Eliza was now back with them and safe. Her friends were now on the Jericho too, of those that had survived. Colonel Kchetsky was still cautious with not knowing any of them, had guards at certain points that were off limits. Unfortunately, Blaznor's ship was not worthy of being able to take to the skies anymore. To ensure that it could not be used he scuttled his ship and left the remains behind. Shepa'lai still had her ship with her and knew that the others would need to be moving on to a place where they could tend to their injured and bury their dead, so she had offered to take Eliza's friends to Tralor so that if they needed to make their way home, they could. Broge had asked if it would be acceptable for him to remain on board. Eliza asked the Colonel if that would be all right with him as he had been the one who had ensured she survived on Is'nul. One extra would not be a problem. Eliza was ordered to report to medical so that they could check her over. There were things that she wanted to ask, to know and to say to the others, but no one would let her until she had been checked out and rested properly.

Kern went to find her several hours later once he knew that medical had checked her over and told her what she needed to do. Unfortunately for them she said that she was not going to stay in bed and she couldn't do much on the Jericho so would be taking it easy anyway. She did agree with them that she would rest and report any problems. Kern found her in the mess hall. Neither had a chance before to talk or anything. She got up and hugged him. He held her for a moment.

"I'm glad your safe," he said, once they had sat down.

"Even after all this time you still never stopped looking for me."

She was somewhat emotional too and it was hard not to show it.

"I made you a promise a long time ago. Although I wasn't there soon enough to help you all."

She reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his.

"You came that is all that mattered and if you had not ensured I had Anton, then I would surely have met the same fate as the others. He sustained me and kept me going and on the lonely nights was someone to talk to. You did more than you realise so don't beat yourself up."

"Well you need to get rested and then you can try to get back to normal. If there is any such thing."

"How is Sara? I sort of met Reen and have yet to thank him."

"She is fine. At the moment she is on Gattis."

"Gattis, why there?"

"Well that is where Shepa'lai lives when not doing other things. It is an out of the way farming colony so very little happens there."

"Why there though and not on Cendarla with Marcus."

Kern paused for a moment.

"She's there keeping my daughter company."

Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"A daughter. When did that happen?"
"Over twenty years ago. Back when I was on Mirrial with Shepa'lai's sister. I didn't know. Shepa'lai was the one who rescued me on Dyh and left a message to be passed on. When I went to Mirrial I found Ully'anni. She's been with us every since. So has Shepa'lai."

"Wow. It seems I have missed a lot, but we can catch up on that later. You need to know about Psion Four. B'arnduug the one who held me captive has been massing an army there. He has his own fortress where I was held on Is'na'gulle."

Kern listened carefully to what she was saying.

"He is after pieces of a staff called the Ra'lu'sah. It seems that there are three pieces. I am unclear how it happened, but it was centuries ago. Perhaps an enemy they had then, did it. Anyway, there was one piece with the Ascari another with the Mooks and the final piece is with the humans," Eliza said.

"So, that is why he attacked Senti all those years ago and tried to wipe us out. He was looking for the final piece, but to what end?" asked Kern.

"It seems that the staff when whole will allow the person who possesses it to be able to unite all of the tribes of the Ictarans. It seems he wishes to rule them all."

"Basically, he is after power, but if he has already done this amount of damage in his search thus far. What will he do to the rest of the universe?" commented Kern.

"Well I get the impression from talking with Broge and the others on Is'nul that he already has the strength to conqueror other Ictaran tribes, but it may start a war amongst the Ictarans."

"If he wishes to keep the numbers and favour with the other tribes, he has to have the staff. Yet he doesn't live on the Ictaran home world. There are a number of tribes that live there. Are they not at peace with each other? I am still unclear as to his intention. Unless he wishes war on the rest of the universe too."

"So, I understand we are headed for Dy'lun first," said Eliza, out of curiosity.

"Yes, Jenny Connors is there, helping me with a project, but it seems she has found materials still in the hold of one of the ships she has been scavenging and suggests we collect it. Once we have finished there, I'm sure the Colonel will drop you off on Cendarla before he heads back to Mars. Although I'm guessing that you have been advised to return to Mars for their medical teams to look at you too."

"Yes, I have so I might do that and take a rest. What about Sara?"

"Shepa'lai will collect her and Ully'anni once she had taken your friends to Tralor. I will also let Colonel Kchetsky know what you have said. You get some rest. I will catch up with you later," said Kern.

Eliza nodded and Kern left. He found Colonel Kchetsky on the bridge and informed him of what Eliza had told him. He too agreed that it warranted investigation and that once they were back at Cendarla they could decided how best to tackle it. The first thing was to see what Connors had found for them.

"My Lord."

Again, another interruption. B'arnduug was hoping that it would be good news. After the last piece of information, he was hoping that they had found something more concrete.

"You have found them?" he asked.

"It is not in relationship to that. We have lost communication with Is'nul. I have despatched ships to check it out."

"And."

"On arrival it seems that all of your warriors have been killed. A vast number of slaves have escaped and fled. We have rounded up and enslaved those who had not yet left."

B'arnduug was outraged and stood from his seat and pounded the top of the table with both fists clenched tight.

"Who did this? Do you still have the human?"

"She has gone. The slaves were interrogated. From the description they gave of them, they looked like her. It would have to be the Sentians who attacked and freed her. Psion Four never got a communication we have checked the array. It seems that it was tampered with."

B'arnduug was pacing the room. He was fuming it was hard to control and contain his anger.

"Contact Ga'nik on Psion Four have him send troops to assist in your search for the humans. Any planet you are checking eliminate all species and races no one is to survive. They could be hiding them or protecting them."

"Understood my Lord I will relay your orders to him."

B'arnduug walked up to his warrior and looked him in the face.

"Do not fail me or you shall be joining the dead."

"My Lord," he replied and left.

They arrived at Dy'lun several days later. They had not rushed to get there it was not a critical request to get there and it would allow for injured to be tended to. The dead had been prepared for when they reached Mars. It was the closest to home and had been for around the last seventy years. They would be buried there with the ones they knew. Kern took his own fighter to the surface of Dy'lun along with two troop carriers, without troops, so that they could collect the materials Jenny had found. On approach they had contacted her and she let them know where to land. Apparently, she had constructed her own place for building on the other side of the planet. It was away from the normal visitors that they had on Dy'lun. She still had regular contact and help from the Hillans mostly from Dush and Ninu. Ninu would sometimes stay with her for days. Where her brother would go backwards and forwards. Their parents stayed around the port for the trade that came to Dy'lun. Jenny had found and old ship that was broken, but solid and intact enough for her to be able to turn into somewhere that she could live. The ship would never fly again, but she had been able to get power and make it a place of operations for her. A space had also been cleared nearby, as she would need a large area for her to be able to construct the ship that Kern wanted. It had taken a long time to find parts that she thought would be suitable. She had a picture in her head based upon what Kern had stated to her that he wanted. Although his idea of a ship had been vague so she had many discussions with the Hillans. They had been on Dy'lun for decades and had probably been all over the planet. Although they hadn't realised the importance of some things. Like the materials she had found. Some were rare and would be of use for the Sentians back on Mars.

The materials were loaded onto the Jericho. It took several trips, as there was a considerable amount of materials. Colonel Kchetsky asked if there was anything that the Hillans required in return. Jenny had made quite and impression with them and all she said was that any provisions would be greatly appreciated. Over the time she had been with them she had told them what had happened to them since the attack on Senti and their life since then. The Hillans understood all too well as they too had been troubled by the Ictarans. They had not been directly attacked, but had been a consequence because of their actions. Their people had been almost wiped out. There were probably a few somewhere in the systems around, but they had landed here for safety and liked what they had found and so made it home. It soon became where traders came for old parts or other things that they had. The Hillans would salvage or scavenge parts as necessary. They had made records of ships that they had found here. So, that when someone requested a part for there ship, they knew where to find what was required.

Jenny asked Kern to stay behind. The others left and Colonel Kchetsky promised to send more supplies when they were passing. For now, they had left what they could spare.

"It seems you have settled in quite nicely here," said Kern as he looked around the ship that she had made home.

"Well I thought the scrap yard on Earth was enticing, but a whole planet full of junk. I'm spoilt for choice."

"Well I'm glad I was able to help."

She sat down next to him. "Thanks. There are those that I miss back on Cendarla, Mars and even Earth, but here is amazing there is just so much to see and explore."

She smiled at Kern. It was nice to see him again. He had always been a good friend to her and that meant a lot. Even though when they had first met, she had only been an engineer on the Jericho. Kern had never really lorded his position and title over anyone and always seemed to put others first. He had been through a lot to try and ensure the safety and welfare of his friends and family. Yet kept doing it again and again. He would more than likely always would. They sat talking for a while catching up on things. Kern told her about Ully'anni considering it was after he left Jenny here on Dy'lun that he had then gone to Mirrial and found out he had a daughter. Kern had known a lot of people. Considering he had lived well over a century and would keep going as long as he could, but things recently had been hard on him and it had left thinking about other things. Not having his AI, he had come to realise how much he had depending on it in the past. They rested for the night and Jenny said that she would show him something that he would mostly likely be interested in.

The next day she took him to the site of a very old ship that she had found. It was so old that even the Hillans were not sure what race it belonged too. Jenny had fashioned her own mode of transport it was like a hover scooter. It consisted of a flat board, an upright control column with controls at the held end and a small engine to lift and propel forward.

"You will have to hang on I'm afraid. Never had a passenger before so you have nothing to hold onto, but me."

"Sure."

He placed his hands on her hips to give him balance. It wasn't long before he soon realised what she meant about hang on. He had to wrap his arms around her waist. She was going at a considerable pace, banking left and right around the junk. Jenny had found a little route around the junk. The hover scooter went considerably faster than he had expected. They arrived at their destination and they slowed down.

"Sorry I had to hold you so tight."

She smiled back at him, not out of amusement or anything.

"It's fine, after all I did say you needed to hang on. So, here we are," she said standing at the base of a huge derelict ship. It was surprising well preserved. Kern noticed that it had no engines at the rear. Probably the result of an encounter with an enemy. There was something that seemed familiar. As part of his military training he had researched a lot of races and also some of the technology that they used too. Jenny could see the look on his face.

"You look like you know something."

"Maybe can we get on board?"

She led the way onto the ship. There was a hole in the base about half way along. The ship was reasonably level, but you had to climb to get to the bridge, which is where she needed to be.

"You need a hand?" he asked.

"I've done it before."

As she spoke, she slipped back down from her climb up to the next floor. Kern caught her. It knocked him backwards and he landed on his back with her on top.

"Well that's the second time you've had to hang on to me today."

She lifted herself off of him slowly and stood up. As Kern got up, he saw her smile at him. Then she swept part of her long hair from her face and over her ear. She turned back to her climb, still smiling. Kern noticed she was still smiling, was she flirting with him. No, not Jenny he had known her so long. He paused for a moment, lost in thought.

"You coming?" she asked, peering through the hole at him.

"Sorry," he said and started to climb up.

"Its easier from here. The crash crushed the corridors on the lower level. I had thought about cutting a hole to the bridge from the outside, but realised I could damage what's inside."

They entered the bridge. In the centre of the room was a large circular centrepiece. It was housing something. The markings were familiar to Kern. He walked over, reaching into the small pouch at his side, which is where he kept certain important personal items that never, left him he took out two items. Jenny seeing what he was doing walked over and stood next to him. In his hand he held two objects. Both were similar in shape and size as were the markings. It was like two flattened half spheres as a single item with finely etched markings across the whole surface. Like a maze winding across the surface. Seeing them jenny recognised them. She had found something similar, but of a dark grey metal colour. Those Kern held looked like brass.

"I've seen those markings on other things in a lower level."

"Its Ascari. If I'm not mistake this is an Ascari ships AI."

"You mean like the ones Sentians have within them. Like the one I have."

"Actually, the technology we have was based upon the knowledge the Ascari had, but it had to be constructed so that it could work with a human host."

"Ascari are not human or human like then," she said.

He looked at her with a little surprise.

"I would have thought that with you being an engineer that you would have learnt about the Ascari. Considering your interest in all things built."

Now she looked puzzled and curious.

"The Ascari are a mechanical race. To look at they would appear human like, being a biped and having two arms and a head. I had a friend who was an Ascari back when Senti was still our home."

"You had. What happened to him?" asked Jenny.

Kern held up one of the two items in his hand. "This was his. He gave it too me when he died. I've always kept it with me to remind me of him. I was supposed to take it back to his people, but they vanished after the Ictarans attacked them. Now we understand why they were attacked."

"You have two items. What's the other one?"

"I don't know it was given to me by Laxy on Tralor, just before I brought you here. He said it could help me. Not sure how yet. So does this thing have power."
"I have managed to get power to the bridge by re-routing a few things and having Dush fine me a power source that I hooked into the system, but no power to the centrepiece. As you can see, I have lights everywhere else."

It was true she had managed to get power to the consoles around the bridge. Kern remembered an instance when he had been with Omati, his Ascari friend. They had crashed it was an Ascari vessel. The repairs had to have the AI switched off and he remembered that Omati had to effectively reboot the AI. Kern started looking around the base of the AI unit.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, watching his eyes.

"Access panel."
"Its here on my right."

"You have tools to open it."

She looked him square in the face and gave him a look.

"Sorry I asked," he said.

She opened the panel for him and Kern got down to take a look. He was knelt for a while staring at the insides.

"You know what you are doing?" she asked.

"Not really, but I watched Omati fix the Ascari vessel we were in when it crashed. These energy crystals need replacing for one. Then I can attempt to do what I saw him do."

Jenny looked around the bridge then left after a moment of searching. She was gone a while.

"Where did you go?"

"Had to climb down to engineering. You might want to take a look down there sometime. Will these do?"

"They look like they are the same."

He took them from her and then started to replace the dead crystals. The crystals were used like capacitors in electrical devices. They held the energy. The ones in the AI looked fried. He then had to lie down to reach in further past the crystals to a small lever that was almost at the centre. He flipped the switch and retracted his arm.

"Well it looks like we have power."

"Didn't know you were an engineer too," said Jenny and kissed him on the cheek.

"Identify." came the voice from the AI.

"Commander Kern, Sentian."

"Not recognised. I do not know that species. Where am I?"

"Crashed on Dy'lun."

"Accessing memory. Orbital satellite found, accessing."

The AI went quiet.

"You think its okay?" asked Jenny.

"I am fine," it replied. "It seems from the satellite that I have been here approximately three hundred years."

"I was friends, with Omati of Dyrasix."

"Omati of Dyrasix found.

"How old do Ascari live for?" Jenny whispered in his ear.

"Who are you?" asked Kern.

"J323."

"A number?" asked Jenny.

"Its a designation. Most constructs don't have a name only a serial number. Most Ascari are created for a house. Omati was of house Dyrasix. One of the oldest Ascari families and they live forever unless killed."

"That is correct. Will I be able to get home?"

"Your engines are fried and of no use. Although I did see what looked like a prototype in engineering, but too small for this ship. I'm building a ship that it might be perfect for. If its possible to remove you I could have you installed in the new ship that I'm making and give you a new home," explained Jenny.

The AI was again quiet.

"I will need to run through all the ships resources and then tell you how best to disconnect me it will take some time for that to happen. Will you be able to take me home?"

"No one knows where the Ascari are?" said Kern.

"But you hold a star map I can sense it on you."

"You mean this," he said holding the other device.

"It will need to be decrypted."

"I will leave it with Jenny I won't be able to stay for long on Dy'lun she will be able to help with what you need," he said, looking at her.

Jenny was nodding.

"Please leave me to run diagnostics on myself and the rest of the ship. I will need a few days for a full check."

Kern and Jenny left J323 and returned back to her home. It had taken most of the day to sort the ship out, but it had proven to be worthwhile. Jenny was certainly pleased.

"Well we should celebrate. I have some wine from Tralor."

They ate and drank and talked more. Kern enquired about the ship she was building, but all she said was that he would have to wait. He awoke the next morning, but it felt strange. His head was throbbing; he had one very bad hangover. Kern looked around he wasn't on the couch. Oh. He realised where he was. So, that really did happen. Jenny was not around. He rolled out of her bed and got dressed. There was a note.

"Guess you can't handle Tralor wine," and a smile face at the side. "Catch you later have things to do make yourself at home."

Well he had nowhere else to be right now.