Chapter 2

- a bit earlier

Don breathed deeply as the priest approached; knife in hand. The dagger raised. Then, without any warning, a giant portal tore the air, and a bunch of people jumped out, many of them alien. One with huge wings hovered above everyone with a small device in his hands, before clipping it back to his belt. Then he dove into the fray. Don stared. It was suddenly pandemonium. The newcomers all seemed to be incredible, passionate fighters, and the Helinmores had their hands more than full, despite the fact that the new people were greatly outnumbered.

Suddenly, another one of these newcomers materialized behind Dove. He must be a teleporter. He pulled out a knife, and slit Don's bonds. Don fell heavily; all circulation had long since ceased. The teleporter caught Don gently, and pulled him into his arms.

"Are you alright?" The voice was gentle, anxious.

"I'm fine. I… I just need to warm back up."

"Humans are so fragile." It wasn't spoken condescendingly, or as though Don's rescuer thought his race to be above Humans, he just seemed… sad. "And Ran-Tauns, sometimes."

Then a magnificent alien with four huge wings, high cheekbones and pointed ears alit next to them. "Retriever, there's been a complication. We need you to get us all out of here now." One of the aliens fired one of their projectile guns at the winged alien, but he merely deflected it with one of his wings without even looking. Dove had seen those projectiles slice through a reinforced metal wall. He spread his wings to give cover to both Don and the teleporter.

"Take us all out of here? But what about…" The teleporter's hands tightened around Don.

"We'll have to take him. Data says the fabric of time here is worn. Our coming here is tearing it apart. We need to leave now and try to return him later."

"I understand." Teleporter looked up, and Don felt himself disappear.