Maraan was not happy. He was upset. And he let everyone know in no uncertain terms. Right now he was anxiously pacing the length of the queen's antechamber, impatiently waiting to be admitted into her presence. Occasionally he would glare out of the arching windows that offered a great view across the dusty brown plains of Lalesh, if that was your idea of a view at all. It wasn't his, that was for sure. He already missed his own home, Ooonda, yet he could hardly have refused when the Abernake's queen had called him here. The native Abernake of Lalesh were a pillar of the community that Maraan served as spiritual guide. They had wisdom and also, of course, some economical power. No one sold dyes equal to the Abernake merchants anywhere in these regions. Suddenly the door to the empress' study clicked open and a tall Abernake strolled out to greet him. They were all tall, as tall as Maraan's own people, but this one was exceptional. "Alen'Di, am I allowed to enter?" he addressed the queen's safekeeper not unkindly, while at the same time craning his neck to catch a glimpse into the room beyond. The Abernake named Alen'Di firmly moved to block his view. "The queen is awaiting you in the basement," he explained coolly. "You will follow me."

Maraan drew an exasperated breath. "You haven' left her alone with that creature, have you? That thing is dangerous!"

The Abernake gave him a cool look. "Star Keeper, it is quite unthinkable that it will be up to anything much right now, not with its head smashed in like that. It is a miracle it is not dead. And we will be lucky to find out what it is at all."

"Show me," Maraan growled.

Without another word Alen'Di turned and stalked away, the Star Keeper in tow. The high, airy hallways of the towers of the Central City of Lalesh wound down in gentle curves, like a fragile net of stone and sand. Occasionally the wind would get trapped in the long hallways and howl like a soul lost in time before it managed to free itself once more. And on some cool nights it would sing in tune with the gentle prayers offered in the Hall of Faith at the center of the highest tower. He shivered a tiny bit. Lalesh was a peaceful world and that peace permeated every one of its cities. But since the valley's guardians had brought in that pale, strange creature that had appeared without warning almost in the midst of the sanctuary, there was a discordant note in the what he thought of the ultimate harmony of Lalesh.

They rounded a last curve and found themselves in a windowless hall, that featured no decoration or furniture whatsoever. Glowing stones gave the only illumination. In the distance another entrance was a faint rectangle of pale light. Two guardians stood somewhat uneasily a little way off, obviously anxious to get back to the sanctuary, and with them was the queen. She was somewhat shorter than the three males, but then, she was just a child, wasn't she? By his own people's standards, that was. Maraan knew, of course, that the Abernake's culture did not include anything that might be called 'childhood'. She gave a slight bow as he came closer. "Star Keeper, I am pleased that you could find your way down here," she said formally. He shrugged. "You know, it wasn't hard, I just had to follow Alen'Di here," he explained and shot a small grin at the safekeeper, who ignored him. The queen though smiled in response to his small joke, but then her black eyes turned toward the thing that lay at the two guardians' feet, motionless. Its skin was unnaturally pale, and grey hair grew long on its skull and short above its eyes, but not anywhere else that he could see. To Maraan, whose species bore a full-body coat of chestnut-coloured fur and the Abernake, who were bald all over, this was indeed a curious sight. Apart from that it appeared to be a biped with the usual appendages. No claws, he noted. Good. Without asking permission first he knelt at the cretaure's side and delicately ran his long fingers over its forehead. Fractured bone protruded from torn skin at the back of its head and there was a lot of blood and other fluids.

"Is it alive?" he asked quietly and one of the guardians replied just as softly, "We believe yes, though it is hard to detect any life signs. There is a pulse, very slow, and its does still breathe. We do not believe it will survive."

"A pity. I would have loved to know what it is. A strange species," he mused aloud.

Then the queen cut in, "I will have Alen'Di uncover the whereabouts of its transport. There must be some traces. And when we find it, I am sure it will offer some clues as to this thing's identity, and its species. Certainly the healers will want a go at the corpse, should it perish after all. Can you heal it, Star Keeper?" she concluded coldly.

Looking up at her Maraan gave a slow nod. "I will do my best. But it will take time, I first have to familiarise myself with its mind."

"Do what you can," she told him then, already turning away. "Alen'Di will give any assistance you might need. I do not want this thing to become a danger, but I do not want to withhold any help we might be able to give either. You two," she addressed the guardians briskly, "return to your posts in the sanctuary." With these words she swept away, not even waiting for Alen'Di to catch up with her. The tall Abernake lingered a moment longer with Maraan and his patient, a cold look in his eyes. "Take care, Star Keeper. I would not want the queen's trust to be disappointed." And then he was gone too, hurrying after his charge with the fluid grace of a true warrior. Alen'Di was, to Maraan's knowledge, the only Abernake who had ever served with an army. Thus his status as safekeeper and national hero. If ever the Abernake came under attack Alen'Di would be the one they would look to, even the queen. For a moment Maraan felt his heart grow cold with worry. He knew Alen'Di well, he was an intelligent being, ruthless when he had to be, but the Abernake were not a people of warriors. He imagined Alen'Di next to Rhen Joul, the mighty warlord of distant Foulhan and Salva of the Star Alliance's armed forces, under whom Alen'Di had served for a while, and heaved a tiny sigh. Both were competent in their own special ways, but in a battle Maraan would set his cards on Rhen Joul rather than Alen'Di. And this strange creature that had appeared so unexpectedly in the midst of the sanctuary, what portent was he to read into that? Gazing down at its face once more he frowned. If the Abernake were anything remotedly comparable to this species this creature was old. He examined its clothes, articfical fabrics, that somehow did not suit it at all. The drab black and grey colours seemed like a cocoon that hid something very different in its folds. Well, perhaps he would learn more once he found the key to its mind. Closing his eyes he reached for the pendant that hung on a leather cord around his neck. The yellow stone reacted instantly when he touched it, its warm glow gradually lightened the cavelike room.

He felt it reach out to his mind and to the creature lying before him. It allowed him to communicate in a universal language that was understood on a subconscious level, the only possibility to reach a mind so seriously wounded by the guardians' unfortunate enthusiasm in the pursuit of their duties down in the sanctuary. The more surprised was he when all he encountered was a blank wall of nothing. Alarmed, he tried to find something, a tiny crack, anything, but when he pushed deeper there was a warning nudge at the back of his own mind, a gentle hint not to try and go further. With a shudder he let go of the pendant and opened his eyes once more, only to recoil in shock as he watched the broken bone of the thing's skull move and fuse into a whole of its seeming own accord. Impossible! Suddenly the creature's eyes opened and stared straight at him, totally focused. He gave a start at the intensity of its gaze, never mind the curious pale colour of its eyes. Very slowly Maraan got to his feet, intent on not startling the creature as he rose. The thing's eyes followed his progress unblinking. Looking into those orbs, a pale, watery green, he found peace in the roaring fires that burned in their depth with the truth of the universe. Terrified, he took a hurried step back. "Who are you?" the thing rasped out in the Abernake's own language. Maraan froze. "What is this place?" it continued and moved to rise. Seemingly dizzy, it slowly shook its head, then sat back again.

"The place is called Lalesh, my name is Maraan, I am from Ooonda," the Star Keeper explained at last and curiously stepped closer. "How do you feel?"

"Empty," the creature replied and whip-lash smile appeared on its face and was gone again. "Ooonda? Where is that, exactly?"

"It is part of the Shenos Cluster, if that means anything to you," Maraan answered helpfully.

The creature fowned. "No, it does not. How did I come to be here? Is this a cave?"

"No, this is Lalesh's capital, the basement, to be precise. You were found in the sanctuary, some guards thought you to be a danger and – injured you. The wounds were very grave. How come you heal so fast? We thought you would die for sure!" And how come your mind is closed to me? he wanted to continue, but something told him to tread cautiously here. The creature simply glared at him, then rose fully. Standing on two legs it was a little shorter than Maraan, and compared to the Star Keeper it appeared almost frail. "What do you call yourself?" Maraan asked at last. "Do you remember how you came to be here?"
"No." The creature shook its head and frowned. "I don't remember at all." Maraan saw it stiffen suddenly and he thought he knew what it would feel like to be paralysed with uncertainty. But then, faster than he had anticipated, it relaxed once more and leaned its head back to gaze up at the ceiling. "What is this noise?" it asked softly.

Straining to hear, Maraan nodded to himself. "That is only the wind. It gets caught in the spires, and - "

"No, that is not what I mean," the creature interrupted him harshly. "There is something else, like peace, like - happiness." Its voice faltered and in the following silence all Maraan could hear was his own breathing. Perfectly still, he tried not to disturb the creature's concentration. It was obvious that it was trying to remember what it was, who it was. And such things took time, that he had learned over the years he had served as Star Keeper.

"I – " the creature closed its eyes, then whispered. "I remember- something. A feeling." Again it grew silent and then, so abrupt that Maraan jumped back a step, it turned toward the Star Keeper. "How brave are you, Maraan of Ooonda?" it asked and walked close."Can you stand up to chaos? Can Lalesh survive its onslaught?"

"What do you mean?" the Maraan demanded, his voice trembling with sudden fear. "Who are you? What are you?"

The creature flashed him another smile. "I do not know, all I know is that I am on a world called Lalesh with someone called Maraan. Curious, is it not?"

"Then why did you mention chaos?" He gave a screeching hoot of terror when the thing took hold of his arm and drew him close. "Let go!" But it did not comply. Instead Maraan found himself on the floor the next instant, pinned in place by the weight of the creature's body as it straddled him. His coat rippling with fear, Maraan considered crying out for help, but who was there to hear him? They had all gone! "I am leaving now," the thing growled suddenly, "and you will not stop me, clear? Stay where you are." Relieved, Maraan gave a mute nod and a moment later the weight was lifted from his back. He heard the creature move away, heard the crunch of the soles of its boots on the fine sand.

Then, suddenly, Alen'Di's angry voice, "I warned you!"

Surprised, Maraan twisted around to see. There was Alen'Di, tall and imposing, facing the creature down, a pair of Lappa Dek sticks in his hands. "Alen'Di!" the Star Keeper called out, overcome with a righteous fury that propelled him out of his paralysis and next to the Abernake. "You will not use a weapon! Remember who you are!" Just then the creature bolted and ran. It vanished into the garish brighhtness of the day a moment later and was gone. With a grunt Alen'Di threw the sticks to the ground before him, but his black eyes were flashing furously as he turned to look straight at Maraan. "You have seen nothing," he grated out coldly. "If this finds its way to the queen's ears I will hold you responsible."
"You cannot hold me responsible for your own actions," the Star Keeper shot back. "I only reminded you of your own customs. The Abernake do not bear weapons to attack. No matter what you have learned with the Lappa."

"You let it get away," the safekeeper said, ignoring Maraan's lecture. "How come it recovered so fast?"

"I have no idea," he sighed. "Will you have someone follow it?"
Alen'Di nodded, "Of course."

"Another thing," the Star Keeper continued. "For how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear that this thing is dangerous. If there is one thing I have learned with the Lappa, it is to never let a danger turn into catstrophe. It is unstable, as I am sure you will agree. As long as it has not found its memory it is extremely unpredictable. I would rather have it confined to the spire than running around on the plains unchecked."

"But you will not kill it."

Alen'Di flashed him a smile in response, then whirled away. Left alone in the cool embrace of the dark basement, Maraan was very still for a while. Then he left too.

TBC