Nicia felt more helpless at that moment than any time during the past few days. "Get us down there, Now!" She ordered while fighting back tears.

"We have strict orders of no interference. I can't follow that order," the pilot said. "It's just one human."

Nicia didn't even stop to think. All of her rage surfaced as she punched the pilot in the back of the head and pulled him backwards out of his seat.

Vulmeran stared at her in disbelief as she took the pilots seat and turned the ship down slope. He had gone through training with her, but had never seen this side of her.

Nicia accelerated the ship down the mountainside. The soldiers started heading for the tree lines on each side of the fire break. She flipped a safety lever on the controls. Outside the ship, what resembled an intake port began to glow as a whining sound began to grow in loudness and pitch.

"Nicia, no!" Vulmeran warned as she reached towards a set of controls.

It was too late. As she pressed the button streaks of plasma shot out from the fuselage. She burned away the tree line where she saw the soldiers run who shot Grey. The other soldiers and vehicles were lost in the smoke and fire.

"Get him in!" She yelled to Vulmeran as she veered the ship around to where Grey had fallen, positioning it between his body and the fleeing soldiers.

Vulmeran saw no alternative, so he went back and opened the hatch. He dropped to the ground beside Grey. The smell of the human's blood made him sick as he quickly lifted the limp body up through the hatch. After climbing back in, he sealed the hatch.

"Okay, I have him. Go!" He yelled up to Nicia.

Vulmeran went back to the body and checked for any signs of life. He felt a weak pulse at the humans neck. "He's still alive."

"Put him in the autodoc. Quickly!" She called back. She felt her tears soaking into the fur beneath her eyes. She hoped there still might be a chance.

The autodoc was one of the pinnacles of Synacian technology. It was a machine that could diagnose a patient's injuries and then provide treatment, either by administering medications or, if necessary, by performing operations down to the cellular level by using nanoscopic probes.

Nicia kept constant watch over Sanborne for three days as the autodoc continued to keep him alive. He floated, suspended in a solution of regenerative drugs, and nanoprobes. The doc had performed numerous surgeries to repair his wounds, removing bullet and bone fragments while suturing tissue starting with the deepest and most crucial wounds and working outward from there. The regenerative drugs helped speed up Grey's body's ability to heal itself. By the end of the third day, Grey was stable enough to be removed from the autodoc and placed into a bed where Nicia remained by his side.

The pilot and Vulmeran took turns at the controls during the return to Synac. They had to travel away from Sol for one day before entering dimensional-space, where they had been traveling for the past two days. They would reenter normal space in another day, then make the final one-day leg back to their home world.

"She will be disciplined for this." The pilot declared angrily. "Unprovoked assault, allowing a human on a military shuttle and violating council restrictions on interaction with humans."

"Easy, Nersal. Since when did you care about council restrictions?" Vulmeran began. "She's had a rough time. She could use friends now more than enemies."

Nersal replied with a soft growl under his breath.

Vulmeran turned to Nersal. "Nicia and I were in the same training pack on Synac. We were even stationed together a few times. I have seen her in good times and bad, but not once had she ever lost control."

Nersal looked at the monitor to the medical bay. Nicia sat at a small table by Grey's bedside as she idly handled some of his belongings.

"She hasn't left his side in days. Why does she remain with that human?" Nersal muttered, with a hint of disgust in his voice.

Vulmeran noted the way Nersal had spoken of the human. He shook his head silently as he wondered how a species that had conquered space, mastered dimensional travel and has cured most forms of disease, could still be plagued by prejudice.

"Loyalty. Honor. Compassion. Who are we to judge her actions?" Vulmeran offered while getting up from his console.

Nersal snarled at Vulmeran's reply. "You would apply the principals of our oath to a human?" he growled.

"Yes," Vulmeran answered while leaving the cockpit. He paused before exiting through the hatch. "But why wouldn't you?" He added, and closed the hatch behind him, leaving Nersal to fume by himself.

Nicia sat quietly beside Grey. They had done all they could, yet there was still a chance he would not recover. Some of the medication was designed to induce a temporary coma, but the results of using these drugs on a human were uncertain. If he would regain consciousness, he was certain to recover fully. She decided that she would stay by him until the outcome was certain, whether good or bad.

She looked at the electronic compass he had given her. Useless now, lightyears away from the satellites it used to function. She pressed the button that displayed the coordinates Grey had told her where she could find him. A brief smile formed at the memory as she placed the compass back in her pocket and continued looking at the items on the table. Each item brought back memories of their time together.

She ran her fingers along the leather of his jacket. It was ruined, shredded by bullets and bloodstained. Her finger traced the outlines of the patches that were attached to it. They appeared to resemble an aircraft similar to the one she remembered him on in the photo at Drake's house.

She lifted the sleeve to her nose and sniffed. Grey's scent was strong on the jacket from years of wear. She found his scent unique, but pleasant. Conversely, the scent of his blood was entirely unpleasant, reminding her of what she had seen. It was amazing that he wasn't dead before they got to him. It was even more amazing that he had recovered so far.

She let the sleeve drop to the table as her hands came to rest on his handgun beneath the jacket. She reached under and slid it from its holster and held it. It had a good weight. She ran her finger around the threaded end of the barrel and along the contour of the slide. She decided it would be a good idea to make sure it was unloaded. She thought back to the lab when he unloaded the weapon. She mimicked his actions, pressing the magazine release and letting the magazine drop onto the jacket. She racked the slide ejecting the remaining round.

"What?" She said aloud to herself as she picked up the cartridge laying on the table.

She looked closely at the oddly familiar reflectionless surface of the bullet. She touched her finger to the tip. She could feel the bullet pulling the heat from her fingertip.

"Superconductor?" She said in amazement and confusion. "That's impossible. This couldn't have been manufactured on Earth." She looked over at Grey and stared at him. There were so many things she needed to ask him. A feeling of sadness came over her again as she watched him lying there unconscious. She hoped that she would get the chance.

The forward hatch slid open with a hiss as Vulmeran entered the compartment and approached her.

"Nicia? Are you okay?" He asked while taking a seat in front of her.

"It's my fault." She said without looking up at him, keeping her eyes on Grey. "I shouldn't have let him help me."

"No, it's not." Vulmeran said in an attempt to comfort her. He could see the concern she had for the human. He waited a moment before speaking again. "You care for this human?" He asked flatly.

Nicia turned toward Vulmeran. "Yes, he is my friend." She stated with pride.

Vulmeran offered no response as he sat watching her expressions until her eyes locked with his in a solid stare.

"Does that bother you?" She asked sharply, unsure of his tone.

Vulmeran offered a submissive grin as he looked down to the table to break their eye contact. "No. He helped a fellow pack member who is my friend. For that I will consider him a friend." He said as he looked cautiously back up at her.

Nicia's posture became more relaxed as Vulmeran spoke. "I know, old friend."

"However, Nersal is not thrilled with you right now and plans to report this incident to your superiors. He also has a strong prejudice toward humans." He added.

She looked back towards Grey. Nicia had little concern of what Nersal thought. She knew she was wrong in striking him, though he should have followed her orders.

Vulmeran could see the strain and exhaustion in Nicia's eyes. "Would you like me to stay here and watch him while you go get some rest?" He offered.

"Thank you." She said looking back at him with a tired smile. "But I'll be fine here."

"He must be very special to warrant such attention."

"He is." She said, turning again towards Vulmeran. "By helping me, his government now considers him a traitor. He never had to involve himself. He could have left me in the hands of the humans that captured me. Even after he helped me escape, he could have left me on my own, but he stayed with me until he knew I was safe. How can I leave him alone after he did that for me?"

Vulmeran nodded in understanding.

Sanborne's body ached. Where was he? He remembered the mountain. Was he dead? He tried to open his eyes. All he could see was a white light. His eyes began to focus. He lay blinking at the fuzzy image of a light fixture above him. Not dead, he thought. He could hear voices nearby, speaking in an alien tongue.

He identified one belonging to Nicia. The other voice was a male. Grey began to focus towards their conversation. He could make out Nicia's form sitting beside him. Grey reached out with one weak hand and placed it over hers.

"Grey!" She gasped, immediately snapping her head towards him.

Sanborne looked into Nicia's eyes and could see tears beginning to form.

"Hi." He said in a whisper, as he propped himself up on his elbows. His throat was sore and dry from spending several days suspended in the autodoc.

Nicia leaned forward and kissed Grey on the cheek as she placed her arms around him and hugged him close. "I was scared you might not recover." She sobbed lightly as she buried her face into his neck.

Grey stiffened slightly, taken aback by her sudden show of affection. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy it, he just hadn't expected to enjoy that kind of attention from another species. "What happened?" He asked.

"You had been shot. Nicia convinced the pilot to let her take the ship down and pick you up." Vulmeran said in English with a bit of an alien accent. His ears flicked in amusement.

Grey looked over towards the Trephyn sitting at the table. He was dressed the same as Nicia, though on his shoulder he wore the stripes of green, yellow and yellow. Grey was glad that Nicia outranked him. His jet black fur made it hard for Grey to see the subtle expressions around his eyes and face, but his ears were obviously showing amusement. Grey could tell when he had missed part of a joke.

Nicia sat down on the floor next to Grey as she gave Vulmeran a short growl.

Grey looked over towards Nicia. She looked overjoyed to see that he was ok, though she looked exhausted on the verge of collapsing. "Nicia, you look as if you need to rest."

"I'm fine. Just glad you're going to be okay." She said as she laid her arm on the edge of the bed and rested her head on it while looking up at Grey.

Grey sat up and examined himself. His chest had several small pink spots where he had been shot. The skin was already healing. He looked under the thin sheet and didn't notice any other injuries. He must have taken it in the chest only.

"You should be completely healed in a few days." Vulmeran said as he watched Grey with fascination. He was surprised that the human seemed unconcerned about being on an alien craft heading for an alien world. He would have expected more of a reaction. If not a little fear or anxiety, perhaps atleast some excitement.

Grey looked around is if searching for something. "I'm not sure what I want first, my clothes back or something to get rid of this taste in my mouth." Grey said with a smile.

"Drink. Definately. I've experienced the autodoc myself." Vulmeran said as he opened a panel on the table. He removed a small container with a short, flexible drinking tube and handed it to Grey. "This should help."

"Thanks." Grey replied as he watched Vulmeran move to a storage compartment and pull out a uniform similar to Nicia's.

"Your clothes were ruined. This should fit." He said as he tossed the suit to Grey.

Grey set his drink down and slipped the suit on under the sheets. He noticed it was just like what his Trephi companions were wearing, though his didn't indicate a rank. "Thanks again." He said to Vulmeran as he stood slowly from the bed.

Grey seemed to sway a little as he stood. "Gravity is a little light. Where are we?" He asked as he turned to Nicia.

Nicia remained motionless as she sat by the bed with her head resting on her arm. Her eyes remained closed as the sound of her breathing maintained a gentle rhythm.

A smile formed on Grey's lips. Nicia looked rather peaceful at that moment, though it couldn't be too comfortable sleeping in that position. He moved close and bent down beside her. The pain in his abdomen told him he wouldn't be able to lift her by himself.

"Give me a hand." Grey whispered towards Vulmeran, who was already moving closer.

Grey gently lifted her into the bed with Vulmeran's help. He stood watching her for a moment as she slept before Vulmeran nudged his arm and motioned him to follow.

"She hasn't slept for three days." Vulmeran said as they entered another compartment. "She wanted to stay by your side the entire time."

"Really?" Grey asked, surprised. "What has happened since you picked her up?"

"To summarize, when she came on board, she asked the pilot to take the ship out over where you and the other humans were. The pilot refused, under orders he had received at the start of the mission to retrieve Nicia. Since she is of higher rank, she ordered him to comply. We arrived at the place she indicated a few moments before you were shot." Vulmeran paused at the memory.

Grey remained silent as he listened intently to Vulmeran recalling the events since he was shot.

"Nicia became enraged and ordered the pilot to take the ship down. He refused her order. She knocked him out and took the controls. She fired on the humans, though she maintained enough control not to injure any, just drive them from the area. She brought the ship over you, where she ordered me to get you on board. When I got you in you were barely alive. We put you in the autodoc, where Nicia has remained by your side since."

"What kind of trouble will she be in when she gets home?" Grey asked. "She had seemed worried about failing her mission, and I'm sure knocking out a crew member and bringing me on board wasn't standard procedure."

"Your presence and her attack on Nersal, the pilot, will be more harmful than not completing her mission. We rarely allow interaction with beings from non-aliance worlds, and though this is obviously irregular, I doubt there will be any serious action take against her."

"Good. I'm glad she'll be ok."

"What to do with you when we get there has yet to be decided." Vulmeran added with a hint of warning.

"Everything will be fine." Grey said, his smile causing Vulmeran to look at him with curiosity. "Anyway, I never caught your name. You can call me Grey."

"Vulmeran. Meran if you're in a hurry."

"Well Vulmeran, I suppose I owe you for saving my life. Thanks."

"You saved a friend of mine. For that you have my thanks. You owe me nothing."

Grey gave Vulmeran a thoughtful look. "Your expressions are not as easy to interpret as Nicia's are." He said as he stood, leaning forward on the table between them. "Do you have something against me?"

Vulmeran flashed a wide toothy smile that was clearly visible to Grey. "Better?" He asked as he flicked his ears in amusement. "I'm known for not being easy to read. Rest easy, if you are a friend to Nicia, then I will consider you one as well." He said as he offered a hand, palm down, toward Grey.

Grey grinned knowingly as he recognized Vulmeran's attempt at a dominant greeting. He slid his hand under Vulmeran's as they took each other by the wrist.

Vulmeran's smile began to fade as Grey turned his wrist causing Vulmeran's hand to be under his.

Despite his weakened state, Grey had a slight strength advantage over Vulmeran and held his position as they locked eyes. He could see a little anger in Vulmeran's eyes which quickly faded into disbelief. Grey began to turn his hand back, stopping where neither was on top, much like a human handshake. "Equals." He said.

"I see Nicia has told you something of our society." Vulmeran let out a laugh. "Very well, my friend, equals. Be warned, though, that there are others that will never accept you as an equal."

Grey released Vulmeran and sat back heavily into his chair, pale from the efforts of the last few minutes.

Vulmeran noticed Grey's sudden lack of color. "Your body still needs a few days to recover from its injuries. You should avoid exerting yourself, and continue trying to rest."

"Sounds like a good idea." Grey said as he moved towards another bed.

"I should get back to my duties. We will have time to talk later if you like." Vulmeran said as he headed toward the cockpit.

"I'd like that."

Vulmeran turned and nodded to Grey as he exited the room, on his way to relieve Nersal in the cockpit.

Bands of energy began to coalesce across the skin of the small craft as it prepared to reenter normal space. Starting at the nose of the craft, the bluish fields of energy seemed to replace the black skin of the craft as they worked their way towards the aft section. The instant the entire craft was enveloped in the energy waves; normal space seemed to explode into existence. The shuttle continued on its course as ice broke free from the hull, revealing the black, reflectionless surface of the superconducting alloy.

Nersal and Vulmeran finished going over their post-jump checks.

"I see the human is going to live. I suppose we will have to make another trip to return it." Nersal said as he finished setting some course adjustments.

"Nersal, I don't see how you can be that way." Vulmeran said as he shook his head in disbelief of his friend's words.

"Humans are a worthless species, devious, selfish and easily corruptible. Just watch any of the broadcasts from their world. They are a species with no concept of honor." Nersal growled.

"You should really get to know our guest. He's a bit different from the humans you are thinking of. He's actually very interesting, but you wouldn't know that since you've been hiding up here the entire trip."

Nersal let out a long deep growl while looking at Vulmeran. "I don't hide."

Nersal hated that he couldn't read Meran's expressions, especially when he needed to tell the difference between a direct insult or simple sarcasm. That comment sounded too much like an insult. Nersal was about to lash out at his young copilot when Vulmeran began to flick his ears.

"Damn you. You are always trying to push me to the edge. One day it's going to get you spaced." Nersal threatened.

Vulmeran was about to offer a reply when the com-link activated. "Transport 1197. Telos control. You are cleared for standard approach to Telos Station. Emissary Geheran requests your mission status."

Vulmeran activated the com-link. "Telos control. Transport 1197, standard approach confirmed. Mission status positive. Emissary retrieved along with one native."

"Transport 1197, hold pending instructions." Came the order through the com-link.

"Acknowledged. Holding Position." Responded Vulmeran.

"Transport 1197, request any additional information on native."

"Telos control. Native is a human male named Greyson Sanborne, injured while assisting the emissary to avoid capture. Medical aid was rendered by order from Emissary Nicia. Full recovery is expected." Vulmeran responded through the com-link.

They held position as they waited for a reply. After an unusually long pause, their instructions finally came through the com-link. "Transport 1197. Abort standard approach pattern. You have been given violet clearance for direct approach to Synac. Proceed to docking pad 779."

Vulmeran and Nersal looked simultaneously towards the com-link and then to each other.

"Transport 1197, acknowledged. Standard approach aborted. Vectoring to new coordinates." Vulmeran responded and set the com-link back to receive-only.

"Well, that's unusual." Vulmeran said as he blinked in surprise.

"It looks like the human is at least worth a quicker trip home. Would you like me to go aft and inform them or would you like to?" Nersal jeered.

"I'll leave it to you this time, thanks. I wouldn't want to accuse you of hiding again." Vulmeran said cheerfully.

Nersal growled under his breath as he left the cockpit, heading aft.

Nicia slept until the jump back to normal space awakened her. She felt well rested. She sat up and noticed Grey sitting across the cabin from her. He was busy eating something that looked like the sausages he fed her the night before they left for the rendezvous. She smiled as she felt a warmth fill her. Her friend was alive and well.

Grey looked over and saw Nicia getting up from bed. "Hey, you're finally awake. At least you didn't talk in your sleep this time." He teased.

"Well I see you are looking better." She smiled as she approached him and took a seat across from him.

"Much better than I was, from what I've heard, Meran told me about what has happened. Thank you for doing what you did." He said while looking into her eyes.

"After all you have risked for me, I could never have left you like that." Nicia said with a smile as she returned his gaze. She watched Grey as a smile came across his face, causing her smile to widen in return. She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. "But don't ever scare me like that again." She added as she squeezed his hand to emphasize her words.

"I don't plan on it." He said with a laugh. "Just keep yourself out of trouble and I won't have to." Grey teased.

Nicia cocked her head and gave him a stern look before her expression changed to amusement as she idly stroked the back of Grey's hand with her fingers.

Grey looked down where her hand rested on his. The soft suede-like texture of her hands felt nice as she rested her hand on his. As he made eye contact with her once more, he felt relaxed. His mind wandered back to when they were at Drake's. The image of Nicia standing in the doorway after she had cleaned up came to mind. He pictured the way her uniform conformed perfectly to her body and the way she wore her hair back. That was when he first thought of her as attractive. He also remembered waking up with her cuddled up to him. She felt good against him, but it seemed so strange to have feelings for someone that wasn't human. However, it didn't seem to bother her that he wasn't her own species. He wondered if she felt some kind of attraction too. She did seem to show little signs of affection in the form of a quick hug, a peck on the cheek or just a gentle touch like she was doing now.

"Hello?" Nicia said as she waved her hand in front of Grey.

"Sorry. My mind was wandering." Grey offered with a grin and slightly redder cheeks.

"I asked if you were going to finish those." She smiled, pointing to the sausage-like rations in front of him.

"No, help yourself."

"Meran, hmmm. There are few individuals he allows to call him by that name. When did you two become so friendly?" Nicia grinned as she took a bite out of the ration stick.

"We had a little chat after we tucked you in." Grey grinned back at her. "He's a bit hard to figure out sometimes, but he seems friendly enough. Though I haven't met your pilot yet. I understand he's not too fond of humans."

"Meran is an excellent Trephyn to know. Though that pure black fur of his tends to be a problem sometimes. It can obscure his subtle facial expresions and if you don't watch him closely, he'll use that to his advantage to try and test his limits with you."

Grey suppressed a short laugh. "I know, we already discussed that."

"There are some Trephi, like our pilot, that have a dislike of lesser-advanced civilizations. They tend to forget that thousands of years ago, we were much the same."

Grey nodded in agreement. He was about to speak when the forward hatch of the cabin hissed open and Nersal stepped through.

Grey made a quick appraisal of the Trephyn. Judging by the amount of white fur blending in the Nersal's brown and black pelt, he was probably twice the age of Meran. He was dressed the same as Meran, though his rank was two green stripes and a yellow while Meran's was one green and two yellow. They both had the same level of training, and came from similar social groups. They were only set apart by one level of personal achievement. With their age difference, he wondered if that meant Meran was exceptional for his age, or Nersal had been denied advancement over the years.

As Nersal stepped forward, Nicia turned to watch his approach.

Sanborne offered a friendly smile as his eyes met briefly with Nersal's cold stare.

"I thought you would like to know that we have been given violet clearance for a direct approach to Synac. We should be landing within an hour." Nersal informed Nicia in their native language, totally disregarding Sanborne.

Grey leaned back into the seat and folded his arms across his chest. He was very tempted to make a comment, but decided it would be better to let it go, just this once.

"That's unusual." Nicia replied in English, hoping that Nersal would take the subtle hint to use English as well. "Were you given a reason?" Nicia was surprised to receive such a high clearance level that was normally reserved for emergencies or high level diplomats.

"No. The clearance was given after we informed them of the mission status and that you had brought a human with us." Nersal replied, again in Synacian. He spoke dispassionately, adding emphasis only to the word 'human.'

Nicia's eyes began to narrow at Nersal's tone and disregard for her friend. This time she responded in her own language. "You will speak in his language when he is present. He is my guest and a friend who has sacrificed too much for me already. I will not allow you to deny him the respect that he deserves. Keep this in mind, when you are disrespectful to him, you are being disrespectful to me. I will not tolerate your ignorance or any further insubordination from you. Do I make myself clear?"

Grey listened carefully to their conversation. He cleared his throat softly with a soft smirk while watching Nersal intently, just to see how he would react.

Nersal's eyes met Grey's again. This time, however, their eyes remained locked steadfast on each other. Grey's grin widened as he who would blink first.

Nersal pondered the sanity of this human that would dare challenge him as a low growl started to form in the back of his throat. Grey's eyes remained fixed on Nersal's, never blinking. He started his own growl in response to Nersal's.

Nicia recognized a situation about to get out of hand. She started to stand, leaning forward over the table towards Grey, putting her face in front of his to break his stare before standing completely to face Nersal.

"Do I make myself clear!" She repeated in her language, emphasizing with her own deep growl.

Nersal looked at her, then forced his gaze down and away. "Yes, Emissary." He finally replied in English.

"If there are no further messages, you may go."

Nersal nodded his head down and left before turning to walk toward the hatch.

After the door hissed closed behind Nersal, Nicia turned toward Grey. "What did you think you were doing?" She snapped, her voice continuing to carry a slight growl with her words.

"I don't like being ignored." He said with a shrug.

"Never stare another Trephyn directly in the eyes like that. You are making a blatant challenge when you do that." She warned sternly, almost yelling.

Grey sat back in surprise. He didn't expect her to react so strongly.

Nicia's expression softened as her tone changed more to concern. "Grey. Be careful of your actions around other Trephi, especially any of a higher status than myself. If you get in a confrontation, look down and away. If you offend or mistakenly challenge someone higher, I can not protect you and what might happen is uncertain. I don't want to see anything happen to you again."

Grey noticed her concern. She was almost pleading.

"Nicia, I'll be fine." He said with a smile.

Grey watched a view screen silently at the ship entered into a low orbit around Synac.

The ship was buffeted slightly in the atmosphere as the image suddenly turned white. Once they passed through the cloud cover, the view screen showed better detail of the world below. Snow-capped mountains to the north were separated from the blue oceans to the south by a lush forest covered-continent.

The landing complex was a series of seven pads radiating out from a central control center. Each of the pads were surrounded by water filled trenches and connected to the control center by a small taxiway.

As they approached the landing pads, Grey could make out various personnel scurrying around the complex performing maintenance on equipment and other craft docked on the remaining pads. On the taxiway of the pad they were approaching, a group of several Trephi waited for the transport to set down.

The ship pitched sharply before settling into a hover. Landing struts extended from the underside as the transport settled on the pad.

The hum from the engines decreased as systems powered down. Meran and Nersal joined Nicia and Grey in the cabin. Meran opened the hatch to the outside while Nersal stood beside him.

"Now comes the interesting part." Nicia said to Grey as she escorted him towards the hatch.

Nicia exited the transport first. Before Grey was about to exit, he looked toward Nersal and gave a friendly smile.

Nersal let out a soft growl under his breath.

Grey responded with a wink. "Maybe next time."

Meran suppressed the urge to laugh at Grey's taunting, but couldn't keep from briefly flicking his ears.

Grey noticed and half grinned at Meran's amusement. He was surprised when Meran offered his hand as an equal. Grey accepted his handshake.

"Good luck, Grey." Meran said.

Grey shuddered. "Thanks, but I don't need any more luck." He grinned as he exited the transport.

Grey looked around the landing pad then scanned the horizon. Synac was certainly beautiful. The air was cool, and the bright green vegetation gave him the impression they were starting their spring season. He followed Nicia as she started walking towards the complex. The slightly lighter gravity left him with a certain spring to his step. Grey looked back to the transport and noticed Meran and Nersal following them towards the complex.

Grey noticed several of the Trephi pause in their duties to look at them. There were varied reactions. Some seemed friendly while others seemed to lean towards Nersal's reaction to Grey. Grey returned the friendly looks with a brief smile and ignored the others.

As they approached the end of the taxiway, a gray furred Trephyn began to walk towards them. The three violet stripes stood out brightly against the brown jacket that was identical to what the others wore. His uniform was immaculately clean. He carried a weapon similar to Nicia's in a holster on his right thigh. He projected a definite air of authority.

Nicia, Meran and Nersal stopped, forming a line facing the approaching Trephyn. Grey stepped off to the side to stay out of the way. All three bowed their heads simultaneously in salute to their superior.

"Emissary Geheran." Nersal began. "Transport 1197 reporting successful retrieval of Emissary Nicia."

"Excellent." Geheran replied before turning to look towards Sanborne.

Grey gave a friendly smile and a nod as the Trephyn looked at him.

"Who is responsible for bringing this human here?" Geheran stated in English while keeping his eyes fixed on Grey.

"I am, Emissary Geheran." Nicia said as she stepped forward with her bowed.

"Have you forgotten your training in dealing with non-alliance worlds?"

"No." Nicia said as she glanced up to see Geheran staring off to the side. She looked in the direction of Geheran's gaze which ended where Grey stood, watching Geheran intensly. "He saved my life at great risk to his own. It would have been wrong for me to leave him to die." She quickly added, hoping to regain Geheran's attention.

"Does he also have to do with the reason your mission was unsuccessful?" Geheran asked plainly, still watching Grey.

Nicia paused before answering. True, if Grey had not approached her, she would most likely have completed her mission. Though it was her own poor judgment that caused her to run from him. "No. I alone am accountable." She finally replied as she looked once more to Geheran.

"So, a simple mission proved too much, and you managed to break one of the contact rules for non-alliance worlds as well. That disappoints me."

Nicia was confused by the dressing-down she was receiving. Geheran's words did not match his body language. His words sounded harsh, but there was no anger in his expressions.

"Oh, give her a break."

The murmuring around the pad stopped as Sanborne spoke. Even the wind seemed to quiet as everyone turned to look at him.

"You will speak only when addressed." Geheran said to Sanborne.

"I speak when I have something to say. I'm not one of your subordinates, and I also don't like some overbearing furball telling me what to do." Grey said with a smirk as he stared at Geheran.

Geheran gave a smirk of his own that the others couldn't see. There was a pause before Geheran let out a growl and charged toward Grey. "Defend yourself human!"

Geheran was normally very amiable and tolerant. Nicia thought it was uncharacteristic for him to act this way. Perhaps it was because of the death of her mother that he was acting this way toward Grey. Nicia watched helplessly as Geheran began to charge Grey. There was nothing she could do to stop them. She was torn between her feelings for Grey and the feelings she had for her superior, her father.

Grey started to twist out of the path of Geheran's charge when his movement was interrupted by a sudden pain in the area of his healing wounds.

Geheran had expected Grey to have made a counter move, but was surprised by the look of distress that came over Sanborne's face just before he collided with him.

Geheran's impact sent both of them tumbling towards the edge of the pad. Grey and Geheran disappeared from sight as they dropped off the pad.

Nicia felt sick as she watched Grey and her father collide and tumble off the platform, down into the water filled cooling trough that bordered each landing pad.

Vulmeran and Nersal rushed to the edge of the pad along with several other Trephi who had noticed what happened.

Nicia approached the crowd slowly. There was no way that the situation would turn out in anything other than a tragedy for her. Either she would see her friend or her father injured.

As she came closer, she was surprised to hear laughter coming from the trench. She recognized the laughter as her father's, something she hadn't heard him do since her mother was killed. Even more surprising was the sound of Grey laughing in return.

Nicia pushed her way through the crowd. When she came to the edge of the pad, she looked down to see Grey and her father sprawled out on the muddy slope of the trench.

Grey was on his back, laying head first towards the bottom while Geheran lay slightly further down slope in the opposite direction.

"You were supposed to defend yourself better than that." Geheran said as he tilted his head back to look up slope in Grey's direction.

"If you had attacked me better, I would have." Grey responded as he looked upside down at Geheran.

As their eyes met, Geheran started to laugh and was quickly joined by Grey.

"Are you all right?" Geheran asked as his laughter began to fade.

"Fine." Grey replied while holding his side. "This." hes gasped. "This is good. I think I'll just stay here for awhile."

Geheran stood up and carefully made his way up the muddy slope to Grey who was muttering to himself about the Traphyn ability to travel lightyears in days but lacking the common sense to put up safty railing.

He offered a hand to Grey and helped him to his feet. Steadying themselves against each other they made their way to the top and back onto the pad.

Nicia stared in confusion at the two grinning, mud-covered figures.

"What's wrong Nicia?" Geheran asked.

"I never had the chance to tell her what all I knew about your people and my previous visit." Grey said to Geheran. He turned to Nicia. "I meant to tell you. Though every time I was about to, something seemed to happen. That and after a while I thought it might be an amusing surprise to let you find out later." He grinned.

Nicia seemed to want to say something but could not find the words. Grey took a moment to look at the confused faces of the other Trephi in the crowd. He noticed Meran was amused. At least someone seemed to appreciate the situation. Nicia looked like she was finally about to say something, but all she did was sound out a little huff before turning and walking off.

Geheran noticed the concerned look Grey had suddenly taken. "Don't worry. Give her some time to let everything sink in. Meanwhile, I think we both need to clean up and I'd like to have a talk with you. It's getting late, however, and Nicia and I must attend to a council debriefing. I will see you early tomorrow. We've a lot to catch up on." He said as he turned toward the closest Trephyn, who happened to be Vulmeran. "Please take Grey to the quarters in building three."

"Yes, Emissary Geheran." Vulmeran said as he bowed his head.

Geheran turned to Grey and extended his hand, which Grey quickly accepted. "It's good to see you again, old friend." Geheran said as he pulled Grey into a friendly embrace.

"And you, Geheran." Grey replied as he began shaking some of the mud from his clothing.

Geheran turned and started to walk back towards the complex, laughing softly to himself as he brushed the mud from his own uniform.

The crowd of Trephi had broken up and resumed their duties. Nersal headed back to the transport to perform some final checks before the craft could be returned to is hangar. Vulmeran remained where he was until he and Grey were the only ones left on the taxiway.

"I thought something about you seemed strange." Vulmeran said, grinning.

"And what about me seems so strange?" Grey asked as he pointed at himself, his motions sending mud flying in different directions.

"Your lack of excitement or apprehension towards meeting alien beings and traveling to another world left me wondering about you. Now that I know that you've been here before, it makes sense." Vulmeran replied as he waved his hand in the direction they were to head.

"Well, the first time I wasn't to excited either. Though that was because I had just lost several close friends." Grey said, walking beside Vulmeran toward a small building adjacent to the main complex. "Actually, Meran, I'm very happy to return to Synac." He said, turning to grin at Meran. "However, I would have preferred an easier route."

Meran turned toward Grey, smiling. "I remember hearing stories several years ago about an emissary that brought a human to Synac. I would never have guessed it to have been Geheran."

"Why do you say that?"

"I had heard Geheran is very strict, demanding instant obedience from those under him and having little tolerance for those that didn't meet his expectations. He doesn't seem the type that would go against alliance regulations like that."

"Where did you hear a load of crap like that?" Grey shouted in surprise. "How long have you worked under him?"

Meran looked toward Grey. "That was one of the stories passed around in my training pack. Retrieving Emissary Nicia was my first mission under Geheran."

"That's not the Geheran that I know." Grey stated as they stopped in front of a building. "I'm sure after you work with him more, you'll see he's nothing like that."

"I hope so. Working under someone like that can make your fur turn white way before its time." Meran smiled, running his hand over the jet black fur on his head. "I don't want that to happen anytime soon."

Grey laughed at Meran's quip. "Well, it looks like I get the same quarters as last time." Grey said as he pressed a panel by the door.

"I'm sure I will see you tomorrow. But, if you need anything, you can use the console inside to call for me. I assume you know how to use it?" Meran said as Grey stepped through the doorway and turned to face him.

"I remember. See you tomorrow, Meran.""Forgot." Grey said, smiling as the door slid closed between them.

Grey turned from the door and looked around the room. It was the same room he had used four years ago, and looked like nothing had been touched since he left. In some ways it reminded him of a hotel room. A large bed was in one corner. A flat table with an inlaid data terminal was in another corner next to what could be considered a small couch or futon. Running along one wall was a small counter with several compartments underneath. He checked in a compartment under a small counter where he had kept some clothing. It was still there, just like he left it.

As he closed the compartment, a small piece of dried mud fell from his arm, reminding him of the terrible mess that he was. He headed into a small adjoining room that contained a large tub that looked as if it could hold several people. He walked over and pressed a panel, causing it to light as water silently filled the tub. Within a few seconds the tub was filled and at the perfect temperature.

Grey hoped in the tub fully clothed. The mud instantly loosened and floated off to be removed from the water by the tub's filtering system. He undid his boots and set them outside the tub, followed by the flight suit styled uniform Meran had given him on the transport. He could have placed the clothes in the ultrasonic cleaner, but he didn't want to make a mess getting undressed. It was simpler just to jump right in the tub to remove the bulk of the dirt and put the clothes in the cleaner later to finish.

The water's temperature was perfect and completely relaxing. As the tub filtered out the mud, the water became clearer, allowing Grey to examine what remained of his wounds. His chest was almost completely healed. The tender pink areas that he had when he woke up on the transport were nearly gone. He raised an arm to look around his side. He was surprised to find that even the scars that he acquired over the years had been healed completely. He marveled at the medical abilities of the Trephi.

Grey leaned back and reached over to press another section on the control panel. Water jets activated, making the experience even more relaxing. Showers were rare on Synac and usually found only on cramped space craft, or ships without artificial gravity. Since bathing was the only way a Trephyn could get thoroughly cleaned, their tubs were well designed toward penetrating their fur.

He soaked in the tub until he noticed his fingertips starting to wrinkle. He pressed the tub's control pad again causing the water to quickly drain. He got out of the tub and stepped into a small stall. A hurricane of warm air blew down and around him. He wiped the excess water from his skin as he steadied himself against the torrent of hot air designed to penetrate and dry a Trephyn's pelt. He swore that he encountered softer breezes during HALO jumps.

After he had dried off, he went back into the main room. He returned to the compartment containing the extra clothing and took out a black pair of loose-fitting trousers made from a light material as well as a similar pullover.

He put on the trousers before laying across the bed. Most of the Trephi would be getting ready to sleep at this time of the Synac day. Grey looked at his watch; it would be late afternoon back on Earth. Interstellar jet lag, he thought to himself.

He knew he would not be able to go to sleep yet, so he decided to go for a walk. He got up and put on the pullover and his boots before heading out from his quarters towards a trail leading up to the bluff above the complex.

"Father, why didn't you ever mention your friendship with Sanborne?" Nicia asked Geheran as they waited outside the alliance council chamber.

"You were away in training when I met him and brought him to Synac. That was nearly four planetary cycles ago. He stayed a little over one cycle with your mother and I. Afterward, he returned to Earth."

Nicia listened to Geheran, noticing the soft smile on his muzzle typical of someone recalling pleasant memories. Since her mother died, she could not recall the last time she had seen him smile like that.

"It was last cycle that your mother wanted to go to Earth, and bring Grey back to visit Synac." He said, his smile fading slightly before returning. "Then, half a cycle later, you returned home from training. I'm sorry I never mentioned him to you."

"It's all right. I understand." She said, placing her hand over her fathers. "Tell me how you became friends with Grey."

"I think you should let him tell you that." Geheran said with a sly grin. "I think he is worried that you are upset with him that he didn't tell you sooner."

"I'm not. I just couldn't believe what happened out on the pad."

Geheran nodded with a hint of amusement. "Nor I, but there are other matters we must discuss. Tell me what happened on your mission."

Nicia sat silently, organizing the events of the last week in her mind. After a moment of quiet reflection, she recalled the details for Geheran.

"After-leaving the drop off point, it took two days for me to make my way to the area where their president was to give her speech. On the day of the speech, I was approached by Sanborne. When I saw that he was armed, I panicked and ran. He gave chase, and I stunned him. A companion of his caught up to me. It was during a struggle with him that I was struck by a vehicle. I woke up in some kind of laboratory or cell, stripped of my clothing and equipment. My shoulder had been severely dislocated, and I had several other minor injuries."

Geheran listened intently to Nicia's story. He remained silent, though Nicia could see the concern in his eyes. As her superior, he knew she was competent as an emissary, more than capable of handling herself. As her father, he wished to protect her from harm. That part of him regretted choosing her for the mission, even though she was most qualified.

"At one point, a human attempted to examine me. I managed to put up enough of a fight to make him reconsider. Later, two other humans escorted by an armed guard returned. While fighting to keep them from me, Grey entered and quite forcefully persuaded them to leave." Nicia smiled widely. "The other humans in the lab would not let him leave afterward. He remained a prisoner with me. He tended my wounds. I did allow myself to be tricked into talking to him, though none of the other humans were aware of it."

"How did you manage to be tricked? You were always such a cautious cub." Geheran asked, his expression switching between confusion and amusement.

"Grey told me that I was speaking in my sleep. Which was true. Though the way he told me led me believe I was speaking in his language." She admitted.

Geheran let out a short laugh. "That fits his sense of humor." He smiled.

"It was still careless of me, but I was slowly beginning to trust him. He later devised a plan of escape and told me he would help me to make the emergency rendezvous on time. My trust in him grew more during our time together, to the point of considering him a friend. In that time I also learned that their president endorsed their space exploration program at the speech I was to observe. A day later, we made it to the rendezvous. There was a final pursuit by a group of human soldiers. Grey stayed behind to delay them while I went to the transport. After boarding the transport, I ordered Nersal, against his wishes, to take us out over the position where I left Grey. It was there that I saw the other human shoot him."

Geheran looked at the distress in his daughter's face. He could see her eyes begin to water as she fought back tears brought on by the memory. She must have come to care for him a great deal, he thought.

"I could see the bullets tearing through him. I couldn't leave him, in the hands of those other humans, even if he was dead. I ordered Nersal to go down to their position. He refused, so I knocked him out and assumed command of the ship. I fired on the humans' position to drive them off. None were injured. I brought the ship down over where Grey was and ordered Meran to retrieve his body. Meran found that he was still alive, but barely. We placed him in the transport's Autodoc, which was successful in healing his injuries. From there you know the rest."

Geheran nodded in acknowledgement. "How do you feel?"

Nicia seemed puzzled at the question. "I failed the mission. If I hadn't panicked when Grey approached me, I would have been successful."

"No, you misunderstand. Mistakes happen, but do you regret any of your actions?"

"No."

Geheran smiled with pride. "Good."

Nicia smiled at Geheran in return, though she was still puzzled by his question.

The council chamber doors opened as an attendant, a young Trephyn male, approached.

"Emissaries, the council is ready for your report." The attendant said with a bow and motioned them to enter ahead of him.

Nicia followed Geheran into the brightly illuminated council chamber. The brightness caused her to squint before her eyes adjusted to the glare from the white interior of the room. Several members from the other alliance worlds sat around a crescent-shaped table. The Trephyn representative sat in the center, as custom indicated. The species of the planet where the meetings took place held the central position, presiding over the session.

Geheran and Nicia approached and stood in front of the council table. They both bowed in unison.

"Emissaries Geheran and Nicia." Announced the attendant to the council.

"We have heard some unsettling news about the recent mission to Earth. Emissary Geheran, would you clarify the details for the council?" Asked the Trephyn representative.

"Representative Sulan. Point zero two cycles ago, Emissary Nicia was sent to Earth for an intelligence and possible first contact mission. An incident occurred resulting in her injury and capture. This was due to error on my part in which I had not provided certain information that I thought unnecessary." Geheran explained to the council.

Nicia looked to her father. She couldn't believe that he was assuming blame for her mistake.

"With the aid of a human, she was able to escape and rendezvous with our transport. Nicia was able to successfully gather intelligence confirming the humans will be exploring past their own solar system within several of their planetary cycles." Geheran turned to look at his daughter. "Nicia has performed with honor and completed her mission as best as possible under the circumstances."

"We have also heard that a human was brought back to Synac with her. That is clearly against alliance regulations on non-member worlds. Is this true?"

"Yes." Geheran answered, causing a stir throughout the other council members. "However, this human has previously been on Synac and is exempt. Therefore, Nicia has not violated any regulations. If you check my mission records approximately four cycles back, you will find that I originally brought him here, before Synac joined the Klizul alliance."

Nicia noted a hint of disgust in her fathers voice. She knew that he felt that this kind of council meeting was trivial and hated answering to them.

After Geheran's last words, the other council members began to carry on a conversation between themselves. What was odd was that the discussion seemed to exclude Sulan, the Trephi representative. The Trephi were the oldest of the races that made up the council, and the most powerful. When the alliance offered them a place in the council, they saw no benefit to Synac, but accepted solely to promote peace.

Finally, a message was passed from the other council members to Sulan. "The council finds Emissary Nicia clear of violating any alliance regulations. Future missions to Earth are prohibited, with the exception of returning the human that accompanied Nicia here." Sulan stated as he stood. "This meeting is concluded." He added, his short muzzle remaining expressionless, though it was clear by the way his fists were clenched that he was agitated more than he let show.

Geheran stood silently as the council members exited the chamber, staring where Sulan had been seated.

"What was that about?" Nicia asked after they turned and headed out.

"I'm not sure, but that was the first time we were ever banned from a planet that was about to be invited into the alliance." Geheran replied with great seriousness. "I don't like it."

Nicia looked at her father with concern.

Looking out the corner of his eye, he caught his daughter's worried look. The way she looked after him reminded him so much of the way her mother had always been worried about him. He felt lucky to have had such a loving mate and to have such a loving daughter.

"Go get some rest." Geheran said, smiling warmly at his daughter. "I'll see you tomorrow. My schedule is completely free after the morning. You, Grey and I will get together and do something entertaining."

Nicia nodded and gave her father a kiss on the cheek before they went their separate ways.

Nicia returned home to her quarters. As the door closed behind her, she took off her jacket, hanging it on a small pole in a corner. She moved across the room toward a small couch and sat down. Leaning over, she released the locking buckles on her boots. Seals at the top of the boots released from the legs of her uniform.

Nicia stood up, letting out a relieved sigh as she kicked off her boots before proceeding to remove the rest of her uniform. The uniform was comfortable, but was designed to be air tight for use in hostile environments and therefore didn't allow her skin to breathe.

Looking around the room, it seemed emptier than she remembered. It then occurred to her that it was the first time she has been alone since Earth. She wondered how Grey was doing.

She realized that she missed his presence. She wished he was there so she could curl up with him like the last time. She began to smile, remembering how nice it felt when he put his arm over her while he slept. She felt safe and protected when he was around.

Nicia thought about why she felt so attracted to him. He may have been flat faced and furless, but he had the heart of a Trephyn. He was gentle and compassionate, yet could fight if necessary, passionately and without reservation. He was always confident in what he was doing.

She remembered once what her mother said when she asked why she chose Geheran as her lifemate. Her mother told her simply. "There is a time when you realize a friendship with someone has become something more. You'll know it when you feel empty inside except when with them."

Nicia wondered if Grey felt anything for her and wished that her mother was there to talk with about her feelings. In the past, her father never seemed to approve of anyone she had an interest in, and considering that the one she was interested in was an old friend of his; she didn't want to do anything that would harm their relationship. She decided to get some fresh air and go to her favorite place, a quiet spot on top of the bluff overlooking the complex, to meditate more on her situation.

She went over to a compartment and removed a lightweight sleeveless pullover and loose-fitting pants. She quickly dressed and slipped into a light pair of moccasins before leaving her quarters.

She headed up the trail, taking her time to enjoy the scenery as she walked through the trees. There was no need to hurry. She was free of the stress and fast paced lifestyle she had been thrust into the past few days.

The air was cool and fresh. As she neared the top of the bluff, a light breeze blew softly against her fur. She came to a small section of dense, fern-like plants that covered the opening to a small plateau that overlooked the complex. As she pushed her way through the wall of leaves, she nearly tripped over Grey who had been stretched out on the ground.

"Grey! I didn't expect to find you here." Nicia said, a bit surprised.

"Oh? Were you trying to avoid me?" Grey teased as he opened his eyes to look up at her. Her gray fur gave off a beautiful silvery glow from the moon directly overhead.

"Not at all." She smiled, looking down at him. "I was just coming up here to think. It's my favorite place to come when I need time to myself to reflect or make decisions."

Grey hummed in agreement as he closed his eyes again. "I've come here a few times myself to do just that."

Nicia watched Grey as he lay silently, his arms folded behind his head. It was strange to see him so relaxed. She continued to quietly watch him for a few more minutes before Grey sat up and turned toward her.

"I'm sorry, you said you come here when you need time to yourself. I can leave if you wanted to be alone." Grey said.

"No, you were here first." She smiled warmly as she came closer and sat on the ground beside him. "Besides, I enjoy your company."

Grey smiled in return as she looked out towards the horizon. Her tranquil expression removed any worry he might have had about her being angry at him for not telling her that he had been to Synac before.

"I hope you're not angry with me. I really did want to tell you that I've known about your people for a few years."

Nicia cocked her head down, giving him a sideways look. "No, not angry. Surprised, yes. Though some things definitely make more sense now."

"Really? Such as?"

"Oh, where should I begin?" She said playfully. "There were the tangible things. The superconductor ammunition in your weapon could only have been created on Synac. You were able to use my sidearm. You could have done that only if your geneprint had been registered with the SDF armory."

"The ammo was a last minute gift from Geheran before I returned to Earth. He thought that if I ran into trouble it might help me get home."

"There were also a few subtle details that made me wonder about you. I can see now, why you were willing to help me from the first time you saw me in that lab. When you started to tend my injuries, you didn't show any apprehension, even when I growled at you," she smiled. "You were never wary of me because you knew who I was."

Grey let out a short laugh. "I did have some worries. Mostly, I was more concerned that you actually couldn't understand me. You could have attacked me in my sleep or with the knife I gave you to try to show you I wasn't going to harm you." Grey smiled as their eyes met.

"You didn't really think that, did you?" She asked.

"Well, I doubted that someone with such beautiful eyes as yours, could ever look at someone who had not harmed them with any malice." Grey replied, immediately regretting how stupid that must have sounded. He watched as she looked away, trying to hide her smile. If she didn't have fur, he expected that she was probably blushing.

"I'm glad things turned out well, at least between us, and that you think of me as your friend." She said, smiling warmly as she reached out to place her hand on his.

"I wish I had the opportunity to meet you the last time I was here." Grey admitted, followed by a period of silence between them.

Nicia let go of Grey's hand and rolled on to her side to look at him. "Now that I have you alone, and no one is shooting at us or chasing us, how about giving me the whole story? How did you and Geheran meet?" She asked while she propped her head up with her hand.

Grey rolled on to his side to face her. Her bright green eyes shining like a small child eagerly awaiting a bedtime story brought an amused smile to his lips.

"Well, I was in my country's military at the time, a branch that performed covert operations. I was assigned a mission to destroy the remains of one of our satellites that had crashed in a country that was hostile to our own. My team consisted of four others other than myself. One of them was Susan, the woman with me in the photo back at Drake's."

Nicia nodded in recognition of the name. She suddenly felt guilty about asking him to recall such unpleasant memories. She took his hand resting on the ground between them and held it; hoping it would somehow comfort him.

Grey smiled as she took his hand and continued his story. "There were two others, Henson and DeStefano, that were regular members of my team. Marx was not a regular member of my team. He was assigned to the mission just before we lifted off. We parachuted in and met at the crash site. Publicly, the satellite was for defense, however known only to a select few were it's offensive abilities. From what I have learned since, I can only assume that Marx's mission was to ensure the secrecy of the satellite by eliminating my team as well. While we were examining the wreckage, I had noticed a discrepancy between two sets of reconnaissance photos of the area. They seemed to indicate a second impact site. Thinking there might have been additional wreckage from the satellite; I left my team to finish setting explosives at the first site while I went to check the second."

"And let me guess, this is where you met Geheran." Nicia chimed in.

"Well, I later found out that he was coming to survey Earth. When he jumped back to normal space, he decided to be daring and enter in near orbit of the planet, instead of a high orbit perpendicular to the system's rotation. As a result, he jumped on top of the satellite and crashed into it. Some of his systems shorted in the impact, and he followed the satellite down, crash landing a short distance away."

Grey watched Nicia as she began to chuckle. "What's so funny?" He asked, briefly shivering as a cold breeze penetrated the back of his shirt.

"I never heard that story about Geheran. There has always been this image of perfection associated with him." Nicia cocked her head and looked at him. "We can head back down and you can continue shattering myths of Geheran indoors if you are cold." She teased.

"That might not be a bad idea." Grey said as he got to his feet.

Grey offered Nicia a hand and helped her to stand. She thanked him, and they headed back through the brush and down the trail. Grey continued his story as he followed Nicia back to the complex.

"Anyway, when I made it to what I though was a second wreckage site, I found myself looking at a dagger shaped aircraft sitting in the clearing. Now I thought it might have been one of ours until Geheran dropped out two meters in front of me from an opened panel in the fuselage. We both stared in surprise at each other. I didn't know what to make of the wolfish creature standing in front of me. Geheran probably didn't know what to make of me either. He went for his pistol, but I was already carrying my weapon and leveled it at him. He froze instantly. Then a noise from the ship or the trees distracted me. In that instant he managed to disarm me. We fought unarmed for a few moments until I finally knocked him down when..."

"There's another myth proven wrong." She smiled as she interrupted him. "No one has ever beaten him in a fight, until you."

"I never beat him. We were evenly matched." Grey replied honestly. "Actually, I don't think either of us was trying our hardest to 'beat' the other. It was more of an attempt to prevent the other from doing something stupid while trying to figure out what to do." He said as they stopped in front of a door.

Nicia pressed her hand to the entry panel and the door opened. She invited Grey inside her quarters.

Grey was surprised she took him to her quarters. He had expected they would go to one of the public lounges or dining areas. He looked around the room. It was exactly like his, except Nicia's had various pieces of art on the walls and a variety of personal belongings on the desk and counter tops. It certainly felt less sterile than his own quarters.

"Is it warm enough here?" She asked. "Make yourself comfortable."

"It's fine." Grey replied, seating himself on the futon.

"Ok. Now what did you do after you knocked Geheran down?" She asked while laying down on her stomach across her bed, one arm folded in front while she propped her head up with the other.

"Right after he hit the ground, there was a blinding flash of light from the direction of the first crash site. When I turned to look after the flash subsided, I could see a small mushroom cloud typical of the low yield nuclear weapons that the satellite carried. I just stood there, not believing what I was seeing or understanding how it could have happened. For whatever reason, Geheran grabbed me and pulled me into the shadow of the ship just before the blast wave hit. There was an intense pressure and a rembered being thrown. The next memory I had was waking up in a Colombian prison. Geheran was in a cell across from mine. The guards and their superiors didn't know what to do with him. Me, on the other hand, they kicked, beat, and did whatever they could to try to make me confess to committing terrorist attacks."

"In the lab, I remember seeing scars all over your back. Is that how you got them?" Nicia asked with concern.

Grey nodded. "I eventually had the opportunity to escape. Before leaving the prison, I thought about how Geheran had pulled me behind cover. My conscience nagged at me, so I returned and unlocked Geheran's cell. Then an extraordinary thing happened. He thanked me, in English. Up until that point, he had never made any sound except for a few growls. Not knowing what else to say, I simply said 'No problem.' and headed back to the exit."

"That didn't even surprise you?" Nicia asked in disbelief.

"Well, I didn't really have the time to stop and consider what had just happened. We ended up sticking together as we made our way out and back into the surrounding jungle. When we were safely away from the prison, we took a few minutes to rest. He took that time to answer some of my questions, and I explained how I came to be there. He asked me what I was going to do. My situation wasn't good. I was stranded, and I had lost several good friends, as well as the woman I cared for. I didn't see any way I would make it home, and part of me didn't even care. I remember looking up at him. He didn't even know me, yet the way he was looking at me, he seemed concerned for my well-being." Grey said, slightly fatigued by the emotions brought on by his memories.

"You came back to help him at risk to yourself. You most likely gained his respect with such an honorable action." Nicia explained.

"I just did what I thought was right. I owed him." Grey grinned slightly. "So, after I couldn't give him a definite answer, he asked me to come with him. He said that I might find some purpose if I felt that I had nothing left there. I don't know why, but I agreed. I traveled with him, eventually returning to Synac. I learned about your people and some of the other races. I even received some training by your instructors. The most important experience to me, was the companionship of some of the Trephi I came to know as friends. They helped me to deal with my losses and in time those wounds healed." Grey finished with a soft sigh. "And that is the short version." He smiled.

Nicia sat up and looked at him, her head cocked to the side as she studied him with admiration. A smile slowly formed on her lips.

"I never would have guessed you have had such an interesting life. You look tired." She said, her expression becoming more concerned. "Are you feeling ok?"

Grey forced a tired smile. "I'm fine. Just tired. Returning to Synac has brought back a lot of emotions."

"Well, you should get some rest. First, let me check your current wounds before you head back to your quarters." She said as she walked over and took out a small case. She walked back to the desk, unfolding the case on its surface. "Take your shirt off." She ordered as she turned to him with something that looked like a stun gun.

Grey looked at her apprehensively. After hesitating a moment he complied, knowing that he could trust her.

Nicia touched the device to his chest so the two metallic tips were one either side of the most visible of the fading wounds. A display flashed some rune-like symbols of the Trephi language.

"What's that?" Grey asked.

"It checks the status of the nanoprobes that are making repairs in the area of your wounds." She stated clinically. "They are almost dormant, which means they are just about finished. Don't worry, they will pass out of your system in a day or so." She added, noticing his concerned look about having something foreign in his body.

She took a small aerosol and sprayed his chest with it.

"Rub that into your skin. Its a final dose of the regenerative drug. You shouldn't see any trace of your wounds by tomorrow."

Nicia waited for the medication to dry as he rubbed it into his skin.

"Okay, on your stomach." She said, smiling as she gestured toward the bed.

Grey gave her a quizzical look as she continued waving her hand at him and gently nudging him. As he stretched out, she sat beside him.

Unlike the small pink remnants of the wounds on his chest, the ones on his back were a series of large ragged pink areas left by the exiting bullets as they tore the flesh from him. They too were nearly healed, but not as much as his chest. Nicia pressed her fingers against them, gently yet firmly.

As he lay on the bed, he could feel his chest warming as the medicine started to penetrate deeper into his skin. Grey shivered as he felt her cool hands on his back, her soft fingers pressing against his skin.

"How is that? Any pain?" She asked while continuing to feel each wound for any tenderness.

"No." He said, almost in a purr.

Nicia smiled at his obvious enjoyment of her attention. She felt him tense as she pressed his side. "And there?" She asked, pressing the area again causing him to squirm.

"Nope. Tickles."

Nicia smiled widely while withholding her laughter. "You'll be fine." She said.

She reached for the aerosol and applied it to the wounds on his back. After returning the spray to the kit, Nicia began to rub the medicine into his skin for him.

Grey enjoyed her ministrations as the medication began to penetrate and warm his skin. The heat combined with her gentle touch began relax him. He let out a soft sigh as her hands worked their way over his back. His thoughts clouded as his mind slowly wandered while drifting off to sleep.

Nicia smiled as she felt him relax under her hands. His skin felt so smooth and warm to her. She could see and feel the definition in his muscles as she traced her fingers along his shoulder blades and down his spine. Her smile grew when he let out a sigh as she spread her fingers wide across his shoulders. She continued for a few minutes longer. The medicine had been absorbed long ago, but she was enjoying the intimate contact she had with him. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the back of his neck.

"You better go back and get some sleep." She said softly in his ear.

Grey didn't move or offer any response.

She looked closely at his face. He was completely out and she didn't have the heart do disturb him. She got up and turned out the lights. It wasn't her intention to end her night in his company, but she didn't object either. She laid back down beside him and nestled close, placing her arm around him. With a smile on her muzzle, she drifted off into her own pleasant dreams.

It was dark and foggy. Grey wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but there was a certain feeling of urgency. He looked outside the hatch of the transport. There was no sound as the transport hovered three feet of the ground.

He looked up from the ground and could see the dim blurry cones cast through the fog by approaching lights. Some waved wildly as if being hand carried. Others moved in pairs, mainly bouncing up and down, vehicles of some kind.

A shadow started to form, heading towards the transport. Through the fog the shadow slowly took form as it came closer.

Nicia was running pell-mell over the ground in the transport's direction. Grey began waving and calling out in silence, urging her on.

Other figures materialized out of the fog behind her. Some began firing at her. Other figures were firing at the transport.

The transport lurched as it began to drift and rise, sending Grey tumbling back for a second. He went back to the hatch and reached out toward Nicia, only a few feet from him.

Nicia reached out towards him. Her body jerked as her eyes went wide. She continued to stumble forward.

In the distance he saw Marx, lowering his rifle just after taking a shot.

Grey cried out in the silence as Nicia fell to the ground, his arm reaching out to her across the impossible distance as the transport gained altitude.

Grey was instantly awake, his heart beating hard in his chest. He tried to move but found himself entwined in Nicia's furry arms and legs. His emotions took over for a moment as he hugged Nicia close, relieved he was only dreaming and she was safe.

He suddenly realized the awkwardness of their current state of intimacy and released his embrace as Nicia began to stir.

"What are you doing here?" Grey asked, still unsure of his surroundings as he tried unsuccessfully to untangle himself.

"I live here. You're the one who fell asleep." She said, blinking the sleep from her eyes. A grin formed on her muzzle as she kept him from working free from her embrace.

Grey stopped struggling for a second to think. "That's right, you were putting that medicine on my back. I guess I fell asleep." He smiled a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you." He said out of politeness, though judging by the way she was wrapped around him, he could tell she didn't seem to mind.

"It's all right. I already told you. I enjoy your company." She purred as she rested her hand on his bare chest. She could feel the pulses of his rapidly beating heart. "What's wrong?" She asked while letting him go, concerned that her boldness might have caused his condition.

"Just a bad dream." He replied as he rolled away and sat up.

Nicia gave him a concerned look. "Do you want to share it?"

Grey considered it for a second. "No. It was probably just some left over anxiety from helping you escape. Nothing to worry about."

"Okay. If you're sure." She said, still slightly concerned. She caught a glance at a chronometer on the desk. "I have a training session and I'm late for practice." She said, jumping off the bed.

"I'll be late too, if I don't get out of here. I'm supposed to meet with Geheran shortly." Grey said as he found his pullover and put it on.

"Oh that reminds me. He wants to get together and do something fun later on when we are all free." Nicia said as Grey headed towards the door to leave.

Grey smiled as he turned to her. "Great. So I'll see you later then."

Nicia smiled and cocked her head. "Stay out of trouble."

Grey mimicked her nod before opening the door and leaving.

"Grey! Good morning!" Geheran shouted cheerfully upon seeing Grey enter the room.

Grey walked over to Geheran while extending his hand. "Yes, it is." Grey agreed with a smile as they shook hands.

Geheran sniffed the air a few times while looking toward the door Grey had entered through.

Grey thought he looked as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle.

Geheran's perplexed look quickly gave way to a smile. "I'm involved in something right now. It's going to require my attention for a few hours."

"No problem. I can find something to do until you're free. You can catch up with me later." Grey grinned. "It shouldn't be hard to find the only human on the planet."

"True." Geheran said as another Trephyn caught his attention and began speaking with him.

Grey wished he could interpret Synacian a bit quicker to keep up better with their rapid conversation. He waited a minute but quickly realized Geheran was deeply involved with what the other Trephyn was saying. Grey turned and headed back out, making eye contact with Geheran before leaving the room and held his hand up to wave farewell.

Grey thought Geheran seemed worried about something the other Trephyn was telling him. He shrugged the thought off, knowing that he couldn't do anything about it and that Geheran would eventually tell him if it was important.

Grey walked outside along the complex perimeter trying to figure out what to do with himself. He went over to a data terminal and activated it. After studying the screen for a moment, he translated what he needed to know and figured out how to search for a Trephyn's day schedule. He entered the name 'Emissary Sheral.'

Grey wished he had thought to ask Geheran what his lifemate was doing today. Sheral had been like a second mother to Grey. She took the time to teach him about Synac and the Trephi. She helped him with their language, teaching him how to speak and interpret their symbols. What he was most grateful for was her support in dealing with the loss of his friends. He thought it would be totally disrespectful if he did not stop by and thank her.

The terminal sounded two-tone descending beep and flashed an error that amounted to 'not found.'

He tried again searching only for 'Sheral' just to make sure her title hadn't changed since the last time he was there. This time he was rewarded with a more positive tone and over a dozen matches. He scrolled through the names and titles along with their accompanying photos. None of them resembled his snow-white furred teacher and friend.

He was sure he was using it right. He entered 'Emissary Geheran' and was presented with a schedule. Geheran's morning schedule listed meetings in the administrative building Grey visited this morning. The rest of the day was marked personal.

He tried entering Nicia's name and title and was presented with her schedule. He was surprised to see that her schedule indicated she was giving personal defense instruction in an outdoor arena in the Rel-Cal province. When she said she had a training class he assumed she was taking it as a student, not an instructor. The rest of her day was labeled as free.

He wondered why he couldn't find Sheral's schedule. He didn't think she would have left the SDF, but that could be a possible explanation. Since he couldn't locate Sheral, he figured he might go and watch Nicia until Geheran sent for him.

Grey logged out of the scheduling database and left a message for Geheran to let him know where he was.

Before Synac joined the alliance, the Trephi had relations with only a few other worlds. The alliance quadrupled that number.

Grey walked toward one of the public transportation terminals. Along his way he observed all the Trephi going about their daily activities. He even saw a few of the other races. Most he didn't recognize. He was surprised to see how some of the races seemed to possess traits similar to some earth species yet still had their own uniqueness that distanced them from their Terran counterparts.

The public transportation system was similar to the underground rail systems or Mag-Lev trains back home. Grey's interpretation of the Trephi name of their transportation came close to Linear Accelerated Rail Car or LARC as he thought of it for simplicity. The main difference compared to what he knew was that these cars used antigravity to suspend the cars over their monorail track as well as canceling out the effects of acceleration on the passengers through the linear induction motors.

Not being able to feel forward motion during the ride always left Grey a little uneasy. The pilot in him insisted on feeling the effects of gravity whenever his eyes told him he was moving. It reminded him of the disorientation felt when you sit in your car at a red light and the guy next to you backs up causing you to think you are going forward.

The LARC headed for the Rel-Cal province hummed softly into the boarding area where he waited. It's doors opened letting a few Trephi off. Grey boarded and took a seat. No one else was in the car except for a young Trephyn female and her cub. They were seated diagonally across from Grey.

The cub was a wild little golden tufted fur ball struggling to get free from his mother's grasp and run around. Grey watched as the little cub stopped struggling to begin eying him with curiosity.

Meanwhile the cub's mother regarded Grey with cautious blue eyes. She wore a light coverall that concealed most of her solid brown pelt. By Trephi standards she would be considered attractive. Solid fur patterns were preferred over mottled pelts. The lighter the color of the fur was also considered more attractive.

Out of all the time he had spent on Synac, Sheral was the only Trephyn he had seen with a solid coat of white fur. Geheran was the only solid gray pelt he had seen with the exception of the other Trephyn that was talking with Geheran earlier. Meran was unique in that his pelt was completely black and lacked the lighter fur down his throat that Geheran and most other solids had.

Grey's mind drifted to how Nicia appeared back in the lab. He had never seen a Trephyn without any clothing before. He could picture in his mind how her light gray fur followed the contours of her body and the white fur that went down her throat and spread over her chest before continuing downward. Grey thought about how attractive he found her, especially her personality.

It didn't take much time before the cub's curiosity got the better of him. He squirmed from his mother's hold and ran up to stand in front of Grey, startling him from his thoughts.

"Donan, come back here!" The cub's mother called after him.

"What are you?" The cub asked without any hesitation or fear.

"Don't bother the nice alien. It's rude." The mother scolded her cub as she came up behind him and cuffed his ears while keeping a cautious eye towards Grey.

Grey smiled inwardly at how odd that sounded, especially since he was the one being called an alien. Trephi were always very polite with their speech when talking about other species. She had used their term for alien meaning she had no idea what species Grey was from, which probably accounted for her wariness.

"It's no bother." Grey responded in Synacian, catching her a bit off guard. He turned to look at the little Trephyn. "I'm a human from the planet Earth." He said to the cub. "My name is Greyson."

The cub looked at him in disbelief. "There is no planet Earth in the alliance."

"My name is Nahrel and this is my son Donan." The mother said, seeming a little more at ease. "Donan, you should always introduce yourself to someone who has offered their name to you." She told her cub.

"You're a very smart little Trephyn and you are correct. Earth is not part of the alliance but may join soon." Grey said with a smile, impressed by the cub's knowledge for his age.

"You are teasing my son. Humans are too dangerous to allow into the alliance. Now, what species are you?" Nahrel asked.

"Honestly, I am from Earth. I was brought here by Emissaries Geheran and Nicia."

"Now I know you are lying. No Emissary would bring a human to Synac, not after one of them was killed there last cycle." Nahrel said triumphantly, believing she had proven her point as the LARC came to stop at the Rel-Cal station.

"Well this is my stop. It was nice meeting you, Nahrel and Donan." Grey said as he stood and headed for the exit. Grey's thoughts went back to Nicia's story of her mother being killed on Earth.

The Rel-Cal province held a large training facility that served the needs of the Synac's defense force as well as provided training for Emissarial positions.

Grey found the outdoor arena easily. He remembered the location of the amphitheater from his last visit. Sheral had brought him here to teach him some of the skills required of Emissaries.

Nicia stood at the center of the amphitheater. She wore a form-fitting metallic gold body suit that bore her blue, yellow and violet rank colors down her left arm. The suit left very little fur exposed. Only her hands and head remained uncovered.

A similarly dressed Trephyn male bearing blue and two orange stripes stood at attention as she walked around him gesturing as she spoke.

Grey looked around the crowd of students. There were probably less than fifty, None were higher than Nicia's training level of Blue. Most of the others appeared to have training stripes of yellow with a few displaying green and one or two with orange.

Out of the few green-level Trephyn, Grey managed to spot Meran sitting towards the back of the class with Nersal seated few rows further down.

Grey moved silently to avoid disturbing the class, working his way over to sit beside Meran.

Meran gave Grey a nod. "I thought you had a meeting with Geheran." He said, sniffing the air a few times before smiling.

"He was a little busy, so I thought I would see what Nicia was up to." Grey said, puzzled briefly by Meran's sudden amusement. Grey decided not to ask and focused his attention on Nicia below.

Nicia walked around the other instructor, pointing to the vulnerable areas that could disable or kill and opponent. "Your opponent is vulnerable in any of the soft tissue areas associated with sense such as the eyes, ears, nose or antennae. The throat and reproductive organs are also usually vulnerable."

Grey already had an understanding of what she was teaching her trainees. It was basic hand to hand, except for the part about antennae.

"Instructor Malik and I will now demonstrate. We will be using full contact hits in any non-vital areas combined with soft tags to the areas I have indicated."

Nicia looked through the faces in her class. She was surprised to see Grey sitting with Meran. She smiled as she made brief eye contact with him before turning to face Malik and assuming an aggressive stance.

"She's interested in you, Grey." Meran said as he watched Nicia deliver quick blows to Malik, who skillfully blocked each with the exception of her last strike as she slipped past his defenses and landed a quick but soft tap on his throat.

Grey turned from the action to look at Meran who was again smiling. "And you can tell that by the look she just gave me?" Grey asked.

"Not just the way she looks at you, but also the way she acted when you were wounded." Meran said, turning to look at Grey. "That plus that you spent the night together." He said with a knowing grin. "Her scent is very strong on you."

Grey turned red with embarrassment. "Nothing happened between us; I just fell asleep while we talked." He said a bit defensively.

"I know. That's a different scent altogether." Meran grinned wider. "But, she still likes you enough to let you stay. She wouldn't have done that for just anyone."

Grey offered no response but thought about what Meran said. He remembered waking up in her arms this morning. Had it not been for the bad dream and their mutual appointments they had to keep, Grey would have been content to stay with her like that all day.

Grey let out a short laugh. "I guess that explains why Geheran was sniffing around me this morning."

Meran looked at Grey briefly and wondered if he knew Nicia was Geheran's daughter. Grey has known Geheran for years, he must know, Meran thought.

Malik bowed to Nicia acknowledging her strike. They then switched positions so that Nicia would be defending this time. Nicia was more successful at blocking Malik's attacks. She defended herself from three separate rounds of attacks before Malik was finally able to tap her throat on the fourth.

"Notice how she keeps looking up at you. She's trying to impress you." Meran added.

Grey continued watching Nicia closely. She was very impressive. Each time She and Malik fought until one of them scored a strike to a vital area, then they switched roles. Nicia managed to tag Malik each time on her first attack. Malik had never managed to tag Nicia before a minimum of two rounds. Grey suspected that she was actually letting Malik get a hit in and could probably have prevented him from making any tags at all.

Meran was right. After every round he could see Nicia glancing up at him and a few times he was sure she was smiling.

"Class, you will now each pick a sparring partner. There will be no full contact and please pick someone in your same training level. On your honor, if your opponent tags a vital area, stop and acknowledge it." Nicia commanded.

Each of the Trephi began to separate into pairs and spread out in the center of the amphitheater.

Meran turned to Grey. "I need a partner. Come on." He said, smiling fully revealing the contrast between his black fur and sharp white teeth.

"I've had a little more experience at this than you might think. I don't think it would be fair to you." Grey said, knowing that his own hand to hand training combined with the knowledge imparted on him by Sheral made him a most formidable opponent for even a violet-level Trephyn such as Geheran.

"Well it isn't actual combat. If I tag a vital area, stop and bow. Likewise, I'll do the same."

"Okay, if you're sure."

Meran nodded and Grey followed him to the lower level. They reached the bottom and turned to face each other just in time for Nicia to order everyone to begin.

"En-guard." Grey said, smiling as he made a mock salute with an invisible foil.

Meran had no idea what Grey said but he understood their meaning as Grey began with a few simple attacks which Meran was capable of easily blocking.

Instead of continuing until scoring a tag on Meran, Grey backed up and motioned Meran to come at him. Meran paused for a moment then began a series of attacks. Grey defended easily enough, waiting until Meran made a mistake. That mistake finally came when Meran overextended himself during a lunge. Grey seized the opportunity to use Meran's momentum against him as he pulled him forward and forced him down to the ground. Grey swatted Meran lightly on the back of the neck before releasing him and offering him a hand up.

"Thanks." Meran said as Grey pulled him to his feet. "That was a good move."

Grey nodded. "Want to try again?"

Without another word, Meran smiled and quickly assumed his fighting stance as they began another round.

Nicia and Malik walked around the pairs of sparring Trephi. They watched and made comments to help each group improve their skills.

Nicia was surprised to find Meran paired with Grey. She was even more surprised to see that Meran was unable to make any tags on Grey. She watched them until Grey managed to tag Meran as he went for a blow to Grey's throat.

"That was close, Vulmeran. You could have had him." Malik commented.

"No, he couldn't have." Responded Grey with a knowing smile.

Nicia looked at Grey thoughtfully. "Meran, would you like me to show you?"

"I would be honored, teacher." Meran replied to Nicia with a grin and a bow. As he turned to step behind Grey, he smiled fully. "I told you she likes you." He said soft enough that only Grey could hear.

Nicia turned to face Grey. "Defend yourself."

Grey stood ready as Nicia began the same series of attacks Meran had tried.

Nicia worked her way closer, preparing to feign an attack that would leave his throat vulnerable. She made her move and Grey fell for it as she redirected her attack to his throat. To her surprise she didn't feel her hand make contact with his throat. Instead, she felt her arm blocked and his fingers brush over her nose as he pinched her nostrils together for a brief moment.

Nicia gave a short growl in surprise as she quickly assumed a defensive posture and prepared for Grey's attack. It never came. Grey remained in a defensive stance as he grinned at her.

She readied herself. Her second attack was a flurry of punches and kicks, and was equally ineffective as her first attack. This time she felt his touch on her throat. That was the second time he tagged her, though he did it in a way that it wasn't a full tag, yet it was enough to let her know it could have been.

"Not like back on Earth, is it? It's a little harder when I'm not unprepared." Grey grinned, his eyes locked on Nicia's. He knew he could have tagged her almost at any time, but he didn't want to do it in front of her students.

Nicia looked deep into her opponent's eyes. She could see Grey was enjoying himself. She realized that he could beat her if he wanted to. He was toying with her, not to be mean, but playfull. She remembered the way her father would look at her mother when they practiced together. It was the same way Grey was looking at her now, and she suddenly realized that she was smiling back at him the way her mother would her father.

Grey stopped, placing his fist into the palm of his other hand as he bowed to Nicia. "I yield, Emissary."

"I accept." Nicia said as she smiled and repeated his gesture.

"What's wrong human?" Nersal called out. "Too much for you?"

Grey turned to Nersal. "Never, I just respect her skill."

"You are a coward who is afraid to show your inferiority in front of others."

"Very well, if you say I am inferior, perhaps you would like to demonstrate your superiority. But, if you lose, I want to know why you have this attitude towards me." Grey offered.

"And what do I get when I beat you?"

"If I lose, I'll go back to Earth right away."

"Agreed." Nersal growled, stepping forward toward Grey.

"Grey, this is foolish." Nicia said with a bit of anger inspired by Nersal's challenge.