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"Hello, Arthur," I said. Stop sniffing at him, I told my whistling dragon. 2001? Did he say 2001? That was impossible, and yet... that was the truth. It would take me a while to wrap my mind around that figure.

What is wrong with him?Kykherhenha asked.

I don't know, I sent. Aloud, I said, "Do you need help? We have a hospital here... Level 3. The entire floor. We have the finest doctors... from several different worlds. They are well qualified to look after any injuries... or emergencies."

Arthur got up and ran out the door and down as many corridors as he could. Crazy people.. He tripped over his broken ankle and noticed a sign on the floor that said 'Fire Hazard' as he fell. He landed over the fiery pit, which set the facial hair on the left side of his face on fire. He suddenly fell over from the pain. A miniature bomb fell out of his pocket and rolled into the fire of his face and chose to melt in with the flesh. He stood up and ran back through the hallways.. He saw a fire extinguisher that he passed. He took it without hesitation, removed the safety pin and sprayed it onto his face.

Arthur then reached up to his face and felt it. It was melted. He felt an explosive. A touch-sensitive explosive. It exploded, causing a mixture of flesh, bone and blood to fly all in different ways. The left side of his face was just strips of some skin and burnt flesh. Luckily, his skull protected his brain from damage, yet it was exposed.

Arthur sat down and felt the side of his face. His cheek was now ribbons of flesh. You could see the inside of his mouth from the side of his face. He got up and ran. He ran into a costume party and stole a face mask. He ran out and then while running, ripped it in half and covered the side of his face with it. Now nobody would see the exposed flesh of that side of his face.

He stopped, puffed and ran all the way through elevators and hallways back to where Kairi was. He sat down slowly on her left, hiding the left side of his face, now covered in a mask, from her. Can I get any WORSE luck today?

"What in the name of the Supreme One is going on here?" I asked, scratching the back of his head. I wondered why this being named Arthur had suddenly run off like that.

Maybe it was something you said, Kykherhenha sent.

What did I say? I walked out into the corridor and looked around. There was no one there; Arthur had disappeared.

Maybe he's a saboteur, sent to destroy this space station. The thought of that made me fear-shiver. I knew I should contact Captain Dhantrel about Arthur, but I wanted to handle it on my own. If I could only keep Arthur still for a few moments, I would be able to get some answers.

You don't really believe that, do you? Kykherhenha asked.

You know I don't. I walked down the corridor, my whistling dragon beside him. Right now I wished this station wasn't so huge.

Arthur stood up. This was all that fox's fault.[/b] He hated foxes. He stood up and started walking off down the hallways, retracing his steps.

Out of Kairi's sight, he took out his revolver from his pocket and started jogging. [i]I'll kill him. He loaded the revolver and started running.

From then it happened in slow motion. He jumped slowly behind the fox who was walking down the corridor with his back to him. He put the nozzle of the revolver to the back of the fox.

The gun fired. Atleast he thought it did. He looked around and saw himself with a revolver, the bullet from it slowly trailing towards his forehead.

BSSSHHHTTTTT.... His comm unit went off with an odd burst of static. "Captain! We are reading some sort of temporal displacement in the station. Recommend you get out NOW!" The technicians voice was near panicked, and Jabez trusted his people, therefore he reacted quickly.

Don looked over at the men he was meeting with and suggested with amazing calm that they move the venue of their discussions to a small conference room aboard the Rigante. The men agreed readily enough and all headed to their various means of transportation with quiet but resolute alacrity.

The exodus was not joined by many of the stations inhabitants; so the process of leaving the station took no longer than absolutely necessary to reach their ships and pass through flight control. Within 20 minutes, Don was back on board the Rigante and they were pulling out of system.

"What the..." My sharp hearing had picked up a sound behind my. When I whirled around, I saw the one named Arthur with a revolver in his hand, but there was something wrong.

I did not understand what was happening here. Somehow I knew that Arthur wanted to kill me, but if so, then why was the bullet racing toward Arthur? And why...I looked at Kykherhenha.

Dont' ask me, my whistling dragon sent. This is as confusing for me as it is for you.

I didn't want to wait here to see what would happen. I backed up a few steps, then turned and ran for the nearest elevator. I had to get out of here, just go anywhere.

I wondered when the next spacecraft from Alharhan would get here.

Evil Arthur fell down, dead. With a bullet in his head, dropping the gun.


Arthur put his gun back in his pocket and walked up to Evil Arthur's corpse. He kicked it.
"I just killed my future self. That sucked.", he sighed.
He then walked off down the hallway, following the fox.


Evil Arthur slowly stood up, the mask falling from his face revealing a flesh-less side of his face. He took his revolver and ran off to get Kairi.
He ran down the hallway to her. He put the revolver to her temple and waited for his past self to come.


"Hey.. Fox.. dude. I'm from the past." he explained.

I stopped just as I was about to enter the elevator. This is getting way out of hand, I thought, but of course Kykherhenha had read it.

Nothing like this has ever happened on this station, she sent.

From the past? That's what Arthur had said. But how could that be possible? The past was past; it was gone.

But... but... when I had attended school in Treskebhar, I had read stories. Stories about different kinds of aliens, and travels to the past and future, and I had always maintained that these were rather far-fetched. They're fiction, that's what my teacher, Sen Brudel, had told me. Make-believe. And yet, here was this being called Arthur who had just yelled at him that he was from the past. And on the floor of the corridor there was a dead Arthur... where had he come from? Were these twins, like Khe'ar Dhoren's two sets of twins?

Stop thinking so much, Kykherhenha sent. It hurts my head.

Sorry. I tried to push the thoughts from his head, because every thought I had was shared by my whistling dragon.

Right now, I was going to find out when the next ship from Alharhan was scheduled to arrive. I told himself that whatever Arthur had in mind, it was none of my concern, but somehow it might be the concern of everyone on the station.

Kairi felt the cold, death-filled gun touch her head and her eyes immediately hardened. This wasn't...Arthur. She blinked. It was impossible. There couldn't be two Arthur's. Then again, there couldn't be one girl in the whole world who could bend all four elements. She scowled at herself for the stupidness of bringing up the subject, and winced as her head began to ache. No katanas, no way of defending herself. She was going to die, killed by...some one who wasn't even the real some one. Ugh...It made her head hurt. It was way too complicated. She wasn't going to give up on her life, not yet. She had a feeling, in the back of her mind, that the good Arthur would come. If he didn't...well...It was goodbye Kairi.

Arthur sighed and ran back. He ran back to warn Kairi. Just as he got there, he sighed.

"Don't move or I'll shoot her.", Evil Arthur yelled.

Arthur sighed. He looked at Kairi, "Sorry.", he said. He needed to kill the evil Arthur. But if he shot the evil Arthur, he'd see it coming and shoot Kairi. So, he needed to kill evil Arthur. Before he did this.

Arthur took his own revolver from his pocket and shot himself in the side of the heart. He fell to the floor and dropped the revolver. Evil Arthur faded from view. He'd have some time to say bye.

Arthur laid on the floor, feeling cold all of a sudden. He saw blood pouring out of himself.

"Arthur!" As soon as the evil Arhur faded, she ran over to the real Arty who was lying on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood, his skin cold, his vibrations slow. She knelt down beside him, speechless. Here he was, dying, and there was nothing she could do to save him. Tears pricked her eyes, but she pushed them away. She had known for...what, a couple of days maybe? But he felt like a long lost friend.

Her gaze hardened, and she grabbed his wrist, "You can't die, you just...can't!" she said determindly, gritting her teeth.

Arthur took out his PDA and pressed a button. Her Katanas and the laser gun fell out of no-where.
"Hey.. Uh.. I think these are yours.", he coughed some blood out of his mouth.
"Well, this has been fun..", he sighed. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing.

Arthur opened them again and saw pearly gates, "I guess death isn't so bad.."
He walked up to the booth. "$19.95 to enter heaven. If you don't cough up, you go to hell.", said a guy in the booth.
Arthur counted what he had.. $19.90.

"Arthur..." She sat back on her haunches, feeling empty all of a sudden. He was dead...It just wouldn't sink in. She let out a small sigh, her eyes avoiding his dead body. Her katanas lay next to her, the blades a shiny silver as they glared in the sunlight. She grabbed them both, her gaze hardening. She was set out on revenge. She didn't know on who or what, but something inside her was burning like it never had before. She gritted her teeth, her grip tightening as she resheathed her swords. It felt good to have them back again. She looked about her. The power generator. That was where she needed to go. If she couldn't get there, then she needed to get home. Staying here would be like living in a never ending pit of dispear.

She kept both of her hands rested on her blades, and made her way over to the elevator. Her only focus now, was getting home.

I had gone to the cargo bay with Kykherhenha and waited there. I no longer had any desire to teach anybody anything. Let them find another teacher; I was done here. I had gone to Captain Dhantrel and handed in my resignation. The Captain was, of course, surprised at this sudden turn of events.

"I don't know what's going on here, Captain," I had said, "but I can't work here any longer. You'll have to another teacher for the kids here. I'm sure there are several who would qualify."

"So what are you going to do?" Captain Dhantrel had asked.

"I don't know. Go back to my family, I guess. Write... yeah, I love to write. Maybe I'll keep a journal... maybe go somewhere else."

Captain Dhantrel had tried to persuade me to stay, but my mind was made up. The next ship from Alharhan was scheduled to arrive in three hours, and he was determined to be on it.

From the wormhole emerged the Hoop-Kah trade ship, Zummila, as soon as the mile long trade completed its transit from the deeps of the wormhole it began broadcasting to the station that appeared on its scanners, "We are the trade ship Zummila. We are unarmed and seek safe harbor while we replenish our supplies. Repeat, we are the Hoop-Kah trade ship Zummila and we seek safe harbor while we replenish our supplies."

Captain Zanj'sheh glanced over to the Xindhi who commanded the small security force aboard the trade ship, "Aeryn Jessi, I hope you allow me to meet them first, your race has a tendency to frighten people on first sighting."

The Xindhi turned towards the captain, the miasma of energy swirled and flowed from the eye sockets, the amber lights flared and light the captain with the surreal glow, the voice rasped and carried eerie on the bridge, "Indeed Captain, I am aware of the reactions beings display when encountering the Xindhi. I shall allow you to be point of contact should these people provide peaceful, however if they are warlike, I shall assume command until we have safely exited any potential danger."

Captain Zanj'sheh smiled, "Of course Aeryn Jessi, I do hope we can establish new relations as is the preference of the Hoop-Kah." Turning the captain narrowed his eyes, someday his people would be safe with out the presence of the skeletal beings, but for now, it made sense to have such beings act as escorts on the trader ships.

Jessi the Aeryn thrummed the resonance of the holon, studying and understanding the immediate area, framing it and allowing the memory and experience to be shared with the other four members of the security detail. The others were residing in their basalt sarcophagi, dreaming and understanding what Jessi had experienced. The warm thrumming of prana as it flowed and roiled away from the ship into space, seeking understanding, seeking experience for the eternal dreamers.

The announcement that a ship was approaching the station didn't really interest me, not like it had on previous occasions. I was waiting for an Alharhanian spacecraft to come through that wormhole, one that would be here in about an hour.

I had seen many different alien species, and some of the younger members of those species had ended up in my classroom. I had been lucky that so many of them had worked together, despite differences in appearances. But what were to happen if one of those alien youngsters decided not to follow the rules, could not get along with the others? Somewhere out there, in the vastness of the universe, there had to be a species who wanted everything their way, and damn those who did not agree with them.

I am no angel,I thought, and Kykherhenha read it as clear as polished glass. How many Alharhanians had I killed? Nine... ten... maybe more. Killed because of stupidity. And what had I done? Used my claws because I was defending myself, and I was defending myself because they had attacked me.

Vicious,Kykherhenha said. That was all.

That one word pounded in my brain. Yes, I had been so vicious when I killed them. Stupid stupid stupid.

I shook my head, continued my stroll along the corridor. Kykherhenha scooted a bit ahead, spreading her wings. It appeared as if she wanted to fly, but I knew she would not.

"Thekherham." It was Captain Dhantrel, behind me.

I stopped, turned around.

"I've found a teacher to take your place," the Captain said, "but I wish you would stay."

I did not say anything, waited for the Captain to say what he had to say.

As the Zummila docked with the station, everyone on board waited until the metallic click of the airlock sealing. After a moment the quartermaster popped the door and Captain Zanj'sheh inhaled the stale air from the recycling system of the station. With a curt nod he exited and walked along the length of decking until he met the port master, accompanying he was the Aeryn Jessi, the amber energies flaring brightly beneath the hood of her surcoat, the chainmail and leather creaking and groaning slightly as she walked.

Even at this distance the crew of the station could see the skeletal forearms of the Aeryn move with ease as she walked, the shaded visage hidden but the lower jaw gleamed an off white under the lights of the docking area. The whirling miasma of amber energy flowed and drifted from under the hood. She wore two long swords secured to the double-looped leather belts that wrapped around her hips.

"I am Captain Zanj'sheh of the Zummila, we are looking to replenish our supplies and gather any information on pirates or possible xenophobic worlds in this sector of space." The blue-skinned man said as he snapped a quick salute and waited patiently for a reply. As always, he knew it would come slowly as most people took some time to get used to seeing a skeletal being walking about.

"I'd like you to stay," Captain Dhantrel said, "and be my liaison."

"Your what?" I asked.

"What that basically means is someone who meets and greets the occupants of any ships arriving at the station," the Captain said. "Show them around... if they want to see the Captain, get word to me so we can set up a meeting... if they want to stay for any length of time show them to their quarters... and don't scrimp, either. Guests should be accorded the best accommodations, so anything in the upper level is fine."

I had been listening to the Captain, but wasn't sure if I wanted to stay. Although... it would be interesting to meet new species...

"All right," I finally said, "but I want--"

"I've already arranged that," Captain Dhantrel interrupted. "There will be a 50% increase in your pay starting next week. Now you should go and greet the new arrivals. They've just come through the wormhole..."

As Kykherhenha and I headed for the dock, I wondered what these beings were like. Fur, maybe... or scales... or maybe feathers? No, not feathers. I had never met anyone who had feathers... I hummed to himself - or perhaps to my whistling dragon, who was walking right beside me.

When I reached my destination, and the door slid open I found himself in the company of a number of crewmembers who stood there, staring at what appeared to be a blue-skinned being and... and... a being that looked like...

It's a walking skeleton, Kykherhenha sent.

I can see that, I agreed. Aloud, I said, "Greetings. Thekherham is my name, and this is Kykherhenha, my whistling dragon. I'm the... the..." He tried to remember what Captain Dhantrel had said. "Liaison... I'm here to welcome you, and see to your needs. If you wish to stay for a while we have accommpodations that would suit your needs if you wish sustenance we have several dining areas depending on what you require..." The words were tumbling out of my snout now, and I hoped these beings did not think me too rash.

"Liaison?" one of the crewmembers said. "I thought you were the teacher."

"Not anymore," I said. "I quit."

"Are you sure you want to deal with these... uh, aliens?" another crewmember asked.

My ears flattened against my head, and my tail tip twitched. "What in the name of the Supreme One is that supposed to mean? I'm an alien too, you know." I turned to the two strange beings. "So... what can I do for you?"

Captain Zanj'sheh stepped back involuntarily as he caught sight of the two creatures headed towards the small gathering. A tall bi-pedal being with fur, very similar to a large fox and a large, well for lack of a better term large cat, however it was the eyes of the large feline that gave the Hoop-Kah pause. When the fox-like being spoke and it seemed to have some authority by the reactions of the crew present, he composed himself and focused on it.

"I am Captain Zanj'sheh, of the Hoop-Kah merchant vessel Zummila. We are requesting a lay over in which we can refit and refuel our vessel, as well as seeking any information regarding potential trade planets that you may be aware of as well as any pirate or xenophobic peoples we may have to avoid."

Jessi the Areyn focused the amber energies that whorled from her eye sockets towards the approaching pair, resonating prana she framed the two beings in the holon, trying to understand their place among the others that stood before her. They indeed were different, and from the words used, apparently held some esteem as a teacher. However the change of caste seemed to startle the crew and marked a certain uncomfortable aspect with the title "Liaison" for the former teacher.

The Hoop-Kah spoke towards the liaison, but failed to introduce her. Jessi noted the certain lack of respect in such matters and filed it away in the holon to be dreamed by the Sleeping Queen and the grand council.

An ancient voice rasped from the skeletal being, "I am Jessi the Aeryn, of the Xindhi. I bid you greetings from the Sleepers and the Dreaming Queen."

The sour look on the face of Captain Zanj'sheh was evident as he grunted and said solemnly, "Yes forgive me, this is the Aeryn Jessi of the Xindhi. She and her cohorts are travelling with us."

Captain Zanj'sheh is among the growing movement on Al-Hazred that wanted the Xindhi to leave, believing that the Hoop-Kah were now able to protect themselves and their world from threats and no longer desired to have the skeletal beings and their garrisoned troops on their world, nor interfering in their government and trade relations. However like all Hoop-kah, he never voiced his anger directly at the Xindhi, fearing the skeletal beings.

Turning towards Jessi he bowed slightly and raised his hands into a pyramid the fingers touching, a slight space between the palms, "Thank you Lady, may the dreaming Queen continue to seek understanding through me." He said through clenched teeth before turning back to the liaison.

Arthur found himself being pulled up to his feet by a hooded figure, about the same size as him. Arthur saw half his ribcage pulled open and dumped on the floor, strange. He looked down at his body and saw.. WIRING.

Arthur also looked around himself and gasped as things started to come into his mind. He could solve maths without thinking..
My brain.. it feels like.. it's.. machine..

He looked up at the hooded figure, he couldn't see the figure's face.
"Thanks", Arthur said. The figure nodded. and then shot Arthur in the arm with a tranquilizer gun.


Arthur woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed in a gown, with the typical hospital mechanics hooked to him. He suddenly pulled both his hands to the opposite end of the bed, breaking the handcuffs off the bed. He unhooked all his hospital stuff and started to walk out of the station's hospital.

This is a nice view. Hey, that station looks EXACTLY like the one I'm on..
Then it clicked. That hooded guy must've put him on this ship. For some odd reason. Arthur walked to the cockpit of the ship and saw the controls were locked. He then noticed through the window that he was flying towards the power generator of the station. He saw his hooded figure up behind him.

The hooded figure removed his hood and revealed his face and quickly ran through a few halls and out an escape chute. Evil Arthur..