PROLOGUE

-EARTH

David Kincaid was a young 19 year old from Chicago who had just moved to New York City a few months ago. He was young, handsome, and people seemed to like the guy a lot. He had an amazing relationship with his family and friends, and he was never the type of person to let too many things get under his skin. Through all of that, however, something in his life just did not feel right to him. He was almost happy, but not quite. He always felt that he was somehow living someone else's life for him. His father was a lawyer, with a successful practice located in downtown Chicago. David had known for years that his father's wishes were to follow in his footsteps, continue in the "family business," if you will. This wasn't what he wanted, however. However, here he was, in the heart of New York City, about to begin his first semester of college, and he felt quite uneasy. David had known that it was finally time for a little bit of soul searching. And that is what he did.

That night, around 11:30, he found his way atop the Empire State Building more than ready to give up his aspirations of law. Hell, he thought to himself, what the hell am I doing here, I don't even know the first thing about how the law works . David stood upon the edge of the immense building, and he thought of his nineteen years of wasted youth, nineteen years of just wondering what exactly he really, truthfully wanted in his life. He thought of all the inner demons inside him pulling him from one side to the next, do this, don't do that, and what have you. Yes, he had decided, that he was going to finally stand up for himself, take the next train back to Chicago, and declare that he wanted to make a life for himself on his own terms. Live his own life, not the life of someone else. A tear dropped from his eye for the first time that he can remember, and a smile spread across his face. Well, he thought, this sure isn't going to be easy.

He never got the chance to leave the great landmark, however. Right when he was going to, lightning crashed in the sky and a wierd sound of a twisted kind of thunder filled the night sky. David took a look up into that sky, and saw something that gave him a feeling of fascination that he never felt before. Something that resembled a doorway to another dimension spread wide open for young David Kincaid to see. What came out of it amazed him even more. Strange flying machines came out of the door, manned by demons, it seemed. Ten or fifteen of these vehicles fired at each other, apparently bringing some war being held on another world to Earth. This was something that he's only seen in movies or on television. Suddenly a question filled Kincaid's mind: "Is this a dream...or am I really dead?" This unearthly battle raged on for more than a few hours as he hid atop the great Empire State Building. And suddenly, the otherworldly...minijets, maybe, he didn't know, began flying back into the bright glowing doorway. Kincaid thought to himself, "I don't know where these people are going, but I'm gonna find out one way or another. With that being said, David waited for a ship to fly close enough to him, and he clung on the back of it so no one would know that he was there. And, finally, after all these jets went through this great door, it disappeared, without a trace of it ever being there in the first place. David Kincaid either didn't know, or didn't care how his life may change at this point, just as long as he wasn't living his father's life for him.

THE ARRIVAL

by

Scott Miller

ETERNIA -

The greuling battle with the troops from Snake Mountain had taken its toll on those who lived at the palace of Eternia. The fight was so intense that in a futile attempt to retreat, Skeletor and his main henchmen, Beast Man, Karg, and Kobra Kahn, manning a stolen Wind Raider, fled to Earth via a Cosmic Key that they again stole from the Thenorian locksmith Gwildor, several years before. (Gwildor has since relocated to his hometown, never to return.) However, King Randor's high command, led by Man-at Arms, or Duncan, as they call him, followed them to Earth to continue the battle. Only once before in Eternian history was Earth somehow involved in a similar conflict. Duncan woke up early, his shoulder still hurting from a Wind Raider laser blast that gave him a painful flesh wound. The wound was black, bruised and dark red from where he was bleeding. Someone knocked on Duncan's bedroom door.

"Come," the weapons expert said. In came a young woman, with red hair, dressed in a white uniform of the Captain of the Royal Guard. Duncan smiled when he saw his daughter Teela atthe door.

"Father, how is your shoulder?" Teela asked her father. Duncan winced as he rubbed his wound. They both knew that the shot, even though it was only a flesh wound, was still bad enough. Teela then said to Duncan, "Maybe you should take it easy for the next few days, maybe give your shoulder some time to heal. Then maybe we'll get that Wind Raider back from those Snake Mountain goons."

"Sounds fair enough," Duncan replied with a smile. It made him feel good to have a daughter who loved and cared for him as much as Teela. Then, he asked, "Are you going to meet Adam this morning?" Teela and Prince Adam had been engaged to be married for the past few weeks, and have been involved in a relationship ever since the night of King Randor and Queen Marlena's 25th anniversary ball (Whoever wrote Triumph and Torment, thanks). Teela was now also one of the very few people, other than Duncan, Orko, the royal magician, and the Sorceress of Greyskull who knew that the Prince was He-Man.

"Adam asked me to meet him outside so we could go for a little walk. Adam wanted to take Cringer with us, too," Teela answered with a kind of excitedness in her voice, for she loved every minute of being with her true love. Without knowing it, for many years, she'd loved Adam, as he loved her. They both just didn't realize it until that night of celebration. Teela and her father made their leave of each other and she stode off to meet the prince of Eternia.

Adam was laying in the field outside the palace half asleep with his pet tiger, Cringer, next to him, in a dead sleep. The prince figured that he come out early and get a couple of winks before Teela showed up. Adam later drifted into a dead sleep himself, exausted from last night's brouhaha between the villains of Snake Mountain. Just as the prince was getting comfortable, the overgrown scaredy cat woke his master up.

"Uh, Adam?"

"Not now, Cringer."

"Umm...Adam..."

"Cringer, I'm trying to get some sleep after the fight last night."

After a short pause Cringer finally yelled, "ADAM!"

"Cringer, for the last time I need to get some sleep, now what is...it!" Right before Adam said "it" he saw what Cringer was bothering him about, a young adult, possibly no older than 20 Earth years of age, dressed in wierd garb he had never seen before, was wandering about the palace courtyard. Adam finally asked his tiger, "Who in Eternia is that?"

"That's what I was trying to ask you." Cringer seemed frightened to death at the seemingly harmless stranger. Of course, knowing Cringer, he's scared of just about anything. Really.

Adam approached the young intruder and asked him, "Can I help you with something? I've never seen you in Eternia before."

"Eternia?" the young man had a horrified, yet happily surprised look on his face. "You mean I'm here? Good lord, I thought it was all just a story that a friend of mine told me about. In that case maybe you know him from some time ago. His name was Kevin Corrigan," the boy answered.

"Kevin? I haven't heard his name in a long time. Come with me inside." Adam and Cringer took the stranger inside the palace with intents to let the young man explain how he got to another world, and how he knew Kevin Corrigan. Teela finally came out to meet her fiance in the courtyard, but Adam was nowhere to be found. He, Cringer, and the man had already gone inside. There was a note on the ground for Teela, reading, "Teela, meet me back inside in the throne room. I found somebody from Earth, and he says he was friends with Kevin. I'm sorry, but maybe tomorrow we can go for that walk. Adam." Teela knew exactly what Adam meant and was just as puzzled as he was. How did this man from Earth get all the way to Eternia? She ran back inside to figure out what was going on.

They found their way to the throne room, while Teela followed just moments later. King Randor and Queen Marlena also had no idea who this guy was. They figured that he did not look hostile, but lost and confused. Randor had never seen anyone like this person before. But to Marlena it was like a breath of fresh air. She had assumed that this young man WAS fom Earth, her home planet, and it made her feel overjoyed to meet someone else from there. Adam, still perplexed, kindly asked, "Now, you say you are a friend of Kevin's, and he's told you of Eternia. How do you know him, and how did you get here?"

"Last night, I went to the top of the tallest building on my world, and what I assume was a door from your world to mine appeared," the man continued. I guess there was a fight coming through it. I hitched a ride on one of the flying vehicles, and well, here I am." Then he held his hand out to Adam, as if wanting to shake Adam's hand. "By the way, the name's David Kincaid. From what Corrigan's told me, you must be Prince Adam."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you, David. But how do you know Kevin?" Adam was fascinated at the fact that someone associated with their old friend found his way light years away from home.

"Well, here it is," David began to explain. "I was new in town, and I needed to meet some people. I met Kevin and his girlfriend Julie a few months ago, and he seemed like a pretty decent person. Except he kept talking about a place called Eternia, and a great warrior they called He-Man. I thought, hell, either he was a good writer or he's just plain freaking crazy." Teela was also wondering about their old friend. She asked, "What's happened to Kevin since we met him?"

"He and Julie settled in California to get married. The wedding's in a month," Kincaid smiled, bearing the good news. It was pleasing to the Eternians that their old friend Kevin is doing so well. Still amazed that he was actually IN Eternia, David spoke. "I still can't beleive I'm here! I mean look at this place. It's even more beautiful than what I was told! I had no idea this was real." As rarely as it does, a wide smile spread across David's face. He had never been this surprised before in his life.

"So this is the Earthling guy you were telling me about," a creature that looked like a small robe and a magician's hat floating in the air had come into the room to survey the situation. Cringer was the one who filled him in. "You're David Kincaid I'd overheard about? I'm Orko, the resident magician here at Palace Eternia. Welcome," the Trollan greeted the young man. Orko gestured as if to offer to shake David's hand. He cautiously obliged.

As the day wore on, Adam, Orko and David talked about their respective worlds and of how David got to Eternia in the first place, and in doing so, talked of his personal conflicts. Adam interrupted, "Wait a second, wait a second. You were atop the Empire State Building that late at night? Had you any idea what you were doing?"

"Yes I did," David replied. "I had to sort some things out, trying to think with a clear head, if that's what you're wondering. My father is this great lawyer in my world, and he wants me to do the same thing. I was in New York for that reason, and I was just about to head back to my family and tell them that I didn't wanna do it. But then again, what else would I do with myself if I don't?" Orko chimed in as a voice of reason, saying, "Kid, don't get yourself down. Things will get better in the end, I promise."

"Thank you, Orko, I really needed to hear that," Kincaid was now visibly upset as he told his story, and to hear some assuring words from another was just what he needed. He cleared up his face, regained his cool head, and asked, "But there IS something missing here. What's the name of that guy from Snake Mountain, or whatever the hell it's called?"

"You mean Skeletor?" Adam knew he was referring to last night's war with the villains.

"Yeah, Skeletor," reassuring himself. "He made his way to my home world last night. What would he want to do with Earth? In other words, what has he wanted to do worse than anything?"

The only two things I can think of," Adam answered, "would be to kill He-Man and rule Eternia. But he can't rule Eternia because he can't kill He-Man."

"Oh, no," a terriffied look grew on Kincaid's face. "There's no He-Man on Earth. From what I've heard from Kevin, not even the whole Lauralwood police force could keep him or the hundreds of crack troops Skeletor was packin'. (By the way, Lauralwood was where Kevin and Julie lived before this little story even started. Watch the movie if you're still clueless) Since Earth's forces seem to be as strong as Eternia's, maybe he thinks he can rule Earth. No matter how much resentment I may have toward my own people, I can't bear to think of what may happen next."

"I hope you're wrong, friend," Adam was more conserned as ever now. "But there is only one way to find out. Well, Orko, Cringer, I guess we're going to Greyskull to figure this out."

"Don't leave me here," Kincaid wanted to have a hand in saving his planet, if needed. "If things do happen as we think they will, I want to be there to help, whether you may need me or not." Adam was about ready to say no when Kincaid added, "If there's anything at all that can help me find a purpose, it's to help protect my own home planet. DAMMIT let me go with you!" Adam had a sympathetic look on his face and finally said, "OK you're in it with us."

"Mind if I give you a grand tour of the palace?" Orko asked the young man. David smiled and said, "Lead the way, o great magician." Orko was btrying to buy time for Adam to become He-Man once more. He lifted his Power Sword, given to him by the Sorceress of Greyskull, and cried, "By the Power of Greyskull!" In a flash of blinding light, Adam became the legendary warrior. He didn't notice Kincaid at his door watching in amazement as he saw the transformation take place right in front of him. After the great metamorphasis, Kincaid blurted, "I swear I will tell no one." He-Man turned around, afraid that he'd seen the whole thing. David reassured the warrior, "Your secret is safe with me. Don't worry about it. Can we go now?"

Eternia's legend breathed a sigh of releif and gladly took his word. He then said, "It seems you've heard a lot about our world, David. Of course you've heard of the Sorceress."

"Oh yeah I have," David replied. If I remember right, when Kevin was involved a few years ago, Skeletor tried to kill her so HE'D be the new Sorcerer of Greyskull...right?"
"Very good," He-Man was surprised. "Kevin has told great many tales about the war between Eternia and Snake Mountain. I'm amazed."

Orko and who was formerly Cringer, now Battle Cat, transformed when Adam became He-Man, grew inpatient. Cat growled, "Let's cut the chatter and get to the Sorceress, huh? I wanna get to where the fighting starts."

"I second that," Orko put in his two cents as well. And with that, they were ready to leave when...

"Uh, I think you're forgetting someone." They turned and saw Teela, armed and ready to tag along, so to speak. He-Man shrugged, grew an embarassing smile on his face, and said, "OK, join us." Then he leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "Uh, sorry about that. They were anxoius to go right now," and chuckled awkwardly. Teela replied, "Just make sure I don't find your sword," with a sarcastic, mischievous smile.

"Let's get the hell outta here!" Kincaid's words singnalled to everyone that it was time to get to Greyskull.

SNAKE MOUNTIAIN, at that exact moment

Skeletor, dressed in his black robe, hooded skull and all, sat impatiently on a throne made purely of stone in the infamous Snake Mountain. He was waiting for two of his top henchman, Beast Man, to return from Eternia's palace with the Wind Raider. Beast Man was sent to gather information from the Eternians, Skeletor was wondering if his plan was figured out by his enemies. After what seemed like days, though it was only hours, Beast Man, feral in appearance, came into the dark throne room, anxious to tell his master what he had just learned.

"Lord Skeletor," he exclaimed in a bestial tone. "The Eternians know what our plan is. What's even worse, they have a native of the planet they call Earth, the planet we plan to bring to its knees..."

"The planet WE plan to bring to its knees!" Skeletor was now irritated, "Earth will be MINE to rule and mine alone. That world is weak. But...if they have the native and get him to join us..."

"We can force the little whelp to join us in exchange for his world's safety," Beast Man apparently caught on. He was dumber than he looked, and that's saying something.

"Of course we'd probably put Earth in shambles, anyway," Skeletor was actually satisfied with his right-hand's thinking. Another of the henchmen came in, this one a foot shorter than Skeletor. His hair was long and flowing, and he was by far, the ugliest of the three. He asked, "What shall you have ME do, master?"

"Ahh, Karg, the general in my army," the skull-faced villain pleasingly said. "In that case, I suggest you assemble the best fighters in your army. First we attack Greyskull to put He-Man's forces out of the way. And then we use this Cosmic Key," Skeletor held up the dimensional device that took them there before, shining, lights blinking, "and take our forces to that weak inferior planet."

GRAYSKULL, hours later

He-Man, Battle Cat, Teela, Orko, and David arrived at the great Castle Greyskull that David only dreamed of. He was speechless at his amazement, and a childlike smile spread from cheek to cheek in wonderment. For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words. He-Man drew his Power Sword, and said, "By the Power of Greyskull, I command the Jawbridge open!" With a loud thud, the huge door to the fabled castle swung open and the heroes strode their way inside. David, being the last to enter, scratched his head, blurting out, "Damn. How the hell you do that!"

Some short moments later, the heroes were met by a woman sitting on a throne, dressed in what David thought looked like what a Native American shaman would wear: A headdress that resembled a falcon's head. David turned toward Teela and moved in close enough so he could whisper, and said, "Kevin was right. If that is your Sorceress, then she is quite beautiful. Putting all that aside, though, I just hope we're wrong about what we think Skeletor's gonna do. But if we're right, then I think we'll be ready to dance."

He-Man explained the possible situation to the Sorceress, in closing saying, "What do you know of this?" Sorceress responded by saying, "I have been in Skeletor's mind and I've seen his thoughts. Your new friend's homeworld is in danger. But there's something else, he has assembled his entire army, and is on his way here, to kill you."Without thinking, He-Man turned to Teela, held her close, and said, "Go back to the palace, round up as many of your Royal Guard as you possibly can. And if possible, see if your father's well enough to help, too. We are definitely going to need him as well." They then kissed, as he said, "Be careful. I love you." Teela responded, saying, "And I love you...both of you," and left to get her army together for what is sure to be a titanic battle.

More than an hour and a half passed while they waited for Teela to arrive, with the defenders of Grayskull going over a battle plan to combat their sworn enemies, when suddenly, David interrupted the strategy. "OK, OK, OK," David was ready to shoot his mouth off like he hasn't been able to for years. "Apparently the dance card's going to get punched a little sooner than we thought it would. But I sure as hell ain't gonna let you guys hog all the glory. I wanna fight along your side. I may be a little bit of help, if any. Give me a chance, please." He-Man replied, saying, "I'm sorry, I cannot let you do that. As far as what you've told me at the palace, you are unsure of yourself. You are a lost soul. I'm not going to let that lost soul get involved in any battle. You're sitting this out..."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" David never thought he'd be angry at these new friends, especially not at a national legend like He-Man. But this time he had become greatly irritated, because, no, the heroes did NOT understand. Before he continued he lowered his tone a little. "Listen, for years I've been asking myself who I really am, and until today, I have not been able to answer that question. This is what I have that's worthwhile. I don't just want to help you fight these guys, but in a way, I need to help you fight these guys. It's my world they wanna send to hell, as well as yours."

Orko tried to become a voice of reason to Kincaid, but before he could say anything, Sorceress winced while sitting on Grayskull's throne. She then opened her eyes wide, saying, "They're here."

Orko said, "Well, it sure didn't take Teela along to get her troops here, now did it. We'll be ready to fight Skeletor in no time."

"No," Sorceress interrupted Orko, "Skeletor's army is here."

"Oh, boy, we are SO screwed!" Kincaid grew more annoyed by the minute.

"Oh, He-Man!" Skeletor was souting for his arch enemy in a mocking manner. "Do not attack, I am not here to fight...yet." He said "yet" softly enough so no one could here him. Skeletor continued. "I know there is a young native man from Earth, or whatever in the world it's called. I wish only to speak to him. Send him out."

David hear what was going on, but he was not about ready to meet Skeletor face to face. The reason for this being that he was not a person who would trust others so easily, especially the ruler of Snake Mountain. David turned to He-Man, and he said, "He want's to talk to me, let them in the castle. Chances are he'll try something and if he does, we can cap all his troops like it was nothing. Let 'em in, just outta morbid curiosity.

"I'm waiting," Skeletor and his troops were getting annoyed now. After a short pause, the jawbridge that served as the sole entrance to Castle Grayskull swung open, and Snake Mountain's evil militia rushed their way into the sacred shrine. They made their way to Grayskull's throne room, where He-Man, Battle Cat, Orko, the Sorceress, and David stood. David stepped forward. He said, "You wanna talk to me?" in a calm, yet cautious voice.

Skeletor began to explain his motives. "You know of my plan to take over your homeworld?" David nodded his head in silence, standing his ground firm. "Well, I DO have a proposition for you, boy...uh, your name?" David spoke to the villain for the first time, "My name's David Kincaid, now what is it?" He-Man had no idea what he was up to.

"My proposition is this," Skeletor continued. "You are from Earth, and that is where I am going. I know that the people on your planet treated you horribly. Join me, and we both can make your people pay for their crimes against you. You will be my second in command."

"How could we make my people may for what they did to me?" David was curious. Skeletor replied, "We could either make them slaves to me, or you, whichever you prefer. Or, we could, how you say on your world, just kill damn near everybody." David felt an evil grin appear on his face, apparently liking what he heard from the ruler of Snake Mountain. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Teela had finally returned, troops and all, behind the Snake Mountain troops. He was about ready to give an answer to Skeletor, and he said, "You know, it sounds real good, this whole package deal. But you must understand that I cannot give an answer right away. Just let me think about it for a minute." He saw a flashing, blinking device in Skeletor's left hand, and he asked, "I suppose you're going to make it to my homeworld with that thing, right?" feighning curiosity.

"Of course," Skeletor replied, irritably. "This is called the Cosmic Key. We open a dimensional door big enough for my army to fit through." David asked, "May I see it?" knowing he wouldn't give him something of that great of importance, so forcably he swiped it out of the skull-faced would be tyrant's hand, threw it to Orko, and screamed, "Cap 'em, CAP 'EM!" as he ran faster tha he ever has in his life for cover. And then the fight began, right inside the walls of Grayskull. David hid behind the throne with Teela and her father, and said, sharply, "Great timing. Nice to see yas. Someone gimme a gun!" He was fired up and ready to fight. Reluctantly, VERY reluctantly, Duncan gave Kincaid his laser rifle in the heat of battle, and David came out from behind the throne for everyone to see. Duncan saw him do this, thinking that he was doing an extremely dumb move, one that will surely get him killed.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY!" David yelled. "May I PLEASE have your attention for just one moment!" Everyone stopped fighting and looked, baffled, at the young 19 year old. There was indistinct chattering, possibly somewhere along the line of "What the hell is this!" "Ahh, good," David was satisfied. "I've got y'all's attention." He cocked the rifle back, and shot down what seemed to be 12 of Snake Mountain's troops as though he was a pro marksman. He then ran for another wall, hid behind it, and said to himself, amazingly confident, "College Man-at-Arms." He realized that he was there with Orko, who was tinkering with the Key. He asked the Trollan, "Please tell me you know how to work that thing, 'Magic Man.'

"Well, of course I do," Orko replied, assuredly. "Have you heard of Gwildor?" David answered with, "Yeah, Kevin told me about him as well. He was the one who invented the Key, right?"

"Yep, Kevin's told you alot," Orko smiled behind the scarf covering his face. "Anyway, Gwildor taught me how to use it before he left to return to his home in Thenor."

"Ahh," David breathed a sigh of releif, then proceeded to survey the situation at hand. "He-Man and Skeletor are fencing, I just shot up a dozen troops AT LEAST, we're in the biggest fight since World War II...I'll explain later...you know how to work that Key or whatever the heck it is, and we're pretty much winnin' this thing. Yes, life is good...woah! Did I just say that?" Say it he did, and he meant what he said, because for the first time that he could remember, everything seemed clear to him, he was no longer lost. On the contrary, he was happy to fight for a cause worth fighting for. And he finally met a group of people that he could call "friends."

"Hey, Orko," David said to Orko, "what's the name of these guys' home base again?"

"Skeletor's base of operations is called Snake Mountain," the magican thought he was sure about what David was talking about. "Yeah, that's it," The young man had an idea. "See if you can send these troops back there, huh?"

"I'll see what I can do," Orko was more than willing to oblige. He began punching the tiny musical buttons on the Key, as David continue firing his rifle at the enemy...until Skeletor grabbed him from behind, ready to shoot him with his havok staff. "One more move," Snake Mountain's ruler sneered at He-Man, "and your young friend dies." Just as he said that, someone from behind knocked the staff out of his hand. David turned around, and Teela was there with her own staff, the top of it carved into a snake's head. At that exact moment, David lifted his leg into Skeletor's groin, allowing He-Man to proceed to knock him senseless with a shattering punch.

Some minutes later, while the fight was still going on, lightning struck inside the castle. David saw it strike and knew exactly what was going on. "Ah, ha HA," David was overjoyed, "the little dude did it!" What followed the lightning strike was a dimensional door, one very similar to that he'd saw on top of the Empire State Building. The Grayskull defenders forced Skeletor's troops, with Skeletor still groggy from He-Man's punch, into the portal, and one all were gone, the door closed up, and the shout of "Victory" from all of the castle's fighters filled the room. Sorceress was silent, though. She smiled down on the warriors, and she was proud.

ETERNIA'S PALACE, that night

David was finally being given an official tour of the palace by Orko and Cringer. He was fascinated of how beautiful the palace was. Duncan came from behind the three, bandaged shoulder and all, and said to Orko, "Hey, could you guys take our young friend to the throne room? The King wants to have a word with him before he had to go home." Duncan smiled a pleasant smile at the three, grateful that David had helped in the fight today. But just as quickly as the smile came on Duncan's face, David's smile was wiped off his.

They made their way to the throne room. Randor and Marlena were on their respectable seats, as Randor stood up and said to David, "On behalf of all of Eternia, I would like to thank you for helping my troops in the battle at Grayskull today."

"Thank you," David was as grateful as he'll ever be. "You have no idea what that means to me to finally be appreciated for something." After engaging in a idle conversation, Randor finally said, happily, "Orko, send our friend home." But those words rang in Kincaid's mind louder than what they were actually said. It was like he was in a dream and he was about to return to reality, a reality that he dreaded to return to, a reality he wanted to leave behind for so long. It was about time for him to put in his say.

"Orko, don't open the door." Orko turned to Kincaid, astonished, "Whaaaaat!"
"You heard me, do not open that door," David was determined not to go home again. The magician didn't know what to say, except, "Why?"

David explained his MO. "For years I've been wanting to start my life over again. All that I know, all that I was, I've wanted to leave behind. The life I lived on Earth wasn't worth holding onto." Then he turned to the King and said, "My place to start over, if there is no objection, is here at the palace."

"I am sorry about how you feel, freind," the King went on, "but you know that this is a big step for you to take. If you want to live among us it may be possible that you may never be able to return to your home world. Are you REALLY willing to take that chance?"

"More than willing. If there's anything for me to hold onto, it's to help do the right thing against those you call evil."

The King was surprised at how committed this young man was. But he also agreed with him because he knew how important it was to him. He looked around in the room, saying, "Well, if there IS no objection to this..." he waited a long pause before saying, "I don't think anyone has a problem with this. OK, welcome to your new home, David Kincaid."

David was now tired. It was late, and he had done considerably well, by his own definition, of course, and, finally, he thought, he had come home. He had excused himself before Randor pointed out where the guest room was. He got into the bed, covered up, and before he went to sleep, he smiled. Finally he was at peace. Finally he had started over. But something else was a lot more important than that.

For the first time in his life, David Kincaid was happy.