The trip to New Honshu was uneventful, for which van Horn was grateful. After some conferring with Fitzpatrick and Lieutenant Vickers, Ladavic, Vickers, van Horn and Pavlo all climbed aboard an ST-46C-class shuttlecraft and left Port Kure behind. Pavlo had liked the initial part, as he got a good look at the massive main station, which dwarfed the Rodger Young and made minnows out of DropShips.

Another thing that made van Horn and Pavlo grateful was that Port Kure was at the Lagrange point that existed between New Honshu and its single moon, Kyushu. Thus, the trip to the planet only took about an hour-and-a-half, which meant that they wouldn't have to stay strapped into their seats for too long. And, thanks to Ladavic and Vickers, the time waiting was well spent, as they conferred with each other and van Horn about the Wobbies on Bowman's Planet.

"...So let me boil this down to basics, so that we're all clear." Vickers said as the shuttle began its entry of the planet's atmosphere. "The Wobbies are concentrated mainly in the eastern part of the large continent, and they've taken over several native cities."

Van Horn would have nodded his agreement, but as they were entering atmosphere, everyone was strapped in, and Vickers was in a seat in front of the anthropologist. "As nearly as I could tell, that's their basic deployment, yes."

"All right. So while they're there, they've been subverting various factions on planet to further extend their reach to the west and south. Which is why those people attacked you at- what was that town's name again?"

"Hercor," van Horn responded.

"Right, so they get bandits to do their dirty work. But you said that they were doing that mainly by subversion by force, which means they have to have small combat teams like the ones you ran into all over the place." Vickers paused to sigh. "You know how fucking hard it will be to root every last one of them out?"

Ladavic, sitting next to Vickers, looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What's this? The mighty 'Boss' Vickers daunted by a little insurgency cleanup?"

Vickers gave Ladavic a razz. "No, Cap'n, not daunted. Just tryin' ta be realistic here." He sighed again and thought for a few moments, the silence in the conversation supplemented with the howling sound of air rushing past the outer skin of the shuttle. "We're gonna need extra supplies of drop capsules, power packs, and missiles." He said quietly. "Not to mention, I'd like to have some extra M.I. platoons in on this."

"Well Vickers that may not be possible, since the Fleet's still busy with the Ravens." Ladavic replied. "But the militia here is one of the best equipped in the entire Republic, and they even have a National Guard regiment here as well."

Vickers snorted. "Army pukes, too used to staging from a permanent base to fight a counter-insurgency campaign effectively."

"That may be, Lieutenant, but they're also the closest ground forces with any serious strength that can be spared. So try to keep from insulting them face-to-face, huh?" Ladavic admonished.

Suddenly, the craft pitched to the left, which startled Pavlo. "What was that?" He asked.

"It's alright, boy," Ladavic responded. "The pilot's just banking into a turn."

"Which means we'll be landing soon." Vickers added. "I've been here before, pilots always gotta bank to land retrograde so that their flight paths don't run over the refineries."

"HJI that paranoid?" Van Horn asked, referring to the company that operated the fields and equipment that allowed the creation of HarJel. Vickers nodded his head, which van Horn could see over the seat back in front of him. "Yeah, you bet your ass. I mean, after all, they technically don't own the land, so their insurance won't fully cover them. Some sort of legal crap that's been in litigation for the past two decades, I hear."

Van Horn sighed. "Gee, I sure did miss civilization." He said sarcastically.

Climbing out of the ST-46C was an experience that van Horn wanted to bottle up and remember for the rest of his days. It's amazing to look at! He thought as he walked down the stairs that had moved out to meet the shuttle. He barely paid enough attention to his footing to prevent an untimely end as the skyline of Neo Tokyo dominated the southern horizon and his attention.

"That is... I... I really have no words." Pavlo said, equally entranced by the gleaming towers that stretched as high as mountains to him in the late-afternoon light. "It is like nothing I have ever seen."

"It is breathtaking, isn't it?" Vickers asked as van Horn and Pavlo reached the tarmac. "But we can't stand here forever, so if you two will follow, we can get going."

"Oh, right, coming." Van Horn said, and Pavlo nodded his assent as they hustled to catch up to where captain Ladavic was striding across the hot tarmac towards nearby VTOL.

They were in the military portion of the Neo Tokyo spaceport, which lay to the north of the metropolis, across the Ozawa River. The military part of the port itself was to the west of the main spaceport, which covered hundreds of acres of land in buildings, runways, and landing pads for spheroid DropShips. The constant drone of machinery, vehicles and interplanetary drives would have been nearly deafening had the group not been given ear protection headgear. Pavlo had had a bit of a problem at first, as the headphone-shaped protectors were built for human, rather than lupar ears. However, a technician on the shuttle soon had a makeshift solution of having Pavlo fold his ears forward with his hands, and letting the protectors cover them, holding them down and protecting his inner ears at the same time.

It wasn't perfect, of course, but it was enough as the group reached a Kestrel transport VTOL that bore the markings of the National Guard, its crew waiting on board already and the ground personnel finishing up some last-minute checks. Without hesitation, Ladavic climbed aboard the craft, followed soon by the other three passengers from the shuttle.

As soon as they got on board and settled into their seats, van Horn could see the Kestrel's load officer speak into his helmet microphone. Even as the ground crew shut the doors, van Horn could hear the engines spool up above them. I just thank God that the Kestrel is one of the quietest VTOLs in existence. He thought, worried still over Pavlo's far more sensitive hearing. Still, he doesn't seem to be in any pain, so hopefully those ear-protectors are just as good with him as they are with us.

Then, the helicopter lurched and they were airborne. Pavlo looked outside the window that was next to his seat, and he stared in awe and wonder at the tableau of a technological city. It's so large! And So many buildings! Why, I bet just one of them could hold the entire population of Tanzano!

The flight was only a few minutes, Neo Tokyo being easily traversed by air. Van Horn knew they had arrived when the VTOL pitched back to slow down, and he then felt a slight sinking sensation. Following that, he could feel the thump of the helo as it touched the landing pad at the KOM Hospital Complex.

Van Horn was grateful that he and Pavlo would be able to rejoin Alexis and Mikula, though he knew that the former would be undergoing preparation for organ replacement surgery and thus would still be unconscious. Still, Mikula could probably use all the emotional support he can get, now. Van Horn had been relieved that Mikula had managed to keep his feelings for Alexis in limbo, which allowed him to adapt to his new surroundings. But now that Alexis' condition will change, so will his feelings rise out from the depths of his soul.

The door opened, and van Horn unbuckled his belt and climbed out, soon followed by Pavlo. They both rushed out, heads down, to the door that led into the part of the hospital that rose above the helo pad. Though an orderly and a guard were waiting for them at the door, van Horn nevertheless took a second to turn around and wave goodbye to the two passengers still in the VTOL. Ladavic and Vickers returned the wave as the Kestrel's door was again shut, and the chopper lifted off to take them to the Planetary Defense headquarters building.

Van Horn turned back and reached the door, where the orderly motioned for him to take off his ear protectors. He did so with a small grin. "Forgot about those." He said to the orderly.

"That's all right sir." The orderly replied and turned to walk into the building, leaving van Horn and Pavlo to follow him inside. "If you'll look to your right, you'll see a rack where you can leave those."

They saw, and they did so. "Feels good to take those off." Pavlo said as he rubbed his large ears.

The orderly blinked, but he had the tact to not say anything about the alien's use of English. "I would bet." He just said. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, Doctor Sakamoto sent me to escort you two to the care unit that we have your friends in. If you'll follow me?" He spoke politely and turned to lead them off.

Their walk through the hallways of the hospital seemed to bother Pavlo, and van Horn turned to speak to the lupar at his side. "Pavlo, are you all right? You seem... Distracted."

Pavlo shrugged his shoulders. "It is the smell, here. It smells so strange..."

Van Horn nodded. "Yes. All hospitals smell weird, even to us humans." He then lowered his voice for the next part. "And, truth be told, it creeps me out."

Pavlo just nodded in mute agreement as they turned around a corner and headed towards an elevator.

Mikula sighed for what seemed the hundredth time that day. They had him alone in a waiting room in a part of the floor that had been cordoned off so that the curious wouldn't bother him... Or report his presence.

Mikula frankly didn't care about anyone bothering him. In fact, I wouldn't mind someone to talk to now. He thought as he looked over the small pile of paper products on the table before him. 'Magazines,' the guards called them. He sighed. Pity van Horn only had enough time for us to learn how to speak English. I would like to be able to read all these... If only to distract myself.

Mikula shook his head and stood up from the chair he was sitting in, and he walked over to look out the window that dominated one wall and looked out. So amazing, this place is, he thought. Such humungous buildings! Such strange modes of travel! And now, he turned to look at the magazines, I find out that they actually read to pass the time! And almost nobody back home even knows how.

Another sigh came from Mikula, and he sat down again. Alexis would love to see this. She would always be asking questions, trying to find out the 'whys.' He closed his eyes and bent forward to rest his head in his hands. Gods, I miss her. And I'm so worried that it won't be a temporary thing, her not being here. Again, he could feel the tears welling up, and again, he pushed them back down by force of will. I will not cry! Alexis is not dead yet and I will not invite the worst by giving into grief before it's even called for! He snorted, trying to clear his sinuses. But I miss her so much.

Then the door swung open, and the creek of the metallic hinges made Mikula rub his eyes and look up. Then, for the first time since arriving on New Honshu, he smiled. "Pavlo, Earl, it's nice to see you."

His brother smiled, crossed the room and embraced Mikula when the latter stood up. "It's nice to see your ugly face again too, brother." He said as Mikula returned the hug.

"Heh. Can't ever stop being a joker, can you?" Mikula said, as they pulled apart. Pavlo shrugged in reply. "What else do you expect me to do?"

Van Horn, meanwhile, stood near the door and tried not to stare. It's a good thing they both came with, because one of them alone would be miserable... Or, in Mikula's case, he'd just break down. Then the door opened again and another orderly stuck her head inside. "Dr. van Horn?" She asked, and the human nodded. "Could you come with me? Dr. Sakamoto wanted to speak with you a moment." She spoke quietly.

"All right." Van Horn replied just as quietly, and then he turned to face the two lupar. "Mikula, sorry to leave again so soon, but I've got something to take care of."

Mikula nodded. "That's all right. I do hope I'll see you again soon?"

Van Horn smiled again. "You can count on that." With that, he waved goodbye and walked out the door and followed the black-haired orderly. Must be descended from one of the original settlers, van Horn thought, and then gave a mental shrug. Well, not all of them thumb their noses at technology, so I shouldn't be surprised.

The walk was a short one, and they came to Sakamoto's office. Without hesitation, the orderly pushed the door aside and stuck her head in. "Dr. Sakamoto, Dr. van Horn is here like you asked."

"Let him in please." A voice responded. The orderly then backed up, but kept the door open for van Horn, who walked in with a nod to her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said and then walked off, leaving the door to close, and van Horn turned to face Dr. Sakamoto.

The latter stood, revealing a height that wasn't usually associated with people of oriental descent. He's got to have several centimeters on me, van Horn thought as he shook the doctor's hand. "Nice of you to come in on short notice, Doctor." The tall, black-haired doctor said. "Please, sit down."

Van Horn waved him off as he took the offered seat. "Please, this is a hospital, doctor. In here, I'd rather be called' van Horn,' because otherwise someone might mistake me for an M.D." He said half-jokingly.

"Indeed." Sakamoto smiled lightly, but then dropped down an impassive mask. "I hope you will forgive me for being blunt and to the point, but I wanted to speak with you before I worked on your friend. Since she is undergoing prep right now, I will have to leave soon."

Van Horn nodded. "That's quite all right, doctor. But what do you wish to speak to me for? Is something wrong with Alexis?"

Sakamoto tilted his head. "Not with her, per se. In fact, she's doing quite well for a small-bodied being like herself." He then sighed. "In fact, what I asked you down here for wasn't really a problem at all. Just..." His voice trailed off.

Van Horn frowned. "What? If it's not a problem, then why am I here taking up your time before a surgery?"

Sakamoto sighed, and he seemed to van Horn to be gathering his thoughts. "Well, I wanted to ask you, is what I've read completely true? About the discovery of Bowman's Planet?"

Van Horn tilted his head in puzzlement. "I don't understand. I thought that the Washington Science Academy had released their records to you so that you wouldn't have any questions."

"Yes, but, the Academy's records do not include genetic profiles." Sakamoto replied. Van Horn again frowned. "Yes, well, I thought that it was also explained that the-"

Sakamoto cut him off with a wave. "Yes, yes, I know about the Privacy Acts and their application to the natives of Bowman's Planet. I have no problem with that."

"Then what's the issue here?" Van Horn asked plaintively.

Sakamoto sighed again. "As I was saying, since there was no genetic profile available to compare your friend's to, I wanted to make sure that there was no error at your end."

Van Horn frowned again. "What? Error? What error?"

"Dr. van Horn, can you verify that the genetic sample we received was accurate?" Sakamoto asked. Van Horn was now thoroughly confused. "Yes, it was! I saw Dr. Jennings take it from Alexis herself."

"And to your knowledge, there's been no known genetic work on these people?" Sakamoto asked quietly.

Van Horn's face turned bright red. "Doctor, I don't know about the medical profession, but I and my colleagues in the Xeno-Cultural Study Program have taken the greatest pains to prevent even knowledge of Bowman's Planet and its denizens from being leaking out beyond the program at all. The idea that someone could experiment on them without our approval or knowledge is ludicrous."

Sakamoto sighed. "Then how can you explain the fact that half of your friend's species-specific chromosomes are human?"

That revelation hit van Horn like a load of bricks. "Wha... What?" he stuttered. "What the fu- I mean... What?!"

Sakamoto frowned, clearly disappointed that van Horn didn't know more than he did. "I am saying, doctor, that, although the majority of her genes are indicative of non-Terran ancestry, your friend Alexis is clearly a product of someone mixing the genomes of Homo Sapiens Sapiens with her own ancestors.' And, if we read the genetic drift, it happened more than seven hundred years ago." Sakamoto then waited for a few moments as van Horn sat in his chair, trying to absorb the new information. "You honestly didn't know?"

Van Horn blinked his eyes and seemed to come back from his own personal world. "I... No! No one knew. Hell, how could we? The Privacy Acts kept us from getting DNA samples, mainly for their protection." He shook his head and hung his head. "And yet... This fits in."

"Fits in with what?" Sakamoto asked, now a bit puzzled himself.

"Since I went to help the natives, I've been encountering all sorts of bizarre coincidences. Names, primarily, but also stories of humans visiting their planet before..." He shook his head. "I thought that it was something recent, like a Star League-era ship that came across their planet and mucked around before leaving, but now." He looked up from where he was staring at his hands and stared Sakamoto in the eye. "You said seven, hundred, years ago?"

"At least." Sakamoto said with a shake of his head. "But that's if we were reading plain human DNA, which we're not. Some of the longer-term markers are either not there, or they're in her 'native' chromosomes, and so they wouldn't be a reliable indicator." He sighed. "So seven hundred is the minimum estimate. It could have been longer."

"That's insane." Van Horn replied. "We've only had the Kearny-Fuchida drive for less than eight centuries, and you're saying that someone must've went out as soon as they got one of these ships, traveled nearly a thousand light years from Terra, just to muck around with some natives' genome?"

Sakamoto sighed. "I am not saying that, Dr. van Horn." He said as he stood. "I am saying, that your friend that I am about to work on is a close enough relation that a human could theoretically breed with her, and that however her ancestors were modified, it happened so long ago that medical science can't even tell when."

The dream came again. Fire burned everywhere, consuming houses and trees, the flames seemingly reaching out for her. Then, as she watched in mute terror, streams of light reached out from a metal monstrosity, tracing the path of her friend, reaching out and finally sawing through his arm, severing it in half.

No! Alexis thought as she watched the event unfold. This isn't how it happened! But as dreams and nightmares do, they ignored her and pulled her along at the same time. Then Mikula jumped out, reaching for his brother, and Alexis couldn't think of anything than to protect the one she cared for so deeply. She leapt out herself, but was too late, as more trails of light reached out, and again, they clipped Mikula in the same leg that had been wounded before.

No, he wasn't hit before! But Alexis moved into the firestorm anyway, turning and firing her weapon. The loud retort of the pistol rang in her mind, and she cheered as the stream of lights temporarily abated long enough for Mikula to get up despite his wounds, and drag himself and his brother to safety behind the metal hunk they used for cover.

But then, as Alexis turned and reached out to gain the same shelter, the stuttering noise again came, and she felt searing hot metal enter her gut. Then she couldn't do anything, couldn't move, and couldn't speak. All she felt was pain.

The nightmare usually ended then, but now it moved forward, and Alexis felt strong arms pull her out and away from the flames. The pain died and she opened her eyes. "Alexis, can you hear me?"

Then she opened her eyes for real, slowly pealing the lids back with sheer will. She saw neither a clear blue sky nor the underside of a forest canopy. But the figure over her bed was the same as the last time she had seen with her own eyes. "Mi- Mikula?" Alexis asked, her voice cracking from lack of use.

Mikula stood leaning over her bed, and he smiled. "Yes, it's me. You're safe now."

Alexis nodded very slightly. "I know." With you I always will be. And then she closed her eyes.

"She's drifted back to sleep now." The female orderly said, reading from the brainwave monitor. She then turned to face Mikula. "She'll probably be in and out like that for a day or two before she wakes up for any appreciable amount of time."

Mikula looked at the orderly and nodded his head. "Thank you, Miss Yamaguchi." He said, pronouncing her name slowly to get it right.

The orderly smiled gently back at Mikula. "You're welcome. Now, since she's fine, I'm going to go on my rounds. You'll be okay here?"

Mikula nodded. "I don't think I could be okay anywhere else."

Van Horn and Pavlo had been standing just inside the room, but after the orderly left, they made their way out quietly, giving Mikula their best wishes. Now, they walked into the lounge at the end of the hallway that serviced the recovery rooms and found seats at a table. "So, Alexis will get much better then?" Pavlo asked after a moment.

Van Horn nodded. "Oh, yes. She's out of it now, but our medicine's come a long way in the past few hundred years." He yawned, having spent a long part of the night keeping Mikula company as he stayed in Alexis' room. "Give her about a week and she'll be out of here. Give her another and she'll be as good as if she hadn't been hurt at all."

Pavlo nodded. "Good. I don't remember the last time I saw Mikula that happy." He observed. "And that was just her waking up for a minute." He smiled slightly at this, prompting one from van Horn. "I'll drink to that." He said. "That is, if we had anything worth drinking."

"Well then," came a voice from the entrance alcove. "I think we should remedy that." Vickers said as he walked over.

"Lieutenant, what a nice surprise." Van Horn said with a smile on his face. "Care to have a seat?"

"Don't mind if I do." Vickers said and he settled down into one of the space seats at the table. "I take it you two have something to be happy about?"

Pavlo nodded. "Alexis woke up for the first time not too long ago."

Vickers smiled politely. "Well, that is good news. And Doc, you're right, that does call for a drink." He reached into a back pocket and pulled out a small bottle that one usually found in hotel mini-bars. "Fortunately, I happen to have one."

Van Horn raised an eyebrow. "Drinking on duty? Lieutenant, I don't want you to get arrested now."

"Not really on duty, technically." Vickers replied as he stood to get some plastic cups from the nearby counter. He returned with three plastic cups and continued speaking as he placed them in front of each occupied seat. "I am, officially, on R&R with the rest of my troopers. So I can have a little snifter of the good stuff and it's all legal."

Van Horn chuckled a bit. "Oh? And I supposed hospital regulations don't count?"

Vickers grinned a bit as he poured the contents of the small whiskey bottle into the three cups. "Well, I said 'legal,' now didn't I? And technically, hospitals ain't the courts."

Van Horn laughed. "Well, if you put it that way." He reached out and picked up his cup and held it up, which prompted Vickers to follow. Pavlo, however, just sat there until van Horn gave him a light kick, and then he raised his cup to match the humans.

"Now, here's to friends getting well, and all the people who made it possible." Van Horn said and he swallowed the mouthful of liquor in his cup. Vickers followed, as did Pavlo, after a second. The latter then choked a bit on his drink, but he got it down, and coughed afterward.

Vickers grinned. "Don't get much whiskey out there, eh?"

"No... We do not." Pavlo said after taking a few breaths. "We also do not get that many drinks of this nature."

"Alcoholic drinks, is what they're called Pavlo." Van Horn said politely. "Like wine, but this is made differently, though with the same purpose."

Pavlo nodded his understanding. "I see. Well, I've never had much preference for that kind of..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of a proper word.

Van Horn felt the need to provide one. "Libation?"

Pavlo blinked and looked at the human. "Earl, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were making up words every day just so you can keep teaching them."

Both van Horn and Vickers laughed at that. "No, Pavlo, it's just that English is one of the most varied languages known, even by human standards." The former replied. "So we have lots of words for the same thing."

Pavlo shook his head in mock rapprochement. "Crazy people."

"Ain't that the truth." Vickers said as he crumpled his plastic cup. "And speaking of crazy people, I came here so that I could drag y'all out to the Defense H.Q."

"Oh? Van Horn asked warily. "All of us? And why?"

Vickers nodded. "Yeah, all of you. Even Mikula, if you can get him to come with." He paused as Pavlo and van Horn rolled their eyes. "Yeah, I know, but I gotta try. The guy in charge of the National Guard here in New Honshu wants to have some input from you guys about the situation on the ground.

"He especially wants any insights you guys might have on how the indi- Err," Vickers caught himself before he used the slightly derogatory term for any planet's native peoples, "I mean, insights on how the Lupar and Gatón will react to our presence."

Van Horn raised an eyebrow. "Why? Is he worried about something?"

Vickers nodded. "Yeah, and I am too, frankly." He sighed before continuing. "I men, look, the Wobbies were able to attract a lot of people to their cause before we smacked them down. Now they have a planet of impressionable, technological primitives." He stopped and looked at Pavlo. "No offense."

"None taken." Pavlo said with a nod. "I can't really say otherwise when I'm sitting where I am."

Vickers smiled a bit. "Indeed, well. As I was saying," he turned to include van Horn in his view again, "the Wobbies are known for attracting the worst aspects of people. Any people. Add to that their crazy brainwashing camps we uncovered in the Chaos March, and you have the potential for them to field a good amount of locals as an opposition force."

Van Horn leaned back in his chair and frowned. "What you say sounds unfortunately true. However, will they? From what I heard on their radio chatter, and from what I saw of the few we encountered up close, they're short on equipment. Hell," he leaned back forward and rested his arms on the table, "they're using pre-Star League 'mechs and vehicles. That's something they haven't done before."

Vickers nodded. "I hear ya, but that doesn't mean that they can't teach any followers to make or use IDEs or Molotovs. Much like you did to attack that group you took on."

Van Horn grunted. "Yeah, you're right about that." He sighed. "So, when do we leave and talk to this big shot?"

"As soon as you can pry Mikula away from Alexis." Vickers said with a bemused look on his face.

Alexis watched the device that was called a 'Tri-D' monitor in wonderment. Although she hadn't had the intense English teaching schedule that van Horn had imposed on Mikula and Pavlo, she had had some of it taught to her before, and her natural curiosity helped her to learn fast. And van Horn was right when he said that watching this strange form of entertainment would help. Words get repeated, and used in a manner that lets me decipher how they are used.

It had been nearly a week since she had woken up, and true to van Horn's prediction, she was going to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Though she had another week of outpatient care, and then some periodic checkups, she was predicted to have a full recovery. That fact alone had made Mikula as happy as Alexis when he heard that during one visit.

Alexis grinned and closed her eyes, remembering that visit. Only a few days ago, and yet it feels like I've been this happy all my life. What had made her happy was seeing Mikula every day, and the way he looked to be as happy as she felt whenever he visited. I wonder if that means he does care for me? She wondered.

Then a knock came at the door, and she opened her eyes to see whom it was. Alexis smiled broadly when she saw van Horn walk into the room. "Earl. How good it is to see you." She said in Gatonese. I want to practice English, but they insist that I don't bother to try too hard until I'm better.

Van Horn returned her smile. "Hello, Alexis. How are you today?"

Alexis shrugged slightly, trying not to disturb the strange tubes stuck in her arms. "I still am a bit tired, but I'm glad to have company." She waved her right arm at the Tri-D set. "Even despite such extravagant entertainment."

Van Horn chuckled as he pulled up a chair to sit by Alexis' bedside. "In reality, that's not extravagant for us. But I see your point." He sat down with a sigh. "But, seriously, Alexis, do you feel up to talking about some things with me?"

Alexis frowned a bit. "I suppose. I take it that this isn't just about the small things we've been talking about?"

Van horn shook his head. "No, not quite. So if you want, I can come back and we can talk about this later."

Alexis shook her head slightly. "No, I'm fine. What do you want to talk about?"

Van Horn took a moment to collect his breath. "Well, I want you to tell me about all the stories you can remember about your people's origins."

She blinked. "Our origins? You mean the stories about the creators?"

Van Horn nodded, and Alexis was surprised at the intense look in his eyes. "Yes, most especially about them. Anything you can tell might be of help."

She frowned a bit, but nodded acquiescence. "Alright, where to begin then?" She leaned her head back and closed her eyes to think.

"The beginning is usually the best place." Van Horn said with mirth in his voice, which made Alexis smile a bit. She then brought her head back up and opened her eyes again to look at van Horn. "Well then, that would be the story of how the creators made our kind and the lupar.

"It starts at the beginning of time, so the story goes. It is said that the creators were all the Gods of our pantheon," she added in the English word deliberately, having heard van Horn use it once and immediately taking a liking to it, "and they were wandering the void that existed before all other things. They became bored, and began to play with their powers, creating all sorts of things, from the stars, to the sun, to the world. Well, my world." Alexis blushed a bit at the last part, knowing now that the story wasn't true.

Van Horn nodded and smiled gently. "Go on, Alexis. Every culture thinks the same thing at one time. So please, continue, and don't change anything on my account."

Alexis stuck her tongue out at van Horn. "Don't you think I know that?" She asked jokingly, and then sighed as she got back her train of thought. "Anyway, so the head God, Sheyana, decided to create something that would surpass all the other creations. So Sheyana went down to the world, into a mountain valley that he carved out of the living rock with his own claws. There, he created a magnificent city, which he called Basun, and he created a race of beings to inhabit it, which were the Gatón. He then became the undisputed ruler of Basun and he treated the Gatón fairly.

"But his wife, Grakia, grew jealous that Sheyana was spending all of his time creating and ruling the Gatón. So she, too, decided to prove herself great and powerful, and she created the Lupar."

Alexis took a breath and laid back on her pillow more. "Alexis, if this is too tiring, I can come back later, or tomorrow." Van Horn said with a concerned look on his face.

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine, I just needed a second. Where was I?"

Van Horn looked dubious, but he nodded. "You were talking about Grakia and the Lupar."

"Ah, yes." Alexis nodded. "So Grakia showed off her creation, but she had not paid as much attention to her work as Sheyana did, and so the Lupar were more violent, vicious even." She paused for a second and blinked a few times. "You know, I don't think I've ever realized how mean that is to the lupar."

Van Horn grunted. "Yes. But I don't think any of them would care, since they probably have the same, nasty story about your people."

"You're probably right." Alexis replied with a sigh. "Well, so being the wife of Sheyana, Grakia naturally wanted to have her creations live in Basun with those of her husband. Although Sheyana had doubts as to the ability of the lupar to live in his crafted city, he nevertheless agreed, as he loved his wife and could not turn her down.

"So the lupar came to live with the gatón in Basun. Despite Sheyana's misgivings, things went well, and for many years, everyone, the Gods, the Gatón and the Lupar lived in peace."

Alexis paused for another breath. "But then the Lupar began to become jealous of the Gatón, and they began to fight with Sheyana's creations. And despite Sheyana's rules, the Gatón, being a proud people, fought back. Eventually, it got so bad that the Gods left in disgust, and Basun fell into ruin as both races fought over its faded splendor.

"After that, the Gatón and Lupar went mainly our separate ways." Alexis finished and again paused for breath. "Was that good?"

Van Horn nodded and gave her a smile. "Yes, Alexis, that was very good."

A rumble came from the window to the outside, and they both started. Then van Horn got up and looked out the window, eventually turning back to the gatón with a sheepish smile. "It's nothing. Just the afternoon storms that occasionally come by the city."

Alexis returned the sheepish smile. "I thought I heard storms a few days ago, but I was too sleepy to be sure." she yawned, as if the mentioning of sleep was enough to make her want to fade out. "Oh excuse me."

Van Horn shook his head slightly. "No, excuse me, Alexis. I've tired you out with your storytelling. Perhaps I should leave?"

Alexis shook her head in response. "No, please. Mikula hasn't been by today, and I'm kind of lonely, even if the nurses are nice and polite."

Van Horn smiled and sat back down. "All right, but I won't bother you with any more stories for now." He sighed and sat back in the chair. "So, since you told me a story, do you want to know anything in return?"

Alexis smiled a bit. "You could tell me where Mikula is."

Van Horn smiled back at her. "Ah. Well, he's been helping us a lot recently, and right now, he's helping some of my friends out by telling them some things about your world." Getting too close to stressful topics here, he thought and decided the change the subject a bit. "He and Pavlo have also been able to go out and visit the city at times."

Alexis smiled again. "Really? Mikula told me about it, how there are buildings larger than mountains, and strange vehicles like your Darter, and ones that fly through the sky." She sighed. "I so want to see it all."

Van Horn reached out and patted Alexis on her right hand. "You will, Alexis. I promise that when you're better, I'll take you and Mikula and Pavlo out and show you some things that will give you stories to tell your children and grandchildren for years to come."

Alexis blushed a bit, though her tail seemed too limp to want to move. "You think I will be able to have kids? Even after being hurt so bad?"

Van Horn frowned. "Alexis, what do you mean?"

"Well, there are all kinds of stories that get around my people's villages." Alexis replied, her ears lying even further back on her skull, as she got worried. "Although only men fight, usually, we sometimes hear of an occasional woman who has some vendetta to settle. Usually after she's been stabbed in the gut and left for dead." Alexis tilted her head down. "Sort of like me, and the stories say that leaves them sterile..."

"Alexis, look at me." Van Horn said, and he waited until she did so. "I haven't lied to you yet, have I?" He paused and she shook her head. "I am telling you this, that you are going to be as fit and well off after you recover as you were before you were hurt." Perhaps even better off, with all the vaccines and antibiotics the doctors gave you. "You may have been hurt bad, but you can still have children."

Alexis smiled and closed her eyes. "That's good. Very... Good...." And then she drifted off to sleep.

Van Horn sighed as he let go of her hand and stood up. Poor thing I tired her out. He reached out and grabbed the Tri-D control and turned the device off. I hope my recorder didn't pick up any of that crap, he thought as he walked to the door. But this is a Telesian Model FEHR-5009, one of the best recorders available in the entire Human Sphere. It'll have her words and it can erase the stuff that isn't in her voice.

Van Horn felt kind of bad, recording Alexis when she didn't know about it. She probably wouldn't have minded anyway, but I don't like to keep things from my friends. He sighed as he walked out the door and down the hallway, heading towards the elevator bank. Still, I didn't want her to feel even more pressured, not when she still needs a lot of rest.

What was unknown to Alexis or the Farkas brothers was that she was actually being induced to be tired by the medical drugs being fed into her system via intravenous drip. But this way, she heals faster, since the other drugs she's getting increase her body's repair abilities. This way, all her energy is being used by her body to adapt to the new organs and finish up the healing of her wounds instead of keeping her awake.

That thought brought on another sigh as van Horn reached the elevator bank and pressed the call button. She's going to have scars thanks to doc Jennings keeping her from healing... But this way, she can recover in a fraction of the time than with conventional treatments. The doors to one car opened and let out a single orderly, van Horn quickly moved to get in it and waited for the doors to close before pressing the number of the floor he wanted.

Even as the elevator lurched and began its descent, van Horn's thoughts went back to what Alexis had mentioned. "Will I be able to have kids?" She asked... Thinking about the future already? Even as part of him warmed up at Alexis' positive outlook, the rest of him became troubled at the recent genetic discoveries. Mikula and Pavlo were both generous, allowing us to sample their DNA. True, they may not have fully understood it, but when I explained that it was what made them, they still didn't mind when I told them that it might help us understand their people better.

The tests had come back with almost the exact the same results that they had gotten with Alexis' DNA. 49 human chromosomes in the section of their DNA that determines species, obvious evidence of gene tampering... And again, what genetic drift we can find indicates at least seven centuries' worth of time since then. Van Horn sighed as his monolog continued. I mean, sweet Jesus! Sakamoto wasn't kidding when he said that our three species are biologically compatible! He shuddered at the implications. Someone, from at least the dawn of human starflight, engineered the ancestors of the Lupar and Gatón with human DNA, turning them into anthropomorphic beings capable of... He couldn't bring himself to even create words in his head for what his unconscious had pieced together, and was now feeding his conscious mind.

"Oh, dear God..."

Ten days later, van Horn carried out his promise. They had been put up at the military base's annex that lay just across the river from the main base, which sat near the spaceport. Although it was for their security, it was also intended to keep knowledge about Bowman's Planet secret, especially after the genetic discoveries that served to challenge a typical citizen's ideas about the nature of the galaxy.

However, even the military can't keep everything secret, and so word began to get out through the base's civilian workers. Still, Admiral Fitzpatrick had exerted his influence over the local commander, who had used his influence to quietly bring in representatives of Neo Tokyo's main news media concerns and several city council members into his office and explained, in no uncertain terms, that the three aliens were guests of the federal government. He then asked them to be quiet about their presence until they left the planet, "so we can avoid any misunderstandings," he had said.

After tonight, it won't matter either way, van Horn thought as he and the three natives of Bowman's Planet rode out in a NewChev limousine from the annex for town. He had promised them a night out, and unbeknownst to him, the military had made itself bound to that promise, as he had been reactivated from his reserve status by order of one Colonel Hubert Sakamoto, brother to the doctor that had treated Alexis.

Van Horn shook his head and smiled inwardly. It's nice to have friends in high places, he mused. Approval for Operation 'Last Call' had come in while Alexis had been recovering, and so the National Guard had been activated by Presidential order to 'provide all due assistance to the Federal Navy and Mobile Infantry in their duty to defend the Republic.' In the wake of that profound order came the rapid mobilization of the National Guard and Militia elements, and Colonel Sakamoto had used his authority to reactivate van Horn under the Able-Body Act to serve as 'indigenous peoples liaison.' Some people might have seen it as Shanghaiing him, but van Horn had met the colonel and explained the situation, much like he had to do with Ladavic and Fitzpatrick.

And so he gave me a legitimate reason to return to Bowman's Planet, van Horn remembered with gratitude, since until activated, he wasn't allowed to take transport on military vessels unless such vessels had rescued him as the Rodger Young had done. Now, however, his reactivation gave him the duty to return, thus fulfilling his promise to help the Lupar and Gatón.

The limousine slowed as it entered heavier traffic, bringing van Horn's thoughts back to the current situation. He smiled as he looked over the three others in the car with him. What a wonder tailors can do, even with people who need tail holes in their outfits. The Sakamotos were an old family, whose roots had a direct path back to ancient Japan. They thus prided themselves on hospitality, and Hubert Sakamoto felt it was his duty to treat the guests of his government with style.

Again, van Horn smiled at how his friends looked. Amazing what a little bathing and simple grooming can do, as well. The three had initially balked at the idea of bathing every day, but they had, like any rational person, come to like the idea. In addition to that, Lieutenant Vickers had a friend in a good tailor, and now the three non-humans were dressed as if born to modern life. Mikula and Pavlo were dressed in conservative-cut suits of a Western nature, while Alexis was dressed in a moderate blue dress that, again, was cut conservatively, but still would make her a head-turner to any male gatón, had any existed within thirty light-years. Or even any open-minded human even... Van Horn shook his head slightly at that thought. Goddamnit! I've got to put that theory on hold... At least until I've got more proof than the mental ramblings that make me look like a damned pervert!

The limo then stopped, and again van Horn found that he had again let his mind wander. I need a day job, he joked to himself as the car's driver opened the right side door. Van Horn waved at the three non-humans. "Y'all go first."

Alexis smiled and she got up first, using her smaller stature to get a head start at leaving the limo. Mikula soon followed, being closer to the door, and then Pavlo and finally, van Horn.

They stood on a sidewalk that had been cleared of the immediate area by three familiar faces that gave the passers-by stern looks of warning. Marks, Castellano, and especially Osis made an impressive, if unofficial escort. Van Horn grinned behind their backs, happy for their help. Damn good people.

Van Horn then looked to see how the other three were doing, and he wasn't surprised to see them entranced by the vistas around them. The entire street was chocked with cars as far as the eye could see. Fortunately, though, electric or fusion-powered cars were required if one wanted to live in Neo Tokyo and not pay an extravagant tax for the privilege of owning a car with an internal combustion engine. Thus, pollution in the city was minimal, for which van Horn was thankful, as his friends had far more sensitive noses.

The natives from Bowman's Planet, however, were not just looking at the street, but they kept turning their heads, looking at the people who walked the sidewalks - a fortunately small amount, since they had picked a theater in a less populated part of the city to visit - and the view of the city skyline, closer as it was than at the base and outlined by the sunset.

"Well, if you three want to stand all night, we can. But we'll miss the movie." Van Horn said to get the little outing back on track. The rest of the group looked to him, the non-humans blushing in their own species' way, while the three M.I. troopers just shared looks and smiled. Then Osis turned and led the way, cutting a path through the small crowd that had started to gather and look at the aliens. However, the group moved inside quickly and quickly met with the theater manager, who had an arrangement with the local military bureaucracy. Within moments, they were upstairs in the balcony, which had been cordoned off for the night.

"So, what is this we are going to watch?" Mikula asked after they were all settled into their seats. The non-humans got the row directly at the front of the balcony, while the humans sat behind them. Thus, Mikula had to turn in his seat to be able to look at van Horn and the others as he spoke.

Marks was the one to reply. "It's an old, old movie, from before our race took to the stars."

"Really?" Mikula had a curious look on his features. "So what's it about?"

"About space travel and fighting in the stars." Castellano said with a grin.

This prompted the other two aliens to turn around and look at the group behind them. "What?" Pavlo asked, clearly confused. "Why bother to see entertainment about something you already do?"

This time, van Horn answered with a smile of his own. "Because it's not the setting that's important, Mikula. Just like the stories of your people don't generally always occur in a real place, we use fictional places to tell our stories. This story we're about to see it over a thousand years old, but it's based on similar stories that are thousands and thousands of years older than that."

"Wow." Alexis said quietly. "It must be quite the tale, then, to be retold like that."

"It is, Alexis, it certainly is." Van Horn replied as the lights dimmed and the crowd in the main theater seating below hushed. Van Horn gestured to the three in front of him to look forward, and they did so just as the opening strains of the score began, and the bright yellow letters appeared on the screen and scrolled upwards.

Mikula warily picked up the unusual food placed before him. "What is this called again?" He asked van Horn, who sat across from him.

"It's called a 'double bacon cheeseburger.'" Van Horn replied between the bites he took from his own sandwich. They sat with their friends at a fast food place that was walking distance from the theater that they watched their movie. Castellano had suggested it, having been out to the same area days before and he had proclaimed the restaurant, 'one of the best slop shops this side of New Washington.' Although a bit trepid at the thought of walking a few blocks, van Horn had decided that it wouldn't be too bad, since the sun had long set, letting night drop its curtains over the city. The group had gotten strange looks, though, and not a few people managed to take pictures from a distance, though ones up close were asked nicely to respect the privacy of the three non-humans.

Van Horn mused over this as Mikula finally bite down on the cheeseburger, and began to chew. When he closed his eyes, smiled, and let his ears lay back, van Horn knew that the lupar liked the food. "Tasty, isn't it?"

"Mmm-hmm." Mikula replied with a full mouth. Next to him, Alexis and Pavlo also began to try their food, which was subtly different from the more traditional meals that the military served.

Of course, their trepidness hadn't applied to the humans, and the three M.I. troopers had already devoured half their meals. "Toldja they'd like it." Castellano said to van Horn as he finished his first chicken sandwich.

Van Horn smiled in reply. "Yes. Yes you did, Dan. But I still say you suggested this place just so you could get fat off the government payroll."

Castellano feigned an innocent look. "Why, you wound me sir!"

"I wish he would," Osis spoke up, "because maybe then we'd get some peace and quiet."

Everyone who didn't have food in their mouth laughed, and even those chewing made amused sounds. "Well, some thanks I get for showin' y'all a good place to eat." Castellano said with a hurt look on his face.

Alexis finished swallowing a bite of her own cheeseburger. "Seriously, Dan, we thank you."

Castellano smiled broadly. "I know, Alexis. We're just playing around." He turned and smacked Osis on the arm. "Ain't we, tubby?"

"'Tubby?'" Osis asked in mock astonishment. "I'll have you now my problem is glandular."

Another round of chuckles passed through the group before van Horn spoke up again. "All right, people, let's eat before this stuff congeals to the table and we have to use a chisel to get it off." A chorus of agreements came and the group quickly ate, self-conscious of the looks they got from the other patrons in the restaurant.

I'll bet that half of them aren't because of our friends, here, van Horn mused, but rather because all of use are dressed far too nicely or a fast food joint. They hadn't really planned on anything specific for the night, seeing the excursion as an excuse to taste the freedom one gets from dumping a day planner into the trash.

"So, what do you three want to do now?" Van Horn asked as they all finished their food. "There's lots of things yet to see in the city."

Pavlo responded first. "But, isn't night falling? Aren't people going back home?" He asked quizzically.

"Well, yes, most are. But big cities like this are lit up all night long, and they never truly sleep." Van Horn answered with a shrug. "So there's always something to do, even during the middle of the night. Although, of course, your choices do grow limited."

"Fascinating." Mikula mumbled from where he sat between Alexis and his brother. Well, what is there for us to see?"

At this, Marks leaned forward and joined the conversation. "Well, there's always the art and history museums, they're open until twenty-three hundred. Or we could take a tour of the governing building, but we'd have to hurry there because they close in two hours."

"There's also Wickham's World." Castellano said, mentioning a Republic-wide amusement park chain. "They have some new rides at the Neo Tokyo park that haven't been built at some of their other parks."

Van Horn cleared his throat at that. "Sorry, Dan, but we really can't go beyond the northern quarter. Colonel Sakamoto was pretty clear on that."

"Oh," Castellano looked crestfallen. "I guess that makes sense. Easier to keep rumors under control if they only happen in one part of the city, I guess."

"Yeah. So what does that leave us?" Van Horn asked. Marks spoke up then. "Well, I know I'm going to get ribbed for this, but there's always the Kitty Kami Mall, and we could browse the shops."

"Women," Osis mumbled, which got him a jab in the ribs. "Ow! Damnit, Jen, I was only kidding."

Marks shook her head at the large man. "Kidding or not, I'll kick your ass."

"All right you two, chill out." Van Horn said, and then he turned to face the three non-humans. "Okay, in the area we can visit, we have an art museum, a mall - that's a big market of sorts," he added when he saw the aliens' eyes blink in confusion. "And Now that I think about it, there's also a nice, large park we could visit, if any of you are tired of the constant cityscape."

Alexis was the first one to speak. "Can't we do all three? I would love to visit a museum and see what your people do in artworks. But I would also like to see what kind of market places you have."

Osis shifted in his seat, which prompted a dirty look from Marks. "Don't say it, Johnny."

"What? I was just trying to take pressure off the ribs you bruised a few minutes ago." Osis replied matter-of-factly.

"Sure. Just remember, I got my eye on you."

Van Horn again cleared his throat to bring everyone's attention back to him. "Okay, we have a proposal by Alexis to see the museum, the mall, and the park. Any objections?" There were none.

Alexis lay down on the grass of the park, facing the sky. "Earl was right, I did miss this."

Mikula chuckled as he sat down next to her. "I guess you miss the ability to blend into the background, eh?"

Alexis razzed him and lightly kicked at him with her foot. "What does Earl always say? Ahh, yes. 'Mr. Smart-ass.'" She replied playfully. "You know that I'd have to be half-naked before my fur lets me blend in."

Mikula blushed at that, and he scratched his head in the manner that he had picked up. "Ah, yes, well..." He coughed and tried to change the subject. "Anyway, it is nice to feel simple grass and smell trees and dirt again."

Alexis propped herself up on her elbows and grinned at Mikula. "You're blushing." How cute.

"Yes, well... You caught me by surprise there." Mikula replied, looking about. "Say, where did the others go? I thought they were just right by that pond."

Alexis looked, but she continued to grin a bit. "Well, Dan did say there was a statue of someone important they wanted to look at. Perhaps they left to go look while we rest?"

"I... I guess." Mikula said, suddenly nervous. "I am just a bit concerned, being someplace new, and all."

Alexis pushed herself all the way up into a sitting position before replying. "Well, you didn't have too much trouble adjusting back at Kuamket. I think you'll be fine here."

Mikula sighed. "Yes, well. In all fairness, you had more to do with that then my own abilities."

"No, Mikula, you were - and are - a very smart man." She reached out and grabbed his right hand in both of hers. "I may have helped, but all the help in the world wouldn't be enough if you weren't."

Mikula blushed again, so deep this time that Alexis wondered if his ears would fall off. "Perhaps you are right." He said quietly, gently pulling his hand free. "And perhaps it's good that the others have left, because I wanted to speak with you about something. Alone."

Alexis tilted her head in puzzlement, one ear flopping down to match the pitch. "Oh?" she asked, and her heart raced a bit. I wonder? Earl said that I was very ill... Did he tell Mikula? "Why so secretive, then?"

Mikula stood up suddenly, his nervousness too much for him to sit still. "Not secretive, not really." He said as he began to pace a bit. "It's just... Something I wanted to tell you. Something I don't feel like anyone else knowing?"

Alexis stood slowly and walked to where Mikula paced. "What is it then?"

Mikula stopped in his pacing, only a couple of steps from Alexis. How do I put this? How do I admit something so... Unusual, preposterous even? Will she laugh at me? Treat me with disgust? Or just feel sad and pity me? He knew that by far, the last thought would hurt him to worst. No matter what, however, I cannot stop now. Mikula took a breath, and then turned to face Alexis.

"Alexis..." He started, but the look in her eyes made him mentally stumble. So open, so caring... He closed his eyes and took another breath. "There's just no easy way for me to say this, Alexis, so please, if I stumble or sound... Odd, will you bear with me?"

"Of course." Alexis said, and she began to feel nervous too, prompting her tail to wrap itself around her leg.

Mikula opened his eyes and looked at her again. Now or never. "Alexis, I've learned many things in the last couple of months. Grand things, from this beautiful city and its people," he swept his right arm out, indicating the massive buildings of the city center as they glowed with lights, "to bits of knowledge that even the most learned lupar wouldn't know in a hundred lifetimes.

"But out of all of that, I keep finding that some of my best memories were of those early days in Kuamket, learning about you and your people." Mikula paused for a quick breath. "But, what makes them so special isn't so much the place, or the time..." He trailed off, again finding the words difficult.

"Mikula..." Alexis began, but he held up a hand. "No, please. Don't interrupt, because I don't think that I could begin again if you do."

Mikula waited until she nodded her head, and then he started again. "Even after Kuamket was attacked, I didn't lose hope. Even after we fell under attack again and again, I still looked forward, still had faith that whatever happened, things would be all right.

"But then..." He took another breath as his emotions welled up. "Then you got hurt. When I saw you fall to the ground... I felt like my own heart was ripped from my chest." Mikula sniffed as he fought his memories. "I pulled you in, and held you, and when you opened your eyes, I felt relieved. But then they closed again and... And for the first time in a long time, I felt no hope. I felt as if the world could end and I would not care. I felt that I could not live to see tomorrow..."

Mikula lowered his head, and he looked at his feet. "From then on, until you awoke in the hospital, I worried about you. Almost all of my waking thoughts would have been just about you, lying in pain, had not Earl kept me busy. But still, between those times when Earl kept me busy, my thoughts returned to you."

He sighed, but still looked down. "Over time, I slowly realized one thing. And I must tell you this before we go back home, back to war and our possible deaths." At that, he looked back up at Alexis, who saw that his eyes were wet with the promise of tears. "I love you, Alexis."

The moment stretched, as both of them looked at each other, the distant rumble of a dropship taking off punctuating the scene. Then, Alexis sniffed. "Oh, Mikula." She quickly moved the few steps to Mikula and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you too. I think I've always loved you ever since I saw you..." She whispered softly.

Mikula hugged her back, wrapping his larger arms around to clasp them at the small of her back. He said nothing, but simply brought his head down and nuzzled the side of Alexis' head, sticking his snout next to her ear. "I was so worried...." He muttered softly. "Worried what you would say, if you didn't feel the same."

Alexis leaned her head back, away from Mikula's and she brought her right arm from its hugging position to snake it under Mikula's arm. Reaching up, she gently grabbed the end of his muzzle and clasped it shut with her hand. "Hush." She said, and then she removed her hand, and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.