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The light in the room was quite dim, no natural light shone from any of the windows, which were heavily shuttered, even during the day. This gave the whole aura of the room a kind of isolated feel, and for a brief moment I could fool myself into feeling safe from the outside world. It didn't last long, but that was ok. As the electric lights buzzed and crackled, I stepped over towards the bartender. His name was Charlie. I couldn't help but feel that was a good name for a bartender, and the way he grinned at me, I knew he was thinking up a truly memorable bartender wisecrack.

"My, my, Mr Facilier, I don't suppose you've come to enlist us for your noble war?" he said mischieviously, his slightly overweight belly rembling as he laughed at his own joke. "I presume you've already heard the news, then?" I replied with a deadpan expression. "It came through about an hour ago. I've just had to serve all the traders an early breakfast so they could run off to the spaceport and get away from the military." "So they're all gone?" I said, trying not to let desperation fall into my voice.

"Why the interest, Ramon?" the bartender looked questioningly. "They tried sending me to Ia Gelliath. So I'm taking my two weeks leave." The bartender laughed. "And let me guess, at the end of those two weeks, you've got another few hundred weeks leave prepared?" "Pretty much. But first I have to get off this planet with a trader or such." "Well, you may be in luck. One of my more...heh..peculiar customers is yet to leave. He's in the back room. If you want to make a good impression, I'd suggest taking him his breakfast."

"Define peculiar." I said slowly. "He's too tall for a fox, but wears a cloak that conceals himself. He said he was a trader, but I didn't see any bartering last night. I feel he is as anxious to avoid the law as you currently are." "You're a champ, Charlie." I pulled out my wallet and dropped a week's wages onto the counter. He looked slightly surprised. "Is that for my silence, Ramon?" "No, that's for being a friend when in need, Charlie." I replied, taking a tray laden with meat products off the breakfast bar, carrying it two handed through the suicide flaps that lead to the back room.

Making sure the flaps didn't catch on any of the food, I stepped in and dutifully stepped along the room towards the stranger, who was indeed peculiar. He was sitting on a big comfortable armchair right next to the roaring fire, wreathed in a long white cloak that covered everything but his hands and feet. These were covered by huge flat shoes and custom made white gloves, and the cloak's cowl had a personal disillusionment field across the face, so there was no indication of the species. All I had was he was over seven foot tall and clad in white.

"Mr Ramon Facilier, I presume?" he said, in a slow, sibilant voice. I shivered inwardly as I set the tray down in front of him, but logic saved me. "Yes, sir, I presume you heard the conversation in the next room." "You are correct." a long set of fingers extended out and plucked a sausage from the tray casually. As the processed meat hit the field of disillusionment, it simply vanished, and the creature chewed while apparently looking at me. After a second, he continued. "But what need would I have to take on a deserter from the military of the Vulpini?" he seemed to stare challengingly at me, and I stood to attention.

"I believe in survival, sir, or at least dying for a proper cause. Sending a tactician and historian on a suicide mission against the forces of the enemy fulfils neither of those desires." "Interesting." the creature paused with a second sausage on the way to the cowl. "What histories and tactics have you studied?" "Several old libraries around here have some very interesting facts about the civil war and the former empire. As for the tactics, I have studied all manner of large and small ship combat for the last several years in the military, and was promoted to Lieutenant for my skills."

The second sausage disappeared, and there was some more chewing. After this ceased, the creature angled his head. "What do you know about the prophecy?" "Quite a bit. It was a very interesting event, and given all the cross reports I read in the libraries, I would believe the creature was indeed possessed or otherwise psychically able to see the future. Why do you ask?" "Because I intend to see it happen." the mysterious figure watched me carefully, placing his fingers together.

"You have some tactical information on how to achieve this, sir?" "I may indeed. And I do thank you for not batting an eyebrow or otherwise conveying disbelief at my intention." "Thank you sir." "However, if you are to join my crew, you're in it to see it through, whatever the circumstances, is that clear? You try to desert, and I will see it goes very hard with you. Are we clear?" "Crystal, sir. Are you going to tell me what you intend to do?" "Not yet, because I'm still piecing the information together myself. But I do have a lead."

"Well, it sounds like a much better chance than Ia Gelliath right now, sir. So I'm with you if you'll have me." There was a long, long pause. "You may have to fight there with me. But I concur, possible death for a noble cause is much better than certain death for a stupid one." "Does that mean you're taking me, sir?" "Is that an invite for adult mischief, Facilier?" The unexpected direction this conversation caused me to flush, and the sibilant creature laughed.

"Capital." he said," Yes, I will take you on, but I repeat, once you're in, you can't leave." "You seem like a man with a plan, sir. Better than what I have." "Ahh, one must get used to desperation in your line of work." "Yes, sir. I do have one question." "Yes?" "May I see who I am addressing?" There was a long pause, and I almost thought I'd blown it.

"That is a fair request, but not right now. I am incognito because you Vulpini might not appreciate my presence in your town. Go upstairs and grab my kit bag, Facilier. My name is Samis, you may call me Captain. Welcome to my crew." I nodded, and headed out of the roof, heart beating at a million miles a minute. I smiled briefly at Charlie, and he waved playfully at me. "Bon voyage." "Au revoir." I replied, jogging up the ancient oak steps, which creaked under my footfall. Was I the most luckiest Vulpini in the universe?

I came to the only room with gear still in it, and saw a huge kit bag. It was at least 40 kilograms, and I hauled it up with a stifled groan, feeling the weight settle on my back in addition to my own. I'd carried heavier, to be honest, and I made it down the stairs, creaking much more noticeably, to see the figure in white paying Charlie. The bartender acted very deferential to the tall figure, and as I reached the bottom step, my new Captain stopped me with an outstretched paw.

"Let me just get something out of the bag, Lieutenant." he stepped nimbly behind me, and I felt the weight shifting slightly as he pulled a long curved scabbard out of the side pockets. It was the length of the bag, almost six feet in length, and he drew out a magnificently long katana. Charlie flinched as he saw it, but the next question was benign." "Do you have any alcohol or cleaning products for this? I have a whetstone, but the blade is tarnished." The figure bought some metal cleaning product, strapped the scabbard with the sword in it over one shoulder, and made for the door. I waved at Charlie one last time, and he nodded at me before I followed the spectral character out of the oak door. I noticed he had to duck significantly to avoid the bell. As we stepped into the street, I noticed there were several foxes out and about, and wished I had a cap to hide my face, lest I get recognised. The tall figure set off at a cracking pace for a walk, walking down the footpath towards the space port, which loomed in the not too far distance.

I force-marched myself behind him, pretty much keeping pace. I noticed an interesting split in the reactions my fellow species gave this tall figure. Some were of curiosity, some were of suppressed terror, not wishing to catch the eye of Samis. I felt surprisingly invisible, people's attention was just drawn to the creature walking in front of me.

The march/walk went on for about quarter of an hour, the space port slowly growing in it's enormity in front of us. The sun was slowly rising to one side of us, and it illuminated the old-fashioned steel structure of the frontage of the port well. Easily 35km square, the space port was one of the largest on Vulpini, able to harbour some truly massive cruisers and luxury vessels, but also numerous smaller ones.

As such, both me and the white figure entered the spaceport's lobby, stepping into the massive transit hall, where the message flared over countless LED screens. "ALL PASSENGER FLIGHTS CANCELLED DUE TO WAR!" Already there was a packed crowd around the ticketing booths where numbers of Vulpini and alien races alike were trying in vain to get a space flight, or, knowing the passenger services around here, a refund. Samis appeared to pay no attention to the bustle, and stepped onto a rolling walkway. I followed him with a bit of a stumble, before we slowly whizzed towards the medium class vessels were docked. Of course, we couldn't see any of them, because the giant walls were meant for privacy, but after a while, Samis hopped off in front of a 3 by 3 metre door. He swiped a docking card against the pad by the door, and it hissed open. I will never forget the first view I got of Samis' vessel. It was a silver ancient explorer class ship, about 130 metres in length, with a deltawing shape, that allowed it to punch out of atmospheric situations with great ease. The entry ramp dropped down out of the nose, and the bridge of the vessel was directly above it. It seemed to have about two floors of living quarters along the sleek middle of the craft, and the long sloped wings easily had a mezzanine deck out to the edges, as I could see small circular windows along the front of the wings, slanted in line with the shape of the craft.

The sleek silver panelling was being worked on by some kind of winged creature using a welder, who was standing on the wings and sparks were flying. It was too far away to tell what was it was. And at any rate, I was interrupted by an accusing challenge. "Oi, You! Facilier!" I turned in dread, and saw the dockmaster. Of course my luck wouldn't hold.

It was one of the dockmasters that I had seen on several military excursions to space, as one of the higher ranks, I often had to sign for the space. And he had recognised me. "I thought so! Why aren't you with your unit? They are leaving for Ia Gelliath in an hour." "I am employed working for this trader." The dockmaster's eyes narrowed, looking at the tall white figure, but he had a good idea why I was suddenly employed.

He advanced on me. "You're deserting, aren't you? I'm going to call the..." He stopped speaking, his eyes rolling back in his head, before he fell full length towards my chest. I quickly caught him by the shoulders, and as I lay him down, I looked up at Samis, who was sheathing his sword. "No blade use, just a nice little whack with the hilt. Goddamns he was annoying when I arrived yesterday." "Thank you, sir." "I look after my own." he replied, and pulled the door closed, before lowering his cowl.

In an instant, the disillusionment lifted, and I saw who Samis actually was. He was a DRAGON. One of the old dragons of Ia Gelliath itself. His wings unfurled through specific folds in the long cloak, as did his tail. He was silver as the ship, his scales glittering magnificently, and his golden eyes settled on the craft. He strided forwards with much more intent now he was free of the disguise, his wings sweeping past me as I took one last look at the unconscious dockmaster. Samis would not be welcome back here.

I turned and jogged after the tall reptilian, only to see the winged creature on the top of the craft jump down, flare his wings and land neatly next to the ramp. He was about Samis' height, but was covered in white and golden fur. I realised this was not a creature I had seen before, and was not to know it was called a gryphon until later. The gryphon smiled at Samis.

"Repairs have been successful, though you might want to take it gentle getting out of orbit til the welds have cooled. Who's the little bundle of fur?" "My new tactician. He seems to have a knack of it. Lieutenant Facilier, this is Silverbeak. Silver, this is Ramon. Don't eat him unless he displeases me." "You tease." the gryphon shoved the dragon playfully, for indeed I suddenly looked very nervous, wanting to shrink behind the dragon's kit bag. The avian beak loomed near, attached to a large furry body that looked like it could crush me.

"Hello Ramon, I'm Silverbeak, Silver to my friends. I stop this hunk of junk from falling apart. AWK!" Gryphon went down under a pounce from the dragon, and they rolled against one another, wrestling in laughter. I looked confused, and just watched on until they stopped, got up, smirking at one another.

"Anyway, I run the engines and power, so if something doesn't have power, it's my problem." the avian hybrid continued as if nothing had happened. "Nice to meet you." I said shyly. "I'm good with weapons and flight combat strategy." "Excellent, means you'll get to fly this a bit. Or a lot." the avian laughed. "You should talk to our weapons expert, get to know him. He might talk to you." "Why wouldn't he talk to you?" "He's a little intimidated of guys my size." the avian flexed his muscles. "I can understand why." I said, and then flushed as the avian and dragon laughed.

"Ok, let's get out of here." Samis said. "Unconscious dockmasters tend not to go unnoticed." "Oh, you punched him, did you? Good. Didn't like me, so I didn't like him." the gryphon commented drily as he walked up the steep metal ramp. Samis took his kit bag off me. "Welcome to the crew, Lieutenant. " he winked, and walked up the ramp. I breathed out, and then quickly followed. The ramp clinked and clanked, and as I got to the top, it hissed and began to close. I stood in the small loading bay where boxes and boxes of stores were stacked. One single white door of draconic size stood in front of me.

There was a clunk as the ramp locked into position, and I walked through the door into a new life.