"No, sir. But are you telling me that Bjarne somehow became an Admiral?"

"Somehow? He was the greatest Kvintolian war hero of all time! He led the United Kvintolian Forces against the Lantulans and established our current government as the dominant political power of the galaxy. His sister wed Prince Frövi and bore several offspring, including the future King Fyllen. The Nyttja Family still presides over our government today, albeit in name more than in actual practice."

"Nyttja? Trysse Nyttja? This is all so overwhelming. I wonder how Bjarne found his way back home. But if he did it, then I can too! I’m going to get back to Earth if it’s the last thing I do!"

With this emphatic proclamation, the storyteller leaped off his barstool and spun towards the exit. But before he could take even three paces, Rigga’s now solemn voice cut through his chest more painfully then any flitterbee’s tooth ever could.

"Earth? My dear boy, Earth was destroyed over 450 years ago. The way you were talking, I would have thought that you knew that."

"Destroyed?" He didn’t turn around, his head sunk towards the floor. "What do you mean, ‘destroyed’?"

"The final conflict between the UKF and the Lantulans", explained Rigga, "took place on and around Earth. A single planet could not withstand as many intense hits as Earth took without catastrophic consequences. Although well out numbered, the Lantulans had far superior weapons, and the result of their use was devastating. Earth spun out of her orbit, although most of the beings on the planet had already perished. I guess Earth was such an insignificant planet that no one bothers to fret over the smaller details of the war."

"Insignificant? My entire family was on Earth." Suddenly, his head jerked up. "Wait! If Trysse made it off of Earth alive, then maybe my family did! I have to find out what happened to them!" And then he raced towards the doorway.

"But sir, where are you going?"

"I’m going to find out the whole truth about what happened on Earth!"

"All the good luck in the galaxy to you, young sir! By the way, what was your name again?"