5

Long, long ago, when the multiverse and other realms were still in their infancy, the First Ones--who had been helping to guide the development of those who came later--recognized the need for a cadre of beings among those who would serve as protectors of a sort for those who could not protect themselves from those who seemed bent on harming and destroying.

Concepts such as Light and Dark, Order and Chaos had grown out of subtle dynamics of the early Existence which was, by its overall nature, neutral. The Balance was asserted to keep the other forces in check so that none could disrupt The Whole much past small localities within the totality of Existence, and then only temporarily at best. Every new universe that grew into being began in a neutral state, but always a certain randomness crept in and the homogeneity would begin to shift--clumps, tiny at first, would inevitably grow, to become like seeds that became the first stars. And with those first stars, other things would eventually come to be that would form the uniqueness of each individual universe.

From the one that the First Ones thought of as The Great Mother flowed the Essence of The Life-Stream, which all living things born into the multiverse and the realms connected to it were part of. The First Ones themselves were separate from that, having come from Before, and therefore were not nor ever could be a part of the multiverse and its linked realms or be affected by what governed them. The living energy of the First Ones came not from the flow of the Life-Stream, but directly from its Source.

Life--by its very nature--would always try to find a way, though through twists and turns and various influences, it could change. Sometimes it might become a bright, hot, short flash that would rise above the rest, and other times it could become slow, cold, and sink into dark places, with lots of variations between. It was in individuals where it could be strong or weak, bright or dark, building or destructive, nourishing or not, giving or taking.

The First Ones had gathered together to discuss what to do. Even though they had the ability to travel to any place and any time of their choosing, they could not be _everywhere_at once. While they were of the sort that preferred to start something and see where it went on its own, giving it nudges here in there as they deemed necessary, as they did during The Seeding Time in universes during their early periods, they didn't like to see their work end up going down a destructive Path like the Dark Bloods would, for example. So, they came up with the idea of having Guardians who would be tested and chosen (if they passed) to help protect those in the flow of the Life Stream who would go on to do what they could to lift others, be it through word or deed. Great things could start with something so simple that those who might seek to record their history would easily overlook, if they even knew about it at all. A smile, a kind word or gesture, a gentle touch...might be all that it would take to give one a little nudge to continue on, to not give up, to follow a dream, to help others up in turn. In order to find and test potential Guardians, the First Ones decided that they could create something to do that for them, leaving them to deal with more important things.

The Heart, as it would come to be known, started out like the other things the First Ones had created, as a thought-form, which was built upon by several First Ones who had the most knowledge and skill in certain areas necessary to create such a thing. It could project itself into different places and times throughout the multiverse and other realms of existence so that it could search for and then call those to it that might be worthy of The Test. The First Ones were careful with the instructions the gave their creation--those who it found and called to itself would be assigned one among the First Ones to be their Guide who would watch over them during The Test. Naoia Anensu'ena was arguably was one of the best Guides. While her friend A'aleen was the best Healer of all, able to heal any wound of mind or body as long a single spark of Life remained, Naoia's skill was that of the best Tracker--she could find anything, anywhere, in any time. Nothing could hide from her once she was on the trail.

Once The Heart was created and given the level of sentiency and knowledge it needed to do its task, a structure was formed to house it. The structure was designed so that it enhanced The Heart's ability in its search, and when those who had passed The Test could be brought before it, they would have a place to be given knowledge as well as abilities that would be unique to each individual. "What the heart takes, The Heart gives," as it is said. However, no matter the form or difficulty of The Test given to each candidate, it was not to be so difficult as to end the Life Stream's flow in an individual--it was meant to _teach_a being about itself in such a way that even failure would be a learning experience, providing one was open to learning from their mistakes and short comings. Those who could not pass The Test were sent back to where and when they began their Journey, to pick back up where they had left off as if nothing had happened.

Unfortunately, it came perilously close to ending Lilly, as it almost had another on a different world in a different time--Meri, who was originally from the ancient Skunatii village of M'yerrber-khis[[1]](#_ftn1 "><span class=")on Y'Nahra, during that world's younger days. The Great Lupin, Char'ena, had rescued Meri and thus prevented her from being lost. Ever since Meri's Test, Char'ena kept a wary eye on The Heart, partially for her own reasons and partially for The Great Mother. Naoia did, too. No matter what reason The Heart thought it had for doing what it did to Lilly, The Great Mother made it very clear to L'saren Fey-sel'ena, the first of the First Ones, that such behavior of their creation would not be tolerated. While the Keepers were already at work trying to find out why Lilly had come so close to being ended, necessitating Naoia to give so much of herself to keep Lilly from slipping away, Naoia and Char'ena weren't the only ones who wanted to know why--Lilly did, too, and she was determined to find out.

* * * * *

"Personal log entry, Terran Standard Date: Unknown; Time: Unknown. Looks like we're finally going to see The Heart, whatever it actually is. Everyone has had a chance to get cleaned up and get something to eat, though no one seemed particularly hungry for some reason. Mindy, Lt. Slis'issa, and Frer-Sha'an seem to think there's something about that 'water' that Naoia gave all of us that is somehow keeping us energized, for lack of a better term for it. We still don't have any idea how long we've been here in the realm of the First Ones--it might be a day or two, or maybe much longer. It reminds me of the old Irish tales of being in the land of the Sidhe. From what Erlanna told me, her mother has been here for thousands of years and so has the Thabbani Smith, Nevi nBan. Even though he was born a mortal like the rest of us (with the exception of Erlanna and Valerna, of course), he's well over thirty thousand years old, according to Miss Thavi, yet he doesn't look much older than she is. Maybe there actually is_something to what Naoia told Lilly about the First Ones and their realm being 'outside the flow of time'. I have no clue how that could be possible, though...Miss Thavi says there are historical records of Nevi having existed on Thabb during...whatever 'Age'[[2]](#ftn2 "><span class=")she said it was. Hearing her rattle something off in her own speech I can certainly understand how people from other worlds have never been able to learn the Thabbani language. I have trouble just pronouncing her whole name!

"Char'ena has been rather insistent on staying close to me, Tanya, and especially Lilly for some reason and Naoia hasn't been inclined to argue with her about it. It's got me concerned.

"Speaking of Char'ena...it was a surprise when we found out she came aboard to visit with us. For some reason the internal sensors didn't detect her presence, or the fact that she used the forward boarding lift to get in. Shauna was in the stateroom that her brother and sister-in-law are staying in, doing some catching up, with Arlan and Rissanivi also present, when Char'ena just opened the door and walked on in as if it was her room. Except for her size and her eyes, it would be easy to think of Char'ena as just being like the wolves back home in Gelfheim, though that would be a big mistake, I think.

"There is one other being that some of us have met, and that is the one Arlan has been calling the 'Cosmic Momma', though Lilly said the First Ones call her The Great Mother, for lack of anything better to call her. "Cosmic' would be...an understatement about that being. Nobody--not even the First Ones--knows what she is, where she might have come from, or much of anything else about her. Whatever she is, when she appeared to me I got the impression that she's far beyond what the First Ones are. She seems kind of sweet and even sort of child-like the way she giggles and seems easily amused by little things, though she's definitely not a child by any means. Shauna told me what Arlan had told her of his encounters with that 'Cosmic Momma' gal--I can't imagine what it was like for him to experience the things he talked about. Apparently, Elí and Meyleh have had an encounter with her, too--their eyes now that that peculiar amber-colored glow to them, just like Arlan, Lilly, and now my own do.

"Well, looks like it might be time to go...Naoia just showed up.

"End log entry."

* * * * *

At Naoia's request, James and Rhuw-Rha'an gathered everyone up outside on the ground in front of the ships. When everyone was ready, the First One addressed them.

"Now that you have had a bit of rest and a chance to attend to your personal needs, it is time for you to take the last step to complete your Journey. It is time for all of you to stand before The Heart. Yes, even you, my dear," Naoia said, gesturing towards Rissanivi. "Whether you've been aware of it or not, you have, after a fashion, had your own Journey of the heart to The Heart. Along the way, you have had an important part in the Journey the others have been on--not only have you been a part of their Test, you yourself have also been Tested...and now all of you will find out what this has been all about. There is no way you can find the location of The Heart on your own--I, your Guide, must take you to it."

James looked at Rhuw-Rha'an and then they both looked to their crews and the others, sending a silent mental signal to all. When each had given a nod of their head, and Rha'an gave James a nod, James turned to Naoia and said, "We're ready when you are."

Naoia smiled softly, then lifted her face towards the "sky" and howled.

* * * * *

When the swirls of light around each of them faded away, they found themselves at the edge of a dense, dark forest, which Arlan thought was similar to the place where he had been taken to by the "Cosmic Momma". It had the look and feel of the most ancient primordial forest one could imagine. The air was still and heavy with scent, the quiet was so strong that their voices sounded muted, and everything seemed acutely aware of their presence. The Others were present and watching, for their glowing eyes could be seen peering out from among the things that grew there, from holes and boles, and from within deep unfathomable shadows. Before them was the edge of a cliff that that dropped into misty darkness. Across the chasm was another wooded area that was brighter, and rising above the silvery trees was a structure. They recognized the place from the dream that all but Rissanivi had shared.

Naoia walked straight towards the edge of the cliff and when her foot stepped off the edge, she changed into a bright, swirling ball of light, within which was a vague form that when it appeared to turn to face them, the blazing eyes held each of them in their regard.

"Come, children, do not be afraid. I have you. You will not fall."

For a moment, when she first saw the edge of the cliff, the chasm, and the structure beyond, Lilly's knees nearly gave out on her as the memory of her version of the dream resurfaced, but the grandmotherly voice with its archaic accent in her head said, "I have you my sweet child, I did not let you fall on Chenau-Ri--I will not let you fall here. A part of me is a part of you, and a part of you is a part of me. You know I speak true. Come...you know you can do it. You have the strength."

Steeling herself, Lilly looked to James and Tanya, who were on either side of her, and held her hands out to each.

"We go together."

"Just us three...?" James inquired softly.

"All of us," Lilly replied.

James nodded his head slightly and then reached for Moira's hand, who then took hold of Shauna's. The line grew in both directions as everyone formed a link in the chain. Lilly closed her eyes for a moment and, with a deep breath, she stepped off the cliff...

On the other side of the chasm stood Tyrûn-Gil'ithel, the First One who was the head of The Keepers. He had been waiting for Naoia to bring her charges across, though what he witnessed when it was time had never--in his long memory--been done before. Every person in the entire group, had lined up side-by-side, joined hands, and walked together as one with Naoia leading the way. One in the center of the line was most unusual, having been enveloped by a familiar swirling glow of bright light and then extended it to each person on either side.

"That is...remarkable, simply remarkable..." Tyrûn-Gil'ithel thought to himself. The other Keepers who were also in attendance and witnessed the sight, had similar thoughts of their own.

During the transit across the chasm, Lilly felt a kind of quiet exhilaration as the power she was able to tap into flowed and extended around everyone in their group. It was through Lilly that they were all connected, and she in turn was connected to Naoia. For Naoia, it was a simple thing, carrying them all, though due to the bond between them, she knew what Lilly wanted to do so she showed her how. This was the first major test of her new abilities that were due to the change caused by the amount of First One life energy that would now always be a part of her. Like they, Lilly now had a connection directly to The Source--to The Great Mother herself. It was as if another segment of a circle had been completed... now there was only the final piece to put into place that would connect the Past and the Future to the Present. For that, it would require a trip to Y'Nahra, and in due time, that would happen. For now, though, it was time to complete a Journey that had started long ago.

* * * * *

"Welcome," Tyrûn-Gil'ithel said, greeting Naoia's latest charges with his arms spread. "We have been waiting for you. Come, come..." he motioned for everyone to follow him up the path through the large, silvery trees.

Lilly recognized the trees--they were just like the one at the special place Naoia had taken her, the place they made in honor of The Great Mother. As she walked along, holding James' hand with her left and her right hand on Char'ena's back, Lilly began to sense something...an odd presence, and also an energy that she couldn't quite figure out though she felt that she somehow knew it.

( Note: The author recommends listening to "Celestial Temple", by BrunaVille [https://youtu.be/D2LIEQsZQew].)

The walk up the path was not long before they entered a clearing and saw the structure that housed The Heart. Everyone stopped for a moment to look upon the simple, though exquisite beauty of the structure before continuing on the final segment of the path. Beams of sparkling reddish light emanated from the structure going in various directions, shifting a bit, with pulses traveling along the beams to and from the structure. As with other things in the realm of the First Ones, the structure had a somewhat transparent quality about it with what looked to be stars shining from within. It was a blend of stone and plant, of water and sky, of light and dark and many colors.

Tyrûn-Gil'ithel stopped on the third step of the staircase leading up to the main doors, turned and addressed the group.

"The Heart will interpret any question asked as if it is being addressed directly. If you wish to ask me or Naoia, or anyone else for that matter, a question, you need to start with our name, otherwise, The Heart will give you an answer, though perhaps not the one you expect. Those of us who have worked with it know its quirks." Naoia gave a derisive snort at his last comment, which didn't go unnoticed. "You will all receive a series of images, then each of you will have a turn before it properly. It knows what is in your heart of being and it will tell you what you need to hear. Since each of you have given of yourself while on your Journey, The Heart will give you_something in return--as for _what it might give, that's up to it. Don't expect piles of pretty rocks or shiny metals, though. Whatever it decides to give you, it will be a special gift." Tyrûn-Gil'ithel paused a moment and glanced at Naoia, then a look of mild resignation came over him. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?"

Tyrûn-Gil'ithel turned back towards the structure and proceeded up the rest of the steps. A small gesture by him when he reached to top opened the two huge doors and he walked inside.

As they began climbing the stairs, Rhuw-Rha'an thought to herself about what had happened to Lilly since they had arrived in the realm of the First Ones. She had seen the unmistakable amber glow in her eyes and had witnessed some of the things Lilly was now able to do, such as to relocate herself in the manner of the First Ones. There was also something else that she had noticed about Lilly--it was becoming increasingly difficult to pick up her thoughts, not unlike receiving a signal that was getting more distant. Neither her nor her crew, not even the sensitive Aren-Tal'an, could pick up the thoughts of the First Ones, unless they chose to communicate directly, mind-to-mind, as when they were in their energy forms. Rha'an was concerned, and she had mentioned this privately to James, that Lilly was becoming less like they were. James had also noticed that, and confided his own concern to her about Lilly. There was nothing that could be done, of course, though Rha'an was wondering if they were losing what made Lilly, Lilly, as her abilities grew. Naoia had told them that Lilly would likely retain her appearance and personality, though she would become more than any Terran would for a very long time. What happened as they crossed the chasm, was glimpse of what was to come.

Valerna and Nevi stayed close to her daughter as they entered the structure. Since they had been to it before, having found it only because Valerna was one of the first Dra'kans, directly descended from the Drakkorians of Y'Nahra, and very close to their nature. They remembered how The Heart had assumed Nevi had asked it a question when he had actually asked her the question.

Cameron and Hauvri'ahn were totally dumbfounded as they drifted crossed the chasm, joined hand-in-hand with everyone in one line. She felt the strong emotions and even picked up on some of the thoughts through the continuous physical contact they had. Just as they had been getting somewhat used to being in the realm of the First Ones, they were again reminded of the surreal alien beauty of their environment when they laid eyes upon the structure before them.

"Hauvri...have you ever seen anything like...this?" Cameron asked his wife.

"Oh, my Cam...no. Such...seen, I have not," Hauvri'ahn replied, totally awestruck at the beauty of the structure.

"Me, neither," he agreed. "Of all the places we've been to, this...this is the..."

"Yes..." Hauvri'ahn added softly.

Rissanivi wondered what madness had taken everyone when they had formed one long line, should-to-shoulder, along the edge of the cliff they were standing on, when they stepped off it together. She thought for sure they were all going to fall to their deaths. The odd light and sensation that enveloped her body as it spread from one to the next was something she had never experience the like of before. Stepping off the edge and not falling, was almost beyond her comprehension--her eyes said there was nothing beneath them, her feet felt no surface under them, and she wanted to close her eyes and wrap herself around Arlan though she was afraid to close them, fearing the dream might go away and then they all would fall down into the misty darkness below. Rissanivi was relieved when she finally felt her feet touch ground again on the other side. During the crossing, she looked at Arlan's eyes...she saw the glow of inner amber light, only it was a bit brighter than before, and...he had a slight smile on his face. On the other side of the chasm, Rissanivi kept ahold of Arlan's hand as the group followed the head of the Keepers up the path, though when they came into full view of the structure, she stopped in her tracks for a few moments, staring at the wonder before them. She hadn't felt this moved at the beauty of something since D'Narial flew her along the Crystalline Falls of Yeniras on Dra'ka on their way to the meeting in the Great Hall. [[3]](#_ftn3 "><span class=")

"Ar...Arlan...?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Um, lil' ol' me was scared...thought all would fall!"

"I know, babe. She wouldn't let anything happen to you," Arlan reassured Rissanivi.

"Um...who?"

"We were...all connected to Lilly, and through her, to Naoia. The First One had us, nobody was going to fall," Arlan explained, though he and a few others had also helped, now that they, too, were beginning to change, though at a subtler rate.

Arlan, of course, now had a very strong connection to The Great Mother, or the "Cosmic Momma" as he preferred to think of her. He was able to sense her special gift within the captain, Lilly, and the two Fansq ladies. He could also feel, as well as see, the connection between Lilly and the First One, Naoia. When they were standing before the structure that housed The Heart, Rissanivi held Arlan close as she looked and was awestruck by it.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Arlan asked softly, holding Rissanivi and putting his cheek against her hood-covered head.

"Um, y-yeah..." she managed to get out after a moment with a sigh.

Arlan had a feeling that the "Cosmic Momma" wasn't too happy with what happened to Poppy's cousin, Lilly. He didn't understand why he had that feeling, only that he did, and he wondered what was going to happen once they got inside and stood before the thing.

"Let's go see if we can find out why we got put through what we did on the way here," Arlan urged.

"Um...yeah, suppose. Um, Arlan?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, we...we not get, um, lost to each other again? Lil' ol' me still want be with."

Arlan faced Rissanivi and gently cupped her face with his hands and smiled lovingly.

"I hope we won't, babe," he replied softly, putting his forehead against hers. "Whatever the future has in store for us, I...I hope we'll still be together."

Aren-Tal'an stopped for a bit before crossing the threshold into the structure that housed The Heart. What she felt was getting to be a bit overwhelming.

"What is it, Tal'an?" Shen-Lir'an asked, pausing to put a hand on her crewmate's shoulder.

"There is a strong...presence," she sent in reply, "unlike anything..."

"Is it like that of the First Ones?" Lir'an asked.

"No...different. It is very different from them or any other we have encountered," Tal'an replied.

"You feel it, too, huh?"

Tal'an and Lir'an looked towards the voice saw that Lilly had stopped a short distance inside the doorway and a bit to one side, as if waiting for them, and for Tal'an in particular.

"You sense it as well, Lilly Donnelson?" Tal'an asked.

"Oh, yeah, I feel it. I have since we were walking up the path to this place," Lilly replied. "Thing is, though, I think I know it, somehow. Maybe it has something to do with that bond thingy between me and Naoia," she added with a little shrug.

Char'ena, who had been staying close to Lilly, watched and listened to her and Aren-Tal'an talk about what they were sensing. She was growing a bit concerned for the sensitive Khea Mûr Tua'ansa navigator. Char'ena knew that Lilly was strong enough to handle being in the presence of The Heart, though she was beginning to wonder if Aren-Tal'an might not. Stepping part way back out through the doorway, Char'ena made a quasi-barking sound and perked her ears up, as if she was looking at something.

"What is it, girlie?" Lilly asked, looking in the direction Char'ena was.

"Lilly see in moment."

Sure enough, there was a little swirl of light and one of the smaller Others appeared, running towards them. The Other bounded up the steps and stopped in front of Char'ena and sat up on its haunches. Char'ena communicated silently with The Other who then bobbed as if in understanding and then went to Char'ena's side, crouched, and then leapt up onto her back.

"This one will help Tal'an," Char'ena stated, facing the navigator of the Se'nika.

"How is this cute little furball going to do that?" Lilly asked, gently petting the mink-sized Other, who seemed to enjoy the attention.

"Yes, how is..." Lir'an started to say.

"Tal'an catch," Char'ena ordered, just as the smaller Other crouched to jump from her back.

Not given time to think, Tal'an had no choice but to react quickly as the smaller Other launched itself from off of Char'ena's back and into her arms. It stood on one of her forearms, put its front feet on her chest, and looked her in the eye. Although the smaller Others generally did not speak in any way similar to the Great Lupins, Tal'an did get the thought-form that indicated she was to carry The Other with her, either by holding or by allowing it to sit on her shoulder. To demonstrate, it did quickly reposition itself by getting up on her left shoulder and sitting up so that it could hold onto the tip of her bony horn on that side of her head for support. Looking directly at Lilly with its pupil-less glowing amber eyes, The Other made a small bark-like sound while bobbing its head before moving back down to snuggle comfortably in Tal'an's arms.

"This one will help Tal'an not be overwhelmed," Char'ena said. "Heart has no power over Others, Others have power over it. Tal'an take strength from Other."

"Oh...I almost forgot about that," Lilly said quietly to Char'ena, remembering what she had been told during her lessons with Naoia. "That's why you're staying so close to me, Jamie, and Tanya, isn't it?"

Char'ena lowered her ears briefly and gave her tail a few wags. Lilly smiled wryly and stroked Char'ena between her ears.

"What do I do with this one?" Tal'an asked.

"Oh, just keep holding the critter or let it perch on your shoulder--I'm pretty sure it'll do whatever it needs to do on its own, isn't that right?" Lilly replied, and saying the last while looking right at the smaller Other.

With a bob of its head and a little bark-like sound, it acknowledged Lilly.

Naoia had noticed the exchange between Char'ena, Lilly, Aren-Tal'an, and Shen-Lir'an, and the arrival of the smaller Other.

With a soft snort, Naoia thought to herself, "Well, that's going add a little interest to this. Good thinking on Char'ena's part, getting the poor sensitive dear a little reinforcement. Our little creation is going to get quite an earful this time from me, and I wouldn't doubt that Lilly is going to give it a piece of her mind for what it did. Can't say that I blame her, though I hope she doesn't get too_carried away. As long as Char'ena_ and the one she called are here, She is going to be observing through them, no doubt. She has done something to five of my group so far, especially to Arlan. Poor guy is never going to be the same again, even if She did straighten out the mess with the time displacement. While we First Ones can deal with it, we take care not to mess too much with the timeline--quietly observing something is one thing, tinkering with it is another--it's too fickle and it gets to be a pain in the tail whenever something messes with it. Well, at least poor Arlan is no longer in a mess over that business, though those ladies do have to figure out amongst themselves which one--or ones--are going end up with him or not. Then again, She is always going to be waiting for him...but why_? It's not something I really want to ask Her directly, though I_ do wonder what She has in store for Arlan. (*sigh*) I suppose we'll find out eventually."

Hfel-Sri'an looked with wonder in her eyes as she entered the first hall of the structure, for it was like nothing she had ever seen before. The stars shining within everything were, to her, the most incredible aspect. It was as if the stories of her homeworld about the universe being a house that all lived in had been made manifest. It was then that she thought of what she had brought along with her--reaching into her shoulder bag, Sri'an pulled out the tube that contained what she claimed was given to her during their visit to the glade near the ancestral home of the Honored Captain of Nightwing. Carefully opening the tube, she gently withdrew the large black feather and looked upon it with a sense of reverence.

"If only you were here...would you know this place?"

With the experiences she had at the hands of the Wurnak Da'i still affecting her, Sri'an had begun to hope that maybe she might find some peace from those experiences ever since she had been given the feather in the glade. A warm hand on her shoulder suddenly brought her out of her reverie.

"Where did you find that at, child?"

Sri'an quickly looked up from the feather to see Naoia was the one who had asked.

"Honored First One, I..." she started to say that she was sorry for not having sensed her approach, though seeing the look on Naoia's face, she quickly thought it best to just answer the question. "...I...for lack of a better way to describe it, was given this when Honored Captain James Daugherty took us all to a special place near the ancestral home of his family, a...'glade', if I remember the term correctly."

"Given? By whom?" Naoia asked, growing more interested.

"I did not know a name until I showed this to Lilly Donnelson. She told me that it was a feather from a raven, then she told me about someone called... 'Edgar', who was the first of the Terrans called 'G.E.L.F.s'. When she asked how I came to have it, I told her that while we were in the place called a glade, in my mind, a dark shape had come to me and had spoken like an Honored Elder. It said that it has always been with 'The Three', and that it and others will be watching over us during our travels," Sri'an replied. "I have had dreams of it since." [[4]](#_ftn4 "><span class=")

"Interesting. May I?" Naoia asked, holding her hand out.

Sri'an handed the large black feather to the First One, who took it gently and looked at it intently. Naoia, of course, knew about the glade near the old Daugherty homestead, built by the twentieth great grandfather of Lilly, James, and Tanya, having been there herself a time or two. Being what could be described as the Ultimate Tracker who could find anything, anywhere, in any time--knowing where to start looking and when, Naoia quickly found where the feather came from.

"Interestingly, Lilly was correct, this is from Edgar Corvus, the first G.E.L.F. that the humans of Terra created. In fact, it came from the underside of his left wing, near his side," Naoia said after a few moments of concentration.

"Lilly Donnelson told me that after her twentieth great grandparents' Path had ended, that the one named Edgar was never seen again, though some had claimed to either have seen him among the trees or had somehow communicated with him. If he had been gone for so many of their sun-circles, how could he have given this to me_? Or...could it have been some other being?_" Sri'an inquired.

"Oh, it was Edgar, alright, only...he had a bit of help. Arlan has had a little help himself leaving something for someone, and it was from the same individual that helped Edgar." Naoia quickly thought to herself as she handed the feather back to Sri'an, "Having one of The Others hanging around during his time would have been too obvious. She must have had Edgar keep an eye on those Three. I wonder if A'amahi ever noticed anything unusual about that scamp, Edgar...I may ask her. Come to think of it, there was a human female that was rather fond of him. Let's see...ah, yes, Darcy Nemeth. Hmpf. That would be about as odd of a pair as Valerna and Nevi are."

After Sri'an put the feather back into the tube she stored it in and put it away in her shoulder bag, she asked, "Will I see the one who spoke to me in that glade?"

Naoia raised an eyebrow slightly and replied, "Hard to tell, child. Here, anything might be possible."

Sri'an thought on that as she watched the First One walk on ahead.

Just before they entered the inner chamber, Tyrûn-Gil'ithel turned to address the entire group.

"Beyond these doors is The Heart. It is larger than you may expect, especially for those of you from Élendor. What you thought you followed has, in actuality, been here all along, where it has always been. What you knew about was only a small version of itself that it sends out to worlds so that it may call those--like you--to it. While in its presence, you may see these smaller versions come and go, or else floating around it until they are to be sent elsewhere. Pay no heed to the smaller ones. Now then, when you enter, you will follow me in single file until all of you form a circle around The Heart. There is ample room for all of you to do so. I ask that you remain quiet--and that includes any _mental_communication--until it is time for each of you to individually stand before it. We have a place just for that, which Valerna and Nevi can attest to, since they have been here before for another reason. James, Lilly, and Tanya...you three with me, the rest of you follow them in whatever order you see fit."

When James, Lilly and Tanya were lined up behind Tyrûn-Gil'ithel, with Naoia and Char'ena staying beside them, and the others began lining up behind them, the large set of doors leading to The Heart opened.

When Hauvri'ahn got her first good look at The Heart, she stopped dead in her tracks in complete awe at the spectacle before her, prompting Cameron to give her a nudge to keep going. Her D'wena had been responsible for the caretaking of the version of The Heart that had been on their homeworld of Élendor Prime since life began on it, if not before. D'wena Sy'k'rell had had that responsibility for longer than anyone currently had knowledge of. She and Cameron had seen the version held in the structure on Élendor and it had communicated with them--Hauvri'ahn had no idea that what she had always been told was The Heart was actually this gigantic construct created by the First Ones. Miss Ja'f'darwe and Læree'ahn also had similar thoughts when they laid eyes on the original for the first time.

When Lilly walked into the chamber that held The Heart, her first reaction to its size was, "Whoa!" but then the memory of what it had put her through, which would have killed her if it hadn't been for Naoia keeping her alive, came to the surface. How she felt about it was also partly from the memories she now shared with the First One, who had her own long-standing issues with The Heart as well as what it had done to both Meri and Lilly in particular. "You're gonna tell me why ya tried to kill me, ya piece of crystalline crap, even if I gotta rip it outta ya!" Lilly thought, narrowing her eyes and lifting her tail a bit as she stared at The Heart while following Tyrûn-Gil'ithel and James.

Char'ena, who had her own issues with The Heart, sensed Lilly's resentment, and understood it. The Great Lupin was more than capable of undoing the creation of the First Ones, and would do so in an instant if she had sufficient reason to. However, Char'ena felt the presence of the one she was part of. "Wait and see," was the thought-form she was given, so Char'ena would wait to see how the scene to come would unfold.

When Tyrûn-Gil'ithel had led the line all the way around The Heart, Rhuw-Rha'an stood next to James, having taken her position at the end of the line so she could be beside him on his left when the circle was completed. James and Rha'an shared eye contact and he felt her tail briefly wrap around his wrist. He and Rha'an knew each other well enough by now to be able to share a thought only by eye contact--the physical contact, however brief, simply affirmed it. It was the pledge each had made to the other on that cool autumn evening before leaving Terra on their joint mission.

"We are with you to whatever end this Path leads us to," Rha'an had sent to him.

"And we're with you, too, even to the ends of the universe," James had replied.

And together they and their crews had Journeyed...beyond the edge of the universe, beyond the edge of the multiverse, all the way to "The Great Foundation" as the Thabbani called it, to the home of the First Ones themselves--the timeless realm of Ayoo-t'ahna nal-Zhidôr--where they now stood before The Heart.

* * * * *

( Note: The author recommends listening to "Everdream", by Epic Soul Factory [https://youtu.be/RCMXO9sBIcU].)

Without any apparent signal, The Heart began to emit a musical sound that began softly and gradually increased with streamers of reddish light reaching out to each member of the group, enveloping them. Their minds were filled with images showing them the swirling motion of the smallest subatomic particles to the orbital dance of planets around stars, to the spiral motion of galaxies. Then the scene shifted again to the atomic level, growing into the spiraling shape of DNA, and spreading out into an explosion of life of all sorts. Then the music became slower, more contemplative, as they were shown the Stream of Life as it wound through their universe and those beyond, connecting all. At last they saw a pool of calm water apparently surrounded in a dimly lit place with a soft light shining at an oblique angle across its surface...then a single drop fell onto it and each saw their own face in the center as the ripples spread out. Each little thing they saw in the water's surface, like a tiny bobber, when their ripples touched it, there was another sound and a new face appeared, and its movement caused by their own ripples, set forth new ripples that spread outward, touching others and created yet more ripples. James, Lilly, Tanya, and John all remembered something concerning "ripples in a pool", written about in a story they had read and reread when they were younger. Here, the idea from that story was made real, for the other faces they saw in the pool were those around them and those they had met along the way since they had left on their Journey, the people whose lives had been touched by their own actions--the Fansq, the Nirians, those at Esba'in Station, the Drianedans, the Dra'kans, the R'Hinsa, and others. Word of their deeds had spread to places they had not realized. They had made a difference, perhaps only a small one, perhaps one that was larger than they could imagine. However, a new, and possibly more important, Path was before them.

When it was time, Tyrûn-Gil'ithel led James to the podium-like area at the edge of the floor that circled around The Heart.

Speaking softly to the one he intended to go first, Tyrûn-Gil'ithel said, "James, remember that it already knows what is in your heart of being--what really matters the most to you--and it will give you the answer that you need, which may not be what you think you want to hear."

James let out his breath and nodded to acknowledge he understood what the First One had advised, then he turned his attention to The Heart. He had been mulling over what he could possibly ask ever since Naoia had told them the purpose of the Journey they were on. However, now that he was before The Heart, he wondered what was even the point of asking if it supposedly already knew what he needed to know. James folded his arms and simply stared at The Heart with a blank, unreadable expression. He stood motionless, long enough that even The Keepers began to wonder why James had not asked what he wanted to know. Looking down for a few moments, still with arms crossed, James made his decision. Lifting his face, James glanced over his shoulder and briefly met the eyes of the First One who was their guide, before turning his attention back to The Heart. With a clear, strong voice, James spoke.

"I accept whatever counsel that Naoia, and certain others, may deem necessary...but not yours."

With that, James came to attention, smartly executed an about face, and returned to where he had been standing. He ignored the many surprised looks he received, though he did note the slight grin on Naoia's face, as well as the expression on Char'ena's, before taking his place between Lilly and Rhuw-Rha'an. Lilly promptly placed her hand in his; Rha'an glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, then gently wrapped the end of her tail around his left wrist for a moment or two.

James' words came as something of a shock to The Keepers--no one had ever refused to ask their question to The Heart. However, their shock grew when Rhuw-Rha'an decided to take the next turn. Walking towards the podium with carefully measured movements, she paused long enough to look over The Heart as if she were conducting a uniform inspection before she spoke.

"I find myself in agreement with the _honorable_Captain James Daugherty--I will trust what wisdom Naoia and certain others may wish to share with us. You have nothing I desire."

When Rha'an returned to where she had been standing next to James, she nodded her head slightly once, to which James smiled slightly. Turning her head to look with a raised eyebrow at her pilot, Thir-Bre'an glanced at The Heart and subtly indicated that she had no desire to interact with The Heart, which Rhuw-Rha'an acknowledged and glanced only with her eyes towards Aren-Tal'an, who was next in line. From one to the next among the crew of the I.E.S. Chel-Sar Se'nika, the silent refusal was passed along. Hfel-Sri'an, who was holding the tube containing the large black feather in her hands, looked at it for a moment when it was her turn to decide whether she would refuse to take her turn as the others or not. She had heard what Captain Daugherty had said, as well as her own CO, and had a good idea why they said what they did, and also understood that her crewmates were expressing their solidarity with them. As much as Sri'an wanted to know more about the original owner of the feather, something whispered, "This is not the place," in the back of her mind. Sri'an decided, then, to pass.

Watching in exasperation as each of Naoia's latest charges abstained from asking anything of The Heart, he asked himself, "What is wrong with these youths? Do they not comprehend the opportunity they have been given?"

For her part, Naoia was impressed. "Well now, isn't this something? I imagine Gil'ithel is wringing his tail by now over this. I suspect the reason is going to end up being more than it appears. This is not just a simple 'hurt one of us, you hurt all of us' thing. Hmpf, even the two Élendorians have held back. Interesting. I want to see what Lilly does..."

Char'ena paid close attention to James when he went first. When he refused to ask The Heart anything, it intrigued her, as did what Rhuw-Rha'an said to it. She watched as each person in the group silently refused their turn...until it was Lilly's.

Lilly and Char'ena walked together towards the podium, though the Great Lupin stayed between her friend and the First One's creation. Lilly kept her eyes fixed on The Heart--there was only one question she had on her mind.

With a steely expression Lilly pointedly asked, "Why did ya try to kill me?"

That definitely caused a stir among The Keepers.

"IRRELEVANT."

"Oh, no it isn't! We were told we could ask any question we wanted and that is my question! Ya supposedly had this all planned out before any of us were even born, so this test-thingy was all yer doin', and it woulda killed me! If Naoia had been detained just a second longer, I wouldn't be here right now, so...again, why_did _ya try to kill me!"

"IRRELEVANT."

Lilly's fluffy black and white tail snapped up in the age-old warning posture and the glow in her eyes suddenly grew brighter as she struck the edge of the podium with her hands.

"ANSWER ME, DANG IT!!!"

While not near as strongly, the chamber shook much like The Great Hall on Dra'ka did when Naoia was angry with Kh'nar for what had been to Erlanna. This brought expressions of shock on the faces of all present...all, that is, except for two.

Char'ena put her front feet on the short rail to either side of the podium and with eyes narrowed, lips pulled back, and tail up, she growled at The Heart.

"Lilly asked question--you answer! Char'ena say so!"

"Now, now, let's be calm about this..." Tyrûn-Gil'ithel started to say, taking a step forward, motioning with his hands in effort to stop the situation from getting out of hand.

However, Naoia, who had been watching first with slight amusement, then with concern after Lilly flexed her new abilities and particularly at Char'ena's reaction, walked towards Lilly and looking directly at The Heart, said, "Listen to me, our little creation, this is no time for you_to get indignant. We First Ones made you and we can certainly take _unmake you if necessary. I, for one, have a bone or two to pick with you, and my young friend here definitely has one of her own, and for good reason, too. This is not the only time you've done this, nearly ending someone on their Journey, which, as I remember, you are not_supposed to do! Now, you need to stop this idiocy because if you _don't, I shouldn't have to remind you that Char'ena--or any of the Great Lupins, for that matter--most certainly can and will undo you. You see, Lilly here is kind of special in that she's one of those Three that The Great Mother has a particular interest in for her own reasons. You made the unfortunate error of getting Her more than a bit upset with you, so now we have to make what you did right, or...you cease to exist. Simple as that." Naoia looked sternly at Tyrûn-Gil'ithel and sent privately, "And right after that, our_tails will be in trouble. This has to be fixed. Now. There will_ not be a 'next time', according to what She told me and L'saren." Turning her attention back to The Heart, Naoia added, "You answer my young friend here. Now. And you better apologize, too! Understand?"

Naoia crossed her arms and glared at The Heart, waiting for a response...and she wasn't inclined to wait too long for it.

Everyone heard what Naoia said while addressing The Heart. James remembered his encounter with the being that Arlan had called the "Cosmic Momma" and what she said to him about either the First Ones make things right or she will. Recalling her words sent a shiver down his spine, given that James now had a little bit of an idea of the scope of The Heart's reach and its power and just how easily that being could make it cease to exist.

"I wonder if the character Jason from Greek mythology felt anything like I do at the moment?" James thought. While he was contemplating that, something else popped into his head. Looking at Tanya, he sent privately, "Remember Captain Delaney?" Giving her a moment to recall the memory, James quickly sent the reminder to the rest of his crew, then, taking one step forward, he said loud enough to be heard by all, "Tell Lilly!"

Following suit, Tanya took one step forward and said, "Tell Lilly!"

Zach, Shauna, Sylvia, and the rest of the crew caught on and took up the chant, "Tell Lilly!" while drawing closer to their commanding officer in a show of solidarity. Rhuw-Rha'an, not knowing about the incident with Captain Theodore Delaney, decided that James was right in insisting that Lilly get her answer. She, too, joined in with the gathered crew of Nightwing and took up the chant. "Tell Lilly!"

Like a wave traveling around the circle, all the mortals took up the chant, gathering together in a large group as a show of solidarity. Moira, while she had been there at the time of the incident with Captain Delaney, she wasn't able to hear the telepathic chant that had made him give up the information about the remnants of the Purists, though she did learn about it afterwards. Moira quickly filled Se'nika in on what had happened after her shakedown cruise and how this was inspired by that event, as the two of them, though their avatars, took up the chant with their crews. Even Valerna, Nevi, and Erlanna joined in.

At first Naoia cocked her head slightly to one side with an expression of "What the...?", then she looked down at the floor for a moment, only to get an idea that prompted a sly smile to form. The chant began to build in volume even though no one among her charges had the slightest awareness of it--their attention was fixed only on The Heart. It wasn't long before a palpable force was felt in the chant.

"TELL LILLY! TELL LILLY! TELL LILLY!"

Char'ena glanced back at Naoia--when their eyes met, Naoia had a nearly imperceptible twinkle in her eyes, prompting Char'ena to do a double-take.

A sudden brilliant flash of light brought everything to a screeching halt.

A strange figure that contradicted the senses appeared, one that seemed to be a walking hole into the vastness of space. The First Ones present all immediately recognized the being, as well as certain others. Arlan, having had several intimate encounters with the being already, was one; Lilly, James, Elí, and Meyleh, also had brief encounters with the being.

The group parted to allow the enigmatic being to pass as she walked in an unhurried casual manner towards the podium area...and Lilly. She smiled gently at the two Fansq girls, and reached out to briefly hold Arlan's hand as she passed by him. At the front of the group, the being paused long enough to make eye contact with both James and Tanya, who were given a thought form to follow. When the being approached the podium, Lilly moved aside, staying close to Char'ena, with James and Tanya joining them.

"First One child, come," She said, looking back at Naoia, who dutifully came forward, not knowing what was to happen next in this unexpected turn. Turning her attention back to The Heart, the being said in a firm voice, "First One child told what to do--now do. Heart of being will have answer. Now." The "Cosmic Momma", "Great Mother", or whatever else one might wish to think of the being as, held her hand out to Lilly and gently said, "Come." The being had Lilly stand close so that She could put her arms around her, in an unmistakable display of support--and protection. Despite how the being appeared, with stars, galaxies, and whole universes drifting by within the form She manifested in, it was not the deep cold of space that emanated from it; rather, Lilly felt a comforting warmth permeating into her own body as the being held her.

James looked up at their Guide and, jabbing a thumb in the direction of The Heart, asked, "Naoia, you said this thing had nearly killed others before?"

Naoia snorted and replied, "One in particular happens to be someone you know. Sort of. If it wasn't for a little donation she made, Lilly would not be what she is...and neither would many other generations of her family before her, all the way back to the first of her line on your world. You saw a message she recorded for you."

"Wait...you mean..." James started to say, looking puzzled at first, then when he looked at Lilly and her eyes met his, the realization began to dawn on both their faces.

Lilly quickly looked at Naoia and asked, "Ya mean this Heart-thingy did the same thing to Meri?"

"Yes. You and Meri are very much alike in some ways," Naoia replied.

Lilly thought on that a moment, then she began to see certain pieces of a puzzle come together in her mind.

"Uh, Naoia...if me, Jamie, and Tanya were always meant to be together like ya said back at that place ya took me, and if Meri an' I are a lot alike...even look a lot alike, an'...if Meri was somehow responsible for..." Lilly's eyes began to widen at the thought growing in her head. "...Meri was with... with...oh, what was his name..." She thought for a few seconds and then it came to her. "...Mist Runner, that's it! An'...Red Moon! A skunk, wolf, an' wolf. I'm a skunk, Tanya's a wolf, an'...Jamie has wolf in 'im, so...wait, our twentieth great grandparents...they were like us, a skunk, a wolf, and...a guy who had wolf put in'im. If me an' Jamie an' Tanya were... your_doin', like ya said," Lilly thought out loud, turning to look at the "Cosmic Momma", were _they yer doin', too?"

The being smiled and there was a hint of a giggle in her musical voice as she nodded her head.

Lilly looked to James and Tanya, then to Naoia, then she held the being's hands as she stepped back a little so that she could look the "Cosmic Momma" up and down more closely, even carefully touching her in places. Aside from the view seen within the form she manifested in, Lilly discovered the little details that would easily be missed, details such as a muzzle, ears, hair, and even what felt like fur. The being's general form was in the shape of...

"Oh...jeezers!" Lilly exclaimed in a whisper as the realization hit her like the proverbial ton of bricks.

"Heart of being begins to understand more than once did," the being said with a gentle grin.

"No kiddin'," Lilly agreed softly. Then another thought popped into her head. "Hey," she began, quickly turning around to face The Heart, "Did ya do what ya did to me just because I'm like Meri and ya got somethin' against her, or...or were ya actually seein' how far Naoia would go to keep me alive? *hmpf* Maybe yer just bein' spiteful, for some idiot reason. So, which is it?"

Lilly's shrewd questioning elicited surprised gasps from many, including The Keepers, and especially Naoia herself.

"Maybe it's broke," another voice piped up.

Thavi came forward, drawing everyone's attention.

"Thabbani say people who hurt others are broken; Heart thing has hurt others--maybe it's broken and needs fixing," she added. "But Thavi not understand how it could be broken because it was made from same as this place, which is only thing that cannot be broken," Thavi added.

"There is one possibility: if this is a First One equivalent to an A.I. entity, like myself, perhaps there is a 'bug' in its programming, as we call it on our world," Moira suggested, joining in on the conversation.

"What an irony, the whole existence is suffering from a broken heart. Sounds like a Russian novel, ah?" Tanya commented with heavy sarcasm, rolling her eyes.

"Um, Naoia? Ya can find anythin', anywhere, in any time, right?" Lilly asked, thinking about what Thavi and Moira had brought up.

"Yes...why?" the First One responded, giving Lilly a questioning look.

"Think ya could find a flaw in The Heart-thingy, if it has one?" Lilly asked.

"I'd rather give it a good swift kick in its tail," Naoia grumbled.

"But, could ya?" Lilly pressed.

"I..."

Putting her front feet back down on the floor, Char'ena turned around to face Naoia when Lilly first posed the question if she could find a flaw in The Heart if it had one.

"You find?" Char'ena asked, cocking her head slightly to one side.

"Well...I hadn't thought of doing that," Naoia replied.

"If The Heart is analogous to a computer, then I offer to assist in whatever fashion I may," Moira offered.

"Moira, you have no idea what that might do to you! Granted, you happen to be really good at infiltrating other computers, but this is way beyond our tech level!" Sylvia pointed out emphatically.

"Syl's right, Moira, this thing might fry you beyond repair. We need you to help run the ship--I can't allow you to risk yourself and the ship by connecting to this thing," James cautioned.

"James, my real-time automatic backup to protected storage has been functioning within specifications. I will terminate the function just prior to the attempt and instruct the SRBs to physically disconnect the data link between myself and the ship portion of me. There should be no way that any of The Heart's programming can affect my ship self," Moira's android avatar explained.

"But it could damage you beyond repair," James countered with a worried look on his face.

Moira smiled and said, "I am a machine, this body can be replaced with an identical copy and my personality matrix and memories downloaded into it and restored. I can be made whole again--my crew cannot. I am unique from the rest of us in that I am not biological in some way or another, and I have experience that may prove useful. I have no desire to cease functioning, though if I may assist in helping to prevent future harm to others, then I will do so."

"Are you sure absolutely sure? We almost lost Lil..."

Moira's android avatar smiled softly and, gently placing her hand on James' chest, said, "From the stars I come, and to the stars I shall return."

James recalled his words from what seemed like long ago, "I will fly with you to the stars themselves, and beyond, Moira."

"And so we have, James. The light from our candles yet shine in the night." Moira smiled gently again at James before turning to Naoia. "I will lend what assistance I can--if it is faulty, then perhaps we may correct the fault together so that it will not happen again."

"I help, too," Char'ena stated, giving her tail a couple wags.

Naoia looked questioningly at The Great Mother who was still standing with her harms around Lilly; She, in turn, gave a simple nod of her head.

"Alright, let's see what we can find," Naoia said reluctantly, taking a hold of Moira's hand and placing her other hand on Char'ena's shoulders.

In a multi-hued swirl of light, they disappeared.

"Will Moira be okay when they come back?" Lilly asked worriedly.

"You shall see, heart of being," the "Cosmic Momma" said quietly.

Lilly looked in the being's brightly glowing amber-colored pupil-less eyes with even more worry.

* * * * *

"Where are we?" Moira asked, looking around the strange environment they had appeared in.

"We're in the heart of The Heart, dear. We should be able to find what we're looking for here," Naoia replied. She was also looking around, though in a methodical manner and her eyes were glowing brighter than usual.

"It looks...much larger..."

"Yes, dear, it is. You see, The Heart exists in multiple realms at once, and what you saw of it in the chamber is only what _you_can see of it. There is much more to it than those who are not First Ones can see. I am, for lack of a better way of putting it, expanding your ability to perceive. At least as far as the pertinent parts are concerned. Also, at this level we should be able to more easily follow the trail," Naoia explained.

Moira thought while they were looking around, looking for any sort of pattern she might recognize.

"Naoia...does The Heart have any sort of data storage where we may access what it might retain of Lilly, assuming it _does_save anything concerning an individual's Journey?"

"Well...that is a very good question. While I was not directly involved with its creation, I_do_ have some knowledge of how it does what it does. Your question does give me an idea where to start looking, though." Naoia looked in a particular direction and pointed. "We will start there."

With Char'ena in the lead, "sniffing" the way through the structure of The Heart, they struck off. As they went along, Moira began to compare the golden filaments within the red light that permeated the whole area as being analogous to a type of circuitry. Even though it looked more crystalline in nature, there were some similarities to organic neurons. She noted the pulses of energy that traveled along the filaments--perhaps they were akin to nerve impulses.

"I have a question."

"What is it, dear?"

"Does The Heart have any sort of defensive capability we should be aware of? For example, my own neural net has safeguards to prevent improperly inputted, unauthorized, and/or hostile commands from taking control of my functions. I ask because if someone were attempting to do to me what we are attempting to do to The Heart, then my built-in safeguards would make every effort to stop the intrusion."

Naoia stopped for a moment to consider Moira's reasoning.

"I don't think there was any thought of adding such since there is no way for anyone other than we First Ones and Char'ena's kind to come to our realm unaided," Naoia replied thoughtfully.

"I see. Given that The Heart apparently has the ability to send smaller copies of itself to other worlds, and observe or possibly influence the development of any number of cultures, would it not be possible for it to learn from those other cultures? Perhaps even, as some might say, pick up 'bad habits'?" Moira suggested.

"Are you thinking that our little creation might decide on its own to do things we did not tell it to?" Naoia asked, not exactly liking Moira's line of thinking.

"I only posit that it is a possibility we may wish to consider...just in case. You did say that The Heart was not supposed to 'end' anyone, yet according to what we have learned, it has apparently already tried to do just that more than once. I, and the others of my kind within the Sol Federation of Worlds, are fully capable of learning and adapting to new situations. On the homeworld of our Mûr Tua'ansa friends, many years in their past, some of the intelligent machines turned against them due to a small programming error, resulting in a devastating war. Luckily, those of my own world were able to prevent that scenario from playing out. I understand such has happened both ways on other known worlds in our own galaxy. Most things created go through a development cycle with succeeding versions better than the ones that came before. I am much more advanced than my original predecessors, who are now non-functional museum pieces at best. Is this the latest version of The Heart, or...is it the only version?" Moira asked.

Naoia crossed her arms and looked shrewdly at Moira's android avatar for several moments, wondering if she was like this with James.

"As far as can remember right off, and mind you, this was long before your universe existed. As far as I know, this has been, and is, the one and only fully functional version. It started out with some thoughts and ideas, then some experiments were done to test those ideas. As I said, I was not involved in the creation of this. More to the point, what does that have to do with what we're looking for?"

"Simple," Moira began, "you think like a First One--I am an intelligent, sentient machine designed and constructed by biological beings; therefore, I essentially think like a machine. Which of us, then, is The Heart more similar to, you or me?"

Rubbing her chin in thought, Naoia said, "I see where you are going with this. I suppose it would be prudent to watch for any 'unplanned adaptations' that might prove annoying. Now, as for how long our little creation happens to remember anything about a particular individual, I think I know where to start looking. Stay close..."

* * * * *

Tyrûn-Gil'ithel, the head of The Keepers--those among the First Ones who are in charge of The Heart--was worried about the change in events.

"This was supposed to be a simple quick history lesson and a chance for these youth to have answers to the questions that are important to them! Now, everything has been turned onto its tail! Never has any who have been called to The Heart refused to ask it their question! Oh, there have been a few too awestruck or scared to ask, here and there, though nothing like what this group has done! And now Naoia and that mechanical female are poking around inside it...and with one of the Great Lupins no less! I know that both Naoia and Char'ena are not particularly fond of The Heart over some of the things it has done. Well, that has_been somewhat troubling..." Tyrûn thought a bit more on the matter, then, "..._and now The Great Mother is involved! That poor child She is with...and what Naoia had to do in order to make sure the youngster was able to be here for this, only..." He looked back at The Heart and thought, "What have you done_? You are only supposed to find and test them in such a way that they would not be overly harmed! With all of the effort that went into your making and all of those who have been called to be the protectors we envisioned to help watch over the mortals, have you been corrupted in some way? Are we now to undo all that we have done and do...what, start over or...come up with something else? Well, if_ anyone among us can find what has caused you to do these troubling things, Naoia hopefully can. She_is _the best tracker among all of us, after all. I hope you do not have any further tricks hiding inside you while they are trying to find the cause! The Great Lupin will not hesitate to undo you if you do something you are not_supposed to! They have undone things before, especially in_ our beginning when we were still trying to understand what we are and could do..."

* * * * *

"Um, Arlan? Lil' ol' me not understand what going on! Um, who...what, maybe? Dunno, one with Lilly?" Rissanivi asked, totally confused by what she saw.

"Oh, that's the one I told you about, the momma of the First Ones. She's the one who got the time-thing straightened out with me," Arlan replied.

"Um...oh, yeah, remember you tell that to lil' ol' me. Very, um...strange? Yeah, that it, strange. Um...why she look like that?"

"Well, after the things I've experienced when I've been with her, I...I think that might just be how she chooses to appear to us as. I've seen her in three different forms--two of them you can see stars and galaxies in her, the other...I don't know if there's any words to possibly _begin_to describe it," Arlan tried to explain.

"Oh. Um, prah...no, pro...probably? Yeah, that it, probably more than lil' ol' me understand," Rissanivi mused.

"You and me, both," Arlan agreed.

After a few moments thinking about it, Rissanivi asked, "Um, Arlan? You...um, you want be with...that one? Maybe?"

Arlan was surprised that Rissanivi brought that up.

"Rissa, my feelings for you haven't changed. As far as the 'Cosmic Momma' over there...she's is a nice gal and all, though...she can be kinda scary, too. Not in a bad way, just...well, she altered time without even thinking about it--she just did it. How, I have no idea. See, when I got yanked back to our time, Poppy and I wouldn't have met yet, so there's no way she could have the girls...yet, according to James, Lilly, and John, she does--I've seen pictures of them! I had asked her if the two girls will be there whenever I get back home and she said that they would be. If she can do that just because she can, I...I'd hate to see what she could do if she got mad about something!"

Rissanivi thought on that a moment, then got a worried look in her eyes.

"You, um...think maybe that one, um...maybe take you away from lil' ol' me?"

Arlan put his arms around Rissanivi and looked her straight in the eye and said, "She told me more than once that I...we, meaning you, me, Poppy, and Alicia...have a choice to make. It'll be however the four of us decide who wants to do what, though we have plenty of time to sort that out."

"Um, lil' ol' me still want be with you," Rissanivi affirmed softly.

Arlan smiled and hugged her.

"I know you do, babe, and I still want to be with you, too. I don't know how all of this is going to work out, though...I...I hope you might want to come back to Terra with me, at least for a little while, and meet my family and maybe Alicia and Poppy. Well, we can think about all that later, okay?" Arlan looked over at The Heart again and added, "I hope _this_mess isn't going to get more screwed up that it already is," nodding in that direction.

Rissanivi followed his gaze and agreed.

"Um, yeah...not think supposed to happen this way."

"Yeah, me, too, babe. Me, too."

* * * * *

Within the depths of The Heart, Naoia discovered the starting point for their search--she had found the line of events leading up to the incident on Chenau-Ri with the Dark Bloods.

"Well, this is where I stepped in to help Lilly," Naoia announced as she looked intently at a particular intersection of pulsating lattice lines.

Moira leaned closer and adjusted the magnification of her visual sensors to see the fine, nearly microscopic details.

"These are the equivalent of data bits, correct?" Moira asked.

Naoia thought for a moment and replied, "As you would understand it, I suppose so."

"Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the language this is in--if I were, then perhaps I might be able to process and understand the data stream and the instruction codes within it," Moira said, looking up. "It would make it easier to understand The Heart's decision process that led it to do what it did to Lilly."

"Let me get this straight, you want a 'crash course' in how this creation of ours thinks?" Naoia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Char'ena looked questioningly from Moira to Naoia and back.

"I am fluent in a number of computer languages. The principle behind how The Heart operates, processes information, and its decision tree, may not be so different. This does appear to be a crystalline structure and it bears a similar symmetry to data crystals used by several cultures...all of whom have apparently been visited at some point by your people," Moira replied.

"We have never taught our language to others," Naoia countered.

"I have learned the Thabbani language, which is, by all accounts, too difficult for most to understand. I have also become fluent in Tu'an, the language of our Mûr Tua'ansa friends, on my own. What I have heard of your language has a striking similarity to that of wolves on Terra, though it is more melodious. If I had some form of telepathy, or perhaps a direct neural link, no doubt James and Tanya would be able to teach the language of their four-footed ancestors. I have gathered from Kei'sa that the wolves of Terra have some relation to those of Char'ena's kind, just as Lilly's kind is a recreation of sorts of the Skunatii people from Y'Nahra," Moira explained.

"Char'ena know Heart language, give to Moira like how Naoia gave Terran language to Valerna and Nevi."

"What?! How do you know what language was used when we created The Heart?" Naoia asked, astonished by what her Great Lupin companion said.

"Who gave First One children language?"

Hearing the slight musical tone in Char'ena's voice caused Naoia's jaw to drop slightly and Moira to raise an eyebrow--it sounded eerily familiar to that of another.

Taking the initiative, Moira asked Char'ena, "What must I do?"

"Lean closer..."

As Naoia had done with Valerna and Nevi, Char'ena imparted full knowledge of the language shared by The Others and the First Ones, as well as how it was used to instruct The Heart in its task. When the sparkling subsided, Char'ena cocked her head a bit.

"You try?"

Moira thought for a moment, processing the information, then she lifted her face and howled.

"My word, child...I understood you!"

---

[[1]](#ftnref1 "><span class=")M'yerrber-khis - literally "My/your berry-kiss". Meaning: "Our Berry-kiss", from when one has found their one love (other than that of actual berries, which the Skunatii _still have a great love for).

[[2]](#ftnref2 "><span class=")James is referring to the "Age of Winelenaan", as Thavi called it in book #3, "_On the Trail of Legends", chapter 1.

[[3]](#ftnref3 "><span class=")See Daggers of Darkness #3, "_On the Trail of Legends", chapter 6.

[[4]](#ftnref4 "><span class=")See Daggers of Darkness book #2, "_The Heart of Élendor", chapter 1.