pain? ―We had twelve crew members in each of the craft. Well, anyway, it was a mission that we
all doubted we could return from.‖
―You knew you would never go home again. Noah…who did you leave behind?‖
Tears slid down Noah‘s cheeks. ―A daughter—my wife was dead. Her name
is…was…Katie. It was…it was hard, but I went knowing she would live in a better world for my
flight.‖
Drago placed a hand on Noah‘s knee. ―I am sorry, Noah.‖
―I know you are. Thank you. Well, we fled through the universe. For many thousands of
years.‖
Drago frowned, noting Noah‘s deteriorating state. ―You are immortal? How else could
you survive a journey of so long?‖
Noah gave a harsh bark of laughter. ―Immortal? Nay, obviously not! Our craft were
equipped with…sleeping chambers, I guess you can call them, and in these we spent most of our
time. The craft were set with self-guidance systems, and we generally slept, trusting in them to
do their best.‖
Noah paused. ―As a race, we had travelled parts of the universe before, but never so far or
for so long as our fleet did. We did not realise what such lengthy travel through the stars would
do to our craft.‖
Noah paused, remembering, and this time Drago did not bother him with a question.
―Our craft were woken by the music of the stars,‖ Noah eventually continued. ―And from
that music they learned.‖
―Learned?‖
Noah did not speak for some minutes, and when he finally did, his voice was soft with
wonder. ―Drago, your Icarii race speak of the Star Dance, the music that the stars make as they
dance through the universe. While we slept, the music of the Star Dance infiltrated the craft,
changing them, creating an awareness that was not there previously.
―They changed, and were filled with a purpose of their own. They changed,‖ he repeated,
as if still trying to understand it himself.
―Periodically we woke from our sleep to make sure the craft were operating normally. On
one memorable occasion,‖ Noah actually managed a smile, as he remembered the shock of his
crew, ―we woke to find that the craft would no longer obey our instructions. We found ourselves
passengers, as much cargo as Qeteb‘s life parts.
―The craft altered course, heading for a different part of the universe than that which we
intended to go.‖
Noah paused, his face emptying of all expression. ―Gradually, I became ‗aware‘ of the
craft, and of the music that filtered through the stars. No-one else among us did. I was the only
one graced.‖
―You were the only one picked.‖
Noah‘s mouth twitched. ―Aye, Drago, you are right. I was the only one picked. I learned
that the craft headed for a world—this world. I was appalled. Infect another world with what we
carried? And with the other TimeKeepers?
―We knew,‖ he added, ―that the five remaining TimeKeepers would follow us as best
they could, hunting down Qeteb‘s life parts. It was one of the reasons we fled through the
universe, knowing that in doing so we would rid our own world of all the TimeKeepers.‖
―And so you brought them to this world.‖
Noah turned his head and stared out the windows. Faint starlight illuminated the scores of
lines about his forehead and reflected the pain in his eyes.
―The craft brought them to this world,‖ he said softly, still not looking at Drago. ―Not I.
Not my race.‖
―You thought only to flee, not thinking of the eventual consequences.‖
Noah turned his eyes back to Drago. ―Do not condemn us, Drago. Not you. ‖
Now Drago dropped his eyes. ―Then why did the craft bring them here?‖
―It has taken me a long time to come to this understanding, Drago. Let me speak, and do
not interrupt me. What you hear will be hard.‖
Noah swivelled his chair back to the windows. ―Behold what will happen to your world
when the TimeKeepers reconstitute Qeteb.‖
When, not if? But the view in the window shifted before Drago had a chance to ask the
question.
As Drago had seen the Demons ravaging Noah‘s home world, now he saw them ravage
Tencendor. Wasteland. Insanity. Deserts. People with no hope, nowhere to go. All beauty, love,
hope and enchantment destroyed.
Drifting ashes where once had been forest.
Bones littering dust-swept streets where once had been cities.
Maddened animals ravening at will.
Horror.
Hopelessness.
―Tell me how to stop this!‖ Drago said.
The lizard stirred from its doze, lifted its head, stared at the image in the window, and
then at Drago. Then it momentarily locked eyes with Noah.
Drago was too appalled by the vision of a devastated Tencendor to notice.
―I asked you to remain quiet,‖ Noah said, a note of command ringing through the pain in
his voice. ―What you will hear will be hard, and you must hear it all before you speak again.‖
Drago jerked his head, apparently in acceptance. His violet eyes were very dark, and very
hard.
Noah looked at him, and then waved a hand. The image of the devastated Tencendor was
once more replaced with the tens of thousands of stars.
Drago relaxed very slightly.
―The craft brought Qeteb‘s life parts to Tencendor,‖ Noah said, ―because, drifting
through the universe, they had come to the understanding that here, and here only, could Qeteb and his fellow demons finally be destroyed.‖
Noah sighed. ―Drago, you must allow the TimeKeepers to reconstitute Qeteb. Allow
them to destroy Tencendor.‖
― No! ‖
Noah did not chastise Drago for the outburst. He had the right.
―It is the only way to defeat him, Drago. Listen to me. We tried to destroy his life parts, and could not. But a whole Qeteb can be destroyed. This land is steeped in magic, although
you—as so many of your brethren—are completely blind to it. Once Qeteb walks again, then,
yes, Tencendor will become a true wasteland. The Demons will completely destroy it. Nothing
will be left.‖
Nothing save the existence it will gain through death, thought Noah, but knew he did not
have the time to explain that to Drago. It was a knowledge better learned than told. ―Nothing but
its inherent magic,‖ Noah said. ―And nothing but you.‖
―Me? I came back through the Star Gate to aid Tencendor, Noah! To aid Tencendor and
Caelum. Yet now you ask that I allow it to be destroyed.‖ Drago gave a bitter laugh. ―Yet what
else could be expected of Drago the treacherous, Drago the malevolent? No wonder all hate me.‖
―Few truly hate you, Drago, although most are puzzled by you.‖
―How will allowing Qeteb to rise again help? How can allowing Tencendor to be
devastated—‖
―Qeteb must be defeated this time, Drago. He must be dealt to death.‖
Drago‘s face was tight and tense, a muscle flickering uncertainly in his lower jaw.
―How?‖
―Listen,‖ Noah said, and he spoke for a very long time, his voice soft and desperate, his
words tumbling over each other, and this time Drago did not interrupt at all.
When he finished Drago sat motionless, his own face almost as ashen as Noah‘s, his eyes
despairing. ―No.‖
―Yes. You have always known it.‖
―No.‖
―You knew it as an infant, it was instinctive knowledge! You acted badly, but you cannot
be blamed for what you believed.‖
―No!‖
―You know it now. Why else that sack that hangs from your belt?‖
Drago fingered it. ―I…I just thought it…‖
―Yes,‖ Noah said softly, and finally sat back down. ―You just ‗thought‘. Instinctively you
knew it was necessary. Drago, from your parents you have inherited the magic of the stars and of
this land. From…elsewhere…you have inherited the magic of this craft. You have been born and
you have been made exclusively for this task. Qeteb will be defeated only by a combination of
these craft—which are now entirely star music—and Tencendor‘s enchantment.‖
Drago shook his head slowly, trying desperately to deny what Noah had told him. ―I
cannot do this to Caelum again. I cannot. ‖
―You must.‖
―I have already destroyed his life!‖ Drago cried. He scrambled to his feet and stared at
Noah huddled in his chair. ―Now you would have me feed him to the Lord of Darkness all over
again?‖
Drago took a deep breath. ― He is the StarSon, Noah, and I will not again deprive him of
that right!‖
―I think you will find he may insist,‖ Noah said somewhat dryly.
―No,‖ Drago said in a very quiet and almost threatening tone. ―Caelum is the StarSon.
Caelum will meet Qeteb, and I will do everything in my power to aid him in that quest. I will not
betray him again.‖
―You have very much to accept,‖ Noah said quietly. ―Very much.‖
―I—‖
―But if you want to do your best to aid Caelum and Tencendor, then do this. Go north,
north to Gorkenfort. Seek your mother.‖
―Azhure?‖
―Nay,‖ Noah said, and smiled with such love that he unsettled Drago. ―Your true mother.