[Scarlett O'Hara]

“CAPTAIN!” announced the ship loudly and formally. “He is approaching. One moment our sensors detected a ripple and then....” P’Mela interrutped irritably “Who the hell is he, Te’Zsing? Be specific.” she ordered. She had only just emerged from her long soak and was patting dry with a thick warm towel. So many dreams, nightmares, visions over hundreds of years and now she was finally beginning to understand why and how. And she was in a murderous mood! Repeating her remarks even more forceably and rudely “SHIP! Who is approaching?” There was a moment of silence and the ship, humbled, said routinely “Captain WarMaster Aik Haw. He is approaching in a ship of unknown configuration, but with proper j‘Son‘jon clearance codes. He commands us....” P’Mela said softly, calmly “Permission to dock with us is denied the WarMaster Captain. Give him my regards and tell him to go to Hell. I no longer need or want his assistance.”

“But Boro’Ches, he is a WarMaster Captain, our Superior Commander!” replied Te’Zsing in an astonished voice. “He is our...” P’Mela calmly replied “I know who and what he is, Ship. Permission to dock is denied. Tell him that he is no longer needed, or welcomed, aboard any ship of mine.” She calmly walked to her bedroom, opened her closet and began to patiently search through her clothes. A smile played on her face as she found the one she knew she would wear when she finally agreed to Aik Haw’s presence! It was always this game they played. But the current Te’Zsing’s personality matrix had never seen them together, or playing this game. Only this time, she knew far more than she had ever known before. Something in her mind had released, and she knew who she was, where she was from, and how most of it had happened. She would serve revenge to this particular j’Son’jon WarMaster Captain and make up for all her people. All the people of her real homeworld slaughtered through the centuries by the Empire, his empire, not hers! It mattered not that he had been her Sonjon mentor, lover, friend or senior officer. He would be the first one she killed with her reacquired knowledge and memories. And as they say Vengence is a dish best served cold.

As she listened to the interplay between Te’Zsing and Aik Haw’s ship, then himself personally, she engaged in her rituals. Or rather the rituals she had thought was hers for over 700 years! First a leisurely manicure and pedicure; then a long massage of herbal moisturizer (the last of her supply!); and still she listened to the communication chatter. Occasionally she laughed out loud at the irritation in Aik Haw’s voice. He was so predictable! The orders, the reminders of rank and priviledge, then irritation and threats. Always the same. It would be the death of him, his predicatability. Slowly, she applied the tribal eye makeup. Of course, that too was a lie implanted in her memory so long ago. These really were not her homeworld rituals but over the course of 700 years, they had become relaxing and reassuring. So she continued.

Fingering the extremely sheer material of the chemise, she first donned the pale yellow thobs and slowly fastened the lavender and white braiding at each ankle and her waist. Then she pulled on the matching yellow chemise, leaving the hood hanging loosely behind her and fastened the braiding on each wrist. This outfit was the sheerest of all her clothes. It left nothing to the imagination. But beautiful and feminine, random clusters of delicate ribbon embroidery were strategically placed for the hint of modesty. But there was no modesty in this attire. She admired herself in the mirror and laughed. Brushing her hair vigorously and preparing it for covering with the hood, she realized that this really wasn’t necessary for a Sonjon. Inferior butchers and murderers. Defiantly she shook her hair loose.

Finally ready, she announced softly “Te’Zsing, send my personal apologies to the WarMaster Captain. I will greet his ship at the docking collar.” She laughed loudly when Te’Zsing replied testily “WHAT?” (the result of two hours of arguing with another sentient ship and captain, no doubt!). Then catching his mistake Te'Zsing replied respectfully “Yes, Captain.” But he didn’t cut communications right away. The ship let her hear his mumbling. She smiled at her ship and his personality so well defined. This was going to be fun. Just thinking about watching a Sonjon’s reaction to her change would be worth 700 years of deception!

As Lady P’Mela Piaue LeonDocTchi, Heir to the Raegel Kentaurus throne, checked her reflection one last time, she smiled. This was going to be fun! She would make WarMaster Captain Aik Haw pay for every j'Son'jon misdeed inflicted on her people! And she would enjoy every moment of it, every sensation of it, when she killed him. She had decisions to make before she reached the docking collar! She had never enjoyed planning a killing of an enemy with this much pleasure before. She was beginning to feel like she really was a Boro'Ches!

[Stranger]

The Stranger was a man born to bad luck. He was convinced of it. He had never been more convnced of it than now, standing in the doorway, looking across the room to see K'th-Na sitting at a table.

The last time he had seen that old devil, the Dragon Lord had amused himself by beating the lights out of a green dragon called Rath'na and then dropping him at Stranger's feet; a twenty foot tall, very battered- and very pissed off- dragon.

It was a curse laid on him by some vile witch or something. I mean, he had been minding his own business, comfortably ensconced in a hayloft with a lovely lass who was showing him some of the more practical uses for hay when her Papa showed up, in a vicious mood and pitchfork in hand.

Of course he had done the only expeditious thing, which was to jump out of the loft. It is a long way down, my friend, a trip made no more pleasant by the sight of her three brothers waiting for you on the ground.

It must be said that Stranger is nothing if not versatile, and damned quick on his feet when he has to be. Somehow he managed to get free of the three and outran them to a grassy knoll, where he performed an amazing feat of magic.

Stranger is a magician, you see. Sort of. Sometimes he doesn't get it right, or forgets parts of a spell, but this time it went off like a charm and he disappeared before their astounded eyes, chuckling smugly to himself about what a wiley sorcerer he was.

Yeah.When he blinked back in, it was not in the glen where he had tethered his horse. The petrified Stranger found himself in the middle of a wide, paved road, being attacked by iron carriages with no horses, all travelling at what had to be the speed of light, going in all directions, with blaring war horns screaming at him, the screeching of their wheels filling the air.

Collisions ensued, vehicles smashed each other and Stranger jumped and swore volumes, trying to keep from getting killed.
He ran, people screamng for his blood, others merely staring at the naked man tearing down the street.

He saw the sign, a Pub. He knew what a pub was, by god, and hit the door without hesitation. And there sat K'th-Na. It was a curse, all right. Couldn't be anything else.

Just at that moment old Cad happened to turn his head to see a butt naked Stranger trying to make a discreet exit, stage right.

[Cadfael]

Cad followed Stranger out into the street... and down the alley running between the pub and the video store next door. Once out of prying eyes... he send a snap of magic flicking against Stangers butt.

"Ouch!... what the fu...." Strangers turns sharply, already beginning to form his defensive rune... "Oh GOD!! I thought I had managed to get past you."

Cad begins to laugh... "Oh my dear... you get caught again? " he cocks his head "Tell me... do you have to have every woman you meet? Mind you... you have answered a question that has been bugging me for ages" He walks towards Stranger, who can tell from the look in Cad's eyes that his day bad as it is... is just about to get worse.

"I always wondered why you appeared naked... I also know why you would not talk about it" Cad smiles..."it is because I asked you not to do"

"Cad... what the hell are you talking about?" Stranger asks... a sinking feeling in his gut "arrived where... would not tell you what?" He wonders if he could get a teleport spell off before Cad can do whatever it is he is going to do.

"I hope you understand I have to do this... otherwise it could cause all sorts of problems with temporal paradox..." he gave a sordaonic grin to Stranger... "the fact is.... you DID appear... and naked to boot!"

"Oh by The Goddess!" groans Stranger, once more thinking he should never have become involved with dragons and Enchantresses...

Cadfael reaches out and lightly taps Strangers head... as he begins to fade from this world he hears Cad again... "Remember... tell them nothing"...

[Cadfael]

DennizM and Morgana struggle through the undergrowth towards the rock formation far in the distance... Morgana was just about to suggest a rest.. when with a flash of white a naked man appears before them...

"Stranger!?..." DennizM smiles at his old mate and offers a hand... and then stops..."erm... why are you naked?"

"Phiffft" from Morgana "as IF you HAVE to ask!" :rolleyes:

[Stranger]

Stranger could take most anything. But to appear in front of the Lady Morgana like...this...absolutely mortified him.

He covered, he turned, he blushed, all the while looking for something, ANYthng to cover himself with.

"Ah, my Lady", he stammered. He wasn't about to bow at this moment.

"A most unfortunate accident. A miscalculation of spells, and..."
He glared at Cad.
"By all the demons, man, find me something to wear"!

[Scarlett O'Hara]

.......editing in progress......

[Cadfael]

DennizM shakes his head.. and helps Morgana over a hidden root... "and you call yourself a Mage" he says to Stranger... "get dressed and come with us... God knows why you are here, but I reckon we are going to need all the help we can get"

"I am a goddarn Mage!" Stranger retorts, and then his eyes open wide... "hey... I'm a Mage... oops!" he then utters a brief incantation, and with a swirl of light he is fully clothed in his usual Celtic vestments... and follows Morgana and DennizM through the undergrowth.

"Where are we going Cad?" he ask..."I hope you are not gonna get me in trouble again? I remember that business on Julio Alpha.... it took weeks for my nerves to climb down"

Morgana waits for Stranger to catch up, DennizM plows ahead... climbing the steep hill... "Erm... technically" she says when he joins her..."That is not Cadfael... that is who Cadfael was before he... ahhh 'merged' with K'th-Na. Cad is the joined part of them that they project to the world... that man there" she points to DennizM standing still on the hilltop "is Dionyses Morgarent.. or DennizM as he like to be called" She allows Stranger to take her hand as he helps her up the climb..."As to where we are going... DennizM was here 3000 years ago... there is a strange rock formation that was not here then... his Carmine Magnificence" Stranger though her title for Cadragon sounded bitter... "has decided we need to check it out"

"He was here before?" Stanger pulls Morgana up the last section... "How did he get here?"

"On that..." DennizM answers, pointing to the rock formation a mile distant..."that is no rock formation"

It takes a while for Morgan to realise what she is actually looking at... it is almost buried beneath vines... and yes... it does look like a huge white rock... but.... "My god" she breaths "it is a ship... a starship!"

"Look at the size of that baby" Stranger whistles "It must be two miles long!"

Dennizm looks at Stranger... "You are only seeing two thirds of it... " he points to the southern end of the fallen behemoth, the smooth lines stopped abrubtly in a ruin of twisted metal "that was where the plasma reactor was... it was destroyed by K'th-Na during the battle above us" He looks more closley at the condition of the hull... "I reckon even with the plasma drive out... and the live support section with it, that the failsafe recovery units kept it in orbit"

"All Kaploci ships have them fitted... they are like tiny plasma drives along the hull. In the event all the crew are taken out, and the plasma drive.... it would keep the ship in a geostationary orbit, until a salvage crew could get here... obviously" he looks meaningfully at Morgana "that did not happen here... there was nobody to come and get it. She only looks like she has been down on the surface for about 500 years... that must have been when the recovery units failed"

"So now what?" asks Morgana "Do we go take a look at her? What is she called by the way?"

"She is the Kaploci Fleet Auxcilary 'Galahad'... essentially a research vessel... you know the old TV shows... 'to go boldly' and all that... look but do not touch" He smiles at Morgana and Stranger..."We broke the rules... we interfered..."

"As regards what to do... I am human, I know it will serve us nothing... but I would like to take a look at her" he raises an eyebrow in enquiry...

"Lead on!" they both reply in unison,,,,

[Stranger]

Stranger's head was whirling. He was understanding about ten percent of what Morgana was saying, and her taking his hand filled him with all sorts of conflicting emotions.
On the one hand he- well anyone who knew Stranger would understand what part of his mind was thinking.

But on the other hand, this was his Queen. Not that she ruled any land or anything, but she represented everything he held dear, was the clearest embodiment of The Great Goddess he had ever seen, so in his mind, she was The Queen. One does not walk about holding the hand of the Queen.

Trying to act like he was getting all this he made a comment.

"Dionyses, huh? Well, you got the wine part of it down, old sod. Now all we have to do is teach you how to put on a proper orgy".

He was immediately sorry. Morgana had very long nails, and she drew blood. Wincing, he changed the subject.

"What in blue blazes is a TV show"?

Stranger looked the ship over, putting on his most "scientific" look. He walked about, humming and humphing.

"Not bad, not bad. good construction, I can see that. Yes, good craft she is. Fine ship I'll allow. But how the bloody hell are we going to sail her with no water"?

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Originally posted by Scarlett O'Hara
...Lady P’Mela Piaue LeonDocTchi, Heir to the Raegel Kentaurus throne...would make WarMaster Captain Aik Haw pay for every j'Son'jon misdeed inflicted on her people! And she would enjoy every moment of it, every sensation of it, when she killed him...

As she made her way, almost casually, to the docking port of her ship, P'Mela kept a rapid dialogue going with Te'Zsing. She told him everything she wanted him to do and exactly how she wanted it done. Surprisingly, he didn’t argue with her, though every single instruction was contrary to his original j’Son’jon protocols. Apparently, he was beginning to understand the stakes, especially now that he had a few of ZakRianan’s technology upgrades! As she waited the last few moments for the docking manuever to complete, P’Mela gave him the two most important instructions: As long as the Sonjon captain was onboard, Te’Zsing was to communicate in ship standard, not his Te’Zsing personality; and finally she locked in the self-destruct codes. Once she gave the final command, self destruct would take one standard minute. There would be no way for the other Sonjon vessel to undock and get to a safe distance in one minute.

When she left her quarters to meet the incoming ship and WarMaster Captain Aik Haw, she had ever intention of killing him as he stepped onto her decking. But as she walked towards this destiny, she realized she needed to use him against the Empire. Then she would kill him. Slowly. Her stomach ached, and she realized she had her fists clenched and she was grinding her teeth. But at least Aik Haw would never expect treachery from her! They had graduated from the j'Son'jon Military Academy together, tied for top-honors. They had served together in over a dozen major campaigns. She had served as his Executive Officer for 6 years, they had been best friends and eventually lovers. Then just friends again. But now that she knew who and what she was, they could not go back to any of those relationships again. Luckily he didn't know what she now knew about herself. He would have fired on her instead of requesting docking clearance!

As Aik Haw stepped into her small ship, he looked her over from head to toe several times, smiling and shaking his head. "P'Mela, you appear to be out of uniform, again. You've always complained about the uncomfortable fit of our uniforms but it’s time for you to come home and put on your newest rank and accept a promotion." Surprise clearly showed on her face. He handed her the small old-fashioned scroll of orders. Only WarMaster ranks were honored with actual documents in the old format. She tried to keep a pleasant smile on her face as she read the orders. A year ago, she would have celebrated over this promotion! They were bumping her up five promotion grades AND assigning her to the j'Son'jon War Council, as the new Chief of Staff reporting to Aik Haw. Apparently, he was being promoted to Supreme Military Commander, otherwise called Shahidan.

She pretended to read the orders again, keeping the smile on her face but her mind was screaming for something to say. There was only one thing to say. To keep him unaware of her loyalty change, she straightened to attention and said respectfully "Shahidan! It will be an honor to serve once again at your side." P’Mela felt the bile rise to her throat. The word formed on her tongue and she almost issued the self destruct command. But something stopped her. The smile remained fixed on her expression. Aik Haw smiled in return, hugged her and said "Let me show you our new class of ships. This is the first of five experimentals produced at the reclaimed spacedock at Raegel Kentaurus. The Empire has finally found something those bastards can do. Weld." He laughed at his own joke. She felt bile rise again in her throat, and once again she almost said the self destruct command. And again something stopped her.

It took him just over two hours to show her the new ship and technology, handing over the data crystals with complete specs. Afterall, she was being promoted to Chief of Staff and had everyone’s complete trust. She had earned it. He stroked her face, reminding her of their days as lovers, and said teasingly “Report to your new command position in thirty standard days. And for all our sakes, P’Mela, be in proper uniform!” She smiled politely as he laughed again at his own humor. Then he was gone.

[Zack Ryan]

Zak had sat brooding in his chair, an indulgence he allowed himself, but only as his normal self. He had been plugged into the command console, making his final selections for Boro’Sug of the Demon fleet when he was jolted from his work by an intense mental presence. He could not identify it, or from where it came, but it was a mixture of anger and dread. He waited for another and nothing came. He tried to return to work but couldn’t so he reverted to his true self and sat here, his skin turning a dull shade of brass. Copani’s emotions are more than worn on their sleeve; they are worn in their appearance by the color of their top skin layer.

As he had sat there, probing outward further and further he found it. It had emanated from P'Mela’s ship and, as he had sent out his minds eye, he found a large ship docked with hers, he moved inside the ship and found her conversing with a j'Son'jon officer, and they were smiling on the surface, but he probed her mind and found fear, revulsion, anger beyond any he had felt in ages, and a command at the tip of her tongue to destruct.
He sent an override to that, wiping that thought from her mind. He raced for his Demon, reverting to Zack, sending out mental and physical commands to hide his approach to her ship. He arrived and found her again, inside the j'Son'jon ship touring it as if she were about to be given the ship. He docked at the auxillary dock and entered her ship, moving to the rear of the corridore, near the hatch to the interior. He again rode her mind with her as she completed the tour of the new ship. When they returned to her ship, he handed her data crystals and talked to her for a few minutes, then departed. He went out to space and watched the ship wink out of existence. P'Mela was walking towards him now and he released all the mental controls from her and her ship.

P'Mela looked up and saw Zack seemingly materialize in front of her. He looked at her, her revealing clothing hiding nothing. He could not help but smile, his former and current love for her brought all of his feelings rushing back to him. P'Mela, on the other hand, at first smiled at him, so happy to see him, yet watching his eyes travel up and down her body, and she looked down at herself, seeing how she was attired and dropped to her knees, bent and spread her hands wide and touched her forehead to the floor. She began to chant something to him but he could not believe she was saying those things.