4

“…So that's how we dealt with the Pliq raiders that had been harassing the Fansq," James said, finishing the tale he, Elí and Meyleh, and the others had been recounting the events leading up to and including leaving the broken Pliq vessel for a ship from their outpost to rescue the surviving raiders.

Arneora, D'Narial, and the other Dra'kans began tapping on the tables as Arneora said, “Well done! You showed restraint, courage, and gave them the opportunity to learn their lesson, though from the news we have received, it may have been lost on their thick skulls." Elí and Meyleh exchanged dismayed looks, which Arneora noticed. “Your world is still safe, girls, no one has bothered them now that others are keeping watch over your people. Those fool Pliq have been amply frightened from going in that particular direction again, thanks to a certain acquaintance of mine who had a little chat afterwards with those you folks dealt with. However, they have continued their idiocy on others—it will not go unpunished, I assure you."

James looked across the table at D'Narial and raised an eyebrow. The Dra'kan ship master sat with arms crossed, looking thoughtfully down at his plate, though he did catch James' look and subtly shook his head once in response. James made a mental note to inquire about it later if he could get a private moment with D'Narial.

The sumptuous banquet given by Arneora went on for some time, with many different exotic foods, all of which were assured to be compatible with individual biologies.

“Ooo, I am so going to have to hit the gym after this…right after I wake up from a good three-day sleep!" Sonya quipped, finishing up a large roast she had been happily devouring.

“I have not seen this much food served for this number of people, even during important festivities ," Plel-Whu'an commented.

Pausing a little to think about it, Sonya added, “Yeah, come to think of it, I can't think of seeing this much at once, either. I'm not one to turn down a good meal, but this…jeezers, this is one for the books!"

L'Nuren, who was sitting nearby and had overheard Sonya's remarks, leaned in her direction and said with a grin, “We Dra'kans have appetites to match our size."

Sonya was in the process of ripping another chunk of meat off the bone when L'Nuren made his comment. She paused a moment before slowly chewing and swallowing.

“So, are all of you…like…?" she asked, indicating with her hands a larger size.

“The Dra'ka Nulen is quite old, and therefore also quite large. However, yes…this is a smaller form we are able to take, otherwise we look much the same as when she first appeared to you."

Sonya dropped the bone on her plate and gulped.

“Jeezers!" she exclaimed quietly.

Plel-Whu'an's eyes widened and paled upon learning that the Dra'kan sitting near her—and indeed all of the other Dra'kans present—could, at will, revert to such monstrous sized beings.

“By the All-Mother…!" Whu'an thought to herself.

“Are you enjoying yourself?" D'Narial quietly asked Rissanivi, who was sitting next to him.

“Um…guess so, yeah. Not used to this much," she replied, taking a small bite of her food.

“Oh?" D'Narial asked with a bit of concern.

“Um…work hard all my life to have what I do. We Vey'ani…get by with what have. Vey'a not rich world, but…do okay," Rissanivi explained, a bit overwhelmed by the extravagance of her surroundings and the amount of food before her, which would have fed a sizeable number of her people.

For the first time that he could remember in his long life, D'Narial felt a pang of sympathy for one of the Younger Races. Although he had not been to the homeworld of the Vey'ani himself, he had heard of it, and knew something of the people. At that moment, he decided that perhaps he should learn more. Afterall, he reasoned, if the Elder Races were supposed to be assisting the First Ones in watching over the Younger Races and providing guidance to those worthy of it, should they not be more involved in knowing and understanding those they watched?

“Tell me of your world, Rissanivi," D'Narial asked, genuinely wishing to know more.

Arneora glanced across the table and quickly eyed the two as the Vey'ani pilot spoke of her world. She also noticed that James and her other guests who were seated nearby also turned their attention to their friend and listened. Arneora smiled to herself. She listened to Rissanivi's story as well as observed the others who also listened.

When the meal was concluded, the crews were led to one of the sleep chambers. Given the size of it, which was suitable for a Dra'kan in his or her normal form, the one massive cushioned area could easily handle them all. There were piles of blankets and pillows of all sizes available for all. Erlanna, the Dra'ka Nulen's assistant, pointed out the amenities.

“We have attempted to resize the facilities to accommodate your smaller bodies—if they prove to be inadequate to your needs, we will of course adjust them further to suit. If you need anything, simply pick up an orb and speak to it—someone will come to assist you."

“Thank you, Erlanna, I think we will be fine tonight," James said.

“Then I shall leave you to your rest," Erlanna said with a slight bow, which James returned.

The assistant quietly withdrew from the chamber, shutting the doors behind her, but not before giving one more curious look at the guests.

A short while later, Arneora asked, “Are they settled in for the night?"

“Yes, Dra'ka Nulen," Erlanna replied with a bow.

“Good. We shall give them a day to rest, and then the next we shall go together to the Great Hall. The Council of Elders is interested in hearing their accounts of recent events in their homespace that interest us," Arneora instructed.

“Is there anything else you require?" Erlanna asked.

“You may retire for the evening if you wish. I will be in my study. Perhaps sometime tomorrow in the afternoon, I may wish to see the captain."

“Of course, Dra'ka Nulen. A pleasant evening to you," Erlanna said, bowing, before returning to her own quarters.

Arneora waited until her assistant left, and then after pouring herself a drink, she went into her private study. The walls of the room were lined, floor to ceiling, with shelves of books of all types—some were quite ancient. One niche held a display connected to a workstation and the computer network. This night, however, Arneora chose to sit in a large overstuffed chair next to the fireplace. She placed some logs on the grate, inhaled, and then leaning forward, opened her mouth and sharply exhaled a short breath. Two streams of fluid squirted from glands inside her mouth and when they mixed about half a meter from her muzzle, burst spontaneously into white hot flame. Arneora was well practiced at using just enough to get a good fire going without incinerating the wood and slagging the metal and stone of the fireplace. The fire was more for aesthetic comfort than for providing heat or light. Settling into her chair and propping her feet up on the cushioned footstool, Arneora sipped her drink and let her mind wander.

* * * * *

“Well, I guess we just pick a spot and get comfy," James commented, eyeing the humongous cushion.

“It looks more akin to an exercise area than a place to sleep ," Rhuw-Rha'an commented in turn as she surveyed the cushion while standing next to James.

“It could give a whole new meanin' to 'Bedroom Olympics, couldn't it, huh?" Lilly asked with a sly grin, causing James to chuckle.

“Lil…I wonder about you, sometimes," James said, shaking his head.

Rha'an wasn't quite sure exactly what Lilly had meant by her comment, though the unguarded thoughts she was picking up between Lilly and James caused the color of her eyes to darken slightly in embarrassment.

Eventually, both crews settled down to rest after arranging various pillows to suit and covering with the provided blankets. Barracks style sleeping arrangements were nothing new to the two military crews, and modesty was not much of an issue—except for Rissanivi and the two Fansq females. Elí and Meyleh picked a spot near, but respectfully apart from, where James and his mates had chosen. With the lights dimmed in the chamber, and while under cover of their blankets, the two removed and carefully folded their clothing, setting them aside before lying down to sleep. James and Tanya were quietly discussing what might be between their current location and the nebula they were heading to; Shauna was lost in thought; Moira's android avatar was relaying what she had learned to the ship and being updated on what had been going on in the huge hangar as well as various ship systems. Lilly, though, being the usual observant type, noticed Rissanivi standing around and looking quite unsure of what to do.

Giving James a poke to get his attention, Lilly said quietly, “Hey, check it out…"

James and Tanya looked in the direction Lilly was nodding towards.

“Wanna invite her over? I don't see any heatin' pads around to keep her warm," Lilly suggested.

“Fine by me," Tanya said. Elbowing Shauna, she asked, “Hey, 'Legs'…how about we warm our lizard friend, ah?"

“Huh? Wha…?" Shauna asked, propping herself up on an elbow so she could look over Tanya.

“Rissa…" James replied, jabbing a thumb in her direction.

“Oh…yeah, what the hell, not like there isn't room," Shauna said, lying back down.

“I'll get her," Lilly said. “'Scuse me, Moira…be right back."

“Oh, certainly, Lilly," Moira said, letting her up.

Lilly, who was wearing her regulation black skivvies and tank top, got up and walked over to Rissanivi.

“Hey, we got a warm spot for ya—figured you might need one."

“Um…I…"

“Aw, it's no biggie…c'mon," Lilly said, taking Rissanivi by the hand. “Seriously, it's no problem. Ya gotta have heat, right? Well, they didn't give out any warmin' blankets, so c'mon, we'll keep ya nice an' toasty tonight."

Lilly tugged on Rissanivi's hand, but she was still reluctant to join them.

Puzzled, Lilly asked softly, “What's up, Rissa? Somethin' botherin' ya? Ya don't have anythin' against getting' under the covers with us mammals, do ya?"

“Um…no…just…"

Lilly saw Rissanivi fidget with her hood.

“Oh, I've been noticin' that you keep your noggin' covered up all the time…does that have anythin' to do with it?"

“Um…some, yeah. Vey'ani…we, um…"

“Uh, you got a belief or somethin' about keepin' your head covered, right?"

Rissanivi blinked rapidly a few times and nodded.

“Um, only when…in pry…private? Yeah, that, I think you say. By self, or…um, with special person."

“Yeah…this ain't exactly a cozy little bedroom, and you probably don't have anybody in particular that you feel close to, huh?" Lilly observed.

“Um…could, but…maybe…dunno," Rissanivi said hesitantly, hanging her head.

Lilly glanced back where the others were laying, looked back at Rissanivi, and studied her for a moment.

“Let me guess, ya kinda like Jamie, don't ya? I've been watchin' how ya act around him," Lilly said quietly, causing Rissanivi to quickly look up and make tiny, quick movements of her head while flicking her tongue nervously. “I don't know how things are back where you're from, but Jamie and I…we've been mates since we've been old enough," Lilly started to explain, noticing that Rissanivi quickly dropped her head again and started to look away. “Rissa…it's okay. You don't hafta worry about anything. Seriously, okay? It was my idea to ask ya to come snuggle up with us to keep warm. Nobody'll think anything different of ya, okay? So, c'mon, let's go and snuggle already. You said once that Arlan kept you warm when you guys were in some ice cave, looking for artifacts or somethin'. Jamie's cousin, Poppy—Arlan was her guy, and she had two kits by him, Daisy and Rosetta—they're about six or seven years old now and they haven't seen their daddy since they were born. We didn't know that he was with Shauna's brother, Cameron; we just knew that he went off somewhere and never came back home. I'm sure Poppy would understand if she knew Arlan was a good enough friend to ya that he wouldn't let ya freeze. What I'm tryin' to say is…we're not gonna let ya be cold and alone, either. You're a nice gal, Rissa…we all like ya. So…c'mon, get that scaly tail of yours over there and let us keep ya warm, okay?"

Rissanivi looked up when Lilly talked about Arlan, Poppy, and the girls. Making a few small, quick movements of her head, she nodded and heaved a sigh. Lilly smiled gently and Rissanivi let her lead the way over to the others.

“Crawl yourself right on in there and get warm," Lilly said quietly, holding the covers back.

Rissanivi swallowed hard, and timidly did as instructed.

“Hey, Rissa, Lilly talked you into joining us tonight, eh?" James asked with a smile.

“Um…yeah," Rissanivi replied meekly.

“Well, scoot closer—that's it, we'll keep you warm tonight," James said, turning onto his left side so Rissanivi could snuggle against his back.

He pulled her right arm over and held her hand against his chest, while Lilly snuggled against Rissanivi's back.

Once everyone was settled in for the night, the quiet conversations gradually faded as they all drifted off to sleep. Rissanivi, though, stayed awake for a while, thinking. She had entertained a little fantasy of being with James, wondering what it might be like, though she had already figured out that he, Lilly, and Tanya, were involved with each other, given the way they acted when together. Still, she was surprised when Lilly had approached her and offered to let her stay with them to keep warm. If she hadn't snuggled up with someone, Rissanivi knew that by morning she would be sluggish, especially if the sleep chamber cooled off any more than it already had, and it was already noticeably cooler than when they had first entered. Eventually Rissanivi fell asleep, though she briefly woke once when James had shifted positions, turning to face her. They were nearly nose-to-nose. Ever so lightly, Rissanivi flicked her tongue out and touched it to James' jaw, tasting his scent. Perhaps out of habit in his sleep, James lightly stroked Rissanivi's face with his fingertips and kissed her on the snout, mumbling something she couldn't make out. She felt a little thrill run through her body, and held his hand against her chest. When Rissanivi fell back asleep, she was the most content she had been in a long time.

* * * * *

John wasted no time getting ready to hit the sack for the night. He carefully folded his uniform, setting it side, and made a spot for himself with blankets and a pillow. Diwenzi sat down on the cushion to remove her boots, about a meter or so from John. By the time she peeled out of her uniform, John was already getting situated under a thick blanket.

“Ai-a, when was the last time you ever snuggled with a gal?" Diwenzi asked casually while she was spreading out a blanket for herself.

“Huh?" John asked, looking up at her.

Giving him a slightly exasperated look, Diwenzi said, “You heard me, skunk-butt."

“What do you want to know for?" John asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Just wonderin',"

“Uh, huh…right. Lil' said somethin' the other day about you askin' her about me."

“So?"

“So…why were you askin' Lil'?"

“Ya think I'd go ask the skipper? 'Excuse me, sir, does Ensign Donnelson not like the ladies, or is it just me?' Yeah, I could see how that would go over! Of course I asked your cousin, ya herf![1]"

“Um, Diz…the captain is my cousin, too."

“Yiezwa, your girl cousin! You know, 'girl talk' stuff? You do have sisters…I'm sure they're no different than any of mine or the other gals' when it comes to guys!"

John tried not to smile seeing how worked up Diwenzi was getting. As much as he didn't want to admit it, she was kind of cute when she got wound up on something.

“Not to worry, Diz, I like the ladies just fine," John said quietly.

“Oh, na'an s'weze![2] Now we're getting somewhere!" Diwenzi said in exasperation.

“Uh, Diz…park your tail and tone it down, will ya? Everyone's starting to look," John asked quietly, noticing that some of his shipmates were beginning to wonder what Diwenzi was getting upset about.

The Veswan pilot put her fists on her hips and looked hard at John for a few seconds, and then glancing upward and muttering something in her own language. She plopped down and said in resignation, “Let 'em look, it's not like we're doing anything." Lying down with her back towards John, she muttered, “All I wanted to know was when the last time you ever snuggled with a gal. You obviously haven't since we've been on deployment. I know everybody back home thinks I'm sabi'ch'we, but at least I still get a look or two…until they find out what I do."

Diwenzi sighed and pulled the covers over her.

“Then what?" John prompted quietly.

After a few seconds, Diwenzi replied softly with sniffle, “Then they avoid me."

John didn't know what to say to that. He thought back on what his squadron mate, Lt. Crowder, had told him about Veswans, particularly how they viewed those of their kind who flew in space. John knew her people thought she was certifiably nuts for being a fighter pilot, though there was something else…then he finally remembered. Those deemed “insane" were shunned—something that made life very difficult for the normally gregarious nature of a Veswan.

“Diz…?"

*Silence*

“I'm not ignoring you."

*Silence*

“Okay, well, I guess you're going to ignore me, so I might as well crash. You know where I'm parked at…" and almost under his breath he added, “…if you get cold."

John turned onto his right side, facing away from Diwenzi, though he made a point of working his tail out from under the blanket, whacking her with it, before pulling it back under.

Sometime after everyone was likely asleep, Diwenzi turned onto her back and listened for a bit. There was no talking or movement that she could hear, so she looked over at John. He was still lying on his right side. Lifting her head and looking around in the dimness, Diwenzi slowly and carefully scooted her bedding closer to him.  Unbeknown to Diwenzi, John was still awake—he had been wondering if she might try sneaking closer eventually, so he waited to see if she would. John felt the blanket covering him move slightly as she slowly worked her hand under it. When he felt fingers lightly touching his right shoulder blade, John smiled slightly, and rolled onto his left side.

Diwenzi immediately froze.

“Yiezwa! Don't wake up…don't wake up…!" she thought to herself in a near panic.

John “played possum", acting like he was asleep, until Diwenzi slowly started to pull her hand back. When he suddenly took ahold of her hand and pulled it towards him, Diwenzi's eyes were wide with surprise.  

 “'Night, Diz," John said very quietly, with a little smile.

* * * * *

The Se'nika's crew had picked their places to sleep near to, though separate from, the crew members of Nightwing. Vren-Kan'ta had chosen his spot on the side closest towards the Terrans—specifically near where Cara Bronski had decided to sleep at. He stayed a respectful distance from her, of course, though close enough that he could easily make eye contact. Since the day they had first met on Nightwing at the lift near the engine room, the two had slowly become friends. Kan'ta found Cara interestingly different from Mûr Tua'ansa females and enjoyed her company whenever they had found time to visit. During their short stay on Elysinar, she had surprised him by suggesting they go for a walk together, and then asked if he would have dinner with her on Nightwing the following evening. His crewmate, Tres-Nua'ta, had noticed his growing interest in Cara, and seeing that Kan'ta had chosen to claim his rest place near her, Nua'ta decided to lay on the other side of his crewmate.

“How goes it with the Terr'ahn female?" Nua'ta asked casually while they were preparing their resting places.

“Well enough, I suppose," Kan'ta replied.

“I see Chi'an wishes to remain close to the furry Terr'ahn male, even though he is now paired with the Élendorian female. That is an odd pairing, though they seem quite happy with one another despite being so different ," Nua'ta observed.

Kan'ta looked over to see Felix and Læree'ahn welcome Zhir-Chi'an to spend her rest with them as if it was simply the natural thing to do.

“Chi'an seems rather accepting of the situation. No doubt her Honored Mother would likely not be so, herself, if she knew, though I am certain she never will. I would not wish that upon Chi'an ,' Kan'ta sent.

“Nor would I," Nua'ta agreed. He thought on the situation and asked, “ I am curious—what do you think of the Terr'ahn female, Cara Bronski? "

Kan'ta looked thoughtfully at Cara for a moment and sent, “I enjoy her company, and despite the differences between us, I must admit that if she were to ask, I…would be inclined to accept ."

Nua'ta looked over at Cara and then back to Kan'ta.

“If that should happen, my friend, I wish you well. As you say, she is pleasant enough, the few times I have spoken with her. I believe the Terr'ahns are becoming more used to being with us, if that is the proper way of putting it ."

“As we are with them," Kan'ta added.

“Indeed, so," Nua'ta agreed.

“Which among them would you be interested in?" Kan'ta asked.

Nua'ta had to think on that for a bit.

“I am not certain, though…perhaps…the large black-furred female ."

“The Sensor Technician, Carmen Li?" Kan'ta asked, surprised at his crewmate's choice.

“Carmen Li has…a quite muscular form," Nua'ta sent, glancing appreciatively in her direction.

“True enough…and an interesting personality," Kan'ta agreed.

Once Kan'ta was settled in, he lay so that he faced towards Cara. Waiting until she was covered up with a blanket, he sent privately, “ Rest well, Cara ."

Startled somewhat by hearing his voice in her head, she asked using her own limited telepathy, “ Kan'ta? Uh…where are you?"

“Look to your right…" Kan'ta replied. When he saw her look in his direction, he waved his hand.

“Oh, there you are. Uh…kind of difficult to sleep in a strange place ."

“It is difficult enough to sleep during the night, at least for our kind ," Kan'ta sent back with a touch of wry humor.

“I suppose so," Cara agreed. “I wonder what we'll get to see while we're here ."

“Hopefully nothing as startling as when the Elder Dra'kan appeared. That was… "

“Yeah, it scared the heck out of me! I thought Miss Salnuano was yanking our chains when she showed us that holo-photo! Jeezers, that was…ooh, I hope they don't do that again while we're here!" Cara exclaimed.

“I agree. Seeing a ghe-wazi on my homeworld was quite enough for me, but that…I had not imagined such a being could possibly exist, let alone being nearly nose to nose with it. We were ready to relocate everyone back to the ships… " Kan'ta sent.

Cara sensed from his thoughts that he had felt the same as she had the moment they all saw the Dra'ka Nulen for the first time, in her full size.

“I'll probably have nightmares about that," Cara sent back.

“May we dream of more pleasant things."

“Oh, such as…?" Cara asked with a bit of coyness.

Kan'ta sent her a particularly fond memory of watching Nar A'Zhæl slip below the horizon and the plants in the meadow behind his parents' home begin to glow with bioluminescence in the gathering darkness of a new night. The smell of Chu'anso—breakfast, in his native Tu'an—being prepared by his father was mingling with the scents carried upon the light breeze. It was a beautiful early summer evening and he was up before sunset because his mother would be returning later that evening from deployment with Imperial Main Fleet Two, where they had been patrolling the border along the coreward frontier for the past nine cycles of nan-Raleen. It was a happy time for him as his mother would be rotating back to become an instructor at the Imperial Fleet Training Facility and would be home before sunrise every night.

“Wow, that was a beautiful view!" Cara sent after he had shared the image with her. “ How long ago was that?"

“I was eleven sun-circles old," Kan'ta replied.

“Um, that's what you call a 'year', right?"

“Yes," Kan'ta acknowledged.

“So, your mom was in the military, too, huh? What did she do? " Cara asked.

“Mother was a Systems Specialist, same as Hfel-Sri'an is, though she worked primarily on data equipment used for sharing tactical information between ships and attack craft ," Kan'ta replied.

“That's interesting. How did you end up becoming a Propulsion Specialist, working on main drives? " Cara inquired.

“I scored high in that area on my placement exams. I…have an unusually strong understanding of the energies involved and the things that produce them ."

“Well, I guess that would be a big help," Cara agreed with a smile.

“Indeed, so." Kan'ta saw Cara yawn. “I apologize if I am keeping you from your rest… "

“Oh, that's okay, I don't mind. We don't get to talk much when we're underway ," Cara said.

“Indeed. I…enjoy your company, if it is permissible for me to say so ," Kan'ta sent carefully, hoping that he was not violating any Terran custom by admitting such to her.

“It is, and…I enjoy your company, too. You're a sweet guy. (*yawn*) Sorry, I guess it's been a long day. Um…see ya in the morning? "

“Of course. Rest well, Cara."

“Good night, Kan'ta."

Cara made an odd facial expression that he didn't understand, though he noticed that she smiled with a little giggle, and her face became warmer. He made a mental note to ask Madam Moira about it when he got a chance. Kan'ta smiled back and watched Cara pull her blanket up over her head, peeking out from under it.

“You are stuck in my thoughts, Kha'ra-Bron'skee … why?" Kan'ta thought to himself as he closed his eyes, thinking of her until he drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

The next morning the crews awoke to sunlight streaming in through high windows in the sleep chamber they had spent the night in while on Dra'ka. The mountain air was cool for those who were without fur, prompting James to ask for some heat so that they could be more comfortable. In a short while, Erlanna arrived with others who brought in large spheres, each surrounded by an ornate open metal enclosure, and set upon stands.

“With apologies, Captain, we did not think about the temperature being uncomfortable for your kind," Erlanna said, bowing her head a little. “These will provide ample warmth for you. The controls are simple—merely slide this part left or right to decrease or increase the heat output. The 'off' position is all the way to the left until it stops, and then simply push in—the soft light it produces will go out. To turn 'on', is the reverse—pull out and slide to the right until the desired warmth is achieved. The metal will stay cool to the touch regardless of the setting, though the heat produced may become considerable when on the highest level. I suggest starting with the center setting, and then adjust as desired," she explained.

“Thank you, Erlanna, I'm sure these will be appreciated, particularly by Rissanivi," James said politely.

“Oh?" Erlanna asked in concern.

“She's cold-blooded…" James said, somewhat confused by her reaction.

Looking dismayed, Erlanna glanced over in the direction of the Vey'ani pilot, and said, “Again, it is with apologies, Captain. We Dra'kans…are quite warm."

James saw the look on Erlanna's face and found that he had trouble reading her expression, but then to demonstrate, she gently placed her right hand against his cheek. James' own expression turned to one of wonder, for her touch felt quite warm—almost like that of a chemical handwarmer. Thinking back to when he had met D'Narial, James vaguely remembered how oddly warm the Dra'kan shipmaster's grip was.

Erlanna smiled slightly.

“As I said, we Dra'kans…are quite warm."

She slowly slid her hand down James' neck and along his shoulder, lingering briefly before withdrawing it.

“The dining hall is prepared for you—you may partake as you desire. If you require anything else, simply use an orb to call." Erlanna turned and started to walk away, though after a few steps, she stopped and turned to say, “Oh, one more thing, Captain, the Dra'ka Nulen…she may wish to speak with you this afternoon."

James watched as Erlanna walked away in a slow, sinuous manner, pausing briefly at the door to look back at him. She smiled once, slowly nodding her head, and then stepped through the door. James shook his head, and then turned to tell the others how to use the warming globes and inform them that breakfast was ready in the dining hall.

The ever-observant Lilly watched Erlanna talk to James up until the Dra'kan left.

When James came back over to sit down next to his mate, she said, “What is it with these Dra'kan gals? They sure do seem to be eyeballin' you for some reason."

James shook his head and said, “Yeah, I've noticed. Beats the heck out of me, Lil. I can kinda understand why Rissa might, and I gotta admit that for a reptile she's not bad looking, but the Dra'kan females—I don't have a clue. Knowing what they can change into is enough to give anyone the willies."

“Ya got that right," Lilly agreed quietly.

She put her hand on James' back and looked up at him; he smiled softly, and they lay back together on the pillows.

Slowly stroking her fur, James quietly said, “I got all I need right here."

“Don't forget Tan," Lilly said, grinning slyly.

“And Tanya, too," James agreed with a chuckle.

Lilly nuzzled James and then gave him a little lick on the neck.

“So, ya think Rissa's a looker, eh?" Lilly asked playfully.

“She could be interesting…," James replied, teasingly.

“The gal can sure dance, huh?"

“Uh…yeah, that's for sure. I think Syl was getting jealous," James replied.

Lilly chuckled and continued to nuzzle James for another minute or so, but then she stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Jamie…?"

“Yeah, Lil?"

“Ya think we'll ever find out what happened to Arlan…and Shauna's brother?"

“I don't know, Lil. Other than finding out that Rissa knew them, we haven't found any clues yet as to what might have happened to them. Maybe when we get to the nebula and can find that dead world they were digging on…"

Lilly laid her head against James and sighed.

“Yeah…hope we find somethin' about 'em."

* * * * *

When they were seated at the tables in the dining hall and having their breakfast, D'Narial joined them, sitting across from James.

After the initial pleasantries, D'Narial withdrew a cylinder from a concealed pocket of his uniform and placed it on the table before James.

“I believe this will interest you, Captain."

James hesitantly picked up the cylinder that was slightly longer than the width of his hand and approximately two centimeters in diameter.

“What is it?" James asked, glancing at the intricate designs decorating the outside.

“It contains a history," D'Narial replied.

“A history…of what?" James asked.

“One that you may find useful," D'Narial replied cryptically, looking James in the eye for a moment before taking a drink of his beverage, which was followed by a wisp of vapor escaping his nostrils.

The Dra'kan shipmaster proceeded to load his plate with food, saying nothing else until he had half of it devoured.

“So, Rissanivi…" D'Narial began, pausing between bites of food, “…did you find the accommodations comfortable?"

“Um…okay, I guess," Rissanivi replied quietly.

“Was something not suitable?" D'Narial asked, noticing her hesitancy.

“I insisted she sleep with us so that she could keep warm," Lilly said.  

“Oh?" D'Narial asked, coolly looking straight at Lilly.

“Yeah, well, Rissa can't make her own body heat, and it wasn't right for her to get all cold and stiff while the rest of us were able to stay warm. So, we kept her warm," Lilly replied, meeting D'Narial's gaze and holding it.

After a moment, he slowly nodded his head once, and then turned to Rissanivi and said, “It is good to have friends who will take care of you."

“Um… yeah, they good friends for sure," Rissanivi agreed, casting an appreciative glance towards James and his mates.

“We didn't know it was going to get as cool as it did, and Rissanivi had no other way of staying warm. We simply could not let our friend suffer needlessly when we could share our body heat to keep her comfortable.  I called Erlanna earlier this morning and she had some heaters brought in—it should be getting warmer in there now," James explained carefully, exercising a bit of diplomacy.

D'Narial turned his attention back to James.

“It was a thoughtful gesture."

James simply smiled and nodded his head. Looking back at the cylinder he had been given, James examined it more closely in an attempt to discover if it had an inner compartment that could be opened, or if it was some kind of data device. D'Narial casually watched James as he ate. After a few minutes, he quietly cleared his throat to get James' attention.

“Place it next to a data terminal on your ship—it will establish a link on its own, and then you may peruse its contents at your leisure," D'Narial explained.

“Ah, okay. I'll check it out as soon as I can get a chance. Thank you," James said, putting the device into his uniform's thigh pocket.

D'Narial nodded his head once and then changed the subject.

“I understand that this is to be a day for you to rest from your travels. Tomorrow, the Dra'ka Nulen will take all of you to The Great Hall and meet with the Council of Elders. I will be there to give a report, and there will be some who you may wish to question," D'Narial said the last with a slight smile.

James, and the others within earshot who had been following the conversation and saw the Dra'kan shipmaster's smile, wondered who he might be alluding to.

“I'm sure it will be an interesting meeting," James said, smiling slightly in return.

“Oh, I have no doubt of that," D'Narial said, his slight smile turning briefly into a mischievous grin. “After the meeting, I believe you may be permitted to spend a few days enjoying what our world can offer. We will see to whatever supplies you may require for when you continue your journey."

“We appreciate the generous offer," James said, bowing his head slightly, which D'Narial returned.

An urgent sounding chime came from the Dra'kan's wrist bracer, prompting him to scowl slightly.

“One moment, Captain…" D'Narial touched what looked like a decorative stone and spoke in his own language. When he received the reply to his inquiry, D'Narial's scowl deepened. “I apologize, Captain, but there is a matter I must attend to promptly. I will visit again when permissible—perhaps this evening."

“Of course," James acknowledged, standing when the Dra'kan shipmaster got up from the table. D'Narial took a few steps away and dissolved into swirling multi-hued light.

“I wonder what that was about," Lilly commented after the Dra'kan had left abruptly.

“Who knows," James said, sitting back down. Looking at her, he added quietly, “Lil, be a little more careful how you speak to these people—they're immortal, we're not; you might want to remember that."

“Yeah, cuz," John agreed. “It's never a good idea to get a dragon ticked off at ya."

“Oyba, bad idea…very bad idea! You not know what Dra'kans can do!" Rissanivi exclaimed, looking fearful.

“Other than getting' big an' gnarly, what else can they do, stomp on ya?" Lilly asked, crossing her arms and looking sulkily across the table at Rissanivi.

“Um…they, um, what word Big C used to say…sag, no, sli…no, that not it…um slag? That right word? Maybe…yeah. They 'slag' everything," Rissanivi said, struggling to find the correct word. “Rock, metal…everything."

“Say what?" Lilly asked in disbelief.

“Um…Dra'kans, I think you say, 'breathe fire'—don't know how, just do, and it hot, hot! Melt everything!"

Rissanivi looked nervously over her shoulder, half expecting to see a Dra'kan behind her, ready to suck in a deep breath.

Lilly was about to say something, but James put a hand on her arm.

“Lil, remember, Rissa has heard stories about these Dra'kans all her life—we haven't. We don't know what they may be capable of."

“I can see somethin' bein' like a metamorph, but…breathin' fire? C'mon, that's a bit much," Lilly argued.

“I don't know, Lil, we've seen some pretty strange things on this deployment, and that's not counting all of the other weirdness we've seen since we joined up," James countered.

Lilly thought for a few moments and then lowered her ears, saying, “Yeah, I guess so. Sorry, Rissa, I'm just one of those people who gotta see somethin' for myself. Dragons an' such—to me, they're just somethin' ya read about in stories or see in fantasy movies; they're not real until I actually see one."

“Um…but you saw some already. You want see a Dra'kan burn something?" Rissanivi asked, blinking rapidly several times while making little movements of her head.

“That would be cool," Lilly replied.

“If Dra'kan's can breathe fire, don't make one turn you into skunk flambé, da?" Tanya admonished.

Before Lilly could say anything, James pulled her to him and said quietly, “Lil, promise me you'll be careful how you talk to these folks."

Lilly looked up into James' eyes and saw that he was serious, and also felt in him something she rarely ever did—nervousness.

Dropping her ears as far as she could, Lilly—still looking James in the eyes—said meekly, “I promise, Jamie."

He hugged her tighter, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her head.

Privately, he sent to her, “We're dealing with beings way beyond us, and I need you now more than ever, Lil—you're the only one who can keep this ol' wolf from getting too wild, like, back in high school. Remember that punk who was trying to force himself on that girl by the lockers during the class party? I would've ripped him apart, if you hadn't calmed me down. If anything happens to you, Lil, you know how I'll get—and Tanya, too, for that matter ."

“Yeah, well, all ya had to do was to toss his stupid butt across the room so I could get a bead on 'im, not beat the snot outta him. If ya had let me spray 'im, I guarantee he wouldn't have been gettin' near anybody for a while," Lilly sent back with a little smile, recalling the incident.

“Punks like that deserve a good thrashing for doing what he was doing," James sent, trying not to growl.

“They can't hit anythin' if they can't see or breathe. Just sayin'… " Lilly commented, nuzzling closer.

“If you had sprayed that punk, the list of suspects would've been a lot less than ninety percent of the students and it would've been a nasty cleanup job," James sent.

“Woulda been worth it, though. Hey, at least it woulda kept ya from bustin' your knuckles on his face and then havin' to tell your mom when she saw your hand after we got home ."

“After I graduated from the Academy, mom happened to say something about that incident. She told me, 'Never go beating up on someone just because you think you can, but if you need to defend yourself or somebody else, then stomp their tail hard, just like you did back in high school when you defended that girl at your class party.' That was the only other time she ever said anything about it ," James sent.

Lilly looked up and smiled.

“When word got around, I think you made a pretty good impression on the girls…I noticed that some of the guys who used to mess with us had backed off and started to be nice ."

“I suppose, come to think of it," James sent back.

* * * * *

When the Faln Aore arrived and came alongside the Dra'kan attack cruiser, Kahraor Faer, D'Narial quickly surveyed the scene laid out before him. He transported over to the larger ship a short while later and met with J'Laran, the shipmaster of the Kahraor Faer.

“So, these are the Wurnak Da'i prisoners you captured…" D'Narial said, looking over the aliens held in the containment cells.

There were approximately two dozen of the large brutish soldiers in one cell and several of the smaller, more clever ones in another.

“We caught them attempting to strike a communications station belonging to the Erebni, who we have been watching over at the request of Shan-a T'ith. We took these from one of their vessels and destroyed the rest," J'Laran explained.

“Has she said what to do with them?" D'Narial asked, looking coldly at the aliens.

“She has. We are to extract what information we can from these, and then 'deal with them appropriately.'"

D'Narial snorted a puff of smoke from his nostrils.

“We have visitors on Dra'ka—friends of Mistress Naoia—who had been captured and held by these pests."

“The First One?" J'Laran asked with mild surprise.

“Yes. Those of one ship who took part in their rescue and the defeat of these chakk-nrath[3] are also our visitors—they all have personally seen what happens to those who fall prey to the Minions of Mâ r An'sanim," D'Narial replied, his eyes glowing with anger momentarily before forcing himself to stay calm.

“Of these particular ones, they had overcome the Erebni using their mind device, though that was as far as they got before we got our claws into them. The fools attempted to use their device on us—naturally, it blew up in their faces. Literally," J'Laran said with a sneering grin.

Although D'Narial quietly made a deep, throaty growl, he did so with a menacing grin towards the captive Wurnak Da'i.

“Our young guests will be meeting with the Council of Elders tomorrow," D'Narial mentioned.

J'Laran said nothing for several moments as they both looked upon the prisoners in utter contempt.

“You would like for them to see these receive their due, yes?" J'Laran inquired.

“Like the others of our Age, we have spent little time among the Younger Races recently—only one among our young visitors knows anything of us, and then only by stories handed down from past generations. I believe it would benefit them to learn what they can of us while they are on Dra'ka—not only our wrath, when justly deserved as these will know, but also our other qualities such as our love of art and knowledge," D'Narial explained.

J'Laran listened to what D'Narial said and thought on it a moment.

“Interesting. I have heard some of the other Elder Races have agreed to return and take more of a part in guiding the Younger. The First Ones taught us, so now you suggest we should teach the Younger Races, yes?"

“One day they will become as we are now; should we not help them along if we can, even as we continue to become more than we once were?" D'Narial suggested.

J'Laran thought about that and replied, “Perhaps, if it will prevent them from becoming like these."

It was D'Narial's turn to think.

Making a slight gesture towards the Wurnak Da'i with his hand, D'Narial said after a few moments, “The Dra'ka Nulen has said the First Ones intend on removing the Dark Bloods and their minions, along with everything they have touched, once and for all. They have certainly been a destructive nuisance since they were discovered."

“That they have. I, for one, would rather do other things on occasion than always having to keep my eyes on fools bent on destroying," J'Laran agreed. “I will see to it that all traces of the Wurnak Da'i have been removed from this area. Since you have her ear, ask the Dra'ka Nulen what she thinks of your idea to show the visitors what we do to those who deserve our wrath; tell her that you have my support with your proposal—I will send a message confirming it. I will hold these for now while the cleanup progresses, and if she agrees, I will bring them before The Council tomorrow; if not, their remains will not be found."

“That is fair," D'Narial said, giving a slight bow towards J'Laran.

By the time D'Narial returned to Dra'ka, and went to pay the Dra'ka Nulen a visit, J'Laran's message had arrived with his seal, confirming his support of D'Narial's proposal. Arneora listened carefully and thought it a sound idea. Contacting the head of The Council, she asked his opinion on the matter—it was decided that the Wurnak Da'i prisoners would be brought before The Council, interrogated further, and then dealt with. Arneora would explain to her guests the purpose of what was to happen. There would be another present who had been selected, confined, and brought to Dra'ka for questioning—no doubt one that James and others among his crew would be surprised to see.

* * * * *

That afternoon, James received a summons from the Dra'ka Nulen —her assistant, Erlanna, came to lead him to Arneora's private study. James remained mostly silent while walking with Erlanna, though he kept an eye on her. She was not inclined to be talkative, though James did catch her stealing glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye. James wasn't sure if Erlanna was just making sure he was able to keep up with her, or if she had other reasons for discretely looking at him.

“Maybe she's not used to being around us mere mortals," James thought to himself. He was kind of curious about what Erlanna might be thinking, but then, “ On second thought, maybe I don't want to know."

“Wait here," Erlanna instructed when they came to a heavy wooden door that looked like it could have belonged in one of his family's castles from nearly two thousand years in the past, if it was sized down to human proportions.

James stood in the hallway and waited; about a minute later, Erlanna returned for him. They entered a small room—at least it was small when compared to the other rooms he had been in since arriving on Dra'ka. Erlanna carefully closed the outer door to the small room and then, as she headed towards the inner door that led into the Dra'ka Nulen's private study, Erlanna stopped before James. She stood close to him, quite close, in fact, enough that he could feel the unusual warmth of her body, causing James to begin to wonder if he was actually going to see Arneora or if this had been some sort of ruse on the part of her assistant.

“When the Dra'ka Nulen is finished with you, I will be waiting for you here," Erlanna said quietly, a hint of a smile forming on her face as she looked down at him.

James smiled and nodded his head, carefully slipping by Erlanna, being mindful of her tail lest he accidentally stepped on it or tripped over it.

James opened the inner door, stepped through it, and shut it, though not before catching what looked like a sultry glance towards him by Erlanna.

Feeling a moment of relief, James turned and saw Arneora look up from something she was reading in front of a fireplace, which had a real fire burning in it. James' relief quickly disappeared when he saw the way the ancient Dra'kan female sat in her large overstuffed chair, wearing a robe that—as it was worn—left little to the imagination. Arneora's left shoulder was bare, as was her left leg from her hip down. She was leaning on the chair's right armrest, left leg crossed over her right, and long, sinuous tail draped over her ankles.

“Come and have a seat," Arneora said with a coy smile, patting the chair's seat cushion next to her, which actually did have enough space for James to sit. When she saw him hesitate, she added almost seductively, “I promise I won't bite."

James simply nodded his head once, and approached the chair. It was tall enough that he was going to need help up.

Chuckling, Arneora asked, “Will this help?"

Using her strong tail, she scooted the cushioned footstool close enough so that James was able to get up on it and then onto the chair next to her.

“Thank you," James said as he climbed up to sit with her.

Arneora smiled and turned her attention back to finish what she was reading, leaving James to look around a bit. He tried not to look at the curve of her exposed hip or her bare, well-muscled leg. However old Arneora might be, nothing sagged on her body or otherwise hinted at her age—if anything, it exuded strength and power, and an unusual sensuality.

When Arneora finished what she was reading several minutes later, she set the “book"—which was actually a device that performed a similar function to a PAD that James would be familiar with—on the side table, and then glanced coyly over her shoulder at James. Smiling slightly, she positioned herself to her left so that she could bring her full attention to bear on her guest, while nonchalantly adjusting her robe in the process. Despite its rearrangement, it still left little to the imagination, causing James to wish D'Narial was there to help him out of a potentially embarrassing situation that he was becoming increasingly sure was going to happen at any moment. To top things off, James could feel the unusual warmth radiating from Arneora's body…and it felt surprisingly good in the cool air.

“So, Captain…mind if I call you 'James'?" Arneora asked, the sound of her voice was at once ancient, feminine, and oddly seductive.

“You may," James replied with a nod of his head.

The Dra'ka Nulen smiled slyly and in a low voice said, “As long as we are in private, you may call me 'Arneora'; while others of my people are present, you will use my title."

“Yes, ma'am," James agreed, causing Arneora to grin slightly.

“Excellent. Now then…I trust you are satisfied with the hospitality you have been given thus far."

“Of course. You are a most gracious and generous hostess," James acknowledged with a bow of his head.

Arneora sensed that he truly meant what he said, which pleased her even more.

After studying James for several seconds, Arneora reached over to the side table to get her goblet. When she returned her attention to James, she lifted it to her mouth, but paused a moment.

“Would you like to try some?" she asked, nodding towards her goblet. “You might find it enjoyable."

“Sure," James replied.

Very carefully, Arneora held her goblet to James' lips.

“Only a little at first—in case it may be too strong for you," she instructed gently.

James nodded his head, placed his hands on the goblet, and carefully sampled the beverage. Although it was stronger than he usually preferred—his family's mead being his favorite—it seemed comparable to a fine cognac.

“Nice," James said, enjoying the aftertaste. “It reminds me of a certain type of alcoholic beverage from my world that is traditionally an after-dinner drink."

“Interesting," Arneora said, taking a drink, herself. “I will see that some is added to the list of supplies to be sent to your ship. Perhaps you will think of your time here on Dra'ka when you enjoy some during a quiet evening."

“I would like that, thank you," James said appreciatively.

After setting her goblet back on the side table, Arneora faced James and said, “The younger ones here revere me because I am old; the older one's maneuver for position and prestige. It has been a long time since anyone appreciated me for who I am. Do you know how old I am, James?"

“Um, I…don't really have a clue," James replied.

Arneora smiled wryly and said, “An honest answer." She looked towards the fireplace and stared at the flames for a while. “I am older than Dra'ka itself." When she turned to look at James again, she asked, “Does that surprise you?"

“I wouldn't have guessed…" James said quietly, totally surprised by the admission.

Arneora smiled.

“So, what do you see when you look at me? Are you the least bit curious what might be under this flimsy thing?" she asked, pulling back the edge of her robe a bit with a claw.

“Well, um…" James started to say, but then he paused and slowly reached his hand up and gently stroked her face, running his fingers from behind her ear down along her jaw line, and then held his hand to her cheek. Looking into Arneora's eyes, he said, “I see…a lady who I admire simply because she seems like a nice person. As for what might be under that…" James added, lowering his hand from her cheek and slowly running a finger along the edge of her robe where it was open across her left shoulder, touching her scales as he went, “…I suppose it depends on whether it's destined to remain a mystery or not. As one of my relatives used to say, 'what's on the inside is what counts…" James said, touching Arneora's cheek, “…what's on the outside…" he lightly traced the curve of her bare hip with the tips of the fingers on his other hand, “…is just icing on the cake.'"

“An interesting saying," Arneora said, thinking about it. “So, do you like what you see?"

Looking again at her bare hip and thigh, and returning his gaze to her eyes, James said, “Yes."

Arneora cocked her head slightly to one side and regarded him a few moments. She suddenly stood up and quickly stepped several paces away, spinning around to face James, she asked, “And what of this?" Arneora dissolved into multi-hued light that grew until it nearly filled the room and then reshaped and coalesced into the dragon form he had seen when they had first met. “Would you still think the same of me?" she demanded.

Although the act surprised James, he slipped off the chair and stepped closer, holding his hands up and motioning for her to bring her face closer. When she did, James (swallowing hard and trying not to be nervous) put his hands on either side of her snout, and closing his eyes, kissed her on the mouth. This surprised Arneora—in all of the several billions of years she had existed, no one had ever done such a thing. James moved forward a bit more and put his arms around her neck, pressing his head against hers for several seconds. Slowly letting go, James stepped back so that he could look Arneora in the eyes.

“We may be a lot different from one another, physically, but as one of my Mûr Tua'ansa friends says, 'we are alike even as we are different', and I've found that to be generally true. Back on my homeworld, we have a saying that we hold to, 'here you will find only love and acceptance.' If I can accept who you are in the other form you were just in, then I accept you in this form, too. Again, what's on the inside is what counts—that's the person you are, no matter how you may look on the outside. You're still the same Arneora, in my book. This might take a bit to get used to, but…hey, how many people can say that they have a hot-looking immortal dragoness as a friend?" James asked jokingly with a grin.

Arneora pulled her head back and looked questioningly at James.

“I did not expect this! Naoia, you sly, old, scamp…as much as I hate to admit it, you were right about this one. I wonder… " she thought to herself.

Arneora once again dissolved into multi-hued light, returning to her previous anthropomorphic form. She stepped up to James, studied him for a moment, and then embraced him.

“What was that you did, when you pressed your face to mine?"

“Um…when I kissed you?" James asked, wondering if that was what she meant.

“Would you do so again?" Arneora asked softly.

“Uh…sure, if you want," James replied.

“I want…"

It was the third time in his life—and all within the past two years—that James introduced the concept of kissing to an alien female [4].

Several minutes later, Arneora asked in a sultry voice, “Now, what was that about me being ' hot-looking'?"

“Oh, man…what did I just get myself into…?" James thought to himself—and then she slipped her robe off.

He soon learned a lot more about Dra'kan females than he had intended.

* * * * *

“Where is your captain?" D'Narial asked the first crew member of Nightwing he came to, having looked about and not seeing James anywhere.

“That assistant came and he went somewhere with her, ey," Felix said.

“Do you know where?" D'Narial asked.

“Er, you might want to ask Petty Officer Donnelson, she's his mate, so if anyone knows where the skipper is, she would," Felix suggested.

“Point her out to me," D'Narial demanded.

“She's…over there, the one with the black and white striped tail talking to the gal with the big ears and long fangs, ey," Felix said when he located Lilly.

D'Narial remembered her from earlier that morning. With a slight nod to Felix, the Dra'kan shipmaster headed off to speak to Lilly. Along the way, he thought about how he had missed that bit of information; it began to answer some questions he had, but those could wait.

“I think we have incoming," Sylvia mentioned softly to Lilly, giving a slight nod of her head towards the approaching Dra'kan.

“Aw, jeez, now what?" Lilly asked, turning around to see D'Narial heading their way.

“You are Captain Daugherty's mate?" D'Narial asked bluntly.

“Yes, sir, I am. Is…there somethin' I can assist you with?" Lilly asked politely, remembering her promise to James.

“I was told that you would know where he may have gone," D'Narial asked, attempting to keep his voice neutral.

“Erlanna came early this afternoon to take him to meet with the, um, Dra'ka Nulen, I think that's how you say it," Lilly replied.

“Alone?!" D'Narial asked, raising his voice slightly and suddenly looking concerned.

“I…think so. Is that a problem?" Lilly asked, now becoming concerned herself because of the way the Dra'kan acted.

D'Narial glanced away momentarily and muttered something in his own language [5].

“Thank you, I…will look for him there," he said, regaining his composure and bowing his head to Lilly before turning and walking purposefully towards the door.

Lilly stared after D'Narial until he left, and then said to Sylvia, “Okay, now he's got me wonderin' what's goin' on…"

“I hope the captain isn't in any kind of trouble," Sylvia commented, her own face showing her concern.

“Yeah," Lilly agreed quietly. Thinking quickly about something, she said, “Hey, did ya notice how the old gal seemed to kinda latch on to Ja…I mean, the captain, when she took us to that big dining hall last night? She just hooked her arm around his and walked real close like, and then durin' the whole time we were eatin', she kept eyeballin' him. Oh… jeezers…ya don't think…?" Lilly asked, her eyes growing wider as she considered the possibility.

Sylvia's jaw dropped slightly.

“Ye, gods…!" she whispered in shock.

Lilly was now worried about James' welfare.

“Ooh, Jamie…I hope these dragons don't have a matin' season, an' we just plopped down in the middle of it…!"

* * * * *

James waved one more time before shutting the door. He stood there for a moment, his hand lingering on the door handle, thinking, when he felt an unusually warm hand touch his shoulder.

“Come with me."

James could feel the warmth of a Dra'kan body standing close enough to be nearly touching; looking over his shoulder, he saw Erlanna looking down at him with a slight smile on her face. He turned around and she took his hand, leading him out into the hallway.

Looking both ways, Erlanna said quietly, “This way…," and led him down the way they had come earlier.

She had a firm grip on his hand, though not enough to be painful. James wondered why Erlanna was taking him by the hand, when she suddenly stopped.

“In here…quickly," she ordered softly, opening a door and nudging him through it.

She paused to quickly look down the hallway before carefully shutting it. The room was dark and quiet, except for their breathing. James felt something warm touch his lips.

“Make no sound," Erlanna whispered.

James nodded his head once to show that he understood, and he felt whatever had been touching his lips—presumably a finger—pull away. James' sensitive hearing detected the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, those of one person. Erlanna wrapped her arms around James and pulled him against her, when the footsteps were getting close. He felt a strange tingling sensation crawl over his body just as Erlanna literally became as still as a statue. When James could no longer hear the footsteps, the tingling went away and Erlanna ceased being rigid as stone, releasing her breath. Slowly opening the door, she cautiously peeked out, and then looked up and down the hallway.

“Come," Erlanna whispered, pulling James with her as she had before.

When he started to recognize that they were approaching the section the crews were staying in, Erlanna turned down another hallway, heading away from the quarters being used by them.

“Erlanna…where are you taking me?" James asked, growing concerned.

She said nothing until she came to a door, passed a ring she wore on a finger over what looked like a decorative part, and a soft click was heard. Once inside, Erlanna shut the door and made a similar motion; there was another click.

With a quiet sigh of relief, Erlanna faced James and said, “Now we are alone."

“Erlanna, what's going on?" James demanded.

Arneora's assistant sat down on a couch and while looking suggestively at James, she hiked up the edge of the wraparound skirt she wore, revealing a garter-like band around a shapely thigh, holding a cylindrical object similar to the one he had been given at breakfast.

“It's yours…if you care to remove it, properly, of course," Erlanna said with a sly grin.

“And just what is the proper way?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Come and find out…"

“Aw, jeez, here we go again…"

Sometime later…

“So, what's on this thing?" James asked, holding up the data cylinder as they lay together on the couch that seemed more like a daybed in proportions.

Erlanna replied while idly touching and stroking the hair on his head and face, “I found some information gathered by our Watchers that you might find useful in the struggle ahead." When James was about ask a question, Erlanna put a finger to his lips. “Speak nothing of this to anyone here and do not record any knowledge of having it. Wait until you have returned to your home to access its contents. You will no doubt wish to return to your ships for fresh clothing and such before you meet with The Council—I suggest keeping it there, away from your information terminals."

James looked at the cylinder for a moment and then back at Erlanna.

“I take it that this probably isn't something you were supposed to give me," James said, slightly raising an eyebrow.

“It will help you understand those we must all deal with soon enough. Perhaps it may or may not have eventually been provided to you—I took the chance in case it may not be." Erlanna touched James' cheek and added, “I am not so set in my ways as some among my people—the Younger Races will need to know as much as possible if they are to have a chance. I know you will show this to the right ones among your people."

“I get that, and I appreciate what you've done, but what will happen if you get found out?" James asked.

Erlanna gently pulled his head against her chest and closed her eyes.

In a near whisper she said, “Let us remember this time together."

* * * * *

When Erlanna escorted James back to the guest chambers, it was nearly time for dinner. She maintained her normal demeanor from the time they left her personal quarters until she returned, except for one brief meaningful look to James, who gave a slight nod of his head and a subtle smile before she left.

“Man, talk about being between the proverbial rock and a hard place! " James thought to himself as he went to greet Lilly and the others. “ Arneora might just be an old gal who wants somebody to accept her for who she is and not what she is, along with getting a little TLC, though she could be up to something else, too. I can't tell. But Erlanna…what to do about her? Something tells me that if anyone finds out she got that information and gave it to me, she's going to be in some serious trouble. If she's immortal like the rest of her people, what could they do to her? Maybe I don't want to know. Is the risk to her, myself, and the rest of us worth whatever is recorded in that cylinder? Jeez, we came here to meet and make friends, and maybe pick up some fresh supplies—now I'm starting to feel like this is turning into one of those old spy movies where an innocent bystander gets handed something and ends up in over his or her head in one of those bizarre twisty-turny plots… "

“Jamie! Where've ya been?!" Lilly exclaimed, jumping up and throwing her arms around him.

Tanya, Shauna, and Moira's avatar got up and gathered around James and Lilly in a group hug.

“Da, we been worried," Tanya said, giving James a kiss.

“Is everything all right, James?" Moira asked.

“Just peachy," he replied quietly.

Lilly, who knew James better than anyone, remembered when as kids they had used the phrase, “just peachy", as a code for when something happened that troubled them. James was counting on her remembering.

“What's wrong, Jamie?" Lilly asked privately.

“Arneora…and Erlanna…" James sent in reply.

“Uh, oh…what did they do?"

“I need a shower, Lil…a long one," James sent back after hesitating a moment.

“Need some company?" Lilly asked, sensing the conflict within her mate.

“Maybe next time, Lil…"

“That bad, huh?"

“Probably worse," James replied, causing Lilly to hug him tighter.

“I need to go back to the ship for a bit. Maybe Rha'an or somebody will teleport me," James said aloud.

“Looks like she's talking to Tal'an and Mar'an," Shauna said, being the tallest and able to look over everyone's head. “Over that way."

“James looked in the direction she pointed and said, “Thanks, Shauna. I'll be back in time to eat."

“We'll be waitin' for ya," Lilly said, holding his hand and reluctantly letting go of it.

James approached Rhuw-Rha'an, and waited for her to acknowledge his presence. Her two other crew members turned and saluted him, which he returned.

“Rha'an, may I speak with you a moment?" James asked.

Sensing that something was troubling him, she sent, “Of course, James ." Rha'an glanced at her two crew members, who then both nodded once to her and then to James before stepping away.

“I hate to bother you, but I…need a little favor," James sent privately.

“Certainly, my friend. What do you need?" Rha'an asked.

“I need to get to the ship…discretely, and…I'd like your opinion on something. As much as I'd like to talk with Lilly and Tanya about it, I think for this—as messed up as it is—you might be a better choice. It could end up affecting all of us ," James explained.

Placing her hands on his shoulders, Rha'an sent, “Consider it done, James ."

“Thanks. Before going to the ship, I need to tell Moira something, but then…how do we get out of here without anyone noticing? "

“By our own, or our hosts?" Rha'an asked, slightly raising an eyebrow.

“Our hosts, at least. I have no idea if they're telepathic or not, though I imagine that yours could keep things to themselves better than mine could—you folks have a wee bit more practice at that than we do ," James replied.

Rha'an smiled slightly and sent, “Go speak with Madam Moira—I will appear to use the amenities while you are doing so, then appear to do so yourself as if you had not noticed me entering ahead of you. I will inform Bre'an and then relocate us when we are both out of sight. How long do you need to be aboard your ship? "

“Just long enough to do what I need to do, and get a quick shower; maybe twenty minutes, thirty at most ," James replied.

Thinking quickly on their options, Rha'an hit upon an idea.

“Perhaps it would be best if we did this: I will relocate you to your ship and then return here after a short time, while continuing our conversation; when you are ready, I will send Bre'an to bring you back. It will seem as if you are cleansing yourself here instead of on your ship ."

“Thanks, Rha'an—if anybody could find a sneaky way to do this… "

“Just remember what I said about playing poker," Rha'an sent with a devious grin.

“Oh, I haven't forgotten."

“Moira, I've got a bit of an unusual request," James whispered in her android avatar's ear.

“Yes, James?"

He pulled out his PAD and typed something on it without sending it, and showed it to Moira.

“Are you sure?" Moira asked softly.

“Yeah, just those areas for that long," James replied.

“When?" Moira asked.

James erased what he had typed before, and then typed his reply and showed it to her.

“As you wish, James."

“Thanks, baby cakes."

James grabbed his personal kit from his bag, tossed a towel over his shoulder, and headed off to get cleaned up…or so it appeared.

When he was out of sight, James put his comm set in his ear and tapped the button.

[James]:     “Captain to Moira, remind Lilly to wait until I finish up in here, would you please?"

[Moira]:       “ As you wish, James. Let me know when you are nearly ready."

[James]:     “Will do, babe. Captain out."

“Ready when you are, Rha'an," James sent privately, putting his comm set away.

Wrapping her arms around James, Rha'an sent in return, “About the remark you made three of your days ago, I have been reminded of something Chi'an said when she was speaking of her time on your homeworld ."

“Which was…?" James prompted.

“She had remembered a saying she had heard: 'when in deep water, become a diver.' How deep are we in now? "

“I think we're going to need a submarine."

Rha'an held James' head against her and sighed.

*Bamf!*

[1] Herf – Veswan word for “goof".

[2] Na'an s'weze – Veswan expression used in exasperation similar to the human expression “good gravy!" or “good grief!"

[3] Chakk-nrath – a Dra'ka term that loosely means “devourers of young".

[4] See “Daggers of Darkness #1: Into the Black", chapters 10 & 11.

[5] D'Narial muttered, “First Ones protect him…!"

On to Chapter 5...