"That's not possible," Nova said.

"Whoa, wait, you guys lost me." Maria stood up and looked at the viewscreen, then back at Derek. "You mean Starsha of Iscandar? Cosmo DNA? 187,000 light years and back in a year? That Starsha?"

"If I didn't see it myself, I wouldn't believe it." Derek was still looking at the slender woman, who was still waving.

"Wildstar, remember," Sandor began, "we've been fooled before."

"Sandor?" Derek looked down at him.

"The Black Nebula Empire created a fictional Earth to make us think we had travelled to the future."

"That's true," Nova said. "A future where the Black Nebula Empire had taken over the Earth and destroyed the Yamato."

"Sandor, let's bring IQ-9. If there's some sort of illusion happening here, he might pick up on it."

"Okay." The three headed for the elevator, while the remaining bridge crew continued to stare at the image of Starsha, beckoning to them.

The gangplank extended down the side of the ship, unfolding its way to the dock. When the railing popped up, the side door opened and out stepped Derek, Nova, and Sandor, with IQ-9 rolling behind them. They made their way down the ramp, until they were face to face with the welcoming party.

Derek was first to speak. "Queen Starsha? Is it really you?"

She smiled at them, and replied, "In a way, yes. More accurately, I am appearing in the form you remember."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Derek began, but Starsha raised her hand.

"All will become clear. Come, please." She turned and headed for the door, followed by her entourage. Derek and the others followed.

"IQ, do you detect anything unusual?" Sandor asked.

"It is highly unusual to meet someone who has been dead for almost 8 years."

"BESIDES that, tin-wit," Sandor said curtly.

"As far as I can tell, this is all real. I am not detecting any illusions. The planet is real. The people are real. Queen Starsha is real."

They followed her to a moving stair, which led them out of the dock building and into a large glass tower. "Where are we going?" Nova asked.

"You need to meet my sisters. Then you will understand."

"I only remember one sister," Derek began, then left it alone. Starsha's sister Astra was killed when she crashed on Mars, and Starsha might not want to talk about it. "And there were no others on Iscandar."

Starsha said nothing. Derek shook his head, afraid he had offended her.

They arrived in a glass foyer and were led into a large open atrium, which was filled with lush greenery and fruit trees. While they were looking around, Starsha motioned towards a circular table in the center. There was a woman already seated at the table.

"Allow me to introduce one of my sisters: Merope."

Derek barely heard her. He found himself staring into the face of Astra.

"By the look on your face," Astra began, "You recognize our mortal forms."

"Then you are -" he began.

"Please, sit." Astra waved at the empty chairs closest to Derek. "Melinda should be here shortly. She is the eldest, and as such the privilege falls to her to explain everything." She then turned to Starsha and said, "Melinda gets to have all the fun."

"Yes, I know," Starsha replied. "It's not fair, really."

As they sat, several men and women walked in, each dressed in togas, each carrying trays of food and jugs of liquid. Nova suddenly heard frantic beeping from behind her, as she turned to see IQ-9's arm about to raise towards one of the females. "Don't even think about it!" she hissed. The arm withdrew and IQ-9 made a disappointed grinding noise as he settled into the corner. He raised his antennae and began scanning the area.

In a few minutes, another woman walked in, this one taller and possibly a bit older, but with the same flowing gown and hair as the other women. She bowed slightly, and said, "I am Melinda. It is a great honor to meet you." She sat down next to Starsha as a tray of food was placed before her. She nodded her thanks, then said, "Please, everyone, enjoy our bounty. I have much to tell you and don't want anyone to starve."

"Great, that means we're going to be here a while," Starsha mumbled.

"What about dying of boredom?" Astra whispered back.

If Melinda heard the comments, she chose to ignore them.

Derek stood and bowed slightly, then said, "Allow me to introduce -"

Melinda raised her hand. "No need. I know who you are," she said, looking into his eyes as he sat down. "Derek Wildstar." He stared back at her blankly, then she moved on.

"Stephen Sandor." He nodded solemnly.

"Nova Mori Forrester Wildstar." Nova nodded, grasping Derek's hand tightly.

Melinda said softly, "Strange, I felt four souls enter, yet I only see three of you, plus your mechanical companion. Surely, the mechanical does not possess..." She looked briefly at IQ-9, then her eyes returned to Nova, where they lingered for a moment. "Ah, yes, that explains it!" Melinda said with a warm, knowing smile. "All our blessings upon you and yours to be."

For some reason, Nova was not surprised that this woman knew. Then she noticed that Sandor was staring at her with an odd expression. "Later," she whispered. He nodded and looked back to Melinda.

She spread her arms and said, "I am sure you have many questions. Allow me to ask you one first: do you know of the Seven Sisters?"

"It sounds familiar," Nova said, then looked behind her. "Would it be cheating if I asked IQ-9?"

Without waiting for an answer, IQ-9 spoke. "The Seven Sisters are a legend dating back to Ancient Greek Mythology. According to the legend, the titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione had seven daughters: Celaeno, Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope. Except for Merope, the Sisters bore children to the gods Zeus, Poseidon, and Ares. Merope, however, consorted with the mortal Sisyphus, and thus was not held in high favor."

Merope gave a disgusted sounding "hmph!", but said nothing.

"Your mechanical speaks correctly," Melinda said. "Following that legend, I am Maia. However, I use the name Melinda when I am in mortal form, and have grown quite used to it."

"The Pleiades?" Derek asked, incredulously.

"Correct. Your astronomers did name the Pleiades Star Cluster after us."

"So, the legend is based on truth," Nova said.

"As are many of your ancient legends, Nova. However, it goes much, much further than that." She turned and looked to her sisters briefly, then continued. "The legend of the Sisters may have come into existence on Earth because we occasionally take corporeal form and walk among you."

"Wait," Derek interrupted. "You mean you are not always, er, corporeal?" Melinda nodded. "Then what are you?"

"Your language does not have an exact word for what we are. The closest idea would be essence, or perhaps spirit. We exist, freely roaming the universe. Earth was one of our favorite places to visit. We found its people fascinating, and so we would occasionally take mortal form and live among them. Even in our mortal form, we still had some abilities that the people of your planet considered to be extraordinary. When we found that the people began to worship us as part of their beliefs in gods, we left Earth, never to return as mortal beings. This simply was not our way – it was never our intention to influence your culture, but the damage was done.

"Over the years, we watched the universe expand and evolve. We watched while distant worlds grew, advanced, and died. Of the ones that survived, many reached out to other civilizations, although not always using the hand of goodwill. Through your travels, I am sure you learned that Earth is a fairly young planet in the grand scheme of things. However, Earth seems to be unique, in that it attracts other worlds to it. We are still watching, hoping to better understand this phenomenon."

Sandor closed his eyes and said slowly, "It would explain a great many things. The Dinguil had a birthright, but the Gamilons? The Comet Empire? The Black Nebula? What drew them to Earth, of all places?"

"Some of these are actually simple to explain, which I shall in due time," Melinda continued.

"If I may ask, and I apologize if you were getting to this," Derek began, looking to Starsha and Astra, "but..." He hesitated, unsure how to word his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Sterope and Merope, is it? Well, they look like Starsha and Astra of Iscandar."

"Yes, that is no coincidence," Sterope replied. "Earth was not the only planet we visited. Iskandall, or Iscandar as you know it, was one where Merope and I spent a great deal of time. We wanted to experience first hand their Age of Enlightenment. They were discovering wondrous new things, tapping into the very building blocks of their physical beings. Given a few more centuries, they may have even learned to ascend beyond their flesh. But then, something unforeseen happened."

Merope took up the story. "As you know, Iskandall had a twin planet, Gamilas. Gamilas had several clans that were constantly fighting amongst themselves, destroying their world in the process. They began to take notice of Iskandall and their technology, and craved it for themselves. Sterope and I had spent so much time there that we felt like we were one of them, and felt compelled to help."

"And thus, they broke one of the rules," Melinda stated firmly.

"Yes, yes," Sterope said with a sigh. "We tried to, well, nudge them along a bit. We tried to influence their discoveries to speed their development. Unfortunately," she looked down and appeared about to cry, "their scientists misinterpreted a dream I implanted in their minds, and made a deadly mistake. In their attempt to extend their lives, they ended them quite suddenly."

"The plague that Starsha told us about," Nova whispered. "She said the plague claimed the lives of everyone on the planet except her and her sister."

"It was I who met you on Iskandall," Sterope said. "Iskandall was a lifeless world, all because of what we had done. At the same time, Gamilas became aware that their planet was slowly consuming itself, and so they began to consider Earth as a possible replacement. They knew that if Gamilas were to explode, it would destroy Iskandall as well, so they searched for a new home far enough away that any damage done by Gamilas would not harm their new world. Iskandall's people may have had the ability to reverse the damage done to Gamilas, but, we..."

"Utterly destroyed their civilization," Melinda cut in again.

"Yes." Merope continued. "The people of Iskandall did have the technology to cleanse Earth of the radiation Gamilas caused, however there was no one left to make use of it. To make amends, Sterope and I took the place of the Queen and her sister. We sent the message to Earth, as well as plans for their faster-than-light engine."

"I don't understand why you didn't just come to Earth and give it to us in person," Derek said.

"We were already under attack by one planet, Derek," Nova replied. "How willing would we be to trust another planet who just lands on our front lawn and says, 'Here, this will fix everything?' In all likelihood, we would have assumed them to be part of the invasion force, trying to get us to trust them so they could move in without any further bombing."

Sterope nodded. "We were also forbidden to get directly involved. Our attempts to save one world destroyed it. We could not take the chance of doing the same with your world. Earth is too important to let it die."

"But you did get involved," Derek pointed out.

"Not directly. We were told that we could not take their genetic manipulation equipment to you. However, we were not told that we could not offer it, and give you the means to get it yourselves." She smiled at her cleverness. "But, there is more to it than just that."

Silence, then Derek said, "We had to prove we were worthy of such a gift."

Merope pointed at him, then clapped her hands in excitement. "Yes! Yes, that's it exactly! Earth had to prove that it was worthy of its destiny."

"What destiny?" Nova asked.

"Why, of course you -"

Melinda interrupted loudly, "Perhaps you have said too much already, Merope?" Merope placed her hands over her mouth, looked at Melinda, and nodded. Melinda then looked back at Derek.

"So, Earth is somehow destined for greatness, and it is this that compelled you to protect us." Derek said.

"The cleansing of Earth would have happened anyway. The fact that it was my sisters who contacted you, and not the real Starsha and Astra, was because we had to correct our error. However, there was, yet again, a complication."

"My brother Alex crash landed on Iscandar."

"More to the point, he chose to stay on Iskandall. No one was supposed to remain once you had returned to your Earth – he was supposed to leave with you. Merope had already returned to us, and Sterope was to follow, however, she.. she..." Melinda appeared to be growing angry again, and Sterope looked ashamed. "She consorted with a mortal!"

Merope said quietly, "So your legend kinda had it backwards. It wasn't ME who fell from grace." Sterope shot her a dirty look, then looked back down at the table when Melinda cleared her throat.

"Sterope and your brother Alexander had a child. This put into motion a chain of events that led to your involvement with the Black Nebula Empire, and most recently, the Pri'Tan."

"We ended up at war with the Black Nebula because we answered a distress call from Iscandar," Derek said.

"A distress call that would have never been sent if no one had been on that world. However, Sterope and your brother chose to stay behind. Were it not for your brother, Iskandall would have simply spun off into space, a casualty due to Gamilas' destruction. The natural order of things, if you will. The war would have been between the Gamilas Leader Desslok and the Black Nebula Empire, and Earth would not have been involved. The Black Nebula Empire would not have attacked the Earth in retaliation. But since Sterope and Alexander stayed behind, and... and..." She couldn't bring herself to say it. "You had to rush to Iskandall to aid your brother and the outcast, and thus got dragged into the conflict."

"Outcast?" Nova asked.

"Sasha," Derek explained. "Sasha was half mortal and half... whatever these sisters are. She grew faster than a normal human, and had powers she couldn't control. Knowing all this, I can see that she would never be accepted in either their world or ours. I am guessing she lacked the ability to leave her corporeal form at will, as you can do."

"Correct," Melinda replied. "When Sterope sacrificed Iskandall in an attempt to end the war, she went to Sasha in dreams, attempting to explain what she was. Sasha could not cope with this, and we knew she would never be complete until she was with her mother. Due to her mortal body, this was not possible."

Sandor said, "There was a point where Mio, er, Sasha started to become a bit, well, unhinged. I assumed it was just because she had trouble coming to terms with her abilities, not to mention her fast growth rate."

"And as her guardian, you were forced to deal with great pain upon Sasha's death."

"Yes. I loved her like she was my own daughter."

"It may sound crude of us for taking her away, but it was necessary. The only way to correct their mistake was to essentially erase all traces of it. Starsha, Astra, the planet Iskandall, and the outcast all had to be eliminated." Nova opened her mouth as if to protest, but Melinda raised her hand. "As I said, our methods may seem cruel and unfeeling, but you have to understand – had Sterope and Merope not interfered, Earth's history would have unfolded much differently. You would have defeated Gamilas, fought off the great water planet, and you would now be at peace. The war with Dezarium would not have occurred, you would not have destroyed their planet, and the twin nebulas would not have been reformed."

"And the Pri'Tan would not be attacking us right now." Derek put his head down in his hands.

"Earth has been placed in danger, all because of one error in judgement." Melinda stated.

"Wait, what about Zordar? We still would have fought him, right?" Nova asked.

"Ah, the Gatlanteans. Yes. A mistake of a different sort I am afraid. It is possible that you still would have fought the Comet Empire, however it is difficult to tell exactly how that war would have taken place had yet another sister not interfered."

"Another?" Derek asked.

"Electra." Melinda sat back down. "Who, as you can see, is not with us. She has gone back to her true form and has chosen never to take corporeal form again. She too, in her own way, affected Earth, or at the very least one of its inhabitants."

"Trelaina," Nova said suddenly.

"Much in the way Sterope and Merope were infatuated with the people of Iskandall, Electra visited Telezart, only rather than taking a new form, she attempted to possess the body of another. A young girl named Teresa. Well, this simply did not work as planned, and Electra became trapped in this new body, at first unaware of who or what she was. She essentially lived vicariously through Teresa, although Teresa was unaware of this.

"When Prince Zordar came to Telezart with his war machine, he demanded their allegiance and technology. They refused, and even attempted to fight back. Zordar was so angered by their refusal that he slaughtered many of the people of Telezart, including Teresa and her family. Once the young girl who was Teresa was gone, Electra was free to control that body, and she came to the realization of what had happened. She once again had access to her powers, but they were severely limited and she did not have full control over them. She also found that she was still trapped in a young body. She was able to manage enough power to drive off Zordar, but in doing so she got carried away and incinerated everything and everyone on the surface of the planet. Telezart was forever changed to a lifeless rock in space, save for the small sanctuary she kept beneath the surface in order to sustain herself."

Derek cleared his throat and said, "General Razon told us some of this, at least from the Gatlantean perspective. They found her, alone and scared, but she insisted on staying. Fearing her uncontrolled power, they had no choice but to leave her there."

"Electra had no choice but to stay there. Her punishment was to remain isolated until she found a way to leave that body and return to us. We did not want any further tainting of other cultures. Two worlds had been destroyed because of our influence.

"In time, her body grew into the young woman you remember, and she managed to regain most of her abilities. However she was still unable to leave, and at that same time she was aware of Zordar heading for Earth. Unable to leave Telezart, she sent a message to warn the Earth – using the same loophole Sterope and Merope used to bring you to Iskandall. She could not get directly involved, but she decided that she could safely call you to action.

"When she converted Telezart into antimatter to attack the Comet Empire, she would have lost her mortal form, and thus would have been returned to us. However, at the last minute she hesitated, and held back. Do you know why this is?"

"Because she loved Mark." Nova had tears in her eyes.

"Yes. Once again, the love of an Earther influenced a critical decision. The Comet Empire could have been stopped right then and there, and Earth would have been spared much unnecessary loss. But once again, love got in the way, and events unfolded much differently. Electra retained her mortality so she could be with your Mark Venture. Finally, watching Zordar unleash his power upon your world, she realized that the only way to save Earth was to use what power she had left to destroy Zordar. Earth did not have the means to do so, so she stepped in – in essence, making up for her earlier mistake of not destroying him when she had the chance."

No one was able to speak. It was almost impossible to comprehend that the Earth had so often been placed in danger because these sisters used other worlds as playthings. Through it all though, something nagged at the back of Derek's mind.

"Wait, you said there were seven sisters. There are 3 unaccounted for. What have THEY done?" He didn't mean to show his anger, but it was obvious to everyone what he felt right at that moment.

"Alcyone is among us, but has never taken mortal form and thus cannot appear before you. Taygete, well, you know her better as Mariposa." Derek's eyebrows went up. "Taygete, overly curious about a living planet known only as Phantom, decided to visit it firsthand. Phantom was not a planet, it was a living organism that took the shape of a planet, and it had the ability to show visitors exactly what they desired. The visitors would stay, believing they had found paradise, allowing Phantom to slowly feed off their mental energy. Eventually, the people would be left as nothing but lifeless husks, and Phantom would move on in search of more food.

"When Phantom attempted to claim Taygete for itself, she naturally fought back. Their powers clashed, causing a rift in space and time. The planet and everyone on it were duplicated, and drifted apart. This release of energy split Taygete into two halves – a mortal form, which you met as Mariposa, and Ruda, her 'ethereal' form, if you will. When Phantom moved on, it took Mariposa with it, leaving the new planet, which Ruda called 'Shalbart,' behind. Mariposa, realizing she no longer had the power to resist Phantom's psionic attacks indefinitely, managed to go into a form of hibernation near the center of the planet. In time, Phantom accepted Mariposa as a companion, having been the only being to ever resist. Phantom protected Mariposa until a way could be found to reunite the two parts. Ruda, on the other hand, did not have enough of herself to leave planet Shalbart, and was stranded there for many millennia. She attempted to reach out to other worlds seeking help, but this had the side effect of influencing many people to worship her as a goddess or guardian. Over time, the term 'guardian' became misinterpreted as 'Guardiana,' hence the term you heard when you were led to her. The rest, of course, you know." She made what sounded like a snort, then said, "Once again, feelings for a mortal almost proved to be disastrous."

"And that leaves one more," Nova challenged.

"Ah yes, Celaeno. She has not been among us for over 200 of your years."

"Alcyone thought we were Celaeno when we approached this world."

"Yes. She felt Celaeno's presence when you drew near. Naturally she thought our sister had finally returned home. As it turns out, she has, just not in the way we expected."

"I don't understand. Celaeno is on our ship?" Derek immediately looked at Nova, who had a look of shock on her face.

"My child?" she gasped.

"Your what?" Sandor asked.

"Later!" she shot back.

"No," Melinda said, "Nothing quite that simple."

"Yamato." Derek whispered, almost afraid that someone would hear him.

"Yes." Melinda nodded. "Your ship is carrying the essence of Celaeno. Which, I might add, is part of why you are here."

"Okay, back up. How -?" Sandor started to ask, but Melinda cut him off.

"Many years ago, Celaeno visited your Earth. Like the rest of us, she was intrigued by your progress, but she was not so interested in your scientific or medical advances. No, for some reason, she was fascinated by the art of war. She did not take corporeal form, as it allowed her to wander unhindered and without the chance of accidentally affecting your natural evolution. She visited the Earth many times over the years. If the Earth had a war, you can be sure she was there someplace. She never interfered, unlike some I might mention." Sterope and Merope hung their heads.

"Celaeno was at the battle that sank the original battleship Yamato. She saw it go down, and watched as the opposing pilots saluted the sinking ship. She was touched by such honor and bravery, She continued to watch every time there was conflict, but no battle affected her as much as the one that sank the Yamato. From what I know of humans, this probably sounds somewhat obsessive, but this is what interested her most. She observed for many more years, never passing judgement on either side, just observing.

"So, when the time came for the Earth to unite as one and stand up to Gamilas, then, and only then, did she decide the time was right for her to get involved. She joined with the battleship Yamato as it was being rebuilt on the irradiated sea bed, rising into space with it, and helping you defeat your enemies."

"She is the reason we have always been victorious?" Derek demanded. He didn't sit well with the idea that all this time, they had help from a higher power.

"Yes, and, well, no. She stayed with your ship, using herself as not only a magnifier for your own valor and bravery, but also as a magnet for the souls of those who died on that ship."

Derek looked dumbfounded. "Many of us have said that there has always been a presence on that ship. I have always been aware of, well, ghosts of former crew onboard. They would visit me at times of need. Don't look at me like that, Sandor, you know what I am talking about. Even as a man of science, you can't deny that there is more to that ship than just her metal parts."

"I would have to agree with you, Wildstar," Sandor replied. "Yamato does have a soul."

"Many souls, if what Melinda says is true," Nova corrected.

"Yes, your ship has been strengthened by the presence of former warriors. However, she never gave disproportionately from what the crew offered."

"Meaning, if the crew were to give up, she would stop helping us," Derek said.

"Exactly. As long as you remained true to yourselves and to each other, and continued to uphold your high standards, she would always be there for you."

Again, Derek was torn in his emotions. It explained why the old ship had managed to hold together all those years. No ordinary ship could withstand the pounding the Yamato received over its lifetime since its resurrection back in 2199.

"But then... we destroyed her." Nova looked like she was going to be sick. "We abandoned her and... and... blew her up."

"No, of course you didn't," Melinda reassured her. "There is a difference between needless destruction and sacrifice. Your Captain Avatar knew about Celaeno. She helped keep him alive all those years. So when he came up with the idea to repel Aquarius with your own ship, he consulted with her, and she gave her assistance willingly. You see, had you simply abandoned the ship for lack of need, she would have moved on. Disappointed, I am sure, but she would have gone on to other things. But even at the end, you were all right there with her. You regretted doing it, but you did what you knew was necessary, and Celaeno was only too happy and ready to help you do it."

"Again, in the name of protecting the Earth," Derek offered.

"Yes, quite so."

"So, where did she go after we destroyed the ship?"

"She gave of herself to magnify the explosion to ensure that Aquarius would indeed be sent away from Earth. She then lay in wait, knowing that some day your ship would be needed again."

"Celaeno has been sitting inside a frozen ship for the last four years?" Derek asked, wide eyed.

"She was unable to return to us. With your help, she now has. In fact, knowing her, she guided you to us."

"So getting stuck on the other side of the known universe was all her idea?" Nova asked.

"Well, no, I am certain it wasn't. It has never been her way to make people do things they wouldn't normally do. However, it is more than mere chance that you ended up here."

"Oh good, I'd hate to let Maria off the hook so soon," Derek smirked. Nova swatted him across the shoulder.

"I find it hard to accept that our ending up in Galaxy M33 and running into the Gatlanteans was more than mere chance." Sandor was shaking his head. "It could be possible that Celaeno somehow guided Maria's calculations to bring us here."

"Celaeno would never place you in danger, I can assure you." Melinda stood and waved in the general direction of the docks. "I will see her now."

Not "May I see her," or "Would you take me to your ship?" Melinda said it with such finality, and had it been anyone else Derek would have been offended. Yet, he felt that if anyone had a right to be on the Yamato, it was Melinda.

Derek stood, helped Nova to her feet, and was followed by Sandor, IQ-9, Melinda, and Sterope. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to," Merope said, leaving the room.

Rather than ask what, Derek asked instead, "What is this place?"

Melinda smiled and replied, "This place has no name. It is simply a place where we are able to meet with others not like us."

"So this planet just sits here until needed?" Sandor asked.

"It is not always a planet. We create it as necessary to accommodate our guests. When we saw you approaching, we created something that would look natural to you."

"Hence a planet resembling Earth, or Iscandar," Nova pointed out.

"Exactly!" said Melinda.

"So if you were expecting us, what happened to our probe? Why were we dragged in? Why didn't you just give us heading information so we could enter on our own?" Derek realized he was asking too many questions at once and stopped abruptly.

"The protective barrier around our sanctuary is intended to disorient any craft attempting to fly through it. If we did not wish you here, you would have flown through it and ended up on the other side. Your probe intrigued us, since it was able to make it through the barrier. When we detected traces of Celaeno on it, we surmised that she guided it through the barrier. That was when we took a closer look at your ship and realized that Celaeno was with you, and so we brought you in straightaway. I do apologize for Alcyone though, she misunderstood when I told her that Celaeno was coming home. I don't think she realized that she would not be speaking directly with her sister."

They had arrived at the ramp leading into the ship.

"Yes." Melinda said, head bowed. "Celaeno is here."

"Would we be able to see her?" Nova asked, looking around.

"She has remained hidden all these years, but since you now know about her, she may appear to you." Melinda started walking up the ramp. "Yes, I definitely feel her presence here. It is strongest in the rear of the ship."

"Okay, then, the engine room it is," Sandor said.

The engine room was abandoned, save for a few hands doing routine maintenance. Derek entered first, raising his voice and saying, "Can I have everyone please leave the engine room?" He looked around as people nodded and left. He looked around, seeing no one else, and said, "Okay, we're alone in here."

"It wasn't necessary to make them all leave their stations," Melinda said softly.

"I don't know all of the engine crew as well as I do my bridge staff," Derek said. "The idea of the ship being possessed by a supernatural being might freak them out."

"I understand," Melinda said, nodding. She then turned and looked at the wave motion engine.

"Why here?" Sandor asked.

"Power attracts power," Melinda said. "This engine is a source of great power, as is Celaeno. Here they can feed off one another."

Similar to a giant parasite, Derek thought.

As if hearing his thoughts, Melinda turned to him and said, "She gives back more than she takes." Derek turned his head and felt hot.

Melinda again looked at the engine. "I am here, Sister. These people deserve to meet you in person."

There was a shimmer near one of the engine panels, then a shape. The shape molded itself into that of a tall slender woman. Sandor and Derek closed their eyes, while Nova gasped and IQ-9 started beeping madly.

"Please, sister. These people have customs where clothing is concerned." Melinda chuckled a bit.

"Of course, my mistake." The figure, previously naked, now had on a scarlet robe.

"You may open your eyes now," Melinda said.

Derek looked upon Celaeno. She resembled her sisters in build, had the same hair, and had the same glow about her. Unlike the others, she did not seem solid. She was more like a holographic projection. He found himself without any words.

"Sister," Melinda said. "It is good to see you again. We wondered when you would return to us."

"I am sorry," Celaeno said softly. Her voice echoed, as if she was addressing them from a great distance. "It was my intention to return to you after helping the Yamato with the Aquarian planet, but I found I was too weak to do so. So, I lay waiting."

Derek felt sick all of a sudden. "I am sorry, we didn't -"

Celaeno raised her hand. "Please, no apologies are necessary. I made the choice, and I knew that I would have to live with whatever consequences occurred. I already knew that binding my form to a physical being, be it mortal or inanimate, could be dangerous. I was aware of what happened to Electra. I took a chance that binding to a non-living entity would be safer. What I found was most odd – I had the ability to leave at any time, however I was compelled not to. It was as if the ship was taking on a life of its own, perhaps catalyzed by my presence, or perhaps it was already there and I was drawn to it. Either way, I did not wish to leave your ship. I had grown quite fond of your presence aboard the Yamato, and while you were not aware of me, subconsciously you all felt most comfortable on board."

Derek and Nova were both nodding, while Sandor stood and watched the engine. Derek spoke first.

"What you say is true. Even though there was peace, and no reason to be on board, many of us felt ill at ease when we were assigned to other ships. When we would come back on board, we felt, well, at home."

"When we went into battle those first few times," Nova said, "I was scared. Scared for my life, scared for the lives of the crew. But we won. We always won. I felt more confident, and less scared. It never occurred to me that something beyond the ship was protecting us."

Derek nodded. "It was you, all this time. Always you, protecting us, making sure we couldn't lose."

"Please, Derek Wildstar, do not be angry with me. It was never my intent to shield you from any real dangers you faced. Truthfully, I did not change the outcome of any battles you fought. I did, however, act as a conduit for your life energy."

"Our life energy?" Derek asked. "Treleina used that term too."

"Yes. All beings, whether they are aware of it or not, possess an energy of some form. Different cultures have different words, but it is simply energy. As long as one has life, one possesses that energy. The energy to do what must be done. The energy to go on living, as long as one wishes to. Not everyone knows how to tap into that energy, but those that do are capable of great feats. It is this energy that has kept you and your crew going over the years. The will to survive, I believe you would call it. You never gave up, despite the odds against you. You kept going, drawing on your inner strength. And you were victorious in the end."

"You made this possible?" Nova asked.

"I did nothing that you could not have done on your own. But," she smiled, and to Derek it almost looked like nervousness, "I did help facilitate your abilities to draw upon that energy. You were not always aware of what you could do, so I gave you all a small nudge when necessary. However, I could not, nor would I, change the outcome. A grave error in judgement would have drastic consequences, and it was not my place to circumvent that."

Derek seemed to be milling this over in his head, while Sandor said, "So if we charged into a battle that we simply could not win, you would not step in and change that."

"That is correct. I based my assistance on your worthiness. This is why I kept my participation secret – if you knew about my presence, you would become complacent, and that would change things irreparably."

Derek felt his anger flaring again. He had always thought that he was in charge of his own life, now he was hearing that someone else was pulling the strings. Celaeno seemed to sense this.

"Derek Wildstar, I ask that you reserve judgement for now. Do you remember when you faced Zordar?"

"How could I forget? We almost lost that war, except..." He paused. "Except for Trelaina."

"Do you remember what you did before making the decision to sacrifice yourself and your ship?"

Nova looked on the verge of tears. She remembered it quite vividly. She had sent away the last of the medical shuttles, then made her way back to the bridge to find Derek talking to the plaque of Captain Avatar.

"I... well, I... I consulted with Captain Avatar." It sounded silly, as if he had said, "I spoke with someone who died months before."

"Yes. And Captain Avatar heard you."

"His ghost was there?" Derek asked.

"No, not what you would call a ghost. More like an echo. When someone passes from life to death, they sometimes leave an echo of themselves behind. The strength of this echo depends on the person. I kept him clinging to life until he could receive proper care, but he came so close to death that his echo became imprinted on me. When you called upon him for assistance, I helped you to open your mind to the possibilities. In essence, you were speaking to him through me."

"Why keep him alive? He must have known that he was sick," Nova asked.

"It was not yet his time." Celaeno looked at Melinda, as if seeking permission to continue.

Melinda instead said, "Remember that the Gamilas war was affected by our intervention. After hearing my explanations, I am sure you have asked yourself many times what right we had to step in. We, too, answer to a higher power, and we too have a set of rules governing our actions. We, and by that I mean collectively all seven of us, have broken rules many times. Apologizing for it is not enough; we have to make amends somehow. In this particular case, we decided to keep your captain alive. Had it not been for our involvement, he may not have died in the first place."

"You don't know that, though, do you?" Derek flared up. "You can't see the future."

"No, no one can truly see what has not yet transpired. However, we see much, and can often make predictions based on past events. Everything we saw leading up to your battle with Gamilas, and events that transpired during the war, led us to certain conclusions. We saw great potential in your Captain Avatar, and decided to keep him alive because we knew – no, knew is the wrong word. We were certain that he would be needed once again."

"So you spared his life, only so he could die again?" Nova asked.

"Yes, and no." Celaeno said. Derek was starting to tire of that answer. "He could accept his death, but was not yet ready for it. When he made the decision to stay on board to destroy your ship, he was fully prepared for his death. He knew there was no other way, and willingly accepted his fate. I could not act directly counter to his wishes, nor would I want to in such a case. Just as there is power in life, there is power in death."

"You sound as if the energy released wouldn't have been as powerful, had someone else stayed on board," Derek said.

"I know your words come in anger, Derek Wildstar, but they contain wisdom. Such is the path to enlightenment." Celaeno smiled at him, seemingly unaffected by his challenge.

Derek deflated. "I don't understand."

"You are not yet ready to," Melinda answered. "Our meeting comes much too early in your development. In years to come, past actions will become more clear, and make more sense. At that time, you may be ready to take the next step in your evolution. For now, however," she said, then stopped as if someone was whispering in her ear. "That is all I can say."

Derek shrugged. He knew it was pointless to argue. He still had many questions, but somehow he knew he would not get answers to them. "So now what?" Derek asked instead.

"That is up to you," Celaeno answered. "First you must decide whether I am to stay among you."

"We have a choice?" Derek asked. "All this time I have been hearing about all the things going on without our knowledge or permission."

"You always have a choice, even if you are not aware of it. If anything, I was the one without a choice – even if I had wanted to leave your ship after the Aquarian incident, I could not. Still, I did not have to assist you."

"You've been helping us on this trip? Why am I not surprised?" Derek said.

"Your new navigator needed a bit of help."

"Maria had help from you?" Derek was starting to get angry again.

"Not me, no. I did make it possible for another to assist."

Derek said immediately, "Venture." Nova looked at him oddly. "Mark's been helping her."

"Only during the first battle. His echo had been left behind as well, and I made it easier for him to help your Maria Santiago to get more comfortable. A great responsibility was thrust upon her, one she may have thought she was ready for, but in truth was not. She was very nervous, almost to a point of paralysis, when she took your ship out of its icy tomb. She needed a bit of guidance to get her started, and Mark Venture was happy to do so. It was his decision."

"And on his way out, he stopped in to see me." Derek, still angry, laughed at this. He didn't know why it was funny, but it was.

"Yes, that was his wish. Under normal circumstances, a human who had passed from life would not have the ability to visit the living, but I again acted as a conduit."

"Where is he now? Still on the ship?" Nova asked.

"His echo remains on your ship, available to be drawn upon should he wish it, but what you would call his spirit is bound to Electra now. It was their choice, and she will not leave him."

"I feel a lot better knowing that," Derek said. "I had wondered many times if he was happy."

Melinda and Celaeno said nothing. Derek hasn't expected them to answer.

"As captain of the ship," Derek began, "normally it would be solely my decision as to crew assignments. However, Celaeno is more than just crew. She's a part of the ship, and as such affects everything that goes on with and within it. Therefore, I would like time to consider this."

Celaeno looked disappointed, but she nodded. She looked at Melinda, who also nodded. "We are in agreement," Melinda said. "It is your ship, and more importantly, your destiny. It should ultimately be your choice."

That would be a first, Derek thought, not caring whether or not Melinda could hear it.

"May I suggest we meet again tomorrow?" Melinda said. "Simply come to the dock when you are ready, and we will send someone for you."

Celaeno had a pained look on her face. "And, in the meantime?"

"Go spend time with your sisters," Derek said.

Celaeno seemed to flash two emotions at once – joy at being with her own once again, and sadness at being separated from the ship that had been a part of her for 10 years. She shimmered, then faded completely.

"Is she...?" Nova looked around the room.

"I don't know," Derek said. "It feels colder in here all of a sudden though."

"She is one with us again," Melinda said. She bowed, then turned to leave.

Nova followed. "Derek, I am going to escort Melinda back to the dock." Derek nodded, and watched them leave.

He turned to Sandor, who had been very quiet during most of the conversation. "I would, of course, like a scientific opinion on all this," Derek said.

"Even science leaves room for the improbable, Wildstar, and you've got to admit," Sandor said with a laugh, "this is all pretty improbable. We've been around the galaxy enough times to accept the notion that anything is possible. Today, we learned a small piece of the puzzle that explains how such things are possible."

"I am not quite comfortable with the idea that there's a higher power running the show," Derek said. They were leaving the engine room and heading towards the elevator leading to the mess hall. Neither had said it, but they both needed coffee.

"Derek, many of Earth's religions, past and present, are based on the belief that some higher power is in charge. Whether that power actually controls events, or just influences them, that power is said to exist. What we met today very well might be the basis of many religions, not the least of which would be the Ancient Greeks and their worship of the gods of Mount Olympus."

Derek mused on this. Religion or not, such beliefs did carry weight in society. After all, Captain Avatar had chosen to call the ship Argo after its rebirth, referring to the old story of a quest for a golden fleece. Many wars were fought over religious ideals, and it was faith in gods and destiny that drove Emperor Lugarl to send Aquarius to Earth. Who was he, as a mortal being, to question faith? But was what he met today worthy of such faith? They were, after all, certainly not infallible. They had made mistakes, and freely admitted to them. Was such a collection of beings worthy of worship, as many people had done over the ages? Were there more like them? Melinda did say several times that they answered to an even higher power, meaning there were beings yet above them, and quite possibly others roaming around the galaxy. Were these beings more restrained than the Sisters? Less?

By the time he realized that all this was making his head hurt, they had reached the mess hall. It was filled with people, not all of them eating, but most of them probably had nothing to do at the moment. So much for a quiet place to think.

"Nova, there is something I would like to say to you." Nova and Melinda were at the end of the ramp, when suddenly Melinda had turned.

"Yes?"

"You seem more open to what we have told you. More receptive." Nova nodded, but did not get the chance to respond. "This inner sight will serve you well."

"What... what are you saying?" Nova was suddenly apprehensive.

"Simply this: You have an ability to see beyond people. Beyond what others see." When she noticed how much Nova was shaking, she smiled and said, "No, I do not mean that you have other-wordly powers. Celaeno did not grant you any inhuman abilities. You have always had this about you. Many people call it intuition, but in you it goes beyond that. You have an innate understanding about you, and it allows you to see more than what you see. For proof of this, merely think back to your last encounter with Desslok."

Nova pictured it clearly in her mind. Holding a pistol, aimed at Desslok, and yet she did not fire. She could not fire. She was more concerned with Derek, and so she dropped the pistol and tended to him. Desslok easily could have killed them both, yet she took the chance – no, she KNEW – that he would not. She saw honor in him, despite the atrocities he had caused. She had to make a snap decision, and she made it without even being conscious of why. She had spared Desslok's life, even though at first glance he did not deserve such mercy. Was it simply not within her to kill another? Or did she see more in Desslok than she had seen? She shook her head, knowing if she dwelled on this too long she may start to second guess everything else she had done since that point in time.

Melinda smiled, as if knowing Nova's mental struggle. "Again, allow me to extend our blessing upon your daughter." She raised a finger to stop the question before it was asked, "Worry not. There is nothing at all unusual about her. She will be a perfectly healthy and strong girl, just as her mother has always been."

"I thought you couldn't see the future," Nova said weakly.

"I cannot. I can, however, see the past and the present, and form conclusions. I can see into people and see more of them than they themselves can. I see a great strength and insight in you, Nova. This will be passed on to your daughter, I am sure of it. Now," she turned towards the great glass stair. "I must go. Your Derek has much to think about. I ask that you help him understand."

"You mean help him decide in your favor," Nova said.

"No, of course not. Only he can know the correct decision. However, he will rely on your opinions. He needs you, now more than ever. Besides, there is no 'your' or 'our' favor here. Everyone stands to benefit. You need only realize and accept that. We have always been here, the only change is that you are now aware of it. Do not let this sway your thinking. After all, man was always aware of gravity, even though he did not understand it or have a name for it. We are as such – neither for nor against, and always present despite understanding. We simply are." With that, she made her way to the stair, ascended it, and was gone.