Thanks to all my reviewers!

'Antarian'

"English"

Mindspeak

Chapter 3:

Watching the woman approach, Michael and Tess slowly started walking backwards until the woman kneeled down and bowed, "Your Majesty, my Lord. Welcome back to Antar."

Looking at each other, with shock evident in their eyes, they turned back to the woman and gently nodded their heads not sure what else to do.

Standing up, Aranel and Serke were at a complete loss as to what needed to be done now. Sure they had planned this arrival for countless years, but now that it was finally here she had forgotten what needed to be done. Keeping their eyes downcast, Aranel motioned to the walkway leading away from the dais, "My name is Aranel and that is Serke," Aranel said, hoping they would understand she wanted them to walk off the dais as well as give her time to think since Serke was apparently not going to open his mouth.

Realizing that they would all continue to stand still until someone moved, Michael nudged Tess slightly and nodded his head towards the walkway then started walking towards it, Tess following closely behind him. Reaching the main floor, Michael and Tess stopped and waited for further directions from either Aranel or Serke. Turning around, Michael noticed they were following them down although quite slowly. Not one to shy away from anything and to impulsive not to mention impatient, Michael took a deep breath about to ask which way to go when he realized he was having trouble breathing. Turning back around to look at Tess, he saw that she was having the same problem.

Aranel, lost in thought trying to remember what it was that need to be done first, almost walked directly into the two Royals. Looking at both of them, it suddenly came to her, eyes flashing solid black she turned and looked at Serke, We have to get them to the Integration Chamber immediately! His eyes flashed solid black as he answered her all the while moving closer to Michael.

"We must get you both to the Integration Chamber at once or you will not survive much longer, one of us will need to touch you to enable us to get you there quickly." Aranel stated impatiently waiting for an answer.

Not giving it a second thought both Tess and Michael agreed. Tess felt someone grab her arm, glancing up at the person, only to see Aranel smile then say, "Close your eyes, it will be easier." Glancing over at Serke, who now had a hold of Michael, she nodded then slowly dematerialized from sight taking Tess with her leaving Serke and Michael following close behind.

Not even thirty seconds later Tess and Aranel had materialized into a room on the opposite side of the palace. Both keeping a hold of Tess and Michael until they were readjusted, Aranel could not believe that they had almost forgot that the Royals were incapable of surviving on Antar unless they were intergraded once again into the atmosphere. It was on of the first things that had been drilled into their heads as prospects for future Protectors. This was the precise reason the Integration Chamber was created, although she could not help but wonder how on Antar the scientists could have known that.

Opening her eyes and taking a deep breath, Tess instantaneously turned looking for Michael only to find him nowhere in the room. Starting to panic, she looked around the room one more time only to turn and see both Serke and Michael appear right beside her. Jumping back right into Aranel, Tess managed to hold back her cry of shock.

Steadying Tess and letting her go, Aranel walked over to Serke as he let Michael go, "This is the Integration Chamber." she said, motioning about the room.

Looking around the room, Michael thought it looked very similar to the houses on Earth, it was furnished the same way with a living room, dinning room and so on. Seeing the couch, he walked over to it and sat down. "So what's the purpose of the Integration Chamber?

"As you can tell it has been designed after housing you are familiar with, this will help the process. The purpose of the chamber is to slowly adapt you to Antar's atmosphere, without this chamber you will not be able to survive outside for more than an hour or so." Serke said.

Suddenly feeling tired and unable to stand any longer, Tess walked over to the couch and sat down next to Michael, "How long will we be in the chamber?"

"You will be here for 12 cycles which is about 2 weeks," Aranel confirmed, "For most of the Integration you will both be asleep as this chamber has a sleep aid and you will be woken up to eat and shower before once again falling back asleep. We will also be subliminally teaching you Antarian so that when you leave this chamber you will have a very concise understanding of the language."

Michael looked over at Tess when he felt her head fall to his shoulder only to find her asleep; he on the other hand had no intention of falling asleep in an unknown place with unknown people around him. Realizing that both Aranel and Serke were still talking he tried to concentrate on what they were saying; only to find his eyes drooping and his concentration waning.

Smirking as he watched Michael try and stay awake, Serke simply said, "Rath, my Lord you really should let yourself fall asleep. You will be safe and protected here; there is no reason to fight it."

To exhausted to think before he spoke, "Really? That did not work out to well last time. If I recall, we all ended up dead!" After saying his part, Michael promptly fell asleep, his head falling gently onto Tess'.

End Chapter 3

01/17/2007

Sorry for the wait, I am having a bit of writers block, hopefully it will leave soon!