetie at heart."

"Shh...don't tell anyone..." she said softly.

Accepting his gesture, a soft reddish glow briefly surrounded their joined hands as the two old friends shared a tender moment.

* * * * *

L'saren quickly assumed a respectful posture as the being manifested.

"Great Mother..." she spoke reverently, bowing as she thought appropriate.

"First Child concerned for heart of being who I gave to." Looking towards the pool, She added, "No, First Child, your creation had nothing to do with The Three. My doing. The heart of being who is third of The Three changes because of the giving."

"Yes, Great Mother, the one named Lilly...A'aleen had to help, the change was happening too fast within Lilly's form..."

"I know."

"May I 'see' how much she will change and in what ways?"

The one L'saren called the Great Mother extended a hand towards the pool and said, "Look..."

L'saren did as told and knelt down before the pool, peering intently into it. What she saw concerned her.

"She will need help in understanding and using these abilities...a lot of help. Her kind is not yet ready for such power."

"The Three are mine. That which was created by the First Ones was responsible, the First Ones are responsible for their creation. That which was done cannot be undone, but can be guided."

L'saren bowed her head and said, "Yes, Great Mother."

"If I may...the one you gave to, his name is Arlan, we...we are concerned for him, too, for what The Heart put him through."

"That heart of being is with me..."

As L'saren looked on, she saw the ethereal image of Arlan Schneider drift by within the form she had taken. The first thought that came to her was that Arlan was no more.

"I help him not be lost in time. I show him, and others, what choice they must make for all concerned. When ready, they make own choice, though this heart of being has more to do after. His stream of Life still flows, First Child, I care for him as always I have and always I will."

"Yes, Great Mother," L'saren acknowledged with a bow of her head.

With that, She turned and started walking away, disappearing in a brilliant flash of light.

L'saren contemplated what she had learned. The Three were the Great Mother's doing, not The Heart's, but The Heart nearly ended the Life of one of The Three.

"We created The Heart and are therefore responsible for what it does, and if it had caused Lilly to be lost to us, then...oh, I can guess what would happen, and it would not be good. I need to get that to The Keepers. As for Lilly...since our creation was the cause of Naoia having to give so much of herself to keep Lilly among the living, now we must make sure the poor girl learns how to handle the new abilities she will have, and we need to keep her from letting all that power go to her head. However...she did pass the Test of Heart, and she is a good and decent person. One only has to see how she handled the R'Hinsi girl joining them or helping the Vey'ani girl when they stayed with Arneora. No, I do not think dear little Lilly will turn because of gaining what she has been given, though I'm sure Naoia will be helping her understand and control her new abilities. I do wonder, though, how much she is going to change because of Lilly. Perhaps not as much as Lilly is. Naoia is strong...and stubborn. Ah, my friend, that may be _your_saving grace in all of this. You've never been one to give up, you always find a way."

L'saren smiled and felt that this will all work out to the best after all.

L'saren first went back to where Naoia was staying with her charges, and with Lilly in particular.

"I suppose you found out something..." Naoia said, looking up from Lilly's sleeping form.

"Yes, I did. What you thought about these particular three having a connection to certain others..."

"...And...?" Naoia prompted.

"They do. These three are very much like their ancestors twenty generations before them. We can thank A'amahi for creating a physical link between the first of Lilly's direct ancestors on her world to Meri. Tanya, is very much alike the first of her ancestors...and also...very much like Ahnia."

Naoia sighed and said, "I thought as much. This Tanya does act so much like my Ahnia. What about James?"

"Well, he's nearly the same as the mate of the first ancestors of these two--he had lupin in him, too. He was tinkered with, James gets his from being related. But...they all have something in common with my own son's best friend."

Naoia's jaw dropped ever so slightly.

"It was not The Heart's doing...it was...The Great Mother's doing."

Naoia's jaw dropped more.

"I was reminded in no uncertain terms of our being responsible for our creation and what it does.

Naoia grimaced.

"So we have to fix this..."

"Yes, my friend."

"What about Arlan...?"

"_She_has him."

"How...?"

"She not only told me herself, She showed me."

"He's not..."

"No, She's helping him...Her way."

Naoia held a hand over her eyes and slowly shook her head.

"He'll never be the same..."

"I know."

* * * * *

When they reappeared again, Arlan recognized the custom paint job on the exterior of the courier vessel, though the other two ships he didn't know. One was a black, dagger-like shape and the other was totally alien to him. The "Cosmic Momma" showed him how Rissanivi's ship had been attacked by thugs and how the other two ships had come to her rescue. He saw how she repaid them by offering to help them find Cameron, Hauvri'ahn, and himself. He was made privy to Rissanivi's determination to find him and his friends, and how lost she felt without him. In rapid succession, he was shown the highlights of their Journey, then Nial-sa'fel's words to Rissa came to him: "You have more friends than you know."

"So she's with these others in the realm of the First Ones, then, right?"

"Yes, heart of being, that one is not far from your friends. You will be with soon."

"Will she still want to be with me when we return home?"

"At place you been to before, she must make own choice--stay or be with. Her home far from yours, many things both and others must consider."

Arlan remembered Esba'in Station, which was where she worked out of mostly, due to her shaggy friend, Casvan. Rissanivi had shown him several images and videos about her own homeworld, Vey'a-II, and he knew how much home meant to her. However, he also remembered what she had told him after the time-travel incident: "I want be with...you."

"It's going to be really hard having to choose one over the others," Arlan said dejectedly.

His companion, still holding his hand, said gently, "Other ways are possible, heart of being. You and others must choose what works best for all. I show this as one possibility..."

She showed Arlan how the captain of the black ship he had seen had more than one mate, even if one of them was not a biological person. Arlan saw how different physically from one another they were and how they made things work between them. He was also shown how others had been included from time to time in what they could share.

"Special these three are," She said, pointing to those he would eventually meet who were Rissanivi's friends, and were also related to Poppy. "Many could learn from them. Your way must work for you and those you hold within you, and they with you, heart of being." She placed Arlan's hand on her chest and added, "Remember, always you have been, always you are, and always you will be...here, heart of being."

She smiled lovingly and kissed Arlan, tenderly at first, though soon her kiss became more ardent. Everything around them dissolved and they seemed to be floating amongst the stars, as it had been the first time he had been with Her.

"Join..." she whispered compellingly into his ear.

( Note: The author recommends listening to "In Dreams", by Dwayne Ford [https://youtu.be/grL0IeXLJlY].)

There was no sense of time. Arlan had no idea where they actually were, or...if they actually were anywhere, for that matter. Arlan would never be able to describe to anyone what he experienced while he was with Her. He couldn't begin to think what, if anything, might come of their joining. If Arlan still had any thoughts remaining of being lost in time, She had abolished them once and for all.

In the embrace of the "Cosmic Momma", the "Great Mother", or by whatever other names She was known, a heart of being was made whole again.

Arlan had found his peace.