Starry sky ...
Can I still see the light ?
What have I got?
What have I done?
What has it cost me?

Party night

Four months later.

A red-haired woman sat in her room, working at the computer. On the desk next to the computer, a photo of the laughing Brangwin triplets; Jubilee, Sakura and Alice.

Alice was upset about the message she received an hour ago. Instead of coming home, her parents' new assignment means they will away from Earth for another four years. She really missed them.

Mouse burst into the room. She was wearing a short bronze-gold crush dress, a matching choker with long purple pants and knee-high bronze boots. Her hair had little strains dangling and bouncing at her face and neck. "It's almost time!"

"I'm just about done, Mouse." Alice answered, checking over some files on her computer.

Mouse walked over and turned the computer monitor off. "Those can wait, " she said, "For now, we have to get you ready. So what are you going to wear ?"

"Wear ?"

"Don't tell me you were intending to wear just your birthday suit and a smile, " Mouse teased with a sly smile. "It might get everyone's attention, but it might also get you arrested. Trust me, I know."

Alice looked at her curiously over her final comment. "Don't ask, " Mouse insisted. Alice chuckled, but did as Mouse requested.

"Well, I was thinking about wearing this, " Alice said, pointing to the dress laying on her bed. It was a sleeveless, off-white dress that came mid way to the knees, fitted through the waistline and it had a heart-shaped neckline. Simple, yet elegant.

"You will look wonderful !" Mouse exclaimed.

Alice remained thoughtful for a moment but Mouse caught her in the act. "You really like the big green guy with the scary yellow eyes, don't you ?"

Alice considered her answer carefully, "Nothing is scarier than you Mouse."

"Hey !" Mouse mock-protested.

Deanne switched off the vid-comm. Halfway across the den, sitting on a coach, Enzo wrapped an arm around a beautiful Bajoran girl. With his free hand, he ran it through his white hair. "Hey Dee, ready for the date ?"

She nodded. "When is she picking us up ?" he asked.

Deanne was in no mood to put up with him tonight, but answered regardless. "Half an hour."

"HALF AN HOUR !" she repeated, "ARGH, I NEED TO GET READY !" Deanne said, running out of the room.

Enzo chuckled and pulled his girlfriend closer. "I used to be that desperate."

Sito Jaxa narrowed her eyes playfully and elbowed him in the ribs.

Stryker was dressed in formal uniform and a silver cloak. The ruby red uniform was completed by Guardian parade armor; a black breastplate and backplate piece, with golden shoulder pads, and a silver version of his tri-star insignia in its center.

Stryker checked the time on the wall, sighed, and then looked at the door to the outside of the apartment. "They're pretty late, " he said, glancing over his shoulder at Ray and MRess. "They should have been here a while ago."

Ray wrenched himself around, trying to pull on his jacket without tearing something. Then he shrugged in response to Stryker's comment. "They're probably just taking their sweet time doing whatever it is that women do that takes them so long to get ready for an important occasion."

MRess sat, nonchalant and dressed in a tuxedo (the suit's arms ripped off), on the arm of the sofa. "They're probably on their way. If they were any later they would have let us know."

"Hmph." Ray tugged the jacket firmly around his body. "I guess."

The door chime sounded. "Ah, that must be them, " MRess said, already moving towards it and breaking the room's awkward mood. "Come in."

"Hey everyone, " Mouse exploded into the apartment. "Ready to go ?"

Ray smiled faintly. "Yeah, let's party all night."

MRess stepped out the apartment where Deanne was shyly remaining in the hallway, outside the apartment, waiting for him. The Caitian admired her medium-sized body that fit perfectly in a dark blue knee-high length, sleeveless silk dress. Her golden hair was pulled up into a bun with strands of her hair hanging around the sides of her face.

"Don't worry, it'll be fun. Now out we go, " Mouse said, pushing Ray into the hallway. "You too, " she tossed back into the apartment.

Ray glanced helplessly back at Stryker, who shrugged and smiled, "Yes, ma'am!"

"But where is Alice ?" Stryker asked, confused.

"She is running a little late."

Keep on dancing

The dance was held at the Pavilion in Alice's hometown of Lynn Lake, Manitoba. The Pavilion was created to host nearly any community event involving several hundred.

He looked at the dance floor and the mass of people on and near it. An orchestra provided the music from a small stage. To his left, Mouse and Ray was making out.

The large dance floor was a golden colour, polished to a reflective state and covered by a glass dome held up by a dozen artistic sculptures that stood about thirty meters high. He become lost in thought while looking at the glass roof. He snapped out of his daydream when Alice saw him from across the hall, "Stryker!"

He noticed her as she started moving through the crowd, dressed in an elegant pale yellow dress. A silver pandent around her neck. She smiled at him as she walked over, "Sorry I am late. There was something I had to take care of."

"You look stunning Alice." Stryker managed to say.

"So do you, love the cape." she blushed. "Dance with me."

He hesitated, "I don't know how."

"Come on, you will be fine." Alice smiled, taking him by the hand, leading and half dragging him to the dance floor. MRess and Deanne smirked and waved to the two as they passed by and joined the other couples in the heart of the celebration.

Alice turned back around to face him and lifted a hand that clasped his slightly. She laid her other hand on his shoulder. Stryker missed a breath and his heartbeat doubled. He then quietly swallowed and placed his free hand on her waist.

Together they swayed slightly to the rhythm of the live musicians. But Stryker was clumsy and ended up bumping into Alice and other dancers. Thirty seconds into his first try, he to tried to leave the dance floor, but Alice persisted that he stay by holding onto his arm. "You're nervous aren't you? Don't be. I won't bite ... unless provoked." Alice told him. Stryker smiled, assuming and to a certain extent hoping that she was only joking.

He gave dancing another try, but was having difficulty with his footwork. By the fourth musical piece, he showed much improvement. Her eyes twinkled, swinging closer and briefly laid her hand on his shoulder before the dance steps called her away again.

The music's energy level increased, so did the complexity of their dancing. Stryker and Alice let go of each other, mimicing the circlar dance moves that the others were doing and he even managed to spin Alice around and bring her back. They ended up in a close embrace. Her face brightened slightly. He smiled lightly, mischievously meeting her eyes.

Alice winked as she pushed him away gently. "Excuse me, I got to go to the ladies's." she said as she hastily left the dance floor and Stryker behind. "Where ?" he asked, confused. But Alice was already out of earshot.

He leaned on the railing when Alice ascended the stairs and found him on the balcony, gazing at the night sky, his cape fluttering in the slight breeze. Cheerful, energetic music drifted softly from the dance hall, led by an african flute, before joined by penny-whistle and a chinese Erhu. Progressions started in the medium ranges of strings. After twenty seconds of build up, the music broadened with chorus and full orchestra.

Staring up, Stryker noticed a bright glimmer in the west, as a bright red shooting star streaked very close to the blue one. A pang of homesickness hit, and seered him. Stryker thought of Nekise, Suelo and Niero. But most of all, he thought of Laenia and little Eiko. "Stryker ?" a voice said.

He turned around, smiling. "Hey."

"I thought you said you do not know how to dance, " Alice teased.

He looked somewhat sheepish. "I cannot . . . but I can do a pretty close approximation. Atleast six people with bruised feet can prove it."

Alice approached him. "Its pretty out here, " she said.

Anyone hungry ?

A few minutes after midnight, the six friends left the Pavilion and found themselves sitting on the patio at Mouse's house. They all sat around in a circle, Ray on an armchair next to Mouse. Stryker on the coffee table, Alice and Mouse on one sofa, Deanne and MRess on the other.

Stryker heard a strange noise as MRess's stomach growled. "Oh my, sounds like he's hungry to me, " Mouse said. "I think I'll make a little early breakfast. I wonder how an omlet with teriyaki sauce tastes like."

"Uh, oh. Mouse is threatening to go into the kitchen again." Alice retorted.

Everyone except Mouse burst out laughing. This continued for almost ten seconds before she could not take it anymore. "Shut up." Mouse protested.

"Ow, my stomach hurts, and I have not even had Mouse's food yet." Stryker added, still trying to get his laughter under control.

"Listen Lizardbreath, you want me to whack that laugh off your face with a frying pan ?" Mouse threatened him. Stryker readied a snide, cutting remark, but it died on his lips after Mouse silenced him with a glare of death.

"Mouse, what about making cookies instead ?" Alice suggested.

"Good idea." Mouse agreed. "Should be easy enough, right ?"

A few minutes later, Mouse and Alice emerged from the kitchen. "Its going to take a while to bake."

"Lets go for a walk to pass the time." MRess suggested.

When they returned smoke was pouring out the windows. Mouse ran into the kitchen and coughed as smoke filled the room. She opened a window in a futile attempt to clear the air. "Oh dear." said Alice, who was perched on the end of the counter surveying the scene.

"Tell me about it." Mouse said removing the hot cookie sheet from the oven before carelessly tossing it down on the counter.

The charred remains of half a dozen chocolate chip cookies scattered across the countertop, a few rolling along on their sides before plummeting off the cabinet and onto the floor. Mouse eyed the black lumps with disdain and threw her hands up in defeat. "I give up." she mumbled, and plopped down unceremoniously into a kitchen chair.

Alice managed a wry smile. "Its not that bad."

They watched as Scuzzy, who had been watching the commotion, walked over to one of the cookies, sniffed it hesitantly, whimpered and hid under the table. Alice cringed. "Okay, maybe it is, " she admitted, "But you just need practice."

"I do not need any more practice. I am pretty damn good at burning everything." Mouse muttered sullenly.

"What is wrong with the replicator ?"

"It broke a few months ago, and since I am not home that often in any ways, I have not asked anyone to fix it yet."

"You do not have your parents' cooking skills I guess."

Mouse shook her head. Stryker peered in, smiling. "Hey Mouse, ever worked with anything . . . high tech ?"

With a wordless scream of rage, Mouse grabbed a pan and dashed toward him. Stryker spun around and ran for dear life, Mouse in pursuit.

The Mourning after

A few hours later, Stryker was rubbing his eyes as he looked around the semi-dark room. The sun's first rays breaking over the horizon. I have been on this world almost five months now and I am still feel confused at the sight of the sun rising in the east. O well, at least I adapted to the damn gravity.

Everyone was asleep except for him and Alice. She was watching him as she yanked her fingers through her fiery red hair, which had long since fallen out of its braids. When her hair was down it reached almost to her waist. "Wild night, eh ?" Stryker commented.

"Hey, I was a perfect lady last night. Uhhhh . . . why does my tummy hurt ?" Alice said causing Stryker to chuckle.

"How much sleep did we get ?"

Alice shrugged. "Not enough I'll tell you that much. "

Stryker nodded in agreement. He felt miserably tired, not rested at all. It was as if he had not slept at all. Still, he knew that he had slept some. "I just woke up, " she answered, giving up on her hair, tossing it over her shoulder dejectedly.

MRess stirred and opened his eyes. His dog sensing this, lifted up his head and got up off of MRess's feet. "Ow, Scuzzy. You have to stop sleeping on my feet, " MRess scolded the big red dog. It apparently enjoyed this because his short tail started thumping and wagging happily.

This woke Deanne up. She muttered something along the lines of Good morning before gettting up and entering the washroom. The door shut behind her.

Mouse and Ray were snoring. Stryker motioned to Alice, "Lovely music, is it not ?"

Alice gazed at Ray, who snored even louder. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're snoring in time with each other." Alice commented.

She got up and grabbed a pillow while motioning to Stryker for silence. He watched, interested. Suddenly, she brought her pillow down hard on Ray. He reacted quickly, slipping loose from Alice's hold on him and she was instantly slammed by his pillow. She grabbed it and held on to it. Ray grabbed another pillow and threw it.

Alice ducked, the pillow hit Stryker instead. Soon, it was an all out fight. The racket woke Mouse up with a start. She grabbed her pillow and slammed MRess, before picking up another pillow and threw it at Stryker. The fierce battle continued for nearly two minutes until Alice yelled, "Time out guys!"

Ray and Stryker slammed her simultaneously with their pillows while Stryker tried to defend himself against the team of MRess and Mouse. Deanne was wise to stay in the washroom. The noise started dying down and pillows did eventually stop flying.

"Stryker, go get your girl a drink." Alice cooed. When he didn't move, she added. "Or else."

"Or else what ?"

Alice made a face and rolled over to punch him on the shoulder. "Get moving . . . I need my good morning coffee."

"The abuse I take, " Stryker joked as he got up, rubbing his pretend sore shoulder.

"Hurry up. We have a long day ahead of us."

Deanne, Mouse, Ray, Alice, Stryker, MRess and Scuzzy arrived at the Whistler ski resort by transporter. It was winter time and everything was covered in snow. Stryker disappeared for a minute carrying a mysterious knapsack.

When he returned he was wearing a bright orange and black Edenian extreme weather enviromental suit and mouthpiece. He met Alice outside. She laughed, "Greetings Stryker of borg. Take me to your queen."

"Very funny, " mused Stryker as they started walking down the hill. He noticed the others were nowhere to be seen. "Where did everyone go ?"

"Not sure, they ran out on me, but they said they will meet us at the Flat Planet."

"Humans seems talented at assigning whimsical names to establishments." Stryker remarked.

Alice chuckled, "Yes. I suppose so."

He was looking at the unique structures and layout of the buildings as they walked. She caught his gaze. "Its called snow." she laughed.

"I hate it." Stryker grumbled.

"Hey, nice day toda -- " Alice was saying when she slipped on a concealed patch of ice and fell, taking Stryker down with her.

"Bad day ?" Stryker casually remarked slightly intimidatingly.

"Shut up, just shut up, " Alice said angrily giving Stryker the worst glare she could manage.

"No need to be cold towards me, " Stryker mused with a smile behind his mouthpiece. Alice found a handful of snow and flung it at him.

The group sat down on the third floor of the Flat Planet Diner and ordered hot drinks and food. After an hour Mouse and Ray left with their skiing gear. With Scuzzy sleeping on the floor next to her, Alice told MRess and Stryker to wait downstairs. She said needed to talk to Deanne, something about a fight she had with MRess's cousins.

Stryker and MRess sat down at a table near the doors. A minute later, MRess made a slight head gesture, detecting a similar smell. He turned sideways as someone walked in. MRess's attention and eyes fell on the new arrival immediately. Intrigued, Stryker turned to see what MRess was looking at.

The woman was almost 4 feet tall. Sparkling blue eyes, shiny chrome coloured hair held by a tiara. She hang up her black and silver winter jacket, revealing smooth cyan skin underneath.

The entire ensemble gave her a child-like look, and Stryker found himself searching for an accompanying adult. Despite her height or lack thereof she had an athletic build and stood up straight as if she was three meters tall.

She noticed the sudden attention as she walked by their table and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes traveled to the Caitian. When she saw him she gasped, her eyes and mouth, turned into three perfect circles. "MRess ?"

MRess stared back at the woman, his eyes wide. "Lucida!" he exclaimed, grabbing her by the waist and lifted her up so they were eye level.

She hugged MRess, "Wow! Hey yourself."

"How have you been ?"

"Just great, " she answered.

"I guess you want to see Alice ?" MRess asked.

"You red my mind. But mmmm . . . Could you do me a favor ?"

"What ?" MRess asked.

"Put me down, big guy."

It was then that MRess noticed that he still had Lucida lifted up off the ground. "Sorry." MRess said, grinning sheepishly.

"Aw, that is okay. I kinda like being swept off my feet, " Lucida beamed. She then turned to the alien sitting at the table. "So who are you ?"

"I am recognized as Stryker. Nice to meet you Lucida."

"Please, call me Specky."

"Still the same diner. And it looks like we just missed rush hour traffic, " she said looking around the empty diner.

The group walked across the diner and up the spiral staircase, MRess in the lead. Alice had her back turned to the stairs as they approached her table. Deanne must have been left. Alice stared ahead of her, she feeling her tired and a little sleepy.

"Alice, staring that hard can't be healthy, " MRess complained, trying to get Alice's attention. There was no answer.

"Alice, " called Stryker. No response. "Alice, Planet earth to Alice. Do you copy ?"

"Hey, you. You're in my booth. Get lost." Lucida announced in a deep voice.

Alice turned to the rude person, an angry scowl on her face. But her resentment turned to shock when she saw who it was, Alice shrieked. "Specky, I have not seen you in months!"

"Specky? Where ?" Lucida exclaimed, looking around with mock surprise. Alice picked Lucida up and hugged her.

"Another everyone pick up and hug the small person day" Lucida retorted, hugging Alice back.

A man sitting at the next table grumbled, "Keep it down bub!"

"Sure thing bub, " Stryker echoed. A woman sitting next to the man whispered in a harsh voice, "No Logan. Not this time sugah, " she seemed to keep the shorter man from getting up but she also angrily glared at Stryker. Stryker looked at the woman for a few seconds more, noticing a shock of white colour in her wild brown hair.

When he returned his attention to the table he noticed something was different in Lucida's eyes. It was blue a minute ago, now it was green. Stryker and MRess sat down next to Lucida. Stryker hestitated, "Specky, your eyes . . . "

"My eyes change colour according to my emotional state, " she explained.

"Interesting, " replied Stryker said as he removed his gloves and placed his hands on the surface of the table. "Watch this, " he said as his hands changed to the same brown colour of the wood.

Alice picked up a fork and grinned, "Lets see if I can find your hands."

Everyone laughed as he withdrew his hands quickly.

Alice

After a long day of skiing, Stryker was left with every part of his body bruised and/or nearly dislocated. Alice and Stryker returned to Lynn Lake.

She smiled at him. "I think that was a less than successful attempt at skiing."

He grimaced and looked sourly at Alice, "I told you once. I'd tell you a thousand times. There is two things I don't do."

"I don't do snow. And I definitely don't do ice cream !"

Alice nearly doubled over, laughing at his expense.

When Alice opened the door to her apartment, two small animals rushed up to meet Alice as she entered her apartment. "Hey guys." she greeted the animals. "Stryker meet my pussycats."

"Can they talk ?" he asked as they hang up their winter gear.

"No." Alice laughed. She bent down to play with them. "The red one here is Josie, Valerie is the blonde one. The chocolate coloured one shredding my curtains is Melody. Get away shoo!" she said, throwing a skiing glove in the kitten's general direction.

His eyebrows arched in a confused way and he just sort of stood awkwardly, shifting his weight as one of the kittens made a moving, fuzzy bracelet of itself around his right leg. What is it doing ?

Her living room was decorated in shades of yellow and orange. Along one of walls was a large glass display case containing several uniforms. A Starfleet uniform from the 22nd century, a pair from the 23rd and mid-24th centuries.

Another three uniforms were showcased next to the Starfleet ones. A Mountie uniform, and a pilot's uniform flanked by a number of pictures of cheering humans and a white needle-nose airplane with swept-back wings in flight. A bronze plaque hung below one of the pictures,

"The myth that will never die."
100th anniversary of the Avro Arrow
October 4, 2057

Next to these, samurai armor hang with its matching weaponry. He examined the katana closely. Cloud-like formations floated along its temper line, where steel once was plunged into a trough of water. Swirls and crystals, ripples and grain had left fingerprints along the blade. "How old is this ?" he asked.

"Sorry, I am being rude." Alice said as she stopped playing with her kittens. They sat on the big couch in the center of the living room. Alice sighed as fatique finally caught up, "Oh that. It's about 1500 years old."

Stryker was tired too. He remained quiet and lost in thought for a while. "What are thinking about ?" Alice whispered, clinging to Stryker for support.

"Your name, Alice."

"Wondering what is means ?"

He nodded. "It means Truth and noble in Greek." Alice said.

"Your name has many meanings in Edenie too."

"Really ?"

"The girl who stole the stars."

"So, I am a thief now ?" she retorted.

"It also means; Vanquishes darkness, huntress and protector."

For a second, he was silent in thoughtful recollection. "There is the, Eyes of alice. Beautiful little flowers that grows in the desert after rainfall."

"And the Alice bird. A native of the cloud-covered Baya Malay mountains, a creature so small and swift that it can rarely be seen. Fortunate listeners might hear it once or twice in a season."

"That's pretty neat." Alice said thoughtfully.

Weekend trip

The six friends agreed on a weekend camping trip to Tamarind Island. Stryker convinced them to travel to their destination by boat. He was very happy to finally return to his element, Edenians can't stand being away from the ocean for more than four or five days.

A few minutes after boarding and launching from Vancouver, Lucida returned from the cabin below when she heard Stryker and Mouse arguing. Mouse interrupted Stryker. "I know. That's what Alice said too. But she agrees with me."

"I don't think it will do much." Stryker commented, briefly glancing around from the steering wheel. He noticed a ring on Mouse's right hand. On her index finger, she wore a gold ring with a flat top. On its top was a carving of a mouse. Interesting ...

"Maybe not, but it's a start, " she said brightly.

Stryker muttered something about feminine fancies. Mouse rolled up a magazine she was reading and thwacked him on the head with it. "Maybe I should be keep quiet next time, " he grumbled.

"Maybe you should." she echoed.

Ray smiled slightly from his seat. "Stryker, you should learn not to insult the fairer sex. After all, in many species they're the more dangerous of the two."

Stryker remembered his older cousin's advice when he about ten years old, 'Girls can be pretty scary if you make them angry.', Niero bent down and whispered to him while pointing to Miau and her husband, having a rather animated argument. She was really taking a bite out of him. He felt pity for his cousin's friend as the verbal onslaught continued. 'Girlfriends and wives are nine times scarier.' Niero finished.

Stryker rubbed the back of his head and looked at Mouse. "You are absolutely right."

Mouse smirked as she hit him again. "You are childish for your age, aren't you Mouse ?" he said dryly.

"Looking for another whack on the head ?" Mouse threatened him.

"Are you looking to knock the boat out of control or do you just like hitting me ?"

"Stop being a smart ass, and maybe I will stop hitting you." she said. Ray laughed.

"Besides, I just couldn't resist." Mouse admitted.

Lucida chuckled in her seat behind Alice and tapped her on the shoulder. "Are they always like this ?"

"What are you two saying about me ?" Mouse exclaimed giving suspicious glances to Alice and Lucida.

"Nothing . . ." Lucida said, trying to sound innocent.

"Oh, stuff it!" Mouse said as she got up and went to the cabin below.

Next Chapter
Reminiscence

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