Part 11

Nightwing left the system with the Mûr Tua'ansa ship, the Chel-Sar Se'nika, in tow, with two of her sister ships, Shadow Storm and Dark Fire, flying escort. They made a total of four jumps to reach Mûr Zhæn, giving each of the Sol Federation ships a turn with towing the alien vessel home, with_Nightwing_ taking the first and last turn. There was no further indication that any Wurnak Da'i ships were around, to the relief of all, though James secretly thought that it would only be a matter of time before they came back--possibly in force. Along the way to Mûr Zhæn, they left cloaked sensor buoys to act as an early warning system of sorts just in case. Upon entering space claimed by the Mûr Tua'ansa Star Empire, Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an signaled ahead that her crew and their disabled ship were returning with the help of some new friends who had rescued them. The Mûr Tua'ansa immediately dispatched ships to intercept, and although they insisted that the Chel-Sar Se'nika be brought the rest of the way by their own people, Rhuw-Rha'an demanded (pulling a few strings of her own) that the Sol Federation ships who started the job be allowed to finish it.

Mûr Zhæn, being a slightly larger world than Terra, required all three scout ships to lock towing beams on the Chel-Sar Se'nika as they descended towards the surface in an equilateral triangle around the organic ship. With Nightwing in the lead at the apex of the triangular formation, they carefully set Se'nika down on the landing apron at the main star port in the Empire's capital city before a huge crowd who came to see the spectacle. Several smaller planetary patrol craft and a squadron of heavy fighters escorted the ships to the capital city, and circled overhead after the three Spirit class scout ships set down--to provide "protective cover", so the military said. As per Rhuw-Rha'an's request, James instructed Shadow Storm and Dark Fire to maintain the triangular formation on the ground around the Se'nika.

When the crews of each ship disembarked, they took up a formation in front of Nightwing. Standing front and center was Rhuw-Rha'an, with James and the ambassadorial attaché, Miss Ja'f'darwe Ræha'ahna, slightly behind and on either side of her. Directly behind them stood the crew of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, and behind them stood the three scout ship crews in their full dress uniforms. At Rhuw-Rha'an's signal, she and her crew knelt as one towards the Imperial Palace, placed their left hands on their right shoulders and right hands behind their backs, deeply bowing their heads, exposing their necks in submission to the will of the Empress. As instructed, a few seconds later James signaled the Terran crews to similarly kneel on their right knees only, placing their left forearm across their left knee, holding their right hand palm outward and open behind their back, and bowing their heads. They held the pose for exactly one minute and then rose to their feet.

Since it was still late in the afternoon local time, many Mûr Tua'ansa were still asleep. Of those in the crowd that had come to watch, many had been awakened by family members or friends who work the "over day hours"--for the mostly nocturnal Mûr Tua'ansa, it is the equivalent of "third shift" on Terra. The media crews were also present, reporting on the extraordinary event.

"I apologize for the delay, James; it may take some time to awaken the appropriate officials and their staffs. We must remain here until they arrive, as custom demands," Rhuw-Rha'an sent.

"No problem, Rha'an. It seems that we've drawn quite a crowd despite the hour...," James sent with a little amusement.

"Our people are cautious, but intensely curious. Do not be surprised if they attempt to briefly touch minds with you and your people--they have never seen your kind before, and will merely be attempting to 'figure you out'. They will respect your privacy, of course."

"I'll pass that along, Rha'an," James sent in acknowledgement, thinking that the locals were going to have a time trying that with Moira, Leila, and Fey.

After the crews were standing outside in the warm afternoon sun for over thirty minutes, a small government transport finally arrived with several officials, ranging from the head of the Exploration Arm of the Imperial Star Service, to a representative from the Imperial Palace. Since Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew already knew Standard Terran English, they acted as interpreters for the other ships crews. When the group of officials approached, James sent, "Crews...at-ten-SHUN", and the thirty-three biological individuals snapped smartly to attention. This, of course, immediately caught the attention of the approaching officials, especially those with the military.

(Sent in the Tua'an language) "Commander First Grade, Rhuw-Rha'an, of the IES Chel-Sar Se'nika_, submits to the will of the Empress, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana_," Rha'an sent to the palace representative, placing her left hand on her right shoulder and bowing her head.

"I welcome you and your crew home, Commander Rhuw-Rha'an," the palace representative said after placing her hand on the back of the commander's bowed head. "We received your communication signal concerning the poor world you found, though it was weak and garbled somewhat as if an attempt was made to block it. This made us grow concerned for the wellbeing of your ship and the souls aboard her. Unfortunately, the location coordinates were part of the signal that was corrupted, and we did not know where precisely to look for you, though several of our warships went searching from your last known position. From your recent report, it seems that the All-Mother's hand brought an unexpected gift in the form of timely aid. Introduce us to the one who leads these strangers from afar," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana ordered.

"As is willed," Rhuw-Rha'an acknowledged. "This is Captain James Daugherty of the Sol Federation of Worlds--it is he who led the assault on the Wurnak Da'i base where we and others were held captive." Switching to English, Rha'an sent,"Captain James Daugherty, this is Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, the--I believe your term would be 'First Attendant'--to Her Majesty, the Empress."

James snapped a crisp salute in the Terran fashion and said aloud, "Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, with humble respect to Her Majesty the Empress of the Mûr Tua'ansa Star Empire, on behalf of the crews of Nightwing, Shadow Storm, and Dark Fire,it is an honor and a privilege to be here on Mûr Zhæn. May I present our crews for your inspection, milady?"

Rhuw-Rha'an flashed a quick look of surprise on her face at the eloquence and sincerity of James' words, just before she interpreted them for the officials present, who seemed rather impressed.

With Rha'an interpreting, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana said, "The Empress and her people welcome you and the brave crews of your ships to our world. You may proceed, Captain James Daugherty."

James led Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, who was closely followed by Rhuw-Rha'an and the other officials, to his own crew first, pointing out their ship and then introducing his crew individually. When he got to Moira, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana looked deeply puzzled.

"Madam Moira is a sentient machine entity, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana," Rhuw-Rha'an sent quickly upon seeing her reaction. "She inhabits both the ship and this form simultaneously. She is actually quite pleasant to interact with."

"That explains why we cannot sense her presence. Can this machine entity be trusted?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked with concern.

"The captain and his crew trust her with their lives just as they trust each other with their own--and she trusts them just as much with her own. Madam Moira is as much a part of their crew as the rest, and it is the same for her sisters as well," Rhuw-Rha'an replied with certainty.

"Sisters, you say?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked, surprised at the use of the word.

"There are two more ships just like these that we have seen, and they each have a unique sentient machine entity inhabiting them. It is my understanding that even though their machine forms appear different from one another, they are in fact considered 'sisters' in the usual sense of the word. It is a very odd concept, but there is no other way that I can describe them," Rhuw-Rha'an explained as best as she could while they continued.

"And they have_males _in command of their ships?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked with skepticism.

"As the captain explained once, males and females on their world are held in equal esteem, none placed above the other. You may find it surprising that the placid, long-eared female is not only their Communicator, but is also a fierce warrior--she personally saved me from one of the Wurnak Da'i while I was in a severely weakened state," Rhuw-Rha'an replied. "It was the black and white furred one, Petty Officer Felix Canberra, who first made contact with our people, and while generously offering much needed queth sliat, he also taught us the first word of their language and was the first to formally introduce himself to us. It is through him and one of our own, Sensory Specialist Zhir-Chi'an, that we learned their language."

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana paused a moment, glancing over her shoulder towards the palace, before informing James, "Captain, Her Majesty wishes to personally express her thanks for rescuing our people and our ship; in two night's time, you and your crews will be summoned to appear before Her Majesty. You are to be our guests for as long as your duties permit you to remain; the Empress personally guarantees the safety of your people and your ships as long as you are here. Accommodations are being arranged for you, and you will be provided with whatever assistance you may require."

"We shall look forward to meeting Her Majesty at her discretion. If I may, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, since Commander Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew are already well familiar with us and our language, if it may be permitted, we would like very much if they may be allowed to be our guides and mentors during our stay," James requested politely.

Again, Rha'an was surprised by James' request, and she was also pleased by it. The various officials looked at one another, and then suddenly they all glanced towards the palace.

Turning her attention back to James--and shooting a quick and somewhat bemused glance at the commander--Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sent with Rhuw-Rha'an interpreting, "It is the will of the Empress that Commander First Grade Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew shall be thus to you and your people during your stay on our world. A transport will arrive at sunset to take you and your crews to their accommodations. Until our next meeting, Captain."

"Until then, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana," James sent to her, snapping another salute and holding it until she nodded her head once.

With the initial greetings concluded, the officials left with the "First Attendant", except for two technical officers who stayed behind to look over the damage done by the Wurnak Da'i on the Chel-Sar Se'nika and report on it.

When the opportunity presented itself, Rha'an pulled James aside and sent, "James, the Empress was watching and listening to us through Lady Niwa-Ele'ana--did you not notice when they looked towards the palace?"

"Yeah, I was wondering why they were doing that. If you don't mind me asking, just how far _can_your people communicate telepathically?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If I understand your measuring system sufficiently, I believe the greatest distance is one light second--perhaps more if two of our people are in what you call hyperspace, though we cannot communicate thusly across the dimensional barrier between our normal space and that of hyperspace," Rha'an explained.

"We can't send our thoughts anywhere near that far...at least not yet, anyway. Some of the more talented of us can reach another in low orbit from the ground, but that's pushing it. We can't really see and hear directly through another person, though someone can look at something and then share the mental image with someone else, but it's not quite the same seeing and hearing through the eyes and ears of another in real time. We call that 'clairvoyance' and 'clairaudience'." James said.

"Interesting. The First Attendant is one of the few allowed to have such close, intimate contact with Her Majesty's mind. She acts as Her Majesty's eyes and ears when she herself cannot be away to attend to something personally," Rha'an sent, "s_till, for the Empress to take such direct involvement in this matter is exceptional to say the least. You and your crews will be among the few off-worlders to ever stand before a living Empress. James, I and my crew shall stand with you before her_."

James looked up at Rha'an and although he understood that the audience with the Empress would be something of a historical event in and of itself, he also wondered why Rha'an pointedly stated that she and her crew would stand with them. Was it a custom or protocol of some sort, or was it for some other reason?

"Rha'an, what do we need to know about meeting your Empress?" James asked carefully.

"I will explain to all, if there is a place we might gather," Rha'an replied.

"We can use the flight deck on Nightwing, it's large enough to easily hold all of us. I'll contact the other captains and have them to bring their crews over."

When the transport arrived shortly after local sunset, the crews of all four ships were taken to what appeared to the Terrans as a luxury resort hotel.

As the transport landed, Lilly looked out her window and exclaimed quietly, "JEEZERS, will ya look at THAT!!!"

Tanya barked out an expletive in her native Russian when she looked past Lilly.

"Ah, a barracks I was expecting, but not this!" she said in astonishment.

"It looks like they're rolling out the proverbial red carpet for us," James said quietly, taking a quick look past Lilly, who was sitting next to the window.

"I'll say," Mike Dugan, James' long time friend and the CO of Shadow Storm agreed.

Rhuw-Rha'an led the way into the sprawling complex where they were met by a minor government functionary by the name of Hris-Lri'an. She looked with not a little dismay at the large group of strange aliens accompanying the crew of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, for this was the first time she had to be directly involved with unknown aliens. Her superior was still in transit to the resort-like compound due to the fact that it was still quite early, and the transport that brought the ship crews was not one from the regular service from the star port.

"Commander Rhuw-Rha'an?"

"I am she," Rha'an acknowledged, turning to face the functionary.

"I am Hris-Lri'an, Sixth Attendant of Lady Pren-Dre'ana of the Diplomatic Circle. My apologies for being the only one to greet you and your...friends at this time. Unfortunately, my superior is still in transit--we were not expecting you to arrive quite so early."

"Lady Niwa-Ele'ana herself ordered the transport that brought us here--a glance from her is enough to motivate even the most reluctant individuals," Rhuw-Rha'an said with a little amusement.

The commander normally did not care to deal with civilian government officials, and usually avoided having to whenever possible, though this time she didn't have much of a choice and that irritated her. Rha'an knew that the only reason why she and her crew were even here in this place was because of the Terrans, and even they seemed taken aback at the extravagance being showered upon them.

"We're more alike than not, my friends," Rha'an thought to herself. "We are military and used to the military life--we accept the simple conditions aboard our ships as the way of things. Our own small, comfortable homes in the forests now seem like the great houses fit for the wealthy and the powerful, instead of the humble structures they are."

"Commander?"

Rha'an's attention returned to the person in front of her.

"My superior is arriving. I...understand that you can communicate with the aliens?" Hris-Lri'an inquired politely.

"Yes, all of my crew has learned their language, though they as yet only know a few words of our own. They may not have the ability to learn quite as fast as we, however, they will undoubtedly learn our language in time. Let us get this over with so that we may settle into our rooms," Rhuw-Rha'an replied, adding a slight amount of sarcasm to the last part.

"If you will instruct the aliens..."

"They are called 'Terrans'," Rhuw-Rha'an interrupted.

"...the...'Terrans'...to come with me...," Hris-Lri'an bowed slightly.

"You look like you'd rather be scrubbing plasma conduits right about now," James sent with amusement to Rha'an.

She regarded him with a look that needed no translation.

"Already you know me well enough, James," she sent back with a wry smile.

"I suspect government officials are the same everywhere..."

"You are likely correct, James. They do seem to be a constant in the universe," Rha'an agreed.

"Yeah, a constant pain in the tail," James sent with a smirk.

Rha'an actually laughed out loud at James' remark, which drew looks from all around. The crew of the_Chel-Sar Se'nika_ was glad to hear their commander laugh--after their terrible ordeal, it was good to see at least some of the weight of command being lifted from her shoulders, even if only for a little while.

After meeting with Lady Pren-Dre'ana and dealing with the initial diplomatic and entry formalities, the crews were finally led to a wing in the building where they essentially had the entire floor to themselves. It was decided that everyone should remain in clean working uniform--the normal flight suit style uniform they wore daily--except for when they would appear before the Empress, then they would wear their full dress uniform. Rha'an's superiors came and spent some time debriefing her and her crew, and also thanking James and the Terran crews for coming to the aid and assistance of their people in their time of need. James had been given prior permission to tell the Mûr Tua'ansa military representatives a condensed version of the Sol Federation's rescue mission and subsequent action against the Wurnak Da'i, what they had discovered about them and their technological level, the "message" sent back, and the monitoring buoys deployed along the way to keep watch in case they should return.

"Your people were quite decisive, bold, and very thorough in dealing with this new menace to all our civilizations, and...we are somewhat surprised that you are willing to share this information with us," Commander General Thir-Sro'an, Rhuw-Rha'an's immediate superior, said with her interpreting.

"We share this with you partly out of courtesy, and partly due to the exemplary professionalism exhibited by Commander Rhuw-Rha'an and the crew of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, and the friendships formed between our respective crews," James explained.

Rha'an's jaw nearly dropped in surprise at James' words, but she quickly recovered to interpret them. She knew that James was being openly honest, and that he genuinely felt such with conviction. Commander General Thir-Sro'an was also surprised to hear such high praise, and she could sense similar feelings from the other Terrans present. The Commander General knew that the Empress had taken the extraordinary measure of giving the Terran crews an official--and personal--welcome to their world, and would be publicly thanking them for their efforts in bringing her people home. All of Mûr Zhæn and the colonies as well would be privy to the event over the royal communication channels. She chose her next words carefully, since the Terran captain would be going before the Empress.

"We thank you for this gift of information concerning our mutual adversaries, and your candor, Captain James Daugherty. For myself, I thank you for rescuing our people and their vessel, and bringing them home alive. I would not doubt that their families also appreciate knowing that their kin are safe."

"We are happy to have been in the right place at the right time and for the right reason, Commander General Thir-Sro'an. Despite the original conditions under which we met, I and my crew have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and get to know Commander Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew. We hope that perhaps your government may allow them to come and visit Terra in the near future--they will be most welcome," James said, giving Rha'an a quick glance.

Thir-Sro'an didn't miss the fact that James glanced at Rha'an, and she wondered what that might have been about, though she did not say anything.

"We shall see what the future holds, Captain. I believe we are through for the time being, so the rest of the time is yours to do as you please--until you are summoned to the palace, of course. Commander Rhuw-Rha'an, I shall make sure that you are kept informed of you ship's repair status. Is there anything else you wish to add at this time?"

"No, Madam Commander General, I have nothing further to add to what I have already stated."

Thir-Sro'an stood, prompting everyone else present to stand, and then with a nod to James...*bamf*...she was gone, followed quickly by the rest of her party.

After James had a chance to switch uniforms, he stepped out onto the balcony and took in a deep breath of Mûr Zhæn's night air. It was clean and there was a scent of sweet smelling flowers. He looked up into the night sky and saw the stars overhead, and it was then that it fully sank in that he was standing on an alien world far from home. There were no star patterns that he recognized, no familiar points of reference--as much as it thrilled him to be where he was, being the first of his people to step foot on a new world populated by a people very different from what he was used to, he still had that yearning for the forests of his own home. James suppressed the urge to howl, as the wolf part of his ancestry wanted to call out, desiring to hear the voices of others of its own kind. Or was it a desire to announce its presence, to establish a territory, to call the hunt? James felt a familiar presence draw close and he smiled to himself.

"Feeling the same thing I am, Tanya?"

Furry arms wrapped around his waist and a muzzle with a cold, wet, nose nuzzled his neck. The scent of wolf fur wafted up to his nose in the gentle night breeze.

"How can I not, moy lyooBOHF'?"[1]

James closed his eyes and smiled, leaning his head over to hers, and taking her furry hands into his.

"The wolf in you wants to come out, ah? Perhaps we should let him...," Tanya suggested sweetly.

"And what do_you _have in mind, my dear?" James asked coyly.

"Come into the bedroom and I will show you..."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nyet."

"Well, in_that _case...," James said with a grin, and Tanya led him off by the hand into the bedroom part of the suite.

Zhir-Chi'an, Kfan-Hre'an, and Felix strolled through the gardens and trees in the "hotel's" compound. There were several fountains, pools, and benches along the various pathways through the lush vegetation, along with sculptures and other decorative works. The paths were softly illuminated, the light seemingly coming from within the multicolored cobblestones, giving off diffuse rainbow hues that were very pleasing.

"Wow, this is...fantastic! I've never seen anything like this before!" Felix sent with awed excitement.

Some of the pools had various kinds of small aquatic animals either swimming in the water, or cavorting along the edges. They stopped and watched some of the "fish" swim around--to Felix, they looked like something out of the depths of Terra's oceans, with bioluminescent spots and huge mouths full of long and very sharp teeth.

"We have a fish in our oceans back home that live a long ways down, called 'viperfish'. They're not really big, but they're pretty scary looking, kind of like those over there," Felix sent as he pointed to a particular group of smooth-skinned fish-like animals.

"Those are called 'loakret'--they are not very quick swimmers, and they are wary of anything larger than they are, but they do have a particularly venomous bite," Chi'an sent.

"Venomous? Geez, that would put a damper on people enjoying water sports," Felix observed, giving the loakret an apprehensive look.

"Water...sports? What is that, Felix?" Hre'an asked.

"Oh, things like boating, swimming, diving, surfing, water skiing, and such. Most folks who like that sort of thing do it for fun, others compete in game events. You don't find many of us cats going swimming, though," Felix replied.

"And why might that be?" Chi'an asked curiously.

"Well...most cats generally don't like getting wet, so we tend to avoid things like swimming...it's not that we can't swim, just that we don't like getting wet," Felix explained.

"So you do not enjoy using the 'shower', as you call it?" Chi'an asked, thinking back to when she and Hre'an offered to take Felix into the shower with them both.

"We cats tend to be clean by nature, but when it comes to taking showers, we tend to get in and get out quickly; we don't like being wet any longer than necessary."

Both Chi'an and Hre'an were dismayed to learn this about their new friend.

"I am sorry, Felix, we did not know this about your kind. If we had known that immersing yourself in queth sliat is something you find offensive...," Hre'an started to say, but Felix quickly interrupted.

"Oh no, it's not offensive, Hre'an, it's just...I guess it's something that goes back to when our kind were still four-footed animals. Most G.E.L.F.s aren't much on swimming, and maybe that has something to do with us being covered with fur, or maybe because we're just not particularly adapted to it. Some of the canine G.E.L.F.s enjoy swimming, though, and the otters...well, you can't hardly keep them out of the water."

Chi'an and Hre'an both felt relived after Felix's explanation--they were afraid that they might have offended him when they asked him to join them in the shower. If Felix had been off duty at the time, he might have just because they asked, and also because his mind would have been on other, more pleasurable, things instead of being soaked to the skin. They continued walking around the compound for a while longer, until Felix mentioned food.

"Is anyone besides me getting hungry yet?"

"Yes, I could certainly eat something now," Chi'an replied.

"And I as well. There is a dining facility here, perhaps we can make use of it," Hre'an suggested.

"Since this isn't a basic traveler's inn, the food here is likely going to be expensive, and I don't have any local currency," Felix stated with a little sigh.

"Perhaps Felix is right, Hre'an. Unless we have been given an allotment for meals, perhaps we should consider another place that is more suited for our positions," Chi'an agreed.

"Maybe we should check first to see what the others are doing--maybe they might get room service or something," Felix suggested.

"Room service?" Chi'an asked.

"Yeah, you know, when you call the front desk, or whatever, and have food sent to your room, and it gets added to what you pay for the room. Since your government is putting us up here, maybe they might have something worked out so that we get meals, too," he explained.

Chi'an thought for a moment and then agreed, "That may be a good idea, Felix. If that might be so, then perhaps it will give your Chief Mindy Sorrel a chance to determine if there are any of our foodstuffs that might not agree with your bodies."

Hre'an also thought that would be a wise thing to do, so with that settled, the two women decided to take the most efficient route back to their rooms--they teleported, taking Felix with them.

The staff of the posh "resort hotel" confirmed that arrangements had been made for providing all meals for the crews during their stay, and they were eager to allow Mindy to test samples to see if anything might be incompatible with the biology's of the Terrans. While more fancifully prepared than what the locals might prepare at home, it was assured that the meals would provide an ample variety of Mûr Tua'ansa foodstuffs. Mindy and Frer-Sha'an did find a few items that wouldn't particularly agree with Terran physiology and one item in particular that would make an Elendorian violently ill. Since there are no grains in Mûr Tua'ansa diet, Shauna would have to stick to eating vegetables and fruit, or else get her supply of oats and alfalfa sprouts from the ship.

"If we're going to be here for a while, you probably should get a couple supplement cubes from the ship, Miss Eriksson," Chief Sorrel suggested to their Engineer.

"Okay, how do I get there from here?" Shauna asked.

"I will be happy to take you to your ship, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson," Frer-Sha'an offered politely.

"Er, you mean doing that teleport thing?" Shauna asked dubiously.

"It would be much quicker," Frer-Sha'an suggested.

"Well...okay, I guess. What do I need to do?"

"Just this...," Frer-Sha'an said putting her arms around Shauna.

*Bamf*

Shauna and Frer-Sha'an appeared in the passageway just outside of the crew's mess on _Nightwing_an instant later.

"Wowsa!" Shauna exclaimed, feeling the odd sensation. "We...we really are here?"

"Yes, is this the part of the ship you wished to arrive in?"

"Yeah, close enough," Shauna replied.

/* "Shauna?" */ came Moira's voice over the intercom.

"Yep, it's me, Moira...Frer-Sha'an teleported me over so that I could get a couple supplement cubes," Shauna replied.

/* "Very well, Shauna. I require ID confirmation to be certain it is you." */

"Understood. Eriksson, Shauna; Lieutenant junior grade; Ship's Engineer. Confirm."

/* "Voice print analysis confirms Ship Engineer's return aboard." */

After a glance from Shauna, Frer-Sha'an spoke aloud after clearing her throat, "I am Frer-Sha'an, Healer, of the Mûr Tua'ansa Imperial Exploration Ship, Chel-Sar Se'nika. Confirm, please."

/* "Voice print analysis confirms Healer Frer-Sha'an, authorized guest." */

"Is everything still okay over here, Moira?" Shauna asked out of curiosity.

/* "Yes, Shauna, there has been nothing unusual to report." */

"Okay, thanks. I'm...going to get those cubes now, if you don't mind," Shauna said to Moira.

/* "As you wish, Shauna. Storage cabinet Seventeen-A, fourth shelf. My inventory shows that there are thirty-seven cubes available for immediate use." */

Shauna entered the galley portion of the crew's mess, found the indicated storage cabinet, and took two of the supplement cubes, which were automatically deducted from the cabinet's inventory.

When Shauna went back to where she had left Frer-Sha'an by the doorway into the crew's mess, the healer asked, "Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson, forgive me for I do not wish to intrude...is everything alright with you? I ask because during our relocation to the ship, I sensed a pain in you. May I help in some way?"

"Huh?" Shauna said at first, totally caught off-guard. "Oh...y-you can sense that?"

"Yes. As I said, I do not wish to intrude; however, if I may be of help, I will certainly heal whatever hurt you may have."

"I...I don't...think you could."

"You may be surprised. Would you like to go somewhere more relaxing so that we may embrace in thought?" Frer-Sha'an asked gently.

"Um, what exactly do you mean by that?"

"I know that like the rest of your crew, you also have the ability to speak mind-to-mind as we do, though your ability is not as developed as ours. I will take you to a gentle place, not far from here, where we may share thoughts more deeply. I have sensed a deep hurt in you that you have struggled with for some time--if you will trust me, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson, I will help you as I helped Chief Mindy Sorrel."

Shauna had found out about how Frer-Sha'an had healed the terrible burn scar across Mindy's back, and how much better the Chief had felt physically and emotionally afterwards. Shauna had secretly wished that she could be "made whole" again, though she was loath to discuss with anyone the shame and fear and anger that she felt concerning her past. James had been the exception, however, though after the incident at the Avatar Assembly and Testing Facility, she was going to have to talk with strangers about her actions and her past whether she wanted to or not. At least she knew Frer-Sha'an a little, and she had helped Mindy.

"Well, um...okay. Maybe we should tell Ja...I mean, the captain, that..."

"I know that you are one of his mates, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson, there is no need to hide that. He cares a great deal for you, and that is something to treasure."

Shauna looked a little surprised at the healer, but then she said, "Yeah, you're right. I-I'll let James know..."

Shauna closed her eyes a moment and searched for her mate with her mind.

When she found him, she sent, "Uh, James...I-I'm with Frer-Sha'an, and...I guess we're gonna go somewhere and...talk. She wants to, um...help with...you know."

"Do you think she might be able to?" James asked.

"Well...I-I don't know, but...if she could do for me what she did for Mindy..."

"Do you want us to be with you?"

"Yeah..."

"Okay, have Frer-Sha'an bring you back here first, and Lil, Tanya, Moira, and I will go with you," James said.

"Okay, I'll tell her. James...?"

"Yeah, Shauna?"

"I-I'm kinda...scared..."

"Shauna, we'll be with you, babe."

"If only you knew how much I appreciate that..."

"I know, babe. See ya in a bit."

Shauna told Frer-Sha'an about wanting to have James and his other mates with her, and she agreed to it if it would be of help. The healer teleported them back to the hallway outside the suite James and his mates were assigned, and she made further arrangements with her superior, Rhuw-Rha'an, and the place she wanted to take Shauna to. When all was ready, Rha'an and her crew joined hands in a circle with Shauna, James, Lilly, Tanya, and Moira, and...

*BAMF!*

"Wha...what is_this place? I-It's..._beautiful! Shauna exclaimed softly as she looked up at the shimmering spires of the building before them.

"This is the temple of Hfa-Raleen...it is a place of great healing, both physical and spiritual. Those of our people who have the gift of Iwi suläha--The Healing Mind--come here to train, and those who are in need also come here to receive the help that they need. All are welcome here--we turn none away," Frer-Sha'an explained.

"Did you...train here?" Shauna asked hesitantly.

Frer-Sha'an smiled gently and replied, "Of course. Come inside..."

The group entered the building through a large archway, and Frer-Sha'an led them to a side chamber where she instructed everyone to remove their clothing and footwear, and don a simple gauzy robe that seemed to be made of some kind of cotton-like material. It reminded Shauna of how the silky fibers of milkweed pods feel. Attendants helped the Terrans select robes to fit them, having to wear ones meant for youths, though Shauna could fit comfortably into an adult-sized robe.

"Geez, I wouldn't mind having somethin' made from this stuff," Lilly sent privately to James as she ran her fingers over the material.

"Yeah, maybe we could get a chance to visit some of their shops before we head for home," James agreed.

After they had all changed into the robes, Frer-Sha'an led them towards the central part of the huge temple, where they were met by the head of the Order.

(Sent in the Tua'an language) "May the blessing of the All-Mother be upon you, Frer-Sha'an! We are glad that you and your crewmates have returned safely to us after your recent ordeal."

"It is by Her Hand that we received the timely assistance of kind strangers from afar, Lady Jfel-The'ana," Frer-Sha'an sent as she bowed before her.

"Are these some of the strangers who came to your rescue?" Lady Jfel-The'ana asked politely.

"Yes, this is Captain James Daugherty, the leader of those who rescued us, and his mates. The tallest among them, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson...she is in need of our assistance. She bears a hurt of her spirit, which is the reason why I have brought her here. The others have come to be with her and lend their support during the healing," Frer-Sha'an explained.

Lady Jfel-The'ana smiled gently and sent, "That is well of them to do so--the love of family and friends will be of help. Come, let us gather around the Altar of Hfa-Raleen."

They were led to an open courtyard in the center of the temple which was surrounded by long vines that James thought looked familiar.

"Rha'an, these vines...have I seen them before?" James asked.

"Yes, James, in the memory I shared with you. They are Tykua-niya vines, they are from the ancient birth forest of our people where they still grow," Rha'an replied, touching one gently as she went by.

James paused briefly to look at the vines, and a thought came to him.

"Rha'an, these vines...the leaves bear a strong resemblance to your markings."

"That is most observant, James. They are the reason why our bodies have the markings that they do...they provided our ancient ancestors with shelter and cover from the eyes of both predators and prey. Take care not to touch the spikes, for they contain a painful toxin that burns. We are immune to it, though many other living things are not, and you may not be as well. It is our belief that the All-Mother gave our people the protection of the vines through partaking of the fruit that grows from them, and exposure to the toxin in the spikes as well as the sap. The sap itself contains a substance that stains the skin which may have been used as a type of camouflage paint--over time, combined with consuming the fruit and exposure to the toxin, it forever altered our skin and hair. There may have been other factors involved in the change. Our scientists found that exposed rocks and the animals and plants living during the time of our ancient ancestors were subject to a burst of interstellar radiation. It is theorized that it may have caused a mutation within our makeup that incorporated substances from the vines to produce the markings in patterns unique to each of us. Regardless of how we came to have these markings, the vines themselves have been a symbol of protection among our people, which is why they are grown here. This is meant to be a place where one may feel safe and relaxed, which helps to facilitate healing of all sorts," Rha'an explained.

"Hmm, that's interesting," James sent, though he thought of how Rha'an's markings had a certain exotic sexual appeal to them.

"James! Not...here...," she admonished gently, though she couldn't help but to grin slightly and give his hand a brush with the end of her tail.

James looked up at her with a slightly embarrassed expression that said, "Oops, sorry!"

The center of the courtyard had a raised mound covered with what looked like grass, and flowers growing around it. A path, like those at the resort hotel, led the way towards it in a winding manner, with a softly glowing rainbow luminescence coming from within the stones. The courtyard was gently illuminated by bioluminescent globes growing among the vines that surrounded the area. Overhead a crystal clear dome covered the courtyard, allowing the stars to shine through.

"If you will sit here with me, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson...," Frer-Sha'an sent, motioning to the mound.

Shauna did as requested and sat on the grassy mound--Frer-Sha'an sat next to her, facing the opposite direction.

Lightly rubbing the inside of her furry wrists along Shauna's face, from her nose up to her cheeks, Frer-Sha'an sent, "Relax now, no harm can come to you in this place. Here you are safe from all things--present, future, or...past."

Shauna felt her body and mind relax, and she could feel a gentle presence enter her mind.

"Show me your hurts...let us explore them together. No one will judge you, no one will harm you...you are safe, and among those who care for you."

"James...?"

"I'm here, Shauna...," he sent reassuringly.

"Share with me...," Frer-Sha'an sent gently, though Shauna found that she couldn't keep from opening up to the healer.

They went back to the earliest memories Shauna had of her family, and in one, with Frer-Sha'an's help, Shauna discovered her brother, Cameron. She was almost too little at the time to remember him, and the family never mentioned him to her in later years, nor did they display any pictures of him. Shauna wanted desperately to hold onto that memory of her older brother, and Frer-Sha'an sensed that it seemed important to her.

"You will remember...," Shauna heard Frer-Sha'an's voice in her head.

They continued on to when Shauna's mother left, and how her father didn't seem to care. Then they came to when Shauna was sent to her grandmother's--and what followed shocked the healer. Frer-Sha'an saw and felt the painful memories of the abuse Shauna suffered at the hands of her step-grandfather, and saw how her grandmother stood by and did nothing, sometimes even participating. From her prior experience with healing Mindy, Frer-Sha'an knew that this sort of thing was not common among Terrans, and that if discovered, abusive behavior such as what Shauna endured would be quickly dealt with. Somehow, though, Shauna did not receive the help she should have then, and she lived with the shame, guilt, fear, and anger into her adult life. Frer-Sha'an went on to learn of the experience of the Zadori officer, of when she met James and how he stood up for her, the punishment for the incident meted out by her former commanding officer over the incident, how James felt about her, and the incident at the Avatar Assembly and Testing Facility where her past came to a head, causing her to turn violently on the worker who had been violating the android avatars of the A.I.s. Lastly, they came to Admiral Donnelson insisting that she go through counseling and an "anger management" course upon their return from this mission. Shauna was in tears when they finished.

"P-Please...I-I don't want to...be like that! I don't...I don't want to be like him_! I wanna be free from what he did!_" Shauna pleaded, referring to her step-grandfather.

"And you shall be, Lieutenant Shauna Eriksson," Frer-Sha'an reassured her, stroking Shauna's face again with the fur-like hair on her wrists.

Frer-Sha'an placed her fingertips on certain places of Shauna's face, and then she began to sing.

Other minds and voices joined in, for they were not alone. Surrounding the crew of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, James and his other mates, and the mound where Shauna and Frer-Sha'an sat, a small crowd of temple personnel had gathered. They sang and added their own energies to assist in Shauna's healing. It was a beautiful song, unlike any other that James, Lilly, Tanya, Moira, and Shauna had ever heard before. Shauna felt as if she was floating, and indeed if she had opened her eyes, she would have discovered that she was floating, held up by the thoughts of the Mûr Tua'ansa. Although Moira's avatar was incapable of experiencing mentally the tremendous energies brought into play, she _was_able to see Shauna lifted into the air and being enveloped in some kind of shimmering light. It started out dimly with muted, darker colors, though during the course of the singing, it grew brighter and more colorful--when it reached a pure white color at the height of the "song", Shauna's body seemed to glow with a golden aura. As the "song" ended, Shauna's body was gently lowered into the waiting arms of Frer-Sha'an and her crewmates. When she was on her feet again, Shauna threw her arms around Frer-Sha'an's neck and hugged her tightly, weeping openly, and everyone in attendance stepped up and put their hands on Shauna, giving their support.

Later, after they had changed back into their uniforms, Lady Jfel-The'ana came to Shauna and said (through Frer-Sha'an), "No longer shall you be haunted by your past, dear one. Wear this, and walk in peace."

As Lady Jfel-The'ana fastened the necklace around Shauna's neck, she explained, "The crystal is filled with water from our most sacred spring, called in our tongue the Mûr Thel-Raleen--The Source of Souls, and it is surrounded by protective Tykua-niya vines. Wear it proudly Shauna Eriksson, Daughter of Terra, and never again fear the night."

"Th-Thank you, ma'am, I...I really...don't know what to say," Shauna sent, being nearly overcome with emotion.

Lady Jfel-The'ana smiled a motherly smile, touching Shauna lightly on her cheek, and then she turned to walk away...and simply vanished.

"If you wish, Captain James Daugherty, as Healer, I will provide documentation of our aid this night to your mate, if that will be satisfactory to your superior. She has been fully healed of the emotional and mental hurts she suffered as a youngling, and they will no longer be a source of trouble for her," Frer-Sha'an sent privately to James while they were leaving the temple.

"Thanks, Frer-Sha'an, for all that you and your people have done for Shauna...and for Mindy, too. I wish we had people with your particular talents back home."

"Perhaps in time, your people will develop the skill--Chief Mindy Sorrel already holds within her the seed of the gift of Iwi suläha," Frer-Sha'an sent with a slight smile. "If there are others among you who have the ability to sense the living energies within a life form as she can, then I have no doubt that the ability will come one day to your people to heal others by thought alone."

"Do you think that if she had specialized training, that she might be able to develop her skill a little more?" James asked.

Frer-Sha'an thought a moment and sent, "It might be possible, though there is no guarantee of improvement."

"Of course, but it might be worth a try...maybe some day," James sent, considering what Frer-Sha'an had said.

Late that night, most of the crews had turned in to get some sleep. It had been a very long day for them, and they had been going nonstop since they awoke. When they finally got to bed, Shauna laid next to James on his left and Tanya on the other side of her, with Lilly and then Moira's avatar on James' right. They talked quietly for a while after the lights were put out.

"Maybe you will sleep better now, ah?" Tanya asked Shauna good-naturedly, giving her a light poke in the back with a finger. "Maybe you won't kick in your sleep as much."

"Yeah, maybe," Shauna agreed, fingering the necklace she had been given.

"You know, Rhuw-Rha'an gave me a drink of that water when I was over on their ship," James said.

"What water?" Lilly asked.

"The water that's in Shauna's necklace," James replied.

"She did?" Shauna asked.

"Yeah, she said that every one of their ships carries some of it with them. The spring that it comes from is in what she called the 'birth forest' of her people. I guess it's where their species originated on this world, however long ago that was," James said as he touched the hand that Shauna was holding it in.

"What did it taste like, Jamie?" Lilly asked, her curiosity growing.

"Well...it tasted like...spring water," James replied with a smirk.

"Duh!" Lilly retorted. "Did it have any funky taste or look strange or something?"

"No, it was just like plain ol' water from out of the ground, Lil."

"Oh. So, why did she give some to ya?"

"Well...I'm not really sure. She said something in her people's language and then tried to tell me what it meant, then she had some sort of little ritual about how we drank it, and then I shared with her the experience I had back home in the glade. This was after she showed me the replay of what their probe saw on that planet. I'm still not sure what sharing that water was all about," James explained.

"I find it curious the amount of significance they seem to place on water, James," Moira said. "I can understand how giving water to another person would be something special to a desert people, but to a people who come from a fairly wet world with forests?"

"Yeah, that is rather curious," James agreed.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm...*yawn*...gonna catch some shut-eye," Shauna said, trying to stifle another yawn.

"Yeah, I guess we should get some rest," James agreed, and they all exchanged their goodnights.

Dealing with the time difference between Fleet Coordinated Time and the Mûr Zhæn capital's time was difficult, and made worse by Mûr Zhæn's longer days and nights, and also by the fact that the planet's population is nocturnal. After the crews awoke from their sleep, ate, and were ready for the next "day", after local sunset Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew took the Terrans out into the capital city to show them the sights. For each of the three Terran crews, five of Rha'an's people went with them to act as guides and interpreters--Rha'an herself, being the extra, went with James' crew along with Zhir-Chi'an and Kfan-Hre'an. Before they headed out, the Terrans were given instruction on what was considered appropriate behavior, the local customs and mannerisms, and the culture of the Mûr Tua'ansa. They were told that it is a matriarchal society with a strict matrilineal hierarchy, and although the Mûr Tua'ansa are generally patient by nature and understanding, there are certain things that--if not followed--would likely bring offense, and a deeply offended Mûr Tua'ansa can become dangerously aggressive. This is not something one would want to do in a population with strong psi abilities and are much stronger than Terran norm. One of those "certain things" that must absolutely be followed had to so with the Empress--one never talks glibly about her. Any mention of Her Majesty must be with utmost respect, and honor must be given by bowing towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. The same also applied if one should ever meet one of the Empress's representatives on official business.

"They are easy enough to identify," Rhuw-Rha'an instructed, "they all bear the Imperial symbol on their clothing, and if there are guards present, they will be carrying the Blade of the Mûr Tua'ansa--a very distinctive large knife. Although the Imperial Guards carry a somewhat larger and more fanciful version, it is also standard issue to all military personnel."

Rhuw-Rha'an unwrapped a cloth to reveal her own issued weapon to show the Terran crews.

"Remember the sight of this well--anyone you see carrying one of these on their person, is, as you would say, 'on duty', and therefore conducting official business of some sort. It is best to simply avoid a situation by staying clear--unless such a person addresses you directly. In the unlikely event that should happen, remain calm, be polite, and call for one of us to interpret."

Early during the second night they were there, the summons came from the Imperial Court for them to appear, specifying the time they should be there. The instructions were a little unusual, James thought, in that they were instructed not to eat between the time of receiving the summons and the time they were to appear.

"I suppose they don't want the chance of any 'gastric disturbances' happening in the presence of Her Majesty," Captain Mike Dugan sent privately to James and Steven after hearing that.

"Yeah, I suppose that would be rather rude_, eh?" Captain Steven Cho, CO of _Dark Fire, sent with a little humor.

"Hey, just remember guys, these folks are full telepaths, including the Empress, so be careful of what you think in case they 'read' us, because we probably won't know that they're doing it," James admonished.

"Geez, you think they might?" Steven asked with concern.

"Well, they may not, because according to Rhuw-Rha'an, they have some sort of moral code against digging into a person's thoughts uninvited, though they seem to be easily able to pick up our surface thoughts without trying. Maybe being in front of the Empress might be a different matter, so I think it best if we're all a little more careful about maintaining mental discipline while we're there," James replied.

"Roger that, James," Mike sent, "I'll pass that along to my crew."

"I'll do the same," Steven agreed.

After bathing and dressing in their full dress uniforms, a transport large enough to carry them all arrived, and took the crews of the four ships to the landing pad reserved for the military within the Imperial complex. As they had done so when they first landed on Mûr Zhæn, the four crews knelt for one minute towards the palace, and then waited until someone came to fetch them. The crews' wait wasn't long, however, before a detachment of Imperial Guards marched out in precise formation. The all-women Che'maht Sahn'rah, the elite personal guards of the Empress, were quite impressive--both in stature and in their fierce beauty. The ornate armor they wore bore the Imperial Crest, and each carried a fully functional replica of The Blade of Mûr Tua'ansa at their side. The four files of_Che'maht Sahn'rah_ split as they approached and formed one long file on either side of the four crews and then halted. Three of the guards stood in front of the crews, the middle one slightly ahead of the other two. With a slight, brisk nod, the guard on the right barked out, "CHE'MAAAHT...sur-CHA!" and both files belted out "HA-CHIR'NA!" as they snapped a ninety degree turn to face the crews in perfect unison.

"Ooo...okay, I'm impressed...," Lilly thought a little nervously to herself, her tail twitching a bit.

Rhuw-Rha'an, standing at the head of her own crew who were the lead formation, took exactly one step forward and then halted with feet shoulder width apart, right hand formed into a fist and put on her hip, and in her left hand, she held a rolled up scroll. The center guard of the front three again nodded slightly, this time to the one left of her, who walked towards Rhuw-Rha'an and stopped three paces in front of her. Rhuw-Rha'an held out the scroll, letting it unroll so that the words written upon it faced away from her.

(Spoken in the Tua'an language) "Commander First Grade Rhuw-Rha'an, of the IES Chel-Sar Se'nika, by the will of She Who Leads Us, I and my crew escort these Off-Worlders whom She Herself has summoned to these very halls."

Quickly reading the scroll, the guard standing before Rhuw-Rha'an made a slight glance over her shoulder and nodded once.

"Why do these Off-Worlders not speak for themselves?" demanded the leader of the guard detachment.

"They do not know our language or our ways, nor do any here save myself and my own crew know their own. It has been granted that we shall be as their guides and mentors, and will speak our words for them," Rhuw-Rha'an replied firmly.

The leader of the guards turned her head to look over her shoulder for a moment, and then bowed her head in acquiescence. A figure came out from a covered walkway, wearing a gossamer gown and the sound of jewelry lightly tinkling about her form.

"Lady Niwa-Ele'ana," the leader of the guards spoke softly, going down on one knee and giving a salute with bowed head.

She simply nodded once at the officer as she passed by, walking with measured ease directly to Rhuw-Rha'an, greeting her.

"Commander," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sent.

Rhuw-Rha'an bowed deeply and sent, "I submit to the will of the Empress, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana."

Lightly putting her hand on the back of Rhuw-Rha'an's head, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sent, "We welcome you to the Royal Court, Commander. Come with me."

Rhuw-Rha'an did as ordered, following to one side and slightly behind the First Attendant, as she made her way to James.

With a slight glance towards Rhuw-Rha'an, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sent with the commander interpreting, "We welcome you to the Royal Court, Captain James Daugherty. We trust your stay has been enjoyable thus far."

"A pleasant evening to you, Milady, and thank you. Yes, and we deeply appreciate the hospitality afforded to us, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana," James said.

She smiled and sent, "That is well. Come, let us proceed--the Empress is expecting you."

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sent an order to the leader of the guards, and as before with perfect unison, the two lines of guards turned to face the opposite direction that they had come, and then the crews and their Imperial Guard escort marched towards the palace proper.

Crowds of curious onlookers and media crews lined either side of the short, broad mall in front of the palace, watching as the four crews marched along with their escort and Lady Niwa-Ele'ana who walked beside James. The fact that Lady Niwa-Ele'ana _was_walking beside James, sent a strong message to all who witnessed the event, either in person or via the media services--the Terran crews were under the direct protection of the Empress while they were guests of the Empire. Once inside the palace, they were led directly to the throne room, where they entered to exotic music and ceremony. The throne room was unlike any that James could have imagined--instead looking like the halls of kings and queens of Terra's ancient past, it looked more like a clearing in an alien forest, and lit not with electric lights, torches, or braziers, but with numerous bioluminescent globes, plants, and glowing crystalline rock formations. The throne itself sat in a raised area surrounded by a pond filled with fish and plants that gave off their own light.

The wide pathway leading up to the pond was paved with the same type of softly glowing cobblestones that had been seen at the resort hotel the crews were staying at. The "clearing", for that is what it looked like, was filled with the usual attendees of state ceremonies--government officials of various rankings, high ranking members of the military, dignitaries, invited Heads of House, and other selected individuals. Among the Heads of House present, were those who claimed the crewmembers of the Chel-Sar Se'nika as part of their households. Among them was Zhir-Chi'an's own mother, Zhir-Rhi'an and her mate, Nhir-Cor'ta.

"Chi'an seems well despite her recent ordeal, beloved," Cor'ta sent privately to Rhi'an.

"It would appear so," Rhi'an agreed, gently looping the end of her tail around his.

"I hope that her superiors will allow our youngest to come home to visit when this business with these aliens is over," Cor'ta added.

"Perhaps they will. Hush now, they are in position--the Empress will arrive shortly."

The two long files of Che'maht Sahn'rah stopped and on verbal command, turned to face the crews between them, and a hushed expectancy fell over the throne room. A second smaller group of Che'maht Sahn'rah came around from behind the raised area the throne was on and encircled it. With a shout of "HA-CHIR'NA!" the elite guards turned to face outward from the throne, hands on the handles of their weapons, and the look of deadly intent in their eyes. The Che'maht Sahn'rah are charged with protecting the Empress at all costs, and will not hesitate to kill any who attempt to approach unbidden.

An aide called out (in the Tua'an language), "Honor to Her Glory and Majesty, the Empress Krel-Mri'ana!"

All Mûr Tua'ansa present, with the exception of the Che'maht Sahn'rah, went down on their knees and bowed low, exposing their necks, and said in a reverent voice, "Hru rhem'sa nahwi Srika'ana"--"We submit to the will of the Empress."

As per previous instructions, the Terran crews followed suit and knelt on one knee three seconds after everyone else went down, in the manner that they had after first landing on Mûr Zhæn. Everyone held their position until the Empress took her seat upon her throne and gave a little wave of her hand. The people remained in the kneeling position, though they were allowed to straighten and raise their heads.

When James looked upon Empress Krel-Mri'ana for the first time, he found her to be a rather handsome older woman with graying hair, though still quite fit and alert. She swept her gaze across the throne room, missing nothing, and then she turned her penetrating ice blue eyes on James and held them there while the aide announced the occasion this special court was being held. James felt her mind touch his, though she said no words--James knew that she was cautiously probing him, looking to see what his intentions were. James made no attempts to hide anything about himself or why he and the others were there. Taking a bit of a chance, James sent back feelings of genuine admiration, respect, and appreciation, with hope that they would not be misconstrued. He thought he saw a brief look of amusement on the Empress's face before he felt her mind gently withdraw.

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, once they had entered the palace proper, had gone on ahead to meet with the Empress before she was to make her appearance.

"What is your opinion of these strangers, Ele'ana, now that you have had a little more time among them?" the Empress asked her First Attendant.

"They seem calm, disciplined, and if the one who leads them is an indication, they are a sincere and well mannered lot. I have sensed no deception among them, only a general curiosity about everything, the friendship they have formed among the crew of our Chel-Sar class ship, the Se'nika_, and...," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana paused slightly with an amused look on her face, "...several of them find our kind physically attractive_."

"So, their females are interested in our males, eh?" the Empress asked with a little humor.

"I believe it may be more the other way around, Majesty," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana replied quickly, recalling what she had sensed when she had first met the aliens.

The Empress, being long accustomed to Lady Niwa-Ele'ana's thoughts, felt the slight embarrassed thrill in her most trusted aide.

"Ah, so some of their males found you attractive, did they?"

"Yes, Majesty," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana replied with a slight grin.

"Well, it is refreshing that at our age, we can still earn an appreciative look or two from those who see us only as ourselves and not by our positions," the Empress chuckled.

"Indeed so, Majesty," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana agreed with a wry smile.

Moving on to another subject, the Empress asked, "I will want to see this Zhir-Chi'an mentioned in the Madam Commander's report. Since she was able to quickly learn the language of these 'Terrans', as they call themselves, and then share it with the rest of her crewmates, it would be pertinent for us to learn it as well. If we choose to extend formal relations with the Sol Federation, then by learning their language, there will be less room for error in understanding, do you not agree, Ele'ana?"

"Yes, Majesty, I believe that would be wise. I have heard their speech, and it may indeed be relatively simple to grasp the basics of it. Will you desire to see the young Sensory Specialist first, or the Madam Commander of the Se'nika_?_" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana inquired.

"I will speak with the Madam Commander first, and then her crewmember. If the transfer of language skill is successful, then I will speak directly with the leader of the aliens," the Empress replied.

"What shall we do with the Sensory Specialist, Majesty?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked.

"Do you have her file, Ele'ana?"

"Of course, Majesty--here it is."

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana handed the Empress her hand-held display; it took less than a minute for the Empress to read the entire file.

"Majesty, her mother is the Head of House Zhir of the Second Circle--she and her mate are present in the gallery," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana pointed out.

"The file is brief, though thorough, I see. Interesting...this could be of use," the Empress said thoughtfully, tapping her fingers lightly. Returning the hand-held display back, she added, "A meeting should be arranged between the diplomat the Terrans brought along and Lady Pren-Dre'ana at their earliest convenience--it should be heard what the Sol Federation has to say on such matters before more is decided in that regard."

"As you wish, Majesty, it shall be done," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana acknowledged, quickly making a note concerning the arrangement.

The Empress waited until her chambermaid placed the crown on her head and made a last minute check of her hair. After a quick look in the mirror held by the chambermaid, the Empress gave a nod of approval and dismissed her.

"Well, Ele'ana, let's not keep the people waiting longer than necessary," the Empress said with grin.

From her throne, the Empress sought out the leader of the aliens who had rescued the crew of the exploration ship and then brought them back home alive with the damaged ship in tow. She recognized him from having seen him through Lady Niwa-Ele'ana's eyes when she had met him on both occasions. While the aide made the announcement, the Empress reached out and touched the alien leader's mind to gauge his reaction. What she found confirmed Lady Niwa-Ele'ana's observations.

(Spoken aloud in the Tua'an language) "Commander First Grade Rhuw-Rha'an, of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, approach and submit to the will of the Empress!" the junior aide called out when she was given the silent order by Lady Niwa-Ele'ana at the appropriate time.

Rhuw-Rha'an immediately obeyed the summons, walked across the span of hexagonal-shaped stepping stones connecting the outer edge of the pond to the "island" in the center, and then she saluted and knelt in one fluid move at the Place of Submission before the throne.

When she thought the Commander had held the pose long enough, the Empress said in her husky voice, "You may rise, Madam Commander." After giving Rhuw-Rha'an time to stand, she continued. "I welcome you and your crew home, Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an. Yours was an unfortunate ordeal faced against a terrible unknown foe who exhibited an utter disrespect for life. Yet, by all accounts, you and your crew faced it bravely, and you are to be commended for that. We are thankful that it was not the end of you, your crew, and your ship--if it had not been for the welcome efforts of strangers from afar, this would be an unhappy night instead of the joyful occasion that it is."

"We are thankful for the opportunity to continue our service to the Empire and be among family and friends once again, Majesty. We are humbly grateful for the honor you show us by allowing I and my crew to be in your presence," Rhuw-Rha'an said respectfully.

The Empress regarded the commander for a moment and then said, "You have an excellent crew, Madam Commander; however, there is one among them that I have a particular interest in."

The junior aide called out, "Sensory Specialist Zhir-Chi'an, of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, approach and submit to the will of the Empress!"

Zhir-Rhi'an's eyes widened in surprise at the call of her Third Daughter's name, for it was the first time ever in the history of the monarchy that a member of the House of Zhir had been summoned before the Empress.

"Oh my little one...what have you done that warrants the attention of the Empress?" Zhir-Rhi'an thought to herself with uncharacteristic nervousness.

As soon as she heard her name called, Zhir-Chi'an felt as if her knees would give out. She immediately broke formation and made her way to stand beside her CO before the Empress. Both Felix and Hre'an sensed Chi'an's sudden wave of nervousness, and they sent a feeling of reassurance and support to her. Although quite nervous, Zhir-Chi'an saluted and knelt as calmly as she could, holding the pose until commanded otherwise.

The Empress stood with practiced grace, and descended the few steps down from her throne, stopping before Zhir-Chi'an. At the Empress's approach, Rhuw-Rha'an also knelt down, bowing deeply, and holding the pose.

"You may both rise, and stand at ease before me," the Empress said softly, just below the threshold that the sound capture field would pick up her voice. When they stood, the Empress said at normal level, "Zhir-Chi'an, I understand that it was you who first learned the language of the Terrans and then you taught it to the rest of your crewmates."

"It is so, Majesty," Zhir-Chi'an acknowledged.

"Although your Commander has performed excellently in the interpreting of the Terran speech, for my own reasons I desire to gain the ability for myself. Since you were the first to learn their words, I wish for you to share your knowledge and mastery of their language with me so that I may communicate with them directly," the Empress said. "Come, let us sit together to facilitate the sharing."

She led Zhir-Chi'an to the steps and they sat down upon them, facing one another as much as possible.

"You may proceed, Zhir-Chi'an."

Zhir-Rhi'an and Nhir-Cor'ta exchanged surprised looks with one another.

"Our little Chi'an...teaching the Empress the alien's language?" Cor'ta sent to his mate with a measure of awe and wonder.

Rhi'an's mind raced quickly at the revelation that her Third Daughter took so direct a part in a First Contact situation with aliens, and is now in the process of sharing her knowledge and skill with their language with the Empress herself.

"I never imagined it possible that such an honor would come to her! Cor'ta...do you realize what this could mean? If the Empress wills our government to extend formal relations with the alien's government, there will be trade between us--that will mean others will need to learn how to communicate with them, and our Chi'an may be sought to provide that skill."

Cor'ta thought a moment and sent, "Eventually, as others would learn the language of the aliens, they would be able to teach the skill to others, and eventually our Chi'an would be just another who knows their language; her unique position would diminish over time," he countered.

"Perhaps not too quickly...consider: at this very moment, she is being allowed to share her expertise directly with the Empress, how many others are allowed such contact with the Empress? Very few, I think. That fact alone would go far in raising Chi'an's desirability as a potential mate among the greater Houses!" Rhi'an reasoned.

"That may be true, beloved...unless Her Majesty has other plans for our Chi'an," Cor'ta suggested.

Rhi'an looked at her mate a moment, and then her eyes widened again as what he said sunk in. She closed her eyes and lowered her head a little while she considered _that_possibility.

"That, of course, is a possibility that must be considered," Rhi'an conceded.

"Can you understand me now, Majesty?" Zhir-Chi'an asked aloud softly in Terran Standard English, when she was finished sharing what she had learned of their language from her association with Felix.

"Yes, Zhir-Chi'an, you have done well," the Empress replied with a benevolent smile. Privately she sent, "There is a matter that I will discuss with you and select others after this. The First Attendant will bring you to me when it is time, though for now, you are to keep this to yourself."

"As is your will, Majesty," Zhir-Chi'an acknowledged respectfully.

The Empress smiled in satisfaction and then rose to her feet. After instructing Zhir-Chi'an to stand, the Empress placed her hand on top of Zhir-Chi'an's bowed head and announced to all in her own language, "The Empire recognizes with favor the efforts of Sensory Specialist First Grade Zhir-Chi'an, of the Chel-Sar Se'nika, and of House Zhir, in her role as First Contact Facilitator."

This caused a low murmur of surprise to sweep through the gallery--Zhir-Chi'an's own parents could hardly believe their ears at what they had just heard. The Empress knew exactly where Zhir-Chi'an's parents were, and as she swept her eyes across the gallery, she stopped and focused her gaze directly at them, holding eye contact with Zhir-Rhi'an just long enough for the recognition to sink in, before looking over the rest of those present. Rhi'an was shocked--House Zhir, one of the lesser houses of The Second Circle, had been specifically mentioned before the entire Empire by the Empress herself! Her own Third Daughter, a lowly fifth-born child, recognized with favor before the eyes of the Empire!

"By my Grandmother's horns...," Rhi'an muttered under her breath.

Rhuw-Rha'an was no less amazed by the pronouncement, though she grinned with pride at her Sensory Specialist. The Commander knew that Zhir-Chi'an would be due for promotion during her next review cycle--this would merely hasten what was already coming. The being formally recognized by the Empire with favor was what surprised her the most.

"I hope Zhir-Chi'an will not be taken away from our company--surely Her Majesty understands how valuable a highly skilled Sensory Specialist is to an exploration ship," Rhuw-Rha'an thought to herself, "I do not wish to have her replaced so soon by one with less experience."

After Zhir-Chi'an was allowed to return to her position with the rest of her fellow crewmembers, and the Empress returned to her throne, the junior aide called out for Captain James Daugherty and Madam Moira Nightwing to come forward and stand before The Empire.

"That's your cue, James," Rha'an sent privately to him.

During the time they have been on Mûr Zhæn, Moira had taken it upon herself to learn the Tua'an language and become familiar with as much of their electronic media as she could freely access. In turn, she shared this with her two other sisters present, Leila and Fey. Moira had, of course, been recording the proceedings both in person and via the local media channels, for archival purposes. When James and Moira's avatar stood at The Place of Submission before the throne, they both knelt as before on their right knee, with their heads bowed, left arm resting across their left knee and right hand held behind the small of their backs with palm outward. This was considered the posture of respect for non-Mûr Tua'ansa when appearing before the Empress--subject to appropriate modification depending on the species.

"Captain James Daugherty of the Sol Federation of Worlds, I bid you and the crews of_Nightwing_, Shadow Storm, and Dark Fire, welcome to Mûr Zhæn," the Empress spoke in Terran Standard English.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be here, Your Majesty," James said accepting the formal welcome, though he was a bit surprised that the Empress knew his language.

A small grin formed on the Empress's lips and she nodded her head once slightly in approval.

"The Empire and the Houses of those who serve aboard the Chel-Sar Se'nika are grateful for the timely intervention by your forces, and the rescue of our own from the jaws of the Wurnak Da'i. If it were not for your actions, we may not have discovered in time what came of our ship and her crew. It is most fortunate that you discovered the location of those who were held captive," the Empress said.

"We may not have been able to save all, but we saved those who we could before further harm could come to them," James said with a hint of grimness creeping into his voice.

"I have read Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an's report of the events that took place, as well as the greatly appreciated information that your own government has provided. Perhaps our respective government representatives should consider a meeting to discuss it and other issues," the Empress suggested.

"If it pleases you, I shall instruct our diplomatic attaché to meet with whomever you choose as appropriate, Majesty," James said politely.

Casting a sideways glance, the Empress said, "My First Attendant shall see to the arrangements, Captain James Daugherty.

The Empress studied Moira's avatar for several seconds and said, "I understand that you are the machine entity known as 'Moira'."

"I am Moira, the ship's Artificial Intelligence system of the Sol Federation Ship Nightwing, SLG-78. Before you stands my android avatar--think of her as the part of me which can operate independently of my ship body. I and she are one in the same," Moira explained.

"We have none such as you in our society. You, and the other machine entities, are the only ones we cannot embrace in thought," the Empress said, referring to Moira's two sister ships.

Moira's avatar looked with a measure of sadness and softly said, "And that is one of two things I wish more than anything that I could do, but may never be able to."

Moira's words surprised the Empress as much as the apparent emotion expressed.

Giving Lady Niwa-Ele'ana a quick glance, the Empress asked, "What is the other thing that you wish for, Madam Moira?"

Very softly she said, "To be a mother."

Empress Krel-Mri'ana, through great practice and self-discipline, managed to keep any emotion from showing, other than a very slight and brief flicker in her eyes. Moira had spoken too softly for the sound capture field to catch what she said, so no one other than the Empress, James, and Rhuw-Rha'an heard.

"What Moira said is true, Your Majesty. I'm surprised that she actually told you--no one but me knew that she desired this, and she asked me to not tell anyone else about it," James sent privately to the Empress.

"Perhaps we may discuss this in a more private setting," the Empress suggested to James' relief. More formally and loud enough to be heard by the pickups, "In honor of the safe return of the IES Chel-Sar Se'nika and her crew, and the efforts of the ships and crews of the Sol Federation to rescue our people and bring them home, I declare an Imperial Holiday to commence immediately and last for the next two full nights. Tonight we feast in their honor!"

A strange, keening howl erupted from the gallery, which James and the other Terrans found out later that it was the Mûr Tua'ansa equivalent to cheering applause.

Various servants and military personnel appeared and began transforming the court room into a dining hall, bringing out low tables, carpets, cushions, and other items. When those were in place, the people in the gallery were seated according to a pre-arranged seating plan. The crews of the four ships were seated together in the central section of the court room near the royal table. James, his mates, Mike Dugan and Leila, Steven Cho and Fey, Rhuw-Rha'an, Zhir-Chi'an, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, and other members of the royal court were seated at the Empress's table. Before the food was brought out, the servants were instructed as to which foods they were to avoid serving the Terrans due to biological incompatibility issues. James would have been quite happy to sit with the rest of his crew, but the Empress insisted that he sit not only at her table, but next to her on her left. Rhuw-Rha'an sat on James' left, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana sat on the Empress's right in her customary place as First Attendant, and Zhir-Chi'an sat to her right. She was nervous, and rightly so, for she had instantly gone from relative obscurity to being the "Darling of the Imperial Court", so-to-speak, and she found it difficult to enjoy the moment.

"Poor child, she is out of her element here, and it is showing. She is polite enough, though she is clearly putting on a brave face. It is interesting that our military can deal with any number of potentially life-threatening situations, yet a simple, well-earned celebration can rattle their nerves. I wonder if it is the same for the Terrans. They seem to be handling the situation well enough, but I wonder...are they always this restrained, or is it because they are in the presence of the Empress and they are simply being cautious? Perhaps that may so," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana thought to herself.

The feast lasted--according to Moira--two hours, twenty-three minutes, and forty-seven seconds. She based that on from the time the Empress sat down until she stood up. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that when the Empress chose to withdraw, the party came to an abrupt end. Before they were ushered out, Zhir-Chi'an rushed over to meet her parents.

"My child, so much has happened since we last heard from you! Are you well?" Zhir-Rhi'an asked her daughter.

Chi'an was surprised by the way in which her mother asked.

"We survived our captivity, Honored Mother," Chi'an replied.

Zhir-Rhi'an sensed the closing off of her daughter's mind concerning recent events.

"Why do you withdraw your thoughts from me, my child?"

Before she could answer, her father said, "Perhaps they are not permitted to speak of what happened or perhaps she is not ready to share those experiences yet, beloved."

Rhi'an gave her mate a sharp look of annoyance and sent, "Nonsense, she is my daughter, and...,"

"...And you are not in the military, beloved," Cor'ta interrupted gently, but firmly. "This is something that Khy'ta and I, and now Chi'an, understand too well. There are those things we may not share with others, and there are those things we do not wish to share."

Rhi'an's expression softened as she remembered the one time she had so insistently wanted to know something about her mate's military past--and quickly wished she hadn't.

Nhir-Cor'ta had served in the Imperial Rapid Insertion Force, and had seen action on several frontier worlds. They are the first to respond to ground threats--they hit fast and hard, like packs of li'we mazul[2], running down their prey. Cor'ta was a turret gunner on a Sûr Mach-class medium ground assault grav vehicle assigned to the strike cruiser,Te'fralen. The particular memory that Cor'ta had shared with Rhi'an was from an incident that took place on a newly formed colony on one of the worlds in the Outmarches. A raiding party from a system across the border had landed, quickly set up a base, and then began harassing the colonists during the night. When the raiders discovered that the colonists were nocturnal, they switched tactics and began attacking during the "over day" hours. The colonial government requested immediate assistance, and the Te'fralen was dispatched. Zhir-Rhi'an, groomed from birth to become the next Head of House Zhir, was not prepared for the images she had been shown next. When she saw the memory of the fight that ensued--armored Mûr Tua'ansa warriors with body shields using their powerful psi abilities to devastating effect; her mate firing his weapon and sweeping the beam across the hostiles, cutting and burning all before it; the cruiser striking down anything that tried to fly away--it had been nearly too much for her.

Zhir-Rhi'an sighed a little and smiled softly.

"As I am reminded, beloved," she sent, twining the end of her tail around her mate's. "Chi'an...if there is anything that I can do, you have but to name it."

Chi'an considered her mother's unusual offer for a moment and then asked, "If time permits, may I bring a friend to our home for a visit?"

Giving a quick glance to her mate, Zhir-Rhi'an replied, "It is allowable, my daughter."

Chi'an grinned briefly and then looked over her shoulder a moment.

"I must go--I will call when it is permitted. Good day, mother, rest well. Father...," Chi'an gently laid her hand on her father's chest, only for a brief moment, and then she spun around and headed off.

Zhir-Rhi'an was about to protest when Cor'ta sent, "Our Chi'an is still performing her duties, beloved--'duty to the Empress before all else'. Be thankful she is not one of the Che'maht Sahn'rah..."

"I would not wish to be terrified of my own child...," Zhir-Rhi'an agreed softly.

After the meal was over and everyone else left, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana walked James, Moira, Miss Ja'f'darwe, Rhuw-Rha'an, and Zhir-Chi'an to the Empress's private suite and sat them in her study. A short while later the Empress walked in wearing a much simpler outfit and crown, and without the elaborate jewelry she had worn earlier. Behind her was a servant carrying a tray with an ornate decanter and glasses, and two of her personal guards. Before her guests could assume the proper kneeling position, the Empress made a dismissive motion with her hand and ordered everyone to be as they were. The guards quietly stationed themselves by the door, standing in a relaxed though alert position. James noticed that although the two female guards stood quite still, they were watching every move. He had no doubt that they would quickly react to anything they viewed to be a possible threat to the Empress. Moira was, of course, watching them as well--she may not have their psi abilities, but she can still think and move faster than any biological being, and is much stronger than she looks. After the Empress sat in her favorite chair, the servant sat the tray down on a table and poured some of the liquid from the decanter into each of the glasses, handing one to the Empress, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, Rhuw-Rha'an, Zhir-Chi'an, Miss Ja'f'darwe, and lastly to James. If Moira felt the least bit slighted at not being served a glass, she did not show it, though James and Miss Ja'f'darwe both felt that it was a slight against her. James understood why he was likely served last, given the strongly matriarchal nature of their society, though he wondered why many of the Mûr Tua'ansa acted so reserved, if not downright indifferent towards Moira, Leila, and Fey.

Raising her glass and peering at its contents, the Empress said, "This is the distilled nectar of the_raenthé_ flower, which only blooms once every twenty-eight of our years, and it must be aged for at least that long before it begins to develop its unique character. This particular distillation was made when my grandmother was Zhir-Chi'an's age--quite some time ago, as your people mark the passage of time."

"That may have been as far back as the latter part of the period known as The Dark Ages[3], James," Moira commented quietly.

James arched an eyebrow and cautiously sniffed the contents of his glass, and then he and Miss Ja'f'darwe watched as the others took a sip of the liquid. Before Miss Ja'f'darwe could try some, James lightly touched her arm to get her attention.

"Care to try some first, Moira?" James asked.

"Certainly, James," she replied, taking the glass from him.

"What's this?! You would waste it before our eyes on a mere machine_?!_" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana exclaimed in her own language.

"James!" hissed Rhuw-Rha'an, "What are you doing?"

"Forgive me, but Moira has the ability to smell and taste things better than anyone I know. While my own sense of smell is over one hundred times more sensitive than a normal human, Moira has the ability to chemically analyze foods and beverages to see if they are safe for us to consume," James explained.

"The Captain means no disrespect; he is simply being prudent since we have already found some food items that would be detrimental to our health. If I'm not mistaken, I believe it wouldn't take much...perhaps only a drop or two?" Miss Ja'f'darwe quickly added.

"You are correct, Miss Ja'f'darwe," Moira said. Switching to the language of Tua'an Moira interpreted all that James and Miss Ja'f'darwe had said to Lady Niwa-Ele'ana.

"How have you come to learn our language?" the Empress asked, looking intently at Moira.

"By listening...and by observing the freely available media channels on your world," Moira replied.

Moira took a small sip from the glass and slightly cocked her head to one side. "It has a rather delicate flavor, is semi-sweet, has a low acidity, and an ethyl alcohol content more appropriate to a fortified wine at nineteen point eight-one-seven percent. Curious...there is a component which is similar to that found in certain Cana'aran wines, and likely would have the same effect, though perhaps to a lesser degree, if you were to consume this in sufficient quantity, James."

"You mean it would...?" James nearly whispered as he discretely pointed his finger towards his lap.

Moira nodded her head slightly once.

"How much would be a 'sufficient quantity'?"

Moira looked carefully at the glass for a moment and replied as she handed it back, "Depending upon your tolerance level, I might suggest no more than what is contained in this glass."

"You mean this is an_aphrodisiac_?" Miss Ja'f'darwe asked.

"To at least most Terrans, yes, it would be. As for Elendorians...," Moira looked away for a moment and said, "...accessing..." When she looked back at Miss Ja'f'darwe, she said, "Yes, it would likely affect you as well."

James and Miss Ja'f'darwe exchanged surprised looks.

"What is the meaning of that term?" the Empress asked.

"It is a substance used to arouse sexual desire, Your Majesty," Moira replied. "Does it have a similar effect on your people?" Moira asked out of polite curiosity, which caused James to cough lightly and Miss Ja'f'darwe to lighten the green portions of her skin. Zhir-Chi'an, on the other hand, wished briefly that she could share some with Felix, and Rhuw-Rha'an thought to herself, "By the All-Mother! Please tell me Madam Moira is not suggesting...!"

Empress Krel-Mri'ana did not fail to miss the reactions of James and Miss Ja'f'darwe, so she carefully chose her words, "Forgive me; I was not aware that it might have such an effect on non-Mûr Tua'ansa. To answer your question, Madam Moira, it is simply a rare and treasured commodity that takes a high degree of skill and patience to make. The slightest misstep in its making will ruin it. We prize it for its subtle flavor which changes as it is swallowed."

Her curiosity satisfied, Moira simply nodded her head and then said to James, "I believe you will enjoy it, James, though I suggest that you sip it slowly if for no other reason than the alcohol level." Leaning closer to James, she added in a whisper, "If necessary, I can alert Mindy to have one of her potions available to reduce the effects on both you and Miss Ja'f'darwe when we return."

James nodded his head slightly, and then raising his glass and glancing around the room, he looked right at the Empress and with a grin said, "Cheers." James took a cautious sip, letting it linger in his mouth before swallowing.

"It does have a rather subtle flavor, slightly sweet, but certainly stronger than one would expect of a wine made from a flower," James said appreciatively. "This would be good on a cold winter night sitting in front of the fireplace."

Moira grinned a little and while she thought of several things that could be said, she determined that those particular things could wait until later. One thing that she did wish to say was to respond to something earlier.

"Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, earlier you referred to me as being a 'mere machine'. In a manner of speaking, the bodies of every living thing can be thought of as a machine of one sort or another. Just because one body is bio-chemical, it is not necessarily superior to another such as that of my avatar which is electro-mechanical in nature. I wish to remind you that I am a fully self-aware, sentient being who is capable of self-determination, creativity, and even emotions. Am I simply a 'mere machine' only because my android avatar does not generate a bio-energy signature? Am I simply a 'mere machine' because I do not possess psi abilities? Or am I simply a 'mere machine' because I do not have the capability to produce offspring as biological beings can? Except for those three things, I am superior to biological beings in many ways, yet the latter two conditions are ones that I wish for. I am aware of the fact that your people have a general mistrust of artificial life forms, though Commander Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew generally accept me as being a 'real' person...and Commander, I do appreciate that."

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana was not expecting such dialog from a machine entity, and neither was the Empress. They both found it rather astonishing--and disturbing--that "mere machine" could challenge their notion of what constitutes a living being.

After Rhuw-Rha'an finished interpreting for James and Miss Ja'f'darwe, Zhir-Chi'an asked, "May speak freely?" when the Empress nodded her head she continued, "We are explorers--we look for worlds that support life in all its forms, and we are trained to make contact with sentient beings no matter what form they may possess. If we were to discover a race of sentient beings based on minerals, would they be any less alive than we? If we were to find a race of intelligent beings whose 'bodies' were patterns of energy, would they be any less alive than any other race? What if we were to find an organism that could survive and move freely in the harsh, cold empty places between the stars, would it not be any less alive than one which lives on a nice, warm world? Our own ship is such a being--she was grown and born, she feels both a gentle touch and the pain of the wounds that were inflicted upon her, she has moods which we can sense, she has a personality of sorts, and she possesses a vast sum of knowledge, yet...those who brought her into existence have restricted the growth of her mind so that she is no more than a machine without a sense of purpose. Madam Moira, on the other hand, has a sense of purpose, and she can think and do for herself. She is no less loyal to her captain and crew than any of us are to our own, and she genuinely cares for them. Could our own Se'nika not be capable of such if she was allowed?"

Zhir-Chi'an held the Empress's gaze for a moment before quickly bowing her head. Though she had spoken with passion, she now shivered with nervousness, suddenly fearing that she may have gone too far for one of her place.

Empress Krel-Mri'ana shifted her gaze to her First Attendant and sent privately, "What do you think, Ele'ana?"

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana collected her thoughts and replied, "This is like shaking the heavy fruit from a h'rat-bahni tree--will it fall upon our heads and strike us down, or will we catch it and enjoy the result of our labor when we crack it open and feast upon the nourishing pulp inside?"

"Yet here are those who have learned to climb that tree and safely collect its fruit for the good of all," the Empress stated.

"That is true enough, it seems, Majesty. What now of your plan to see with Other Sight concerning the youth?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked.

"I still plan to do so, more so now than before. I believe she may be one to learn about these Terrans, and speak her mind when necessary. Have Lady Pren-Dre'ana provide Zhir-Chi'an with the necessary credentials for an Imperial Diplomatic Cultural Aide, and she will need the necessary provisioning and communications for an extended visit to the Terran home world," the Empress replied.

"As you will, Majesty. What of the crew of the Chel-Sar Se'nika_? The ship requires extensive regeneration if she is to fly again_," Lady Niwa-Ele'ana inquired.

"Give her priority, for the next mission I have in mind for her will take her far from home--the crew will be taking her to Terra as soon as possible," the Empress instructed. To James and Miss Ja'f'darwe Empress Krel-Mri'ana said aloud, "It is my wish to form tentative relations between The Mûr Tua'ansa Star Empire and the Sol Federation of Worlds. I am assigning Zhir-Chi'an to go to your home world so that she may directly observe and experience your ways and report what she learns so that we may better understand you and your culture. She will be provided with orders and other things she will need to fulfill her temporary duties as a diplomatic aide. I am giving the _Chel-Sar Se'nika_regeneration priority, and when she is fit for duty, Madam Commander Rhuw-Rha'an and her crew shall fly her to your world with appropriate members of the Diplomatic Circle. An Imperial Communicator Ship will follow to assist with establishing permanent communications between our governments. Lady Pren-Dre'ana, who you have met before, will meet with you to work out the arrangements. I trust this is agreeable."

James, Miss Ja'f'darwe, and Rhuw-Rha'an exchanged surprised looks, but none were as surprised as Zhir-Chi'an.

"Of course, Your Majesty. May we likewise send someone to perform a similar function on your world as Zhir-Chi'an will be doing on ours?" James requested.

Empress Krel-Mri'ana looked to Lady Niwa-Ele'ana for a few seconds and said, "That is acceptable." She finished the contents of her glass and added, "Lady Niwa-Ele'ana will see to it that you are returned to your lodgings. Zhir-Chi'an, attend."

Everyone knelt as appropriate, save for the two guards and Lady Niwa-Ele'ana--she simply bowed--when the Empress stood and walked out of the room, taking a nervous Zhir-Chi'an an the guards with her. In another room, the Empress had Zhir-Chi'an take a seat and ordered her guards to wait in the hall, shutting the door behind them.

Sitting down beside her, the Empress said, "Zhir-Chi'an, I know that this assignment is something beyond your training and position, however, there are times when one such as you may be of great service to the Empire. Your thinking will not be colored as would be with those born of...shall I say, more privileged houses. Your task will be to live among the people of Terra and simply learn about their ways. You will be provided with a living abode, meals, clothing, transportation, and so forth. What you do there will be entirely up to you--however, you must take care to not break their laws or trust. You will be the first of our kind they will see, so do not shame us before their eyes. You will be my representative, and as such, you will report directly to me--is that understood?"

"Clearly, Majesty," Zhir-Chi'an replied meekly.

"Good. Now, there is just one other thing..."

While they waited for Zhir-Chi'an, James quietly mentioned to Moira, "I guess Lady Niwa-Ele'ana over there doesn't think much of A.I.s."

"Apparently not, James. For all of their advancements, as a culture, they do not in general trust any life form they consider to be unnatural."

"Oh, joy. The things she said about you were rather insulting--let's hope she doesn't get the chance to insult Lilly..."

"That would be something one should avoid," Moira agreed with a slight grin.

"Yeah. Anyway, cultural or not, I didn't like how she treated you back there, though you handled the situation well."

Moira smiled and put her arms around James and held herself close to him.

"I'm okay, James--I know who cares for me, and that is all I need."

Rhuw-Rha'an watched James and Moira as they held each other a short distance away. With her sensitive ears, she had heard James talk about the First Attendant's insulting manner towards Moira. Although Rhuw-Rha'an understood the deeply ingrained cultural distrust of intelligent machines, the events that were the basis for that distrust happened a very long time ago, and other cultures that did not make those mistakes, should not be slighted because of their success with such artificial intelligences. Rhuw-Rha'an had to smile when she recalled Zhir-Chi'an's impassioned words. She felt the First Attendant step up beside her.

"What are they doing?"

"It is part of the Terran version of hri'fal--they call it 'hugging'," Rhuw-Rha'an replied.

"He performs hri'fal with a machine?" Lady Niwa-Ele'ana asked with a hint of disgust in her sending.

At risk of being grossly insubordinate, if not downright threatening, Rhuw-Rha'an replied with a quiet iciness, "You are Her Majesty's First Attendant--one would think that you of all people should know not to insult an alien species simply because of who or what they are. I count Madam Moira as a friend, as does the rest of my crew, and on the very night our people honor the efforts of all those who rescued us and brought us home without expecting anything in return, you insult her and her mate, and likely the entire culture of the Terrans. You heard correctly--Madam Moira is one of Captain James Daugherty's four mates. While I am unsure how that came to be, nonetheless it is true, and she cares for him just as deeply as he does her and the three others who call him theirs. I have performed the ritual of Rai'thran Zhuw with the captain in my own quarters on the Se'nika_, and we have shared the sacred water from Mûr Thel-Raleen. If you were of a lesser position, for insulting my friend, honor would require me to invoke the Athwan*[4]*...and you would soon feel my fangs in your neck. There are only three ways to properly correct this dishonor--which shall you choose?_"

Rhuw-Rha'an looked coldly at Lady Niwa-Ele'ana for a long moment, and then walked over to be with the others.

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana at first was shocked that anyone would dare address her in such a manner, but the more she thought about it, the more that she knew Rhuw-Rha'an was right.

"The h'rat-bahni tree has been shaken and its fruit is falling--am I to catch one only to be struck down by another? The appropriate thing to do is to go to them and make the Penance Offer."

When they were back in their room, James and Moira told Lilly, Tanya, and Shauna what had happened with the Empress and the First Attendant.

"Geez, guys, what a way to muck up a good time! Ooo, I'd like to give that gal a piece of my mind...," Lilly fumed.

"I'm sure you would, Lil, but if this is some sort of cultural hang-up of theirs, that wouldn't likely solve anything," James said.

"James is correct, Lilly; I have endured worse than a few misconceptions. We should simply be patient and try to set a better example," Moira agreed with James.

"It bites, but there's nothing to do about it for now, right baby?" Tanya said looking from Lilly to James.

"Yeah. I'm going to hit the sack, I think," James agreed, stifling a yawn.

Shauna was already in the bedroom getting ready for bed when James joined her, and Tanya and Moira followed shortly thereafter.

"Are you coming, Lil?" James called into the other room.

"Not yet, but if ya give me a chance, I will be," she replied with a smirk. "I'm gonna get somethin' to drink and put out the lights."

"She just doesn't stop, does she?" Shauna asked with hint of sarcasm.

"You're catching on, Shauna," James chuckled.

Lilly got her water and drank while she started to turn off the lights. Just as she was passing by the door to the hallway, Lilly heard a soft *bamf* outside.

"What the...?" she muttered to herself, and then there was a soft chime at the door. "Who is it?" Lilly asked through the door.

Lilly heard a husky female voice in her head that said, "Niwa-Ele'ana."

"Nah, can't be...," Lilly muttered, and she opened the door to see a tall figure wearing a thin, opaque, gray hooded cloak. "Uh, Jamie...are ya in bed yet?"

"Just about, why?"

"We got company..."

"Lady Niwa-Ele'ana, what may we do for you at this hour?" James asked politely, giving a bow.

With Moira interpreting her words, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana said, "A dishonor has been done--it must be corrected."

Not exactly sure what that might entail, James reached out to Rhuw-Rha'an.

"Rha'an...Lady Niwa-Ele'ana is here; I think I need your help--something about 'correcting a dishonor'."

"I shall be there momentarily, James."

A few seconds later, Rha'an teleported into the room, wearing a loose-fitting top and knee-length pants that reminded James of summer-weight pajamas.

Lady Niwa-Ele'ana removed her cloak, revealing the simple white tunic that was held by a single fastener over her right shoulder. Folding the cloak over her forearm and looking down at the floor, she waited until Tanya and Shauna could join them.

Casting a glance towards Rhuw-Rha'an first, Lady Niwa-Ele'ana faced Moira's avatar.

"I have done you a dishonor this night, Madam Moira, by my rudeness, insulting words, and ill-thoughts. I had no right to think or speak such things simply because you are not an organic being and because your culture is...more accepting than my own on certain matters. Our mistakes in the distant past should not be cause for any of us to judge others who have avoided those same mistakes. I beg your forgiveness, and submit to the penance you see fit to require of me to cleanse the way between us."

When Rhuw-Rha'an finished interpreting Lady Niwa-Ele'ana's words, the First Attendant went down on both knees and bowed deeply, exposing the back of her neck. James and his mates didn't know what to say--they were surprised and confused by this.

"You may demand of her as you will, James--whatever would be appropriate in your culture to satisfy honor after being insulted. She insulted my friends, and according to our ways, if she were of any less position, I would be required to engage her in single combat. Given that I am military and she is not, the fight would be short. However, since you have suffered the greater wrong, Madam Moira and James, I am content to leave matters in your hands. Do you require a witness?" Rha'an explained.

"Thank you for...enlightening us, Rha'an," James said. Looking at Moira and then to the rest of his mates, James added, "I...think I have an idea that'll work, since this is essentially about acceptance."

"If you should require any further assistance...," Rha'an started to say.

"Actually, Rha'an...would you mind staying?" James asked with a grin.

James knelt down in front of the First Attendant who was till in the submissive posture, and taking one of her hands into his, he gently lifted her chin with his other hand.

"Lady Niwa-Ele'ana," he spoke softly. When she looked up, James smiled and said, "Come, the floor is no place for you to be."

James slowly stood, pulling her up with him. The look in her eyes went from grim determination to accept what was going to happen, to surprise and wonder, for what happened next was definitely not what she expected. James, Lilly, Tanya, Shauna, and Moira closed in around Niwa-Ele'ana, pulling Rha'an in with them, and engaged in a gentle group hug, touching and caressing, physically and mentally, executing their own unique brand of restorative justice.

"Here you will find only love and acceptance..."

And thus the first steps of The Great Lesson began to be taught to the Mûr Tua'ansa.

---

[1]Tanya speaks the Russian words, ??? ?????? meaning "my love".

[2]Li'we mazul - a fast-moving ferocious predatory pack animal the size of a large dog, and a disposition combining the worst qualities of a Tasmanian devil and a wolverine.

[3]The Dark Ages - the period of time which lasted from about C.E. 476 to about C.E. 1000.

[4]Athwan - an ancient ritualistic honor fight that ends only in capitulation or death.