4

"Personal log entry, Terran Standard Date: Unknown; Time: Unknown. We've been in the realm of the unimaginably powerful beings known as the First Ones for...we don't really know for how long. It would seem that time--as we might understand it--either doesn't exist here or it's so completely different that we can't comprehend it. One of the First Ones told Lilly that they were 'outside' of time, while all others are born within the flow of time.

"The ones we have met so far seem to be benevolent, almost as if they are the ultimate grandparents of all living beings. Well, perhaps not really, though it kind of seems that way. The ones we've met have not been arrogant nor have they in any way boasted about what they can do. In fact, they've been rather patient and even helpful.

"On Chenau-Ri, we were attacked by those known as Dark Bloods. Our Dra'kan friend, Erlanna, who is with us, rose to the occasion and single-handedly wiped out most of the Dark Bloods who were on the ground, while our Y'Nahran friends took out their small ship. A couple had somehow survived the firestorm Erlanna unleashed upon them and one of those had fired..._something, I don't know what...towards me while my attention was on other things, though Lilly saw what was about to happen and she knocked me out of the way in time. However, Lilly took the hit herself and...if it wasn't for the intervention of the First One known as Naoia Anensu'ena, giving her own living energy to Lilly in order to compensate for what the Dark Blood did (we found out it was sucking the lifeforce out of Lilly and draining it to some negative reflection of our 'normal' space--I've heard it called 'darkspace'), and keeping her from becoming lost to us, Lilly would have died. There was nothing that Mindy or even Frer-Sha'an could do to help, though they tried the best they could._

"We left Chenau-Ri with Naoia and apparently another First One, for there was a second 'beast ship' who came along with us, they somehow pulled us along with them, going faster than was possible for our ships to go. We entered the nebula...when we cleared the gas clouds and reached the inner part, more 'beast ships' of the First Ones were there. Naoia's ship howled and the others literally jumped to their feet as if they had been lying down on solid ground, and fell in running alongside with us. Our forward velocity continued to increase dramatically and in short order we left the galaxy at an angle to the plane of ecliptic. From there, a comet-like rainbow-hued stream of some form of energy erupted just ahead of them and each of the 'beast ships' turned into running streaks of light. How fast we accelerated to, there's no scale that I can think of that could measure it. Everything became just streaks of pale light and...I could swear that I saw some kind of path, just like in the mental image Char'ena, the Great Lupin we first met on Elysinar, had shown me. We passed through something that I can only describe as a wall of fog...and we woke up sometime later. Everyone was outside of our ships lying on some sort of weird 'ground'...except me, I found myself with Naoia, who had been keeping Lilly alive.

"I carried Lilly, with Naoia keeping a hand on her while she continually gave of herself to Lilly, from where her ship was to where the crews of our ships were. There was another First One there, the one who Naoia had said is a friend of hers and the best healer there is anywhere. It...was the hardest thing I have ever_had to do, carrying Lilly and knowing that she was on the razor-thin edge between life and death, and Naoia--an immortal, ultra-powerful being--was selflessly giving her own life energy to keep Lilly alive until her friend could heal her. I've seen some wonderous things during my career, though absolutely_ nothing could ever compare to Lilly being healed here in the realm of the First Ones. I...I don't know if I'll ever_be able to put what was felt into words._

"The First Ones put all of us into some sort of deep sleep for...again, I don't know for how long, to allow us to 'rest up' from our experiences. Now that we're all awake, it seems that we have been refreshed in some way and ready to deal with what's to come next, whatever that might be.

"We found that the First Ones have created some sort of bio-avatar for the Chel-Sar Se'nika_, as well as boosted that ship's cognitive abilities to be on the same level as Moira. It's going to make things a bit more interesting on Rha'an's ship, for sure. At least Moira seems to have made a friend with_ Se'nika's_new bio-avatar, who is actually quite nice, though definitely different. I wonder how the M û r Tua'ansa came up with their form of biotech in the first place--I think I might have to ask Rha'an about that._

"Another surprise has been Cameron Eriksson, his wife, Lady Sy'k'rell Hauvri'ahn, and Arlan Schneider. They apparently have been here for some time, likely not long after Cameron had sent a message to his sister, Shauna, who was only eight years old at the time, when those three were on Chenau-Ri back in 2494. We were on Chenau-Ri TSY 2516-06-22, so that would make it twenty-two years. According to Rissa, they haven't seemed to age one bit since she last saw them. From what I remember of Arlan, I'd have to agree with her.

"The latest surprise, though in some ways I suppose it's understandable, is Lilly. She seems to have some new abilities that are beginning to crop up, due to how much Naoia had to give of herself to keep Lilly alive. She seems unusually aware of things and, so far, has a sort of a teleport ability that is exactly like how the First Ones get from one place to another. We've seen Char'ena and the other Great Lupins do it, too. Lilly says it's 'kinda weird', though she seems to like it. I've noticed that Lilly's eyes now have a constant inner glow to them, just like the First Ones when they are in whatever physical forms they chose to be in. I don't know if we should be scared at what she might become or not. Naoia said she will have abilities that no one from Terra will have, perhaps not for a very long time. Since Lilly's body has been changed on some fundamental level, all we can do is wait and see...and hope for the best.

"End log entry."

James read over his log entry and thought about all that they had been through up to this point, and contemplated what they might be doing next. Satisfied with what he had entered, he saved the log and closed it out.

Both James and Rha'an had their crews get showers and clean clothing since they had not had a chance to since they were on Chenau-Ri. James also had Felix show Cameron, Hauvri'ahn, and Arlan to their own quarters once their gear had been stored. Cameron and Hauvri'ahn would be staying in the stateroom that had been for Tanya and Shauna, since Shauna's rack had been lengthened to fit her. Arlan, on the other hand, had wanted to stay with Rissanivi on her ship, though Cameron had convinced him that it would be best to stay on Nightwing with the others for the time being. Arlan was still his responsibility until they made it back to the McHenry Research Facility on Mars, and if Rissanivi wanted to come back with them, then he was sure there would be time for her to make that choice and work out the details.

"That felt good," Shauna commented after she got dried off from her shower.

"Did you save some for the rest of us?" James asked with a bit of playful sarcasm.

"Oh, I got plenty saved up for you, wolf-boy...if we ever get a chance," Shauna shot back.

"We all do, ah?" Tanya chimed in as she headed off to take her turn in the shower.

"I think that would be an accurate assumption," Moira replied, looking at James with a slight smile and raising an eyebrow. "What do you think, Lilly?"

When she didn't answer right away, they all saw Lilly sitting still as if she was staring off into some distance only she could see, totally unaware of the conversation, let alone that she had been asked a question.

"Lil...?"

When James touched her arm and called her name again, she slowly turned her head towards him--although the expression on Lilly's face was blank, they all saw the distinctive amber glow in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice wasn't quite the same.

"We are here, heart of being."

"Lil!"

Lilly's voice had an odd musical quality to it as she giggled and smiled, then her face went blank again for a moment. Lilly blinked her eyes a few times and the glow subsided to being only dimly visible.

"Huh? Wha...?" she asked, seemingly confused by the way James, Tanya, Moira, and Shauna were looking at her as she glanced from one to the other.

"What just happened, ah?" Tanya asked, giving Lilly a cautious look.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Lilly asked.

"We were talking, Moira asked you a question, but you seemed to be zoned out or something, just a blank look on your face..." James said.

"Da, and...your eyes... they were glowing!" Tanya added.

"Say, wha...?" Lilly asked, looking totally confused by this point.

"They were glowing almost like Char'ena's, Lil...and you said something that didn't make sense. It didn't even sound like you," James said with concern.

"Wha...no way!" Lilly said in disbelief.

"Moira, can you play back what it was we heard Lilly say?" James asked.

"Certainly. 'We are here, heart of being. *giggle*' This is what we all heard that was spoken by you when James touched your arm to get your attention," Moira explained after repeating Lilly's words verbatim and in the same voice.

Lilly looked dumbfounded at Moira and said, "You're yankin' my tail..."

"No, Lilly, I am not."

Lilly looked from one to the other and they all nodded their heads in the affirmative.

Lilly drew her knees up where she was sitting on the bed, wrapping her arms and tail around her legs and slightly leaning away from James.

"This is freakin' me out..."

"Da, is freaking us out, too," Tanya agreed.

James put his arm around Lilly and pulled her close.

"After we get a good scrubbing, maybe we can ask Naoia about it," James said softly to Lilly. Gently pulling her head to his shoulder, James sent privately, "I'm still going to love you just the same, no matter what this 'change' is doing to you. You're still my mate, Lil...nothing is going to change that. After we retire and can settle down, however our kids will turn out, I'll love them just the way they are, too."

Lilly looked up and James smiled and kissed her.

After Tanya finished with her shower, James asked Lilly if she wanted to go ahead and get hers.

"Nah, you go ahead, I'll wait until you're done," Lilly replied.

"You sure, Lil?" James enquired.

"Yeah," Lilly replied.

James held her hand for a few seconds, giving it a slight squeeze, and smiled slightly, though there was concern in his eyes. While he collected his things before heading off to get cleaned up, Tanya looked questioningly at him, glancing briefly towards Lilly. James glanced back at Lilly and responded with a subtle "I don't know" expression, then made his way to the head[[1]](#_ftn1 "><span class=")to get his shower.

James paused for a few moments, simply enjoying the sensation of the warm water flowing over him. He wished the water could wash away what he had seen and felt. He was grateful that Lilly's life had been saved by the First Ones and apparently it had cost the one named Naoia considerably. James had trouble shaking the image of Lilly's mortally wounded body from his mind or how she was so close to being lost to him forever. When he carried her body in his arms, he knew she was on the verge of death and it was only by Naoia giving of her own life energy to Lilly that she was kept alive long enough for A'aleen/Fire Weaver to heal her. But James also couldn't shake the image of Lilly's eyes glowing with an inner amber light--it just wasn't natural, at least as far as he was concerned. He could understand, somewhat, Erlanna's eyes glowing as they did. Char'ena's eyes were rather unnerving, having no pupils at all, even as he rather enjoyed the company of the Great Lupin. There were a great many things that he was finding difficult to understand since this mission started, and that list only seemed to be getting longer.

"How do I deal with this?" James asked himself, leaning with his hand on the side of the shower stall over the controls.

As James took a few seconds to contemplate things, something caught his attention that looked... odd. The water stream was slowing. Not like it was losing pressure, but like he was watching a high-speed video being played at an increasingly slower speed, until the water spray stopped moving altogether, as if suspended in mid-stream.

"What the...?" James muttered to himself in disbelief.

He waved a hand through the spray--it passed through it as if it was just a simple holographic projection, not touching anything physical.

"Ye gods, now what...?!" James exclaimed to himself.

"Heart of being seek answers?"

James froze upon hearing that voice with its odd musical quality.

"Uh...Lil', is this something you're doing?"

"*giggle* Just you and me, heart of being."

What James saw stepping through the closed shower door as if it simply wasn't there, floored him. Despite having the outlines of a shapely female form that looked vaguely similar to certain family members on his uncle Kenny's side of the family, the being appeared to be a hole into space. She looked with fascination at the water suspended, touched it, causing it to sparkle, and giggled slightly. She then turned her full attention to James, who at this point was trying to cover himself with his washcloth and feeling quite embarrassed... and a bit fearful. She giggled again in her odd musical voice and put a hand on his chest, looking up at him with eyes just like Char'ena's, only brighter.

"Heart of being need not be afraid. Other heart of being safe now. What was given by First One child cannot be undone, though heart of being will be taught how to use what now has."

"Uh, how come what Naoia gave Lilly can't be removed, or whatever?" James asked cautiously.

The being smiled at James at first, then grew serious as she replied, "To catch heart of being, First One child had to make bond between so essence of other could not slip away. Bond cannot be broken. First One children must make right...or I do."

James suddenly felt afraid despite her earlier assurance that he had nothing to fear. Even though the mysterious being had not acted with any overt hostility, he had a sense of this visitor being far more powerful than even the First Ones...and he had seen something of what they could do. After a moment, his visitor smiled again and said, "Heart of being will have answers that are sought, as will other two."

She reached her other hand around behind James' head and gently pulled it down close enough so that she could give him a kiss on the forehead for she was perhaps no taller than Lilly's sister, Daffodil[[2]](#_ftn2 "><span class="). He felt a tingle run through his body all the way down to his toes.

"We will meet again, heart of being. Until then, be."

With that, James' enigmatic visitor giggled lightly and disappeared in a flash of light...and everything returned as it was.

James stood there for several seconds as the water once again ran over his body.

"What the frak_just happened?!_" he thought to himself, wondering if all that happened had just been some stress-induced wild imagination or...something else entirely. Just as he realized that his washcloth was still in his hand, James thought he might as well reach for the soap. As he was dispensing it, he noticed a dark shape through the translucent shower door.

"Oh, no, not again..."

"Hey, can I squeeze in there with ya?"

The door opened and James saw Lilly smiling up at him.

"Yeah, always room for you, sweet cheeks."

Lilly chuckled as she joined her mate in the shower.

"Ya haven't called me that in a while."

James wrapped his arms around Lilly's familiar form and held her while the water soaked into her fur.

"Seems like we just haven't had time to do much of anything _we_want to do," James noted quietly.

Lilly looked up and smiled wistfully.

"Yeah, whenever we get back home, I hope they give us a long stand-down or somethin'."

James saw the now ever present amber glow within Lilly's eyes, though he tried to ignore it and concentrated on just being thankful that he had not lost her.

Lilly's eyes were no longer the only ones of the two that now glowed with an inner amber light.

* * * * *

Shauna paused before pushing the announcer button at the door to her now former stateroom. Her brother and sister-in-law were now occupying it, since the bunk had been specially sized just for her, and she did not want to just barge in because they were married and needed their privacy, too. Shauna knew there would be many years' worth of catching up to do, lots of questions to be asked and answers that would likely be, at best, uncomfortable to hear but needed to be heard. Still, though, Shauna wanted, needed, to get to know her brother again. Steeling herself, she pressed the button.

With most systems powered down throughout the ship, Shauna was able to hear a chair being moved and someone approaching the door.

"Oh, hi, Miss Eriksson," Arlan greeted her when he opened the door.

"Is my brother..."

"He's in the head getting a shower; Hauvri and Rissa went to the galley to get some drinks. Come on in, I'll let Cam know you're here," Arlan explained, stepping aside so she could enter. "I've just been writing in a journal I've been keeping, trying to catch up on what's happened since we've been here. I asked your A.I. if it was okay for me to use this terminal...she said it was," Arlan said, offering the chair to her. "I'll go let Cam know you're here...I wouldn't doubt he's probably heard by now. Amazing what he can hear at times..." Opening the door to the stateroom's small head, Arlan announced, "Hey, Cam, your sister's here. You about done in there?"

"Yeah, I heard. Tell her I'll be out in a few."

"Will do, dude." Shutting the door and turning to Shauna, "He'll be out in a bit."

Arlan went to a large duffel bag next to the shorter of the two bunks, opened it, and pulled out a book-sized pouch and inserted a data chip, presumably the one he had been using to save his journal to. After putting away the pouch and closing up the duffle, Arlan sat on the edge of the bunk.

"I, um...just wanted you to know, they've both been worried about you ever since we left. They've told me about the last time they got to see you, and...well, I've known Cam and Hauvri for quite a while now and I know it's been eating at him and_her, too. If you haven't found out by now, you probably will before long, that while we were on Chenau-Ri, I...got displaced _forward in time twelve years, ending up on Mars, right in the middle of our boss' office while he was having a meeting. That's how I ended up meeting the captain's cousin, Poppy. Anyway, I was trying to figure out how to get that thing to work again and, if possible, find a way to get both of us back, or maybe at least you, even if it meant me getting locked up for it, but...I guess that Heart-thing had other ideas. We didn't know we would've been gone so long. It was only supposed to be three days..."

Arlan looked down at the deck and slumped his shoulders, acting very much as if he failed at something gravely important.

Shauna knew from Lilly how well Arlan had treated Poppy and had done everything he could for the impending birth of their two girls before he suddenly disappeared in front of many witnesses after he had caught the alien artifact as it fell off the stand it had been displayed on.

"I first met Poppy and the girls the day James landed the ship in the clearing near the mead hall where they all live in Alaska, not long after Nightwing had been commissioned. Before we left on our current mission, I saw them again at a big get together there. James has been in contact with Poppy since we left and he's shared some photos..." Shauna pulled her PAD out of its pocket on her uniform and thumbed it on. As soon as she had mentioned Poppy's name, Arlan had looked up and Shauna saw the desperately hopeful look in his eyes.

"Here they are..." Shauna offered, getting up and moving to sit by Arlan to show him the photos and some short videos. It was confirmation that what Arlan had seen during his ghostly visit with the "Cosmic Momma" that it was real and not some sort of dream. While Arlan watched the recording of his two daughters, Daisy and Rosetta, and listened to their voices as they laughed and played and talked to their mom and others present, Shauna saw a tear run down his cheek as he touched their images on the screen. She may not have had an Élendorian's sense of empathy, though Shauna knew that this was a guy who greatly missed his mate and the kids they had together but who he had never got to meet.

Shauna put a hand on Arlan's shoulder and in a soft voice said, "She hasn't forgotten about you."

Arlan lowered the PAD to his lap, put his other hand over his face, and shook with quiet sobs. Shauna gently slipped the device from his hand and set it aside, then put her arms around him, pulling Arlan into a hug.

"Hey, you tried to do right by them, that's better than my dad did for us. You got 'em off to good start with everything they needed, so that counts for something, right?"

"*sniff* Yeah."

"As long as I can keep the ship flying, James will get us all home again."

When Arlan looked up at Shauna she gave a little nod of her head and added with a smile, "One way or another, guy, you're gonna see those girls. Count on it."

Cameron had heard his sister talking to Arlan while he was getting dressed. Curious, he quietly opened the door to the head enough so that he could see what was going on. There was just enough space so that he could see his sister show Arlan something on her PAD. When Cameron saw Arlan's reaction, he surmised that Shauna must have shown him Poppy's two girls. He was able to hear the last part of the conversation, including the reference to their father. When Shauna hugged Arlan, Cameron had to smile--he knew then that, despite whatever childhood she might have had, his sister had turned out okay.

* * * * *

"...And that's how I ended up here with James," Erlanna said, finishing her tale of how she had met him and his friends on Dra'ka and came to be with them in the realm of the First Ones.

"Oh, my poor child!" Valerna exclaimed, hugging and nuzzling her daughter, "That fool Kh'nar got what he deserved! If I had been there, why I would have ripped him apart myself for what he did to you! I would not doubt that Arneora most certainly would have if she had the chance! I am going to have to thank Mistress Naoia for sic'ing the Great Lupins on his idiot carcass! I hope there were witnesses!" she hissed.

"Oh, trust me, there were. I made sure that all of Dra'ka saw and knew exactly why_that idiot was meat to be wasted," Naoia said rather caustically as she appeared in a multi-hued swirl of light. "Arneora is presently in charge until they can elect a new leader _and a new council. I'm sure she's done some much needed 'den cleaning' by now," she added with a derisive snort.

Erlanna listened to Naoia in shock.

"Y-You mean, everybody on Dra'ka saw...?"

"Yes, dear, everyone. I wanted to impress on them that what Kh'nar was doing was not tolerated. They should have done something about him long ago after Arneora gave that idiot a good thrashing for not taking no for an answer. Why your people ever elected him as leader is just..." Naoia's lips pulled back in a snarl, though she held her anger in check as it was a moot point now and forced herself to calm down. "Well, that's all over and done with--time to deal with other things."

"If I may, what plans do you still have for these people?" Valerna asked Naoia, gesturing towards the three ships.

"I've given them a chance to freshen themselves up a bit and get those other three situated as they're going home with them. After that, I take them to The Heart, then we proceed from there as originally planned," Naoia replied.

"Nevi and I will be ready for them," Valerna stated.

"What do you mean, Momma?" Erlanna asked.

"There is only one reason why anyone ever gets chosen by The Heart, dear..."

Erlanna's eyes widened and she asked, "They're going to be...?"

"Yes, my child. Nevi and I have been working on the items they will use...and there is even something we have made just for you."

"Me?" Erlanna asked in astonishment, looking from her mother to Naoia and back.

"Yes, dear. You will find out after you see The Heart. Well, actually, I think you already know," Valerna replied, thoughtfully rubbing her chin.

Erlanna had no idea what her mother was getting at though she would soon enough.

* * * * *

Khel'zet let the warm water of the shower soak its way into her long, white hair as it flowed over her dark skin. Ever since she had been held by the Dra'kans and was forced to go a considerable amount of time without a good cleansing, she relished the sensation of the soap and water washing away not only the usual things that build up upon one's skin, but also the symbolic nature of it carrying away one's worries. There was a comfort found within the warmth of the water. The warmth was her only connection to Fire since open flames within the confines of a starship could quickly become deadly. In the realm she and the others now found themselves in, there was light, yet there was no sun in the sky to provide it. She had seen no evidence of Fire in any form...except what she thought she saw when Chief Donnelson was being healed by the red-furred First One shortly after they had regained consciousness upon arriving. That brought up another memory...and a wave of emotion.

She had started to come out from behind her place of cover when she heard Chief Donnelson yell. She saw the Dark Blood, she saw some weird bolt of energy spring forth from a hand, she saw the captain fall when he was shoved out of harm's way, and she saw Chief Donnelson take the hit. Khel'zet had immediately become filled with rage and--thinking nothing of her own safety--ran towards the Dark Blood, drawing her new sa'jia blades. Her attack on the Dark Blood was furious, relentless, and without mercy, for she saw only its death by her hands. The Fire within her sought to cleanse the universe of its foul stain even if it meant her own end. The Dark Blood was tough, but thanks to the crafting of her sa'jia blades and the incredibly sharp edges on them, she was able to avenge her crewmate. When she had heard the primal cry of her Thabbani friend, Khel'zet had smiled dangerously for she knew how fast and strong Thavi was, and could then concentrate her efforts on the Dark Blood that had brought grievous harm to someone she liked and respected.

Forcing herself back to the here-and-now, Khel'zet relaxed in the flow of the warm water, allowing her breathing and heart rate to slow down to a calmer level.

"I have not had the opportunity to speak with Chief Donnelson since we were awakened from our rest. I have heard talk that she is now different in some way, perhaps due to whatever means the First One used to keep her alive. I would return the favor, if allowed, of when she sat with me and listened."

Khel'zet had never forgotten the evening when Chief Donnelson had found her sitting on the deck near the port-side airlock and then sat with her and simply listened with compassion as any true friend would.

"I do not forget my friends."

* * * * *

When John slid back the privacy curtain around his bunk the first thing he saw was Diwenzi. She had on her white bathrobe, though the way she was sitting on her bunk--leaning with her left forearm on the mattress, her right leg crossed over the left one, and looking down at something on her PAD--definitely got his attention. Of course, Diwenzi was showing as much leg as she could and the belt of her robe was a bit loose. Giving him a moment to look, Diwenzi lifted her face and smiled seductively.

"Did you take your shower already?" John asked, beginning to wonder what she was up to.

"Nai-a, waitin' on you, skunk-butt."

"On me? Why? You were supposed to go first."

"Changed my mind. C'mon, skunk-butt, let's go get wet."

"You want to take a shower...together?"

"Ai-a, why not? What's that Terran saying, 'conserve water, shower with your pilot', or something like that?" Diwenzi grinned mischievously.

Since it took a moment for John to think of a comeback, she thumbed off her PAD and slowly stood up. As loose as the belt on her robe was, the fabric barely covered her front.

Holding her hand out to him, Diwenzi asked sweetly, "C'mon, you're not afraid to see me all wet and soapy, are ya?"

"Uh...no..."

"You're clear to enter restricted space..." Diwenzi said, cupping her hands over her mouth to mimic the call from a range controller, then she grabbed his hand and--taking John in tow--headed for the shower.

After Diwenzi slipped her robe off and hung it up on the clothes hook, she turned to face John.

Holding her arms up and turning around once, she said, "Ai-a, now you've really seen your first Veswan gal. So...good enough to get a target lock on this little bogie?"

One part of John's mind was reminding him on why he shouldn't do this; another part reminded him that his cousin James had both of his mates, and that Miss Stewert and Petty Officer McElroy seemed like an item, and there were others as well.

"Nobody is going to care out here..." he thought quickly.

"Diz...you're far more than just 'good enough'."

The playful expression on Diwenzi's face melted into such a soulful look that any remaining doubt John might have had instantly went down the tubes.

"Ya really think so?" Diwenzi asked softly, bringing her hands together in front of her in a gesture of hope.

"Yeah, that's a roger, Diz," John replied softly. "Even though some of the things you do might make me gray-out[[3]](#_ftn3 "><span class=")..." John stepped closer and put his hands around hers, "...I don't wanna fly with anyone else."

Diwenzi saw the sincerity in John's eyes and pressed her body close to his.

"Ya know, growin' up back home, I never thought that one day a guy from one of the other systems in the Federation would pick me to be the only one he wanted. Everybody back home thinks I'm sabi'ch'we...you're the only guy who thinks I'm worth bein' with."

John hugged Diwenzi and said, "Diz, you are crazy...in good sort of way. Mostly." When she looked up at him, John made a kissing gesture and smiled broadly. Diwenzi understood the tease, so she put her head back against his chest, slipping a hand down to the belt of his robe, and deftly pulled the bow knot loose.

Looking up again Diwenzi said, "Are ya ready to get this evolution underway?" referring to the shower.

"We're about to go 'feet wet'[[4]](#_ftn4 "><span class=")..."

"I think we're about to go all all wet as soon as you ditch that robe. Hustle up, skunk butt! We launch in 10...9...8..."

Diwenzi quickly stepped into the shower and was setting the water temperature and spray pattern while continuing her countdown as John hurriedly removed his robe, barely getting it on the hook and grabbing up their shower items, before stepping in with her just as she got to "...1..."

While letting the warm water soak into their fur, Diwenzi asked, "Hey, what did ya mean about 'mostly'?"

"You_are_ kinda half-baked at times," John replied.

"Half-baked...?"

"Yeah, you know, firm on the outside, wet on the inside..."

"Ai-a, I'll show ya 'wet' after this, ya herf!"

John grinned and just before kissing her, he called out, "Tally ho[[5]](#_ftn5 "><span class=")!"

* * * * *

After Hauvri'ahn and Rissanivi returned with their drinks, and everyone got settled, Shauna began the tale of her childhood.

"I never saw mom again after she was taken away that night. I ended up living with grandpa and grandma because...well, you probably remember how much of a deadbeat dad was better than I do, Cammie. Grandpa and Great Uncle Ian did their best to keep grandma from being a..." Shauna paused for a brief moment to glance at Hauvri'ahn, and in that moment, she thought it better not to say the word that she wanted to say, "...you-know-what, but I learned quick to just stay out of her range as much as possible. Then, one day in 2494, when I was coming back from school, there were medics and security people there at the house. I found out that something had happened to grandpa when I saw him being carried out on a stretcher and put into an ambulance. I didn't think of it at the time, but when they left, they didn't have their lights going. I found out later he was already gone by the time I got there. The security people questioned grandma a lot until some sleazy lawyer guy showed up. There wasn't any funeral, though I heard that the rest of the family had some sort of memorial service. I wasn't allowed to go to it, for some reason. It wasn't long--maybe a month at most--before that sleaze-bag lawyer guy moved in and he and grandma got married. After that..." Shauna looked down at the deck for several seconds, "...my life turned into a nightmare."

"What happened, sis?" Cameron asked gently.

"I'll never utter that...bloody freak's name...ever! He can burn, as far as I care, and I'd..."

Shauna's hands clenched into fists and Hauvri'ahn felt the startling strength of her hate and loathing. It didn't last long for Shauna forced herself to drive it out, remembering to follow Frer-Sha'an's instructions for what to do if the memories ever tried to take control again.

"Sorry, I...haven't thought about all that for a while. It happened, it's over, they're both locked up and can't ever hurt anyone again." Shauna closed her eyes, took a slow deep breath, and let it out. Looking straight at Cameron, she said in a calmer voice, "I was abused for eight years--physically, emotionally, mentally--mostly by him, but sometimes by both. One day, when I was sixteen, I kicked that bastard as hard as I could where it counts and ran away. Some friends of mine from school got their parents to let me stay with them--they never knew the extent of what happened to me, though they did their best to give me a safe place to be, which I'm thankful for. They helped me file for emancipation and also file charges against granny and that dirtbag, and after the judge found out what happened, I was finally free from that situation, only to have some jerk studly type in high school who tried to force himself on me--I managed to get away from him, though I don't think he was going to be trying that again soon on any filly after the fight I put up." Shauna paused a moment before continuing. "The people I stayed with gave me a job in their family business to help me support myself, and that's how I found out I have a knack for working on propulsion systems--they owned a small business that dealt with ion drivers and such. By the end of high school, I was encouraged to apply for the Fleet Academy and...I got accepted. It was after I got on my first ship in the Engineering Section that I met James. We were at Proxima Station in the O Club[[6]](#_ftn6 "><span class=")when a drunk Zadori officer started messing with me. When the idiot grabbed me from behind, I punted his carcass across the room hard enough that it cracked his chiton and he put a dent in the wall. That got a brawl started. James and some other pilots were there and sitting nearby and he saw what happened. After the Master-at-Arms showed up, I ended up getting hauled off to the brig. During my courts martial, James and his buddies testified on my behalf, though it was James who swayed the panel the most. I got off with a Letter of Reprimand. My CO[[7]](#_ftn7 "><span class=")never cared much for me, so when James got tapped to command a new SLG that was being built, he offered me the job as Ship's Engineer so I put in for the transfer. I think James might have pulled a few strings--his uncle is the head of JSOC[[8]](#_ftn8 "><span class=")--and my CO was more than happy to get rid of me. James has been the only guy who gave a crap about me after you disappeared." Shauna paused again. "Oh, yeah...after our entire squadron found out about what was happening at the Avatar Assembly and Testing Facility, we busted in with help from Fleet Special Warfare Unit Two and caught one of the techs doing rude things with one of the new android avatars. I...went off on the dude in a big way. Once Moira got the new gal out of the test rig, I shoved the guy into it and started pushing buttons. After I stormed out, I...was a mess. James came out and sat with me and later had a chat with his uncle about the situation and they worked something out so I wouldn't get my tail busted." Shauna paused again. "Well, anyway, James and I have been pretty good friends since we met and...he, Lilly, Tanya, and Moira, kinda made me part of the family. It's different, but...meh, I don't mind. It works, that's all I care about. I've got a home and people who accept and love me as I am. Life's good. Finally."

Cameron, Hauvri'ahn, Arlan, and Rissanivi listened to all Shauna had told them and were shocked by what she had gone through.

"Dealt with this, how you have?" Hauvri'ahn asked when she could speak.

"Oh, that...yeah...have to thank Frer-Sha'an for that," Shauna replied. Anticipating the next question, Shauna told them about the rescue of the Mûr Tua'ansa crew, going to Mûr Zhæn, and the healing she received in the Temple of Hfa-Raleen, led by Frer-Sha'an. "As scary as they might look, the Mûr Tua'ansa are pretty decent folks, at least the ones we've met so far have been."

"So, you've seen some combat, then," Cameron stated.

"Oh, yeah. We've been in it with the Wurnak Da'i, some aliens Cdr. Rhuw-Rha'an called the M'Ka Sha'en who tried to invade through a spatial rift they formed near Élenswena, twice with the Pliq, the Yarthenins, and the Dark Bloods. We've also made First Contact with the Mûr Tua'ansa, the Fansq, the Nirians, the Drianedans, the Dra'kans, and the Y'Nahrans. I guess you got the jump on us with the First Ones," Shauna counted off.

"The guy who we traveled with, Nial-sa'fel, is Y'Nahran," Arlan pointed out.

"Oh. Well...anyway, we've been through some stuff along the way and met some folks--some good, some definitely not. Seen some downright scary_stuff, too, like, a supposedly derelict Dark Blood ship that turned out to still be alive...Until Naoia's ship killed the thing. We all heard a horrendous scream in our heads when that happened. The crew of the _Se'nika, Miss Ja'f'darwe, and Læree'ahn were affected the worst by it. Some sort of 'mind blast', I think they said it was. Those ships of theirs look like something that crawled out of a horror vid!"

"We've heard a little about them when we stopped on Palinonia. Nial-sa'fel took us there and explained how the Nekharns, who were minions of the Dark Bloods, had devastated that world. Apparently some Dark Blood ships showed up and did something to cause the land to become devoid of life. Nial warned us against entering any area where nothing grew," Cameron related.

"After what that one did to Lilly, I can imagine," Shauna said with a shiver.

"Isn't she one of Poppy's cousins?" Arlan asked.

"Yeah. Lil's uncle is the admiral in charge of JSOC, he's also James' uncle, too. Ensign John Donnelson is one of the admiral's sons. His oldest, I think," Shauna replied.

"To Lilly, what happened?" Hauvri'ahn asked.

"We were on Chenau-Ri when several Dark Blood ships appeared, crawling out of some sort of spatial rifts they created. A small ship of theirs came out of a rift onto the planet and some troops disembarked and came towards us while we were on the ground. We fought them as best as we could, though it was Erlanna who saved our hides. She went off behind some dunes and changed into her full form and got airborne while we drew their attention. She swooped down on them and crispy-crittered the lot of them, then our Y'Nahran friends came and took out their ship. Unfortunately, two of the bastards still lived somehow and one shot_something_ at James, but Lilly knocked him out of the way, only...she ended up taking the hit meant for him. Naoia said it was 'sucking the life out of her', but since she's not a healer, all she could do was somehow give Lilly some of her own life force to keep her alive long enough to get here, so a friend of hers could heal Lil. She's not quite the same, though."

"How so?" Arlan inquired.

Shauna grimly replied, "Whatever Naoia did to Lil, changed her somehow. Ever see how a First One appears and disappears in a swirl of light? Lilly can do that now. Her eyes glow, too, just like theirs. She's no longer like the rest of us anymore." When Shauna happened to look directly at Arlan, she did a double-take and then leaned towards him to look more closely. "Hey, your eyes have the same glow that Lilly's has. What the frak happened to you?"

"The_momma_ of the First Ones," Arlan replied quietly, lowering his gaze.

As best as he could, Arlan recounted his experiences with the one he called "the Cosmic Momma", the mother of the First Ones, starting with when he first encountered her.

When Arlan described the being's voice and eyes, Shauna blurted out, "Holy crap! Just after I got done with my shower, we were razzing James about something and Moira asked Lilly what she thought, but when she seemed to have zoned out or something, James gave her a nudge. When Lilly looked at us, her eyes were glowing just like Char'ena's and she said in that same funky voice, 'we are here, heart of being'--it freaked us all out! After Lil snapped out of it, she didn't have any memory of what happened."

It took Arlan a moment to think of what to say next after what he just learned.

"That's what she always calls me. Has anyone else seen her, that you know of?"

Shauna thought for a moment and said, "We know Naoia and Lilly went off somewhere for a while before the rest of us woke up from that sleep the First Ones put us in, though Lil hasn't said much about what they did. By the time they woke us up, Lil's eyes had the same glow in them as yours do."

Arlan nodded his head slightly a few times and said quietly, "I wouldn't doubt she's met the momma of the First Ones." He continued on about his encounters with the "Cosmic Momma" and how she helped him deal with his time travel experience, how she showed him the structure of the multiverse and the relationship of other realms to it, and when she took him to see Alicia, Poppy, and Rissanivi. "One of the last things she told me was after I finish the things I still have to do that she would come for me. I...I don't know why she seems so interested in me. After what she's shown me, I...I know without a doubt just how small and insignificant we all are, and she's... she's so...I can't..."

Shauna put her arm around Arlan and hugged him.

"Hey, it's okay, bud...maybe some stuff we're just not meant to figure out, but then again, maybe you'll get the chance to have a crack at it. Look on the bright side--if she can do all that stuff you told us about and has been nice enough to help you deal with your situation, then I'd chalk it up as being a good thing. Just be thankful somebody who really could do something about it actually gave a crap and helped you out when you needed it."

"Cares about you, that one does. Felt it strongly, I have, when to us, brought back you were," Hauvri'ahn said.

"I think I'd have to agree, dude," Cameron added. "From what Hauvri and I saw when she was with you, the...whatever she is...does seem to like you for some reason. I take it that she's never asked you to do anything for her...right?"

"No...the only thing she's ever told me to do, really, is to just...be, whatever that means," Arlan replied.

"Well,that's simple," Shauna stated.

"Huh?" Arlan responded, not understanding.

"What's the one thing wild animals do that we supposedly 'civilized' types usually forget how?" Shauna asked.

"Uh..."

"*sigh* You're overthinking it already, boy genius. They live in the now_while _we worry about all manners of future or past stuff. Stop worrying about crap you can't control and live. You'll sleep better, trust me. I know it's hard to do at times but it can be done."

"Right, Shauna is," Hauvri'ahn agreed. "In the now, happens everything does. So much, you have, worried about things, control you could not. In the now, peace, find within you."

Arlan was silent for a few moments while he thought about what Shauna and Hauvri'ahn had said.

"Sounds like something Steffi would say," he commented.

"Who's that?" Shauna asked.

"Oh...my sister, Stephanie. She got her PhD in Psychology when she was twenty-two. She's in the top one percent in her field. Growing up, she and I used to crawl out the window late at night and sit on the roof looking at the stars, and we dreamed about all sorts of things. *chuckles* We dreamed of starting our own band playing twentieth century beach music, wearing those gaudy tourist shirts and sunglasses. We used to help each other with homework, bounce ideas off each other, and just act as normal as a couple genius types like us could...which probably wasn't too normal, I imagine."

"Sounds like you two were pretty close," Shauna observed.

"Yeah..." Arlan took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Did you get to see her when you got tossed forward in time?" Shauna asked gently.

"Yeah. She married a fighter jock and had two kids by him. William Lee Robinson was her husband. He was a Lieutenant Commander, and...I don't know what unit he was in at the time," Arlan replied.

"Maybe Moira can find out something about him later," Shauna suggested.

"That'd be nice," Arlan said with a slight smile.

Rissanivi had been quiet the whole time while Shauna and Arlan recounted their experiences. It was the first that she heard of Shauna's early life.

"Oyba-len! Big C's sister had bad, bad_time as youngling! Lil' ol' me not know how one's family be so...ooo, hurts to think about! Glad Big C and sister good people they are!_" Rissanivi thought to herself.

Rissanivi snaked her tail around behind Arlan and gently wrapped it around Shauna's waist, then peered past him giving Shauna as much of a deeply caring look as her reptilian face was capable of giving. Although initially startled when she felt something sliding around her waist, Shauna quickly realized that it was just Rissanivi's tail. Having gotten to know the Vey'ani's mannerisms over the time she had been with them, Shauna understood the gesture for what it was, then reached around behind Arlan and put her hand on Rissanivi's shoulder, giving it a little rub.

* * * * *

After Elí and Meyleh had their showers and were in clean clothes, they went back to the hydroponics bay to check on their plants. After spending a bit of time with each, the two Fansq girls sat down near the mysterious sprig, now having grown into a sapling with silvery bark and leaves that seemed to be filled with starlight. It was the first time that they were able to sit and think about between themselves what they had been through on Chenau-Ri, particularly what they had done when the Dark Blood had hurt Chief Donnelson.

"We hurt back," Meyleh commented softly, looking down at her hands, which began to tremble at the thought.

"We did," Elí agreed, speaking as softly as her friend, hugging herself to keep her own hands from doing the same.

With a tear running down her cheek, Meyleh said, "We can never be the same..."

"No..." Elí started to say, but was interrupted by a bright light from which a vague figure in swirling light, crackling and surging with energy and color, and a pair of fiery amber-colored eyes that blazed like suns, took shape. Elí and Meyleh were too astonished by what they saw and felt to try to run or even scream. When the light faded, a strange being that defied their senses stood before them, looking very much like a contradiction between a solid being and a hole into space. Elí and Meyleh hugged each other when the being looked down at them and smiled softly.

"Hearts of being not be afraid," their strange visitor said gently with a gentle musical voice, reaching her hands out to them. "Come".

Elí and Meyleh felt inexplicably compelled to reach for the being's outstretched hands and, standing up, there was a brilliant flash of light all around them.

When the light subsided, Elí and Meyleh found themselves apparently floating ghost-like in space above a world that looked somehow familiar, as if a dim memory from the distant past.

"This was home of ancestors of hearts of being. Come..."

They began to descend towards the planet. There was no sensation of any kind as they grew ever closer. The two Fansq girls could only stare in wide-eyed wonder as they descended through the thin uppermost layers of the atmosphere, passing through the glowing aurora, down through the stratosphere, and all the way to perhaps a kilometer above the surface. There they glided along, passing over seas and land until they came to a vast plain, where they slowed and descended lower. Elí and Meyleh recognized ancient plants with flowering bodies that matched their hair color, gently swaying in a light breeze. Then they saw a small herd of mostly hairless animals that moved about in a semi-upright stance. The pattern of brownish stripes across the backs of the animals looked very much like those of their own.

"Here you started," the being told them in her odd musical voice as they touched down on the ground among the herd.

They were near a small stand of taller plants with woody trunks and fern-like leaves, among which was a female who was acting different than the others. "Watch..." the being told them. It was not long before it became apparent that the female was about to give birth. When it was nearly time, the strange being giggled and Elí and Meyleh suddenly found themselves no longer as ghostly forms but as their normal selves, able to detect the scents, hear the sounds all around them, and feel the warmth of sunlight upon them. The female who was about to give birth was startled and suddenly breathed in sharply, but the strange being smiled and held out her hand and the animal grew calm.

"Come..." she said to Elí and Meyleh, beckoning them to approach. "This one understands now you are friends. Greet as you would one of your own."

The two Fansq girls carefully approached, arms straight along their sides, and in turn each leaned forward and tilting her head slightly downward and gently pressing her forehead against that of the animals'. The sensory tendrils above their eyes ever so gently touched together with the other's in the time-honored manner of greeting and acknowledgement amongst the Fansq.

When she was first brought aboard Nightwing, this was the reason why Elí could not show Chief Sorrel or Frer-Sha'an the Fansq greeting--they simply did not have the same sensory appendages to properly greet in the manner of her people.

To Elí and Meyleh, this was special beyond anything else for them--to experience direct intimate contact with a living ancient ancestor.

When the time came they watched the birth of the newest member of the herd. The two girls thought it remarkable how little difference there was between this newborn and those of their own kind. Once the mother finished performing her task of cleaning her new little one, the strange being apparently shared some sort of silent communication with the mother for they looked each other in the eye for a moment and the mother looked down at her newborn. The strange being knelt and carefully picked up the newborn, holding it carefully in her arms. She smiled at the little one and then instructed Elí and Meyleh to join her.

"This one will begin the line that leads to your own," the strange being said.

Before either Elí or Meyleh could ask, at the moment she kissed the newborn on the forehead--from the vastness within her, the image of a grotto appeared and a wisp of amber light arose from its water and passed from one to the other, causing the newborn to shiver slightly.

"These are who come after, little heart of being," the strange being spoke softly to the newborn. "Greet them."

She gently handed the little one to Elí to hold and greet, then to Meyleh.

"I will never again be like you," Meyleh said so softly as to barely be heard; a tear ran down her cheek as their tendrils touched. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"You will be more, heart of being. Remember this and be."

The strange being carefully returned the newborn back to its mother who proceeded to care for her little one as she should.

Stand gracefully, the enigmatic being held her hands out to Elí and Meyleh and said, "Come."

As they stood and took a hold of her hands, they saw the starry scene within her shift--their own forms also changed to the ghost-like appearance they had before. Looking up, the strange being began to rise into the sky above, taking the two Fansq girls with her.

( Note: The author recommends listening to "The miracle of Flight", by Scott Buckley [https://youtu.be/tKBAjqtPjGY].)

As they ascended to the stars and beyond, a waking dream came to Elí and Meyleh--in it, they saw their people grow from their earliest beginning to become more than they were; they saw the rise of their civilization and how it came to be as they currently knew it; they saw themselves become more than they once were. There would be no more running away. They saw their future and what they could become; they had only to take that brave first step...

and on Chenau-Ri, they had. They had taken up The Shield.

After she had returned Elí and Meyleh to where they had been on the ship, the strange being had one more thing to impart to the two Fansq.

"Gentle hearts of being now understand more than once did. Always you will be gentle, always you will be quick, always you will care. Be soft when possible, be strong when necessary; there will be time to think, time to do, time to do own thing, time to help others. Gentle hearts of being now part of something more." The strange being gently grasped a hand of the two Fansq girls and held them to the center of her chest. "Always you have been, always you are, always you will be...here."

With that, the strange being hugged and kissed Elí and Meyleh on their foreheads, sending a tingle throughout their bodies. She giggled in her musical voice and disappeared in a flash of bright light.

Blinking their eyes from the sudden flash, Elí and Meyleh looked at each other in open-mouth awe and wonder at what they had just experienced, but then...

"Meyleh...your_eyes_...!"

"Elí..._yours_are...!"

Both now had an unmistakable inner glow of amber-colored light.

* * * * *

Char'ena sat outside near the black ship, watching with curiosity. She was aware that the one her First One friend called "The Great Mother" was involved with several of those inside the ship. Char'ena was there when She gave her special gift to Lilly, and now She was also giving to James and the two Fansq girls. And then there was the one named Arlan. Arlan was inside, too, and She had given him something extraordinarily special. Char'ena wasn't privy to everything She did, though did wonder why he was so special. Not being immediately needed for something else, Char'ena decided to go meet Arlan and see what she could find out about him. After all, if Arlan was going to be traveling with her young friends, she thought it best to know something now_instead of _later.

Never having been inside of James' ship, Char'ena could have easily relocated herself inside, though she thought it might be a bit more interesting to go aboard like her young friends did. So, she stood and stretched, then giving herself a little shake, Char'ena padded her way over to the forward landing strut where she had seen them go up and down on a platform.

"Thing comes down, they go up..."

Char'ena looked up and studied the lift for a moment, then blinked her eyes like she did when she played her little game with the aft sensors. The boarding lift came to life and descended down to ground level. Stepping onto it, she saw the control that raised and lowered the lift.

"Make thing go up now..."

Given her size, Char'ena sat on the lift floor and curled her tail around, then blinking again as before, making the lift rise. On her way up, Char'ena thought how much easier it would be for her young friends to come and go as she could. Since Lilly could for sure, now, perhaps the others should, too. The Mûr Tua'ansa could in their own fashion, so why not the rest? She would inquire about that. When the lift stopped at the top, Char'ena saw the airlock and frowned--it seemed rather small. Determined to try, she got the outer door opened and carefully squeezed herself inside before activating the cycle.

"No like this space--too small for Char'ena!"

Once she was inside the ship proper, Char'ena gave herself another shake, then looked back at the airlock and frowned again.

"My way easier."

Char'ena began sniffing to get Arlan's trail. Although it might look and sound like she was sniffing as a four-footed Terran wolf would, it was much more than just smelling a scent. Like Naoia, Char'ena could sense energy disturbances--every living thing generated its own unique energy field and left a "wake" of sorts as it moved along. Her ability was easily sensitive enough to pick out everyone's trail on the ship, so off she went in search of Arlan. Having followed his trail to another lift, Char'ena snorted at the thought of having to get into another box.

When the lift doors opened up on Deck-1, the two who were waiting for the car were shocked to see the Great Lupin sitting inside it.

"GAH!!!" Dr. Garland cried out, having been taken totally by surprise and nearly spilling her drink.

Cdr. Williamson stared blankly, not believing what his eyes were seeing.

"Sorry, Char'ena come see one named Arlan. Not been in ship before. Wanted to try your way to get around. My way easier than yours. Will see later."

They stood aside to let the Great Lupin exit the lift car and watched her walk away, sniffing the deck as she headed forward.

Being a quick thinker (and seeing that Phil was still gawking after their Guide's companion), Angelina fished out her comm set and immediately called Moira.

"Dr. Garland here...uh, Moira, did you know that Char'ena was in the ship?" she asked in a hushed voice.

/* "Why, no, I did not. Where did you see her?" */

"She's on Deck-1 heading forward. She said she came to see Mr. Schneider. Phil and I were waiting for the lift when the doors opened and...there she was, sitting in it like it was perfectly normal for a pony-sized alien wolf being to be using a lift like everyone else!"

/* "I am informing James now. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Moira out." */

"Phil...Phil!" Angelina nearly whispered, "...think we ought to follow her?"

"Uh...I don't want to get too close, maybe just peek around the corner to see..."

"Phil! Don't tell me you're scared! You're a military officer! You're not supposed to be afraid! I wouldn't doubt the captain would..."

"The_captain_ is part wolf, I'm not; he's buddy-buddy with Char'ena, you and I are not; and besides, I'm a linguist, not a 'line officer'. And for the record, I'd prefer a certain squirrel that I happen to be in love with doesn't get turned into a grease spot on the deck," Phil interjected.

Angelina looked at him first in exasperation, then in surprise at his sudden admission.

"Phil...? You...really...?"

Somewhat surprised at himself for having blurted it out right then and not during a better time, "Yeah," Phil acknowledged softly.

Char'ena paused only for the slightest moment and swiveled an ear back, having heard what was spoken between the two Terrans she had met by the lift. Smiling to herself, Char'ena continued following the trail of Arlan Schneider, which led her to the stateroom he was in. Even though she could tell that others were with him, she unabashedly let herself in.

When the door to the stateroom opened unexpectedly it immediately attracted everyone's attention--when they saw Char'ena walk in as if it were her room, they were understandably startled.

Seeing her brother's quick reaction, Shauna immediately said tersely, "Cammie! Chill, dude!" To Char'ena she asked nicely, "Hey girlie, when did _you_come aboard?"

"Not been on James' ship before, wanted to visit. Used your way to get in, Char'ena not much like--my way easier."

The Great Lupin dipped her ears when first replying to Shauna, though she cast a brief dubious glance towards Cameron as she approached. Shauna got up from where she had been sitting next to Arlan and knelt down on the deck to give Char'ena a hug. Cameron, wondering how his sister seemed so familiar with the Great Lupin, who he had only recently met, could only watch with bewilderment.

"I take it you know..." Cameron started to say to his sister.

"Oh, yeah, we first met Char'ena back on Elysinar, then again on Dra'ka and Chenau-Ri. She's been following us since we were at Élenswena and somehow brought us a good distance from there way on out closer to the rim, didn't ya, girl?"

"Yes," Char'ena replied with a few little wags of her tail.

In a heartfelt and softer tone of voice, Shauna told Char'ena, "Thanks for getting Lilly here so quickly. If she had died...I don't think James would ever be the same again. Strange as it might seem, she's...kinda the heart of the family, in a way. I don't think any of us would be the same without her."

Char'ena understood what Shauna was getting at better than anyone in the room might have guessed, being that she was privy to certain things they were not, especially were Lilly was concerned. Char'ena also knew just how different Lilly had become because of how Naoia had kept her from being lost to them.

Despite her simplistic way of speaking and being in the now, Char'ena's awareness and understanding of things often surpassed that of the First Ones, even though it could be difficult--if not impossible at times--to tell exactly how much she did_understand and _when she understood it. As with all of The Others, Char'ena had a special connection to the being the First Ones called The Great Mother. The Great Lupins were a higher order among The Others and were tasked with being helpers for Her First One children as they went about doing their part in all of Existence; they also kept watch to make sure things the First Ones involved themselves with didn't get out of hand. Early on, while the First Ones were still learning the extent of their abilities and what they were allowed to have influence over, the Great Lupins had stepped in more often, giving reminders and sometimes having to undo things. The realm of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr was not only the home of the First Ones, but also where they could tinker to their content, to perfect their skills before turning them loose on the rest of Existence. The "fog" as Lilly thought of it, was more akin in some ways to an ultimate building material from which anything could be made with thought forms--the essence of the Great Foundation, as it were. The Tykua-niya vine that had spontaneously sprouted from the tear that fell from the eye of Se'nika's bio-avatar on the "ground", was an example of how a thought form could create something in the realm of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr when she remembered Felix and the kindness he had shown her ship form. And like all such things of the realm, the flowering vine was bound to it, a part of it, and in essence, it could not be broken. It was "forever" in the purest sense. There was only one who could undo such a thing, though She was content to let it be as it was meant.

Char'ena eyed the rack Arlan, Rissanivi, and Shauna sat upon, being curious, she decided that she wanted to try it out herself. Given Char'ena's size, one would think she might be too heavy for the rack to hold her; however, Char'ena was not only a good judge of how strong something was, she had some unique abilities of her own, including complete control over the properties of her own form. Putting a forepaw on the rack and giving it a little test, by the time anyone figured out what she was thinking of doing, Char'ena hopped up as if it was completely normal thing to do and proceeded to stretch out behind Arlan, Rissanivi, and Shauna, taking up the full length, though leaving them enough room to continue sitting where they were.

"Whoa, girl, getting' comfy are ya?" Shauna asked, surprised by Char'ena suddenly joining them on the rack.

"Wanted to try thing you rest on. Char'ena see why you like, soft."

Shauna turned so that she could look at Char'ena's face and also so she could pet her, thinking that in a way, the Great Lupin was acting very much at the moment like an unusually large canine pet, though Shauna knew that Char'ena was anything but such a creature, having seen some of what she was capable of doing.

"Yeah, it's perfectly normal to have a giant wolf-like being with freakin' unimaginable power just come curl up with a Clydesdale, a near-human skunk dude, and a reptile gal like it was just another day at home on the ranch. Nothin' to it at all. Ye flippin' gods..." Shauna thought to herself as she gave Char'ena a few more strokes along her neck.

For her part, Char'ena enjoyed the attention and let it be known by lightly thumping her tail against the mattress.

"Gee, sis, looks like you got yourself a...a big buddy there," Cameron mentioned, almost saying "dog", but quickly squashed it before it slipped out.

"Yeah, nice to know she's watchin' out for us," Shauna said with a half grin, giving Char'ena a couple gentle pats on her side, causing the Great Lupin's tail to thump a few more times against the mattress.

While the others talked between themselves about various things, Char'ena paid close attention to Arlan. She sensed the deep connection he now had with the being she herself was part of. Whether Arlan understood it or not, there was something Char'ena suspected that he did not. What exactly Her plans were for him, still eluded Char'ena, though some things were coming more into focus in her thoughts. She saw the others that were closely connected to Arlan--the one called Rissanivi she had met and thought well of; the other two she had not met as of yet, though likely would once she and Naoia got them all home again. From what Char'ena could tell about Poppy from Arlan, as well as from Shauna, James, Lilly, Tanya, and John, she seemed likeable enough. And in particular that James and Lilly regarded the one named Poppy and her two offspring by Arlan with high regard, was a plus. The third one, the furry one named Alicia--Arlan had fond memories of her and there was something more. Char'ena understood what it was, though she had no word for it of her own. It was unusual to say the least for Char'ena to think much past the_now_, though she wanted to meet this third heart of being in person on her own terms.

"I meet other when have chance after get James and friends home," she decided. As Naoia had learned, once a Great Lupin makes up its mind about something, there's no changing it.

Char'ena eventually decided it was time to do something else, so she carefully got up and made her way off the rack, giving herself a quick shake.

"Go see Lilly now," she said, mostly to Shauna.

"I'll come with ya," Shauna said to Char'ena. "I'll catch up with you later, I need to find out what's next on our 'to-do' list before we go see that Heart-thing," she announced to the others.

Cameron and Hauvri'ahn gave Shauna a quick hug before she left and watched as his sister and the Great Lupin headed out.

"It's down this way, ol' gal..." they heard Shauna say as the door to the stateroom began to close.

"Is...is this going to be normal now, having these big wolf-beings and the other critter-beings dropping in whenever they want?" Cameron asked in general.

"Know, I do not, my Cam," Hauvri'ahn replied, feeling a bit easier now that Char'ena was gone. "Unexpected, it was, certainly so." As she had with The Others, Hauvri'ahn could sense their strong presence, but little else in regards to whatever their emotional state--if any--they might have at any given moment.

Arlan was quiet for a few moments, thinking.

"I...I think she was checking _me_out for some reason."

Cameron and Hauvri'ahn glanced quizzically at each other, then Cameron asked, "What makes you think that, dude?"

"I...I don't know. It seems like they're all keeping an eye on me. Every time I happen to notice the critter-beings around, they're all watching me. I'm not just being paranoid, Cam, I swear. Whenever I wake up from having dozed off...there they are, gathered around me, just looking. It's freaky! But...then again, after seeing how they are around the Cosmic Momma whenever she's been with me, I really gotta wonder if...if they're somehow a part of her."

Cameron, Hauvri'ahn, and Rissanivi didn't know what to think about that possibility.

"Hey, Lil...ya got a visitor!" Shauna called out as soon as the back door to James' cabin opened.

"Say what?" Lilly called back where she was stretched out on the extra-large bunk. When she looked up as Shauna entered the space, Lilly quickly sat up.

"Whoa! Char'ena, whatcha doin' on the ship?"

"Wanted to come see. Never been inside ship before."

"Oh...yeah, I guess ya haven't, have ya?" Lilly noted, swinging her legs over the side. She held her arms out to Char'ena as she approached and said, "Hugs...", which the Great Lupin happily accepted.

When James and Tanya came in from the office part of the cabin, Char'ena tilted her head slightly so that she could look at them and acknowledge their presence with wags of her tail while Lilly was loving her up.

"Well, surprise-surprise!" James said coming over to sit next to Lilly and greeting their visitor.

Dipping her ears a little, Char'ena said to James, "Wanted to come see, hope you not mind."

James smiled as he gave her a hug as well and said, "Nah, I don't mind. I'm sure you've saved our tails more times than we probably know about. So, would you like the full tour now or do you just want to hang out with us for a bit?"

"Maybe later," Char'ena replied with a couple wags of her tail.

"Not a problem," James agreed.

Tanya greeted Char'ena in a more wolf-like fashion than the others, then joined them on the edge of the bunk.

Char'ena was happy to have her new friends about, though she paid closer attention to Lilly, even giving her a good sniffing over. When Lilly asked why, Char'ena said that she just wanted to know how she was doing with all of the changes that was happening to her body. However, what Char'ena didn't say was how she felt about what The Heart did to Lilly. They would be going to it in a short while and Char'ena was adamant that she would be standing between it and Lilly. The Three were the doing of The Great Mother and her First One children's creation had come perilously close to ending the life-stream of one of those three, which She _definitely_took an exception to.

Even though Char'ena understood the First Ones' purpose for creating The Heart, she had always regarded it with at least a certain amount of disdain, if not with nearly open hostility as she had when she went to fetch Valerna and Nevi. The Caretakers never understood why Char'ena, of all the Great Lupins, acted in such a manner towards their creation. If she ever felt the need to, Char'ena did have the power to undo what they made while it had no power over her. Naoia understood that from her long association with Char'ena and she had confided her own misgivings with her Great Lupin companion about it. Both wanted to give The Heart a piece of their mind for what it had done. Angering a First One would cause the stars themselves to shake with fear...

...angering a Great Lupin was worse. Way worse.

---

[[1]](#_ftnref1 "><span class=") Head - term used since the days of wooden sailing ship to mean the restroom onboard a ship.

[[2]](#_ftnref2 "><span class=") Daffodil Donnelson, at 172.7 cm (5' 8"), is slightly taller than Lilly who is 167.6 cm (5' 6"). James is 193.04 cm (6' 4") tall.

[[3]](#_ftnref3 "><span class=") Under high G loads, as blood drains from the brain, the first effect noted is tunnel vision. If too high a G loading is maintained, and/or if your G-suit isn't functioning or gets unhooked, in addition to the tunnel effect the pilot will lose color vision-he will "grey out".

[[4]](#_ftnref4 "><span class=") Feet wet - flying over water.

[[5]](#_ftnref5 "><span class=") "I have the bogey in sight."

[[6]](#_ftnref6 "><span class=") O Club - Officer's Club

[[7]](#_ftnref7 "><span class=") CO - Commanding Officer

[[8]](#_ftnref8 "><span class=") JSOC - Joint Special Operations Command