"That's right...you have lost," Correl remarked smugly. The guardians gave him a look of hatred and Dureena gave him a look of confusion. "What? Haven't you been tracking the progress of dear Saffire's life?" At this it seemed as if all the guardians rocked back on their 'heels' right before a wave of distress washed through the corridor. "I know I have been," Correl pulled a hand-held device from his pocket. The device was emitting a low, steady beep. Dureena felt her heart sink.

The guardians were at a loss for words. For the one second that they had stopped monitoring Saffire she had made the decision to restart the circle. As one the four guardians looked at the floor beneath them. Restarting the circle was a difficult experience. It was mentally draining not only on the individual but the race as a whole. It was draining to the race because they had to block certain memories from the individual until they reached a certain age, and difficult to the individual because he or she had to lose so many memories. To cause the Restart was a crime, and it was the worst crime you could commit against the guardians. As one, the four guardians looked up at Correl; hate was stamped across their faces. As one the guardians leaped forward and attacked the killer. No force in the universe could have stopped their charge, and Dureena recognized that.

Dureena turned down the corridor and went to find her friends.

............................................................................

Kelanes stood next to his sister. She had collapsed shortly after he had told her to concentrate on walking.

~Get up sister. Your guardianees await you~ He tried to sound strong. Even though she would be born again, she would be different not only in looks but also mentally, and much of her would be lost. In essence, she wouldn't be Saffire any more. Most guardians that went through the Restart choose different names because they were so different in the end.

~I haven't the strength~

Kelanes looked down then laid down next to his sister. He rested his head on her neck.

~I will miss you Saffire~

.........................................................................

"Galen," Susan started, "What's wrong?" All eyes fell on Galen. Hope hid behind all three sets of eyes. Galen could do nothing but lick his lips and look to Saffire. When a heavy, quick breath escaped his lips, everyone in the room knew what had happened.

Susan took a deep breath and leaned into Marcus. Draya could hear Susan whispering into Marcus' chest. "Not like this," she said, "Not like this." She whispered it over and over again as if the universe couldn't hear her. Marcus held her silently, tears falling silently from his dark eyes. Occasionally, he would run his hand over her hair and whisper comforts to her.

Draya sat in the corner watching the scene. She felt terrible for her part in this terrible tragedy. She pulled her legs up close and hugged them. Before long she was rocking back and forth in an effort to comfort herself.

Galen slowly rubbed his hand over the cat's fur. She had been there his whole life, as if he was one of her guardianees. He felt tears escape, but he quickly wiped them away and got up. Someone had to be strong. He walked to the bars that prevented their escape. Galen would have his revenge as soon as that bastard got back.

...............................................................................

Dureena hadn't gone very far before she heard Susan's voice.

"Galen, what's wrong?" With that one question, Susan had confirmed Dureena's fears. Dureena was glad that she had left the guardians to take care of Correl. She gathered herself and turned the corner. It hurt to see Galen leaning against the bars with pain filled eyes that swore revenge.

"Galen, are you guys ok?" she asked, running to the bars and looking for a way to open them. Galen took a deep breath.

"Yes, I believe we're ok," he looked Dureena in the eye, "But Saffire-"

"I know...I'm sorry," she finally found a switch that would open the bars. She fiddled with it for a bit then finally got it to work. The bars slid open. No one moved to exit not even Draya. Even Galen, with his oath of revenge stayed.

After about twenty minutes, the group of guardians came around the corner.

~Correl has been dealt with according to our laws~ Alli confirmed. ~We will take Saffire now~

Take her where? Galen wondered. As the guardians took up positions around Saffire, Susan reached out to stop them. Marcus grabbed her and held her back.

"It's okay," he whispered, "Let them have her."

"But I just found her again."

"I know," he kissed the top of her head then her forehead, "I know. We'll mend though"

Galen watched as the guardians fell into a trance then disappeared in a flash of bright blue light. The med-team finally arrived five minutes after the guardians had left. They took Zac directly to Med-lab, and the remaining five filed out as time passed. Galen was the last to leave.

He smiled then looked to the ground. "Goodbye, old friend."

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Two weeks later, the universe finally returned to normal. It turned out that there had been some damage on Susan's ship that they had been unaware of. That would cause them to be there for an additional three weeks. The Excalibur had left. Galen had docked his ship in B5's hangar. He and Dureena weren't quite ready to leave yet.

Susan and Marcus had decided that they would stick together and that Marcus would travel with her aboard The Phoenix. They were presently in their quarters eating dinner.

"And so on the trip here, Brenden is getting majorly pissed off at me for asking, 'Are we there yet?' time and time again," Susan told Marcus with a laugh. "So finally I run to the bridge and am just about to ask him again when-" Before she could finish the door chimed. "I forgot how often those could chime," she laughed.

She went to the door with Marcus in tow. They had become inseparable since that day. When they opened the door, it appeared that no one was there, until they looked down. A basket had been left. Susan picked it up and went into the kitchen area. There was a note on the basket.

Take good care, her name is Nite Star.

Susan looked at Marcus and he looked at her, both had a quizzically look. Marcus carefully opened the blanket that covered the basket. Inside was a small kitten. She was blacker than the blackest night and had pinpoints of white light at different positions on her fur. It was as if someone had taken a piece of space and wrapped it around this little kitten. When she opened her eyes, they were completely black with the pupils being a small white dot.

Susan's breath caught in her throat, and she smiled. "Welcome back." They looked at each other like a pair of new parents and like a pair of people at a family reunion.

..............................................................................................

Galen and Dureena sat in the Zocalo, each nursing a drink.

"So when should we head back?" Dureena asked. She sipped her drink.

"Whenever you want to," Galen leaned against the counter, something jabbed him in the ribs. He reached into the deepest pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a small box. Confusion crossed his features for a minute then he remembered what it was. He handed it to Dureena. "I...uh...got this for you a while ago." She carefully opened the small box and reached in. She pulled out the leviathan curled around the sunken ship.

"Galen," she gasped, "I don't know what to say...Thank- you." She looked at him; "No one has ever given me a gift like this."

"I'm glad to be the first," he got a shy smile on his face then went to take another drink. Suddenly he felt something familiar. He held the glass somewhere between the counter and his lips as he tried to figure out what it was he was feeling.

~Hey, what's up?~

Galen smiled and chugged the rest of his drink. Everything was getting back to normal. "Let's get going, shall we?"

"Should we say goodbye to Marcus and Susan?" Dureena asked after carefully putting the figure back into the box.

"Nah, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them soon enough." Galen smiled and headed toward the docking bay, Dureena in tow.