Collision Course

As the two fleets drew together a shuttle with the Attorney General and several of the world leaders that survived docked on the huge Korveallen War Ship. Needless to say they were very impressed with the size and the fire power the ship had. It was well noted that the Korvellians had the upper hand in ship weapons. The Council of Elders meet the leaders of Earth in the docking bay and greeted them. There was no military escort only civilians there along with Lucy and Alexin.

The Attorney General looked at Lucy raising a brow. She had changed since he had last seen her and she seemed to have matured in the few weeks that she had been with the Korvellians. "We have read the proposed treaty and I must say you have done an outstanding job on it." he told Lucy. She was still young but she had a very bright future ahead of her in both science and the diplomatic corps. "With everything that has happened there has been many changes." he said, "I am appointing you to my staff as the official liason and ambasador to the Korvellians."

Once they reached the conference room and were seated the Attorney General spoke first as he addressed the Council of Elders. "I have read over the entire treaty as have each of the leaders here. We find it competely satisfactory and welcome your help. Lucy here has suggested that a mingling of our races take place and I think that is a grand idea. It will allow the people from Earth to get to know our new friends and for all your people to get to know us. I know that many here have already gotten to know the few that has made the journey with you. But as we are of many cultures it would be good for all to see what each other is like. I suggest that this take place as soon as possible."

The Chief Elder smiled and nodded. "We can begin by sending scientists and engineering technicians. We have done a lot of on our way here and I think your people would be very intrested in what we have learned already. Also our people can help yours get ready for the building of the mining facilities that will be curcial to the building of our new cities. The technicians can teach some of your people how to operate and use the robotic equipment that we have developed for work in vacuum of space, and on worlds with atmosphers." The Korvellians had robotic devices that were operated by remote control and what would take days, could be accomplished in hours. One did not have to wear bulky space suits and haul materials and equipment to build the domed structures that would be the mining facility. That took a toll on a person and also the risk of punctured space suits was to great. Operators would be safe aboard a ship and be hooked up to a series of sensors that would have the equipment mimic their movements. They would be safe in a ship and control the robotic equipment that would act like they were there doing the work.

The Chief Elder took a pen and with his signature approved the treaty for the Korvellians. The Attorney General and the others signed the other copy of the treaty. Beakers of wine was brought in and glasses filled. "To the beginning of a new friendship between our peoples." The Chief Elder rose and proposed a toast.

Lucy beamed with a proud smile as the treaty was signed and the deal cemented by a toast over wine. TheChief Elder ad the Attourney General would become great friends, she thought and hoped her people would follow in their leader's actions. She drank the toast with the leaders, bu then made her escape descretely. Functions like those had never been her style. Moving up to the observation deck, she took in the sightsof the two fleets coming together. Already, docking ships had been sent out with attachment tendrils to bring the ships together for easier mingling and Lucy watched as two of the larger ships came together as one. The twpprimary ships were next and she felt a slight jarring as the tendrils were locked on and then wound back. A slight shudder saw the two ships connected and to her right lower down, she could see the first of what would be several connection bridges extending out to the other ship's airlocks. No dubt the smaller ships and trasports would be drawn into the middle and one enormous station would be created,interlinked through the airlocked bridges. "A city is space." She whispered, but she knew it would be much more than that. This was two entire worlds coming together and the possibilities were endless.

On the outer edge, a smaller ship marked with the Lunar classification started to manouvre into the middle and Lucy beamed with a smile again. A similar Korvellian ship was doing the same. "Always trade the greatest minds first." She said as she moved away from the viewing window. The Lunar ship would be carrying the majority of her friends from school and she was eager to see them again. Once before the airlock, Lucy was literally the first on the bridge and she quickly pushed past the various scientists and scholars until she could see a face she had recognized. This made her jump for joy and she waved to her friend. "Mina!" She called, "Mina! It's me!!"
The girl named Mina quickly dropped her bags and raced to her friend. Short red curls bounced around her bright blue eyes as she hugged Lucy tightly. She carried similar tattooes, but like Lucy, had broken away from the tribe. "My God!" She cried, "I couldn't believe it when they told me what you'd done!"
"I know!" Lucy cried back before putting her forehead to Mina's.
Mina laughed, then smiled, then met her friend's affection with her own. "You aways were a nut case." She said, "But I never wuld have dreamt you'd do something like this!"
"I know." Lucy said again, "I couldn't believe it for a while either, stil can't really." She looked at her friend, then hugged her again. "God I've missed you."
Mina nodded again on her friend's shoulder. "I've missed you too." She replied, "And I'm so sorry about you mum and Nick."
Lucy let her go and nodded, "Thanks." She said, "But I know I'm not the only one. We had some reports and it doesn't look promising. The reports said only 10% made it. Is that really true?"
Mina nodded sadly, "Just about." She said, "We lost another few ships on the way. All in all, the bigwigs reckon only 8% of us have survived. There's less than a million people left."
Lucy took a deep breath, the hugged her friend once more. "At least you made it." She said, then let her go. "So what's your itenery for now?"
Mina pointed to her bags, "Economics transference and fawna studies for now." She said, "I've gotta learn all about your alien friends animals and whatnot."
"I wouldn't say aliens anymore." She laughed, "I'd say they were more family than anything, but whatever you're given, I can help. I've een studying their planet's life, along with their language, culture, pretty much everything there is to know about Korvellian life really."
"Great!" Mina said, "You can definitely help me get started then. You could probably apply for UN status and bcome an ambassador's aide or somethig now, right?"
Lucy choked back her laughter. "Not just an aide." She said, "You're actually talking to the official Earth Ambassador to the Korvellians."
Mina's jaw dropped open and she howled with proud laughter. "No way!" She cried, "That's fantastic! I'm supposed to report to you then or my first assignment!" She rummaged around in her pocket and pulled out her itenery. She handed it to Lucy with a grin. She then leaned in closer, "Jus out of curiosity." She whispered, "All Korvellian guys as good looking as rumour says?"
Lucy grinned back, "Better." She replied, "And I'll introduce you to one righ now. His name is Alexin. He's the Korvllian Ambassador and Chief Elder's son, and... well... he's kinda my boyfriend."
"No way!" Mina breathed as she picked up her bags and started walking. "You're sleeping with him? Is that actually possible?"
"More than possible." Lucy replied, taking one of her friend's bags. "We're sharing quarters."
"Cool!" Mina said, "What does Mick and Mike think about it?"
"They like him." She said, "He got Dad a job own in astrmetrics, mapping the new start charts and he's got Michael helping out in biotech, seeing what can and can't be merged between Korvellia and Earth."
"So everything is coming up Lucy then." Mina said, "I'd be jealous if I knew."
Lucy laughed, "No need to be jealous, trust me. One look at you and the guys down in the archives will be drooling, I guarantee it." She then spotted Alexn loking down on them from the coference room. she gave a short wave, then leaned over to her friend. "And if you look just up a little, you can see Alexin staring at us, wondering what the hell I'm doing down here when I should be smooching with dignitaries as the new Ambassador." She said with a laugh.
"Oh holy Jesus!" Mina breathed as she saw Alexin indeed staring. "You are so fuckin lucky!!!".....

Alexin was a bit busy talking to the elders when Lucy made her way out of the room. He did not notice her being gone for a bit and then looked around for her. She was not in the room and wondered where she had gotten off to. Looking out a window and down to the next level of the ship he saw her with another earth girl that must have just came over from one of the earth ships. She looked up at him and waved and then the other girl did and had an amazed look on her face as well as an excited one. He talked to his father and excused himself from the celebration. He figured that the his people and those of earth would get along well enough. They were after all like each other in many ways. He went to the lower deck and moved across to where Lucy and her friend was. He gave a slight bow to the girl and then grinned at Lucy. "I wondered where you disapeared to."

Mina stood dumbstruck as Alexin arrived and then introduced himself, but what floored her most was that her friend answered back, but in a completely different language! "I'm sorry my love." Lucy said, leaning up to give him a small kiss on the cheek. "You know I don't do parties like that. Besides, when I saw the Lunar ship, I just had to see who of my friends was on it. Let me introduce Mina Laughton. She's an undergrad that took economic transference with me last year and to date, one of my few good friends."....

Alexin had been studing earth's language as well. Well Lucy's native toung as there seemed to be several languages that Earth people had. As Lucy learned his he in turn learned hers. "A pleasure to meet you." he said in english.

Mina swallowed and stuck her hand out. "Uh." She stammered, "You too." She tried to smile. At her side, Lucy gave her a slight nudge to the ribs. "Shut your mouth." She joked, "You're drooling." Both women that started laughing and it seemed to break the ice better. "Yeah." Mina said, starting again. "So I guess things have come a long way since a few months ago. Lucy's been telling me she's been made Ambassador, so I'm gonna be working for her.. and for you for the next few months." Lucy grinned and stepped towards Alexin a little, letting the two talk more freely.....

Alexin smiled at Lucy's friend. She seemed awestruck, He wondered how the other humans were reacting to the Korvellans that they were meeting now for the first time. It was going to be one wild time for a while. "So you will be working with Lucy and me." he nodded. "Hope you enjoy your stay here on board." he had a feeling that she would be meeting a few of the young male members of the crew and other civilian men. Just as many of his people would be meeting up with those of Earth. Before long he imagined the blending of the two races into one. It would be a historic occasion when that happened. "Come, even though you do not like the parties....." he chuckled, "You will have to learn to endure them. The joys of being an ambasador." he turned to Mina. "You are more then welcome to join us." he slipped an arm about Lucy's waist and began moving to the lift that would take them back up to the party.

Lucy gave a slight groan about going back to the party, but followed anyways and at least Mina was coming too. As many porters started coming and going with luggage, Lucy pulled aside one quickly and asked that Mina's bags be taken and sorted accordingly. She gave him the itenery and he smiled back with a nod. A few minutes later, they were back at the party and Lucy was faced once again with the hoarde of dignitaries she had tried so hard before to avoid. But wait, there were two new additions and they quickly made their way to Lucy and Alexin. Mina, they ignored for now. One of the UN senate introduced them. "Miss Ambassador." He said with a smile, "This is General Gray, the new defense minister and his lieutenant, Montrose." Lucy's face went firm and then all emotion drained from it. "General Gray." She said coldly, "I wasn't aware the MOD had been invited. I was led to believe this was a strictly civillian meeting for now." The new general gave a small smile and bowed his head slightly, "And it shall remain so." He offered, "I am here merely to meet and greet, I promise. Besides, I've been curious about the mining proposals. I could perhaps offer some help inthat field?" Lucy looked Montrose up and down with disgust, "I'm sure you could." She replied, "Though I'd leave the wardog in his pen, preferably." Gray half turned and looked at his rather beaten looking Lieutenant. "He's harmless, I promise you." Lucy looked the General in the eye, "I'll believe that when I see his carcass floating in space." She said, then simply walked away. Gray turned to Alexin and bowed his head again, "It seems I have upset the new Ambassador." He offered, "I am aware she and the lieutenant have a history?"....

Alexin looked upon the general and his aid with a bit of distain. He had not had a very good first meeting with one of their general officers when they had made first contact. When Gray turned to him after Luchy walked off, "As have I with your military, General. Our military respect and obey the orders of our Council of Elders. It seems yours does not. So you will forgive me if I do not trust you or any of your people. Until you can prove to me that you can be trusted I think that the matter of the mining operations will be entirely under your government's civilian and my government's civilian personnel. That way it can not be said that one is taking unfair advantage of the other."

Gray nodded his head as though to say the penny had dropped. "Indeed." He said, "Tol's file was primarily sealed by the UN, but I did know he'd been demoted for subversion." That being said, he half turned to Tol and ordered him to leave the conference. He then turned back to Alexin. "My apologies." He offered. "I understand that you don't trust my military as yet, but would you at least loan me an opportunity to prove our previous encounter wrong?"....

Alexin raised a brow, "And what opportunity would you wish to make that proof?" he asked in english. He watched the now demoted general leave thinking that he should have been inprisoned for what he had done. Being an officer in their military, he still could be a problem. He then turned back to Gray. "I am always open to giving one a chance to prove themselves."

Gray took two glasses of champagne from a passing porter and handed one to Alexin. "Well, until someone declares war," He said with a smile, making sure Alexin understood that he was joking, "I have a rather large and competely useless surplus of soldiers under my command." He took a sip from the glass. "So I propose that the UN and the Korvellian governments use them. These men, and indeed rather a number of women too, are hardened and hard working and have experienced many hostile environments. They could be usefull for the mining operations. Many of them are highly qualified in engineering and mechanics and pretty much all of them have seen space time. Their pay can be regulated by the UN if you'd prefer and while they'll still report to me, I'd be happy to report to you and Miss Ambassador Drake?"....

Now that made Alexin ponder. But he had other uses for the Earth military, along with his peoples military. "Interesting but I think there will be more then enough work for them once we get to where we are going. Even with information we have received from probes, we have no idea of what type of life forms are there. The world that your people will settle on will need them to secure and protect your people from any major predators that might be there. But if you wish to prove yourself to me and to Lucy there will be something that I am sure will help prove yourself and that of your military." he was thinking of the alien space craft. He was wanting to create a combined military force, Earthlings and Korvellians. A space force of sorts to protect both races. "Of course I will have to talk to Lucy on this. You know how distrustful of you and your people. She will be the one that you must convince of your sincerety."

Gray nodded, "I have no doubt of it." He said, "And I shall endevour to win her over." He bowed his head slightly, "I'll make arrangements to view the probe findings with you at a later date. In the meantime, it has been a pleasure to meet you, Ambassador."...

Alexin nodded and went to find Lucy again. When he did he slipped his arms about her. "It seems the new general is wishing to prove himself to us. I know that you do not trust him as do I, Especially after what happened on your moon. But we are going to have to combine our military forces soon. In light of what we have found we need a dedicated space force of both races." He hugged her and held her tightly. "What do you know of this General Gray?"

Lucy growled gently in her throat, but really, she wanted to scream her disgust from the rooftops. "As long as Tol is still a serving dog, I don't want the military anywhere near anything we do." She snapped, "And it'll be something more than spectacular for Gray to change my mind." She moved away and grabbed a passing glass of champagne. "Where's Mina? I don't want that man getting his claws in her." Mina was busy watching the comings and goings from the main viewing window and wasn't being bothered by anyone. "No, I don't know who Gray is, and personally, I don't feel I want to."....

"Well since he is the new General in charge of your military forces, I think we need to find out. Besides providing defence for your people's new planet he will be involved in protecting the system from the ailens should they return. As for Tol, well I think we can get rid of him. Lets say that would be the first step in having Gray prove himself. Would you say that would be a start?"

Lucy gave another small groan, but conceeded to her lover. "Fine." She said, taking a large mouthful of the champagne, "That would be a start. But he's still got a lot to prove before I'll trust him." She looked around and then spotted Mina by the window. The girl was awestruck by what she was seeing. In only a few hours, the collection of ships were fast becoming one giant space station and Lucy watched her friend say the same words she had done earlier that day. Lucy's face filled with emotion again as she kissed Alexin lightly, then excused herself to go talk to her friend. Alexin wasn't alone for long though, Marcus and Michael were quick to go to him. "Oh thank God!" Marcus said, "A familiar face. You've gotta save us from all these people!" Both men laughed....

As Lucy watched Mina, a young Korvellian Aid to one of the Councilmembers approached her with a glass of wine. He was a hansome young man and he had seen her standing there all alone and thought he would take the opportunity to get to know one of the people from earth. "My name is Tallan. Welcome aboard." he said with a smile. Alexin chuckled as he saw it. Oh how many more meetings like that would be taking place now that the ships were all coming together and moving towards their new home. "Yes he will have alot to prove, but I have a good feeling about him." he again held her from behind and leaned down and kissed her neck. "But first lets find out all we can about him."

Lucy, prevented from going to her friend quickly realized that Mina was going to be just fine. She smiled to her father and brother as they came to them and laughed at their plead for rescue. As for Mina, she took the wine from Tallan and smiled back nervously. "Uh, thanks." She said, "Nice to meet you Tallan. I'm Mina.".....

Tallan grinned and took a sip of his drink. "I am an aid to Elder Valder what will you be doing on the trip to our new homes?" Alexin smiled as Lucy's father and brother entered the room. "Do you think your friend needs rescuing?" Alexin asked Lucy and again kissed her neck and moved them towards her family.

Lucy smiled back and snuggled into Alexin a little. "I think she'll be fine." She said, then grinned at her family. "You two are worse than me." She chortled. Mina took another sip of her wine and felt a little braver now. "I'll be working under Ambassador Drake and your Ambassador, Alexin." She said, "Economics and local studies, that kind of thing. And hopfeully, learning your language
to see if it can be translated more easily, or merged with our English.".....

Tallan nodded. It seemed like she was going to have her hands full with such a task. "Well if you need anything, you let me know, and I will make sure you have it." he grinned. "Have you been assigned your quarters yet?" The party went on around Lucy and Alexin. Alexin caught hold of an aid to the Attorney General. "If you could do us a favor, it would be appreciated." he spoke to the woman. "We need everything there is on General Gray. The last contact I had with your military was not the most welcoming." The woman looked from Alexin to Lucy.

Lucy nodded her agreement and the aide then left to gather what information she could. Mina was beaming with a smile now, "Thank you Tallan." She replied, "That means a lot. Yes, I've been assigned quarters on the main deck with the other scholars. Level 8, section D. A porter has taken my things there." She looked around at all the people and then back at Tallan. "I never imagined this at all." She said, "And as for Lucy, it's like she's a different person now. I'm glad she didn't forget me though."....

"If you will allow me, I will take you there." he sat his empty glass down, and offered Mina his arm. Alexin noticed and grinned, "Looks like Mina is leaving the party. She looks as if she is a bit more relaxed." he chuckled and then hugged Lucy. "I think we can make our exit now. We have alot of people to look after now.

Mina happily put her glass down and hooked her arm into Tallan's. She spotted Lucy as she moved to the door and gave the girlish grin that had always made her friend laugh. And laugh, Lucy did. "Well, what do you expect?" She asked her lover quietly, "Being swept away by a handsome guy with manners, treated like a lady." She looked up at Alexin as he hugged her and kissed him, "Every girl's dream and I've had mine." She smiled and nodded, "Yes, we have a busy few days ahead, getting everyone set up with their work schedules." Down the corridor and making their way to her new home, Mina couldn't help but ask questions. "You work for Elder Valder," She asked Tallan, "That's Alexin's father right?"...

"No, Purvel is the father of Alexin. Valder is yet another member of the council. He is in charge of the military forces of my people." he escorted her out and towards her quarters. Alexin took Lucy out and was followed by her father and brother. "So you two could not stand it any more." he grinned and continued on their way. Things went pretty good over the next few days. Ships came together and soon it looked like one huge ship. The information arrived on General Gray. Alexin looked it over and also learned that Tol had been sent to a ship on the outer portion of the combined ships. A post that was meanial. This he told Lucy.

Lucy had been busy over the last few days. With the ships combining, many more people had been sent back and forth, including more diplomats, lawyers, scientists and teachers. Lucy meeted and greeted as many as she could, but could only do so much. On the third day, the information on Gray came through and though she had to admit she might have been wrong initially about the new general, she still wouldn't trust him yet. Many of his soldiers had been assigned to help move larger equipment and provide security aboard the central ring where embassies were being created for the various people. On the fourth day, an old friend came to her with a request. Gibbons, one of the first to mingle like her, wanted to see about a lisence so he and Carona could marry. That would be one of the first between the races and certainly not the last....

Alexin had to laugh when he seen the request for Carona and Gibbons marriage. "Well now it seems like soon we will have a surge in these types of requests. Speaking of which, how is your friend Mina and Tallan doing?" He looked over the information on the general. "Doesn't look like he has anything bad in his record. Each day now we get closer to our new home and I think it is about time that we begin to form a joint space force so by the time we get there they will be able to work together with out any problems. That means we will have to bring him in on the discovery of the ship."

Lucy was unsure about that, but she knew Alexin was right. She nodded in agreement, "Just be careful what you do tell him though." She said cautiously, "I still don't trust him." The mention of Mina made her smile, "She's doing fine from what I've been told. The guys down in the archives are amazed at how quickly she's picking stuff up. They keep asking if she's my sister or something."....

"Ahhhhhhh your people or mine?" he chuckled. He had also heard that Tallan had taken quite the liking to Mina and they had been seen together quite often when both's duties allowed. As for Gray, he would not show him the alien warship but would inform him that they had indications that the planets had been visited by another race and that they needed to get the space force formed. "I will be careful." he brought her to him and kissed her deeply. Over the next few days Alexin was kept busy with meetings with the Adjutent General and the Chief Elder. He met with General Gray and put forth his idea of a combined space force using his military and the Korvallians. This would give his people access to Korvallian weapontry which was one thing that Gray would have to p;rove his trust with. "The other thing is General that our probes have discovered that there was the presence of another race visiting the planets we seek to inhabit. The combining of our militarys is essential to our survival should they be agressive. This is your chance to prove yourself, especially to Lucy."

Lucy nodded in agreement and let it go. In themeeting, the general listened intently to everything being said. "So you think these other aliens might be hostile?" He asked, "How many times has their presence been discovered? Are their weapons as advanced as yours?" He was asking all the right questions so far, "What have your sceintists doscovered about their race, language etc?"....

"We think that their weapons are on the same level as ours and yes that they might be hostile. As for their language...." He looked over at Lucy. She had broken the language on the hull of the crashed ship. It would be up to her to let him know about the ship and how she discovered the language. Since they were going to share the knowledge of his people's weapons with the
Gray looked to Lucy with a raised brow. "I shouldn't be surprised." He offered, "You've a talent for picking up languages." Lucy looked up from her papers and lifted an eyebrow. "It wasn't that hard. The semantics and phonics were essentially a simple binary development between numbers and sound." The general furrowed his brow, "And for those of us who didn't graduate cumlate?" He asked.

Lucy put the paper down, "Basically, you treat the most used character as zero and the next as 1. The phonics were very much like our own. basically, they speak like early humanoids did, using graphics instead of words." The general nodded, "Ok." He said, "And did they give any intention of hostility?" Lucy shook her head. "A simple list of chemicals for terraforming." She put her elbows on the table and grinned, "Basically, they found it first and we're gonna steal it from them. Happy now?".....

"They may have looked it over first but we will be the first to settle the planets." the General said. "Possession is 9/10 of the law." he grinned at that old saying. "Once we are there we are not going to give it up." he looked over at Alexin. "I will have my best men and women that have the most experience as spacers ready to meet with yours. Who will be their over all commander?" he ask. Alexin looked over at Lucy then back to the General. "The ships to be used will be Korvellan since they already have the weapons mounted. The Ships captains will command the ships but over all command will be yours General." he looked hard and long at the man. "And you will of course report to myself and Lucy. Is that agreeable General?"

The general nodded quickly, "Of course." He said honestly, "But, if you'll pardon an old man's ignorance." he lifted the pictures and turned them about a little, "How will I report what we find to you? I know you have all this fancy equipment and such, but..." Lucy lifted her head, "Your team will have a live feed connection direct to us." She interjected, "So that nothing is missed. The Korvellian troops will have the same. Their scanner are more advanced, so they might pick up what our scanners miss. Each image will be collected and sorted according to the soldier carrying the camera." The general nodded in agreement....

"You are being intrusted with advance weapontry, both ship and individual General. Earth troops will be issued Korvellan weapons and taught to use our technology that will help them be on the same level as my peoples troops. We are trusting you now with alot of power, Your chance to show us that we have not misplaced our trust in you."

The general nodded again in understanding, "I give you my word." He promised. Lucy snorted a laugh behind her hand, making the general look at her firmly, "Now look here Miss Drake." He said, "My predecessor may have been the ultimate asshole, but I'm not, understand? I wear the same uniform, sure enough, but mine actually means something to me. I understand that Tol nearly destroyed the treaty, but I am not him. Am I clear Miss Drake?" Lucy stood up and put both hands on the table. "As crystal, General." she said sharply, "But after the damage he did, I'm not about to throw my work away a second time, so forgive me if I don't sound entirely trusting of anything military. Am I being clear, General?" The general too stood up and squared his shoulders, but his eyes did soften a little and he nodded, "As crystal, Miss Drake." He replied calmly, then with a nod to Alexin, he left with his new aid to gather up the troops he needed. Lucy sat down again after he left and took a deep breath...

There was much to do for the assembling and training of the new space force. One thing that had to be over come was language. There were not that many head sets that would translate one language to the other, so both races had to learn each others language. Linquistics experts from both races jumped in to teach. The next part was to show the men and women of earth the weapons and what they could do. This was realatively easy and the people of earth were amazed at power of the weapons. The final thing was getting them to work with each other on the ships that would make up the defense force. These were not huge ships like the one that served as the flag ship of the Korvallians but they were not small either.

Gray spent his time among the various ships, inspecting the training, the conduct of the crew as they were mingled. He himself emerged himself in learning the Korvallian language. He talked to the Korvallian Captains and was amazed at their knowledge of tactics and how they insured disapline was maintained on their ships. One day he hoped that some of the ships would be captained by men and women of earth. He understood that these were Korvallian ships. But when they reached their destination, he was going to ensure that the Earth ships were also outfitted with the weapons as well.

In that time Alexin took Lucy around to all of the ships so that they could be seen and talk to as many as they could. By the time they were only a couple weeks out from their new home there had been a lot more requests for marriage between the races. Even Lucy's brother had asked permission marry Corona. Oh there were going to be many settling on both worlds that would be having children eventually. Then the there would be a new race, a combined one of both races that would one day inhabit the new solar system. Alexin made his decision. He waited until they were alone in their quarters and he stood behind her his arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. "Lucy, will you be my wife?" he whispered.

The next few weeks were busy to say the least. Lucy felt she must have visited every last ship in the entire fleet! Gray, as promised, kept to his word to the very letter and by the time the new military was ready, she had softened to him quite a bit. He had won her trust. Diplomatically, things had been bus too. Both the UN and the Korvellian Elders had come under a mountain of marriage requests, up to and including Lucy's own brother! Of course, she was over the moon for him and so was Marcus, but she had little time to celebrate with them due to her mounting duties with the UN. "So much for being a simple physics student." She would say to them and to her friend Mina. Still, things were progressing quickly. Gibbons and his new fiance were married quickly. They wished to be joined before they reached their new home and what was more, the new Mrs Gibbons was soon showing the first signs of a new race. At first, it had caused some concern among both the human and korvellian population, but thus far, everything seemed to be just fine. The only discussion that remained really, was what to call this new blended race. Lucy wanted nothing to do with that, leaving it to people that really did know what they were doing.

In what little time Lucy had spare, she was being dragged around a new promenade in the main ring created by various merchant dealers. Corona had asked her to be something of a bridesmaid and, unable to refuse, she had been submitted to all manner of humiliation in the form of every hideous looking gown, dress and suit Corona had found. Marcus had thrown himself into the idea and had purposely made sure he got to know Corona's family well. He became good friends with her father and even her mother seemed to like him. Michael had also thrown himself into the coming event, wanting everything to be perfect for the big day, but at least there was no sign of children yet. Michael had made it clear he wanted them settled on their new world first.

The journey was soon to end. The fleet was barely two weeks from Vega and an exhausted Lucy had done all she could to make things go as soothly as possible. The new military force had been sent on ahead to make sure everything would be secure by the time the fleet got there. Michael and Corona's wedding was only a few more days away and Marus had just accepted his second promotion in the astrophysics department. Mina had been working her way through the databanks with a passion and had found herself quite attached to Tallan. And so far, everything was going to plan. That was until one night.

After yet another solid day of work and Corona's final dress rehersal, Lucy had finally been able to relax. She had enjoyed a very deep, very hot bath laden with fruit scented bubbles, a delicious nibble of the Korvellian equivilent of chocolate and some of her antique music. Still in her favourite dressing gown and fluffy slippers, with her hair drying in rags so it would be curly for a change; Alexin arrived from his own busy day. He gave her the usual kiss and greetings before doing his own thing, but it was after that when things changed.

It was after dinner and while she was enjoying one of his many tender cuddles that he began talking. At first, she didn't quite understand what he was saying. The cuddle had been so soothing that she had briefly fallen asleep. However, as the seconds passed ad she realised what he was saying, she jolted away and stared at him with wide eyes. Had he really just......? Lucy's lips began flapping as though she was talking, but there was no sound. He hands then came up and covered her chin, mouth and nose and she stared at him in utter disbelief. "Did you just....?" She stammered, "Wife? Me? Oh my!" She took a deep breath, then made some strange noises like said shivers. She was s deeply shocked, and yet so happy at the same time, she just didn't know what to say!....

Alexin grinned at her reaction. They had been living together for months now, and had made love countless times. He figured it was time to make it permenant. "I take that as a yes?" he asked her.

Lucy could only sit there and nod nervously.....

He chuckled and drew her once more into his arms. They would join the many that had put in for the marriages. "Now you and I are going to have to go through all the preperations." he grinned. She could put the other ladies through the torture of trying on dresses and such.

Lucy gave a small groan, "But not yet?" She pleaded, "Corona has already humiliated me in every shop on the fleet ring. I couldn't go through that again so soon."...

He nodded, and said, "Alright. We will wait until we get to our new worlds. I am afraid that it will be probably a bit more eloborate. My father and mother being who they are and us being who we are now......"

Lucy gave a small sigh, "How much more elaborate could a wedding get?" She asked with a laugh, "Michael and Corona's is the biggest, most elaborate wedding I have ever seen!"....

He laughed. "That will be nothing compared to ours. The entire elder council will be there along with your Attorney General and various other dignataries. But you will have my mother to help with everything."

Lucy gave a nervous nod, but then smiled, "I hope so." She said...

"I think we will now have to let my parents, your father and brother know." he grinned. He knew that his mother was looking forward to him eventually asking Lucy to marry him. She liked Lucy and knew that she made him happy. "We will inform them tommorow after we both get some good sleep."

Lucy gave a yawning nod and then moved to the bed. She dropped her robe, kicked off her slippers and then crawled into the large bed. she pulled the sheets back enough for Alexin to get in without disturbing the rest of the bed....

Alexin stripped and slipped into the bed and pulled the sheets and covers over them. He put his arms around her and drew Lucy close to him.

Lucy gave a soft sigh and cuddled right up to him....

He ran a hand over her naked body, enjoying the feel of her warm, smooth skin. He could see she was very tired and just settled for holding her to him. Perhaps later they would enjoy one another again. As he relaxed he soon found himself drifting off to sleep.

Lucy sighed again softly at his touch and curled just that little bit closer to him. As he began to nod, she began to play with a small patch of hair on his chest....

The feel of her fingers playing with the hair on his chest brought him back awake. He wondered if she was wanting to do something. He moved his hand up her side to her lovely tits and squeezed one.
says
Lucy sighed softly again and kissed his throat...

He knew then that she was not that tired. He chuckled and continued squeezing her tits a bit and then moved his hand down over her stomach to her pussy and began rubbing it.

Lucy sighed again, but this time with more passion. The hand that had been playing at his chest went under the sheets to his cock and she began stroking it gently...

"I think someone is a bit horny." he moved his head down and kisse her neck and shoulder then moved her onto her back as he kissed his way down to her tits, while incerting a finger into her pussy and began finger it.

Lucy grinned, "You started it."....

He chuckled. "Is that right?" as second finger slipped into her pussy as he kissed and suckled on her tits, gently bitting on her hardening nipples.

Lucy sucked her breath in quick, "Yup." She said, breathing out again as her hand moved a little faster over his cock...

"MMMMMMMMM now why don't you pay a bit more attention to my cock." he grinned.

Lucy grinned and slid under the sheets. A few seconds later, he could feel her lips and tongue over the head of it...

Alexin grinned as he felt her lip and toung running over his hard cock. he moved his hand now behind her, giving her ass cheeks a playful spanking and then again began fingering her pussy.

Lucy gave a deep groan over his cock as he continued to play with her, then small squeals of pleasure as he slapped her ass....

Alexin growled out his pleasure as she continued to lick his cock. Oh she knew how to make him feel good. He let her lick and suck his cock for a bit then drew her up onto his lap. "I think my horny love needs to feel it up inside her."

Lucy grinned and licked her lips at Alexin before moving herself over him. "I think my love agrees." She purred at him.....

He guided his cock up to her pussy and slipped it within the hot and wet interior. He then moved his hands up to squeeze her tits hard.

Lucy sucked in her breath, then sighed loudly, letting her head drop back as he squeezed her tits. But then he squeezed just a little too hard and she flinched. "Not so hard." She whispered, bringing her lips to his ear. "They're a little tender today." She licked his earlobe and gently moved her hips.....

He eased up on how hard he was squeezing her lovely tits but wondered why they were a bit tender. But that didn't remain on his mind, as he took one then the other and suckled on them, kissed them and gently pulled on their hard nipples with his teeth.

Lucy sighed and groaned loudly as she felt her orgasm begin to build. Her hips moved faster as she tightened her pussy around his cock....

As she began moving faster, Alexin moved his hips up to meet her downward movement, ramming his cock up inside her. He finally moved his hands down to her hip and as she came down he raised up and held her in place as he began pumping his hot cum up inside her.

Lucy felt her orgasm hit just as Alexin pushed up into her for the last time. She let out a small scream of passion and leaned back, putting her hands on his knees as she fought for breath......

He reached up and moved his hands up and down her body. "So my love think you can sleep now?" he grinned.

With her head still hung back, she gave a small snort of laughter and nodded slowly, "I could sleep for a week after that." She said hoarsely. After a few more seconds where she was, she finally moved and lifted herself high enough for his cock to slide back out of her. she got off him entirely and moved to the edge of the bed. "I'll just go clean up and then I'll come back to bed.".....

He nodded and lay there on his side watching her. She was quite the woman now. Her family and even the Attorney General had commented on how much she had changed. He figured that it was the Korvellian women she had come to work with that had influenced her.

Lucy had a quick shower to freshen up and then came back to the bed with the towel in her hair. She climbed back into the bed and smiled at Alexin. "What are you thinking?" She asked, "You;ve got that weird look in your eyes again."....

"Just amazed how much you have changed over the last couple of months." he said. and wrapped his arms around her. I think the Attorney General was quite surprized when the fleets met up and the way you looked and did things."

Lucy cuddled up to Alexin and lifted her eyebrows. "Really?" She asked, "I know a lot of things have changed, but I didn't know I had changed that much." She then gave a small shrug of her shoulders and made herself more comfortable......

He chuckled and held her tightly. Only a couple more weeks and they would be in orbit around their new planets. So far from the reports from the ships they had sent ahead, everything was good. No sign of the aliens. One ship had landed and had examined the ship and took detailed images of the skeletal remains, and the ship inside and out. He would be glad to be off the ship and on solid
ground again.

Lucy cuddled up just a little bit more and quickly fell asleep. Her dreams were filled with images of their new homes and which of the moons would be made habitable for their new blended race....

Next morning Alexin awoke enjoying the feel of her in his arms. The comm was blinking letting him know that he had a message waiting for him. He eased out of bed and went to the desk and punched the button. The pictures came through of the alien ship and he could see just how war like they were. It was definately a war ship and ment for one thing and one thing only, to aniliate any ship it came in contact with. It would be a real battle if they showed up. He then returned to the bed and kissed Lucy's cheek.

Lucy stirred as Alexin kissed her and smiled. "Good morning to you too." She said dozily....

He moved a hand down to her ass and gave it a playful spank. "Up and at it. Lot to do in the two weeks we have left." Indeed they had, but not just him and Lucy. Those that were going to be doing the mining were almost trained up to speed with the Korvellian mining equipment. They would be droped off with their ships and equipment along the way to the habital worlds. Alexin was wanting to make sure that all of the people were ready for it. Lucy had other things she had to oversea before they arrived. It was something else having two races working together for the beinifit of both.

Lucy gave a small groan and turned over in the bed, "Five more minutes?" She pleaded, "I'm knackered.".....

"Ok, five minutes." he grinned and got up to take a shower. He figured that everyone now was getting anxious to get on solid ground once more. Most of the civilians had never been in space this long and would be glad to get out of the ships. Once he was done with the shower he returned to find out if Lucy was up yet

Lucy remained exactly where she had been since Alexin went for his shower. A distant smile crept around her lips, but no movement.....

He shook his head and sat on the bed and reached over to tickle her. He knew exactly wither to tickle her. He loved to watch her squirm.

Lucy squirmed lightly, then batted his hand away. "Five more minutes.".....

"No, you had your five minutes" and he spanked her ass again and continued to tickle her. "Remember you have to meet with the keepers of the genes that will used to recreate the various animals for the new worlds."

Lucy groaned and moved across to the other side of the bed before she opened her eyes. They were puffy and tired even though she had slept soundly. She groaned again and pulled the pillow over her head. "I wish I were just a physics nut again." she said, "All this diplomatic stuff is too much.".....

"Once we are on the ground, things will be alot different. But now you have to get that lovely ass of yours moving." he chuckled.

Lucy lifted the pillow enough to glare at her lover briefly, but then grunted and threw it aside. She got out of the bed and moved to the bathroom with a stagger. Once there, she turned the shower on and then stood leaning against the partition.....

"Are you alright?" he asked her. She did not look to good.

"I'm tired." She replied as she moved into the jets of hot water....

He didn't buy it. He knew her all to well and this was not like her. "I think you need to see the Medical Team. Have them take a look at you." he told her.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders and nodded. "Sure." she replied, "They can keep me all day if they like." She put her head directly unde the main jet and stayed there for a while.....

As he waited for her to get out of the shower, he contacted the medical section of the ship and told them he wanted Lucy checked out. They had a few of the Earth Doctors there, learning everything about Korvallians biology. Then he got dressed and waited for Lucy to get out of the shower.

Lucy finished her shower, looking rather more alive than before and got dressed. She poured herself some coffee and took a sip of it, but then poured it away and moved to the door. "I'll get to the deligates when I've finished in the medical bay." She said with a yawn and then left.....

Alexin left as well going on to his duties and overseaing the prearation for the mining operations departure. All were in good spirits and eager to get to work. They already had the scans of the moons they would be mining and where various precious metals were as well as those that would be needed for a number of things. As he wandered from one ship to the other he awaited the doctor's word on Lucy.

Lucy arrived in the medical bay to find the team ready to prod and poke at her. She groaned as she entered and sat down on the bed. "Can we make this quick please guys?" she asked, "I've got a ship full of deligates that I gotta sort out before making a report to the Elders, the UN and a meeting with the Attourney General before lunch." She laid back and made herself more comfortable as the
doctors went to work. Blood was taken, protein levels, stats and pressures and hormone levels were studied. In the meantime, Lucy found it easy to fall asleep and let them get on with it. It took a little over an hour for the results to come back and one of the doctors woke her with his findings. "So what's the damage?" She asked. The doctor gave her a stern look. "Your iron count is far
too low and has made you anaemic." Lucy lifted an eyebrow, "Your point being?" She asked. The doctor studied his notes again, "My point being Miss drake is that you need to rest. Your body needs to recharge." Lucy sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. "So that's it?" She asked, "Go home and sleep it off?" The doctor nodded, "Exactly." He said, "At least for a couple of days.
Relax in the spa, read a book or meditate." Lucy shook her head, "I don't have time for that." She said, "I told you before." The doctor nodded again, "And I shall be passing my findings onto your superiors. You are working way too hard." Lucy gave a long sigh and left. The doctor then used his comm to inform Alexin and indeed the Elders of his findings with Lucy...

Alexin received the information on Lucy and sighed. Thier jobs gave them little time to take time off. But he would make sure that Lucy's schedule was cleared for a few days. He gave a call to the Chief Elder and let him know and also the Attorney General of the Earth Government. They were all more then willing to put off things for a few days to give Lucy a chance to rest and recover. He himself would take those days off as well, giving over his duties to a subordinate.

He then went to find Lucy. As soon as Alexin got done clearing Lucy's schedule, those responsible for scheduling the meetings called her to inform her that the meetings had been postponed for a few days. He finally found her and smiled. "Well now I guess we have a few days to ourselves. You won't have to get up early and we can perhaps go visit some of the other ships to see how everyone is doing."

Lucy received the messages that her calendar had been cleared for a few days and smiled softly to herself. She was half disappointed as she had wanted things tied up and settled as soon as possible, but she was also grateful. Everyone had been telling her she had been working too hard and the doctor had confirmed it. She needed to rest and relax and then get back to things with a clear head. She wandered for a short time, but then found herself in her second favourite place.

The water looked as inviting as ever, though there were other people enjoying it too. There were a few Karvellian men wandering around and swimming and several women also. All but a few were naked. It didn't phase Lucy as it had once done. She smiled to them and they to her. Some offered greetings and she replied politely. On the far side in the jacuzzi, Mina was sat with Tallan, looking somewhat on edge and trying not to look at all the flesh on display. This made Lucy laugh quietly and she made her way over to a tall locker. She removed her clothing and squared her shoulders a little before moving over to the large bubbling tub with a smile.

Mina's eyes went wide as she spotted Lucy coming over to her and she was as naked as the rest of them. "You act like this is normal!" Mina almost shrieked to her friend.
Lucy slipped into the bubbles and leaned back. She smiled at Tallan, who smiled back and then laughed to her friend. "You should stop panicking, Mina." She replied smoothly, "I've learned quickly that they really don't care about being naked." She looked her friend over briefly, laughing at the transparency of the once familiar swimming suit. "It's not like that thing actually hides you anyway, so why not just let loose?"
"But it's so strange!" Mina said quietly, "I feel like I'm at one of those nudist places. My mother would turn in her grave if she knew about this."
Lucy smiled softly and shifted over to her friend. Tallan scooted away a little in respect. "They've never known anything different." She offered. Mina's family had been devoutly Catholic and as such, held the old prudence of original sin. "They have an entirely different moral code between men and women. Nudity and sex isn't something to be hidden away in shame, Mina, it's something that's as natural as the air they breathe."
Mina nodded and offered a smile before she wriggled out of her costume and tossed it out of the pool. "Quite liberating then." She said with a giggle, but her face suddenly went pale and she covered her breasts with her arms and sank into the water. Lucy turned around and smiled as she saw Alexin coming over to her.

A few days to themselves, he said. Lucy nodded and rose out of the water a little. "In that case," She said, "No clothes allowed in the jacuzzi." She sank back down again and laughed as Mina turned a peach coloured blush. Tallan stifled his a little and put his arm around her shoulder for comfort. "Stop panicking, Mina." Lucy said, "People really don't care what you've got under the waterline, not even me. Besides, it makes your silver look all the better for being shown off." She then rose right up out of the water and turned around, bearing all for those who wanted to see.
"She's right, you know." Tallan offered. "Your silver is beautiful to look at and so are your markings. You share many of the same design. It's no wonder others believed you were related."
"We're not by blood." Mina said, "But we're as good as."
Lucy dropped back down into the water and leaned back a little against the warm wall. She smiled warmly and waited for Alexin to join them.......

Alexin looked around and grinned as he saw Mina throw off her swim ware and move up out of the water some baring it all. It would take time for most of the humans to get use to the Karvillian ways. He knew there would be those that would want to cling to the old ways and that was alright. He walked up to the jacuzzi and stripped off his clothes and entered the water, sitting down next to Lucy. "Well now this is more like it. I see you are finally relaxing." he told Lucy.


Lucy laughed and nodded over to Mina, "Now I just need to convince Mina." She said. Mina smiled nervously and sank a little further into the water. "Lucy tells me Karvellians have a different view about nudity." She offered, then notioned her head to those around them. Some of the human men there were having the time of their lives while others seemed on edge about it.....

"We learned a long time ago that our bodies were nothing to hide. Clothing was necessary in many places but when not working we enjoy not wearing any. As you can see we take pride in our bodies, and try to keep them fit and healthy. I think that your ancestors were mainly naked at the begining of your history. They only began wearing furs when the weather got cold. Just relax and enjoy." he told Mina.

Mina gave a nervous laugh and looked around again. "I'm trying." She told him. "Being raised a Catholic though, it's a bit harder to leave it behind, if you know what I mean." Beside her, Lucy smiled and rubbed her friend's shoulder.....

Alexin chuckled. "You will get use to it. I see some humans here that seem to have taken it in stride." He could see the human males enjoying watching the naked Karvallian women. "Now Lucy and I have cleared our schedules so the two of us can have some time to enjoy life before we reach our destination. Care to join us going about the ships and seeing other people?"

Mina and Lucy both looked at the human males openly drooling over the Karvellian women and some of the human women that had bared all as well. Lucy laughed and Mina offered a small smile. "I'm sure I will." She said, "As for the men, I suppose they're all in heaven about now." Lucy laughed and nodded, "Of course they are." She replied, "Naked women everywhere have been the ultimate fantasy for millenia. The forbidden mystery and taboo and all that." She shifted slightly and moved to sit with Alexin, "Speaking of which, I won't be able to be with you for one of the deligate meetings. The Leaders are primarily religious, mostly Muslim, I think. They don't take kindly to women speaking their minds much.".....

Alexin laughed, "Oh that is something that they will have to get over. There will be a number of Karvallian women there. They will speak their minds and probably put those men in their place. You know how we revere our women, and we listen to their councel. You have seen that already."

Lucy nodded, "True." She said, "But I think I'll stay back and let someone else incur their wrath for a change. I've had enough of their religion for one trip." Mina opened up and finally laughed out loud at her friend's comment. "Imagine how I feel." she said quickly, "Two of that ilk are working with me in the archive and they can't stand that I'm as smart as they are. They're always trying to undermine me one way or anoter.".....

Alexin raised a brow. "That will not do." he told her, "When I see these religious leaders I will let them know that such behaviour and attitude is not welcome. This is a new begining for all and men and women needed to be treated equally."

Lucy half curled her mouth into a smile, "Men like them have been following a doctrine of religious beliefs for millenia." She said, "It'll take more than a few chats and reminding of equality laws to change that level of teaching.".....

He chuckled. "Well perhaps we should put them with a few of the Karvallian woman as their bosses." Having to do what women said would be one way to begin changing their views.

Both Mina and Lucy both laughed, but then Mina became a little more serious. "That's all fine and well, but what if someone came along and pissed all over everything you believed in?" She asked, "And it won't just be Islam you upset, but the other major religions too." She looked down then and began to play with some of her damp curls......

"We have not delt with religion in a very long time. Long ago we realized that why would someone want to create us just for us to worship them, to make rituals and such. What purpose would there be to something like that. If there is indeed a being out there somewhere that created all living things in the universe, that being had a complete different purpose in mind. You have lost your world, why would such a being that one worshiped want such a thing to happen. I think these religious leaders need to rethink their ways of life. Remember you only thought you were the only ones in the universe till recently."

Mina nodded, "This is true." She said. "Aliens were science fiction to us for the most part. Well, anything intelligent anyways. No offense."......

He grinned and shugged his shoulders. "Well I think most races are thinking that. It was only recently that we discovered life on your world." Now there was another race that had been discovered and one that might be war like and a problem. "These religious leaders will be talked to. We have those that will help them see things that they have been blinded by due to religion."

"They won't like it." Mina said. "Many of them have been talking about all the changes and how it has all but destroyed their belief system already." She looked up at Lucy with a sad smile. "My mother was a devout Catholic. When I told her I was joining with the Lunar Terrestrial group, she all but disowned me on the spot. She died still believing God would somehow save our people. If she were here now, she would say that God has saved those he deemed faithful and given us a chance for a new home." She looked down again. "She'd be disgusted with what's happening so far. I think many of the other religious people will be feeling much the same right now and to antagonise them further might do more harm than good."....

"Well we will not allow them to use their religious beliefs to be disruptive and demine others. Mina here is just as intelligent and hard working and should not be made to look other wise just because they are better because they are males and their beliefs thinks all women are beneath them." he told her.

Mina offered another smile and lifted her head once more. "Besides." Lucy said quickly, "Who could possibly think someone as smart and beautiful as you beneath them. You've fought for and worked hard for what you got so enjoy it. I am and I intend to keep on doing just that for as long as I can." The friends smiled before Mina's eyes lit up, "By the by." She said, "I've heard on the grapevine that Mike isn't the only one getting married. Am I right?" Lucy could only blush and sink into the water a little.....

Alexin grinned and hoisted Lucy back up. "Nothing to be shy about."

"I knew it!" Mina said with a laugh, "So where's the ring?".....

Alexin looked at Lucy smiling. He would let her answer tht question.

Lucy lifted an eyebrow, "I haven't got one yet." She said. Mina scowled and looked at Alexin, "And why not? Mike got Carona a beauty, a real to life diamond!".....

He had learned a bit about their courting customs but was not sure if he should get her a ring or not. Karvallians didn't use rings. Instead when they took a mate they placed braclets on each others arms. But there was no engagement ring or thing. "Would you like a ring?" he asked Lucy.

"Damn right she does!" Mina answered quickly, "Or something like those bracelet things I've seen on people." Lucy could have died with embarrassment, "Mina please!" She begged, "Stop talking already. We're not announcing anything until we've settled on the Vega moons." At this, Mina grinned devilishly and boldly stood up in the jacuzzi. "Hey!" She called, "Everyone! Did you know Alexin and Lucy were getting married?!" Lucy slapped her palm to her forehead before looking at her friend who now stood with her hands on her hips and a huge grin on her face. "Sit down Mina." She said, "Before your boobs start swinnging. Mins instantly sat down again and blushed....

It seemed that Lucy was a bit embarased about it all as well. "Well would you like a ring as is your custom?" he asked her again. Every one had turned and looked at them. The Karvallian women smiled and gave Lucy a nod of acknowedgement.

Lucy scowled lightly at her friend before peering over the edge of the jacuzzi tub. She smiled and nodded at the other women before turning back to look at Alexin, "I will leave that to your judgment." She said in a very diplomatic way before looking at her friend, "The bonding bracelet would be just as good as any ring and I would like to honour your people as well as my own." Mina gave another grin, "So when are we shopping for dresses?" She asked. Lucy groaned and actually dunked her head under the water this time. "Something tells me, Mina, that was a question too far." Tallan said with a laugh before looking to Alexin, "I know Carona well."....

Alexin shook his head. Earth women had a lot of strange customs that the men of his race would have to get use to. "I don't think there will be alot of choices for clothing. Not until we can get things going on our new home." he told Mina. He would get Lucy a ring so she could display it and let all know that she was going to get married. Again he helped her up out of the water.

Lucy smoothed her hair back and wiped the water from her eyes as Mina laughed openly, "I don't think it would take that long." She said, "From what I know, Carona has picked out all the outfits for her entourage and the most outrageous dress for herself she could find." she gave another sly grin, "I think Lucy will look wonderful in her gown, once you get past the fact she hasn't worn one for as long as I can remember." Lucy scowled again and splashed water at her friend. "Actually, it's very tasteful." She said back quickly, "She wanted to please both cultures and the dress she's picked actually looks very nice." Mina nodded, "And your's?" Lucy sighed lightly, "The same style, I suppose, but with less of the finery on it."....

"Well as Lucy has said, we are waiting till we get settled on our new home. We only have a little time to relax before we are back at it again before the fleet's arrival." That was fast approaching, the merging of the galaxcies had shortened the distance more then they had originally thought. "Once on the ground and the temporary camps built, we can think about the ceremony."

Mina nodded, "I suppose a lot of people will stay on the station until things are more settled on the ground?" She said as more of a question.....

"Only those we call Spacers. They are that more or less stay in space. They seem to enjoy it. Most of the people will probably go down to the surface. There will be a number of camps where we will be building permanet communities. Some of the ships will be used as building materials for them." he told her.

Mina nodded, though she wasn't entirely keen on going down to the surface until she knew there was a proper apartment or building she could move in to with all the modcons one would expect. Lucy however, was excited about the idea. "I can't wait to have my feet on solid ground again." She said, "Even if it is in a temporary camp.".....

"We have many prefab buildings in the holds of most of the ships. Once we have the communities set up we will have ships landing and being dismantled. The engines will become power plants to give the communities electricity and until we get to know our new world better, to electrify a perimeter fence. The main body of the ships will be kept intact. The living quarters will be like appartments and the galleys and common halls will be for preparing food and entertainment as they are now.

Lucy smiled and Mina offered a nod. "Makes me even more excited about it." Lucy said....

"It will take a bit of time though. Once we get there, we will send down exploration parties to find suitable spots. Then the setup crews to have things ready for everyone." He looked at Lucy. "I bet you will want to be on one of the exploration teams?" he grinned

Lucy gave half a smile this time, "Hmmm, don't know about being on the first of them, but I wouldn't mind a little adventure at some point." She replied. Mina snorted a small giggle, "You can count me out all together on that one." She said, "I'd rather wait until everything was ready before I get there.".....

He chuckled, "Well I will be on the first team down." he told Lucy. "Remember there is something we need to check out thourghly." he looked at Lucy intently.

Lucy nodded, "Yes, I know." she replied. "What needs checking out?" Mina asked as she looked between Alexin and Lucy, "And why does it need checking?".....

Alex shook his head. "Need to know only, sorry. All will be revealed once we get to our new home and check things out."

Mina lifted an eyebrow, but that was all. She knew a coverup when she saw one and decided to change the subject after that. "So anhoo." She said, "What's the itenery for Mike and Carona's wedding? I've heard there's gonna be a ceremony in each culture's term before some kind of party going on?" Lucy shrugged her shoulders, "I don't really know either." She replied, "There's gonna be two ceremonies, I think and then a party along the promenade, but that's all I know. They've kept the details pretty much to themselves so far." Mina looked to Alexin, "What will the Karvellian ceremony be like?".....

"Well The man and woman come in from different rooms and meet at the middle, before what you would call a judge. The woman is followed by three close friends as is the man. Usually the man and woman have already wrote out vows and understandings that the Judge reads. Then each in turn places a special braclet upon the left arm of the other, sympolizing the bonding of the two and their families. In old times the braclets had a chain linking them, but then the braclets become seperate and remain on the arms of the man and woman.

Mina nodded, "Not so different from some ceremonies on Earth then." She said. "In Christian and Catholic marriages, the groom, man, stands before an alter with a priest and his best friend. The woman is then walked up an aisle to them by her father. They exchange the vows and promises in the bible and then exchange rings. Other religions do things a little differently.".....

"Well I guess the main thing is that the two are acknowledging the union and what comes with it." he grinned. "Afterwards there is a get together of friends and the two families, more or less to get to know each other more and talk. Later the families usually have get togethers to just talk and do things together."

Mina nodded, "What about this tattooing thing?" She asked, "I've managed to understand snippets of the tradition, but I don't generally get it.2....

"We have family tatoos. They tell which family you belong to. Once joined both the man and woman have the family tatoo of the other family put on them next to the other. More of a bonding of the families. The woman becomes a daughter and the man a son to the other families." he told her

Mina nodded, but then furrowed her brow, "So how come they are so small?" She asked, "I would imagine after a few generations, the scale of it would be quite big, so how do you avoid it taking over all the skin?".....

"Why have large tatoos?" Alexin asked. "As for getting to big, well usually it is the mans family's that keeps going on. When the child of the married couple grows and marries it is the man's family tatto that is used."

Mina nodded, "Ahh, I understand. Like the woman taking his name and giving up her own and the children having his name instead of hers." She said, "My least favourite part about marriage." She sighed lightly and looked around. She didn't want to offend anyone overhearing their conversation.....

"Now since He doesn't have a family tatoo, I guess he will have to make one up. Start a family tatoo. That will be the case for all the intermarriages, to include the women." He looked at Lucy. "Or your father will have to make up one so that there will be a family one and both you and your brother will have a new tatto."

Lucy lifted an eyebrow before looking at his family crest. "As nice as it is and all." She said, "don't you think I rather have enough?" Mina gave a soft laugh and looked at some of her own, "This is true." She said in agreement....

He chuckled. "Perhaps your father will select one of yours." he told her. "They are nice ones."

Lucy nodded and then looked over some of her own again. She hadn't considered them for a good few months now, almost ignoring them so to speak. "I'll have a think on it." She said before looking over at Mina, who was suddenly looking rather sad and depressed. Without a word, Mina clambered out of the pool and made for the lockers to dry off and get changed. Tallan looked at Alexin and Lucy in confusion, "Was it something we said?" He asked.....

Alexin looked to Lucy, who knew her friend alot more then they did, with a questioning look.

Lucy licked her lips, "Mina doesn't have a family anymore." She told them quietly, "Both her parents died in the early stages of the exodus. Her family crest will die with her." Lucy then got out of the pool and left the men to talk alone.....

Before Lucy left, "She can start her own then. Be the first of her line, that all her decendents can be traced back to. It is a very great status to be able to do so." He then watched her follow Mina.

Lucy stopped and half turned to look at Alexin, "But that won't happen because it's the man's family crest that is carried down the generations, not the woman's. You said so yourself." She told him, then carried on walking towards her friend....

That was true, but the womans tatoo was there just like in family trees, and to be the one to start the family tatoo was a great honor. It had only been done a few times when a child's family died and no identification was possible. When that child grew up he or she created their own.

Lucy met with Mina by the lockers and offered her a small smile. "It's ok." She said, hugging her friend, "You're not the only one suffering this, I'm sure." Mina nodded against her friend's shoulder, "I know." she replied, "I just hoped that one day I could carry on my family's name, but that won't happen." Lucy let Mina go and smiled at her, "Look, you won't lose your family name. It'll be remembered along with many others and you'll have pride of place in history for being the first of many." She said. "That isn't any good to me right now though, is it. Once I marry, that's it, my name is gone and I'll have a new name." Mina replied, "And I won't have anyone to share it with." Lucy lifted an eyebrow, "What about my name, then?" she asked. Mina smiled, "Mike will carry that on and Marcus will if he marries again. My dad was right, I should have been a boy." Lucy's eyes cooled, "That's bullshit and you know it." She told her friend firmly, "And if that's the best you can remember your dad, then he isn't worth remembering at all." Mina cleared her face of emotion before grabbing a towel and she walked away. Lucy closed her eyes, mentally kicking herself for being so cruel to her friend. She went back to the jacuzzi and slumped down in it. "I should know when to keep my mouth shut.".....

Alexin got out of the water and grabbed his clothes as he walked over to a bench and grabbed a towel and dried off. He saw Mina and Lucy talking and then min more or less stalk off. Something didn't go to well. He moved up to Lucy and put his arms around her. "Isn't there something in your customs where the man and woman share their last names? Her name first then his name after hers."

Lucy shook her head, "Not really." She told him, "Sometimes in really rich families, they used to connect their names to connect the money between them, but it was outlawed many years ago. Women on Earth were campaigning for years to abolish the old laws around marriage so they could keep their maiden names, but it was squashed.".....

"Well perhaps it is time to change that." he whispered. "We can talk to the elders and your leaders on that to get things rolling. Especially since there might be several in Mina's position. Family names must be continued." he kissed her neck.

Lucy nodded, "I should maybe talk to her and apologise for digging at her dad." She said, "I told her he wasn't worth remembering if he had told her she should have been a boy.".....

"You do that." he told her and gave her ass a playful smack. "I will meet you on the observation deck."

Lucy yelped slightly, then scowled at him before grabbing her clothes and leaving the pool area. She found Mina staring ineo the windows of some clothing boutiques and decided to join her. She apologized for her earlier comments and the pair made up....

Alexin went up to the observation deck and looked out at the vastness of space and the countless stars. Soon they would be arriveing at their destination and then the adventure would really begin. The star they were heading to could be seen burning brightly before the fleet. With in days they would be entering the solar system. Then the mining ships would break off to set up the mining operations on the outer planets and moons. The metals and minerals that they would need to really build proper facilities. A day or so later they would be in orbit about one of the inhabitable planets. Then the work would begin.

After a time, Lucy came up to the observation deck and smiled to see Alexin watching the stars beyond the glass. She remained quiet for a moment watching him before she started moving towards him. Just as she was about to reach him, someone came up to her. His clothes said he was a diplomat of some kind. "Ahh, Miss Drake." He said, "I've been meaning to catch you. We were meant to be meeting this afternoon to discuss some finer points on the municipal developments with the Elders. I was wondering if you might elaborate a little before the meeting?" Lucy smiled, but shook her head, "I'm sorry Sir." She told him, "My schedule has been cleared for a few days, doctor's orders." The man looked frustrated, "What about the meeting?" He asked. "It's still going ahead." She told him politely, "Just without me. They will answer your questions, I'm sure." The diplomat looked annoyed. "But I still need your imput on the matter." He pushed. Lucy smiled again, but shook her head, "The Elders and other diplomats will have the same answers as me, so I wouldn't worry." The diplomat grunted and walked off and Lucy made her way to Alexin with a new smile. "What are you looking for?" She asked him....

He nodded to the star ahead. "Looking at the star of our new home." he slipped an arm about her waist. "Soon we will be there." His comm device buzzed and he pressed a button, "Sir the advance team has landed and has began exploring the alien ship. They will be sending a full report within a few hours." Alexin acknowledged the message and turned his comm off. "Well now we will be getting some more information on our alien friends."

Lucy nodded, "I suppose it'll be back to work again then." She said, "And Michael's wedding." At that comment, she almost groaned. "I suppose I should be with Carona getting the last things sorted. She wants me to lead her entourage. I'm not looking forward to it to be honest with you. The dress she's chosen for me is so uncomfortable.".....

He raised a brow. "Uncomfortable?" he asked, "How?"

"It makes me look like a peacock." She said, "It's one of those long gown things. I feel trussed up and stiff and I hate that."....

He chuckled. "I don't think it would make you look like this peacock, creature. If it is the traditional gown worn by those to accomany with the woman being married,then I think you will look marvelous in it."

Lucy shook her head, "A peacock was a bird that was considered a fancy. Their feathers were highly valued at one point and to have them meant you had status. I'll show you some pictures and you'll know what I mean." She said, "Everyone says I look amazing in the dress. I just don't like dresses that much.".....

"Well it is just for a bit my dear." he told her. "Then you can change into something more comfortable."

Lucy nodded and then smiled, "The second I don't have to wear it, it'll be comig off and I won't ever have to wear it again." She said with a laugh....

"Well until the day we say our vows." he chuckled.

Lucy cocked half a grin, "Maybe." She said, "Or I might just drop everything and turn up in jeans and teeshirt." She teased....

He shook his head, "MMMMMM I don't think you would do that. Your are to level headed." he drew her to him and kissed her.

She kissed him back, "You underestimate my hatred for dressing up." She replied....

He doubted she would do anything like that. She would not want to embarasse her family or his. Even if she hated wearing dresses. "What kind of place would you like on our new world?"

Lucy stared out of the window and cocked her head to one side, "I don't really know yet." She told him, "I suppose something big enough for us to be comfortable, but something that looks different to what I've grown up in. What about you? What would you like?".....

"A place by a lake or river." he told her. "Surrounded by trees. Comfortable and big enough to start a family."

"That sounds nice." She said with a small sigh, "But not too far out of town? I like being close to people.".....

He nodded. "I don't think that will be a problem." He held her for a long time just standing there looking out the observation dome.

Mike was nervous. It was the day that him and Carona were to be wed in both human and Karvellain rituals. It was a very big step for him. He had talked over with his father about the tatto and they decided on one that Lucy already had. Each had it tattoed on them as the family symbol. It would be the one that Carona had tattoed on her after the wedding. Her family was quite happy with the choice that their daughter had chosen. Alexin was there to help him with his apparel, which was styled after a military type uniform but was civilian. It was black with a dark gray strip down the legs and about the cuffs of the jacket. He looked quite handsome in it. Alexin and two of Mike's friends wore simalar outfits. He put a hand on Mike's shoulder. "Take a deep breath. You will be fine." Mike looked at him and tried to smile. "I have wondered about this day for a long time, even before I met Carona. I just didn't imagine I would have to do it twice." Alexin chuckled. "Once you have done the first the second will be easy. Well it is about that time." He nodded to the other two and Alexin guided Mike to the door.

Further down the hall, Carona was suffering much the same anxiety as her intended. She stood in front of the mirror in her chosen gown and stared at herself. "I never imagined I would look like this." She said to Lucy. "You look beautiful." Lucy told her as she fidgetted in her own dress. Carona had matched the style and colouring of her maids' dresses to her own as she had learned this was a tradition of the humans. "Tell me again of the vows?" She asked Lucy. Lucy smiled and turned her head slightly so the stylist could finish with her hair. "Love, honour and cherish." She said, "Better and worse etc. You repeat what the priest tells you. It's easy." Carona nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm nervous still." She said. The stylist finished with Lucy's curls and left so she got up and put her hands on Carona's shoulders. "You're supposed to be." She said, "But I bet Michael is worse." The pair laughed and Carona looked at herself in the mirror again. The gown was stunning in white silk and covered in pearls and diamonds native to Korvella. Lucy stood in slight contrast behind her in a white, but plainer version of the dress, but with a deep red sash and bow around her waist. "You look beautiful too, Lucy." Carona offered, "Alexin will be stunned by you." Lucy laughed and shook her head, "Just think of Michael." Lucy replied, "Alexin will have to hold him up when he sees you." Carona turned around with a look of panic and Lucy laughed, "That's a good thing, trust me." She said. A knock came to the door and Lucy answered it. "They are ready for you." The porter said with a smile. Lucy thanked him and then stood back for Carona to leave the room. She then took up her position behind Carona and the other two women lined up side by side behind Lucy, and they began walking into the conference hall for the ceremony....

Mike and Alexin moved into the Conference Hall with the other two behind them. Mike's eyes went wide when he saw Carona and Alexin grinned when he saw Lucy. Mike took a deep breath and walked into the room and up to the preacher and Karvallian judge. They were going to do both at the same time, with seemed to be the only way to do it. He had to admit Corona looked beautiful. Once before the two men The Karvallian Judge began, reciting the vows and agreements that both Corona and Mike had come up with. "Do you Mike Agree to these vows and agreements?" he asked. Mike took a deep breath "Yes, I do." He then turned to Corona. "Do you Corona agree with these vows and agreements?"

Carona moved nervously to Mike and smiled at him lovingly. She also noted the way Alexin looked at Lucy and smiled again, deciding right then and there she would have the human dressed like this far more often. The ceremony began and listened carefully to the Judge. Mike agreed and then it was her turn. "Yes, I agree." She said with a slight quivver in her voice. Behind her, Lucy looked decidedly uncomfortable, but remained still and smiled.....

Alexin saw Lucy's discomfort and only smiled. Then the Judge brought forth the braclets. They were made of gold and engraved with their names. He handed one to Carona and one to Mike. He nodded and Mike placed the one he had on Carona's arm and waited for her to do the same to him.

Carona took the bracelet with a nod of respect and then placed it on Michael's arm with a loving smile....

"With these braclets, I do pronounce you man and wife." the Judge spoke out and turned to the preacher and nodded. The Preacher nodded and Began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to........." he went through his intro speach and then a reading from the bible on marrage and of Adam and Eve. Finally he came to the part, "Repeat after me. Mike do you take Carona to be your wedded wife, for better or worse, in sickness or health, till death do you part?" Mike smiled at Carona and looked at her with love. "I do." he said. Then the preacher turned to Carona and repeated his words."

Carona listened carefully to the priest and then nodded with a smile, "I do." She said with pride.....

"The Rings please." Alexin produced the two gold bands and handed the small one to Mike and the larger to Carona. "Repeat after me. I Mike. With this ring. I do here by wed you Carona." Mike repeated it and placed the ring on the finger of Carona's left hand. The Preacher they turned to Carona, and again spoke replacing their names in the right spot.

Carona took the ring and placed it on Mike's finger, "With this ring, I do hereby wed you, Michael." She said and carefully pushed up the ring to his knuckle. Her hands were shaking gently, but she covered it well.....

"I now pronounce you man and wife." the preacher said. "You may now kiss the bride." he smiled broadly. Mike slipped his arms around her and drew her to him and kissed her long and hard. Everyone rose and began clapping their hands. Her family stood there looking proud and happy. Mike and Lucy's father stood there grinning and looked at Lucy. "Your next." he mouthed silently.

Carona kissed Mike back lovingly and hugged him back as the crowd applauded them. Lucy smiled at her father and nodded. Music began to play and people started mingling. Lucy looked around quick so she could make her escape, but Marcus was quick and spun her about, "Dance with your old dad." He said with a laugh, then leaned down slightly, "You look stunning by the way." Lucy smiled and then laughed before turning around under her father's arm, "Thank you." She said, "If you like women trussed up and laced in like this." Marcus laughed also, "Carona should be jealous." Lucy gave a shocked look, "Dad!" She said quickly, "That's not on, it's her day." Marcus laughed, "And it will soon be your's. I can't wait to walk you to him.".....

Alexin laughed as Lucy tried to make her escape but Marcus stopped her and began to dance with her. Mike and Carona began dancing and everyone else began. Later the banquet would be served. But for now it was a time for enjoyment. Alexin moved to Lucy and tapped her father on the shoulder.

Marcus stopped dancing and smiled at Alexin. "Cutting in, are we?" He asked, then stepped aside, but making sure to put Lucy's hand in Alexin's first. Lucy smiled at Alexin and lifted her head slightly.....

"Trying to leave so soon?" he asked her grinning.

Lucy laughed and blushed slightly, "Am I that obvious?" She asked, taking his hand....

Alexin laughed and began dancing with her. "Most definately. But don't worry, you will be able to get out of the dress here soon. When the banquet begins, I think Carona will want to get out of hers into something more comfortable.

Lucy laughed happily and then looked over at Carona with Michael. She looked anything but uncomfortable in her dress. If anything, she looked to be loving it! "I somehow doubt that." She said, "Carona is having the time of her life and rightly so." She turned with Alexin and carried on dancing. Across the room, Mina was dancing with Tallan and looking very much happier than she had done recently. The family crest Marcus had chosen had been a tattoo that she and Lucy actually shared and had openly stated she was as much family as his own daughter. Marcus had literally adopted her and she had a family again. Lucy danced further with Alexin before the music changed and the floor cleared for some reason. Lucy looked around to see Marcus taking up the floor and hushing people down. He wanted to say something.....

Alexin stopped dancing and looked to where Marcus was standing. "What is he up to?" he asked Lucy.

Lucy shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea." She said honestly. Marcus cleared his throat and looked around at all the faces staring back, including Michael and Carona. "Sorry to interrupt the dancing folks!" He called, "And I know I'm sorta breaking the rules by doing this now instead of over the champers and all, but I just wanted to say thank you to Carona." He turned and faced her, then bowed to her in respect as was the Karvellian way. "I want to welcome you to my family and wish you many happy years and many grandchildren for me to spoil rotten." Some in the crowd began to laugh, "And on that note, kiddies, get started 'cause I ain't getting any younger." More and more laughter filtered through the people and even Carona's parents joined in with agreement on that matter. Marcus hushed the crowd down a little more, "But there 's more and as much I don't wish to distract from the main event, I wish to announce a second new member to my family. Mina Laughton. She and my daughter Lucy have been the best of friends for as long as I can remember and with the sad loss of her parents, I decided she belonged with those that care most about her." At this point, Mina turned a deep shade of blush and nodded her head to Marcus as the crowd applauded again and he turned back to Michael and Carona, "So now you have two sisters to argue with, Mike." He said with a joke. The crowd laughed and applauded again and then raised their voices in cheers to the happy new couple and to Mina as well.....

Alexin ginned and raised a brow. "Well now I guess that solves the problem for her. And you now have a sister." He drew her close to him.

Lucy nodded and hugged him back, "It was Dad's idea." She said, "And we share the tattoo that he chose for the family crest, so it made sense on many levels. Besides, when she first arrived, everyone thought we were sisters anyway."....

He chuckled and nodded. Mike and Carona's wedding was the first in the new system. They had entered it and the mining ships had made their landings and had already reported the vast deposits of all sorts of metals and minerals. With in a day they would be in orbit about their new home. "Guess your father wants a lot of grand childen."

Lucy nodded, "His own personal football team if possible." She said with a giggle...

Alexin laughed. "Well with three children of his own now, he is sure to have quite a few."

Lucy laughed, "I'm sure he will and I think Michael is ready for them, so watch this space." She said with a laugh, "Then I guess it will be Mina's turn.".....

"Oh and why not you?" he asked.

Lucy looked up with some suprise, "What do you mean, why not me?" She asked. Simply put, the idea of children so soon just didn't occur to her.....

"Once we are wed, do you not wish to have children?" he asked her

Lucy blinked a few times as though thinking carefully about it, "Eventually, I guess." She said, "But we have plenty of time, don't we? I mean, I'm only 18 and I've heard of women not having kids right up into the 40's."....

"That is true." he said, "But he knew that his parents like Marcus would want to have grand children as soon as possible. He would wait and see what happened.

Lucy smiled, thinking that would be the end of it and started dancing around again with Alexin. And she didn't seem so uncomfortable in the dress anymore. After a time, a large bell was rang to inform the guests that food was being served and people began filing to tables. Lucy lingered for a while, not wanting to get caught up in the rush....

Alexin moved them slowly forward so they could take their seats. "Thought you wanted to get out of the dress?" he whispered to her.

Lucy laughed, "Haven't had much chance yet, have I." She said, "And I get the feeling you like me in it."....

"Well that I do." he grinned.

Lucy grinned and took her seat, "Thought you might." She told him. A stream of waiters arrived to start serving the food and platters were quickly placed centrally on each table. People began to help themselves to the food and various conversations started up. There were many topics that she could overhear and in both languages. Most of them revolved around Michael and Carona, rightly so and a few others touched on the journey so far and what would be waiting for them on the Vega system's moons. Names had yet to be chosen for the planets and the surrounding moons they would be living on, such was another conversation. One a few tables over mentioned Lucy and Alexin, offering opinions of the pairing, what could be achieved politically and culturally as they were both Ambassadors. Lucy tried not to listen to that one. She wanted to stay as far away from the politics as possible for a while, it gave her a headache and she wanted to return to her scientific roots as far as their new homes went. The platter arrived on their table and Lucy smiled in thanks to the waiter before sipping at what she could only describe as some form of champagne.....

In the couple days that was before the wedding, Alexin had a ring made. It had a nice size diamond with two equal sized rubies one on each side of it. This he took out as they sat down and he took her left hand and slipped it on her finger. "Now it is offical in your customs." he grinned, making sure others saw it, especially her best friend.

Lucy's eyebrows hit her hairline as Alexin suddenly produced a ring at the table. Across the table, Mina started jumping up and down in her seat with excitement, but others, in particular, the human side of the party, looked on with a little annoyance in their eyes. Lucy smiled lovingly and stared at the stunning gemstones, "Thank you." She offered quietly, making sure not to make a big deal of it at the party, "It's beautiful, I love it." She then looked up at him and kissed him softly, "And I love you." Disaster seemed averted then as people went back to the main topic of Michael and Carona....

He saw Mina jumping up and down, and he grinned and chuckled. "I think Mina is excited." he thought she was going fall off her chair. "Tommorow we move into orbit about the main planet of the system. First we will explore it then its sister planet, then the moons. I am taking a team down to check out the ship and those that have explored it. They will also have a pilimanary report on the life forms that inhabit the planet. Sure you don't want to come with me?"

Lucy nodded, "Of course I do." She told him before looking around quickly, "Just so long as I don't get held up with politics rubbish. You know how I dislike that.".....

He laughed. "Oh I don't think there will be much of that. Your Attorney General has been read into the situation on the planet and he has assured the elders that there will be no problem. We have combined forces now that use our weapons and the bonds between these men and women have become very strong. So shortly after we awake we will be heading down to the shuttle bay to take one of the larger exploration craft down."

Lucy nodded and then leaned back slightly as the other person next to her at the table reached to take some food from the platter. She looked at it briefly, wondering what was on it and then turned her attention back to Alexin, "Oh good." She said, "I can escape before they get started then. I'm taking some study equipment with us as part of the biotech lab. some of the physics down there have me curious.".....

"Oh I imagine it has. All the scientists are egar to get down there to set up their gear and begin examining everything." he told her. But first they would have to get through the banquet and some sleep.

Lucy nodded, then smiled and then started looking around the room. After most had eaten and music had begun playing again, some of the people had started dancing again, probably working off the weight of the food they'd just eaten. She smiled at those that smiled at her and then Mina was getting up and moving around the table to them. "Are you ok?" Mina asked her friend, "You should be happy at least?" Lucy laughed and nodded at her friend, "As happy as I could possibly be." Lucy replied. Mina half grinned, "Aren't you gonna try some of the food then before it's all gone?" she asked. Lucy shook her head, "Nah, I ate earlier." She lied, "I'll grab a little supper before bed." Mina lifted an eyebrow and moved away from the table, "Whatever!" She called and went dancing with Tallan. Lucy sat back in the seat again and watched the party.....

Alexin laughed and looked at Lucy. "So you don't want to dance?" he asked her.

Lucy lifted an eyebrow, "I don't dance that well, as you saw earlier." She told him with a smiled, "Besides, if I'm sat here, there's less chance of one of the deligates trying to get my attention."....

He chuckled as he ate somemore food and drank some of the champain as they called it. It was a delightful time as he watched humans and Karvallians dancing and trying to learn each others dances. There was much laughter but everything seemed to work out towards the end of it all. When it seemed proper, He helped Lucy to her feet and he made their get away from the party. "Ahhhh peace and quiet." he said as he inerlocked their arms as they moved down the corridor.

Lucy sighed with relief when Alexin decided it was time to leave. She walked with him down the corridor and happily rested her arm on him as they walked. "Indeed." She said quietly, "There's only so many social events a person can handle and I'll be glad to be out of this damned dress finally.".....

He laughed. "Ah but you will be in one much more fancy for your own and then you won't be able to escape as easily either." he told her.

Lucy groaned quietly, "Do I really have to?" She asked....

He grinned, "Well lets see, the Attorney General, the elders, and probably a number of your leaders will be there. It will probably be one of the biggest social events of our new history. So I would say yes you will have to."

Lucy slumped her shoulders and groaned again, "Sometimes I wish I was just plain old Lucy Drake again." She said, "Boring, quiet, and happy just being a physics nerd.".....

He laughed. Not anymore. The two of them were very important members of the governments that would soon become one. They were already working on the details of it. Individual governments would not be good. Under one government they would all have equal say in things. The idea of the Elders seemed a good idea to many. As a group they would discuss things and vote on the matter. Not have to have a bunch of politicans bickering about this or that, wanting a sub committie to examine the matter and such things. If something was to be brought before the elders, it would already have been researched and findings presented. Hopefully the negotiations on that matter was doing well. But as for Lucy and him, they were in the middle of it all and thier wedding would be the biggest on the planet for some time to come.

Lucy cocked an eyebrow at her lover, "I mean it, you know." she said, "I never asked for this. I never wanted to be thrown into the middle of an interplanetary government and I definitely never wanted to be an Abassador for the human race." She snorted an empty laugh and shook her head. "The only thing I don't regret was meeting you. Though I wonder sometimes if you would even have looked at me if someone else had sent that message."....

"Fate." he grinned. "But once this is all done and did, we can go back to a normal life. Once a formal government has been established that both races can abide by, our work is done. Then we can explore the planets and moons till our hearts content."

"Normal life?" She said, stopping dead almost in her tracks, "What kind of normal life could we possibly have?" She laughed and shook her head, "Your normal is way different than mine, clearly, but then, there's never been anything normal about two galaxies colliding and destroying each other."....

"Well what ever normal is going to be on our new home." he chuckled. At least we will not be hounded by every diplomat or whatever. It will be those we understand and work with that will be wanting to get our opinons."

Lucy snorted another laugh, "I doubt that." She told him, "I'll be the postergirl for the human race for a while, I think." And then, "Speaking of which." She gave a long groan as one of the many diplomats came walking towards them with purpose. "Ahh, Miss Drake." He said, then looked at Alexin, "Ambassador Alexin." Lucy rolled her eyes and let go of Alexin to fold her arms......

"What is it?" he ased the diplomat.

"It's about earlier." The diplomat said quickly, "I've been meaning to have your opinions on the new names, but you seem to be avoiding me. This is very important to me and my team and I don't appreciate being fobbed off." Lucy glared at the man and couldn't hold back what boiled over from her lips. "Now you listen to me, you self absorbed, self centred, self service, fucking gaot!" She yelled, "I am not your fucking lacky for making your fucking choices, understand? I am not a politician either! I am a physics major who just so happens to be an Ambassador, of which I never wanted to be in the fucking first place! I am not here to make your life or your work important and I don't honestly give a shit what you call the new moon you're gonna be living on because frankly, I don't wanna live anywhere fucking near you! Now leave me alone!" And she stormed off. The diplomat stood with with his mouth hanging open, "Well, I never!" He breathed, "How dare she insult me like that!".....

Alexin gave the man a stair. "Well she dares because it is true. Have you not been told that we were not to be disturbed? That we have had our schedules cleared for a few days so we can rest and relax. You are the one that dares insult us and if you like I will have your name mentioned to the elders and the Attorney General along with your attitude." His stare was one that would have curddled milk if there was any around.

The diplomat cleared his face of emotion, "No, I was not made aware of your schedule." He said quickly, "And we have been working just as hard as anyone else. I would love some time off, but clearly you're more important than the rest of us. You can tell your Elders and the Attourney General whatever the hell you like; personally, I couldn't give a damn." He matched Alexin's stare for a moment and then walked away....

He shook his head and then caught up to Lucy. "MMMMMM now that was interesting." he chuckled as he slipped an arm around her waist.

Lucy grunted and carried on walking, "Hardly." She said. She was still angry, "Just one more self service prick that thinks he's more important than everyone else.".....

"Well we only have to endure it for a bit more." he told her. "Just be your sweet self and we will get through it." Soon they were at their quarters and behind a locked door. He started stripping out of the formal clothing to change into something more comfortable.

Lucy went into the bathroom initially to remove the dress and hang it up, but she couldn't get out of it, so appeared once again in front of Alexin, looking very much exhausted and angry. "Sweet self can go to hell." She snapped, "And so can this damned dress. I can't even get the bloody thing off!" She took a breath, calmed down again and turned her back to him, "Would you mind?".....

He leaned in and kissed her neck and nipped at it, as he helped undo the dress. He got it where she could get out of it. "There you go." he kissed her neck again before he let her go.

"Ahh, thank you." Lucy smiled and quickly stepped out of the dress. She gathered it up and carefully put it on a large hanger near the bathroom door. She then took a deep breath and started removing all the other items she'd been forced to wear with the dress. Stockings, garterbelt, corselette. She let all those things drop before moving back to the bed and she flopped into it. "I hate wearing dresses!" She said into the pillow, "Hate, hate hate them.".....

He sat down on the bed and yawned. "Well no more dresses for awhile, that I promise." he told her.

Lucy nodded into the pillow, "Thank you." She said, "So what time is the transport leaving in the morning?" She lifted her head a little and looked at him....

"About 6 am." he told her. "So I guess we had best get some sleep."

Lucy nodded and moved out of the bed far enough to pull the sheets down so she could get in it proper. She laid down and then got comfortable up against Alexin. "Do you think that diplomat will tattle on me to the Elders?" She asked, "I've never been that rude to someone before, not even Mike.".....

Alexin laughed. "I think he is more afraid of us complaining to them." He laid down next to her and pulled the covers over them. "Though I think we need to name the planets soon. But I think they can do with out our input."

Lucy snuggled up next to him and closed her eyes, "I really don't care what they're called." She told him....

He soon was asleep and it seemed not to long after the alarm went off. He had set it for four AM so they would have a couple hours to get ready and eat something. He groaned and turned a bit to shake Lucy. "Time to get up and get moving. We have two hours before the ship leaves."

Lucy opened her eyes briefly and yawned, "Five more minutes." She groaned and closed her eyes again.....

"No, up you get." he pulled the covers down and patted her ass cheeks. "Got to get cleaned up, eat and pack the things we are going to need for our stay down there."

Lucy shivvered slightly and then sat up on the edge of the bed. She rubbed her eyes, yawned and then ruffled her fingers through her hair. "Ok, I'm up. I'm up." She yawned and then staggered towards the bathroom. She appeared again a few minutes later, looking a little more alive. She had washed her face and brushed her teeth and hair, but the dark rings under her eyes said she was still tired. "I need coffee." She said....

He grinned. As she was in the bathroom he had made some for her. He handed her a cup of it as he went into the bathroom to clean up and get ready. He returned and poured himself a cup of the hot liquid. He had gotten use to the stuff on the voyage. He handed her the clothing she would have to wear on the planet. it was a one piece jumpsuit of sorts that covered the body from the neck down. It would help keep any bugs from bitting or stinging them and keep arms and legs from brushing up against something that might be irritating or deadly. Boots and a metal collar of sorts completed the wardrobe. The boots were tough and sturdy. The metal collar was a piece of technology that put a protective sphere around the head. It let in air, filtered it, and kept out unwanted things. Alot better then a helmet, and more comfortable. He got dressed in his and threw some things together in a rucksack. "Once we are sure that there is nothing that is going to harm us we will be able to change into normal clothing." he told her.

Lucy nodded as she got into her own suit and boots. After that, she packed a few things in a satchel of her own and then finished her coffee. Once she was ready, she opened the door to find several people passing them by, also wearing the environmental suits and they were heading to the same place she wanted to go. They nodded and smiled at her, some said "Good morning." She responded and then turned to Alexin, "I'm heading for some breakfast." She said, "You coming?" She then started down the corridor.....

He followed her and the others, as they like them were going to eat before going down. On the monitors was the view of the planet, its vast land masses and large oceans. The fleet was in a standard orbit, a bit further out then a regular ship would have been, due to the its size. People were grabbing their breafeast and sitting down, talking excitedly about getting planet side. Each had a rucksack packed with personal things. Everything else was on the ship already. Alexin nodded and said hello to all those that said hello to him.

Lucy took her place in the queue and then smiled when it came her turn. "What would you like, Miss Drake?" The cook asked her. Lucy looked along the line of delicious smelling food and then back at the Karvellian cook, "Bacon, eggs, biscuits and some of that special go-juice you make for me, please." She said with a smile. The cook smiled back and loaded up her tray with good sized portions that he knew would keep her going for the long day ahead. He then filled her mug with his special concoction of juice aptly named his Go-Juice and nodded. Lucy took her tray with thanks and sat down next to Alexin.....

He looked at her plate grinning, "Eat all of that and You will be wanting to sleep all day." he then laughed, as he dug into his food.

Lucy laughed too and quickly scooped up some eggs on her fork, "Not a chance." She said quickly as she shovelled it into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed, then smiled, "I need something to keep me going and this is it. Besides, I didn't eat much yesterday, so I'm way hungry."....

He nodded and finished his food and drank down another cup of coffee. He then leaned back in the chair ready to get going. He waited for Lucy to finish her food before standing up.

Lucy finished her breakfast and then down her juice in one go. If she didn't, she'd linger over it and they didn't have the time. When she was done, she stood up and took a deep breath. "Ready when you are." She said to him with a smile.....

Grabbing his rucksack he joined a line of people getting up and heading to the hanger, an arm about Lucy's waist. It was not long before they were aboard the small research ship and everyone else was aboard. Once all were aboard the hatch was closed and sealed then the ship lifted off and they were out into space a few minutes later, decending to the planet. There was the buffeting as they entered the atmosphere and that settled down as they began their decent further below the upper atmosphere. From the small portholes they could see the ground below coming up. Lush jungle and a large grassy plain streached out before them. Alexin recgonized the area as it was close to the crashed alien ship. Soon the ship was on the ground and the hatch was opened. Out side was the original group that had landed to take a look at the ship and make some pilimanary readings of the area. They greated the explorers. Captain Barken, a Karvallian, greeted Alexin and Lucy. "Sir, it looks as if the alien ship was attacked by yet another. There are several burn marks on the hull and the damage inside is extensive, and distinctive of weapons like ours."

Lucy couldn't wait to get started and was pretty much the first off the shuttle. Barken was waiting for them and she smiled to him before looking around quick. The Captain gave his report and Lucy furrowed her brow, "Weapons like yours?" She asked before looking to Alexin. The rest of the team quickly set up a small perimeter and started taking samples and readings....

"Come." he said. "I have a shelter for you and Miss Drake. Then we can go up to the ship." When she looked at him when Barken said the weapons were like theirs. "Simalar weapons. Same type destruction. It is not unlikely that another race would have discovered the same principles as we did." Barken took them to a prefab shelter that was roomy. It was one large room with a partitioned off area for the bathroom. "Running water, and air conditioning, it has a small kitchen and the living area doubles as the sleeping area." he said with a grin. He took their things and placed them inside and motioned up a hill where the ship was.

Lucy took a quick look around the shelter and lifted an eyebrow. It was definitely basic. She nodded at the description Barken gave and then looked up the hill. "How is the air up there?" She asked, "I've noticed some elements in it that are strange. It's still breathable, but I'm not sure of the effects as yet.".....

"No adverse effects. We were waiting for you guys to find out all that is in it. As for the air up there, it is fine. Not that far up. We have set up a shelters that contains the remains of the aliens. There were at least fifty crewmembers on board. Most died when the ship was hit by mutiple beam weapons, that punched holes in the hull." He began leading them up to the ship.

Lucy nodded and started taking samples of the air periodically as they ascended the hill. The view from the top was spectacular and she took a moment to get a full panoramic view on her scanner. "Dad's gonna love mapping all this." She said before looking at the wreckage. She screwed up her brow a little. "It looks like whoever did this, really wanted these people destroyed." She said, "It's almost like overkill.".....

Alexin had to agree. "It is as if they wanted to make sure that they were all killed." He moved a hand over the hull of the ship. The ship had taken massive damage. The beam weapons had tore through the ship, destroying vital areas. "I would say that who ever did this didn't like this race to much." He went to one of the shelters and looked at the bodies up close. "What do you make of them?" he asked Lucy.

Lucy was reluctant a little to go into the shelter, but took a deep breath and entered anyway. The bodies were mangled and burned badly and what was left had been eaten away by scavengers and nature. She coughed into her hand and then moved in for a closer look. "Um." She said, "Honestly, they look like giant prawns to me. Michael would know more." She crouched down a little and started prodding the carcass gently with the handle of her scanner, "Ok, not a giant prawn, but definitely something marine based. Has anything come back yet from the oceanic probes?".....

"Nothing like this. Large marine life, lots of predator type. Would not go swimming in the middle of the ocean. Shore line swimming should be alright though." he grinned. He then moved them away from some of the others that had come up to see the ship and bodies. These were the scientists that were experts in lifeforms. "Sir there is something else that you need to know. We haven't been able to get to this place yet and our probes seem to fail to reach it and are lost." he took out a data pad and punched some numbers in. A picture appeared. It looked to be a tall man made spire rising out of the Jungle. "We have been waiting for the fleet to arrive before we go and try to explore this area. If our probes fail and crash we think a ship would as well. We will have to land well beyond and walk in."

Lucy looked at the image and cocked her head to one side. The spire was a perfect cylindrical pyramid shape with a slight twist towards the top, probably to strengthen it through the height and it was a golden colour. "It looks like local stone." she said, "Some of the cliffs along the ocean have the same colour." She looked closer and then squinted one eye a little. "I think I've seen something like this before. Not quite this big, but I'm sure I've seen it before.".....

"You have seen something like this?" Alexin asked. "Where?"

"On Titan." She replied, "It was one of the moons around Saturn. My professor thought I was making it up until I showed him the images from the satelite orbitting it. We thought it was really odd because nothing could possibly survive on Titan. The entire moon is covered in liquid methane.".....

"Did anyone go check it out?" he asked.

Lucy shook her head, "We didn't have the technology for any suit or craft that could withstand the methane, or the violent weather on the moon. All we had were satelite images and some probe images and scans. It was much smaller than this one and it was built from local stone just like this one. The dimensions were the same too. At the time, we thought an alien race had visited there and built it as a record of their visit." She then stood back and furrowed her brow again. "Can I have another look at the carcass?".....

Alexin moved aside so she could look at one of the dead aliens. "So you think someone came visiting your solar system and left something on a moon that held no life." Why not on Earth or a planet close enough to get to to look at it.

Lucy shook her head, "I really have no idea." She said, "Maybe Earth just didn't have anything viable for them that Titan might have?" She looked at the body again, concentrating around what she thought to be the head, neck and chest area. "I could really use Mike in here." She said, looking across at Alexin. "I know he's supposed to be on honeymoon and all that, but could you call him down for me? Pretty please?"....

Alexin grinned and nodded. He put the call in and was told it would be relayed to Mike. "In the mean time we can take one of the advanced ships to the area of the spire and check it out." Barken smiled and made the call. In an few minutes a small shuttle arrived with an armed escort aboard. Alexin looked at Lucy. "Shall we go see if it is indeed what might have been on Titan?"

Lucy looked up and nodded with a smile, "Absolutely." She said and quickly moved away from the carcass.....

Once in the shuttle it lifted off and headed out towards where the spire was. There were ten armed escorts along with Barken, Lucy and Alexin in the back. The flight took about ten minutes. Then the small ship landed and the hatch opened. They were in a small clearing. The guards exited first setting up a perimeter. When secured Alexin emerged taking Lucy by the hand.

Lucy took Alexin's hand as she came off the shuttle. She looked around quickly and then stared at the spire in the distance. It completely dominated that part of the skyline. After a few seconds, she took out her scanner and pointed it towards the spire. It beeped at her once, but gave her nothing. "Not even my scanner is registering it." She said, "That's really weird. I need to get closer."....

Alexin assigned three of the guards to stay with the ship and pilot. Barken, the other seven guards, Alexin and Lucy started off through the jungle. Here and there they found the probes. It was as if they had been blasted by something. "That is not good." Alexin mumbled as he looked at one of them. Two of the guards hacked away at the underbrush, clearing a path. Then Alexin looked down at the ground. It was not ground but something hard, smooth and definately man, or alien made. It ran in the direction of the spire as well as in the opposit direction. He looked at Lucy."

Lucy looked back, just as curious and just as unnerved, "Ok, maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea?" She said nervously. Still, she took samples for later study and when Alexin looked at the ground, she looked too. "Underground storage maybe? Or living accomodation?".....

Alexin bent down and cleared away some of the vegatation. "No, I think it is a road." he looked up at her.

"A road?" Lucy looked around and then moved away from him a little. She brushed away some of the foliage and then stood up again, "It seems to end here." She motioned for one of the guards to move to roughly the same distance on the other side of Alexin. The guard did so and pushed away the foliage. "Same here." He called back. Lucy came back to Alexin, "It's a pretty wide road.".....

"A road means transportation, between two points, two places that usually has structures." He nodded to the guards to continue cutting their way though the jungle. Suddenly they stopped as their cutting blades struck something solid. Alexin moved forward and tore the vines and folliage away to reveal a wall of some kind. He looked up and saw the folliage and vines rise up and go over about fifty feet above. "Keep cutting and tearing away at it. clear it as wide as the road." The guards complied and before them was the same material as the road was made of. A soft pale blue stone or some sort of material. "Here sir." one called out and pointed to an indentation in the smooth surface. There was a pad of some kind there with two square buttons. "Stand back." he told everyone. then taking a deep breath, he pushed one. Instantly there was a humming and a seam appeared in the smooth surface, that began growing apart to make an opening. What lay beyond made Alexin's eyes grow wide. Beyond lay the begining of what to look like a street of a city with elegant buildings on either side.

Lucy stepped back and then almost hit the ground when the city seemed to open up before her. "Oh, my God!" She said breathlessly. All sense of caution seemed to disappear as she stepped forward into the city. "This is....awesome!" Her scanner beeped at her again and all of a sudden, it began to show readings. She looked at it quickly and then started pointing it at various buildings and different areas. There were life signs everywhere, but nothing more than small creatures. And then suddenly, one of those creatures ran past her and Lucy almost jumped into Alexin's arms in fright. It turned out to be something a little larger than a domesticated cat, but with six legs instead of four. It gazed at them curiously before making a strange mowing sound and then ran off again. Lucy laughed and looked at Alexin.....

Barken had brought out his scanner and looked at the readings. "Massive power reading straight ahead. Judging by the reading it is at the center of this place, where the spire is." Alexin walked into the street. Everywhere the buildings were overgrown with vegatation, but none had been damaged by them. It looked as if the jungle was trying to reclaim the land but could not do so. Further in Alexin saw what he thought was some sort of land vehicle. It was triangular, with three wheels.

Lucy moved slowly to one of the buildings near to her. "I'd like to look inside." She said, looking to Barken. "Can I while you guys are checking the power source?".....

Barken motioned for two of the guards to stay with Lucy. Alexin looked at her, "No going anywhere alone, understand? Stay in sight of the guards at all times." he told her and then moved on down the street.

Lucy nodded, "Fair enough." She said, then moved to the building. The door opened with a slight jarring sound and inside was mostly dark. Jungle vines and moss covered most of the windows. Lucy pulled out a flashlight and started peering around at what was inside the building. It looked for all intent and purpose, to be a home of some kind. "This is so awesome." She said quietly. The guards didn't seem to share her enthusiasm much. Lucy moved further into the 'home' and found something that could once have been described as a kitchen and then a larder or utility room. It was generally clean apart from several inches of dust and whatever scavengers had got in. She looked around a little more and then found some stairs. "Shall we go up?" She asked her guards. They went first and she followed. Upstairs, there were four very large rooms with the remains of beds in them, a huge washing room with a curcular pool in the centre. "This must have been the bathroom." She said. There was then two more rooms that linked two of the four bedrooms that appeared to be dressing rooms. "I can imagine this would have been a lovely home for someone." She said, then pulled out her communicator. "Alexin?" She said into it, "Are you there?"

Alexin and the others moved about in awe at the beautiful city that they were exploring. The buildings were graceful, some cylinders, others squarish or rectangular with domes, that rose three to four stories. The streets were broad and here and there the triangular vehicles. Many had windows that looked out upon the streets and looking in one could see furniture covered in dust, but no vegetation had seemed to have grown inside the buildings. Here and there they could hear the sounds of animals. Nothing large but small bird like creatures and the small cat like creatures, along what one might call primates.

They finally got to where it looked like store fronts of sorts. No flashy billboards or anything that would distract from the beauty of the buildings. Above doors and large windows were strange symbols, perhaps the language of the people that had built the place.

When he received Lucy's call, "This place is fantastic." he said, as he peered into a store window, only to see and empty place. A few things scattered on the floor covered in dust, what looked to be clothes of some kind perhaps. "Looks like what ever happened here they had time to take most things with them." Then he began wondering what would have made the builders leave, and where did they go? "We are getting close to the spire and what seems to be a powerful power source." he told Lucy.

Lucy looked back into the main room of the house as Alexin answered her call. "I know." She told him, "This building is actually someone's home. Or, it was someone's home. Looks like they packed up and left a while ago though. What have you found?"......

Alexin told her what they had found so far. "But why would some one up and leave. What could have happen here to make what looks to have been a nice size population leave?" he asked her

Lucy shook her head, "I have no idea." She replied into the communicator, "But they had the time to pack everything up, even furniture. This was a planned exodus. Not unlike ours maybe?".....

"But there does not seem to be a disaster here." He said. It made no sense. "We are almost at the center of the city and what appears to be a powersource. Are you going to come up?"

Lucy looked at her guards, "Sure." She told him, "I'm gonna pick up a few samples on my way, for the bio teams to study." The trio left the house and instantly, Lucy was picking up various flowers, foliage and what insects she could catch. she also managed to lure the odd cat-like creature from behind a thorny bush. That was added to the collection and by the time she reached Alexin and his team, her guards were laden heavy with things....

When she finally caught up to them, they were outside a large central building that the spire emerged from. It was a graceful tower atop a circular building. Broad stairs lead up to a pair of doors that were closed. He looked at the two guards with her and they shugged their shoulders when he raised a brow. "Alright. Lets see what is beyond."

Lucy stared up at the tower in awe, her mouth hanging open wide, "This is something else!" She breathed as she followed Alexin, then half turned to the guards, "Is someone making sure to note down all the symbols and writings?".....

"All recorded." Alexin held up his data pad. "Lingquistics are going to have a field day with all this." he chuckled. As they approached the doors they automaticly opened before them. The guards had their weapons up and ready to fire in an instant. But nothing emerged and before them was a large room with scuptures sitting on pedistals and beautiful mosaic murals on the walls.

Lucy was the first to enter the building and she looked around carefully, taking in everything in detail. "These people had an entire history to show." She said quietly as her voice seemed to echo, "A complex culture and society." She moved forward slightly, "And no sign of any aggression of any form. That's odd.".....

Indeed it was strange. And as Lucy entered the building, lights came on, lighting up the entire room with a soft and pleasing light. The murals depicted scenes of animals roming a great plain and tall elegant humanoid people with a bluish skin, and a darker bluish hue in their hair. "Could that be who built this city?" he asked.

"An early depiction, perhaps." She said, then pointed at the weapons the characters held, "The weapons are basic, rudimentary at best. Perhaps these people are their ancestors?".....

"Perhaps." he said, more then likely the scene was the builders when they were primative. Quite a contrast between the mural and what the city looked like. "This way sir." one of the guards said and headed for one of three doors that lead off of the room.

Lucy nodded, "Like the old artworks of the human ancestors." she mused before following Alexin.....

The door lead to a corridor that had had a number of doors off of it on both sides. At the end of the corridor looked to be an elevator. To the right was a pannel with two buttons. Opening some of the doors along the corridor, they could see what might have been offices. Alexin looked at Lucy and pushed the lower button. The doors opened to reveal the elevator car. Taking a deep breath he entred it along with four of the guards. The others would have to wait for it to return.

Lucy quickly got in the elevator with him, not wishing to be left behind. She looked around the large box and furrowed her brow, "They were definitely bigger than us." She said, "The door easily clears 8ft.".....

"All the rooms here and from what I have seen of the buildings and doors, indicate they were tall." he grinned. The elevator went down and down and down. Alexin counted silently to himself as he would have in an elevator on his home world. When it stopped, "About two hundred feet below the surface." he told Lucy. The doors opened and his jaw dropped at the sight. The doors opened up onto a walk way that ran around a vast cavern. In that cavern was a huge power generator that seemed to have shafts sunk deep into the earth, perhaps to the core of the planet. The cavern also was deep, perhaps another two hundred feet down. "This would be able to power a hundred cities like this."

Lucy's mouth dropped wide open again and she stared around the cavern in shock, "My God!" She breathed, moving to a tall railing that seperated them from the massive drop into the planet's belly. "Could you imagine what Gibbons and his wife would make of this? He'd be happier than a pig in shit!".....

"He will be making his place here I think." he mummbled as he joined her at the railing. Control rooms could be seen further around the walkway, and caged elevators that went town to lower levels. "Well I think that we will not have to worry about setting up temporary shelters." he told her. "If we clear the jungle from the city, it should house quite a few. We could bring down more then at first anticipated." he moved to what looked to be a control room that had a large glass enclosure that hung out past the walkway. Inside was another surprise. "Oh my." He whispered as he looked at what could only be a map of under ground power lines radiated out from the city to at least a dozen other cities.

Lucy nodded at his idea at first, but then she lowered her brow and looked at him questioningly, "As much as this homes would be ideal." She told him, "Maybe we should find out why these people left in the first place? This city was well established, well sourced and well kept. The people that lived here must have had a very good reason to leave, Alexin.".....

She had a good point. Someone with the technology to build the city, the power plant and the vehicles he had seen would not have left unless there was a very good reason. There was no evidence of an attack of any kind. Their readings indicated no life threatening bacteria that would kill or cause great harm. There was strange forms of bacteria as there would be on any new world and was forign to both human and Karvallians. But they were not harmful according to all the tests that the first team ran. "We will have to get the linguistics people down here and also try to find any computers that might have been left to see if there is any record of what happened."

Lucy nodded and then moved away from him to start looking around, "Every department we have will be eager to get their hands on all this." She said, "And maybe we can find out sooner rather than later, why they left. Personally, I'd love to set up home here. Some of these homes and buildings are stunning to say the least.".....

Alexin laughed. "Well I would say you have first choice since you are here. It's an open market and the price I think is very resonable."

Lucy laughed as she moved to what looked like an interactive panel. She touched it and it came to life. "We'll see." She replied and then started scrolling through lines of incomprehendable text and then. "Eureka!" Lucy quickly put her scanner to the panel and took readings.....

"What have you found." he asked as his hands went over controls that looked simalar to those he had seen on Karvella but of course different language. He touched one colored square button and there was an increase in the power output of the power plant.

"It's an archive!" she said excitedly, "The layout is exactly the same as the Karvellian archive and I'm positive these here are date stamps." She touched one of the seperated markings and it brought up another spread of information and included pictures not unlike the murals they had seen earlier.....

"An archive in a power generation plant?" he asked. "Why would they put something like that here?"

Lucy furrowed her brow a little and shook her head, "I don't think this place is just to make power." She said, "It's the most central building and the most decorated of all the city we've seen so far. It's like the old citadels of Earth, a city within a city that holds everything of the people.".....

"So you think that there is more to this place then just a power generation plant?" If that was true, perhaps they would have other things stored below on the two hundred levels that seemed to be below them. He sent one of the guards back topside to call it in and have teams brought down immediately. If all went well, they could have the city cleaned up and people moving in with in a month. "Have you thought of what place you would like to move into?" he asked her.

Lucy shook her head, "I have no idea." She told him honestly, "And to be honest, I don't really want to take someone else's home from them. What of they come back one day?"....

"From the look of everything, they have been gone for a very long time. I doubt that they are coming back." he told her. "So I would suggest you pick a place and we can have a place to stay while we explore the rest of the city and make sence of everything."

"I saw a few smaller houses before we came to the obviously more industrial area." She said, "I suppose we can stay in one of them, temporarily, while we learn more about this place.".....

"That sounds good." he told her. An hour later Michael arrived with Carona and various teams of scientists that were wide eyed and eagar to get to work. "Lucy, what in the world." he began.

Lucy gave half a smile to her brother, "I know you didn't want to be interrupted on your honeymoon, but I thought all this would be worth it?" She said nervously and then smiled at Carona, "Is it worth all this?"......

Carona was just as egar as the other. "We can always make it a working Honeymoon." Michael grinned. "What have you got so far?"

Lucy grinned and nodded, "Well, we have an extensive powerplant here, as well as a very long lived archive and just for you Mike, there's two dead bodies that I'm sure started out like fish. You up for all that?" Mike smiled widely and slapped his palms together, "Ready when you lot are."......

"Holy crap." Came a familiar voice. Gibbons was looking down over the guard rail and beside him was his wife, who looked as giddy as he did. "You guys know how to make an engineer a happy camper." He came into the control room and looked over the array of controls. He rubbed his hands together a twinkle in his eyes.

Lucy smiled brightly, "I thought you might like this." She told him, then lookde at his wife. She couldn't remember her name which annoyed her, so she made it formal. "I notice Mrs Gibbons has gained a little weight." She said to him, "Are we to expect some good news soon?" Gibbons grinned proudly, "I thought you guys already knew about it." He said, looking to Alexin, "I did send word when it was confirmed, Sir.".....

Alexin smiled, "I think I remember something on that. Been a very busy time of late, and now even more so." Gibbons was looking at the controls and shaking his head. "We'll have this figured out, I gurentee you we will. He noticed the map on the wall. "A central power source that powers a dozen more cities." he took off his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. "Ready to do our magic?" She grinned and nodded and they went to work.

Lucy smiled again excitedly, "And while you're working your magik, I'll make a little of my own." She said before pulling out her communicator. She tapped it once and said, "Mina." A few seconds later, her friend's voice came back to her. "Hey sweetie." She said, "Listen, we've found something down here that I really need your help with. Can you hop on the next transport?" Mina agreed and Lucy put her communicator away again and smiled at Alexin, "She's gonna love all this."......

Alexin left her to the archive to see if she could make heads or tails of it as the Linguists arrived to take a look as well. He went on down in the other elevators to the various levels to see what was there with some of the other teams. Lucy was right, this was a central hub of everything. Below were levels of what looked to be research labs, a central archive that had a number of computer terminals, and a lot more. There were teams arriving from all departments, as well as crews to clear out the jungle and wildlife from the city. When he returned he got a report, "Sir the other twelve areas have been checked out and one of them looks to be a space port. It has landing pads large enough to land alot of or ships. But there is no sign of life."

Mina arrived with one of the transports and quickly found her way to Lucy. The pair then began their own work and within a few hours, they had managed to group some of the symbols into a basic binery alphabet. Lucy's skills and quick learning with the Karvellian language had given rise to Mina's eagerness to compete with her friend. So far, they had distinguished 3 groups of lettering and what could be construed as basic vowels. Then, it was a matter of arranging them accordingly to make better sense. It would take them several days, but both were sure they would succeed, especially wwith the help of the professional linguists.....

They were at it for hours and finally Alexin moved up behind Lucy. "I think it is time for you to rest a bit." he grinned. "Then you can go back at it."

Both Lucy and Mina jumped when Alexin arrived. Mina laughed and turned back to the panels while Lucy covered his hands with her own and leaned back into him, "Maybe in a little while." She said, "Me and Mina have discovered some phonics and I wanna run them by the linguists before we start playing around with them." She bent her head back and round slightly so she could kiss his cheek....

"Not to long." he told her. "Don't want the doctor puting you on bed rest now do we." he grinned and kissed her gently.

Lucy laughed and suddenly, Mina shoved her friend away from the panel. "Go." She ordered, "I can handle this for now." Lucy lifted an eyebrow, "You sure?" She asked. Mina nodded and pushed her friend into Alexin's arms further, "Get her out of here before she can argue." She ordered. Lucy laughed and shook her head as she leaned against her lover.....

Alexin lead her back to the main elevator and got her into it and pushed the up button. "You see, fate has brought you back to your work and not politics." he chuckled. "Looks like the Attorney General and the Elders will have to do with out us for a while."

Lucy laughed and shook her head, "That wasn't work." She said, "I love learning new languages, always have and I'm a quick student. I proved that learning Karvellian as quickly as I did. Mina is the same, if not better than me."....

"Well call it what you like, it has gotten you away from being a politician, hasn't it?" he chuckled

Lucy laughed again and nodded, "Oh definitely." She said, "And hopefully, I can keep it going a while longer. Maybe they should start looking for a replacement."....

"Ok, now lets go look at the houses you looked at. See which one will suit us, before everyone else decides to do the same." he took her by the hand and lead her back towards the outer part of the city.

Lucy took his hand with a smile and they went back into the city. "They all look so grand." She told him, and for the most part, they did. "These people really knew how to live in finery." They walked along the street for a short while until something caught Lucy's eye. The house had a front porch with columns and double doors. The pathway was lined with large flowered bushes and tall lamps and all the windows were huge and matching in style to the front doors. It looked to be at least three storeys high. "Now that's a house!" She said with conviction.....

He laughed and went up to the double doors and opened them. "Shall we explore and hang or names out on the front."

Lucy laughed and went up to the doors. She gave them a firm push at the handle, but they wouldn't budge. "Maybe they locked up when they left?" She said, giving it one more try....

He looked around the doors and found another place where there were the same type buttons that opened the walls of the city. Pressing the top button there was a click and the doors swung open. "I have a feeling that they didn't need to lock doors."

"Hmm." She mused as she walked into the front hall. It was like walking back in time into an old colonial house! There had been some recreated on Lunar for those that could afford it. Mina's family had been one of them. "This is amazing!" She breathed, turning a full circle in the hall and taking in everything from the pristine archways and doorways to the grand split staircase. "This is just like the old colonial houses in the 18th and 19th centuries.".....

The place looked amazing and he liked it. The lower level of the place had a large kitchen, the entrance hall, a large living room and a dinning room and bathroom. Up stairs had three bedrooms of good size, another bathroom, a study and on the third floor onelarge room that could be used for anything. The bathrooms were made for the creators of the city which were bigher then humans or Karvallians. With a few adjustments and replacements things would be good for them. "Like the place?" he grinned. "I think the place is up for sale."

Meanwhile the teams exploring the city found something very interesting. One of the humans on the team said, "Oh shit." as he saw it. He got his teams attention and entered the building and took the elevator tot he top. On the roof of the flat toped building was something he had saw on one of the war ships of the Karvallians, but only the barrel of it. A large turret with twin barrels sticking out of it. It was a beam weapon, and from the size of it, it was made for planetary defense. "I think we had best get ahold of someone and I think right now."

Lucy gave a small giggle, "How much do you think they want for it?" She asked him, "Back home, a house like this could easily top five mill. Don't know about you love, but I don't think we have that much capital.".....
Alexin chuckled. "I think we can offer a good deal for it. I happen to know that it has been empty for a very long time and probably will be a very low cost." He swiped a hand over the railing of the stairs and came away with a lot of dust. "Going to take a lot to clean up."
Lucy laughed again as she made her way to the back of the house. The gardens were extensive and badly overgrown. All manner of dangrous wildlife could be lurking in there. "I won't argue with you on that!" She called, "The garden alone will take weeks!" She opened a set of large glass doors to the wilderness and then stepped out. "I bet this was stunning once upon a time." She mused, then looked further down the overgrown lawns. There were other buildings down there, smaller and just as overgrown with weeds and other vegetation and then she turned again and let her mouth drop open. "You know what?" She called to him again, "I don't care how much work it needs! There's a pool out here bigger than the damned house!".....
He laughed. "No water in it but it is a large one indeed." he turned as if he was talking to someone next to him. "We'll take it." he said and chuckled. He leaned back agains the wall next to the glass doors and felt something give a little and there was a click sound. From the wall a small door slid open and out came a number or robotic figures. They wirlled around and produced various tools and began going to work, cutting vines, shreading them into mulch trimming things and the like. Alexin laughed as he watched them moving all over the garden area.
Lucy yelped and jumped away in fright as a sudden mass of robotic 'things' appeared and started scurrying about, "What on Earth?!" She yelled, then started laughing as the robots' purpose was made clear. "Ok, that just made our lives a lot easier." She chortled, "Now we just need to find some to clean the house and build furniture and hook up electrics and we're set.".....
"Who knows. Maybe somewhere in the house there is a little secret room with more of the little guys." he grinned and moved back into the house to see if he was right. As for power, it seemed to already be coming into the house. Moving a hand over a pannel in the room, lights came on. "MMMMMM now as for furniture, well I think we will have to have that made, along with everyone else. But there doesn't seem to be a shortage of wood around."
Lucy cocked an eyebrow and looked at the garden, "You're not wrong there." She said quickly....
"Well it looks as if we will have to dust and suck up the dust ourselves." he said as he checked around to see if there was any little robots to clean the place. "Begin at the top and work down?"
Lucy nodded and made her way up the right side of the grand staircase. The steps were higher and deeper than normal, but then previous owners must have been 8ft tall if they were an inch. "Might have to sort out smoe remodelling!" She called, "I can barely reach the top shelf on the ship, so I'm gonna need a bloody ladder in this place!" She laughed again and started hunting along the walls for more of those odd buttons....
"Yes a bit of remoddling is in order. Probably everywhere." Alexin said. Upstairs the bedrooms were big enough to support a number of pieces of furniture. One room that he took for a study, had book shelves. "Well looks as if they had books, along with their computerized archives. Going to take a lot of furniture to fill this place."
Lucy nodded, "Oh Definitely." She sighed lightly, "My mother would have killed for a house like this. She would have loved filling it with all her trinkets and memories.".....
The call came in, "Sorry to disturb you sir, but it looks like this place and perhaps the other cities we have been finding have a planetary defence system. Massive beam weapons that can take out a ship with no problem." Alexin looked over at Lucy when he heard that. Could it have been the defensive system that brought down the alien ship?
Lucy's brow shot right up, "Take out an entire ship?" Her thoughts went immediately to the wreckage in the jungle, "I think we found the cause of that then." She said openly....
"But all our shuttles and exploration ships have come down safely and have not been fired upon." he told her.
Lucy thought for a moment, "So we posed no threat then?" She asked, then cocked her eyebrow, "Our ships weren't armed, or the weapons weren't powered up because there was no communicae from here." She brought her comms up, "Hey, it's Lucy here." She said, "Does the array have any sensory equipment on it?" "Like what?" Came the reply. "I don't know, a tracker maybe to pick up on the weapons'power?" A few seconds of silence, then, "Yeh, I think there is." The voice said. Lucy shrugged her shoulders, "There's your answer." She told Alexin....
Alexin got on his communicator and contacted their base camp. "Get ahold of the fleet and move all armed ships away from orbit. Under no circumstances are any of those ships to approach the planet." He turned to Lucy. "An automated defense system." he shook his head. The builders of the city had left their defence system on. It seemed if a warship came near, it would be shot down. So they knew of war and probably had to deal with another or other space faring races.
Lucy nodded, "Like our crispy friends." She said, "So what's the plan now then? If they've left this going, they might be coming back one day. Or someone that wants the planet for their own, like we do."....
"If they were coming back, I think they would have done so already. The few cities on this planet indicates it was a colony and not a home world. Perhaps in the archives it will show where they came from and if they are still there, we can always contact them somehow and let them know we are here."
Lucy shrugged her shoulder, "It's big just to be a colony." She said and then looked around some more, "But these people hardly did anything in small doses, looking at all this and that archive.".....
"They had a space port here, so they had the ability to come and go. Perhaps they had this planet for some time." It would be interesting to find out when it was established and when it was abandoned. Also with the distance between systems, they might have had even more advanced star drives.
Lucy walked around a little more and then, "Ah ha!" She said, "Found the button!" She pressed it and a myriad of different robots emerged from various holes at ankle height. She stepped out of the way, "Oh, I might have another theory about their leaving?".....
Alexin moved out of the way as the little robots went about cleaning. They were able to move up walls to the ceiling, dusting and cleaning. The would vacuume up dust and such and when full, back up to a part of the wall and dump their load into a tube that appeared. He laughed and watched them clean. "What theroy to do you have on why they left." he asked.
"Well, you know that Dad has been doing the new cartography for the changing starmaps, right?" She said, "I had a quick look at them a few days ago and I noticed that this system has spread out a lot bigger than it once was. Vega is a denser star so it holds more gravity. That's why it looks more blue than red in the skies like my Sun used to. Vega is keeping a steady course, but the rest of the system is still being pulled apart. I'd say the distance between the nearest stars had probably trebled in the last few hundred years." She looked at him and lifted an eyebrow....
"So the colony would have been cut off from their home world. It would take longer for them to move between there and here. They left to find worlds closer to their home world." But with the galaxcies merging now, it seemed that the expansion was slowing. "But that expansion is slowing now that the two galaxices are merging and becoming one. Aren't they now begining to spin as one, becoming a 4/8/2012 9:38:24 AM charles Lady Raven much larger galaxcy?"
Lucy nodded, "But the individual systems will still be torn apart or absorbed, whichever the strongest to be, and new ones would be created in their place. Like your system has destroyed mine, but the collision will create a new system with new planets."....
"In time yes." he said. "Still, once we are settled and can, I think we should try to find out where the builders are and contact them. Might prevent problems in the future, should they, like you said, want to return."
Lucy nodded, "That shouldn't be too hard." She said, "Me and Mina had already figured out a basic alphabet when you snatched me away." She laughed quietly, "Give us a few months maybe and I reckon we could get a decent message out there.".....
He nodded as he continued to watch the little robots. From the Study they went off to one bedroom then another. Once done there they moved easily down the stairs to the lower level. "Well, looks like you won't have to do much house cleaning." he chuckled. "Everyone is going to love these little guys."
Lucy laughed and nodded, "Definitely." She said, "These little fellas are much more advanced than what we got back home. I must try and catch one for Gibbons to study, see if he can replicate it for those house that don't have them.".....
"You think that there are some that wouldn't?" he shook his head. "I think the builders had the idea of making life easy for their people." But finding out how these little robots were made and to be able to make them would be a good thing. "Well while these little guys do their thing, we might go back to camp and get some rest. Can't really move in till we get some furniture made. Some can be dismantled from the ships and brought down."
Lucy shrugged her shoulders, "There's a lot of small houses." She told him, "And unless the entire basement would have been converted to service them, I highly doubt all the houses will have them." She then looked around once more and nodded to his idea, "That's not a bad idea and I know a few bits that would make for some great artwork....." She then pointed to a mass of white wall beside the left side of the staircase, ".....Right there.".....
She already was begining to plan what was going to go where. He had to chuckle and nod. He would let her decide how to decorate the place. "Well then, come on and we will get some rest, then you can get back to Mina on the language and plan on what you want brought down from the ships for the house."
Lucy smiled and nodded, "Absolutely." She told him and moved to the door....

The trip back tot he base camp was made easier by the clearing of the road. "Think Michael has finished his study of the aliens." he asked.
"Let's go and find out." She said.....
He shook his head as they trecked up to the wreck of the ship. He was there with his wife and going over his notes on what he had found. "Well, what have you found out?"
Mike looked up and grinned with possibly the weirdest contraption sat on his head than could be imagined. Under that, of course was his translator. His gift for language wasn't nearly as acute as his sister's. "Well, they're definitely weird." He said with a laugh, "They're not carbon based so none of the regular dating tests are working and I've got nothing yet to compare Metaphasical states to, so best guess, he's been dead a while." Both he and Lucy laughed quietly, but then things returned serious again, "Ok, best guess." Mike said, "This guy didn't breathe air or any gaseus element like we do. See these gills here running down from behind the lobes of the skull and into the upper shoulders? I'd say he was some sort of fish if I'm gonna be honest. Until I can get him to a lab, there isn't that much more I can tell you. Sorry guys."..... 4/8/2012 10:26:33 AM charles Lady Raven "A fish?" he shook his head. He wondered what kind of world they would have come from. "Well we need to know what they breathed so that we can begin to search to locate possible worlds they could have come from." He wanted to know where to look for trouble before it came.
Mike nodded, "I've got some soil samples from around the ship to compare with other samples taken elswhere, so I might be able to give you a basic analysis of the liquid at the lab." He removedd the contraption from his head, but left the translator on, "So is it true you guys have found a load of cities?".....
"Twelve to be exact besides the one with the power plant. One is even a space port, and we found what possibly brought this ship down." he looked over at Lucy.
Lucy nodded to confirm it and Mike widened his eyes, "Really! Wow!" He said, "That;s kinda..... freaky to be honest. Is it gonna attack us too?".....
"Only if we bring warships close to the planet." he told him. "Those unarmed have nothing to worry about." He hoped that the results of his test would come back quickly. The aliens had been dead for some time, years perhaps, but not long enough for them to have probably given up on transforming the planet into one like theirs.
Mike nodded and then started gathering up his equipment, "Not all bad then." He said, then tapped his watch at Carona, "we're gonna have to get a wiggle on here, love." He said to her, "I htink your Mum will be pissed if we're late for the first family meal." Carona nodded and quickly started gathering everything up. Lucy laughed and shook her head, but Mike cocked an eyebrow, "This is a serious matter, ya know." He scolded, "Carona's Mum is a real bigiwg with the Elders. Need to make a good impression and can't let you take all the glory, can I." Lucy laughed again and nodded, "Whatever you say, Brother." She chortled.....
Alexin grinned and patted Michale's shoulder. "Just be yourself and I am sure everything will be good."
Mike laughed and nodded, "Sure." He said, then started filing out of the tent with his team and his equipment, "I'll get those results to you asap." He promised....

Alexin nodded to Mike and hoped that the results would come back quickly. He was still worried about the aliens. They would surely have sent out another ship to see what happened to the other one. With the two galaxcies colliding as they were, he figured that they were more concerned about the effect on their homeworld or perhaps like Earth and his world, thiers had been destroyed. "Well what shall we do now?" he looked at Lucy.

Lucy offered Alexin a smile, "I don't know about you." She said, "But I promised to help Mina with the linguistics for that message.".....

"Think the original people are still out there?" he asked

Lucy nodded, "Definitely." She replied, "From what we saw in that archive, they were more than well travelled. Something a small as a system collision won't have stopped them, I don't think."....

"And what if they want their planets back?" he asked her. "From the defensive systems here they could be more warlike then we think and could take us being here as an invasion or intrustion into their territory."

Lucy nodded with a serious look, "That's why we need to send a message out." She said, "Let them know we are here before they turn up without warning. There are other planets in the system, love."....

"Yes I know. This one will be settled by both our races, and the other two suitable ones will be settled by those that have issues with that." he told her. "If they want this one back they might want them all."

Lucy gave half a disappointed shrug, "Then we just have to keep looking." She told him....

"I don't think your leaders or my elders will do that. Both of our peoples have wasted alot of resources, time and patience to get here. Both our races have a tendency not to give up something that we have come to call ours."

Lucy nodded, "I know that." She offered, "But they were here first. What if a race had arrived at one of your planets and taken it over without you knowing about it. Wouldn't you want it back, or at least to know why they took it to begin with?" She gave him another shrug before moving back towards the citadel. "I know I would for sure.".....

He followed her out of the tent and back towards the citadel. "That is true, and it would probably wind up that both would be fighting for the world, or worlds." It was not a very nice thought, but one that they would have to prepare for.

Lucy nodded as she hopped onto a ground transport, "Exactly." She told him. It fired up and took them both back to the citadel, "So let's send out a message that we are here and willing to communicate for the better. That way, they have a headsup at least."....

He had to admit her way was more sound. At least it would not be a surprise to the original owners. "Now how did you learn how to use one of their ground vehicles?" he asked her

Lucy gave a sly grin, "I watched one of the techs starting it up outside the central building." She said, "Push and go, just like the pods on Lunar."....

As they approached the city, they saw a few others using the vehicles. One went flying by and looked as if it was heading to one of the other cities. the others were moving about the city taking teams here and there to remove the foliage and clean things up. "So we heading to our new home?" he asked her. "Or back to the central building?"

"I'm heading back to Mina." Lucy said, "What you do is up to you, love." She smiled at him, "And I suppose the Elders will want to know what we found down here anyways."....

Once back at the Central Building of the city he got out and as Lucy went to find Mina he went to find the communications team. They had already set up in the building and was coordinating landing parties. He got ahold of the Elders and informed them of what had been found out. "We will be coming down along with the Earth Government officals. Have a team find a suitable building to be the Unified Government Headquarters." Once he was done he sent out a team to find such a building. He then went down to the Power Generation Control Room. "How goes it down here." he asked.

Mina and Lucy had been hard at work. Both women smiled at Alexin as he entered the archive level and Mina was eager to show him what she'd found during their absence. "I've found phonics." She told him proudly, "And two different alphabets. Cool, right?!"....

The Archives were not to far from where the Control Room was. "Phonics. So you will be able to decipher the language soon?" he asked.

Lucy nodded, "Give us a few days, maybe two at a push and we might have something worth sending out." She told him, "But we still need the linguistics team down here to help out. They should have arrived an hour ago.".....

"Sorry we are late." Came a mans voice, "Got caught up in all of it. Was shown the city and picked out living quarters." The man and two women sat down cases and opened them up and looked at Lucy and Mina. "What do you have?"

"Basic phonics." Lucy told them, "And two different alphabets. We need you guys to help us define which is which." Mina nodded, but didn't look up from her screen.....

The three began hooking up their equipment and sorthing through various hook up means. It seemed it was almost universal for some. Soon they had their equipment hooked into the Alien Computer system. "This should help out some. With our linquistic programs it should help speed up the process."

Lucy nodded and lifted her hands from the consol long enough to see the programme in full swing. Mina did the same and then pointed to the consol in various places with Lucy on the thigns they had got right. Some wrong, but most right, so that was good enough.....

"Well it looks like you will have it done alot sooner then you thought." Alexin told them. "I'll be down the way a bit, checking on our dedicated Engineers. I don't think they have left since they were brought down here."

Lucy smiled and nodded before returning her attention to the consol.....

Alexin shook his head. He would have to come back and pry her away from it, just to get some rest. Meanwhile, at the Spaceport, shuttles and small ships were landing with more people. Control was set up to ensure the ships were brought down ok and systems were put on line. It was amazing that most was simalar to what they were use to already."

After a number of hours, much of the city was occupied and trade folk were already sizing up houses and other buildings, giving them a good idea of the changes needed. However, most, if not all of them stopped to watch the sun move around to the horizon. Even Mina stopped long enough to watch it. "Oh Lucy!" She said with awe, "You have to see this! It's.... I can't describe it!" The colours given off were astounding and incredibly hypnotic and the motion and angle were so different from what they had seen before. Also, the sounds coming from the jungle around them created a melodic, if slightly dangerous sound, filling the air with noise like a chorus.....

"Guess we will have to keep people within the walls of the cities at night. I don't like the sound coming from the jungle." Alexin walked in and said. "Come on." he told Lucy. "Time to get some rest. You have all the time in the world now to find everything out."

Lucy was reluctant to leave the consol, but did eventually and walked back up to the main level with him, "Just as things were getting started." She complained.....

He laughed and shook his head. "You can't do everyone's job you know. Let them have some fun."

Alexin guided her out of what he called the Centeral Hub. "I have heard that you have found us a nice place to live." he told her, "What is it like and what made you pick it?" As he looked around, the city was begining to come alive with people and the alien vehicles moving about. He could imagine that in the other cities the same thing was begining to happen.

No longer was there the problem of securing a site to make a base camp and seek out other places to begin building. The large ships that had brought the Earth and Korvellian people there would remain in orbit and perhaps be taken to the other habitable planets. He hoped that the builders of the cities would see that their need for the worlds were greater then expansion of their race to other worlds.

Lucy couldn't help but give a small giggle at her lover. "Well.." She began, "It's just off the main drag through the citadel. Big windows, wide doorways, that kind of thing. Really light and welcoming. It needs some work, but I've managed to get the house trinkets working so it should be cleaned up a little by the time we're ready to move in." She gave him a sly grin. "Plenty of room to explore and make our own, I think."

She moved to a transport and clambered back in before smiling at Alexin, "I can show you around, if you like?" She asked with a coy grin....

"I think that would be good. Especially since we will be living there together." he climbed into the trasnport and let her drive. He had noticed that eveything was a bit bigger then what they were use to. Evidently the original occupants had been alot taller then they were. But that only ment that there would be more room for them to do what ever they wanted to the place.

There were still several million people of both races that had to be settled. The other two planets in the system that was habitable would be explored as well. He wondered if their probes had missed cities there as well or if the aliens had only settled on the one planet. Reports from the explorer teams would be coming in in a day or so. Especiall now that the cities that had somehow been hidden from their probes, had been discovered.

When the vehicle stopped he looked around at the structure that was now going to be his new home. "Kind of big looking isn't it?" he grinned. "Their personal effects should have been delivered, but as for furniture, that was going to take a bit of time. Especially furniture that was made for them and not the aliens that built it. He figured there might be plenty of that about somewhere. "Have you thought of the furnishings? Any preferences?" he asked as he opened the door and entered their new home.