Chapter 4

Greetings one and all! Let's get right into finding out what's happening to Warren and company in the supply house and elsewhere with our favorite alien emperor!

###

Ztar and Jharda were spending a quiet evening in their palace chambers, snuggled in bed. The fireplace originally built as a gift from Ztar to Archangel as the only source of light, its flickering flames casting dancing shadows throughout the room. Ztar sipped Dison, while the mother-to-be had chosen a sweet-tart fruit beverage.

"And in our son's fourth year, his body vauntu should begin physical training in the warrior arts."

Jharda's hand darted to her belly in a protective move. "Don't you think that's rather young?"

Ztar smirked. "If he was not our child, you would not be so shielding," he chided with a gentle chuckle. "No, four is the right age. Wielding weapons must become as natural to him as walking, and training needs to start early for that to happen."

She looked worried. "I know it's tradition, Ztar, but that doesn't mean we need to follow the old ways exactly. We're changing as a people." She twisted to look into his face. "You know that – you are responsible for leading us away from warrior and conquering ways."

He considered for a moment; then shook his head. "No. I'm redirecting those ways toward the defensive rather than offensive. We must remain strong in arms as a people, but our swords need to be pointed in the direction of enemies – not toward peoples who have done nothing more than possess worlds we covet."

"But doesn't that turn us simply into the guards at the gates? Ours is a tradition of conquest – not of mere sentinels."

He was surprised at her questioning and let that show on his face. "I disagree, my Jharda! We have always ferociously protected that which is ours. It did not matter how we acquired those lands and worlds – all were defended equally to the death. We have always been and, if I have anything to say about it, always will be the ultimate defenders. The universe changes…we must change as well or find ourselves obsolete. Now instead of taking by force, we will extend welcome, and in the Turzent tradition, defend all who join us as if they are of our own blood. It is for that purpose we must now train our warriors – it is a dangerous universe." When a smug smile graced Jharda's face, Ztar realized what she had done. He opened empathic senses – his wife-to-be was pleased. "Oh, you are a sly one, my beloved. Testing me?"

Her smile stretched wider. "Making sure we're still on the same path. It would not do for your head of Planetary Relations and Imperial Communications to contradict her monarch's intentions."

He chuckled. "And you cleverly redirected the discussion away from our son's training!"

Jharda joined the laughter. "Almost succeeded. However, there is one extremely important point on which we are on divergent paths."

"That would be?"

Looking him straight in the eyes, Jharda put a firm expression on her face. "Our daughter will begin her training at age four, as per warrior tradition."

That garnered hearty laughter from the father-to-be. "And who am I to argue with the mother of our future monarch?"

Suddenly, an odd sensation hit at the center of Ztar's being…like a draining or tearing deep inside. He sucked in a startled breath, and his blood ran instantly cold. Jharda's eyes widened.

"Ztar?! What is it?" She bolted upright.

With sickening realization, he recognized the sensation. "It's Archangel! He is-" Ztar could barely say what his soul knew to be true. His body shuddered with nausea and dread. "Archangel is dying!"

###

Volu was stunned. She knew from Ettwanae and Warren that the Dark Ones hadn't been affected by their phase guns on Neu, but to be unaffected by her vastly more powerful, slightly dimensionally-shifted energy was shocking. What manner of beings were they?

She could turn up the power, but with Ettwanae, Warren, and Flint right there, she dare not. Volu did the only thing she could without risking the others – morphed shield energy and sent the creature sailing away in a powerful punch. Where he landed, she cared not.

Gatebi was already in the bay, waiting to assist as the hatch dialed open.

"Ettwanae, get everyone inside now!" Volu ordered.

"We have company!" the Alcab yelled as emergency vehicles came into view.

"Security forces are in route, as well."

###

Ettwanae dropped to Warren's side, her heart racing in fear.

"Twae – what that bastard said…" Flint's voice was tight as he crawled to reach the pair. Warren was ghostly white and not breathing. "Is he?"

She gathered him up and hugged her man close. "Warren, please…please be alive. Dear goddess!"

Gatebi leaned out the opening as Volu sank within feet above them. "We must hurry!" She caught Flint's eye. "Help her get him inside. We must leave now!"

"Volu, is he alive?" Ettwanae asked weakly, not wanting to hear anything but yes.

"Hurry, my Poda – other Dark Ones are close. Someone or something is still blocking my sensors."

Flint was at Ettwanae's side, yanking the woman to her feet as she clung to her beloved. "Goddess, please!" Sobs were trying to burst free.

Security forces were quickly surrounding them, but Flint suddenly looked conflicted, and his eyes shot up toward Gatebi. "What about our supplies? We don't got enough food to get to Atmos Prime!" he shouted.

"We have more urgent problems, Flint!"

"Come on, Twae. We gotta move!"

Together, Flint and Ettwanae lifted Warren's limp form through the hatch and then climbed inside.

Suddenly, a booming voice filled the sky. "This is Ayni Security! Land immediately or we will fire weapons. This is your only warning!"

The hatch dilated closed.

###

Pilots of the security crafts watched in disbelief as the odd-looking vessel hovering over the dismantled supply house simply disappeared and fell off scanners.

###

"Ettwanae, listen to me carefully," the Eshaar'ne said in a firm voice to cut through her Other's paralyzing fear. "His Aru is nearly depleted – you must restore it. Place your hands on Warren and open to the Source. Do it now."

No one, nothing else existed, except the vision of her soulbound's unbreathing body. Then a pair of brown-skinned hands grabbed hers and placed them tenderly but quickly on Warren's chest.

/ My Poda, open the channel and funnel lifeforce into Warren. He is not yet dead, but he will be in moments if you do not. /

"I- I understand." Closing her eyes, she willed herself to be calm and reached down to that intangible gateway. She struggled to reach what she knew was there, but it eluded her. "I can't!" Panic renewed.

/ You can, Ettwanae. Drop your cloak as it may be creating interference; then calm yourself. Let it happen – your own Aru is weak and will seek Source naturally… simply allow that to happen. /

With the cloaking technology disengaged, she took a deep breath in, released it slowly, trembling despite efforts for a smooth exhale. At first, she could sense nothing. Then a few rapid heartbeats later, the gateway eased open and the flow began to well up.

/ Gently, Poda. Not too much too quickly. A small stream. Do not push…let Source flow of its own accord. You, and Warren through you, will automatically take what is needed. /

The soft mental voice was soothing and assuring. Ettwanae felt the slightest of tugs as Warren's Aru sought to renew itself. Slow. Steady. She could feel breath return as his chest rose once shakily, then fell. Again, stronger. And again. Strength returned that had nothing to do with the physical body – inner strength, the strength of life's energy. She let it flow of its own accord for however long it may.

Gatebi and Flint sat spellbound on the bay floor. Ettwanae seemed entranced as a golden aura surrounded her, extending out from her by several inches. Flint knew he'd never seen anything as beautiful as Ettwanae in those moments. Her eyes closed, face serene, glowing like the heavenly beings depicted in some long forgotten biblical flick he'd seen. He also knew he'd likely never see anything so wondrous again, and it surprisingly brought tears to his eyes.

The elder woman's analytical side compared the sight with the healing of Volu; that was blinding intensity. Saving Warren was soft, radiant…and beautiful. Were Eshaaru the basis for her own people's belief in gossamer-winged beings called the Ulii? They were escorts of the soul of the newly deceased – ensuring the spirit arrived safely at a higher plane of existence. It was said they glowed softly in golden light when performing their duty. Anything was possible, she told herself and smiled lovingly at her beautiful and mysterious friend.

When the flow lessen and finally ceased, Ettwanae opened her eyes as Warren's lids fluttered, then lifted. Crystalline-blue locked to crystalline-blue. Ettwanae moved a hand from Warren's chest to cup his face.

"My soulbound," was all she could manage around the huge lump in her throat.

"Warren is well," Volu announced. "He will be unsteady for a few minutes, but there should be no lasting ill affects."

Struggling to sit up, confusion reigned – last he remembered, they were in the supply house.

"What happened?"

"Man, you scared the livin' shit outta us!" Flint snapped as he jumped up. "Don't you go doing something so stupid again! Grabbing a Dark One and taking off? What the hell was ya thinking?"

"I appreciate the concern," Warren offered, taking the berating as the teen's way of expelling left-over stress.

However, Gatebi shot a frown to Flint. "We are all happy you are still with us, Warren."

Ettwanae moved to help Warren to his feet. "You need rest."

Warren tried to shake the cobwebs from his mind as he reached for Ettwanae's extended hand. "I take it the Dark One tried to suck the life out of me."

"Damn near succeeded, too! Twae had to give you Aru-to-Aru resuscitation."

Warren raised his eyebrows at the Eshaaru. "I recall you being in pretty bad shape, too. You okay?"

She nodded as Volu broke in. "You both need rest. We have left Ayni and planetary security cannot find us."

Flint laughed. "What a hoot! Vo rips the roof off their version of Sam's Club®, snatches us out, and then just disappears like Houdini. Ha! Would a loved to see their faces!"

"Disappeared like what?" Gatebi questioned.

Flint slapped his forehead. "Houdini – the magician?" Blank looks from Ettwanae and Gatebi answered. "Forget it. Keep forgettin' Humans ain't exactly first class citizens in Ztar Almighty's hood."

Ettwanae brushed the hair off Warren's face. "I think we should do what Volu said – get some rest. Come cuddle with me on the lounger?"

Flint snickered while muttering, "Oh yeah, that'll be restful!" Gatebi jabbed him with an elbow.

Despite Warren's reservations about stirring up certain urges, a minute later found them entwined together on the gathering room lounger and drifting off quickly.

###

Gatebi watched Warren and Ettwanae ride the lift to the second level, arms and wings entwined, and then scanned the bay with a deep sigh.

Flint gave her a curious look. "What's up?"

"Lack of supplies. We gained nothing with our visit to Ayni." Then she redirected to the ship. "I presume you do not want to return there, Volu."

"You presume accurately."

"Then what do we do? Backtrack?"

"That may not be necessary, Flint. There are settlements within The Barrens. They may not have as much variety as an imperial supply house, but we should be able to get the basics. Additionally, I anticipate their security measures are less sophisticated."

The teen huffed. "Don't seem right. They're all crooks and outcasts! They should have better security."

"They would not always have easy access or funds for the latest technology," the Eshaar'ne explained.

"Do we got any idea exactly where to find supplies in The Barrens?" Flint queried.

The seconds of dead silence from Volu were not comforting. "I am certain once we are within that territory, I will find a suitable facility."

Flint's arms shot up in the air in dismay. "You haven't got a fuckin' clue where to find grub there, right?"

One could feel the air stiffen. "Public charting of The Barrens is not available, but my sensors will detect settlements. Settlements require supplies. We will find what we need."

"Then tap into some unpublic charting, Vo. The Empire's security dogs gotta have somethin' on the neutral zone."

"I am certain they do, but I have not been able to locate that data."

The teen looked torn between frustration, disbelief, and amusement. "Super snoop is foiled?"

Gatebi came to Volu's defense. "She's not all-powerful, Flint. The government doesn't want anyone having access to information about that region of space – it would make it too easy to for those who wish to go where they should not. Imperial security would make finding and accessing the data extremely difficult."

"Thank you, Gatebi – that is exactly the situation."

"What about your superior nav records, then?"

"That information is very old, Flint. The Barrens is not a typical settlement region. The inhabitants may be more nomadic given their circumstances."

"So bottom line, we're on our own. I say we go back to an imperial storehouse. Why not? What's the hurry?"

"Why backtrack if we can find what we need by going forward? We always have the option of turning around," the Alcab argued.

The jump-first boldness was uncharacteristic; normally the woman leaned toward caution. Flint raised eyebrows and then squinted as he examined his shipmate. "What'd ya do with Gabby? Who are you?"

The woman crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "What are you talking about?"

"You goin' Daredevil. That's not the Gabby I know."

The woman huffed. "I'm trying to be efficient, and I trust Volu to locate what we need."

Flint's eyes narrowed even more. "Uh-uh, not buying it. We're in a hurry for some reason…wait a minute. You and Twae've been talking, right?" The green eyes shot wide and he jerked. "You two think Warren's gonna go all badass on us, and we gotta find that mega library quick. Ha! I'm right, aren't I?"

"Your imagination is running ahead of rational thought again, Flint." With that, Gatebi dropped her arms and headed toward the lift.

"I'm right or you wouldn't be walking off…you'd stand here and explain why I'm off base!" he snapped to her retreating form. "What are you girls keeping from me!" No response from the Alcab. "I'm not your baby brother that needs protecting, ya know!"

Gatebi stopped dead in her tracks. A shiver shot through her body. The woman who swung around to face her shipmate was twisted with fury. "What do you mean by that?!" she snarled.

Flint was stunned speechless. "I- I-"

"Don't ever compare yourself to my brother again, do you understand? EVER!" she whirled around in fury and stormed to the lift.

"What the fuck was that about?" Flint managed once the shock wore off. 'She's never said nothing 'bout a brother…'

###

A half-hour later, General Gtar-Cro's avatar vanished from Ztar and Jharda's chambers at the royal palace. They'd learned quite a bit in that time.

Even as Ztar was placing his panicked comm to his military intelligence overseer, the draining sensations went into reverse…a filling up of sorts – the best description he could find to relate the feeling.

While Ztar was explaining to Gtar-Cro the reason for the urgent interruption, the Military Intelligence General received word from Ayni of an unfolding situation involving a detected Hydeera signature. As the men talked, Gtar-Cro shared the incoming reports and all their troubling detail. When Gtar-Cro's image winked out several minutes after Archangel's vessel disappeared from scanners, Ztar immediately sent a comm to his former companion. He desperately wanted personal assurance the man was well – he'd make no assumptions based on sometimes-fickle empathic connections.

Ztar settled back in bed, resting against the pile of pillows, as Jharda emerged from the bathroom. "No word from Archangel yet?"

He shook his head. "Not unusual, though. He doesn't always carry his PI."

Jharda crawled in beside her lover. "Unwise. Court members are to have it with them at all times for a reason. You should remind him of that."

Ztar simply nodded. Jharda did not know with whom Archangel traveled and did not understand that Esserru were a skittish lot.

As he waited for a return comm, the Emperor snuggled in tight with his future empress and reviewed what he'd learn. The incident was a replay of Hydeera. Enigmatic ship swoops in, yanks the top off a building, and rescues select individuals. The difference with Ayni was they knew the people involved – Archangel and the Esserru, Ettwanae. Of course, Gtar-Cro did not know that their fellow Court member traveled with the legendary being – that knowledge had been wiped from the General's memory at his own request to preserve Ztar's vow of secrecy to Archangel.

"How did you know Archangel would be at Ayni?" Jharda's question startled him from ruminations. She was studying him closely with large, dark eyes. In those orbs, he read concern, but it was directed at him rather than over Archangel's situation. Empathic senses confirmed that witnessing how strongly linked he was to the Human had rattled the usually sanguine woman. What thoughts had gone through her quick intellect while he and Gtar-Cro talked?

"Archangel shared their next destination before we parted company at Tchutchka Centrus. Knowing his penchant for trouble, I commanded that MI's Ayni orbital satellite notify Gtar-Cro when he arrived."

In actuality, the satellite was configured to seek out the Hydeera signature, but Jharda did not know of the connection between that unique ship signature and Archangel's current traveling companions.

She frowned. "He must have taken a side trip – at standard velocity, that is days longer than it should take to go from Tchutchka to Ayni, unless I'm mistaken."

Ztar reached down to pull up the luxuriant bedcovers. "You are correct, though he did not say they were going directly to Ayni." He chuckled softly. "Knowing our friend, he wanted to stop somewhere to stretch his wings. Impossible to do that in Tchutchka's fierce winds and after the stress of the interrogation, he likely needed to release tensions." Resettling deep into the warmth of their bed, Ztar pulled Jharda close and kissed her forehead. "You do know that regardless of the empathic connection I have with Archangel, you are the one who holds my heart?"

Her hand drew slowly across his abdomen and up his chest. "I do, but I also know that your heart will always hold a place for him." Ztar was going to speak, but she placed her fingers across his lips. "Shhhh, it's okay. As I've said before, I understand why and accept what is. What I don't understand is how you can feel him from so far away. How is that possible?"

The General also expressed amazement at Ztar's ability to sense Archangel's distress, but it did not shock the man as it had at Neu. The two incidents firmly established that somehow, someway Ztar could sense when his former companion was in mortal danger across vast interstellar distances – far beyond what any telepath or empath was known to be capable of doing.

"If we could learn how it is that you accomplish such a feat…" the military man had offhandedly remarked once they knew all was likely well with their wandering Court member. Ztar did not offer to be a study subject, nor would he ever.

"The universe is full of mysteries. All I can say is, why should it be impossible?"

Jharda lovingly brushed errant wisps of hair from his face. "Please don't worry so…Archangel will be fine. From all you've told me, what I have heard…he is strong and resourceful. Whatever it is he is searching for, he will find."

She did not know the reason her fellow Court member was roaming the empire, but she accepted Ztar's explanation that it was a personal matter. Jharda respected the explanation, and Ztar was grateful to her for not pressing the issue.

The woman he cherished stretched and curled around him possessively; her growing belly pressed against his side, and murmured the need for sleep. As Jharda drifted off, Ztar replayed the balance of the comm with the General. As expected, the Ayni satellite detected the unmistakable energy signature of the Esserru ship as it sank down through the atmosphere unnoticed by civilian air traffic's less sophisticated tracking scanners.

Having detected the vessel, it was an easy task to track Archangel, Ettwanae (who still read as Sat'reyan on even the military scanner), and another Human male to the warehouse. For many minutes, sensors easily probed the unshielded building to monitor the threesome. Then suddenly, all readings ceased – blocked by a powerful force that could not be penetrated. Who was responsible?

Then came feeds from Ayni Planetary Security vehicles as they exchanged puzzlement and alarm about the odd-looking, unresponsive craft hovering over the decapitated supply house. Any remaining doubts it was same ship were erased by the visuals – a match to MI's extrapolated rendering from Hydeera. But the vid that made Ztar's blood run cold was seeing a limp Archangel being hoisted into the belly of the Esserru ship.

What had happened in the warehouse to fell the man and force the Esserru ship into revealing itself visually, and taking such extreme action as ripping off the roof? Who was behind the attack? The Etagllot? Someone else? Gtar-Cro pointed out that the raw sensor data indicated an anomalous reading being literally batted away from the scene. Was that reading the attacker using some form of personal cloaking? Gtar-Cro promised careful analysis.

In the end, they were left with more questions than answers.

"Archangel, you attract trouble like a black hole," he muttered quietly, shaking his head in worry and resignation. 'Where are you off to now? Beyond my reach?'

As they arrived on the scene, Security's audio sensors picked up a snippet of conversation between Archangel's shipmates even before they got a fix on the group visually. One shouted sentence came through clearly, "We don't got enough food to get to Atmos Prime!" That was a desolate planet within Commonwealth territory, Gtar-Cro had explained.

The ship's departing trajectory confirmed the audio – it was a straight shot toward The Barrens, a lawless wasteland of outcasts, criminals, profiteers, and other vermin with reason to nest close to both realms, yet out of legal reach of either.

Was the Human's hope for a cure to the nannites somehow connected with an uninhabited planet? Beyond even there? Within the buffer zone, Ztar could send clandestine protection. Within the Commonwealth, he may be able to broker some sort of arrangement, but likely at a steep price. That was the limit of Ztar's protective shield. Beyond neighboring realms and nearby unclaimed space, the Human was on his own.

Ztar's chest retightened with worry. The only thing holding fear to manageable levels was the fact his beloved Court member was with an Esserru. He'd put his faith in the ancient race's ability to safeguard the precious Human. Saying a silent prayer to the gods of Sat'rey was all the Emperor could do for the moment.

Suddenly, his PI chimed Stjarmas'de's tone. Concern was immediate. The lawmaker always determined the time of day wherever Ztar was. Unless the matter was urgent, the man never called at night. Did the realm's ultimate legal voice have bad news?

###

His mind would not shut down as it rehashed their quest thus far. Dangers seemed to wait at every turn. The near disaster on Neu. Another narrow escape on Ayni. Story of his life, and now Ettwanae's. Enemies were many…mad-scientist Etagllot, genocidal Shozen, and life-sucking Dark Ones.

Warren felt small against those forces. Could he keep them safe; their little makeshift family that God or the universe had thrown together? He wasn't some super-powered mutant – he was an Earthling with fancy wings.

'The bad guys are shaking in their boots!'

Sarcasm aside, logic said he was in over his head. But he'd been in similar predicaments many times and somehow always came out on top. 'Well, usually.' All said and done, he wasn't ready to give up – the potential prizes were too good.

He gazed at the sleeping form next to him. He loved Ettwanae, but hadn't told her yet. Soon, he promised himself. Protectiveness had overwhelmed him earlier than evening. Ettwanae was more scared than ever, she admitted a couple hours after they'd awakened in the gathering room. The supply house attack shook her to the core.

'I- I was so scared! I thought you were dead!' she'd exclaimed as remembered panic filled her eyes. 'I couldn't handle that – if I lost you, too…it'd be too much…' Then she cried in his embrace, releasing the emotional aftermath of their narrow escape.

All he'd wanted to do was hide her away somewhere safe. Nannite cleansing be damned. Finding more Eshaaru? Not worth the risk. Soulbinding…they'd find another way. Her safety was all that mattered. Yet reason followed quickly. If they quit, could they live with the decision? Instinct said it would eat away at them. No, they needed to see things through. It was the only way.

He sighed deeply under the weight of responsibility he'd taken on – and of his own fears. The worst being a single word – nannites. Even a fleeting thought of transforming again into Apocalypse's death machine made him ill.

After Ettwanae's tears had halted, she wanted him to stay with her that night. He was certain it would be a mistake, but she begged. Surprisingly, Aru gave them a pass and didn't poke and prod. They didn't push their luck. Coiled together, they simply laid in each other's arms until Ettwanae drifted off. Warren wasn't as lucky.

And so there he was. Eyes closed, he listened to the silence. It truly was silent – Volu's womb was unlike that of a mechanical ship with all manner of subtle background noise. The only sound within Volu's walls was their breathing. He focused in on her slow, deep breaths. They soothed his troubled mind, as did her body curled around his.

He tenderly brushed the golden hair that framed the face he could gaze into for hours and still not get enough. His miracle. His precious Ettwanae. His soul's desire.

Soul's desire – she was that. 'No conditional terms or exception clauses, Worthington. Man up and make the commitment. Volu had it right – you're stringing the girl along.' He rubbed tired eyes. 'Time to throw out the thousand and one excuses to avoid what you know you need to do.'

Another sigh. Another gaze at the vision of a sleeping angel. His angel. She'd already committed herself to him. He was the one dragging uncertain feet.

'What I would give to truly be with you?' The simple question threatened to rise up the chronic need for what seemed like the millionth time. He cringed. 'Guess Aru isn't completely asleep.' Yet over the weeks, the phenomenon had become easier to deal with. 'Amazing what you can get use to with enough determination.' Feelings that would have been nearly impossible to suppress when they first met they now pushed down with far less effort – usually. The insistent physical ache they were learning to live with; as with the chronic pain of heart and soul. 'Just until we find a way,' he reminded himself.

The possibility they might find the legendary library or Ettwanae's people but no solution to their dilemma he would not acknowledge…a self-deception he'd allow himself. Warren traced the outline of her form with his hand without touching her, just a barest distance between his skin and hers. Seductive energy danced in that breadth of space, tantalizing with whispers and licks of potential passion. He quickly pulled away. 'Why torture yourself?' he asked with a quiet groan.

Then as if a match was struck, anger flared. 'Why is my life always screwed?! Why does everything good have to be so fucked up? The Worthington curse. Material things come easy…the important stuff's a whole other matter. Like love and happiness. That's the beauty of the curse, isn't it? All the trappings of an easy life, but it's a hollow existence.'

Fists clenched at the injustice. 'Give me a taste of what I could have then yank it away. Someone's laughing. Made me think I'd broken the curse. Here comes the shit truck again. But it doesn't just dump its load on me – it splatters everywhere. Ettwanae, for example. Look what's she's enduring because of me! Damn the gods, as Ztar would say.'

The fact that Ztar slipped into his thoughts jarred him. Ztar had started out as a horror in Warren's life. Stolen from his home and forced into a life of subjugation to a then cruel alien Emperor. But in the end, things turned out as Warren could never have envisioned in his wildest imaginings. An entire Empire was better for what he endured; what he had accomplished. He helped change a man, who then changed their tiny corner of the galaxy.

'Perhaps that what's happening again? Perhaps I shouldn't jump to conclusions of shit dumping.' He considered that. Sukja's advice ran through his mind – Warren could choose to be angry or he could choose otherwise. 'Are you mature enough to set anger aside again, War ol' boy? Where would resentment get you anyway? Bitter, tense…probably bring out the asshole in you.'

He turned toward Ettwanae and gently pulled a stray strand of hair off her cheek. 'You deserve better than a bitter asshole.'

Studying the beautiful spirit next to him, Warren couldn't justify holding to anger. She was worth any price. He'd gladly pay whatever God or the universe demanded to be with her. If that price meant he had to take on the Shozen, Etagllot, and the Dark Ones, that's what he'd do.

"If I have to look under every fucking rock in the Milky Way to find Etxan'Ir, that's what I'll do," he whispered. A shared future was out there somewhere for them. Warren believed that. He needed to believe it.

Will and heart steeled. They'd continue their quest no matter the price, with one exception. Ettwanae or her happiness he would not jeopardize. If at anytime he believed she would be better off without him, he would leave. He would love enough to let go.

With renewed determination, Warren let his mind drift with sweet imaginings of he and Ettwanae living a happy life as a couple, maybe with kids thrown in for good measure, if genetics allowed. Their children laughing and running – flying! – around the Centerpoint estate as he and Ettwanae proudly watched.

With a smile on his face, sleep finally took him.

###

Next chapter: Warren comes to a decision, and a question is answered from Soulbound – what is in the blue box Warren brought from Earth?

See you soon.