They arrived on Tela. As far as Kern knew there were no Mooks here at the moment. Scanning and flying over the areas that they had usually been seen occupying, they had seen no one. Kern had asked Shepa'lai and Ully'anni to join him. He didn't expect any trouble and it was only a scout and explore. Ully'anni was very eager to join. She had not had this much to do whilst on Mirrial and she was with family. It was almost as if she was afraid to be apart from either of them. Having spent her whole life without family and now to have two people in her life. It was overwhelming at times. To wake each day and realise that she was not alone, was something new and also strange to her.

They had used Shepa'lai ships, as there were three of them. It was large enough and could probably hold four, but beyond that Kern thought it would be a squeeze.

"Look for any areas that seem out of place," said Kern.

There were flying low at a steady speed while Kern looked at the monitors. Shepa'lai was flying and Ully'anni was looking over his shoulder trying to understand. He had to explain what certain blips on the monitor meant.

"There seems to be structures ahead," said Shepa'lai.

Kern left the monitor and Ully'anni took his seat. He went to look out of the cockpits forward view screen. It was a clear high composite screen. Shepa'lai slowed the engines so that they were hovering in front of a small very old looking structure that was starting to crumble. It couldn't be Mook made, as they didn't create structures like this.

"Ully'anni make a note of the location. Shepa'lai do you think you can find somewhere to land and we will have to walk back," said Kern.

The area was very dense with trees and other plants growing in the area. If the structure had not been built up against a cliff face then it might have been missed. There was nowhere to land nearby. They would have to venture on foot.

Shepa'lai was able to find a clearing, but it was not that close. Perhaps over the years that the Mooks had been gone from Tela the plant life had grown more abundant. Although the Mooks had never been a race that would take more from the land than they required. It was about the experiments and inventions for them. At times they had been known to take a lot from the land, but that had only been to serve for the purpose of a payment for something that they needed. They started to walk through the dense area. Shepa'lai kept a blade on board that she used from time to time. She took it with them to hack through anything that was an obstacle.

"You know that we are being followed," said Shepa'lai.

"I thought so, they are very clever. Not sure if it is just a creature or someone. Certainly not Ictarans as they would have attacked."

They kept moving. Ully'anni had stopped to look around. She was not accustomed to this sort of thing it was a completely new experience to her. On the tree next to her was a small creature with wings. She had not seen one before and had no idea what it was or what it could do. Nonetheless she reached out with her hand and touched it. The creature was not afraid, even for a stranger touching it. After a moment of touching it Ully'anni was able to transform into the small creature. It was not recommended for Mirrials to turn into something that was so small as it meant they were reduced to fill the small space that was needed. If it was done it could only be done for a very short period. Ully'anni quickly took to the air and shot off in the direction she heard the noise. She had been a bug before when practising her ability, but had been sternly told off and so she had to move quickly. It wasn't long before she saw someone; with out hesitation she flew straight and landed on to its back. She waited a moment then dropped off and land on a leaf nearby. She waited until it was gone and then transformed into the new creature. It was larger so she felt more comfortable.

Kern and Shepa'lai had reached a clearing they hadn't missed Ully'anni and were not too worried as she was slow looking at everything new. The creature had not attacked either so was just watching them. The clearing was not their intended target. It was also too small for the ship to have landed here. Just on the other side of the clearing a creature stepped out of the darkness of the trees.

"Who are you?"

"We are friends of the Mooks and are looking for something that we saw from above," said Kern.

They didn't seem hostile or at least not yet, but he was still cautious.

"We are Pteragen."

"I have never heard of Pteragen," said Kern, looking at Shepa'lai.

She shook her head. They were new to her too. Ully'anni was watching from just beyond the trees.

"Are there many of you?" Kern asked seeing another appear to their left.

"We are five. Always five no more no less."

Three more appeared. To his right. He was still relaxed, but was now more alert and waiting to see what would happen next.

Ully'anni hearing the conversation and seeing that five Pteragen were now present thought it would be fun to step out into the clearing too. Kern sensed another presence behind him as they stepped out and slowly looked over his shoulder. He didn't want any quick movement to seem hostile.

"Strange," he said, looking back at the lead Pteragen. "I see six."

They looked around and could see that was true.

"This is not possible."

"Unless..." said another, their voice trailing off.

"Then who."

Kern was curious. "Is everything alright?"

"We are always five one dies another replaces."

Kern understood the concern and didn't want them to be alarmed anymore. He turned around and took a step back to the Pteragen behind him.

"I think you should change back they seemed worried that one of them is about to die."

The Pteragen standing at his side looked up at him. The other Pteragen were curious and concerned that he had chosen to go and stand next to one of them.

"Okay," she said and transformed back to herself.

The Pteragen were taken back and looked like they could become hostile. Kern put his arm around Ully'anni's shoulders.

"She is my daughter."

The Pteragen didn't seem to understand the meaning.

"Young one," he said.

"Ah, but how were they Pteragen," The one speaking started to walk forward to her. Kern didn't move. He shook his head as he saw Shepa'lai move her hand.

"She and my friend are Mirrial. They are both changelings. Also, friend of Mooks. Are you friend of Mooks?"

"We are protectors of Mooks," came the response.

"Then we are all friends."

Kern could see the Pteragen closely now. Its facial features were almost rodent like; its mouth had large upper teeth and incisors. Its ears were large at the base extending to a point. The whole body was covered in a short dark hair almost like short fur. He also noticed that on its back were what looked like tightly packed wings made of either skin or leather. Kern was unsure what kind of creature they were. He was starting to think that they had been created. When they said that they were protectors of the Mooks. The Mooks were not fighters and so had probably been created to do that for them. Perhaps that is why they had sharp teeth.

"I am Kern," he said introducing himself. He introduced the others too.

The Pteragen looked at him.

"Do you have a name?" asked Ully'anni.

"Just Pteragen."

"I will give you a name," said Ully'anni. "I will call you Dakkel."

The Pteragen found it strange that she wished to name him. They had only ever been watched by the Mooks. Never spoken to like this before, only told what they must do. Ully'anni took hold of the necklace she had around her neck it was one that she had crafted when younger out of things on Mirrial.

"This is for you," she said handing it to Dakkel. "We are now friends."

He took it from her and placed it around his neck having seen where she had taken it. Dakkel had no understanding of manners or anything of that nature. His and the others speech was limited. They only ever spoke to each other and that was rare. It was different with these new strangers, new friends.

"How long have Pteragen been on Tela?" asked Shepa'lai.

"Since Mooks leave they created us to guard Tela keep white beasts away."

"Ictarans. They came here along time ago and attacked the Mooks," she continued. "We think they were after something on the planet."

"Were you here when the Ictarans came to Tela?" asked Kern.

"Not when Mooks leave. We made after and put here, but Ictarans were still here then digging in the ground."

"We thought that the ruins over that way," he said pointing, "was something that they were interested in."

"Never saw them there. They were on other side of moon, near a lake. You go there I will meet you there. By the lakes edge."

Dakkel then turned and walked back into the trees and vanished.

After returning to Shepa'lai's ship they arrived at the place they were told a few hours later. They exited the ship and waited. It was getting late and no one had arrived. They had no idea how long it would take for Dakkel to get to them so they decided to retire for the night. The edge of the lake was mud and rocks. It stretched from the lakes edge to the edge of a sparse woodland area. The trees were mostly dead or destroyed. Some had partially recovered, but had grown in a peculiar way. Kern was up early waiting and watching to see if their new friend would arrive. He made a campfire and sat near to it. Ully'anni arrived next and sat down next to him.

"No one yet."

"No. I would have told you."

He noticed that she was wearing a thick jacket.

"IsS that from Shepa'lai?" he asked.

"Yes, she saw I was cold this morning and gave it to me. She said I could keep it and that she would have to take me shopping sometime. Whatever that means?"

"It means she will take you somewhere so that you can buy more clothes for when you are on planet or moons where the temperature is colder or warmer. So that you have a choice of things to wear."

She looked at him.

"You mostly wear the same thing. Perhaps you need to shop too."

He smiled at her. "Perhaps."

It wasn't long before Dakkel came, he was alone.

"I was delayed," he said. His speaking was improving.

Probably because he rarely spoke.

"Riff'Na was watching us. When he wishes to study, we stay in one place. Then we had to sleep."

"That is fine. So where did you see the Ictarans digging?" he asked.

"The island in the middle of the lake," said Dakkel.

"Shepa'lai do you have a boat?"

"No."

"What is a boat?" asked Dakkel.

"It floats on the water and allows you to move across the surface of the lake."

"We fly."

"We can't fly," said Kern.

Ully'anni changed her appearance. "I can."

"I can carry you one at a time across," said Dakkel.

Ully'anni was attempting to fly. It was not as easy as it looked.

"I suggest you carry no one," said Dakkel.

It took her a little while but she was eventually able to sustain flight. Flying as a Pteragen was different than flying as the small bug. Kern was carried over first. Ully'anni followed.

"Whee," she said, as she spun herself around in the air then came back to them.

Dakkel landed on the beach of the island. It was a very large lake and not a small island. Ully'anni was tiring as she came into land. She didn't land though her wings gave out on her and she hit the ground rolling.

"Oops."

"Pteragen can only fly for a short time. Wings are not strong enough for body weight."

Dakkel went back for Shepa'lai. Once they were all together, they moved inland following Dakkel. It was denser than where they had ventured the day before. Shepa'lai had to cut through some areas. It was a long walk, but eventually they had arrived at an area that Dakkel said the Ictarans had been. The ground had once been disturbed, but was now covered up. They had come prepared, Kern and Shepa'lai started to dig. They didn't know what they were looking for. Ully'anni had tried to help digging, but she lacked the strength to do it for long.

Eventually they reached something. The end of the spade hit something that sounded like stone. They stopped using their spades and started to uncover what was beneath with their hands. Dakkel was unable to help he was not suited or built for this. He just watched. It looked similar to a tomb or a coffin, but was neither. The stone they had hit was a lid of the container beneath. They lifted it from one side together. There was nothing inside. Whatever had been in there was now gone.

"Well it looks like that got what they were after," said Kern.

"I guess that is why they stopped coming here," said Shepa'lai.

"At least we know that they were after something in particular. I guess they were looking on Senti for something too, but as they are still there then they haven't found it yet. Then we still have time to learn what they are looking for. Time to get back to Cendarla and make plans."

Shepa'lai nodded.

"Thank you for your help Dakkel, but we now need to get back to Cendarla and see what we need to do next."

Dakkel ensured they all got back to there ship. Ully'anni flew sensibly this time.