
A Lick of Immortality

# (Left-hand Adventures Book 2)

Copyright © 2013 Arwen Jayne

All Rights Reserved

2nd Edition, 2019

### Disclaimer

This book contains sexually explicit scenes and language that may offend. The author is not responsible for any loss, harm, injury or death resulting from the use of the information contained in this title.

While reference has been made to some actual historical events or persons and some existing locations all other names, characters and places are fictional; the product of the author's over imaginative mind. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses or places is purely coincidental.

### Acknowledgements

This book wouldn't have been possible without the help and encouragement of my friends and my partner. Thanks go to those who read the draft and offered their comments. To Jen for her endless encouragement, help with the editing, insightful comments and as a second eye to the metaphysics in the book. To my partner for his never ending patience, encouragement, his photography and help with the book cover. To my mum for not disowning me after reading the first book and instead wanting to know more about the characters. To my dad for being pleased as punch that I'd gotten to be a published author. To all those who read the first novel and didn't tell me I was daft for putting some pretty outlandish metaphysical ideas into such a mixed genre sci-fi fantasy romance novel. Finally thanks to Fiona and Liam for letting Kimba, their four month old grey tabby kitten, pose as Oscar for the photo.

### Photo Credit

Greg Hollis

## Prologue

100,000 years ago...

An almighty boom followed the shockwave, levelling the surrounding forest. The meteorite roared across the sky, slamming into the side of the mountain. Splinters of rock from the mountainside were thrown into the air landing up to a kilometre away. The object that had hit was little more than two metres, six and a half feet at its widest, made of extremely hard, dense material. Amazingly it hadn't broken apart upon entry into the planet's atmosphere. It now lay embedded deep in the side of the mountain, at the end of the huge hole it had made.

A group of Shang, distinguished by their almost conical heads, large almond shaped eyes and long dreadlocked hair, made the arduous journey to the mountainside to investigate. Silwa, having done many dark retreats to enhance his inner sight, fearlessly entered the abyss of the tunnel that the meteorite had made. At the end of it he found a giant crystal that looked to be at least as big as himself. Having always had an affinity for beings of rock he tentatively approached it, seeking to get a sense of its vibrational qualities and hoping like hell there was no radiation or extraplanetary germs. He reached out to touch it and felt something shift in his mind. Reeling back in surprise he took a moment to get his nerve back then decided to follow an unusual hunch and rested his forehead against it. He found himself in conversation with the rock.

Resurfacing from the cave later his anxious friends were curious to know what he'd found. "What is it Silwa?"

"An immortal, like us, but from a higher dimensional plane. I bear bad news. A great evil is coming. They come to enslave and plunder. We need to plan, for our sakes and the sake of the other sentient species on this planet."

Another of the assembled Shang grumbled, "there is another ice age on its way, this one is likely to affect the planet for quite some time, possibly as much as 90,000 years. Now this! What are we all to do? We abhor violence, we came to this planet long ago so we could practise our beliefs in peace."

"We won't engage the enemy in battle. We'll hide in plain sight, renouncing all things that might attract them: wealth, power and comfort. What few treasures we now have we will hide in the rocks of the mountains and protect with our spells. We will live in our hidden mountain valleys and underground cities. We can use our magic to conceal our presence. They are strategies I'm sure that many of the other species will use but I suspect some like the Elder Folk will retreat to their parallel worlds. The Dolphins and Whales will be safe in the seas, for a time. It is the two legged ape people I fear for. They are a people of passion, as much inclined to violence as compassion. They have great potential for good or evil, only time will tell along which path they evolve. I suspect the enemy will enslave them. We will intervene where we can."

"And what of the immortal?"

"There is nothing we can do to help him, the enemy has encased him in the crystal that fell to earth. I know of no way to free him but we can use our magic to hide him."

The others sorrowed that they couldn't help the being but agreed to use their sacred magic. Joining minds they envisioned a great wall and sealed the mountainside to all comers.

Three years ago, Kabul, Afghanistan...

Field Major John Samuels placed the phone thoughtfully back in its cradle. It had been a simple enough request, a meeting with the Brigadier General in Kandahar, yet his sense of foreboding passed ten on his personal psychic richter scale.

At only a few hours old he'd been left on the steps of the town church. Raised in an outback mission orphanage he'd quickly grown wiser than his years, atheist and cynical. By thirteen he'd run away, hitching a ride on a road train. By sixteen he'd enlisted as a grunt in the army. With his quick mind, ability to lead others and an uncanny sixth sense he'd soon risen through the ranks. It was a life. It was all he knew. He survived the Iraq war as a warrant officer. By the time he shipped out to Afghanistan he had nearly thirty years of service under his belt. Now he had his own team and all he had to do was carry out orders and keep them all from dying.

He yelled out to his Warrant Officer. "Soldier, get me some transport. I need to get up to the Air Force Control and Reporting Centre at Kandahar International Airport for a meeting with The Brigadier." It was always a bit strange ordering around his friend but army protocol was army protocol, at least when they were in sight of others. Officially there were no friendships between those of different ranks.

Andrew raised an eyebrow, the road to Kandahar was a highway, of sorts, but it wasn't exactly one of the safest in the world, especially for any peacekeeping troops that ventured there. You didn't go on your own. "Yes Sir!" He left to organise it but he'd seen John's reaction to the call. He was the only person he knew who was privy to the full extent of the Major's sixth sense.

John grabbed a few things, basic provisions and his army issue F88 Austeyr 45mm cartridge rifle. It was a modified version of the Austrian Steyr AUG STG-77 assault rifle, alright as long as you didn't try to use NATO rounds in it. He was surprised to see Andrew sitting in the driver's seat when he got to the vehicle.

"Soldier! What the hell are you doing?"

"Coming with you sir, someone's got to mind your back."

John walked up to the driver's window and whispered. "Andrew, my senses are ringing alarm bells at me, you can't come, I can't be responsible for anything happening to you."

Andrew whispered back, "With all due respect Sir, how do you think I'd feel if anything happened to you, did you think about that, eh?"

John swore quietly "Bloody hell!" then walked around and got in the passenger side.

They never made it to Kandahar. About an hour outside the town of Ghazni the road was blocked by a truck that, given the lack of any other traffic, must have only just overturned before they got there. It was eerily quiet.

"Cover me! I'll go and see if there are any injuries."

Andrew wished they could have stayed put until others arrived but even that wasn't safe out here. "He opened the driver's door and used it as bare bones cover while the Major walked over to see if there were any wounded.

The Major was some yards from the vehicle when the shoulder fired grenade landed near them, the blast throwing Andrew into the air and knocking John off his feet. The last thing he could remember seeing before he blacked out was his friend's body lying twisted and bleeding out on the middle of the road.

A month ago...

'Mr S. Sauron' the plain gold name plate on his desk declared to the world. But the character behind the desk was simply Sakla, to those in the know. To those who hated him he was 'the great evil' but he didn't mind, he just harvested their hate or organised their demise. He butted out his cuban cigar on a leaf of the ficus plant that some fool had dared to place in the corner of the room, probably hoping to create a friendly and welcoming environment out of his austere office. The fact that the burn might actually cause pain to the plant did please him though. Days like these one needed small pleasures. The morning markets had opened around the world, down again. Even his beloved mining companies were taking a hammering. A couple of big holes he'd been looking forward to gouging into the ground in Australia and South America might have to be postponed. Governments even had the gall to start demanding a fair share of the mining royalties – really! He'd have to engineer some disasters to keep their minds off that. A plague of austerity was sweeping the world, despite his best protestations to world governments. It was starting to cause a drop in demand for resources, not just goods and services. Even his homeland, which he had been busily grooming for the last few thousand years as the base of his worldwide operation, was beginning to swim in its own cesspit of pollution, the people in the countryside near in revolt. The world's poor and lowest paid workers were getting restless, taking to the streets in unheard of numbers. Where would it all end? At least he could still rely on his investments in the health and biochemical industries. What with all the highly effective work his scientists had been doing of late in global pest distribution to increase the demand for his products and their newly revamped viruses that were infecting humans with cancers at a faster rate than ever. He loved their new development, 'type three diabetes' a few pundits were starting to call it. They'd be a long-time finding the cause on that one. Marvellous what a lifelong hi-carb and sugar addiction, which his advertising had helped bring about, modern stress, pollutants and a well hidden virus or two could do to cause accelerated aging in as yet untold numbers of workers who were past their usefulness. While they waited for their turn to die they filled his highly efficient, global network of no frills old age homes leaving both their families and their governments to pay for their care while he reaped the profits.

Yet too many humans were edging dangerously close to waking up from the illusion he had tried so hard to nurture and keep them in for so long. If he didn't find some way to stop them soon or wipe out a great proportion of them like he had the last time there was no knowing what it would lead to. The great flood had certainly fixed them for a bit but it had left him without a workforce for thousands of years. Those lean times didn't bear remembering. There had to be a way to keep the planet's natives from getting restless until he finished plundering this world of all its natural resources and moved his operation to another planet. Television had worked for the last sixty years or so as a way to keep the masses distracted but even his most recent innovation "reality TV" was beginning to bore them, viewer numbers were at an all-time low. Expected sales of 3D TVs just hadn't happened, people complaining that it was bad for the very young and affected those with epilepsy and migraines. Whingers! Casinos still fleeced a few. What other business could so easily get away with exchanging one dollar for an average return of seventy cents or much less. National lotteries gave false hope to millions but an increasing number of yoga practitioners, new age hippies and others of the world's spiritual riff-raff were opting out of that as well. He'd had some joy from his drug cartels and arms dealerships, both sides deeply entwined, like brothers in arms, he giggled insanely to himself. Schools had become sales points for both his high-end technology products as well as sweets and lollies that got the kids hooked on sugar and caffeine in preparation for hooking them on drugs. Even there parents were starting to scream, threatening to take their kids out and teach them at home. His rearguard action had been to get governments to mandate standard curriculums that were too complex for parents to understand, let alone to teach. If that didn't work he sent the boys around to drag their usually unvaccinated kids off to the doctors at gunpoint and fined the parents until they lacked the resources to fight his initiatives. But still the restlessness increased!

His musing was brought to a sudden halt by the ruckus coming from his front office.

"You tell him, you're his advisor, aren't you? I'm not going in there to fall on my sword."

"Coward, if you die you'll just go to The Between and be sent back here to infest someone else's aura. You look like you need to get yourself a new human vessel to enslave anyway, that body you've got now is way past it."

"It's not death I'm afraid of, it's the pain on the way to getting dead I don't want. I'll be lucky if he doesn't pull my intestines out through my mouth when he hears that we lost the skirmish with the Malakim."

Saklas arched an eyebrow with a mixture of curiosity, concern and anger. He opened his office door. "Get in here you snivelling piece of lizard dung and spill it!"

Sakla's advisor snickered quietly to himself as the other man gulped and entered the office of doom.

Sakla slammed the door.

Screaming followed.

##

##

## 1

The town of Boswell had the flu. It had started two weeks before when a visiting tourist had hacked and coughed all over the local shopkeeper and it had spread from there. The school was temporarily closed due to a lack of teachers fit enough to work. The local youth club was doubling as a child care center and place of recreation for those still healthy. Most of Sally's non urgent appointments at her veterinary practice had postponed so she closed up shop early for the day. She couldn't go and lust after the mysterious and reclusive Major as he'd been out of town for the last two weeks, giving a security training course in New South Wales. He wasn't due to fly back until this evening. With little else to do she decided an afternoon at number 7 Park Street was the go. Her friend Tyra, who'd been, until recently, a mortal fifty-something librarian in the city, now lived in Boswell with her two immortal mates Thex and Simon. Number 7 had pretty much been the town's house of ill-repute for over two hundred years but Simon had recently changed his business, now running a security firm that provided services to most of the area. When he wasn't doing that he and Tyra taught Tantra to interested locals. Thex and the Major were in the process of setting up a state of the art survival training camp out at Tyra's uncle's old place in an ancient crater not far from town.

The front of Simon's two storey sandstone Georgian mansion faced the town's small park but around the back of the house was a massive garden of edible and medicinal plants, greenhouses and a large stable that had been converted into a garage with an upstairs loft apartment for his chauffeur and friend George. Not getting an answer when she knocked on the front door Sally wandered around to the side verandah to see if anyone was there. Oscar, a two and a half month old grey tabby kitten that Simon had saved from a litter that had been dumped in the park, looked up from his cushion in the sun and purred a welcome. The sliding door onto the glassed-in verandah was open, probably to let in the air on this gorgeous spring day. No-one would mind if she sat with Oscar so Sally stepped inside and wandered over to give him a scratch. "So how's it going mate? You're looking well."

Oscar continued his purring and jutted out his chin a little to see if Sally might pull the sensitive hairs there, which she did.

A barefoot, lean but wiry muscled Simon appeared at the doorway to the kitchen wearing just a pair of jeans. He grinned mischievously at her, his gray eyes sparkling. "Hi Sally, we'll be up shortly for a cuppa. Tyra's just a little tied up at present. Give us about fifteen minutes then whack the jug on, okay?"

_Oops_ , from what the town surmised of Simon's habits if Tyra was tied up it was probably literally. Sally couldn't help but notice the very large bulge in the front of the immortal's jeans and blushed a little. "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Simon grinned, "Not at all, please stay. Help yourself to anything you want." Then he simply disappeared in front of her eyes. Since the town's confrontation with the evil aliens, the Din, Simon hadn't been hiding what he was so much, at least not from the townsfolk like Sally who had fought in the skirmish.

Sally wandered into the state of the art kitchen any chef would have coveted and proceeded to look through the solid blackwood cupboards to see if she could find enough stuff to make something for an early afternoon tea. She knew that Simon and Tyra kept to an ancient diet regime for spiritual reasons and that they didn't eat wheat so ordinary scones were out of question. Tyra had once shown her how they made a substitute scone using a sweet sorghum flour, chia seed, psyllium and plain water. The chia and psyllium both tended to swell when they came in contact with water so they acted as a kind of raising agent. Sally decided she'd have a go, adding a little Yacon syrup to the mix to sweeten it. She was just opening the packet of chia seed with a knife when it slipped and nicked her. "Bugger!" Oscar appeared from the verandah and looked at her with concern in his humanly wise eyes so she bent down to show him it was only minor, "see, it's just a nick." Oscar looked at her forlornly and then licked the wound, it felt good. "You being the Vet today and patching me up instead. Thanks". Oscar seemed to know he'd done the required job and proudly sauntered back to enjoy the sun on the verandah. Sally went to wash her hands and noticed that the wound had already closed. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to her cooking, she was unlikely to catch any germs off Oscar anyway as apparently he'd become immortal when Simon saved his life. Twenty minutes later and the small batch of scones that she pulled out of the oven smelled and looked delicious. By the time Simon and Tyra finally surfaced Sally had everything served up and on the kitchen table along with a pot of rich herbal coffee made from hazelnuts and Mayan ramon nuts from a packet she'd found in the cupboard.

Tyra looked a little disorientated and relaxed out from whatever she'd been doing down in Simon's basement but beamed at her friend. "Wow, I didn't expect all this, it smells and looks scrumptious."

Sally was pleased at her friend's response. "I hope I made enough. I didn't see Thex or George anywhere."

Simon wandered over to the table and poured himself a cup of the coffee. "Thex has taken the H1 Hummer he just bought to the airport to pick up the Major and as he's still on his learner's George went with him to supervise. Thex has to get a certain number of hours up driving before he can go and sit his test."

Tyra reached for a scone. "I'm sure if he can manage an inter-dimensional galactic spacecraft a small land based vehicle won't be much of a problem."

Sally winced a little. "Yes, but you know how my brother Michael is a stickler for the rules. He won't test Thex until he's met all the requirements. Michael wouldn't have even given Thex his learner's license if the Major hadn't leaned on a few people to get him those identity papers."

Simon hmphed. "Like we've only both been on the planet for a 100,000 years or so."

Tyra inclined her head a little, arched her eyebrows and peered with some amusement at Simon. "Thex was trapped on this planet as a rock, they don't usually give citizenship papers to a rock".

Simon sighed, knowing he'd lost the case. "No, I suppose not."

The reminder that Thex had been trapped in crystal form, unable to ascend himself back to normal until Tyra and Simon's mum, the guardian goddess of the earth, came to the rescue, piqued Sally's curiosity. "So when are you going to set about freeing the rest of Thex's team?"

Simon stared at Sally with one of his annoyingly all-knowing looks. "When the next prophesied human is ready."

## 2

John Samuels or simply 'The Major' to most who knew him enjoyed the view as the plane banked, lining up the short runway. The maneuver took the plane out over the long white sands of the beach below. This airport was only twenty minutes from the city but the area was still quite unspoilt. The remains of an old Radiata Pine plantation hugged the beach. There was a small coastal strip of houses but otherwise the rest of the area still had the feel of rural farmland, even with the industrial and shopping complex that had risen up in recent years in a nearby town.

It was good to be back home. He had no regrets about the move from the bright lights and hustle and bustle of Sydney. He'd finally found some meaning in his life, working with his new friends to protect a small town from an evil he'd never known existed. He'd thought he'd known most of what went on behind the scenes of the world. His previous life as a field major in Afghanistan had given him high level military clearances at the time and he still had good contacts in the forces. He'd seen too much in Afghanistan though, he still had nightmares about events that all his psychic senses couldn't prevent because he couldn't make people listen without revealing his paranormal abilities. God knows what they would have done to him in if they'd found out. He'd heard too many horrific rumours about how those with skills like his could be used. So he'd watched as a string of his friends died or were injured and wore guilt that he'd carry to his grave. He'd got out, retiring early, still in his mid-forties. He'd quickly built up a good reputation as a contract trainer teaching security and survival courses to both paramilitary and civilian organisations. It was one such teaching contract that had brought him to a newly established security firm in a small remote rural town and his life had changed forever. Hell, he'd battled actual aliens! He'd help storm a spaceship that was now 'parked' out of sight at the bottom of a local lake. One of the new friends he'd fought alongside was now his business partner. He and Thex were developing a survival training camp out at the old crater site and bunker where Thex had spent the last 100,000 years or so imprisoned in stone.

This trip back to Sydney had been necessary to meet his outstanding commitments there. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you viewed it, he'd taken the time to see his long time doctor to arrange for his medical records to be transferred to his new general practitioner. He'd used the opportunity to have his annual tests done. Despite assurances that the depleted uranium weaponry he'd worked around during his earlier stint in Iraq wouldn't hurt anyone he had regular checks to make sure that the damned stuff hadn't had any long term effect on him. The results this time hadn't been good. He'd be lucky if he'd get two years before the lung and liver cancers they'd detected took him out. Just as life had been looking so good. He thought sadly of the pretty young vet who had been stalking him for the last month. There was no hope now of anything happening there. He wouldn't impose his soon to be corpse on her along with all the grief and loss she'd face afterwards. He'd work as long as he could with Thex to get the survival training camp up and running then he'd quietly disappear to die somewhere in peace.

Disembarking down the back stairs onto the tarmac he walked to the arrival lounge where he was greeted by reasonably friendly security staff and a customs dog. The beagle took one sniff and continued on past, nothing interesting there. John picked up his luggage and made his call. "I'm ready for pickup, meet you out the front of the terminal." Then he hung up. He knew Thex and George had been waiting about five minutes away, outside the airport grounds. No one liked the audaciously exorbitant parking fees the airport now charged. There was an ongoing escalation of wits between the airport owners and people coming to pick up passengers. It had started with people parking on the grass verges on the entrance road, waiting for calls from arriving passengers, but that had been banned. So now people were forced to wait outside the airport grounds or pay the parking fees.

Thex's hard to miss camouflage painted Hummer pulled up at the curb. The Major quickly stashed his luggage and got in the backseat and they headed off before the airport security staff could get a chance to give them a hurry along.

"Good trip?" Thex focused intently on the road ahead without turning to look around at his passenger.

The Major relaxed back in his seat. "Bit bouncy. Some air turbulence on the way back but otherwise no hassles."

"Don't forget to use your indicator!" George interrupted as they were about to turn onto the main highway.

Thex grinned at the reminder from his driving instructor and friend. "Ah yeah. Although you'd think they could see this thing coming and get out of the way."

George groaned, "It's not a spaceship Thex, you can't blast your way into the traffic." This instructing business was harder than he'd thought.

Thex nodded, duly chastened, "Sorry George, I'll remember but I have to say there were never this many vehicles out in space." He paused. "Do you want to take over for a bit, I'd like to talk to the Major."

George relaxed, "happily!"

Thex laughed at the barely disguised jab at his city driving. He pulled over to the verge, took down the learner's sign and got out into the back passenger seat next to the Major. "Okay spit it out! I can read from the Etheric Net what you've been told but I don't understand the ramifications of it."

The Major groaned. He should have known he'd never hide anything from his immortal friends. "Put simply Thex, I'm dying."

Nup, Thex shook his head, he was still not getting it. "But why die?"

The Major tried to control his frustration. It was not as if Thex was used to mortals. "It's not like I chose this."

Thex stared at him bewildered, these humans and their attachment to the death urge, he just couldn't understand why they didn't see what was so plain to him. "John", he paused looking for someway to say this so that the Major didn't lose it and slug him one. "All beings create their reality. The world is just a mirror of the mind. At some level you're tired, weighed down by guilt, regrets and anger. You're soul has created you a way out. Uncreate it!"

John was flabberghasted. If Thex wasn't who he was he'd have asked to be let of the car then and there and never see him again. But this was an ancient man, even if he looked in his twenties, what's to say he didn't know something that John didn't. "Okay, say for one minute I listen to what sounds to me a total lot of crap and this, by the way, has nothing to do with my subconscious and everything to do with some chemicals I was exposed to against my wishes. How do I not die? How do I not give in to this disease?"

Thex shrugged his shoulders, "Become immortal."

The Major recalled how Simon and Thex's woman Tyra had been turned into an immortal and cringed. "Now just hold on one minute buddy, call me stupid for wanting to take my ass intact to my grave, but I'm not about to become your lover. Don't get me wrong, I like you, you're a great friend but not in that way."

Thex laughed heartily, "And don't get me wrong Major but you're not my type either. There are other ways. Like what Simon did with Oscar. He gave him a piece of himself, a piece of his light to save the little fella."

"Well that's a relief but I'm not sure that I'm any more comfortable about having a piece of another being permanently merged with me, if that's what you're offering. I'd rather be myself, even if mortal."

"A peculiarly human desire but enough said on that for now. No I'm thinking of the third way it can be done because, don't take this too bad, you really need a physical, spiritual and emotional overhaul."

"And that will make me immortal?"

"It would be a good start but no there's a few more things to it than that. Give me forty days with you in retreat out at the crater with me as your teacher. Let me be your sergeant major for the duration, I'd expect total obedience. I won't say it won't be hard because it will be but if anyone has the discipline to do it you have it in spades."

"Let me think on it"

"Okay but don't think on it too long, I think the two year prognosis the doctors gave you was a bit optimistic, the sooner we start the better."

"How optimistic?"

"A few months, six maybe."

"Shit!"

## 3

Sally woke to the hoot of what sounded like an owl. Feeling restless she got up and went to look out the window. A Tawny Frogmouth, an owl-like bird the locals called a Mopoke because of its distinctive sounds, was sitting on a white picket fence post in her front garden. It swivelled its silver grey head to peer at her, as if sensing another predator. It didn't really look like a bird. If it had been sitting on a tree stump it would have just looked like a piece of an old branch, the only thing that would have given it away was its luminous yellow eyes. It gave a 'mopoke' hoot of annoyance at another being in its territory and flew off. Sally turned to look at her bedside clock. It was only two in the morning yet she felt an aliveness that she couldn't easily describe. With it came a yearning restlessness to go outdoors and explore. What the hell, why not, she muttered to herself as she threw on some warm clothes and running shoes. It wasn't like she was any danger. Boswell had always been a quiet country town and since winning their skirmish with the aliens there was little out there for her to worry about. Her brother Michael, the local cop, kept a pretty tight rein on his town.

Sally stood at her door savouring the smells that wafted on the night air; the scent of eucalyptus from the nearby forests, smoke from a few chimneys and a slight hint of perfume from some late spring blossoms that she couldn't quite identify. It made her pause for a moment, had she ever really stopped to notice and appreciate smells like that before. It was late October, the nights were warmer now but still chilly even if they were past the chance of any frost. There was a touch of moisture in the air but not a breath of wind. Sally tried to let the peace seep into her but the night was anything but quiet. Her hearing seemed more acute than normal. Noise coming from behind the shop peaked her curiosity and she wandered down the street to investigate.

Later she wouldn't recall what made her do it but at the time the inclination felt right. Taking a surprisingly graceful leap, she landed gently onto the roof of a lean-to shed next to the shop and then quietly clambered up onto the shop roof. Peering over the roof edge she was surprised to see the local mechanic Merv, who worked at the shop's service station, pouring drums of what looked like engine oil into the stormwater drain on the side of the road. Sally was shocked, Merv wasn't a bad guy by any means, why would he stoop to doing something so obviously awful for the environment? _Should I try to stop him_? She weighed her choice. _Probably not_ , she had no backup if he got narky about it. What she could do though was reach into her back pocket. Taking out her mobile phone she set it to camera and took a photo. _Damn!_ The flash went off. Sally sucked her breath in as Merv looked nervously around, something had spooked him but he'd been concentrating too much on what he was doing to notice what it was. Sally breathed out and sent the date, time and GPS stamped photo to her brother then switched her phone to silent mode. Quietly she crept back from the edge of the roof and clambered back to the shed. Looking down to the ground she wondered how the hell she'd gotten up there, it was a good eight foot to the ground. Um?

Just then she saw Michael drive past and around the corner in his patrol car. There was a mad clatter, Merv must have dropped his drums and made a run for it. The patrol car screeched to a stop and a door slammed but she couldn't make out what was happening. There was some swearing and another door slam. Then she heard the patrol car start up again, it came around the corner and headed back to the police station. There were two people in the car.

"Guess he's going to be too busy with paperwork for a bit to come and rescue an errant sister on the prowl. Damn!,"she muttered to herself, ruffling her hand through her hair nervously as she wondered how to get herself out of this situation. She couldn't really blame him, she supposed, it wasn't like he knew she was trapped up on a roof. She daren't imagine what the townsfolk would make of their local vet moonlighting on their roofs, if they found her still here in the morning. She cringed when she thought about how she would go about explaining this one to her brother. She was already headed for an earful having gotten him out in the middle of the night, let alone why she was out herself.

Just then Oscar, Simon's kitten, appeared from behind her, as if out of nowhere, rubbing himself against her and staring at her with amused eyes. _What's the kitten doing outside of Simon's house at this time of night? How had he gotten out?_ Oscar wandered over to the edge of the shed roof, looked back at Sally for a moment then leapt, as if to say 'see it's easy'. Concern for the kitten had Sally quickly peering over the roof only to find an unharmed Oscar staring back at her as if waiting. Unbelievably she felt a strange purring in her head and relaxed. Against all rational sense she knew Oscar was somehow telling her she'd be alright. She got up in a crouch and took a leap, landing lightly on her feet, not far from the kitten.

Oscar looked up at her, his eyes seeming to smile pleasure at his student, then he inclined his head to the forest as if inviting her to follow him there.

Sally shrugged her shoulders, "Oh, what the hell, in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound." She wandered off after Oscar and they went to explore the forest together.

Sally opened up her veterinary practice late in the morning, apologising profusely to Mrs Simmons who'd been waiting outside the practice door for a good half hour with her vicious, neurotic, short-haired chihuahua. The chihuahua had a long piece of spear grass in his foot, which didn't help his usually gnarly temperament.

Fortunately nothing much ever ruffled Mrs Simmons, apparently dogs and owners weren't always alike. "Don't fret yourself dear. You must have needed the sleep. By the way, did you hear the news about Merv?"

Sally supposed that she shouldn't be surprised that the gossip thirsty town was already spreading a yarn, "ah no, what's happened?," she asked innocently, doing her best to pretend ignorance. It helped that the chihuahua had her attention at the time as she removed the spiky grass seed.

Mrs Simmons proceeded to give her rendition of what had happened with a tale already far grander than what had really happened. A tale in which Merv had been drunk and disposing of highly toxic chemicals into the drainage system in the middle of the night, rather than just engine oil. Seemed Michael had stung him with a hefty fine in the form of a donation to the local youth club, telling him the next time he'd be up in court, no second chances. Michael had then hauled both Merv and the shop owner over the coals for not having an arrangement for the pickup and disposal of noxious materials, something they'd now fixed. The threat of government inspectors descending on them had them soon revising their waste disposal practices. A plumber was being called into clean the drains and they were getting the bill.

Sally shook her head with amusement. "I guess the embarrassment is going to be their worst punishment."

Mrs Simmons was less amused. "We should all be looking after the environment better than that. Melissa and her coven are doing such great work promoting environmental causes in our area. If this got out it would undermine all the good work they are doing, the town would lose its credibility. You know there are plenty of folks out there who'd still like to point a finger at a small town like ours and call us backwoods hicks or worse."

Sally winced, "I hadn't thought of that. Let's hope they've learnt their lesson." She handed Fred the chihuahua back to Mrs Simmons and then found a small jar of Condy's crystals to give her. "This is an old fashioned remedy but if you dilute it with water according to the instructions it will keep any infection from setting in. Just don't get it on you or anything you don't want dyed. I don't think it's a good idea to overuse antibiotics with animals any more that than it is with humans. Keep him inside for a couple of days so he doesn't get dirt in the wound though."

Mrs Simmons nodded with approval, being brought up in the 40's she knew the worth of the simple old remedies. "Thanks dear, what do I owe you?"

Sally shook her head vigorously, "Uh uh, I kept you waiting. This one's on me."

Mrs Simmons smiled with some relief. "Well as long as you're sure. I won't say no. The pension doesn't go as far these days, every little bit helps." She put the condy's in her purse, cuddled the growling dog to her and headed out the door. She turned back briefly, "Hope you get a better sleep tonight."

Mrs Simmons had just left and Sally was cleaning her workbench when there was a loud bang from the front door nearly coming off its hinges. Sally turned knowing who it would be and sighed.

Michael glared at her. "Mind telling me what you were doing on the roof of the shop at two in the morning?"

##

##

## 4

Thex mused quietly, seeming to study the surface of his ramon nut coffee.

George nudged him, passing him a bowl of homemade yoghurt, "so do you think the Major will do it?"

"If anyone had the discipline to achieve it John could but he has to want to. If he chooses not to I will respect his wishes but Simon and I will ease his passing if it comes to that."

George slumped into his chair at the table and considered his breakfast. "Damn!"

Simon came over and patted George on the shoulder. "It's not that easy George. He'd have to let go of most of what he now believes. Most humans won't give up their long held beliefs about themselves and their world, even facing death. Death is certainly a stick but he needs a carrot as well. He needs such a driving force that he will choose to seek within himself for the determination to succeed. "

Simon suddenly paused and wobbled as a vision took him. George was there to grab him before he fell. "I really wish you could warn us when that's going to happen."

Simon gave a slight nod of his head in agreement as his friend and employee steered him to a seat. He took a deep breath as the vision passed. Slowly he shook himself clear of it, looked up at them both and smiled.

"Well?" asked George.

Simon grinned like a cat that had got the cream, "I can't tell you yet as doing so would determine the roll of the dice. In the meantime let's go and visit Arion."

That got Thex's attention. Simon and Tyra were now his mates but 100,000 years ago Simon had been little more than a boy. Back then Arion had been his second in command, lover and best friend. He was working on forgiving the Din for what they'd done to him and his team all those years ago but he still mourned the loss of his friend and partner, grieving for the pain he'd suffered as the Din had imprisoned him in the toughest known crystal substance in the universe and cast him out into space to fall upon the earth. Simon had already told him that Arion's crystal had landed high in the Himalayas, coincidentally near the so-called crystal mountain but Thex had not wanted to go in case he raised Arion's hopes. They needed to know for sure that they could get him out but that would require a special human to help them. They could ask Tyra but to be fair she had already bonded with Simon and Thex. That was already one more partner than most humans bonded with so they had been reticent to ask her. There was also the fact that a prophecy of Simon's spoke of seven humans freeing Thex and his team. As yet there were no humans other than Tyra on the horizon who met the requirement of being close to liberating themselves from this dimension. They'd still been considering what their options were. "What's changed?"

"Yes and while you're explaining that you might also explain to me why you didn't ask me." An exasperated Tyra, who'd just picked up on Thex's thoughts, stood at the kitchen doorway with a basket of shopping, Oscar peering over the rim of the basket. "You love the guy Thex, of course I'll bond with him if that will free him. The same goes with any of the rest of your team. I can't say I'm entirely comfortable about it but we can work out the relationships logistics later. The thing is to get them free."

Simon knew that Thex was as glad as him of the offer but he needed to reassure her. "We're all one being Tyra, it's only consciousness at this level of existence that has difficulty seeing that. Though certainly you may bond with Arion later on if you wish but I believe his sisters and Oscar have a scheme in-hand for his actual release." He guarded his thoughts, not wanting anything to affect how his vision played out. "I think it's time we visited Arion and let him know that you're out Thex. I know he lost hope of release long ago, it's time we gave that hope back. It would be good if all three of us could go but until you learn how to travel through non-local space-time Tyra I'm afraid it's just Thex and me. We should be back by evening."

Tyra knew a kick up the bum when she heard one. "Okay, I get the hint. I promise to be a good student and learn this 'beam-me-up' stuff when you get back."

Simon's smiled with mischief, "I hope you're not too good a student or I won't have a reason to punish you."

Tyra's eyes twinkled with glee. "A bit of disobedience could be arranged."

"Ah hm!" George coughed. "I'll be out the back in the garage if anyone needs me. Ally and Mendal are helping me with the Hummer. It's got a charging problem, probably the alternator but we want to check the wiring."

Thex was pleased his Hummer was getting attention but thought that the car wasn't the only thing that would be getting checked out. Ally often seemed to be in George's sights these days. "Go for it George", he meant in more than one way. "Any mods you guys want to do on it while you're overhauling it are fine with me."

Having effectively been given an open checkbook George got out of his chair with some enthusiasm, "Great! See you guys when you get back."

Thex and Simon came over to Tyra, Simon wrapping his arms around her from behind, pretending to be her restraints, while Thex leaned in for a passionate kiss. "Be good!"

Tyra arched a brow, smiling impishly "Why?"

Thex and Simon laughed as they disappeared.

The high mountain village was busier than usual, with the northern hemisphere's winter fast approaching travellers from all over the world had descended on the village for their last chance of the season to trek to the famous mountain. The smell of yak butter and smoke seemed to permeate the air. Thex and Simon remanifested their bodies, emerging from the realm of undefined space and light where even the space-time continuum did not exist, back into the realm of matter. It was Thex's first look at another place on the planet he'd called home for so long. "I don't like it here Simon!" He viewed the auras of the locals, their demeanor and activities. Fear was everywhere. He noted the nearby soldiers with their watchful eyes, red robed monks walking determinedly but with eyes lowered as they passed the military, the wealthy international backpackers trying to make themselves understood with a mix of simple English, sometimes German, and lots of hand gestures, the animals and children playing in the streets. His eyes saddened to see the burdens of the women, lugging huge loads of firewood on their backs.

Simon wanted to embrace his mate and reassure him but they daren't attract any homophobic attention. He knew the conflicting vibrations and light of the place were affecting Thex. "It's best we blend in and make our way to the back streets asap. We don't have any identity papers on us. The soldiers could give us hassles."

Thex nodded and quickly followed Simon. "Why is it like this here?" He nodded back to the street they'd just left

"Partly the harshness of the environment at this altitude: the cold, the scarcity of food and fuel. Then there's their current rulers who don't see any value in what they perceive as a superstitious native culture and can't understand why the locals won't embrace their rationalist ways. Both cultures frustrate the hell out of the other. But there's a much older belief system here too, one that reveres the natural world. For over a thousand years it's met with persecution but it's survived because of its very simplicity and clarity. The local shamans use it for healing. What the people here know about the science of the mind has yet to be surpassed in most of the rest of this planet."

They came to a non-descript unpainted hut towards the back of the town. Ducking below a brightly colored hanging, that seemed to glow with the colors of the rainbow, they entered through the open doorway. The hut was poorly lit and little more than a one-room shanty with little furniture or ornaments yet it oozed a profound stillness, silence, spaciousness and calm. Thex was surprised to sense an immortal, although one he didn't know, waiting for them.

Simon bowed slightly to the man who was sitting cross legged by his firepot. "Silwa, this is Commander Alexios Thex, protector for this quadrant of the galaxy. We have come to visit the crystal cave".

Silwa rose effortlessly from his seat. Of indeterminate age, it would have been hard to have picked him apart from the other weathered locals in the town, except for his high forehead and the long hair, partly coiled up on top of his head, the rest cascading down his back. The hair was longer than even Thex's braids. In Silwa's case it marked him as Shen, the local version of a wise man, healer and worshipper of the elements of nature. He circled around Thex, scrutinizing him and then returned to face him. "You carry much pain and anger from your imprisonment but you are healing. However the man in your village who you seek to heal...hmm...you will need to teach him the way of space and light. I will show you." Then he touched his forehead to Thex's for a moment, transmitting thoughts and images directly to him. Silwa then turned to Simon. "It is good to see you Shimon, or should I call you Simon these days?"

"Thex knows me as both so either is fine with me. He is one of the seven. We have come to visit Arion and give him hope."

Silwa considered this, reading in the Ether-Net, that surrounded them, all that had brought this about, then nodded. "We will need to make an offering to the spirits before you go to the cave. The sky goddess will want to be informed of your coming. Arion is fortunate he didn't land on the crystal mountain itself as it is hallowed ground. Even beings such as yourself would have a hard time getting permission from the locals to tread there, let alone those you would bring with you. But since he's in a cave closer to the mountain I'm guardian of I can give you the permission you need for your mortal colleagues to go there when the time comes to rescue him. Now we must sacrifice the yak." He walked over to the area of the hut that functioned as his kitchen.

"Surely not." Thex whispered worriedly to Simon. The thought of an animal being killed in sacrifice churning his stomach.

Simon just smiled knowingly, guarding his thoughts to keep it a surprise.

Silwa returned with a small cake of barley meal that he had worked with his hands to resemble the shape of a yak. He placed it carefully on a small tray and positioned it over his firepot to cook. Soon the aroma of toasted barley filled the room. He took it off to cool and then placed it reverently on a nearby altar table. Above the table hung a colourful but worn with age thangka, an embroidered tapestry with an image of the mother goddess at its center. Silwa sat before the altar, eyes staring fixedly at the image as he sounded a chant. His hands rested on his knees but his thumbs touched particular fingers. The hand gestures seemed to be part of the ritual.

Thex couldn't make out the meaning of the chant. He whispered to Simon again. "What's the language? It's not one I've learnt from your mind"

Simon leaned close to whisper in his ear. "That's because I don't know it either but I do know that It's an ancient language from the Western Himalayas and it's presumed to be extinct. Of course it's not extinct for Silwa since he's been living in this area of the planet for thousands of years. He's guardian of the area, Arion included. He helps the locals where he can, teaching, guiding and healing but these days he has to be mindful of both the civil authorities and those from the other religions in the area who see him as little more than an outdated sorcerer."

"Hmph! Good thing too." Silwa came back over to them, "Otherwise I'd have to deal with a queue of anthropologists and opportunists wanting to find fame or make a dollar from some 'long lost teachings'. As it is I have a peaceful life these days. Those that need me find me. Anyway the goddess says hi and wishes you well. She will hide your presence on the mountain from the anti-gods that you call Din but I'm afraid that they are even now aware of your visit to me."

Simon frowned at that. He and Thex both bowed to the man, thanking him before disappearing into the non-local realm.

They manifested inside a small mountain cave. Simon lit some candles he'd left on previous visits. The light revealed the staggering beauty of the crystal lined cave.

"Silwa and his people blocked off the entrance millennia ago to keep out the curious and to hide it from the Din." Simon motioned to the ceiling, made up of crystals of clearest quartz. "It's beautiful isn't it? Can you feel it? They each hold a piece of high-level consciousness that has protected Arion and kept him company all these years. I seeded it with the necessary particles long ago in the hope they would flourish here and help to heal him. They have grown beautifully."

Thex smiled at his lover's care of his friend. "You sound like a gardener."

Simon liked that idea, "indeed!"

Thex walked over to the contorted crystal that graced the back of the cavern. He leaned forward to touch his forehead to the cool stone. Seeking with his mind he tried to find Arion's essence but couldn't. He turned with anguish back to Simon. "Are you sure this is him?" he asked with a rare tear threatening to travel down the side of his face.

Simon sighed heavily, "It has been difficult to reach him. He's contracted so far inside himself. That is why I grew the crystals here, in the hope of giving his soul comfort. Silwa comes here often but he has many duties in the area that keep him away. Arion hasn't had the same ongoing companionship as you've had from me and your human guardians. Unfortunately there is another of your team, Kiana, who is even more isolated." He walked over to Thex's side. "Let's try together to touch Arion's mind."

Thex worried at the suffering of the rest of the seven but let it go for later. He and Simon rested their heads against the crystal and sought contact, first with each other, then using their combined mind they reached out into the centre of the crystal. And there it was! Just a spark of mind but it was there. _"Arion!"_ Thex just about yelled with his mind, _"Are you still in there my friend?"_

" _Thex?_ " the mind's response was weak at first but interest and yearning awoke in it. " _Are you really here_?"

Relief flooded Thex's mind and into their three-way mind link. _"You bet old friend. Simon is with me too. Simon and my other mate Tyra got me out. Simon seems to think it won't be long and you'll be out too."_

" _You mated SIMON? Somehow I can't imagine you being his sub. Who's Tyra_?" There was a tone of jealousy in the question.

_"Tyra's the lovely human who came to my rescue. She and Simon started to get me out when they were attacked by the Din. Simon was badly injured but someone who is now a good friend turned up and dealt with the Din. Tyra called Simon's mum, together they finished freeing me and then Ma healed Simon who'd been gravely wounded in the attack."_ Thex relayed pictures of the events to Arion's mind. _"Oh, and it's Tyra who plays Simon's games, not me. Simon and I have made our own arrangements, usually involving Tyra, who's immortal now by-the-way."_

Arion was fascinated for the first time in longer than he wanted to remember, jealous but fascinated. Simon had been but a boy at the time of the great defeat but he had gotten to know him through his visits to his prison over the years. He didn't dislike the bloke, in fact they had formed a tangible friendship over the years, but he would never have imagined Thex and Simon as mates. There was a tinge of sadness in his heart. " _So what you are saying is that you've moved on_."

Thex had to restrain himself from banding his head on the crystal in frustration _"Damn it Arion, no, do you really doubt that there is still room in my heart for you? Why the hell do you think I'm here, duty?"_

Arion wasn't sure that duty wasn't part of it but..." _Well okay then, so get me out_!"

"It takes a highly evolved human to do it Arion, one with a ton of compassion, I don't know who that is to be yet. Tyra offered but couldn't come today because she hasn't learnt our ways of travel yet and the cave entrance is blocked for the moment. Simon had a prophecy this morning though and seems to think that there are some other beings conspiring to get you out."

" _Like who?_ "

Simon took control of the mind share " _trust me Arion. I'd tell you now if I could but certain things have to happen first. Today's visit was just to give you hope. In the meanwhile it's time you sorted yourself out and readied yourself for re-entry into this world. Draw on the knowledge and light of the crystals here, they have much they could teach you if you would just link with them and ask._ "

Arion wasn't at all pleased at the delay but Simon was right about one thing, he'd been feeling pity for himself way too long. " _Okay Simon, but don't mistake that for submissiveness on my part. Fair-enough_?"

Simon laughed through the mind-link, _"We'll see."_

## 5

It was the first week of November, not quite summer. The night really shouldn't have been this hot. But it was. The long range forecasters were already saying it might be the hottest summer on record.

Sally tossed in her bed, trying to sleep. Finally giving up in a huff of annoyance she threw the bed clothes off, stormed out of bed and went to peer out the window on to the night. Sweat trickled down between her breasts, her heart seemed tight and straining to get out, a yearning she couldn't put her finger on had her quickly dressing, picking up the mini backpack that she now used for her night-time walks. It only contained a notepad and pen, her mobile phone, camera, keys to her house, a lightweight microfibre towel, a change of socks and a packet of tissues but it was enough. She hadn't switched the room light on but she'd quickly gotten past thinking it was strange to see this well in the dark. _Obviously don't need any more vitamins in my diet_. As she opened the front door of her house she saw Oscar was waiting for her. He headed off into the forest, fully expecting her to follow.

Suddenly Oscar disappeared, reappearing some distance down the road which was totally deserted at this hour of the night. He looked back at her and meowed as if to say "hurry up."

"What the... How'd you do that?"

Oscar did his disappearing-reappearing thing again and was back at her feet staring up at her expectantly. She felt his purring in her mind and focused on it as she had learned to in the last few days. She got pictures and a sense of something, a strange vast emptiness. Sally realised Oscar was teaching her something. She reviewed it. "Okay let me get this straight. It goes something like this: have a clear intent about where I want to go and then it's form-emptiness-form."

"Meow!"

"Okay here's goes nothing!" She stared at a spot about a foot in front of the shop's street light, one of the few in the town. She closed her eyes and matched her mind pattern to what Oscar had shown her, first being aware of herself as form having an intent to be at that destination, then being the emptiness and then back to being form. When she opened her eyes she nearly fell over in shock. She was standing under the lamp-post.

"Meow, meow!" Oscar seemed to be congratulating her.

She chose another place she could see a little further down the road and did it again.

Sally shook herself and then grinned. As a Vet she'd learned to rely on her experience rather than what the books said was or wasn't possible so she opened her mind to what she had just done. "Okay, a bit out of this world but what the hell, this has possibilities." She was thinking particularly of a visit to the Major's lakeside shack. She'd never been able to go that far on her recent night time walks. He lived down by the lake about 13 kilometres away. She looked down at Oscar questionly, "What do you think about a visit down to John's place?"

"Meow, meow!"

"I'll take that as a yes. Okay here goes." She visualized the front steps of Major John Samuel's shack and went for it.

John sat in his comfy lounge seat, resting his mind by watching the flames in the fireplace. It was somehow cleansing. He hadn't been sleeping. Too much on his mind. No he didn't want to die but he wasn't sure that Boswell's immortals realised the extent of the grip mortality had on humans. Could Thex really teach him how to be immortal and quickly at that? He should really be packing his things and making arrangements to disappear somewhere where his friends wouldn't be to watch him wither and die. Somewhere close to palliative care when the time came. Forty days Thex asked for, forty days of his remaining life. It was time he should be spending tidying up his affairs and visiting a couple of friends one last time, while he still could. Hell, he'd never get over feeling responsible for his friend Andrew ending up in a wheelchair. He guessed he'd take that particular guilt to his grave. He sighed, no closer to making a decision.

Suddenly there was a crashing sound at his front door, accompanied by a female voice swearing, "What bloody fool put that there?"

John recognised the voice. He got up, scratching his head, wondering at the meaning of the late night visit. Opening the door to a disgruntled Sally Wilson who was sitting on his front porch rubbing her knee, his ladder toppled over on the front path and a bemused looking kitten looking back at him. "Err...that fool would be me. The light was blown so I put the ladder there to change it. I was going to put the ladder away in the morning. For some reason it never occurred to me I'd be getting visitors at 3.30 in the morning. You'd better both come in. I'll make you a cuppa and find a bandage for that." He shut the door after her, a little mystified he hadn't see a car.

Oscar stalked determinedly to the kitchen and meowed loudly at the fridge door.

John arched his brows. "Want something fella?" he opened the fridge, took out some milk and poured some into a saucer for the somewhat overly assertive kitten.

He turned to find Sally behind him, from the look in her eyes obviously having enjoyed the view of his ass as he'd fed the kitten. He felt a little flustered but happy about that. "Um, yes, right... sorry about that, the cat was most adamant. Let's look at that knee of yours."

Sally made a dismissive motion with her hands. "Don't worry about it. I seem to heal quickly these days." She had other things on her mind, like what she'd like to do with John. She certainly wasn't ready to discuss the mounting strangeness in her life.

John wasn't about to be put off. Putting on his best Major's authoritative voice he pointed at his seat by the fire. "Sit, it won't take a moment."

Sally shrugged and rolled up the leg of her track pants. "See, nothing! Now how about that drink, although maybe something a little stronger than a cup of tea." She eyed him suggestively.

John shook his head in amazement, he was sure that she'd hurt herself worse than that but he was relieved she was okay. He blamed himself for having left the ladder there. He went to his pantry cupboard to survey the choices "How about a Bay of Fires Pinot Gris?"

"A pinot what?"

"It's a pale straw coloured wine, the grape's from a mutation of the pinot noir grape. It's got a good body with just a touch of sweetness to it."

"Sounds nice."

He poured two glasses. He passed one to Sally, where she sat in his chair. He put his glass momentarily on the table while he pulled another chair over towards hers so they could enjoy the warmth of the fire together. The kitten, now with a belly full of milk, curled itself up in the wood basket near the hearth and promptly went to sleep. John had yet to buy himself a sofa. He regretted that now, at this very moment a very small one would have been nice. One with just enough room to be comfortable but intimate.

A million questions raced through his head like how she'd walked here, why this hour of the night and why she hadn't seen the ladder, didn't she have a torch with her? But he'd been in the town long enough to have seen Sally get quite feisty when she stood up to her good natured but overly authoritarian brother. He decided he'd leave those questions until later when she'd relaxed with a little of the wine. He went with the honest and straightforward approach. "It's nice to see you, I wasn't sleeping, the company's very welcome. I'm really sorry about the ladder."

Sally swirled the wine in her glass thoughtfully, savouring the aroma of the wine. Taking a sip she considered how much to tell. "Must be the night for not sleeping. To tell the truth I haven't been sleeping well of late, at least not until the early hours of the morning. I've changed the hours of my Vet practice so that I can sleep in a bit. Oscar has taken to coming with me on nightly strolls. I think I'm developing an interest in photographing the night-time wildlife." She tentatively placed a hand on John's, seeing how he might respond, whether he'd draw away.

John welcomed the feel of her touch and reached over to clasp her hand in both of his. He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the tips of her fingers before placing her hand back down where he could maintain the contact.

Sally moaned. She was starting to sweat again and it wasn't the heat of the fire. "Um mind if I take off my jumper, it's getting a little warm in here."

He tried to smile benignly, more than the jumper would be nice he thought to himself, he certainly wasn't in a hurry to move the chairs back from the fire. "Not at all. So what wildlife were you hoping to see down here by the lake?"

Having gotten up to take off her jumper, Sally remained standing for a moment as she found courage, then she walked over to him and sat on the edge of his chair. "Actually I came to see you. I just had the urge. I don't know why. Logically you should have been asleep and my visit shouldn't have been welcome but here I am."

John pulled her onto his lap, "And I'm mighty glad you came." He kissed her. Tentatively at first, waiting for her to pull back if she wished to but she didn't. He deepened the kiss, seeking her tongue and sucking its tip. Running out of breath he came up for air. "Let me know if I'm going too far too fast."

Sally responded by running her hands through his hair and pulling him into her own frenzied kiss.

John pulled her tighter into his embrace, feeling for the catch of her bra but found to his delight that she wasn't wearing one. He was suddenly very aware of a growing bulge in his pants. He found the strength to get out of the chair and sweep her into his arms. "You'd better let me know to back off now if you're not sure because I'm the hell sure. I've watched you and wanted you since I came to this town."

Sally leaned her head into his chest and just purred, seeking the nipple under his shirt with her teeth and gently latching on to suck it through the cotton material.

Driven past his control John carried her to his modest double bed in the next room, carefully placing her on the bed. Then he went to the bedside drawer where he vaguely remembered having placed some condoms in what he had thought had been a vain hope of bedding Sally.

Sally placed a hand on his to stop him opening a packet. "There's no need for that John, I've been on the pill since you came to town and I haven't been with anyone since high school. You won't catch anything from me."

John was thoughtful for a moment but couldn't see any risk in it. "I just had my annual medical while I was in Sydney so I know I'm not carrying any nasties but you needn't have worried about the pill as I'm sterile from all the chemicals I came near when I was in Iraq." He fought to stop himself wincing at what else the depleted uranium had done. The reason that should have made him send her away but he just couldn't. He knew he was being selfish but he wanted her. "If you're sure you're okay without it."

Sally smiled and removed the rest of her clothes, slowly, tormenting him. Clothes pooled at her feet, gracefully she stepped out and brazenly faced him.

He growled in frustration "Bloody hell, you're being mean girl." He felt the bulge in his pants return. It had waned a little at his memories of past wars but was back in force and urging him to relieve the pressure by removing his jeans. He quickly got his clothes off, hoping his forty seven year old body didn't put her off but Sally just sat there and licked her lips, eyeing him with desire. Maybe his survival training hardened body still had something going for it.

Sally moved to the edge of the bed and held out her hand to touch his bare skin and stroke it. "Come here John, I need you so much it's eating me up. If you don't help me soon I'm going to combust."

John got onto the bed, pulling her into his arms, he stroked her breasts, enjoying their warmth and firm roundness. His to play with, at least for the night. He guessed they should have talked more about their longer term intentions. But they both had need. He wanted this one night with her, to forget his anguish for the future and regrets for the past. He wanted to forget everything and even if it was only for tonight, to embrace love, life and happiness. To pretend she was his and his alone, a last minute parting gift from the universe.

His hands roamed southwards, finding warmth and wetness. She was more than ready for him. "Last chance to tell me no."

"I want you, in me, now!"

He straddled her, pausing for a moment, as something edged his thoughts. Wasn't he supposed to make her come first?

Sally just pulled him down on top of her, removing all thoughts from his mind. "In me... now!"

He grinned back at her. "I like a woman who knows what she wants but we might have to have a talk later about who's the boss here." He laughed and let his cock nudge her entrance. It was wet. She'd said she'd had years without a lover so she would be tight. He would take things slow easing into her.

Sally was having none of that, her need for him was too great. Lifting her hips she drove herself onto him, arching her back and moaning at the sheer relief of feeling filled. "Please John, you won't hurt me, stop being such a damn gentleman."

So he did, letting go of his military control he unleashed the man inside himself. He thrust into her, again and again. He crushed her mouth with his kisses. "Raise your arms above your head!"

She obliged and was rewarded when he started licking her in long sweeping licks, up the sides of her chest and up to her armpits. The sensation was so unexpected and intense she came, screaming. He kept licking her and she kept screaming and moaning and writhing in pleasure.

Finally, pleased at her multiple orgasm, he allowed himself to up tempo, thrusting into her until he could no longer hold back the release. "Mine", he shouted out as he came, his hot seed shooting into her, claiming her.

It was already eight thirty when he woke. He regretted the need to wake Sally but nudged her. "What time do you need to be at work love?"

Sally peeked open one eye and looked at the bedside clock, groaning. "Um, ten o'clock. There's no rush."

He kissed her on the brow then got up, "Good, I'll make some breakfast while you shower then I'll drive you over."

Sally nearly said she'd make her own way back okay, but stopped herself in time. How would she have explained that she could be back home in a flash. That is if it wasn't all a dream from the night before. She eyed to bathroom. John wasn't looking so she gave it a go. As she found herself standing in the middle of the bathroom she realised it hadn't been a dream. If she had time later she'd find one of the town's immortals and get their thoughts. For now her priority was to get showered as quick as possible so she could max out her time with John.

The warm water of the shower caressed her body. She remembered something Melissa, the town's Wiccan priestess had said about giving thanks to the mother goddess for the water when you showered. So she did, thanking for all the wonder of last night, for feeling a woman, empowered and pleasured by the man she'd been mooning over for weeks.

She quickly dried and dressed, following the smell of toast to find the kitchen. John looked up from the slice he was buttering and beamed at her. She didn't think she'd ever seen him smile like that. Moving to make a hot drink for them both she mused on how to break the silence and start the conversation they must both know by now was needed. "Um John, can I see you again...like last night?"

He put the toast on the table then came over to embrace her. "I certainly hope so. If all you wanted was a one night stand then I'll respect that and we'll be just good friends but I'd like more."

Relief flooded Sally, her eyes beamed her pleasure as she took his mouth and savoured his warm masculine taste and scent. "Bloody hell, yes!"

The breakfast got a bit cold. Reluctantly John finally broke away from her embrace, "We'd better eat something or you'll be working on empty and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't look after my woman."

_'His woman_ ', she liked the sound of that.

They ate in companionable silence. It was when John got up to gather the dishes that he decided he'd well and truly made up his mind about life, the universe and everything. "Sally, I've got to go away for about six weeks. I've promised Thex I'd do some training with him." He omitted saying it was himself that would be getting the training, not the other way around. "I don't want you to think that I'm running away after last night, it's quite the opposite. You've given me the motivation to deal with some things that are on my plate at present. The sooner I get this commitment out the way the sooner I can be back here, and if you'll let me, I'd like to court you properly."

Sally wasn't overly happy that Thex would be taking John away for so long but she did like the sound of this courting business. "I hope that the courting doesn't mean a chaperone and no sex."

John laughed. "Perish the thought. I was thinking more along the lines of taking you up to Port Douglas for the food and sun, maybe a 4WD trip up to Cooktown and a trip out on the Great Barrier Reef.

Sally's eyes went huge. "Yeah? I've always wanted to see Queensland. I'll see what I can do to organise a relief vet to come up and look after my business. How long were you thinking of going for?"

John frowned momentarily but quickly wiped it from his brow, "Hold fire on doing that until I get back, we'll set things in motion then. Having been in the army there are a lot of interesting places around Australia I've seen. There are many places I'd like to take you to."

Sally had seen the frown. Obviously he had some worry at the back of his mind but she didn't think she had enough of a right yet to pry so she let it pass. "It's a date then."

## 6

Sakla stood before the powerpoint display pointing to a location on a satellite map of the Himalayas. Everyone around the large mahogany boardroom table gave their undivided attention, it was too dangerous not to. The last person to fall asleep in one of his briefings had been disemboweled where they sat. That permanently bloodstained seat was now curiously vacant, relegated to serving as a door prop.

"This is the village where the Australian-based immortals were seen. We suspect they were visiting the ancient one who lives there. We infiltrated the area some time ago but have been unable to curb his meddlesome activities. If the Australians were there it's likely they believe there's another of their kind imprisoned in the area. We knew that one of the stones landed somewhere near there but we've never been able to locate it. It's out there unguarded. I'd like some volunteers to go in undercover as part of a black ops exercise, take out the archaic dogooder once and for all, turn him to rock if you have to and find that other damned crystal."

Everyone around their table averted their eyes, trying their best to be invisible. It was like waiting in a reverse lottery to see who the doom fell on.

"Polemarch, you'll do, rustle up a half dozen of your crack troops and get up there. I'll expect a daily report."

Mr Polemarch did his best not to show his cringe of dismay, as Sakla's war chief he'd feared it would fall to him anyway. "Yes sir! We'll be heading out within the hour, I'll lead them myself."

"Good and Polemarch..."

"Yes Sir?"

"Don't disappoint me!"

_Just take out few immortal Malakim, a few all powerful demigods_. Polemarch could just about smell and taste a visit to the lifeless grey purgatory of The Between coming his way. He'd better use some of the next hour hatch a plan B if things went South as it had a month ago when they'd lost a spaceship and a number of their key personnel in a botched intimidation of a bunch of backwoods yokels.

## 7

"Good morning recruit. Rise and shine!" Thex was rather enjoying his new sergeant major like role.

John peered at his watch and groaned. "You asshole, it's only 5am!"

Thex smiled maliciously. "If I've only got 40 days to get you immortal I'm going to use every minute and second at my disposal. Anyway, once you learn to meditate properly you won't need so much sleep. Though of course I'll be teaching you how to retain your awareness while you sleep."

John shook his head wondering what in the world had he got himself into. Oh yeah, that's right, an alternative to becoming worm food. Reluctantly he swung his half awake body out of bed.

Outside the fortress of a small hut that was their home away from home the stars still shone bright in the sky. A few small rufus wallabies were still out grazing. They looked up from their feeding but not sensing any danger they went back to munching on the grass.

"A bit brisk out isn't it?" John asked as he involuntarily shivered.

Thex looked at him with a sardonic smirk that seemed to say _Oh you poor mortal you, how sad too bad_! "Well at least that decides which element we'll get you to master first. Have a seat!" He motioned to one of the two yoga mats he'd laid out to cushion them from the rocky ground and insulate them from the cold dewy ground. "Cross legged!"

John groaned, forcibly wrenching his slightly arthritic legs into position, "Sadist!"

Thex laughed, "You're supposed to be reverential and obedient towards you guru."

John glared at him "Reverential, yeah right! Let's do it then."

Thex inwardly winced a bit, he felt for the Major's pain but now was not the time for too much compassion or they'd never succeed in their goal. He hoped his friend would still be his friend after this was all over. "Okay, so you're not liking your teacher so much this morning. How about Ma?"

John fondly remembered the no-nonsense goddess of the earth who had come to heal her wounded son Simon and help Tyra free Thex. She'd been grateful to John for following his psychic hunch, turning up on the scene in the nick of time. By way of thanks she had gifted him with some pretty cool powers. One of those abilities was how to send a spirit clone of himself anywhere he wished. It acted as an indestructible independent piece of himself that he could send into battles. It could also be invisible. Before this health crisis had landed in his lap he'd been looking forward to having some time to further explore his gifts. "Yeah, I guess I'm a little in awe of that woman. Can't say I ever had much time for gods and goddess and all that spiritual hocus pocus in the past but you guys have certainly changed my ideas about that." He thought too of the evil Din that manipulated the world for their own ends. "Certainly changed my ideas about what's going on in the world."

"Let's start with that then. Close your eyes and see Ma as you remember her. See her seated before you. Feel your wonder and admiration of her. See a stream of white light coming from her mind into yours, another stream of light coming from her throat into yours and finally a stream of light coming from her heart into yours. Now imagine her becoming pure light that streams to the top of your head and flows through you. Take that light into yourself, all the way into your heart, feeling the lightness of your body. Become aware of your breathing and with each inhale see Ma's healing energies strengthening your body and with each exhale see the toxins and disease leave your body. As you breath in mentally sound the word Om and as you breathe out mentally sound the word Ma. Do that for a bit."

Thex waited and watched while John's breathing slowed and became more rhythmic. "Now I want you to imagine the center of your being as being in the middle of your abdomen. In that centre is a small fire. A campfire you can sit around, if you will. Draw your breath into that fire and feed it, nurture it, make it your friend. Breathe out the smoke from the fire so that the carbon dioxide doesn't smother it. Care for the fire. Feel its warmth spreading through your body, through your blood to your heart, gently warming your muscles and bones, your skin." He paused in his instructions letting John work with it, noticing an improvement in his complexion. "Thank the fire and open your eyes. How do you feel."

John moved the fingers of his hands, wriggling them and touching his palms. They were warm, even slightly sweaty. "Huh, that's weird but it works. Power of the mind?"

Thex realised that there was a kind of joy in this teaching business. It was like giving a child a new toy and watching their delight as they played with it. He'd never been a nurturer at all, always the warrior of steel, fighting for truth and justice and the rights of the inhabitants of all the dimensions to find their own way without the gross interference of the likes of the Din. He certainly didn't see John as a child but the experience of training him was bringing out a side of himself, a potential identity, he hadn't tried before. "Don't analyse it John, just enjoy it and be very aware. If we had more time I'd give you this training in little chunks and we'd spend more time in reflection and application but..."

John shook his head in acknowledgement. "Yeah, I get it. Just do it. Once this is over you can give me all the whys and wherefores."

"Pretty much. Let's go for a morning dip in the creek. Then we can have some breakfast and we can go over the site plans for the survival camp."

John didn't like the sound of the dip in the freezing cold creek that flowed out of the nearby cave system but, what the hell, it wasn't that that was going to kill him. "So stuff like this morning is going to heal me?"

Thex gave John a penetrating look "No it's going to make it easier for you to die."

"What the F... What are we doing all this for then?"

Thex wasn't phased, he'd expected this reaction. "We need to get you to the point that you stop identifying with this body and the life you've had, get you safely to the other side and then if you want you can decide if you come back."

"The other side?"

"The place the dead go to review this life and choose their next incarnation. However in your case I want to give you some other choices."

"Like what?" John asked skeptically.

"Full enlightenment where you can choose to remerge with the source of all that is or, if you prefer, remanifestation into this life, into a form of your own choosing, retaining your current memories but as an immortal."

To John it sounded a lot like a piece of junk metal going into a furnace to be melted down and spat back out the other side. "So no keeping this body?"

"Sorry no, too far gone, but really why would you want to? Not that you're an ugly mug but just think if you had the chance to design your own body what would you like to change."

"Oh!" John mused on the possibilities. "But full enlightenment? I'm not exactly a new age groupie you know. I might be psychic but I was pretty much an atheist until I met you guys."

How did he sell this?, "You're the one who didn't want to use the paths Tyra and Oscar took. This is the only other option. Some would say it's the hardest but actually once you understand it and open yourself to it you'll probably either ending up laughing, crying or ranting because it is so damned simple. It doesn't really matter what sort of person you are in this life or what you believe. You either get it or you don't. Historically it's only been the religious on your planet who have had access to the knowledge. For fear of the Din they felt they had to keep the knowledge hidden. Until recently it was a closely guarded word of mouth tradition that was only passed onto those who were considered worthy. Although there have always been a few individuals who have discovered it for themselves by looking within and asking the right questions and opening themselves to the possibility of it."

"If it's so damned easy then why isn't the world crammed full of immortals?"

Thex mused to himself on the shock the humans of this world would get if they knew even half of what lived on their planet. The planet was almost akin to being an off-world refugee processing centre. "Actually there are more immortals on the planet at this time than you'd think but generally you humans don't like the purchase price."

"Which is?"

"Your self."

## 8

It was just before her lunch break when Tommy Smith came rushing in with a shoe box in his hand. "Please Miss Wilson", he pleaded with tears in his eyes. "It's Freddy, a kookaburra attacked him, I chased it off but..." more tears streamed down his face.

Sally took the box from Tommy and put it up on her workbench. She took off the lid from the cardboard box and peered in. A badly gouged and mangled, barely alive little lizard that should have been a beautifully metallic skinned Southern Grass Skink peered back at her. It stuck out its tongue, looking like it was panting. It was definitely struggling. There wasn't much hope for it. Compassion for the little skink and its owner welled up in Sally. She closed her eyes momentarily, imaging the pretty little creature as it would be on a sunny day, warming itself on a rock, chasing insects, a clear blue cloudless sky above. She felt how the lizard would draw the power of the sun's rays into its body. She blinked, it had been a moment's reverie, what caused it she couldn't say, but when she looked again at the lizard it was whole and healthy. "Um..."

"What's the matter Miss Wilson? You alright? You've gone real white. Can you help him? Tommy rattled off a string of questions as only nine year old boys can do.

"I think Freddy is going to be alright Tommy." She looked for some plausible explanation before handing the lizard in the box back down to Tommy. "He may not have been as badly hurt as you thought plus lizards have a remarkable ability to heal themselves."

"Wow!" Tommy exclaimed as he looked in the box. "Thanks Miss Wilson", he went to charge off with his pet but then remembered. "Here you go Miss Wilson, it's all I got. Is that enough?" He handed her a fifty cent piece out of his pocket.

"You keep it Tommy, I didn't do anything,'' she lied, "but make sure to give Freddy some homemade strawberry jam when you get back home. He might need a feed to help him get over his fright."

"Thanks Miss Wilson", and off he charged with his box in hand.

_Hell_ thought Sally, add that to the list of weirdness. She'd put it off long enough, it was time for a visit to her friends over in Park St. Sally knew she was no coward but had to admit that it had been fear that had been stopping her going over there to ask questions. Until she shared her recent experiences, other than with Oscar that is, they were just her private experiences. Once she shared them, well she wasn't sure what it would mean. She knew she had changed at some fundamental level, even before her late night tryst with John, but was she ready to acknowledge it?

John had headed off with Thex two weeks ago. She was curious about what they were working on, no doubt about that, but hadn't wanted to pry. If it was something the two of them needed to keep private she'd respect that. A one night stand with John didn't exactly give her rights to be nosy. He'd been pretty keen to clear his plate, as he told it, so that they could have some time off together. That's was good enough incentive for her to leave well enough alone, as long as he didn't do a disappearing act on her. She thought that might wound her heart more than their short time together should give reason to. She shook off the thought. No, John had been the one to raise having a relationship. She needed to trust him.

Tyra was sitting on the back steps, having just finished picking out the edible nuts from a cone of a Stone Pine. She'd found the pine cone under the trees at a long deserted homestead. Nothing remained of the old home except for a stand of Stone pines and the drying leaves of a row of daffodils. If the cones were starting to fall she'd have to keep an eye out for more.

"Whatcha-upta Trya?" Sally quizzed casually as she wandered up the path.

Tyra beamed as she spied her friend. It wasn't like Sally not to come over at least every other day. She knew something must have been up and had just, coincidentally, been thinking she'd should go and visit Sally when she finished her work for the day. When she saw Sally's aura she had more questions than answers and gave a quick mental shout out, _Simon, you'd better come see Sally for yourself, you're never going to believe this_. "Ah... I found this pine cone this morning. At the price of these little pine nuts I wasn't about to let them go to waste. Not since Simon did this dish the other night: black rice and pine nuts, garnished with fresh coriander".

Sally recovered from her momentary shock of hearing Tyra's mental call to Simon and tried to continue pretending nothing was odd in her life. "So they're edible?"

"You bet! They're not like seeds from radiata pine which are full of turpentine. Here try one." Tyra cracked one open with the adjustable pliers she'd been using for just that purpose and passed a kernel over to Sally to try.

Sally chewed on it, it was surprisingly good. "They're a lot nicer than the ones you get in the shops. Now are you going to tell me what you were just yelling out to Simon for?" Her curiosity having got the better of her.

Trya raised her brows in amazement, "You heard that?"

Just at that moment Simon manifested out of thin air. He circled Sally with approval. "It's happened then."

Tyra tilted her head to look at her mate. "Simon, you're being obtuse, as usual. Be kind to us poor humans."

"Ha, poor immortal humans, two of you now, apparently." He embraced Sally in a hug. _Welcome to the family, in more ways than one it would seem._

His words resounded in her head, the telepathy startling her again. "Flippin' hell, would someone please tell me what is going on!"

Simon kept his hold on her, there was just too much of a chance she'd faint when she was told. "You're immortal and apparently pregnant as well...Twin girls."

Sally didn't faint, she just stood there in shock. Tyra came over and joined the group hug. "You're going to have to spill how this all happened but congratulations."

Giving into it all Sally decided to just let go and enjoy their embrace. Then as she realised what Tyra might think had caused it she blushed. "Oh shit Tyra, you know I would never do anything with Thex and Simon don't you? I really don't know how this happened."

Tyra laughed heartily, "One thing you'll learn around us Sally is that we don't own each other. If Simon or Thex had felt the need to be with you in that way I know they would have had their reasons and it wouldn't make them any less my mates. We accept each other unconditionally. We're linked on levels that are hard to explain, In a way they are me. If they'd had sex with you I would have known, I would have experienced it with them."

Sally just shook her head at that, uncomprehending, their boundaries just seemed too blurred for her liking. Let alone the weirdness that sex with one of the guys might be somehow sex with Tyra through their shared connections.

Later, as they sat in the lounge, Simon giving Oscar a curious gaze, Sally recovered enough of her mind to start digesting the facts. "So you're saying is I'm immortal like you guys...um, surely I would have noticed something like that happening to me."

"Not necessarily. You're young and healthy, your outward bodily changes would be minor and unlikely to catch your attention straight away."

"But how?"

Simon eyed Oscar thoughtfully again. Oscar eyed him back. A fly on the wall might have said it was the kitten who had the upper hand in that conversation. "I'm guessing our little fella here had something to do with it but he's not willing for me to give all his secrets away. Not just yet anyway." He looked at her quizzically. "Did you get a scratch or something, maybe Oscar's blood or saliva on it?"

Sally remembered how she'd cut her fingers a few weeks back and Oscar had licked it. "Oh my, if it's that easy we'll have half the animals and people of the town immortal before we know it."

Simon wasn't as worried. "No I don't think so. Oscar did it on purpose. I'm sure of it. It was no accident, anymore than your pregnancy was an accident. I hope you can forgive Oscar and the girls but if visions I've been having of late are on the mark then they have their reasons. I'd ask you to trust them."

"The girls?"

"Crystal and Sky, seems they want to see their brothers again."

Tyra's lips lifted in a smile, knowing her mate only ever revealed as much as he thought others needed to know, leaving them to work the rest out themselves. But this was her friend Sally. "You're being mean Simon. Tell her who they are."

Simon gave a resigned sigh. "I guess it can't hurt you knowing that they are two goddesses from the higher dimensions. They could have just manifested bodies of their choosing but it seems they wanted to experience childhood again. Their brother is Arion, Thex's second in command and long-time friend. That's all I'm willing to say at this time."

Sally didn't miss his evasion. "You said brothers, plural. Who's the other one?"

"In time, not yet." He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Sally, you may at times find my answers to things, or more specifically the lack of them, annoying but believe me when I say that if you'd been around as long as I have and had the visions I've had you'd know that I'm not trying to be purposely aggravating. I've learned that some things need to take their course without interference."

"Okay so you're not going to tell me everything right now, I get that. But my practice. How am I going to raise two kids, let alone two all powerful goddesses, and be a full-time vet?"

"Go part-time. Get someone into help you at the practice. And anyway you're part of the family now, part of me, Tyra and Thex through my link with Oscar, not to mention you're also part cat. Even if you weren't we'd still all pitch in to help."

Sally sighed with a little relief but not quite as much as she'd like "There's still my brother who is going to kill me for becoming an unwed mother. How the hell am I going to tell John he's going to be a dad? And what do you mean I'm part cat?" She was starting to sound like young Tommy with her long list of questions but at that moment she felt as helpless as a nine-year old so it probably wasn't that surprising.

Simon looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm...Let me try and talk to Michael, a man to man talk over a drink at the pub might be the go. But about the major." He paused, wishing there was someone to deliver the news more gently. "There's no real easy way to tell you this. The man is dying. Thex is spending time with him to prepare him for the other side."

Sally stopped breathing as what he'd just said sank in then the obvious question arose. "But can't he just be changed like me?"

"He doesn't want it Sally. We have to respect his wishes in that. He doesn't want to become part of someone else, you being the obvious possible exception but he doesn't know about you. You yourself thought how strange the blurred boundaries between me, Tyra and Thex are, John feels much the same. Thex is trying to help him do it the old fashioned way."

Sally winced and groaned inwardly, she was going to have to watch her thoughts around this lot from now on. "The old fashioned way?"

"Ascension."

"Isn't that just some new age bullshit. I don't expect it would be easy otherwise a heap of people would have already done it. Bloody man, he'd have to do it the hard way wouldn't he? So tell me where he is."

"Plenty of humans over the millennia have done it, even in the West: Dionysus, Hercules, Jesus, Enoch, Elijah...should I go on? In places like Tibet, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Bali and amongst some indigenous shamanic traditions it's not that uncommon. And no I'm not going to tell you where Thex and John are. Not yet. Give them a couple more weeks."

"But...he could die and I might not see him again."

Simon let out a loud breath that sounded distinctly like frustration, a rare negative emotion that he would have to cleanse from his being later. "For an immortal you've got an awful lot to learn. Firstly he is only appearing to die. In much the same way as for the last forty-seven years he's only appeared to be born and live on what appears to be a planet. He has a chance at freeing himself from the whole illusory birth, aging and death cycle thing. Won't you allow him that chance?"

Sally was a bit taken aback. She'd never seen Simon lose his cool before but she didn't like his insinuation that she was only thinking of herself. "Of course I will. Okay, two weeks...then you tell me where he is. But if you hear from Thex that John is in any way close to death you'll damn well tell me straight-away and we'll revise that."

Simon closed his eyes. Tyra knew he was seeking within himself for answers from the All-spirit.

He opened his eyes again and peered at Sally, "Okay." She certainly was one feisty human. He hoped to hell that John knew what he was in for.

It was later when she was casually ambling back home, deep in thought, that she remembered he hadn't answered her question about being part cat. She shrugged her shoulders, all things considering that was pretty low down on the priority list at present.

## 9

Tyra slumped back into the couch after her friend had gone. "Hell, that was a lot to dump on her all at once."

Simon settled next to her on the couch. "I'll actively monitor her well being through my link to her via Oscar. We'll all need to support her through this. In the meantime though I have a student who hasn't been making much progress in travelling non-local."

Tyra groaned. "I can't get my head around it Simon. What do you exactly mean by non-local anyway?"

"I mean being where there isn't a point in time and space. You have to go through it to get to where you want to go. It's by far the most efficient way to travel faster than the speed of light. No annoying airports, no passports, no security checks, no spaceships."

"No spaceships...yeah right! I'm not sure I wouldn't like to try that option. At least once."

Simon admired Tyra's ongoing capacity to adapt and explore the new and different. It was what he'd always liked about humans, their innate curiosity. "In time. You're trying to change the topic."

"Damn, it didn't work then. Okay, so how do I get to this place outside of time and space. You know I've tried."

"That's exactly your problem. You've been analysing it, trying to understand it and putting too much scholarly effort into trying to do it. You just do it, get a clear picture of where you want to go and surrender to it. Think of the kitchen now and go there."

Tyra tried. "Nup, not happening."

Simon suddenly got a mischievous look.

Tyra started, "oh no. I know that look." But deep down she felt a certain amount of excitement.

Simon merely gave her a come hither motion with his finger and got up, fully expecting her to follow.

Down in the basement, in their personal play area Simon made quick work of tying her now naked body to an upright post. He placed a gag over her mouth. "Now it just so happens that Thex is dropping in tonight, since he can travel in the blink of an eye, unlike certain people here." He added with emphasis. "So if you want to join us you're just going to have to do something about it."

_You bloody conniving, mean, sadistic bastard._ Tyra let fly at him mentally, since she couldn't verily well say anything with the gag in her mouth.

Simon just whistled to himself, pretending not to have heard her in his head. He tied a blindfold over her eyes, nothing to distract her. "Now a little incentive I think." His large hands gently tweaked her nipples, causing her to inhale sharply. Quickly discarding his jeans and he leaned into her body, feeling her rising heat and increasing heartbeat. Licking her neck he nuzzled and then sucked the skin near her jugular like he knew she loved, hinting at pleasures to come. Wrapping his hands around her back his pressed his crotch firmly up against hers so she could feel the extent of his desire. Then he disappeared.

_Come back here you bastard,_ Tyra mentally yelled at him. "Bloody hell!" she swore out loud.

No answer came, he'd mentally blocked himself off from her. There was only her own heartbeat and her frustrated imagination. An eternity seemed to tick by, surely he'd come back. But he didn't. " _When I get a hold of him_ ". Sighing heavily she stilled her mind. She knew stillness and silence of mind was the first requirement. She'd have no success at all if she tried to battle her thoughts of what she'd like to be doing with Simon and Thex right at this moment so she just let them be, surrounded them with space and then focused on that space instead. "Okay, where do I want to be?" She got a clear image in her mind of their bed upstairs then surrounded that thought with space as well. Slowly the spaciousness grew until it was the only object of her thoughts. Next she sought out the mind that was looking at all that space and found the emptiness. The emptiness filled with light. The light grew until it was all there was. It was all that existed. It was bliss unending.

Her next conscious thought was that she was no longer vertical but instead lying face down on something comfortable and she was still gagged, tied and blindfolded. She was also acutely aware of two guys laughing their heads off. _I'll get them for this!_ She made a mental note to visualise herself without the restraints next time. Then she gave an inner laugh, maybe she'd meant to keep them on after-all.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here Thex, a present all wrapped up awaiting our pleasure."

Thex laughed, "You really are mean at times Simon, but I guess it did work. What do human's say in such cases, something about horses and gifts."

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth, in fact I think we'll keep this one gagged for a moment or it might hiss and spit at us. Horses can have a really bad temper at times you know."

"Would be nice to ride it though, don't you think? I've never ridden a horse."

"You have to break them in a bit or they can buck and rear, throwing you off. First we need to put a bit in its mouth, that will help to calm and control it."

Tyra enjoyed their cheeky banter but cringed at what Simon might do. She was ashamed at her lack of trust and relieved when he removed the gag and quickly slid his warm silky smooth length down her throat before she could say anything. It was damned hard not being able to see either of them or what they were up to and she couldn't read their thoughts as they were blocking her out, she'd just have to trust. A warm hand suddenly stung her backside. Okay, maybe not quite so much trust. Another sting, this time on the other cheek of her arse. Moisture and heat pooled in her core.

"Hmm, I think I like this breaking in business Simon. How much do you think this wild filly might need?"

"Oh quite a bit more I think, quite a bit more. She might be dangerous otherwise."

Tyra tried groaning and protesting around a mouthful of man-flesh but only succeeded in having it be pushed down her throat even further. The spanking continued, she squirmed trying to escape the hand in the dark but it was piteous in its onslaught. Her insides were like a melting glacier, threatening to flood them all with her hot juices. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore Thex raised her up on her knees and entered her in one smooth stroke, like a piston being driven into its well oiled shaft. Feeling him grab her ponytail she pushed back, taking him deep, letting him ride her. She moaned in protest as Simon started to withdraw from her mouth only to inwardly sigh as he began his own onslaught, timing his rhythm with Thex's. Tyra gave herself to them, melting into the sensation of being taken at both ends. They were all so synced they came at the same mind bending moment, offering their orgasm to the all-spirit, dropping their boundaries and rejoicing for a moment in the one light of their shared being.

Pondering everything she'd just learnt Sally dozed off in the chair on her front porch. She awoke abruptly from her half dream, an erotic dream involving Thex, Simon and Tyra, when a tsunami wave of pure bliss and light washed over her. Simon's voice rumbled through her mind, " _now do you understand_?" And she did. It was separateness that now seemed weird.

## 10

Polemarch looked around the inside of the small hut and at the man sitting patiently. "Why didn't you just disappear, you must have known we were coming. In fact, why don't you just disappear now before I fire this damned thing at you?" He looked down at the Dark Light weapon in his hand.

Silwa, smiled that infuriatingly knowing smile that was common for his kind. "Why didn't you just drop a missile on my hut and be done with it?"

"And risk alerting the world's media to our activities by causing civilian casualties." Polemarch gave a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging. "To tell you the truth I'm tired. Tired of Sakla and his dark schemes for this planet, tired of my terrified troops being sent to The Between for the slightest misdemeanor, tired of the unending brutality but it's all I know, all I can do. So here I am and here you wait and I don't know the why of it all. I've been the hidden strategist and advisor to the armies of the world throughout history, to some of the best megalomaniacs and sometimes to idealistic but heartless fools, to what end? You and I are just expendable commodities in a game of chess that has no end."

"Oh it has an end. You're just in a dark tunnel with a lot of twists and turns, your self's own interpretation and judgement of how things are, so you can't see it but it is there I assure you."

"So what's it all for then?"

"It's a stage for you to act on until you get sick and tired of acting. Sounds to me like you're there. You're ready for out." Silwa didn't make it a question.

"There is no redemption for me. Do you have any idea how many cycles of the universe I'd have to endure in the lower realms to cleanse my slate."

"Many if you want to continue acting, but you'll only dig yourself more of a hole you know. Every action, every choice, every desire, every reaction to the play will mire you further, the same as it does every other actor on the stage."

"Then there's is no hope."

"I didn't say that. Tell me, have you ever seen any of those old black and white horror movies?"

"Yeah, enjoyed them. They were a good send up of evil. I don't mind admitting that I used to watch them as a way to laugh at myself."

"Do you think the actors that played the evil characters were doomed to many existences in the lower realms because of the parts they acted?"

"Of course not, they were just acting, outside of the movies they were probably normal people, they just had a skill for playing particularly intimidating, intriguing characters."

"Exactly. And what if you were to truly understand that what you've been doing is just a role but that you made the mistake of believing you were the role?"

"Oh!" Polemarch sat down. This was interesting. "So all that I have to do is believe that I'm just an actor in a play and everything I've done would become irrelevant?"

"Not just believe but truly know it. I must however warn you that once you know there is no going back. I wouldn't be able to make the ignorance come back for you."

"So you could help me get this knowing."

"Not only that but I could also make you so that Sakla could never harm you, except of course for those dark light weapons." He nodded at the weapon that was now on the ground beside Polemarch.

The full extent of what Silwa was offering floored him, the strategist squirmed within him. "What's in it for you?"

"My dear Polemarch, you are me, why wouldn't I help you, but aside from that... my side, the good guys in this play, could do with a plant within Sakla's team. You wouldn't need to take any risks yourself. Just allow me to mindlink with you so that what you know of his plans and movements I will know. Who knows, with a little indestructibility on your side you might even roll him." Silwa had cast the bait and know he waited.

Polemarch, ever the opportunistic rationalist and logician couldn't fault the offer. What did he have to lose? Silwa was offering him a free pass on his karma and while his Din overself was technically already immortal the invulnerability he was being offered would give him the edge on Sakla. How he'd use that he'd have to see but having the fear of trips to The Between gone would certainly affect the balance of power between him and Sakla, until Sakla knew. He'd have to watch his own back of course but he'd always done that anyway, that's what had gotten him to where he was. "I'm in. Tell me!"

Ah, the fish had taken the bait. "First we must integrate your overself with your current human host body. You'll be able to choose whether to appear in human or beast form in the same way as the two Din who defected to our side can. First you must drink this." He passed Polemarch a glass of water. "I give my word it will not harm you. I have blessed it with a little of my light, my essence. "Drink it and Sakla will no longer be able to harm you, with the exception of the vulnerability to dark light weapons that goes with being on our side of the game."

Polemarch eyed the drink with suspicion then skulled it. Nothing untoward happened. If the sage was having him on he'd still kill him.

"Now come and put your forehead to mine and I will show you the rest."

Polemarch came over and did just that. As their heads touched the knowledge overwhelmed him and he collapsed to the ground crying and laughing all at once. "Shit you really are me. It's all me. F... what am I going to do now?"

"You'll continue the act of course but without attachment to it. I'm guessing though that when no-one's looking you'll do a lot of good for the simple reason that you'll want to help the rest of yourself. Just keep any good deeds well hidden so no-one knows that you are the one who did them. I'll continue to teach you through our mindlink, if you wish."

"Yes I wish it ancient one. Consider me your covert ally and student. I have a problem though. I really could do with some proof that I've dealt with you, to take back to Sakla."

"Come!" Silwa walked over to the small altar in his darkened room and lifted a brightly coloured cloth from what looked to all the world like the shape of his head except it was made from barley paste. "Shoot that. He won't know the difference."

Polemarch laughed and shot it. As the dark light of the weapon's beam hit it transformed into the hardest known matter in the universe, Sama crystal. "You old fox, you had this all planned out from go."

"Of course."

A little while later Polemarch made sure that his men made just enough of a show of harassing the locals for information on any suspicious looking foreigners then he returned to Sakla, dumping the crystal head on his boss's desk.

Sakla rubbed his hands with glee, "an immortal disconnected from his body and trapped for all time, nice! I'll get one of my morons to chuck it in some slimy disused well. Hope he appreciates the view. Any news of the Australians?"

"Only that they'd been seen there but nothing in the last week or two. I left a couple of men undercover there to keep watch should they return."

Sakla quietly fumed but decided it wasn't enough to be bothered venting at his second in command. "Hmph, I guess that will have to do for now. You're dismissed Polemarch."

Polemarch bowed slightly to his ex-master, "Yes Sir." As he turned from Sakla's sight he smiled to himself, there was a new energy in his step. Time to see what kind of well concealed good deed mischief he could quietly get up to. It would be a new challenge for his strategy hungry brain, a brain that was no longer bored.

## 11

Michael flew at Simon in an attempt to grab him by the throat, knocking over a bar stool. "What do you mean my sister's pregnant?"

Simon easily sidestepped Michael, putting a pub table between them. "Settle down Michael. It wasn't me or Thex."

"Who then? I'll get the bastard, lock him up and throw away the key."

"This from our pillar of justice. Don't you think your sister might have had a bit to do with it too?"

"Hmph!" Michael's anger seemed to ebb a bit. Fortunately, it was after the lunch hour so apart from the publican Jeff there was no one but Simon and old Jo at the end of the bar to see him lose it. "So why are you the one telling me and not him or Sally?"

"Well for one thing because we all expected this reaction from you and quite frankly Sally has a lot to contend with right at the moment and didn't need the emotional upset. As for 'him', well he only has a short time to live anyway so there's no need for you to add to his woes either."

"Shit, what are you saying Simon, the man's dying? Does Sally know?"

"She does now. She's coping but she could really do with her brother being supportive rather than over protective right now."

"And..."

"John is with Thex. Thex is trying to help him."

"John, as in Major Samuels?" Michael had seen his sister's longing eyes following that man's every move since he'd come to town, figured, but hell...he was dying? "He's not exactly unfit, what's up with him?"

"Lung and liver cancer, fairly aggressive I gather. He was told by his doctor in Sydney when he went back there recently. Something to do with radioactive residues he came into contact with in the past."

"Damn! Can't you guys make him immortal or something. You know infect him or whatever it is you do?"

"You mean mate with him?"

"Err, no I guess John wouldn't go for that."

"No he didn't want either of those options and quite frankly it isn't usual for us to interfere with the mortality of your kind. A human needs to have advanced past a certain point in their spiritual growth."

"You mean to deserve it?"

"No it has nothing to do with deserving and everything to do with being at a point that they are willing to give up their delusions about the nature of reality. Judgements about what is good and bad and the moral worth of an individual are hangups that go with the common delusion found in this dimension."

"What delusion?"

"That you're somehow separate from the rest of the plant, animal, mineral, sentient and divine beings in this dimension and that your persona is something real."

Michael shook his head, dumbfounded, backtracking over what Simon had said. "Hang on a minute...are you trying to say things like murder aren't evil?"

Simon sighed, the conversation always seemed to go this way when you tried to explain things to humans who hadn't woken up yet. "That's not the question. What you need to be asking is under what conditions would evil not exist?"

"And?"

"Evil is the intention to do harm is it not?"

"Yes."

"Would a completely sane and happy person intentionally harm themselves?"

"You'd think not but that's getting off track a bit. We're talking about what people do to others."

Simon thought he was wasting his breath but what the hell, even if he couldn't get him to understand it yet he could plant the seed of the idea in Michael's mind, "There is really only one being, only one consciousness...when you experience that you'll know the answer to life the universe and everything. Until then any explanation I try to give you will only seem like a whole load of codswallop."

Michael's brow wrinkled into furrows, "You can say that!" Simon's ridiculous notions annoyed the hell out of him. "If you believe this sort of shit it's no wonder you've always trod on the edge of the law. Watch yourself Simon!"

Simon laughed, his eyes beaming in mirth. "There's an old saying: 'when in the body of a donkey, eat grass', while I appear to exist as a separate persona within this illusion I'll enjoy the part I play."

Aggravating man, Michael was totally frustrated by the fact that the Malakim in his town lived by their own rules and only bothered to follow his when it suited them. "Aren't you being hypocritical anyway, you guys are fighting a war with the Din. I realize it's on our behalf and I'm truly grateful, believe me, but its still an us and them situation isn't it? Explain that one to me."

"We're not fighting them so much as trying hinder them. It is not for us to brutalize them of eradicate them. Our purpose is to stop their total takeover and control of the world you perceive. We act to balance the equation, for as long as duality appears to exist, that is our role. As we evolve ourselves past that purpose others take up the role until such time as it's no longer required."

Michael rolled all that around in his head, it made some sense but, "that may be but I still think you're a hypocrite Simon, you do hurt others. Wasn't that your business until recently, inflicting pain on sick fools that were willing to pay for it?"

It wasn't an uncommon accusation, Simon calmly took it in his stride. "What I do isn't about inflicting pain, that's what sadists do. What I do is about helping people walk the boundary between pain and pleasure, between restriction and freedom. It's always on the edge of opposites that magic lies, magic that can transcend the ties of self and lead to bliss." He smiled mischievously, "Maybe one day you'll find out."

Michael winced. "Not bloody likely!"

Simon walked away musing to himself knowingly, _not with me you won't but with someone you will_.

## 12

Sally sat across from I-Wayan Angung in his surgery. "You've got to help me Yan, the morning sickness is getting worse. I swear I haven't eaten carrots for days but every morning they're there glaring back up at me."

Yan's heart flowed with compassion for Sally. "I didn't even know you were pregnant, you should have come to see me sooner."

"I only just found out myself, Simon told me yesterday. I thought the sickness I've been having was a bit of a stomach bug of some kind or maybe a low level virus. It always goes away as the day goes on then I get busy and forget about it. You know you had me on that mini-pill so I didn't expect to get pregnant. It was the last thing from my mind. Simon says Crystal and Sky found a way to override all precautions."

"Crystal and Sky?"

"The girls I'm carrying, apparently they are some kind of divine beings and that's the English version of the names they go by."

"Not that I doubt Simon but let's give you a check over." He handed Sally a test strip. "You know what to do with that?"

Sally blushed "Sure Doc."

Yan showed her to the bathroom. When she came out he examined the strip, "Well that seems to confirm it but we should do a blood check too."

"No blood work Yan, and I don't want any invasive procedures either, okay? You're looking after Melissa aren't you, can you be the one to monitor my girls and me?"

Yan raised an eyebrow. "Melissa's a special case. She wants an all natural pregnancy without hospitals or drugs but I thought you being a vet and all would want all that medical science can offer. In Bali I was qualified to do obstetrics but here I haven't bothered to get registered for that as the paperwork just to get registered for general practice was enough."

"You don't have pets Yan otherwise you'd know that I respect the older simpler medicine when it's enough for the job at hand. Apart from the fact I have a great respect for you as a doctor there is also the fact that the girls are going to be a bit special so it might be best if we keep them out of the eye of the medical mainstream. As much as possible I'd like to do this as naturally as Melissa is. She said you were using herbs and massage with her, even a special chant."

Yan winced at his secret being out. He guessed he couldn't blame the two girls swapping notes. "In Bali I wasn't just a GP, I was also a Balian, a practitioner of ancient Balinese Ayurvedic medicine called Usada. That's what Melissa's referring too. For example there are herbs I can give you to help with the nausea but I must ask you to keep all this to yourselves. There is a level of discomfort in this country towards overseas doctors, if they knew I was practising using non-standard methods the registering authority might find reason to give me grief."

"Trust us Doc, this is Boswell you're talking about. I think if we can hide the existence of an immortal amongst us for the last two hundred years then we can hide your secrets too but I'll make sure that Melissa understands the dangers for you." Sally paused for breath steeling herself to reveal the other bit of news. "The other reason I don't want any blood work or tests is they might come up a bit strange. It appears I've not only become immortal but also part cat."

Yan's eye's went wide. "Um, how did that happen." If Sally was now immortal he naturally wondered if Simon or Thex had anything to do with it, Maybe one of them was the father, although he wondered how Tyra would feel about that. The cat bit though was outside the usual strangeness for even this town.

Sally could just about guess Yan's thoughts. "No it had nothing to do with Simon or Thex and everything to do with Oscar. We think he infected me with immortality on purpose, when I got a scratch he licked it clean, somehow transferring some of his immortal essence to me in the process. I get the impression Oscar is a higher being than the others let on but no one seems to know why he did it or at least they're not saying. By the way John's the father."

Yan's eyes saddened. "Oh!" He really couldn't think of what to say. How do you congratulate a soon to be mother who's going to lose the father of the children she's carrying.

Sally read Yan's eyes and sighed. "You know then. Seems I was about the last to find out."

"I just received his medical records from his doctor in Sydney. I'm sorry Sally. I'll look after you both the best I can."

"I know you will Doc." She shrugged her shoulders fatalistically. "So where to from here?"

Yan ratted around in his cupboards for a moment, then found what he was after. He passed a jar to Sally. "We call our herbal medicine in Bali jamu. Take a teaspoon of this in juice before you go to bed. It should get rid of the morning sickness. As your pregnancy develops we'll do some ayurvedic massage to help ease any discomfort. Since you and the girls are immortal I don't expect many problems although I'll consult with Simon if that's okay with you. I'm not sure if Malakim pregnancies differ from those of humans and Simon seems to be their closest equivalent to a doctor, of sorts. I want to see you once a fortnight and you might want to consider getting some help with your business.

"I'm okay with all that Doc and on it re the backup vet, thanks again."

"Om Swastiastu Sally"

Sally hadn't heard Yan use that particular phrase before. "Um, not sure what that means Doc."

"It's Balinese, meaning: peace and greetings from God. Since the Bali terrorist bombings it's become quite a popular phase amongst my people."

Sally smiled at that. "Oh, I like it! Om Swastiastu to you too Yan."

## 13

Sally was somewhat taken aback when she got home to find an attractive man in his mid twenties seated at her kitchen table. Okay he wasn't John but she couldn't help appreciate his beauty or the splendour of the aura that surrounded him. She'd only just started really seeing auras in the last day or so, another bit of weirdness to add to her growing list. His aura was truly unusual, almost rainbow like. In fact it dawned on her where she had seen one like it before. "Oscar?"

The man smiled warmly at her, his eyes sparkling with pleasure at the progress his young student was making. "Well done Sally. Even amongst the Malakim it's rare to find someone that can tell who a being is on their aura alone. You are truly remarkable. I can see why you and Tyra get on, you're both astoundingly perceptive and compassionate women."

High praise Sally thought to herself, certainly more than she thought of herself. Should she be humble and dismiss it or just accept it. In the end she opted for changing the topic. "So you're not just a cat then? I think Simon suspects as much."

"There's not much you can hide from our Simon, he's too attuned to the all-spirit to miss much, but I'm somewhat amused that Thex hasn't worked it out yet."

"So who are you then, apart from obviously being a Malakim in disguise?"

"I'm Oscar, for now that's enough. His form suits me for my purposes here. When Simon saved the kitten and made him immortal in the process it seemed to me a perfect opportunity to incarnate so I merged, in that moment, a tiny piece of myself with Oscar. Although really Oscar and I were already one, I just had to become aware of the link.

Sally looked the gorgeous hunk of a man up and down "If you don't mind me saying you don't exactly look tiny."

Oscar grinned at her blatant appraisal. It had been a long while since anyone of the female gender eyed him up and down that way. It was...somewhat refreshing. "Believe me when I say that if I incarnated fully on this world it's frequency would be immediately raised well past even that of the realm of the Malakim."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Not bad as such but it would be inconvenient. Your world and a number of others in this galaxy have been part of a particular experiment for last few million years. An experiment to see if it would be possible to nurture a sentient life form that could self-evolve, en masse. Usually only a few individuals on any one world are able to do that. If the experiment ended now we'd have to start all over again or scrap it as just a bad idea."

"Hmm, I think I'm feeling a bit like a guinea pig here but I guess that also makes us special so... I guess that's not so bad. So you manifesting fully here would sort of override the experiment and bring it to an end."

"Yes but I wanted to keep tabs on things in this dimension, at least while we work to release the seven. The boys don't always let me know everything they should. The rest of me still resides in the higher dimensions."

"You're their boss then?"

Oscar laughed at the joke of that. "Hell no. We don't believe in hierarchies, that would imply that some of us were better than others and that is just not so. How can you be better than yourself? Rather we have roles that reflect our expertise in different areas. Thex is a natural strategist and defender so we defer to him in matters of justice and protection. Simon has the ear of the all-spirit so when he speaks a prophecy or has a vision we take damn good note. I've been around so long my relationship with the all-spirit is clearer than most, the others often defer to me because of that, not because I'm superior or any such thing. it's more because I'm a composite being."

Sally liked the philosophy, it sounded truly egalitarian but her mind rolled its eyes at her when she tried to consider what a composite being might be. Better to stick to what she could relate to. "So even though I'm a newbie immortal I might have a role as far as healing animals?", she asked hopefully.

"Oh most definitely, it has already been foreseen that you will be a great healer among our kind, not just of animals. But we are digressing. The reason I am revealing myself to you is that it's always easier to do something once you've seen it done, otherwise it's just words, just a heap of dead abstract concepts. You have learnt much through my examples. I know that Simon has asked you not to go and see John while he's training with Thex. I'm willing to override that edict on one condition."

"What's that?"

"We both go incognito. Now open your mind to me and watch." He disappeared for an instant and reappeared in his six month old kitten form.

Sally had felt Oscar in her mind. "Oh I get it, it's just a variation on the way we travel except when you come out the other side you take the shape you visualized."

"Meow! Meow."

"Hmm, now what would I like to be?" Burmese cats were often quite intelligent and used affection to get their way in things, as well as being sleek and sexy, she could handle that. Replicating the mind pattern Oscar had shown her she momentarily disappeared, reappearing in the form she'd chosen. Strangely she could now make perfect sense of Oscar's cat mind when he praised her and said _let's go_ in her mind.

John skulled the green liquid concoction which was the only food Thex had been letting him have. He was losing weight at a rate of about 10 kg a week, enough to worry a healthy or even sane person but Thex assured him it didn't matter, that it was better he cleanse and detox his system in preparation for what he was going to attempt. A loud purr and a brush against his leg had him looking down. A beautiful exotic cat looked up at him with huge concerned pale green eyes. He bent down to stroke it its unimaginably soft silky blue fur. "Well hello beautiful, where'd you come from?" Although never a cat owner he'd always respected cats, their agility, their intelligence and their independence. This one was more articulate than most, its eyes and meows clearly expressing its concern while at the same time pleading for acceptance of its offer of affection. He stroked his hand along its back. "Friends then?" He picked her up in his arms and cuddled her against his heart.

Thex stood in the doorway of the room, leaning against the doorframe. He mused on the arrival of their feline visitors, having also spotted the grey tabby kitten nearby who was nonchalantly licking himself. Thex arched an eyebrow at Oscar, "Bending the rules a bit aren't we?"

Oscar looked up and if a cat could affect a grin he'd achieved it in spades, "Meow!"

"Hmm!"

John looked at him quizzically. "So what are these two doing out here?"

Thex laughed. "Oscar is a law unto himself. Comes and goes wherever he pleases. That one", he nodded at the cat in John's arms, "Has been hanging around with him of late, learning all his tricks I'd guess."

John found it strange that the fully grown cat would be learning off a kitten, maybe she'd just adopted him as her own in much the same way as she seemed to have just adopted him. He suspected the beautiful cat had a heart full of love, reminded him in a lot of ways of Sally. "What's her name, do you know?"

Thex's lips curved into a wry smirk. "Oh I can think of a few, impatience would be a good one, or perhaps worrywort. I think you can call her whatever you like."

"Then I'll call her beauty." His face softened with warmth as he peered into the cat's soulful eyes, "That alright with you?"

Beauty licked his hand and purred warmly in response.

"I take that as a yes. Well Thex still has some meditation work for me to do before I can call it a day. "You coming?"

"Rraw!"

John felt a renewed energy and determination to succeed. He was going to do it, for Sally, for Beauty and for himself. Separated from Sally these last weeks he'd lost focus on the goal. Doubts had started to plague his mind but now... "Yeah, let's do this!"

The four of them headed off to the practice, Oscar and Beauty supervising while Thex took John into a deep meditative session.

Later that night John and Beauty curled up in bed, John's arm cradling the cat, both feeling a sense of home and completeness they hadn't felt in weeks.

Out in the kitchen of the cabin Thex quietly padded around so as not to disturb the sleeping duo. He gave Oscar a reward of warm milk. "I don't know who you really are Oscar or why you're interfering but thanks. I'd been losing him. I expect you both back tomorrow night ok?"

"Rraw!"

Thex wasn't sure but he thought that sounded a lot like _of course you bloody idiot_. He was equally sure that he'd just got a mental image from the cat's mind of a child getting a friendly chastising from an adult.

Thex waggled his finger at the kitten, "Hey...don't push it!"

## 14

Sally yawned. Pregnancy and late nights. Shouldn't an immortal have better energy levels than this? She made a mental note to ask Simon and Yan later on.

Justin Freedman restrained his Rhodesian Ridgeback while she looked at its broken toe. It curled back its upper lip as she anesthetized its paw. Damned breeders or maybe it was damned dog shows, she wasn't sure which. What she did know was that someone was breeding a strain of Ridgebacks with legs too dainty for their own good. What if this dog kept breaking toes and ended up losing both its paws. Her blood boiled. "Where'd you buy Vuai from Justin?"

Justin didn't hear Sally's barely restrained anger and just thought to help. "Mum bought him from a kennel down South. I can get the name off of her if you're interested."

"I'd appreciate that Justin." She wasn't about to worry him about the tirade she was going to hurl at the breeder when she got a hold of them. But realistically she knew they'd probably ignore her so she'd have to think of other avenues. Maybe she could write an article for the papers. She was sure she could find some pretty grisly photos to back up her argument. The public were the buyers after all. If she could just help change what the market demanded. Activists who had shown the condition of battery hen chickens had certainly increased the sale of free range eggs so maybe that was the way to go. "Could you pass me that bandage over there?"

"Sure."

Once Sally had the paw bandaged enough to hide it she sent compassion into the bone and flesh, visualizing it whole. Then she sent an intent into all the animal's bones for them to strengthen and bulk out over the coming months. She hoped that would make what she had just done seem less miraculous. She'd need something to account for it so she went over to her shelves and found a calcium supplement for dogs and handed it to Justin. "Follow the instructions on this for adding it to his meals. Bring him back at the end of the week so I can change the bandage and check the healing but if it needs rebandaging before then bring him back and I'll redo it for no extra charge. It'll only take a moment." She didn't want them discovering the foot was already healed until it was plausible.

Justin left, the dog following him with no discernable limp. Sally smiled. If she could do that with a dog maybe there was something she could for John.

"No!" Simon instantaneously appeared before her followed a moment later by Oscar appearing at his feet with a concerned look.

Sally's reflexes had her stepping back. "Bloody hell Simon, are you spying on my thoughts?"

"I've been monitoring your well being since you became immortal. Whether you like it or not you are part of Oscar and therefore part of me so there are no secrets. Get over it!"

"Oh" Sally wasn't sure how she felt about that but in a way she felt oddly safe to have these two watching out for her but... "Does that mean Tyra and Thex can read my thoughts too?"

"If they want to although generally they'd filter the thoughts of others out unless they have a desire or reason not to."

"And you have a reason?"

"John's future and the well being of both you and your girls."

"And how is my not healing John good for us all?"

"Simple logic Sally. You and your girls are immortal. Even if you kept healing John at some point the natural aging process would beat you. Human cells can only replicate themselves so many times. That's why 120-130 is the current upper limit of human life, it's what the collective mind in your dimension believes and that makes it so. John has been conditioned to believe what the collective mind does. He will die eventually and the older he gets the harder it may be to do what he is close to doing now. As I've already explained, he's not interested in the other options, we must respect his will. This is one of our most fundamental laws."

Sally sighed. "Okay, okay. I get it. But you must know how hard this is for me."

Simon's eyes softened. "Sally, I've been on this planet for a very long time and seen many people I've cared deeply about pass away, Tyra's uncle not the least of them. Trust me I know your pain. It's difficult for all the Malakim to standby and watch the suffering of beings in this dimension. We learn patience, infinite patience. I know you will too. Oscar and I have a great deal of faith in you."

Tears well up in Sally's eyes. "I'm going to need every ounce of that faith and understanding. Can I at least be with him when he goes?"

Simon looked to Oscar, sharing mind, then he looked back at Sally and nodded. "You can be at the ceremony. He will need your faith and reassurance. Oscar will go with him through to the other side. He knows how to navigate those realms better than the rest of us. He will guard and help him through them."

Sally raised an eyebrow. Once again Oscar was seeming to be a much more powerful being than the rest of them but she trusted him. "Okay. Thanks for keeping me from making a balls-up guys." Then she remembered her earlier thought. "On a completely different subject. Why am I so tired of late?"

Simon was glad for the lighter topic. "Actually you don't need sleep anymore Sally. It's pleasurable and you can choose to do it if you wish. Exploring the dream world can be insightful but sleep itself isn't necessary to the health of our kind. As for pregnancy, it's a completely healthy process for us. It's only your old human beliefs about such things that are making you tired. I've already explained as much to Yan. In fact, I asked him to change your medication for the morning sickness you've been having to a placebo until I had a chance to tell you."

Sally felt duped. "You both did what!"

Simon shrugged his shoulder casually as if it was no big deal. "Get over it. Free your mind! Your experience of reality is your own mental construct, haven't you been realizing that with the animals you heal so well now? I think the old saying is physician heal thyself!"

Sally's mind was bowled over as it raced through all the ramifications of this and what he was implying she could now do. "Bloody hell!" but she knew he was right. When she thought about it, it was rather freeing.

##

##

## 15

It was a small gathering, Boswell's five immortals, if you included the kitten, Michael for his sister's moral support and to ensure no laws were broken and Yan the doctor. They'd gathered in the secret cavern underneath Crater Cottage, as Thex and John now affectionately called the place where they had just spent several weeks.

"How do you want to do this John, seated upright or lying down?"

"Lying down I think but nudge me if I start snoring."

Despite the sombre note of the gathering Thex managed a laugh. "Sure thing. You want a quiet moment with Sal?"

"Yeah that would be great."

The others retreated to the other side of the cavern to let the couple have a moment, not that they wouldn't hear anyway but it was the thought that counted.

A tear streaked down Sally's cheek as she hugged John.

"Hey, none of that!" He commanded but gently. "This is going to work. I need your faith and courage more than anything right now. I'll - be- back!" he mimicked a famous line from the movies.

Sally smiled a little at that. "Okay, putting my courageous face on."

"By the way, when I do get back I'm thinking we should start a little family, there's a cat that's been hanging around here I'd like to adopt."

Sally restrained a gasp. She hadn't wanted John to have the worry and distraction of her pregnancy so she hadn't told him. When she realised he meant her cat form she smiled inwardly. "I've got no problem with that. Do you want me to look after her while you're gone?"

"That would be great, I want you both well and thriving when I get back. I know it's early days for us Sally but hell, I think I'm in love with you."

"I love you too John." Restraining any further tears from breaching her ramparts she gave him one last hug and released him. It took all the rest of her restraint not to send her compassion into him and heal him then and there. _Respect his wishes_ she repeated like a mantra in her head, steadying her resolve.

Thex came over and nodded to John. "It's time. If we are going to use the cosmic energies best we need to do this on dusk. You need to make your mental connection with the goddess, as we've practised."

"That won't be necessary. I'm here."

Everyone turned en masse to see the goddess Ma appear out of the ether before them.

"Mum!" Simon exclaimed with delight, striding over to embrace her in a hug.

Ma kissed Simon affectionately on the forehead. As far as she was concerned he'd always be her little boy, even if he was now millennia old. "Son! It is good to see you too." She released him and walked over to John. "The time for visualization is long past. Since you've done me the honor of doing your guru yoga with me in mind rather that give abeyance to Thex I thought I'd better come in person. Now let me touch you." She stretched out her hand and touched his forehead. "My mind is your mind." She touched his throat. "My energy is your energy." She touched his heart. "My heart is your heart. I grant you victory over death and release from ignorance." Then she transformed into a filament of the brightest light and disappeared into him through his crown chakra.

"Aiya!" John exclaimed as his being synced with that of the goddess's.

Thex moved quickly to catch him and brace him. "Go with it John. This is unexpected but it will make things easier. I expect she'll stay with you as long as you need. This was always going to be difficult for you to do as John Samuels but with the mindset, heart and energy of the goddess it might just work.

"Might! I just love your confidence Thex. This has been a hell of a lot of preparation for 'might' don't you think."

"Oh I always knew it was going to work John, I just wasn't sure how things would pan out. Now are you ready? You know what you have to do?"

"Yes Thex! Find the formless, timeless, still, silent base of my being then dissolve the five light elements that make up my body into it. That just about some it up?"

"Yep, well get to it my friend."

"What about when I get to the other side?"

"Someone will meet you and help but I'm not sure who."

Simon smiled knowingly. "Oscar will be there."

"Oscar?" John and Thex simultaneously asked, amazed.

Thex glared at his mate "Is there something you're not telling me Simon?"

"You'll work it out for now trust me, Oscar is more than able to guide John."

"Oka...y!"

John watched the to and fro between Simon and Thex but guessed it was over so he settled himself, lying right side down on the futon and pillows Thex had prepared for him. He felt like an old lion taking its afternoon rest. He gave one last look at Sally. She nodded her understanding that it was time, her soulful eyes penetrating him with love. If he didn't get on with this it would only get emotionally harder to part from his friends and his lover. He wished Beauty was there too but he knew the cat didn't usually turn up until after dark and he needed to ride the dusk. He settled his breathing, inhaling, inhaling a bit more, holding and then breathing out. He got a gentle rhythm going. He relaxed into a deep awareness of his being and the space around it, not judging or analysing it, just being with it. The space opened to him like a vast desert sky. Though his eyes were closed he became acutely aware of all the sounds and smells around him. He was startled a little to realise that Sally smelled a lot like Beauty, a clean cat smell but since she was a vet that was hardly surprising. Speaking of the devil he suddenly felt Beauty's warm body snuggled up against him. So the cat had come, he felt complete now. In the distance sections of the cavern he was aware of a startled shout from Michael and an ensuing argument between him and the immortals but it was as if it was a dream, just a cloud in the vastness of sky. The sky merged with all he was aware of. He reached into his mind to find the observer. There was only emptiness. Then it too merged with all before it. Entering into the emptiness he allowed the blossoming awareness of light to take him. He connected with the light and became one with it. All was bliss. He just let himself be for a moment in the bliss then directed it into his body which immediately felt like a heavy weight dissolving into a vast ocean. As he observed it the ocean began to evaporate, engulfed in fire. The fire burned brightly until it too dissipated into air and the air dissolved into the vast space which was his mind.

On some level he was aware that he had breathed his last breaths but there was still something of himself, a point of light in what had been the area of his heart. A rainbow of light streamed out of it and his soul followed it. Maybe this is what the Irish really meant by a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. When he got to wherever the rainbow took him it dawned on him that he was now that rainbow. His body formed of light as beautiful and dazzling as any peacock's feather.

Threads of light flowed from his body and linked to a number of scenes that unfolded before him. He was vaguely aware that these were scenes of life from the other dimensions that Thex had described to him while training for this. He followed the light back and saw that they all had their source within him. _Ah-ha_ , it dawned on him. _I am the one creating them._ _It's not that I'm a drop in the ocean but that the whole ocean exists in each drop of it._ And in that moment of realisation they vanished.

"Well done John."

John turned in the direction of the voice and saw a young man, equally radiant as himself. "Who are you."

"You know me as Oscar. Thex and Simon know me as Meta. But those are only tiny fragments of what I am."

"Then I suppose the next question is what are you?"

"I am a composite of all those beings that have ever fully evolved but since time is also an illusion and everything that will be or was already is you might say I'm everyone."

"Ah, right!"

"The question is whether you're ready to join us?"

John looked askance at Oscar then realised he was seeing millions of beings if not more. They all radiated with rainbow light as he know did. As he watched they remerged back into the one being before him. _Home_ was the only thought that came to him. "I can see how that might be a good thing and I'm really honored but I do have a few things left unresolved."

"Your lover who is the mother of your children, releasing your brother, helping the earth based immortals in their battle with the Din and resolving your guilt over what happened to your second in command Andrew in Afghanistan."

"Ah, yes," That pretty much summed it up, even though he now knew it was an illusion he still cared. "Hang on! Children!

"Your compassion is commendable but if you wish to help them within a physical form you will need to manifest one or take over one as you are now well beyond the cycle of birth and death. You will also be restricted in how you can help them."

"Because knowing it's all a creation of mind I can't interfere with it or hurt any part of it without hurting myself."

"You've got it! You can observe, advise and guide but you will find it difficult to act."

"Because any action will give validity to the illusion and make it more real for those in it."

"Yes but that is not to say you will be totally without purpose. You will be a link to the rest of us. There are times we can position the players in the game to best effect so to speak and you will be on the ground to do that for us. You will still need to let the outcome play out like I have with you and Sally. But given that we have a view of the whole we can give some pretty strategic pushes at times to make things go in a direction that has better potential.

"So next question. How?"

"Open yourself to your oneness with us, it's where you left it, waiting for you to rediscover it all this time, then we will send you back. Get a mental image of what you would like to look like, we'll do the rest. You can stay until you are ready to come home but we'll always be a part of you and you won't lose that connection anymore."

John's eyes widened in surprise. "And what will you do?"

"I'll continue to be wherever I need to be. A part of me will still be Oscar and part will still be the Malakim Meta, Thex's father. You'll get used to having multiple roles and personas yourself, firstly as John and as Arion's brother when you remember it. Personality's a pretty loose and expendable thing for us, sort of like clothes, we put on what we need.

_Personalities like clothes?_ As long as it didn't mean he was deranged. Although given what he knew now it sort of fitted that personality was whatever you created. "So I'm Arion's brother?"

"Yes, you as Lukos gave up being Malakim so you could incarnate on earth to one day free your brother. Your memory of that life will come back to you as you need. Suffice to say it was a great sacrifice you made, to enter a world of greater suffering than the one you were in. You and I discussed various options at the time but you decided you liked this option best. Your sisters weren't too happy with us though, they've missed you terribly."

"So now I'm Malakim again I guess I'll catch up with them."

"Not in the way you think. Firstly you're not Malakim. They are demigods of angels if you prefer, just another illusory dimension. You've moved past that."

What was higher up the chain than the Malakim. Then he remembered Simon's mother Ma who became guardian of the Earth when she evolved. "So planet guardianship and all that?" He asked, not entirely sure he was ready for such a responsibility.

"Past that too."

"Whoa!" Bloody hell, what then was he, maybe he didn't really want to know. "And my sisters?"

"They've chosen to incarnate on Earth, soon. You'll catch up."

"Well Okay then, send me back!" He opened himself to the oneness and it accepted him.

Meta/Oscar wiped his brow, aping a human gesture of relief. "Well that bit all went to plan. Phew!"

## 16

Sally could see it was going to be a long drawn out afternoon and sighed. The first two candidates Simon, Trya and her had interviewed for the position of vet for the town had been a total washout. They'd all looked good on paper but the first had turned out to be a money grubber with little compassion. He had adamantly stated that he wouldn't treat any cases for free or reduced rates in cases of financial hardship. If they couldn't afford a pet they shouldn't own one. The second candidate had been an arrogant young woman, fresh from university who talked in convoluted medical jargon to try and impress them. When asked what she thought of alternative medicine for animals where it was appropriate or complemented standard methods she'd wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I'll have none of that new age claptrap in my practice!"

Tyra took a sip of her orange juice. "So who's next?"

Sally looked down at her notes. "Anya Ivanova. Trained in Moscow but worked in rural communities in Siberia before becoming a mail order bride and migrating to Australia. States here that her husband recently died and she's looking to get back to working in a rural community. While in Siberia she set up a sanctuary for bears she rescued from owners who were keeping them to milk their gall bladders for the folk medicine market in Asia. She rehabilitated them and got them back into the wild before deciding to look for a better life."

Simon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Promising. Shall I go and bring her in?"

Trya gave a cross-fingered sign for good luck and Sally nodded. "Here's hoping, otherwise we'll have to readvertise."

Simon returned with a tall blond, high cheeked boned woman who looked like she worked out with weights or in a gym on a regular basis. At first glance she seemed intimidating but when she spied Sally and Tyra she smiled and her whole face blossomed. It was strange though that Simon's charm factor hadn't worked on her. She sat down on the only available chair, repositioning it so as not to look at Simon.

_She doesn't like you Simon_ , Tyra thought at him.

_Interesting, but I don't think it's personal. Look at her aura._

Tyra softened the focus of her eyes. _Strong green around the heart chakra, good healing energy but a couple of muddy brown splodges, someone's hurt her in the past and she's armoured herself around it._

While Trya and Simon made their silent assessment Sally got up and shook Anya's hand. "Thanks for coming Anya. I'm the current vet and as you can see from my condition." She patted the small bulge of her stomach, "we could really do with someone who could work alongside me for a month or two, reducing my workload, getting to know my client base and eventually taking over when my twins arrive."

Anya's eyes brightened in interest. "You want me to replace you? Won't you want the practice back eventually? Will your husband support you?"

Sally's paled and sighed. "My man died several weeks ago but please don't let my well being worry you. Simon here is planning to fund the wildlife sanctuary I want to set up for injured animals. John left me a property down by the lake so we'll fence it off and set it up with a small animal hospital. So you see I'll be keeping my hand in, maybe we could even collaborate. But that's future tense and enough of me for now. Why don't you tell us why you'd like the job here."

Wow, a lot to take in and respond to Anya thought to herself. Gulp! "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry for your loss." Turning to Simon she gave him a curt nod. "And I'm impressed by your philanthropy. It all hints of the kind of compassionate and supportive town I'd like to move into. I can't say I've liked working as a locum for the bigger practices in the city. They're well set up, state of the art and all that but sometimes I feel that the animals and their owners are just seen as consumers of product. I'm more interested in getting the animals better. I'd like a practice of my own that I could run that way."

Tyra smiled warmly at Anya, her turn. "What if a client is hard up for cash? What would you do in that situation?"

Anya was slightly annoyed they'd even ask. "Well treat the animal of course. An animal shouldn't suffer just because their owner's poor. In Siberia it was often the poor and lonely that treated their animals better because they were all they had as companionship."

Simon leaned back casually in his chair. "And if there was a herbal or alternative treatment available for treating the animal?" His tone was neutral given no indication of what he thought of such an approach.

Anya paused, this one might gain or lose it for her. She decided to go for blatant honesty. If they were to offer her the job they'd have to take her as she was anyway. "I'd use it of course. I learnt a number of folk cures when I was around the Siberians but some of their herbs are hard to get here. I sometimes use a version of animal shiatsu, pressure point therapy and reiki when I think it might help the animal." It was obviously the right response as all her interviewers were now beaming with delight.

Sally leaned back in her own chair and sighed with relief. "Anya you've got the job. I can offer you my cottage in town if you'd like to stay there. When could you start?"

"Um, right away. I resigned from my last clinic a few weeks ago." She looked down at her fingernails. She guessed they deserved to know. "My last boss caught me laying on hands with a poodle that was crippled with arthritis. He told me if he caught me again I was out so I left anyway. I'd rather be jobless than let an animal needlessly suffer."

Tyra got up so Anya rose from her seat guessing the interview was well and truly over. Anya allowed herself to be embraced in a welcoming hug from the two ladies present. Thankfully Mr Harris kept his distance but he smiled and nodded his welcome to her. He seemed to understand her discomfort around men. Her husband had been her ticket to this wonderful country but unfortunately he'd been a bastard. She had no remorse about being glad he'd had a fatal heart attack during one particularly horrid episode. "The cottage sounds great, how much?"

Sally made a dismissive gesture with her hand, "consider your rent looking after it and the garden for me. Keep it in good nick and you'll have no complaints from me."

"Um, I'm not much of a gardener."

Tyra brightened. "That's alright, I'll happily put it on my rounds."

"Ah-hm!" Simon made as if to clear his throat. "Expanding the empire are we?"

Tyra smirked. "If we are going to expand your herb garden to include some Russian herbs for Anya we'll have to. Although come to think of it an assistant would be nice. Who know's Anya might even have a sister?" Tyra was hoping her emerging ability to read the Ether-Net had been right on that one.

Anya laughed at the two of them, going by the joust the two were a couple. Simon earned brownie points with her for being concerned that Tyra didn't take too much on but Tyra obviously had some spine as well. "Actually I do have a sister who just happens to be a plant biologist as well as a geneticist. Helena's researching the effects of Rupert Sheldrake's morphogenetic fields on plants. Unfortunately she's lives in Russia and given my own experience she's unlikely to chance the bride market as a way come here. She doesn't earn enough to come out through business migration."

Simon read more about Anya's sister from her mind. He liked what he saw. "What if Tyra and I sponsored her? Do you think she'd consider migrating to a backwater like this if I employed her as my Russian specialist horticulturalist and set her up with a state of the art lab where she could continue her work?"

Anya was bowled over. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the possibility of being reunited with her sister. She gave Simon a delighted reappraising look. "She just might but why would you do that?"

"Because we need you Anya. You're part of this town now. Your well being is important to us." Sally reassured her.

Simon left them to discuss details. As he left the room he whipped out his mobile phone and dialed Sally's brother. "Michael! Yeah we found a replacement for Sally. Really nice lady named Anya Ivanova. Could you do me a favor though and check if there are any records on your system from while she was married to one Richard Capita. I want to know if there's anything that will give us a clue to her past. I think she's been hurt badly and I don't want any of our local hot shots giving her hassles in the meantime, if you see them tell them to leave her alone. She needs to settle in and know she has a safe home now. Yeah I owe you. Thanks Michael."

He made another call to John Samuel's ASIO contact who John had made part of their small 'in-the-know' network before he departed. "Hi Andrew. Yeah Sal and Thex are taking it hard. I'll be able to tell you more when Oscar gets back. Yeah the cat. No I'm not joking, you should know us by now. Well I need a favor. How do we go about getting our new vet's sister out of Russia and into the country. Yeah we need her. Cool! I'll send you the details. Oh, Sally? Sally's well, the girls aren't giving her any trouble yet although no doubt they'll start kicking soon. Yeah I'll let you know if there's any news."

As he hung up Tyra snuck up and kissed him on the cheek. "You're a wonderful man, you know that."

He waggled his eyebrows at her. "In what way wonderful?"

Tyra blushed. "Why don't we go home and find out."

## 17

Sally kicked off her shoes with relief. Thank the all-spirit they'd found someone. Now she could ease back on her workload. Not that she was having a hard time with her pregnancy now that she'd gotten it through her thick skull that immortals didn't need to suffer. But she wanted time to, well, enjoy this precious time with the twins. She was so glad now that they had conspired to do this to her. They were all she had left of John. Although Simon seemed unfazed and kept saying wait a bit longer Thex had gone into full mope mode and disappeared to work out at the crater site. Not to mention Oscar hadn't come back either. Whatever had happened on the other side can't have gone to plan. She accepted that now but the acceptance didn't help to fill the gaping hole both had left in her heart. So instead she talked to her girls, played music for them, explained her work to them and communed with them when she took her nightly walks. Her brother had gotten even more protective of late and had taken to keeping even closer tabs on her. He gave her space when she needed down time. Except that he insisted her phone had a GPS app so he could track her and find her if she got in trouble. At times he was suffocating but after their parents had died in a car crash when he was 18 and she only 15 he'd had to double as parent. He was the only blood family she had. Although these days she was loved and cared for by a much extended family, comprising those who lived at number 7 Park St. Even the townsfolk had taken extra care to watch out for her of late, dropping off little presents of baby clothes, garden produce and freshly baked cakes. Their generosity embarrassed her but she accepted it in good grace, knowing it was their way of saying they were there for her and that she'd never be truly on her own.

The warm brush of fur had her glancing down at her ankles. Oscar? "OSCAR!"

Oscar morphed into his human form. "You don't have to shout, you'll wake your girls. They napping you know." he admonished her.

"But where the hell have you been?" she whispered contritely back at him. "We assumed you'd both gone for good."

"We? I think it was only you and Thex who gave up. Simon and Tyra haven't been worried have they?"

"Well no but..."

"Look these things take time, seven weeks to be precise. If Thex had bothered to ask Silwa he would have told him that."

"Seven weeks." Sally eyed the calendar on the wall. "And it's seven weeks today."

"So why are you sitting here in your cottage when you have another home to go to?"

Sally disappeared.

Oscar sighed happily to himself. "Ah, the young at heart."

Sally manifested outside the lakeside cabin she'd inherited from John. It took her a moment to take all the small and not so small changes around the building that must have all happened in the time since she'd left it this morning. The path to the front door was swept. Really she hadn't felt like bothering it while she was mourning. Then there were the two night flowering cactuses she'd rather optimistically brought to grow each side of the front porch. Whoever heard of growing cacti in the highlands? But she did so love their scent, having smelt them at a friends garden in Melbourne when she'd stayed there after graduating. The cereus were no longer in their pots. They were in the ground, just where she'd wanted them. Amazingly the front porch had been rebuilt around them to give them a partial greenhouse, with two sides and a roof of double glazed glass. Yep that would stop the frost. Either side of the front path had been dug up and an assortment of summer flowering bedding plants now graced the walk to the house. Along with two neat rows of solar powered garden lights to make sure no one stumbled on the path or near the entrance. She grinned to herself.

Walking up to the door she pushed it open and peered hesitantly inside, half afraid that no one would be there and half in a state of euphoric anticipation that there would be. From here she could see the table was set and candles not only graced the table but were also positioned around the room to create an intimate effect. A vase of daphne adorned the coffee table. She breathed it in, sighing with delight.

Looking further afield for her 'ghost' she entered the kitchen to find the veggie burgers she'd left in the fridge were now simmering on the stove and there was a bowl of freshly tossed, lightly dressed salad on the bench. And all the dishes that had been accumulating in the sink were washed up and were now dried and stacked on the bench!

Still no sign of her 'ghost', she wandered into the bedroom which was lit with candles. The bed freshly made with the doona cover neatly folded at the foot of the bed. White rose petals covered the bed. "Oh my!"

Arms encircled her, "You like?"

She turned. A lean, muscular, twenty something man with warm compassionate eyes of amber brown smiled back at her but the voice she recognised. "Oh John!" She surrendered into the safety of his arms. "Bloody hell, I thought I'd lost you", then the tears fell and she let the past seven weeks of pain and loss ebb away.

He held her like that for what seemed like minutes, until her tears began to subside. Then he gently kissed her on the forehead and gently ruffled her hair. "I've got to check the cooking. At least to turn it off."

Reluctantly she drew herself out of his arms but she wasn't about to let him out of her sight. She felt like she was floating in a dream that she was too afraid she might wake from and come crashing back to the reality of the last few weeks. The girls had been her saviours, giving meaning to her existence. She gently patted her tum acknowledging them with a smile.

The man in the blue jeans and crisp cotton shirt beamed back at her. "I know, Oscar told me but I couldn't take it in at the time. It seems like I've been gone a while even though for me it's like only a few minutes ago. Go and sit down Sally, the three of you need some food and then you can debrief me."

Debrief him! Sally smiled, he was still her Major then. "Absolutely. Although I can think of other things I'd rather be doing with you right now."

John blushed. "Me too. But food first, I want to look after you, in all ways. That's my new job if you'll have me."

Sally nearly sprang back into his arms, tears streaming down her face again. "Just be here and don't you dare go away like that again."

John lifted her chin so their eyes met. "I promise." Then he kissed her, gentling her lips with his.

Sally moaned. "Dinner can wait can't it?"

He grinned, momentarily disappeared then reappeared and whisked her into his arms. "I've turned it off. Now where were we?"

Sally tilted her head towards the bedroom. "The rose petals look lonely."

"They do indeed." He transported them into the bedroom, reverently placed her on the middle of the bed. He removed her shoes, tossing them in very un-army-like fashion into a heap on the floor. Her other clothes quickly followed, then his. He stood there feeling vulnerable in all his glory as her eyes raked him. She'd fallen in love with a craggy older man. Maybe she preferred older men. Would she like what she saw. He found his answer in her darkened lust filled eyes. Her tongue unconsciously moistening her lips. "You still want me then, as I am now I mean?" He had to ask.

"John, I fell in love with your soul." Her eyes roamed his body again. "This is icing on the cake. Now come here and convince my subconscious that you're real."

"Convincing coming up. Spread your legs for me!"

Sally's insides melted in a rush of warmth at his command. As she did as she was told, very unlike her she thought to herself, he kneeled down at the foot of the bed. Pulling her to him he draped her legs over his shoulders and lowered his head to drive his tongue into her depths. She screamed in delight and then blushed in embarrassment at what he was doing. "John I haven't had a shower."

"How sad, too bad", and he drove his tongue back into her, licking the walls of her cavern. Carefully positioning himself he moved his mouth to her little nub, alternately nibbling and sucking and swirling his tongue around its circumference. Sally arched her back opening her further to his ministrations. He carefully inserted a finger inside her. "Is this alright? I mean in your condition? I don't want to hurt you."

"More, please! You can't hurt me John, I'm immortal."

That balked him but the lower half of his body had other ideas and told him in no uncertain terms that he could find out about that later. He gently inserted another finger and began using both to find her g spot while his mouth sucked harder on her clitoris. Her body tensed, her body squirmed against his mouth, half as if to get away from him and half pushing into his face asking for more. Suddenly she spasmed and screamed, warm liquid moistening his fingers. He untangled himself from her and stood, moving to reposition her further up the bed then rose up over her, his shoulders bracing him as he surveyed her beauty. He chestnut hair tangled with rose petals, her cheeks flushed, the delicate mound of her abdomen that carried the fruit of their love. Her eyes watched him expectantly, hardly blinking.

"Please John!"

He buried himself in her in one smooth stroke then eased back to do it all again.

Sally knew he was still trying to restrain himself. "Show me you're alive John!"

His mind emptied of the chatter of thoughts, like a vast open sky, and he gave himself over to the joy of fucking her. "Bloody hell, yes!"

Sally pushed back against him, meeting stroke for stroke, their rhythm merged into one harmony of pure passion.

Fire burned deep in John's core, an acute awareness of a volcano about to explode. "Sally I'm about to come!" He warned half in panic at its impending power.

"Then come for me!" Sally urged as she gave herself to him.

A wave of raw power roared through him as he screamed. "Sally!"

When they finally recovered enough from the aftermath of their sexual earthquake enough to move John went and reheated dinner and dished up.

Sally's legs were still wobbly as she took a seat at the table. "Okay I'm convinced!" She grinned.

"Convinced?"

"That you're alive."

"Ah yes." His eyes gleamed their pleasure back at her. "Although technically I'm not of this world." He fingered a piece of turquoise that hang on a leather thong around his neck. "Oscar gave me this, it helps me to stay material in this realm while I'm still learning to construct my reality here."

"What is it?" Sally asked, eyeing the beautifully carved turquoise arrowhead.

"It's a La or soul stone. A kind of anchor. At the moment my soul thinks I should really be outside this dimension. This acts like a kind of diver's weight grounding me here. Oscar said this particular one was carved a very long time ago by a culture ancestral to both the Tibetans and the Apache."

"How can those two people have the same base culture, they're not even racially or linguistically the same?"

I guess it must be in the same way as the Western culture has spread to vastly different races of the world. I'm yet to fully take in the vastness of Earth's history that is available in the Ether-Net but I do know that the American Indians of the South-West including the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Apache have much in common with the Tibetans. Such as sand painting and a reverence of the elements."

"And turquoise jewelry?"

"So it would seem."

"So you're here for now." Sally was fearful to ask for how long.

"For as long as you need me and I guess I'd better tell you straight off that I can read your mind."

" _And hear me_?" Sally tried out her barely developed telepathy.

"Ah yes!" John answer, rather taken by surprise. "Is this where you tell me how you came to be immortal?"

Sally winced knowing what John might be thinking. "It's not like that John. Okay take a seat and I'll do a recap of the story so far."

Sally started with how she'd nicked her finger over three months ago now, her cat like abilities, how she'd learnt to transport herself to different locations, her surprise at her sudden healing abilities with animals, her frustration at Simon and Meta not allowing her to heal him but why they were right. She described the aftermath of his death. How Yan had declared the time of death, how after seven days they'd cremated a body that was no more than hair and a collection of finger and toe nails. How his will had been executed and various people like Andrew notified.

"So I really don't exist anymore, even as a citizen of this country, interesting."

"Don't worry. Andrew has a plan in place in case you made it back. By the way we should let him and Thex know. They're mourning as much as I was."

John felt a pang of guilt at that. "I'm really sorry about that Sally. It was just a moment in time for me. I had no idea this much time would pass. I think Oscar was going to pay Thex a visit as soon as we got back but I'd better give Andrew a ring in a minute. By the way. Have you seen my cat?"

Sally laughed nearly doubling over.

John didn't get the joke and her thoughts were too full of her laughter to work out their cause. A moment later he was staring at his beautiful burmese cat, seated where Sally had been a split second before. He groaned, then he too laughed. "Well what can I say? I like you both ways Sally. I suppose Oscar taught you that one."

Sally remanifested in human form, a little contrite. "I'm sorry I hid what I had become from you John but everyone was adamant that you had enough on your mind without me distracting you. I didn't know if you'd be put off what you were trying to do if you knew I was pregnant, let alone that I'd become immortal."

"I understand Sally, I'm very glad you found a way to be with me. I like you choice of cat by the way."

Sally blushed. "I hoped you'd like her. By the way, it's your turn to fess up?"

"About what?"

"Well let me see." She counted on her fingers. "First there's the fact that you knew I'm carrying twins. Then there's the fact that you seem to be something other than the average immortal, what with needing to be grounded in this plane and all. And finally, well, what was it like on the other side?"

"The first one is easy to answer. From your aura of course."

"Hmph! That's not fair, I only just started being able to do that and here you are, fresh out of the factory, so to speak."

John chuckled. "And who can shapeshift and heal animals with her compassion?"

"Fair point. Can you tell their gender."

"No, they're just two bright points of light." Then he had an odd thought. "They wouldn't by any chance be girls would they?"

"Um, yes. Lucky hunch?"

"Something I remember Oscar saying about Arion and me having sisters that would incarnate soon."

"Hold on a sec! Are you saying that you are Arion's mystery brother AND you're the father of your own sisters?"

"I know how weird that sounds but the fact is it was me as John Samuels who is genetically their father. They were my sisters thousands of years ago when I was apparently a Malakim called Lukos. I decided to incarnate in this dimension until it was possible to free Arion."

"That's a long wait. Couldn't you have freed him before now."

"Apparently not. If I understand Simon correctly it all depends on one's level of compassion. Maybe my experiences in the army and my love for you changed all that. I can't as yet remember my intervening lives so I just don't know."

"You love me?"

"I'm sorry Sally, I forget these things need words. Yes, I love you deeply. There was this young but feisty vet who cared for both the animals and the owners that came to her. The next I knew she was stalking me. I didn't know what to make of it all. Surely I was too old for you but you didn't seem to care. Your eyes would follow me and you'd blush every time I saw you. The next I knew you were asking me to come along with you to Simon and Tyra's adult ed classes on tantric meditation. You made me want to live again. I rediscovered a part of me that hadn't really been alive since Afghanistan. You, this amazing town that is so accepting of anyone who doesn't judge them and my friendship with Thex and his mates. This is my home Sally. If you'll have me I want to stay and love you and the girls and help the people here, mortal and immortal, where I can. That's my purpose now."

Sally could only managed an awed whispered response to that. "Wow."

Then John got down on his knees before her. "I guess it's too late for this as I think for all intents and purposes we mated when we just made love but ... Sally Williams, will you be my companion and lover for all eternity?"

Sally got on the ground to kneel before him and so she could better reach him to kiss him. "I will, I love you John." She realized he hadn't answered her other questions but at that moment she didn't really care. "Is there a way I can bond with you as Tyra has with Simon and Thex. We could put into practise some of the tantric union ideas that we've learnt at Simon and Tyra's classes."

"Sally, I think the girls you carry are proof that we are already one but I'd be more than happy to do a soul union with you whenever you'd like."

Sally was never one to put things off. "How about right now?"

John got a sense that Sally subconsciously wanted to do everything she could to make sure she never lost him again. He couldn't blame her for that. Wrapping her in his embrace he leaned forward, whispering into her ear. "You wouldn't by chance be trying to tie me to you in every way possible."

"You betchya!"

"Fancy trying something a little innovative? I've got an idea on how to adapt the syncing I did with the goddess before I died."

"I'm game."

"It's probably easier if I show you rather than tell you, rest your head against mine and I'll transmit to you what I want to do."

As Sally's forehead touched John's she was overwhelmed by the intimacy of the connection. This wasn't telepathy, this was like having the thoughts and feelings yourself." When she'd finished consuming John's idea she leaned back and shook herself. "Wow, no wonder you guys learn this way."

"You guys, aren't you forgetting you're one of us too?"

"I still don't feel that different, it always surprises me when I do something I couldn't do before."

"Hmm, I think we can fix that once and for all. I'll be back in a moment."

John went off to find a padded quilt cover to give them a comfortable place on the floor for the ritual. It surprised him how easy it was to get his now young arthritis free body into a seated lotus position.

Sally took a position directly in front of him, knee to knee, then watched her breathing for a moment to relax and center. Then she leaned forward slightly and reached out to touch his forehead, he did the same. "My consciousness to your consciousness."

John reached out to gently touch her throat, Sally followed suit. "My vibration to your vibration."

Finally they touched each other's heart. "My heart to your heart. We are one."

Both their bodies dissolved into light and merged. An explosion of high pitched sound and rainbow colored light filled the room, then ebbed. Two bodies formed once more, shimmering into solidity.

"Bloody Hell!" John collapsed but not before untangling his legs and pulling Sally's unconscious form into his embrace, then blacking out.

Somewhere in the ether was a delighted giggling sound of two little girls doing a high-five in celebration.

## 18

Thex sat on a green canvas camp chair out the front of crater cabin, watching the sun go down. He knew he shouldn't mourn, he was supposed to be above all that, but he missed his friend. "Bloody humans and their mortality!" Yet despite his own anger at his loss he hoped his friend had navigated the afterlife to something better, even if it hadn't been coming back here. He looked around at the training camp he and John had been building. It was progressing well but he'd need to get a builder in to do the accommodation. Again with the bloody humans, this time all the regulations and permits he was swimming in to get that done. Battling evil aliens was far easier. Facts were facts, he wasn't a trainer and he wasn't a project manager or administrator. He'd needed John to make this work.

"You picking up the bad habits of the beings of this dimension?" A voice he knew all too well had him turning his head to the side. Even after 100,000 years he'd never forget.

"Dad!" Thex got quickly out of his chair to greet him.

Meta wrapped his son in embrace. "You always were a worrier you know, even before you became a commander. John's fine by the way, you can go and see him in the morning. He's rather busy right now."

"Really?" Thex's ebony eyes gleamed in pleasure and surprise. "So...?"

"Time passes differently here, that's all."

Thex felt a strain he hadn't realised he'd been holding the last seven weeks flow away. "That's great. All-spirit it's good to see you Dad."

"Actually you've been seeing me for the last six months. I was waiting for the penny to drop but you never did work it out. Damned good disguise though."

Perplexed Thex looked at his dad questioningly. His mental question was answered when Meta transformed into a cat he knew rather well. Then he blushed when he thought of all the sights Oscar had seen. "You might have told me!" He groaned.

Oscar transformed back into Meta. "Ah yes, but it was most enlightening...and entertaining", he added.

"Do Simon and Tyra know?" If there was a rising note of query in his voice no one could blame him for being perturbed.

"Simon suspects but figured I had my own reasons for being incognito so he decided to respect that."

"Oh did he now?" He'd have words with Simon. "So, don't get me wrong, but why have you been hiding out as a kitten?"

"Well it wouldn't do to overwhelm the locals would it? Beings like me have a certain charismatic power that tends to interfere with the free will of mortals. They get hooked on it, like a drug. We all had a long hard think before even sending John back to you. He caught us by surprise by seeing through the all of it. He'll need to keep a pretty low profile so as not to attract a following. It wouldn't hurt if he adopted an animal disguise of his own. In the meantime I'm putting you in charge of managing access to him."

"But what about Sally?"

"Oh, not a problem, she was besotted with him even before we turned them both immortal. There's no cosmic harm there. They've had many earth lives together. They're pretty much a unit. That's why the decision was made to make her immortal. It would have been cruel on both of them otherwise. She'll need more hands on guidance though, to really leave her human delusions behind."

"And what about you? Are you staying."

"If you want me to", it was as much a question as an answer. "But mostly as a cat. People don't pay a mind to cats. We can snoop around all sorts of places and no one ever suspects we're up to anything other than just being a cat."

"I'd love you to stay Dad" Then thought he'd better add some conditions "...but could you stay out of my bedroom when I'm screwing Tyra and Simon, it's embarrassing!"

Meta chuckled but pretended to look peeved. "You're no fun! What's an old man like me to do for entertainment."

"I don't know Dad, read a romance novel! And cut the old crap, your physical form is no older looking than mine, come to think of it I can see how you might mesmerise the locals, the ladies in particular."

Meta patted Thex's head in a fatherly way. "Stop fretting, there's a reason I spend most of my time on the veranda out the way."

"Thanks Dad and yes I do want you to stick around. I've missed you. Thex shook his war braids back into place.

Meta's lips quirked in amusement. "Well then, time for part two of my cunning plan."

"And that would be?"

"Free the other part of your soon to be foursome."

There was only one member of his trapped team Meta could be meaning. "Arion! But who? How? John and Sally aren't going to want to."

Meta just chuckled. "All in good time. Now let's go home, Simon and Tyra are missing us."

## 19

Arion stretched his consciousness out to touch the crystals in his cave. It caressed them, inviting them to talk to him. He allowed his mind to open to the sights and sounds they showed him, drinking it all in. He had Simon to thank for the quartz crystals, most were clear, others the color of rose, amethyst and gold, while strategically placed black ones protected him from negative entities. Without them he would have gone mad. He'd spent much of his time feeling sorry for himself but in those odd moments when he just let go to his situation they flooded his mind with images of the outside world, transmitting and amplifying whatever vibrational sound and light they captured. Curiosity plagued him though, here he was in a stone cave, inside a mountain, far in the outer reaches of the Himalayas...just how did they pick up anything? He'd never worked that one out. Yet they spoke their messages to him, sharing their knowledge freely, whenever he was willing to listen. Over the last hundred years or so the flood of information had rapidly increased to a crescendo. He'd had to learn to filter much of it out. In a twist of irony his crystal companions had become a source of overwhelming noise that some days threatened to split his consciousness apart. He bore the crystals no ill will but he did wonder what had been happening to the world outside his prison to bring about such a change. The last time he remembered this much noise from them was about twelve thousand years ago, as they reckoned time on this planet, but back then the noise had been piecing sonic sounds, visions of light and mental power. This time it screeched of electromagnetism. Yet through it all he filtered out snippets of information. A spacecraft of some kind landing on a rock that appeared to be this planet's moon, about forty years ago. A vast array of music genres, as if every being on this planet moved to their own unique beat. Then there were the bizarre images, television programs he thought they were called, that seemed to cover everything from life on the planet, he quite liked that BBC stuff, to the latest events and to the horror of alien creatures that made the Din look good. At least the Din didn't eat you from the inside until they burst out of you. And this appeared to be some kind of story entertainment? How the hell had he ended up here anyway? Oh that's right...

Arion stood on the bridge of the Malakim's newest spaceship. They were on a mission to a remote part of the galaxy they patrolled, to the outer arm of a spiral where Meta and the boy prophet Shimon said the Din would try to enter this dimension. He was surveying the instrument panel when he noticed a sensor alarm. "Commander, a movement sensor has picked up something in the cargo hold."

Thex's brow wrinkled in concern, there shouldn't have been anything moving down there. "Check it out but take the crew with you and take plenty of weapons. I'll hold the fort here." Arion made to leave but Thex clamped his hand around Arion's wrist to stop him. "Call me paranoid but take care."

Arion embraced the commander. They rarely let their relationship get in the way of the job while on duty but in times of impending danger that professionalism sometimes slipped. "Love you too." Then Arion roused the crew and they went to inspect the hold.

Arion sent a scout ahead. Officer Kiana returned hurriedly "Sir there are Din in there, several. They were still materializing into the hold when I saw them."

"Hell." He split his team into two units, to come at the enemy from two sides. He took a moment to yell into his communicator. "Sir, we've been breached, requesting backup."

_Thex replied through the comms system. "Shit...hold them off a bit longer, I'm coming."_

But if the enemy were still boarding the sooner they dealt with them the better. He couldn't wait. He waved his team in. They walked into a firefight. The Din were lizard like beings with brutish lion-like heads and almost impenetrable scales. They tore into his team with tooth and claw. They didn't stand a chance. He was reaching for his comms to warn Thex when a six foot lizard being grabbed him and swung him to the ground, knocking him out momentarily. When he groggily woke he found his wrists in constraints of some weird metal. He tried to mentally demanifest and transport himself elsewhere but that didn't work. Then he looked up to see Thex on his knees before the leader of the Din. They'd caught him too. Damn. He glanced around the room and noted the other survivors; Orea, Kiana, Zex, Trian and Kaleem. The others were all dead which shouldn't be possible, nothing could hurt a Malakim. Yet the evidence lay before him in the twisted, gutted, half stone, half flesh remains of those he'd known all his life. His mind made no sense of how parts of them had been turned to stone.

One of the Din grabbed Orea only to have the feisty chief communications officer head butt him. Go Orea! He mentally cheered her on. But she was immediately shot with a stunner for her troubles. Then they were pointed at him. Shit, they intended to turn him into stone.

Arion glanced sorrowfully at Thex, his clear pale green eyes saying their goodbye to his longtime friend and commanding officer. Just as he was placed in position to meet his demise he remembered something and quickly mouthed "the prophecy". At that moment a blast of absolute cold black light surrounded his body and he screamed. When the light disappeared all that remained was a gleaming piece of crystal, a rock the shape of a man, frozen in his scream. Then he was falling, landing who knows where on some long forsaken planet."

Yeah he remembered all too well, just as he had done for the last 100,000 years. Trapped in stone. Even now a piece of him was still screaming. __ If it wasn't for visits from Simon and Silwa and the company of the quartz crystal garden Simon had grown for him he thought his consciousness might have long ago fallen into an abyss, never to come out again. Yet if Thex was free maybe there was hope. So he let his mind once again touch the crystal knowledge base overhead, listened and learnt all he might need to know of the world outside.

## 20

Simon was wondering if he'd need to get a bigger table soon. His living room often seemed to double as a meeting room these days. He'd led a relatively lonely existence until last year, now he was surrounded by an ever increasing circle of friends and lovers and of course the cat. He eyed the room, trying out various design ideas. He didn't want it ending up looking like a boardroom, maybe a heap of comfy chairs that could be arranged around a large, low, oriental style table. That way the table would feel less like an obstacle between people. A round table would keep things equitable, in accordance with Malakim tradition.

Tyra looked at Simon, reading his thoughts, then looked at the room, "Yeah, could work." They were all waiting for John, who was pacing at the other end of the room, to finish his call.

"Andrew, it's me John." John announced into his mobile phone only to hurriedly pull it away from his ear for a moment. When the swearing on the other end of the line eased off he placed it back to his ear. "You don't have to shout Andrew, I'm not deaf you know! Yeah I'm pleased to hear your voice too. Hell, I apologise it took so long, it was out of my hands. How am I? Bloody well thanks but I'm going to need you to do me some new ID since I'm officially dead and don't look anything like I did six weeks ago. Oh yeah. Hang on a moment. "He passed the phone to Sally, "Can you take a photo with that thing and hit send?"

Sally was somewhat bemused that someone of John's experience and calibre would need her phone skills but she took the shot and hit send. The mobile phone immediately rang back with Andrew in a frenzied response. "He's not kidding Andrew. Thex and I are more than happy to vouch for him. No I don't think DNA would prove anything, he's essentially a being of light, the form that we see is just what he chooses to manifest. Yeah I guess he could change his form to whatever he wished but as that would get confusing to all concerned, not to mention for the purposes of the ID, he'll look like he does now, most of the time anyway. Yes it could be useful. I'll hand you back."

"Yeah, sorry to shock you Andrew but I didn't see a reason to keep the grizzled post my prime look when anything was possible. Name? Ah! How about John Lukos. I don't expect I'll stop answering to John as a name. Lukos was my name in a previous life apparently. Sounds Greek. How about dual citizenship as a Greek born Australian, named John because my mum was British? No I didn't speak a word of Greek before but I think any language in the universe is available to me now. It's like being plugged into a vast mind, the real trick is in staying grounded as one individual persona in one point of space-time, it doesn't seem natural to me anymore." John looked up as Thex manifested before him. He couldn't help but notice Thex's stunned expression. "Got to go Andrew but we'll have to get you down here for a visit soon. I'm sure there's a way we can get you out of that wheelchair and into a boat to go fishing. It's great out on the lake this time of year. It's a deal. Talk to you soon." He looked back to Thex, "What's up?"

The look of consternation on Thex's face was priceless. "You're Lukos!"

John was mystified, not that he could remember much of that live yet anyway. "So!"

"You, me and Arion used to hang out as kids together. We were a team. As teens our mischief knew no bounds, the council reprimanding us more than a time or two." His face reflected the pleasure of those good times. "Later, when you found out about me and Arion you went your way and distanced yourself from us. You ended up as commander of the fleet in the Andromeda galaxy. We didn't see you much after that."

John felt his friend's pain but struggled to feel guilt for something he couldn't remember. "I don't know what to say Thex. I don't remember why I deserted you guys back then." He searched through his newly emerging memories for any hint. "Possibly I felt uncomfortable or left out of what you two had going but I don't think I judged either of you for it even though I doubt I've ever been inclined that way. I should have talked to you both about it but instead I must have chosen to drift off and give you space. Whatever, I'm not who I was then. Thex, I don't judge you any of your relationships. I'm glad you loved my younger brother. You've become a good friend to me. Don't let my past mistakes come between us."

Thex sighed. "Truth is, when Simon told me you'd disappeared after my team's capture I worried for you. I've had a long time in my prison to reflect on many things. I stopped being angry at you for leaving us a long time ago."

"From what Meta's told me, when I heard what had happened I blamed myself for not being there for you guys."

"You would have ended up like us."

"Meta says I chose to come to this dimension as penance and to be here to help when it became possible to free you. Simon's prophecy said humans with compassion would be the ones to succeed, I wanted to be one of those humans.

"But you can't possibly intend to mate with your own brother."

"I won't have to. It all makes sense now, everything that's happened to me, it's all been leading to this. Even my forming a friendship with you while I was still John Samuels was karmic."

"And you're sure you don't mind about me and Arion?"

"Never did Thex, just don't expect the same, how should I say this, um, type of relationship with me.

"I never saw you that way John, I respect you as an equal, as a confidante, as someone I can knuckle down and work with, I value your friendship just the way it is. I love you, just not in that way."

"I'm glad."

The visible look of relief on John's face had Thex laughing. "You don't know what you're missing."

"Shut up Thex." John opened his arms in offer of a hug and Thex accepted. No-one could see their eyes were wet with tears so their manly pride was protected.

On the level of mind though Simon knew and nodded to the others. A group hug ensued as Simon and Tyra came behind Thex and Sally nuzzled up to John. Oscar purred and rubbed himself at John's feet. Waves of love, healing, forgiveness and letting go pulsed out in ever widening circles as they formed a sphere of love and light and power, strengthening their oneness and connection with each other. Time slowed.

The reverie was broken some minutes later by a frantic knocking at the door. Sally, sensing that one of the people outside was her brother went to open it.

Michael stormed in, followed quietly by a bemused looking Yan. "What the hell did you guys just do! It's like the whole town is out there, people in the street hugging each other, talking, embracing. There's couples in the park doing what they shouldn't in broad daylight. Even surly Thomas down the street yelled out a hello to me as I passed by. And..." He went over and switched the television onto the news channel.

"In breaking news the United Nations has just announced that peace has been declared in a number of Middle-East hotspots... News is coming in of several foreign hostages being released by gorilla forces in Central America... African leader Mr Ngongo has just said he will stand down to allow democratic elections in his country... We're just crossing to the Australian Prime Minister who is announcing that Sydney will become the base for a new International Centre for Ideological Reconciliation and Respect. It's key focuses will be identifying and nurturing links were common ground exists between different groups of people and it will look for ways to teach and enshrine respect for diversity both in Australian and Internationally..."

Michael turned the volume back down and glared at the assembled stunned faces. Even the kitten had a paw over his eyes. "They're saying they may declare this date each year as an international holiday, the first of its kind if you don't include New Year's day. It's to be called Mutual Respect Day or something like that." he mumbled.

It was John who finally spoke. "Um, oops. So much for minimising interference in this dimension. Simon, anything from the all-spirit?"

Thex sidled up to Simon to grab him if he fell while he turned inward.

For once Simon didn't collapse, instead he burst out laughing. "The all-spirit is laughing its socks off right now, I can't get any sense from it but it seems happy. I get a sense though that we might have sped up this planet's emotional and spiritual evolution, the Din must be pretty pissed right about now."

Thex frowned. "Still, we'll have to be a little more careful in future. Obviously as a combined group we're pretty powerful. We don't want to interfere with the free will of the other beings of this planet or even this whole dimension of the universe. We're supposed to be just here to bring about balance."

"Don't sweat it!" Oscar had morphed into his Meta humanoid persona. "We put something out there for sure. The beings of this planet might not have been the cause of it but they chose what to do with it. I expect we've set quite a bit in motion and may have altered the paths the potential future will take but the rest is up to the collective whole. It's not as if we did anything new. Of late groups of humans have been organising combined positive focus for everything from diminishing hurricanes to accelerating the development of global consciousness. If it wasn't for their efforts the world would have probably been lost to a nuclear holocaust in the late 1970s."

Yan, who'd followed Michael in, finally spoke quietly from the background. "I think you're right. What you just did was the necessary burst of energy we've been needing to nudge things going in the right direction. The world might have been in a steady state but it was an unstable balance, like a large rock balanced on the edge of a precipice. Used with caution, this could be a valuable non-violent tool for us in our fight for the planet's well being. We should train others in its use." He turned to Thex. "The scope of your survival training camp could be broadened to train others in a range of survival and defense as well as positive intervention strategies that reduce the need for violence."

"And I know just who would like to be the first to learn the latter."

"Let me guess, Melissa. Probably her whole group."

"It would fit well with their ethos of 'harm none' ".

Simon patted Tyra on the back. "I think you just nominated yourself to be their trainer."

Michael coughed to get attention. "Um, I don't mean to interrupt here but would someone care to explain to me how your kitten just turned into a person." He'd seen his sister shapeshift into a Burmese cat just before John had died, Thex and Simon barely being able to restrain him at the time. They'd explained later to him that his sister was immortal and capable of such things but hadn't gotten around to telling him how it had happened. Thex and Simon vowed they had nothing to do with it and that it was her story to tell in time.

Meta shrugged and grinned, "Oops!" Keeping to himself the fact that he'd done it on purpose. Really they all trod to carefully around Michael.

## 21

It took some time to explain who Oscar was and how he'd made Sally immortal and part cat, settle a highly pissed Michael back down and then explain the whole backstory.

By the time Michael had taken it all in he was both peeved for having been kept out of the loop but happy enough to come along on the rescue of Arion, if only to be there to look out for his sister. He was due a few days off anyway. He'd get the cop from Valetown to cover for him. "So what do you need me to do?"

"You and Yan will leave ahead of us, fly to the Himalayas and get yourselves to Silwa's town, ostensibly as backpacker tourists. If you can try to make contact with him before we get there that would be good. We'll need to arrange for a locum to cover for Yan while he's away. We'd ask Mr Suzuki along too but he's still struggling with secondary infections after the flu that went around town. Yan's worried about him and has him on bed rest at home. Hopefully he'll mend before school starts for the year and he needs to get back to teaching."

Michael had an idea. "We could take Thomas. I know you don't go on him much but he's proven useful in the past."

Simon raised an eyebrow but Thex nodded his assent. "He'll do. Do you think he know's how to use a rifle?"

"He's got a license. I know because I inspected his gun storage not long ago. His other skills might come in handy, you never know. We need some of his cursed bullets anyway. If we encounter any Din we can send them on a quick trip to the denser dimensions, like last time."

Simon sighed, he knew Michael was right. Secretly he had a grudging respect for Thomas's magick skills. Hell, who knows what would have happened last year if it hadn't been for his ingenious use of a demon containment spell to ground the Din spaceship when it had landed on the town's football field. It was just his seeming disregard for others, humans or animals, that was a worry. Like many humans he didn't see past his own needs. There was no doubt he aspired to evolve spiritually but at the moment it was for the benefit of his own personal power. He didn't see his interconnection with everything else. "We'll need to entice him." Then he had a devious thought, "And I know just the thing."

Thex smiled as he caught the tail end of Simon's thought processes then he turned his attention back to Michael. "We're going to need some protection in case the Din turn up while we're in the middle of freeing Arion. We don't need a do-over of last time. Tyra still owns her uncles old arsenal."

Michael nodded, he knew exactly what was in that arsenal because he was the one that had authorised Tyra to keep it. "The Barrett M82 50BMG will be good if we have to take out any tanks, armoured vehicles or even a helicopter, although I think we should at some time trade it in on a newer AS 50BMG. Yan can take charge of that. I'm thinking AK47's for everyone else with some 308 rounds, I can whistle up a few extras. They're sturdy, reliable, capable of rapid fire if we need to deter an enemy advance and won't let us down in the cold, where we're going. Personally though I'd like to take my Cheytac."

Thex raised an eyebrow, he'd never heard of one. "And that is?"

"Arguably the best sniper weapon in the world. It uses special 408 calibre ammunition and can take out a target at over a mile. It's only drawback is it takes a single round so you have to stop and reload but I'll have a backup weapon if I need. There is one problem though. How are we going to get them there? We can't exactly take a special ops arsenal past airport customs into potentially unfriendly territory."

Thex relaxed back in his easy chair. This was going to be a big out of area operation but it looked like they had their bases covered. "Leave that to us, you just get the mortal team there. I'm putting you in charge of them until we get there. Don't let Thomas give you any shit."

Michael laughed. "You can count on that."

Four changes of plane later, a train trip across half of India and then a long and winding trip in a multicoloured jeepney along ever narrowing roads, peering over the edge of sheer drop offs and navigating a high mountain pass or two they finally arrived at Silwa's town. Silwa wasn't there. The remains of his hut were nothing more than a few charred wooden beams and a lot of soot and ash.

"So much for meeting one of the Himalaya's most famous sorcerers," Thomas grumbled.

Michael smirked, "So that's what Simon told you to get you here."

"Sirs!" A red robed monk came running over to them. "I was told to give you this." He handed Yan a small, neatly tied, brightly colored cloth bundle.

Yan nodded his head respectively at the lama. "Thank you. Can you tell us what happened here?"

The lama struggled to explain in what little English he had, "Soldiers came. Fire burnt hut. No bones. Sad. Man was good healer."

Yan nodded that he understood. "Thank you for your time. We will take care of these."

The lama quickly ran off, not keen to be seen talking to foreigners.

Michael looked at his watch. "Well, food and sleep I think. We'll get an early night. The rest are arriving tomorrow. We'll be meeting them at a junction where the track divides. We'll make our way up there before first light."

"Great, yak butter tea and barley broth!" Thomas muttered. "You lot better not snore."

Yan rolled his eyes at Michael. They went to find some backpacker accommodation.

It was a long walk to the mountains the next morning. Having paid the night before they left their lodgings around 4.30am and were on the mountain by the time dawn finally came. It was bitterly cold, even wearing Antarctic Research Station disposals. Michael used a handheld GPS satellite navigation system and a hand drawn map that Simon had given him to navigate them to the rendezvous point.

A little over five hours later they rounded a rise and spied the immortal half of their team looking annoyingly fresh and rested. Unbelievably the sun was shining on their part of the world. Even a bit of vegetation grew here despite the fact it was winter.

Simon could see the amazement on the mortals faces. "This is a beyul or hidden valley. A few volcanic vents and the shelter of the ridge behind make it milder here. There are all sorts of hidden grottos up here. I thought it would be a good spot to wait and a place for you to catch your breath. No one feeling light-headed from the altitude I hope?"

Michael waved off his concern. "Nah, we're right. You might want this though." He handed Simon the bundle the lama had given them. "It was all that was left of Silwa's belongings. His home's a smouldering heap."

Simon was surprised. Something didn't fit. If they'd got to Silwa and burnt him out why was anything undamaged. He recognized the wrapping as the hanging from above Silwa's front door, it didn't even smell of soot. Inside were items from his sacred altar including the little bronze statuette of the sky goddess.

John stepped forward. "Can I see that for a moment." He took the statuette then peeled something away from its base. "Hmph, a radio frequency identifier. I wondered why I perceived an energetic disturbance." He looked inside the hollow of the statuette and pulled out a note.

Thex looked over his shoulder. "What's it say?".

"Apart from the one English word which say 'Suckers!' the rest is in some strange script. Give me a moment." John connected his mind to the all-spirit and found the information he needed. He looked back at the script and could now read it. "It says 'five soldiers with weapons, one elephant and one giant vulture." He shook his head mystified. "Anyone got a clue? Simon? Meta?"

Before Simon could even try for a vision Meta laughed as the clarity of it stared at him. "Whoever wrote it made sure only the likes of us would find it and understand it. It means 'five ground troops, a tank or armoured vehicle and I'm guessing a helicopter gunship. It also means we've been tracked this far. If we detected the RFID then we could be trusted with the warning. Hmm, give the RFID to me, I'll be back in a moment after I've dropped it somewhere up one of those other paths, away from us."

"Damn!" muttered Thex. "That means they're already on to us."

Michael looked crestfallen. Thex reached over to pat him on the shoulder. "I know what you're thinking but without this we wouldn't know what we're facing. Come on, let's get a move on before that tank heads in our direction, we don't know how far behind they are."

After a short rest they made their way to the base of a scree slope.

Michael had visions of them all slipping and sliding on the steep gravel heap. "Don't tell me we have to get up that?"

Simon laughed. "Don't worry, it doesn't really exist."

"I suppose you're going to tell me that doesn't exist either", pointing to the snow leopard that had mysteriously appeared off to the side of the scree. It was none too happy, snarling and showing its teeth. It looked ready to pounce.

Simon wandered over to the leopard and let it sniff his hand. It snorted and seemed to relax before ambling off to wherever it had come from.

Sally was totally amazed at the big cat's behaviour, not to mention its beauty. "Wow, interesting defences you have here Simon."

Michael still wondered about the so called imaginary slope. It looked real enough to him. "So how do we get in?"

"That would be where Meta and John come in", he inclined his head in their direction as a sign that it was their turn.

The two uber-immortals sat cross legged before the slope and closed their eyes in intense concentration, while the others watched with bated breath. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment then the image of the slope shimmered and disappeared. In its place a large cave entrance now beckoned.

Thex was relieved that so far things were going to plan but he wasn't about to waste time, not with what could turn up on their doorstep at any moment. "Ok then, Michael, you take sniper position over on that ridge. Yan, there's a ledge behind those bushes over there. That should provide you some cover but still allow you to see over the top to get a shot at anything that heads up the track. Thomas, I want you on the entrance, keep yourself concealed. All-spirit be with us!"

As the mortals set up their defences the immortals headed into the cave. It wasn't a long passage but it descended quickly, opening out into a large cavern that could only be a crater. This meant that the ceiling of the cavern was as much a constructed reality as the outside entrance. Tyra realised the extent of the illusion and stood in awe appraising it and the crystals that were attached to it.

Simon admired his garden then decided he'd best explain. "We couldn't leave Arion out in the open for the Din to find and this far out the way there was no chance we could ask a human family to guard him so Silwa and I came up with this."

Tyra was amazed. "Silwa's that old?"

"His people have been on the planet at least twice as long as me. Up until about twelve thousand years ago they had their own kingdom to the far North of here, hidden from human eyes but then, as in cataclysms before, they had to move. Now a handful stay around the Himalayas and a few others in other high mountain ranges. The rest have returned to their original home."

Tyra knew enough of old legends to surmise that Silwa's people might be the legendary people of Zhang Zhung, or in other words Shangri-la, but since Simon had said they had hidden from 'human' eyes she had to surmise that they were something more. "So what are you saying, they're not human or Din and they're not Malakim?"

Silwa coughed to make himself noticed, having appeared from behind the large man sized crystal at the centre of the cavern. "That's enough of the history lesson for now. Don't want all my culture's secrets outed. The Din are on their way, we must do this."

Simon agreed. "Glad to see you in one piece."

Thex yelled into his two way. "We're about to do this. How's things out there?"

"Nothing yet but there's a faint rumble in the distance. I'd say that tank is heading our way."

"Damn! I had hoped we'd have more time. Hold 'em off as best you can. We won't be able to communicate with you once we start. We'll join you out there as soon as we're done."

"Gotcha."

John gave Sally a quick embrace. "Trust me?"

"Of course."

"Don't worry about what I'm about to do. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

"Okay." Even to Sally her voice sounded doubtful.

John turned to Tyra. "Make your connection!"

Thex, Simon and Tyra seated themselves with their backs to the crystal. While the guys made their mind connection with Arion Tyra drew the light of the all-spirit through the top of her head, down her spine and into to earth. Then she too mentally connected with Arion and began the tantric raising of energy that would bring the four of them into union.

The earth seemed to give a relaxed and happy sigh. The goddess appeared out of nowhere and smiled at John. "So here we go again. Are you ready to make your sacrifice?"

John nodded his assent, "I am." He removed his shirt.

"Then let's hurry this along because things are about to a bit hot for your guys outside. Perhaps Silwa could assist with some of his magic."

"That I can do." Silwa dematerialized.

Meta came behind John and held him. John braced himself, knowing what was coming. The goddess came up to him, she placed her hand against his heart. "John Samuel Lukos, are you willing to give your heart's blood to save your brother."

"I am."

With no further ado Ma plunged her hand into his heart, his skin and muscle parting like putty.

Just at that moment Sally spewed her entire breakfast up in the corner of the cave. Vaguely she heard the goddess chanting some words in the ancient language of the Malakim. Telepathically she understood their meaning. "Heart of stone, by love be freed."

Meta came over and placed a cooling hand on her forehead. "You promised you'd be okay", he mildly chastised. "He's fine Sally. He's already healing."

Sally leaned against him for support. "Was there really no other way?"

"It needed both the compassion and sacrifice of someone who's been human to complete the release. Look!"

She turned and watched as the crystal at the centre of the cave shimmered and a gorgeous man with golden hair rose to stand. He offered his hand to Tyra and helped her up. Soon all four were embracing. Her eyes roamed to where John now lay on the floor of the cavern. He groaned and opened his eyes in adoration of her. "It's alright love."

Their reverie was interrupted by yelling coming from Thex's two way. "If you guys are finished in there get your asses out here and help."

"I see Silwa's learned to use the two way." Simon grabbed an AK and hurried back up to the entrance.

"I guess I've got two hopes of asking you to wait this one out Arion." Thex's consternation was apparent.

Arion rolled his eyes. "Just give me one of those damned things that Simon just grabbed. I'm sure I'll work it out."

Meta looked up at the pair, "You guys go, I'll watch over Sally and John." Then he went back to speeding the healing on John's already closing wound.

Tyra retrieved the tranquilizer gun she'd brought with her. She was never comfortable with killing even though she carried a 9mm Walther PPK in a holster under her coat. She'd defended herself against a Din in beast form some months back and badly wounded it before Simon had banished to the lower dimensions. Yet her compassion for others didn't mean she wouldn't do any damned thing she could to defend herself and those she loved. Her biggest advantages were her stealth and agility. Armed with her trusty Balinese Silat knives, her beloved keramit, a kris she kept in a boot sheath and a tranq gun she followed after the others.

Michael, Yan and Thomas were in position. They noted with some surprise Silwa's sudden appearance at the cave entrance, near to where Thomas was hidden. Silwa made no attempt to hide.

The tank they'd been expecting rumbled up the valley, its tracks whining and groaning as it crushed the ground beneath. A T96, the budget version of a T99, it was still a fearsome beast with its powerful engine, western style gun turret and advanced electronics.

Silwa watched its advance with derision. He removed a small flute from beneath his cloak, aimed it at the ground 50 yards ahead of the tank and then blew a note. Nothing happened. A moment later, as the tank advanced a loud rumble issued from the earth and the tank went nose downward, teetering on the edge of the chasm that had opened up beneath it. Soldiers popped up from the hatch of the tank like surprised gophers. They quickly evacuated the tank and hunkered down behind it to wait for the other troops.

Michael figured he could have picked the soldiers off as they got out of the tank but Thex had told them to minimise enemy casualties unless they couldn't hold them off. The plan was to disable the tank and the expected chopper and keep the troops deterred.

Silwa removed a small metal bowl from a pocket and what looked light an ornamental stick. He started rubbing the rim of the bowl with the stick setting up an eerie resonance that harmonised with his chant. Clouds appeared overhead and darkened. Thunder roared against the sides of the valley and sheet lightning lit up the sky, outlining an approaching WZ10 attack helicopter. A mist seemed to rise from the ground and surround the soldiers, cutting their visibility. Silwa patted an awed Thomas on the back, "They're all yours now." Sensing that the immortals inside had successfully released Arion he picked up Thomas's two way radio and yelled into it. "If you guys are finished in there get your asses out here and help."

Michael eyed the approaching Chinese made Wuzhuang Zhishengji. He could just make out two inside the cockpit. "Yan, aim for the engine as soon as you can be sure of the shot. You'll only get one chance as they'll target your location as soon as you've fired."

"And the engine would be where?" Yan queried.

"Behind the cockpit, just below the rotors. That should do it."

"Understood!" came Yan's calm matter of fact answer. Nothing much phased the doc.

Simon appeared at the entrance, next to Thomas and Silwa. As he arrived he was taken by a vision and would have fallen if not for the two guys catching him. It took him a moment to collect himself then he swore. "Bugger! Silwa go and tell the others to high-tail it back to Boswell, the The Din have lit a fire to the North-West of the town, it's heading straight for it in gale force winds."

"Bugger indeed!" Silwa dematerialised.

The sound of a 50BMG round being fired had heads spinning to see the helicopter, having lost power, heading for the ground. It crashed with an earth shattering thud that shook the mountain side. Amazingly the two occupants managed to crawl out. As they did the ethereal form of a Din split-off from its host, from the pilot's aura, and solidified into corporeal form. Standing to full height it roared its defiance.

"Damn!" Michael hoped the 403 round from his Cheytac could take it out from this distance. He didn't fancy meeting it up close and personal. He aimed and fired.

The great monster dissolved as it was banished to a denser dimension where it belonged.

Thex turned around wondering where Tyra had gotten to. "Simon, where's Tyra?" I thought she was behind us.

Simon sought her out with his mind and swore before disappearing himself.

Thex let out an exasperated sigh as he read Tyra's intent through their mind connection. She wanted to deal with the soldiers before any were shot. "Thomas, Arion, lay down heavy ground fire to distract those troops while I go help Simon and Tyra."

Arion wasn't too keen on letting Thex out of his sight after so long apart but he obeyed his commander, it was ingrained in his makeup. He muttered an "Okay" just as Thex disappeared. "Thomas, show me how to use one of these," holding out the AK47 to him.

Thomas took the rifle from him and picked up a spare magazine. "Dead easy, these magazines are already loaded, just shove a magazine into the well, like so, pull the magazine to the rear to snap it in place." He finished loading Arion's and handed it to him. He then pointed to the safety lever. "When you're ready to fire move that lever down. It's the safety. One notch for semi-automatic which will shoot when you pull the trigger and stop when you release it. The second notch is automatic, once you squeeze the trigger it will keep shooting until it runs out of ammo. Sight along the barrel like so, then it's just point and shoot. Don't point at anything you don't mean to shoot."

Arion aimed a stream of semi-automatic rapid fire at the tank, getting the soldiers to duck for cover. "Cool!"

Tyra had materialised not far behind the troops but stayed hidden in the mist that kindly swirled around her. Mentally she thanked Silwa. She quickly dropped three soldiers with the ketamine tranqs. They'd be out for a while. She hoped they wouldn't freeze to death.

The remaining soldiers looked around uncertainly, seeing their comrades appear to faint. They were already spooked after seeing the lizard-like monster appear near the pilot of the helicopter, not to mention the fact the earth had opened up beneath their tank.

Tyra circled around to the other side then took out two more. That just left the guys that had evacuated the tank. She picked out the one she thought might be the boss, the one with the most stripes on his shoulder. She knew these guys were unlikely to understand English so she hoped telepathy would work. Materialising behind her target she held her kerambit to his throat and spoke to his mind, _surrender and no harm will come to you_.

The target's fingers inched towards his gun holster but the sound of a safety catch coming off had him pause.

_The lady made you a fair offer, now hands in the air where I can see them or I'll blow them off._ Came Thex's stern order.

The soldiers raised their hands.

Tyra relaxed and backed away as Simon and Thex stepped forward to take charge. They quickly searched all the soldiers, relieving them of their weapons. _Now head back to town and believe me when I say we'll know if you don't. It's only a few hours til dark, you'd better get a move on. You don't want to be up in these hills after dark. The snow leopards or worse will get you..._ Thex let the hint of the unknown fill their minds. He didn't have to hint much. Stories abounded of the strange and fearsome in these parts plus they were pretty freaked from hearing voices in their head.

The leader nodded his head to his fallen comrades.

Simon acknowledged his concern, _don't worry about them, we'll look after them._

Once the soldiers departed the three headed back to the entrance of the cave to find Arion bending over the blood splattered body of an unconscious Thomas.

"What the hell happened?"

Arion indicated the guy that was lying dead nearby. "The co-pilot from the flying machine decided to play hero. Thomas took one in the shoulder. He's lost a lot of blood."

Silwa appeared at that moment and eyed Thomas with concern. "Leave him with me. It's time I took on a new student."

Simon let out a sigh of relief. In a contrary way he both disliked Thomas and had a soft spot for him. Not to mention he'd bribed him onto this trip with promises of meeting a powerful mage. "If you can get him past his dislike of the local cuisine and the cold I'm sure he'll relish learning from you. We'll look after his things and his cat until he gets back home."

"A bit soft is he? We'll soon fix that."

"We?"

"I'll take him to meet some of the others."

Simon raised his eyes in surprise. Few, over all the millennia he'd known Silwa, ever got to meet his secretive brethren, the Shang, not even him, although he thought Meta might know a few. "Take care of him then. Oh and you better take these." He passed over the ceremonial bundle they'd received earlier. "Message received loud and clear, thanks."

"Oh that wasn't all my doing. General Polemarch came up with the idea."

"Polemarch?" Thex was dumbfounded. How the Din's key strategist came to be giving them warnings beggared belief. "Care to explain?"

"No. You'll just have to trust me on that one."

Simon had one last thing on his mind. "Oh by the way, could you look after the crystals too? I'm rather fond of them."

Silwa made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Already taken care of. Now you'd better get going before your town burns to the ground. Meta has the power to transport your other mortals back home and the tranquilized soldiers back to the village. Now go!"

"What about the helicopter pilot."

Michael, who'd come down from his position wandered over, "Oh, he ran off a long time back, after he got one look at what came out of him. Rather freaked I'd say."

## 22

A great mushroom cloud of ominous smoke was already visible on the horizon. It wasn't so close that you could hear the roar of the fire front yet but the wind had got up and was already starting to blow dust and ash onto the town.

Sally was busy organising children and animals to be evacuated down to the nearby lake's edge. Anya, who'd just turned up with her few belongings to move in, was giving Sally a helping hand. If they could come up with enough games and activities for the kids they'd never have to even know the anxiety their parents were going through. John was rounding up a few vehicles to ferry the whole lot down there. He was trying to keep a low profile but even so the kids were starting to whisper that he was an angel sent to help.

Thex found Mendal and Upal with the spaceships glider that was stashed in the spare bay of the volunteer fire station. They were preparing to move it before out-of-town volunteer firies turned up to help.

Arion looked to his boss. "What's the plan Thex?"

"You ready the fire truck. The volunteer fire brigade should be here any second. Make sure the truck's fueled and the water tanker full, ready to go. Head out with the crew to the fire as soon as you can but be cautious. I can imagine how the gum trees around here might burn. You could be facing a fire front a hundred foot high. It will suck up all the available air in its path, feeding itself. The heat alone could instantly sear the lungs of any humans with you, causing them to die of asphyxiation long before they die of any burns. Simon, can you call the cop in Valeton that Michael had on standby. Make sure he's aware of our situation here and that help is on the way. Better give him a heads up that Michael's nearly back as he should be when Meta transports him here shortly. Then get a few guys to door knock around town, make sure everyone's cleared their gutters and got any fire pumps they have on hand ready.

Simon nodded. "I just passed Rob and Melissa. Rob's headed out with his bulldozer to put in some emergency fire breaks around the town. He might need to run roughshod over a few fences and gardens but we'll deal with the fallout later. Melissa's headed to the grove to call the goddess for help."

"Good. Mendal, Upal and I will ready the ship. I doubt the authorities will like us flying it in broad daylight although we will if it comes to that. Otherwise expect us as soon as its dark. Mind you if there's enough smoke to conceal us it mightn't matter. Meanwhile we'll try and work out a way that we can use it as a water bomber."

Upal smiled at his chance to be of use at last, even if he didn't like the circumstances. "Yeah I think I know a way we can utilise a force shield to hold water in the cargo bay. We'll just need to transport a body of water up from the lake."

Mendal thought about that for a moment, "Could work."

Thex still felt a little uncomfortable being around the two ex-Din who should have been his arch enemies but he knew them well enough now to know they knew their stuff. After all Mendal had been the ship's engineer and Upal the Din's chief scientist, before they'd changed sides to save their souls. "Sounds like a plan then."

Melissa was in a hurry, she didn't have time for all the usual formal pagan ritual involved in casting a circle so she grabbed a stick she found on the ground, summoned her intent and walked the circle within the grove, pointing the stick at the trees while chanting. "I make this circle in a time of need, I honour the elements of earth, wind, water and fire and the fifth of space, I acknowledge the four directions", she closed the circle with her mind then turned to face the east. "goddess hear my plea and come to me know."

Ma appeared before her, accompanied by Tyra. "I know your need child, don't fret." The goddess advised. "What we need is rain and a change of wind direction. A south-easterly wind should do to blow the fire back on itself."

Melissa wasn't sure that was possible, wind she could imagine being in the goddess's control but rain, in the hottest summer on record? "There's no rain forecast, we haven't had any more than a few drops since the start of the year. It's the hottest summer on record."

Tyra knew that if this was going to work it was critical they allay Melissa's doubts. "All the elements are always there, they exist in potential even when they are not apparent. We just need to draw them out of the formless space where they have their birth. Now join hands with us. Our combined intent will make this easier but we all need to believe it's possible."

Down by the lake Sally and Anya had the kids playing ball. Livestock and pets were under the shade of the nearby snow gums. James Mansfield, a local highland cattle rancher, had brought down some temporary fencing to corral the larger animals. The better mannered of the dogs were out playing with the kids while other pets were in cages with plenty of water. It was a noisy menagerie but a reasonably happy one, all things considered.

All noise stopped as a loud rumble issued forth from the lake and the water began to bubble like an enormous spa bath. Kids gathered around in awe as the spaceship rose out of the water and hovered stationary over the lake. "Wow will you take a look at that." Tommy exclaimed to his brother, his lizard safely stashed in the cardboard box cradled in his arms.

On board the ship the atmosphere was less rapturous. "What do you mean the engines need time to charge up."

Mendal rolled his eyes. "We left it in standby mode at the bottom of the lake. It will just take a good 15 minutes or so to bring it all back online. I have to do the safety checks. Go and bother Upal. I'm busy!"

"Bloody hell." Thex was used to Malakim spacecraft which were far more advanced than this thing the Din had the audacity to call an intergalactic spaceship. He stormed off and left Mendal to it. He found Upal on the command deck, busy tapping at a console. "How's it going?"

Upal looked up at Thex and grinned, he was in his element. "Good I think, I've been able to modify one of the outer force fields and redirect it to line the cavity of the cargo hold. There'll be a lot of weight in the water but I've run the calculations and the hull is strong enough to hold it. The force field will help too. I wouldn't want to go a great distance with that much water on board but a trip to town should be a sinch. Ready for a test?"

"Yeah, appears we're not going anywhere for a few minutes so let's."

Upal punched some data into the console. "Okay transporting water from the lake...now!" He read the consoles output. "Yep that worked. It's holding." He looked at some other monitors.

"Yep, all good. Okay to release?"

Thex nodded

"Releasing now."

So that was going to work. Thex pressed the talk button on the intercom. "How those engines going down there?"

"Soon, not yet...I'll tell you when. Now go away and play scrabble or something, busy here."

Thex sighed, he hoped Arion was having a better time of it. He stretched his mind out to connect with him but all he got was images of heat and flames and Arion's controlled anxiety. He drew back and left his friend in peace. Now was not the time to be distracting him. He started nervously tapping the console in front of him which only served to get Upal looking up from his work and glaring at him. He stopped.

Meta had transported Michael and Yan back to the town about five minutes ago. Michael still couldn't get his head around how he could be in one spot, his mind and body cease to be while some part of his being continued to exist in a vast immeasurable space and then his body and mind could exist again in another location. Not being capable of such a mind bending trip Meta had done it for them. He didn't know how he felt about that either. Had Meta temporarily scrubbed them from existence? What did that mean about the reality of his existence. He shrugged. He didn't have time to think about it right now. He caught up with Constable Sedgeworth from Valeton who'd come in with the out of town volunteer fire crews. "What's our status?"

The constable spun around in surprise, "Where'd you come from? I'd heard you were on a short trip overseas, that you were heading back as soon as you could but I didn't expect to see you this soon."

Michael evaded the question. "Pulled a few strings, got an express trip back." The constable seemed to accept his answer, constables weren't in the habit of querying sergeants anyway. "How many crews do we have?"

Constable Sedgeworth rubbed his chin in thought. "Boswell's own crew which is already out there at the fire front. The two crews that came in with me are just moving out. More from surrounding towns are on their way. They'd come anyway but I don't need to tell you they're pretty keen to stop this fire before it gets anywhere near their towns."

"Any choppers?"

"Being mobilised as we speak but might take an hour or two before they're ready, in the air and get here."

Michael looked at his watch, it was getting late in the day. "A guy named Simon Harris and his missus have the locals organised preparing the town and patrolling for spot fires. I trust them to handle things this end. It'll be dark soon. I'll head out with the crews leaving now. Can you set up a couple of roadblocks to divert any tourists away. Rope one of the locals in to give you a hand. Merv, the service station mechanic at the shop, should be pretty willing to do anything you say, he's on his best behaviour at the moment."

The constable wondered what the poor man had done. "On it Sir!"

"One more thing Constable."

Sedgeworth paused in his walking away and turned to look over his shoulder. "What's that Sarge?"

"There are things in this town that are best you don't see. I'm giving you an official directive to not see anything weird. Whatever it is, it's not there, it didn't happen. Got that Constable?"

Sedgeworth raised an eyebrow at that, "Official directive?"

Michael glared back at him, "You heard."

The Constable acknowledged he understood "Yes , Sir." He turned and walked off shaking his head. Maybe the Sergeant was suffering jet lag or something.

Arion let the head of the volunteer crew do his thing. He didn't know much about fire fighting but he watched the others and quickly learned. His real reason for being with them was to be a homing beacon. Thex would always know where he was and where he was would be the thick of it but he didn't tell the others that.

It was nigh impossible to hear each other over the gale force wind and the roar of the fire. He did his best to yell at the chief. "Sam, it's no use, we need to pull back to a safer position before we're cut off.

Fred jumped in fright as a tree to his right spontaneously combusted from the heat on sparks that were falling in front of the fire. "Hell! You might be right Arion. Pull back, everyone to the truck now!"

Everyone grabbed their equipment and scrambled on board as Arion started the truck. The fire trail was narrow and the smoke was starting to make it hard to see the road ahead. The humans donned breathing apparatus, Sam held one out to Arion. He was nearly going to refuse as he didn't need one but that would have taken too much explaining so he grabbed it with thanks.

An almighty thud as a tree hit the ground in front of them brought them at a halt. There was no way round. Any second the fire would be on their tail. Arion yelled out to Thex in his mind. _Right now would be real good or the guys here are going to be toast._

_Hang on, nearly there,_ came Thex's frazzled reply

The bush started to crackle as it succumbed to the oncoming up draft. "Everyone out and under whatever fire blankets we have." Sam yelled

Just then a wolf jumped into their path, on its back a half grown cat hung on for dear life. The cat jumped off and went to one side of the truck while the wolf went to the other.

"What the hell?" Fred exclaimed.

Arion patted him on the back. "Trust me, this is good." He turned to reassure the other guys and one girl in the crew. "Let them be, they're here to help."

The crew weren't too sure but this stranger had been a big help so far. There wasn't much they'd be able to do to save the animals anyway. No one fancied wrestling the wolf and the cat was too nimble on its feet to catch. They scrambled to get under the cover of their fire blankets, knowing they were all facing certain death.

As the fire neared Arion smiled as he saw it sweep over the top of them, a force field of some kind protecting them from the heat and flames. Just as it past the wind shifted unbelievably and blew back on itself. When the worst of it was passed he nudged Fred. "It's passed but I want everyone in the vehicle now!" He ordered as he felt Thex in his mind.

Sam looked around, amazed he was still alive. He couldn't see the wolf or the cat. He was starting to think Arion knew a few things he didn't. He relayed the order. "You heard, him, everyone in the vehicle now.

Safely onboard Arion mind-linked with Thex. _Do it!_

A great whoosh could be heard as an almighty torrent fell from the sky, drowning much of the surrounding forest. The wolf and cat, who hadn't gone too far, kept a field of protective energy around the truck as a torrent of water rumbled down the fire trail. Then all was eerily quiet. Except...for the sound of real rain starting to fall.

Danger past the crew scrambled out, joyously letting the rain drench their faces. In the distance they could hear another truck making its way slowly through the mud on the now boggy trail.

When they finally arrived, on the other side of the tree that had blocked the track, and got out of their mud spattered vehicle their smiles of relief said it all.

"We thought we'd lost you guys." Michael exclaimed as he gave his long time friend Sam a manly hug. He smiled his thanks at Arion but Arion just shook his head and pointed his thumb to a wolf and cat that were surveying the scene from the top of a nearby boulder.

Michael gave a thumbs up to the animals then turned to the crew with him. "Well we better get this track cleared. I'm guessing these guys need a cold beer back at the pub."

Chainsaws and winches made short work of the still smouldering tree. When Michael turned around again the wolf and cat had gone.

## 23

It took most of the next day for the by then several fire crews to clear up all the spot fires but the bulk of the fire was out thanks to the mystery walter bombing and the freaky change in weather. The kids were harping on about a spaceship but fortunately the out of towners put the stories down to the kids being freaked out. Only their parents knew the truth.

Michael swore when he saw the remains of the police station. The only spot fire that hadn't been found had quickly taken hold and destroyed the eighty year old building. The quick action of Simon and Tyra's team of locals stopped it spreading further.

His sister wandered over, a wolf she was calling her new husky followed her. He nodded at the wolf, "Like the disguise John."

Sally was surprised her brother saw through John's disguise but he'd always had a sixth sense. "Will they build you a new one?" She nodded at the police station. She knew the government was on a knife's edge with its finances.

"Hell if I know. I'll operate out of the office of the police and citizen's youth club for the minute."

"Simon said to tell you there's a big party on tonight at the pub. First drinks are on the house. The town wanted to celebrate before those who came to help us have to head home. Simon's got some special visitors coming in from Japan too."

"I'll be there."

"Let me carry those dishes out for you." Arion picked up the plates from the table and followed her out to the kitchen. It was Tyra's turn to stack the dishwasher. He rinsed and passed the plates to her. She smiled shyly. He knew she was feeling awkward around him.

Tyra straightened up after she got the last of the mess in the machine and pressed the start button. "Um, thanks Arion."

He reached out and brushed a hair gentle away from her face and her eyes widened. Fear or lust he wasn't sure. He wasn't that attuned yet to reading her thoughts. It would take time to get to know her. He took her hand in his and caressed it. "I'd like to get to know you Tyra but I won't rush you."

Tyra slowly retrieved her hand then took his instead and returned the caress. Staring up at the tall handsome blonde with piercing aqua blue eyes who stood before her. He should never have been out fighting galactic nasties, with his looks he was made for the movies. Or maybe he should have been the god of a temple somewhere with a hundred buxom wenches catering to his every whim. Yet here he stood in front of her with want in his eyes. "You know I already love you Arion, through our union at the cave and from Thex's love for you. It's just, in a way, I've known Thex my whole life, if only through my dreams. Simon was there when I needed and introduced me to this world, I trust him with my life. With him I can explore much I never dreamed of. You I know nothing of you except the quality of your soul, which is beautiful I might add."

"I can wait." He bent down and took her mouth gently, savouring her moist lips. Then drew away and wandered back out to talk to the others.

She couldn't help eyeing his retreating backside. Not bad, she mused. It was all a bit to take in really. Fifty years as a mortal virgin and now she had three gorgeous guys to call her own. It was only the programmed remnant of her mortal mind that balked. Her unconditional heart already knew all it needed to know of Arion and loved him in the absolute. Going by her now damp underwear her body had already cast its vote. Maybe she'd just go and have a hunt through the wardrobe and see what she could find in there to dress up for the party tonight.That little red number she'd just bought to show off her now twenty-something immortal figure and her strappy sandals. Hmm!

## 24

The Bushranger's Rest was crammed full of people. It hadn't seen this many people since its heyday in the 1800's. A country music band who'd come up from Valeton as one of the fire crews played gallantly but it was hard to hear them over the chorus of cheers as rounds of beer were skulled. Locals who usually lived most of their time in front of the television were there. Even the ladies who usually played bridge this night of the week had cancelled their tournament to come.

Tyra walked in wearing her red dress and three pairs of eyes focused in on her like missiles finding their target. Simon leaned into Arion and whispered in his ear. "I think the lady likes to dance but it's not a skill Thex or I have in our arsenal. You're it!"

Arion looked to Thex and Simon. He wasn't sure how they'd feel about him dancing with their mate.

Thex nodded encouragingly "We're one Arion. Go and woo her."

Arion didn't need to be told twice and headed off on a mission.

Simon clinked his glass or orange juice against Thex's. "To a job well done, two down, five to go."

"Cheers." A moment's thoughtfulness passed over Thex's face as her mourned for those still lost then he came back to the present and smiled at his friend. "When are you going to tell me where the others are?"

"Soon, just waiting for all the players." He looked meaningfully at some of the people around the room.

George had Ally hemmed in against the jukebox. Whatever he was whispering in her ear had her blushing.

Annie, Tyra's mum, was sitting at a table with the bridge ladies, including Mrs Andersen from Yan's clinic and Mrs Simmons, the chihuahua owner.

Upal and Mendal, wearing wraparound sunglasses to hide their tangerine eyes from outsiders, had a table up the back of the room and were playing a fairly friendly game of poker with out-of-towners, all proceeds going to the volunteer fire crews.

Michael did his best not to see the illegal game happening down the back. He walked over to his sister instead, taking a bottle of better quality cab sav with him. "Thought you and John might enjoy this," passing her the bottle of wine. He eyed the wolf posing as a well behaved huskie at her side and nodded to the growing mountain of pet food donations people were leaving on the table for Sally's animal sanctuary. "Looks like I'm not the only one grateful for whatever John and Meta did out there to save our crew."

Sally picked from John's mind the truth of what he'd done. "Just a little force shield they threw up in a hurry."

Made sense but Michael was still curious about one thing. "I know John has to hide so as not to enthrall us humans but why a wolf?"

"With the powers Meta and John have he could take the form of anything he wanted but since his old Malakim nickname was the wolf because of his reputation as a fighter he decided that the wolf will be his usual form when he's out and about with me. Hi surname Lukos also means wolf."

"Anya didn't come tonight?"

"She's not that comfortable around large crowds. She's at my old cottage setting it up her way. I don't think her late bastard of a husband allowed her to be herself. She's adding a touch of Russian to the place, folk art and embroidery, that sort of thing. I think she'll feel more comfortable once her sister Helena arrives. From what I gather they're quite close."

"Must've been hard coming out to a strange country and leaving her behind then. Helena can emigrate then?"

"John's friend Andrew is pulling a few strings. Officially we're setting up a small genetic research facility to look at so called 'junk DNA'. We need Helena's specialist skills. There's also a guy Simon knows that's coming over from Japan. In fact if I'm not mistaken that's him coming through the door right now."

Michael couldn't help but do his usual threat assessment on the pair. The man had that twenty something, too good looking Malakim look about him. Slim, dark haired and wiry he moved with the lethal unhassled ease of a shark out on patrol. He had a look of well heeled elegance about him. The girl was petite and accentuated it by wearing a skin hugging all black pant suit. Her ember black eyes scanned the room. "That's some cutie he's got with him." Although the hair on the back of his neck was prickling and that usually meant that something potentially dangerous was near. The man made eye contact with Simon and then made a beeline to Annie's table.

"The girl's his adopted daughter I think." Sally watched the girl moving to chat up Yan but it was definitely Annie the guy was interested in. Then it dawned on her as she watched the expression of shock form on Annie's face. "Ah, I think I've just worked out who he is."

Later at home Sally cracked the bottle of wine open. "I thought you guys didn't drink wine?"

"Hmph!" John gave a mutinous look that said he'd make his own rules. "Meta did say I needed to ground myself in this dimension if I was to stay. It's too nice a cabernet sauvignon not to try at least some of it. Although I don't know that it was deserved. Hell, what else would we have done, let them burn? Hardly!"

"Well I know you have to be careful not to mess with our free choice and all." She stroked his hair, feeling its silk in her hands. "Anyway I'm just glad you could and so is everyone else it seems."

"The Din overstepped their bounds. Fire was always a risk given the summer we've had but that one definitely wasn't meant to happen. By messing with the balance of things the Din gave us the opening we needed to intervene to restore balance. We won't always be able to do that. That's why it's better if the town only knows Meta and me as animals, they won't expect us to start acting as gods or heaven forbid start worshipping us in the hope that we'll always be there to save them. We can't take away their responsibility or they'll never evolve."

Sally sought to reassure John that she knew the constraints he worked under. "I understand. Now would my non-god like to come to bed?" Her eyes gleamed at him with an invite of lust.

"I was thinking somewhere better than bed." He held his hand out to her in invitation. "Bring the bottle of wine."

She grabbed the bottle and a couple of glasses in one hand and took his in the other. The world blurred as they phased in and out of the non-local. She felt sand beneath her bare feet and heard the ocean before she spotted coconut palms, their fronds gently moving in an early morning breeze. "Where are we John?"

"A hidden island in the Bahamas. I know I promised you North Queensland but its dark there right at the moment. There's no one here. There's a lagoon. I thought we might spend the day swimming, eating coconuts, lazing around and screwing each other senseless. You need to keep me grounded you know." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Sally excitedly threw her arms around him. "This is wonderful! Can we go swimming with dolphins too?"

"Who was that man talking to my mother?" Tyra couldn't help feeling protective towards Annie even if she was her mum. Annie was mortal. She didn't want anything or anything hurting her. She accepted that one day she would die but she wasn't ready to lose her.

Simon nuzzled her reassuringly "Not tonight Tyra, you'll meet him and Kitsuneko in the morning." He balled his fist in her hair drawing her neck back so he could lick the length of her jugular.

She yielded, sighing as she felt his warm, wet tongue on her skin. Hands rounded her breasts as Thex embraced her from behind. She leaned into him, savouring his warm firm body. His war braids hung forward and caressed her neck. She moaned as his hands roamed downwards, heat and dampness pooled in her core. She felt the guys pause and looked up to see what had grabbed their attention.

Arion stood in the doorway to the room. He wore a black satin bathrobe that Simon had lent him, embroidered in gold with dragons in flight. He let the sash fall. The robe fell from his shoulders. He stepped out of the pool of cloth at his feet like Venus, only as a god not a goddess, stepping out of the ocean, from a fifteenth century Botticelli painting. Sculpted muscles, strong cheekbones, blue eyes and surfer blonde hair that curled around the tops of his shoulders.

Three sets of eyes watched fixedly as he approached, breaths held in anticipation.

He walked over to Tyra and stroked her hair tenderly. "I can wait if you want." He offered, not wanting to force his desire on her. He knew Thex would take him before the night was out anyway. Yet his desire, to get to know this beauty who had captured the love of his mate from long ago, fought at him for release.

Tyra gazed into his face. "I don't want you to wait." She held his gaze. "Stand to attention."

His mouth quirked at her cheeky command. It didn't quite have the same authority as his commander or as he imagined Simon would be in one of his more dominant moods but he obeyed nonetheless. "What would you have of me my lady?"

"I want to swallow you down Arion, I want your essence and later I want you to take mine." Trya commanded. _See, it's not so hard to be assertive when you set your mind to it,_ she was somewhat pleased with herself.

Simon's voice answered through her mind. _Needs more practice, you can practise on me anytime._

Her breath hitched as visions of what Simon would like her doing to him flashed through her brain. She gave him a friendly glare. "Your distracting me, keep those thoughts though." Turning her attention back to Arion she reached out with her hand to caress his long thick cock. It jerked at her touch, as if alive in its own right, excited and wanting. Tyra licked her lips, moistening them and then leaned forward to gently lick along his length.

Arion groaned a long drawn out "Ohh!" 100,000 years without skin to skin contact, this was heaven.

Simon threw Thex a pair of handcuffs. Thex deftly caught them one handed and in a quick maneuver while Arion was distracted grabbed his arms and cuffed them behind his back. Then he stepped back to admire the scene before him. "Take your time Tyra, he's waited a long time for release a little longer won't hurt him." He chuckled an evil but friendly laugh.

"Some mate you are", Arion groaned.

Simon who'd disappeared briefly came back into the room. "Hold up for a second Tyra, I have something else that will make him last."

Tyra came up for breath, pausing to look at the contraption in Simon's hand. "What the hell is that?" She asked, eyeing the metal contraption with some fear for Arion's well being.

"It's a triple cock ring, otherwise known as a triple crown." He explained as he slid the device down Arion's long shaft. "One ring is a standard cock ring, the other two restrain his balls. This will stop them contracting just before he comes. It changes the quality of the orgasm." He finished fitting the rings, patted Arion on the back with a smirk and stood up to get out of Tyra's way. "All yours."

Arion swore in some incomprehensible language but Tyra picked up the gist from his mind. Something about revenge later. But she cut his thought short as she swallowed his whole length til her tongue could just reach out and lick the metal around his balls. He shuddered.

The guys stood back and admired the view as she brought Arion slowly, painfully slowly, evilly slowly to a gut wrenching scream as he came, spilling his seed all the way down her throat. He sagged against her and let her caress him as the others released him from his restraints.

Thex raised an eyebrow at Simon. Their look to each other said it all, a promise to try out the same on each other in the future. Thex lifted Arion's large frame effortlessly and laid him lovingly on the king size bed in the centre of the room. "Rest my friend, we'll get back to you shortly." Then he returned to his prey, nodding to Simon, "Now where were we before we were interrupted."

Tyra, who was still kneeling on the ground licked the last of Arion's cum from her lips and beamed at them in anticipation.

Out on the verandah a half grown cat, sleeping on it's favourite cushion opened its eyes as it listened to the sounds issuing forth from the master bedroom. A fly on the window pane might have sworn that the cat rolled its eyes.

## Notes and references

"Left-hand Adventures" was the name of Simon's old one-man business as a male dominatrix. His new business J.G. Security is the security firm he set up with the purpose of offsiding Michael in protecting the town and as a cover story for their growing arsenal. The business was named after Jack Goodwin, Tyra's uncle who was killed by the Din. Read more of the backstory in the first book of the series: Heart of Stone.

John's preparation and navigation of the afterlife was inspired, in part, by:

● Heart Drops of Dharmakaya by Lopon Tenzin Namdak

● Rainbow Body by Togden Ugyen Tendzin

The Din (the baddies) and the Malakim (the good guys) are the ancient supernatural forces which battle it out in Gnostic mythology. The Malakim's three spiritual paths, as outlined in the books are my own invention with the left being antinomian (Aris), the right for justice and defence of the weak (Thex), and the middle as the way of compassion (Filia). The paths themselves are inspired by the branches on the Kabbalah Tree of Life. Above the Malakim are planetary and galaxy guardians/oversouls such as Simon's mother Ma. Beings like Meta and John (after his transformation) are beyond all relative distinctions, beyond all limits, but able to simultaneously act as individuals and as part of the whole, the all-spirit.

The Din have at various times been called Djinn and Jinn in other mythologies. In the Gnostic mythologies they were the evil, hideous lion-headed serpents that represented the fallen angels or archons that rule the material world solely for their own benefit. They see humans as their worker slaves. Since in these books they are reptilian I have surmised that they would be in favour of global climate change that would alter the world's climate to their benefit. In this story they are the souls of dinosaurs who wanted to sidestep the normal path of evolution and instead exist as immortal etheric spirits, inhabiting human hosts who have mindsets that suit their purposes. As their human hosts age and die they spend a short time in The Between and then move on to another host. The Between is a kind of purgatory for souls unwilling to follow their normal evolutionary path that would involve reincarnation in one of the many dimensions of existence.

Higher dimensional beings, Malakim and above, are able to read all history and events in space-time from the Ether-Net, my take on the akashic field. It's a vast repository of knowledge of all that is, has been and potentially could be.

Since immortals don't really exist in this dimension as anything more than high frequency sound and light they must project a physical reality that humans can relate to and that allows them to act in our world. This is what Simon in the first book calls a mental construct. It allows them to be felt as solid matter but they can't be harmed by anything except the Din's dark light weapons technology. As meta beings like Meta and John are beyond all relative existence they can't be harmed by anything.

The Malakim are able to travel about freely be dissolving their mental construct, travelling through the non-local which is beyond the relative realm of time-space and location then reconstructing themselves. They can use a similar process to shapeshift.

Simon's main mission on the planet is to protect Thex's imprisoned team and work towards their release by finding humans with enough compassion they might be capable of doing what's necessary to free them. He also works with other immortals and humans from guardian families to thwart the Din, hampering their total takeover of the world.

## For more about the author and her books visit:

● Onstellar: <https://onstellar.com/arwenjayne>

● Gab: <https://gab.ai/Arwenjayne>

● Email:arwenjayne@gmx.com

You can still find me on other social media channels but, in keeping with the theme of my novels, I am trying to transition away from mainstream social media.

## Books by the author:

Non fiction

● A simple nuts and bolts guide to yogic meditation and relaxation

● A short introduction to the Sattvic diet (aka Simon's cookbook)

Left hand adventures series

● Heart of Stone

● A Lick of Immortality

● Trust and Destiny

● Don't call me kitten!

● Guardians of the Rasselas (a novella)

● Don't label me!

● The Vampire President and the Headmistress (a novella that grew)

● My Inner Alien

● Rewriting the Dream

The Martian Vampire Chronicles

● An open connection of the heart.

● Beyond body, place and time

● Ideally Imperfect.
