Initiation. (Alberdyne ~V~ Sairai, Spar)

For a long time, Alberdyne Cormyr simply traveled across the astral plane without any real purpose. Battles came to him, but he saw each one as a challenge, and as a way to break free form the shadow of his Father's story. Al knew that the great Prophet, Alkiti had foreseen this day when Alberdyne Cormyr would come of age and walk his own path. Al did not want to walk the path that his Father had chosen for himself. Instead, he wanted to write his own story. And so, he found himself staring at one of the deepest parts of The Tree of Life. Each node in The Tree of Life held secrets for the Kanassan students to unlock. It was part of the rigorous training that the young Psionics went through, and it would be going on long after the line of Cormyrs was extinguished. The line of Heroes. And so, staring at the great Kanassan Tree of Life, Al willed himself to manifest in front of the one place that not even his Father, Michael Cormyr had ever passed. In front of that specific place there lurked a special gate. A gate that no Kanassan had ever managed to break through of their own free will.

A gate that Alberdyne Cormyr would attempt to cross against the better judgment of his superiors. The Land of Mystery, it was called. Nobody knew, exactly, what lurked behind The Last Gate. Only that it was a place that not even the most skilled of Kanassan adventurers could cross. Elegant, it stood before Alberdyne Cormyr, untouched by the effects of time. Even for one of the astral plane's many relics, this particular area of the plane was one of the most dangerous of all. Al knew the risk. For him to right his own story, he would have to break past The Last Gate and make the secrets his own. For not even the great master of the Omniverse, Michael Cormyr himself, had ever traveled across The Last Gate. Al constantly kept a very specific item on his person, his Astral Crystal. He felt it burning with power once again and knew that the next challenge would take place deep in the area behind The Last Gate. Smiling, Al kept his eyes closed as he visualized the working mechanism of The Last Gate. The Prophet, Alkiti, had forbade Alberdyne Cormyr from seizing what was rightfully his.

However, Al was determined to break free from the shadowy grasp of Michael Cormyr's great legacy. He would do so at any cost. I have come too far on my own. I can't back down now, I have to seize what is rightfully mine! I have never known fear, and I won't show it now. This is it. This is my story now. Seeing the words of his story being written in his mind's eye, the young Kanassan knew he had grown powerful. Whatever secrets that were hidden behind The Last Gate, Al wanted it. With those thoughts in his mind, Al looked up at imposing Last Gate. "Your secrets will soon be mine." Al started to levitate up off the ground beneath him, it was a ceremonial area of The Tree of Life. Underneath him was a large carpet that was purple in colour. It spread out for what seemed like miles on end. The carpet, had fancy embroidery, and the druidic symbols of the ancient Kanassans etched upon it periodically. Runes were powerful energy-bodies and they could be seen even without Ki Sensing. Al saw the particular symbol at his feet, and he knew it was glowing. He also knew what the symbol meant.

Complex as they were, Al was amongst the first to decipher the meanings of the symbols. The syntax was very specific, and the meaning was something like a warning against trespassers. Al knew better than to heed warnings, they were meant to be tossed to the wind. The innards of the area he was in looked like a fancy fort, or castle, and The Last Gate was built into some sort of a stone wall. Whatever the case might be, the exteriors of the place surrounding The Last Gate was of little importance to Al. What he focused on was The Last Gate itself. It was a completely ivory wall, etched with the pictures and stylization of the ancient Kanassans. When they were a technologically superior race. The ancient Kanassans looked considerably different than modern-Kanassans and were depicted in their particular syntax there. Each of the scenes on the door painted a harsh picture of Kanassan history, and Al knew it was meant to be a warning. Al focused on each aspect of the paintings on The Last Gate knowing full well that each individual piece was a larger part of teh greater puzzle.

And Al was good at puzzles. He had the intellect to prove it. Concentrating carefully, Al had learned that each part of the paintings told a story and that story was the history of Kanassa. However, Al was interested only in one specific portion of The Last Gate. I must find the clue I am missing. Or I will never reveal what is waiting for me on the other side. Al thought carefully about Alkiti's warnings to him about traversing The Last Gate. Once Al understood that this was the secret he was missing to break free of Michael Cormyr's shadow, he had undergone the great mystery. After what seemed like the passage of several days, he finally had the secrets uncovered. The part of the paintings he was looking for was a small portion that depicted the forging of The Last Gate. As Al had suspected, it was a remnant of lost Kanassan technology. There was a way to open it. This is it, I am going to write my story now. Even if it kills me! Al was focused on the individual pieces of the mechanism, and it all came together in his brilliant mind.

All though the technology had not been used since it was left on the astral plane, Al had figured the great mystery out. It had taken a lot of personal research, secret studies in his private chambers, and lots of pouring over the old books in The Grand Library. Al knew he was about to walk a great walk. As he discovered the secret, he summoned his people's massive power. The Omniverse. Then, he began to slowly focus on the molecular level of The Last Gate. Why didn't Dad figure this out himself? A part of him thought casually as he began to feel the weight of the advanced locking mechanism. It was a miracle in and of itself, but the blueprints he had uncovered in The Grand Library, the Grimoire he had stolen, showed the way forward. It was all very cryptic of course and Al had meant no harm in the theft, but The Prophet Alkiti had taken terrible offense to Al's "crime". When it was proven that he was in fact, the thief, Al had suffered a terrible price. Even with the great influence that Michael Cormyr held, Al had brought shame to his family and at that point no longer cared about Alkiti's teachings. Once free from prison after serving his sentence, Al worked tirelessly to decipher the secrets of The Grimoire. Once they were his own, Al knew what needed doing.

Kanassa had grown soft. It was no wonder that the PTO were a constant threat. Al needed to change that for the legacy of Michael Cormyr had spoiled them all rotten. After what seemed like an eternity, Al had used The Omniverse for it's true purpose. To move the ancient mechanism of The Last Gate. With a thunderous sound, the mechanism moved under Al's willed. Disgruntled at the Kanassans for what they had done to him, Al kept the book in his hands, and walked forward through The Last Gate. The Land of Mystery awaited beyond. A glowing light burned from behind The Last Gate, and Al had to shield his eyes with his hand to prevent himself from going blind. He saw the physical manifestation of tremendous energy flowing from The Last Gate. It was almost like a mist of energy. It swirled outward towards Alberdyne Cormyr, invitingly. After his accomplishment, the youth smiled. "This is my story." In a sense, The Kanassans had chosen their own fate. Even as he walked through the energy vortex, his aura, burning with The Omniverse, shined brightly. He stepped through the vortex, and into the great mystery. The entire time, a shadow was cast on his face and he wore a sinister grin. He had done what no Kanassan had ever done before, and would never do again. And from his research, the item that he knew was beyond The Last Gate, would be his.

WC=1,491

Sairai eyed the jewel with suspicion. The last time he had used it, he had come face to face with his grandmother, the woman who had been behind the plot to turn him into a murdering, tyrannical monster. While most of his race would have jumped at the chance to gain all that power, Sairai was not willing to risk his own honor to do such a thing. His eyes closed and he held his head, as if fighting off a headache. There was something about being this easily frightened of a tiny stone that made him want to take his head and smash it open with a large, blunt object.

Sighing, he removed the small drawstring cover he had placed around the little jewel as it hung from a strap of leather around his neck. He clasped a single hand around it and felt the pulsating energy filling his body. It wasn’t often that he described something as mysterious, but this little rock was. It was either enchanted or technologically advanced, he could not tell. Whichever it was, it gave the glowing blue stone some advanced powers that very few people he had ever heard of were able to use. While his grandmother was among those who could astral travel at will, the Changeling could not.

He smiled slightly as he released the stone and peered into the depths, allowing the blues and light greens to fill his sight, until that was all that he saw. He fell deeper and deeper into the blue-green sea within the stone and felt as though he had just taken a plunge into an ice cold lake bare skinned. At first he was plunged into total darkness, and then he felt the light begin to flood in from all directions. He stood, unafraid, as he looked out upon the lands in front of him.

For the most part, it was definitely what he would call nondescript. It could have been any place on Frieza #79. Rocks, a few plants here and there, but no water source to be found. When he finally began looking around in earnest, he could tell he had indeed ended up in the astral plane again. The world around him had a strange ephemeral quality to it, as though he could think about it and the world beneath him would become transparent, something he could just as easily look through as a window.

As he thought about it, it happened. The world beneath him suddenly became clear and he could see the starry skies beneath it. A smirk crossed his face and he imagined the world suddenly solid again, and it was so. “That could come in handy.”

He turned his attention to the being he assumed he was supposed to spar here. It was a young man, not much older than himself if he was any judge. He looked to be deeply intent on something, though Sairai had no idea what that was. It seemed to be some sort of giant gate. Without any preamble or motion on the other person’s part, the gate opened and he walked in.

Sairai, wondering exactly what the young man was up to, followed him into the white void and the world beyond. He was certain whatever was on the other side was worth the trip.

WC: 554

Stepping into the vortex that lead to the land of mystery was the single most defining feet he had ever done. It would later become his entire legacy, for he had done what no Kanassan before him had ever done. Smiling at that fact, Al knew that he was on the way to writing his own story. He would break free from the shadow his Father cast upon them all. The legendary Hero, Michael Cormyr. At that point, even thinking of his Father made him feel disgusted. As he plunged into the land of mystery, he became aware that there were many secrets in that place. However, the book in his possession revealed a key item he needed. That item was the only thing he was after, all other secrets could wait. With that item, he could complete the task he had set out for himself and forge a weapon of legendary quality. Al, by instinct, knew where to go. It was held ahead in a large obsidian tower. The land he had discovered had several large towers, and was strangely serene. No warnings were blared out, and no alarms were tripped. It was a sunny day in this place, and the sky overcast ahead was marked with a few clouds. Otherwise, it was pale blue.

The heat was tolerable, and it was not as intense as Al thought it would be. However, with his psychic prowess, he detected a presence guiding him from the larger tower ahead. Al assumed it was the item he was after. Walking without fear, he stopped. It was then that he realized that he was no longer alone. Did Alkiti send one of his cronies to attempt to stop me after all? Is that my Father? It was only then that Al noticed the uniquely powerful presence. I cannot allow anybody to stop me. What Al saw walking behind him disturbed him more than anything else. A changeling he had never seen before stood before him. Al was not a distinctly racist man, but he knew the members of the PTO had caused him and his people great harm. Saiyans and Changelings were known to be war-like. Al thought of his enemy, Yamcha, and wondered if the Changeling was another invader. Immediately, Al drew his sword and moved to a relaxed combat position. His sword was kept in a low center of gravity, pointing downward towards the ground. His eyes were narrowed, and he had a fierce expression on his face.

"Who are you!? Did Alkiti, or my Father, send you to stop me?!" Al was angry at that point. However, he wanted to find out the truth before he bashed the Changeling's skull in. His eyes were locked on the fellow before him, but then it dawned on him that he could possibly be there for a spar, as what happened often. "Or are you here to have a fight? If that's the case can you wait a bit until I retrieve what I need from that tower?" Al asked. He would spar the Changeling of course, but all in due time.

WC=524
Alberdyne WC=2,015

The small Changeling was taken aback by the words of the man before him. He had not intended to annoy or threaten him, but instead of backing away, he stood there with a nonplussed expression on his face. “What?” he asked. He narrowed his eyes as the man talked about his father and whether he or some being named Alkiti had sent him. He frowned slightly at the words.

“No one sent me. As a matter of fact, this is only the second time I’ve ever used the astral gem I bought.”

Then the man mentioned sparring, which is what Sairai assumed most fighters would use it for if they were able to use the gem to contact people from other worlds. “A spar, now that sounds more my speed. You say you’re after something in that tower? Sounds a little fishy, but if you really need the time to go and get it, that’s fine by me. Hell, I’ll join you just to see what’s so special about this place.”

The Changeling noted the surrounding areas for a moment. The grass was green, the sky lightly overcast, partially cloudy at the most, and he beheld the myriad towers around them. It seemed as though this place was a vault of sorts for some kind of secrets of the civilization this man was from. He obviously recognized the Changeling race. Had he come from a planet that the Planet Trade Organization had taken over, or perhaps one of the few worlds that had managed to throw them off, if only temporarily?

Sairai’s energy was concealed, but he was still at about a quarter of his full power, which would probably seem like a lot regardless to most people. His eyes darted up and down the other man’s frame, trying to seek out his own power. The man didn’t seem to be particularly strong, and indeed seemed to be much more interested in using this astral realm for his own purposes than fighting others to increase his strength and knowledge of his own inner power.

“Well, if you’re ready, I suppose I’ll join you for now. Despite the disrespect you’ve shown me by accusing me of being some kind of a spy or mercenary, I will still show you the respect an opponent deserves when he is met.” With those words, the Changeling waited patiently for the man to continue moving onward toward the tower. He was a patient Changeling, and knew that until his opponent, namely the man before him, was beaten off the Astral Realm or surrendered, that he would not be able to return to his own body and focus upon the creation of the Galactic Sanctuary.

WC: 449
TWC: 1,003

Perhaps Al was not used to the customs of the outside world, but he never realized at the moment that the Changeling had inadvertently insulted him. Regardless, Al kept the serious expression on his face and nodded. "All right." Al said. "My name is Alberdyne Cormyr. We're heading to that tower." Al pointed to the larger of the many towers located in this sector. It was a black tower, and it seemed particularly elegant. The architectural aesthetics were dark and mysterious. "It's probably safer to spar in there anywhere. Since I've never actually set foot in this place before, I don't know what kind of things lurk out here." Al relaxed where he stood, keeping his sword firmly in hand. Smiling towards the Changeling at that point, Al realized that the creature was not a member of the PTO. If he were, the thing would have started to attack already. With that information in his head, he decided that the Changeling could probably be trusted. Al could afford no mistakes in his current mission. Either way, once Al had secured the item that was all that mattered to him. He could stay and spar the Changeling until the ends of time if need be.

"Let's move quickly." Al said, and activated his flying ability. With that done, his ki burst out to it's full extent and shined brilliantly about his person. Generally, Al was a good man and that could be seen by the radiant ki burning around him. Al flew towards the black tower, his ki leaving a small burst of energetic radiance as he vaulted himself. Once Al landed in front of the tower, he looked up at the massive structure. His eyes narrowed, and he looked at the now familiar locking mechanism. Once the his opponent arrived behind him, he could begin the unlocking process. He turned towards the Changeling and waited for him to get to where he was. Al would have to call upon the power of The Omniverse in order to open the lock that kept the black gates closed. He would have to explain a number of things to the Changeling. Like what he was doing there. He doesn't need to know I stole the book in the first place. That's nobody's business but my own. And I served my damn time for it. Al thought while he waited. He sheathed his sword in it's scabbard and kept his eyes locked in the general direction of the Changeling.

WC=417
Alberdyne WC=2,432

Sairai watched as the human took off in the direction of one of the larger towers. A small smirk crossed his lips as he considered the man’s shadow on the sky with an icy gaze. “Alright, I’ll hurry as fast as you want me to,” he said as he levitated off the ground and began flying in the direction that Alberdyne had, his white-blue aura surrounding him with chilled air. Within seconds, he was at the tower. He floated in the sky for a moment, considering the impressive building, before he landed on the ground and began to talk to himself.

“Odd… This spire looks a lot like the Kanassan technology we studied when I was in military school. I thought when the PTO got to Kanassa they either destroyed or stole all of Kanassa’s technology and information concerning it,” he said. A look of curiosity passed his face before he looked at the other man again. He’s a Kanassan. He’s got to be. How else would he find a place like this on the astral plane?

While he considered the man before him with an even amount of curiosity and intrigue, he began to consider that perhaps the Planet Trade Organization was not as thorough as it should have been, considering that the Kanassans, well known psychics, had constructed such a place to house their secrets in a realm the officers of the Organization so rarely frequented. There was a good chance it was fairly well hidden, and only a true son of Kanassa would be able to open the gates, anyway, so trying to find or destroy it would be little more than a wasted effort.

The sky above began to cloud over faster, as if preparing for some great event soon to come. The Changeling looked up at the sky with an indifferent expression. His eyes were nearly glazed over, as he thought of the possibilities of what he was to find in this place. He couldn’t help but wonder at what was here, and whether or not it would have anything to do with the spar between him and the being before him. He was certainly itching for a good bout before he went to bed that night.

As if on a whim, he spoke up before the other man could face the door, “My name is Sairai. I’m a Changeling, formerly of the PTO, currently resident of Earth. Nice to meet you, Alberdyne.” He bowed slightly as he introduced himself, allowing his good will to emanate off of him. He then turned his attention to the door and smiled slightly. “Alright, you got me. How in the hell do you intend on getting that thing to open?”

WC: 452
TWC: 1,455

The question lingered for a few moments. Al decided that Sairai could be trusted, for the Changeling was letting him search for the object. That was the important part of the scenario that was unfolding before Al's eyes. "Observe." Al said. Tapping into The Omniverse, Al's aura burst out of the depths of his soul. He felt energy burning around him. The entire time hew as concentrating on the powerful locking mechanism of The Gate before them. Grinning, Al closed his eyes and focused. The Omni swelled through his body and was with him. He released The Omni through the mechanism of the lock. At first, nothing happened. The reaction was a slow process that required a tremendous mind and vast concentration. The Omniverse's function was apparent to Al at that point as he worked to will the mechanism active.

No normal psionic could have succeeded in opening the lock. Once Al was one with The Gate, he moved his hand in a mysterious gesture. Almost immediately, there was a visible reaction. A loud noise sent a vibration through the air, and the lock was activated. The vibration was loud, and caused the building to shake visibly for a few moments.

At that point, Al knew what would happen next. He had almost combined his mind with that of the locking mechanism and used The Omniverse to move it. The weight of the vast machine was heavy on his mind, but Al was trained and could withstand the vast weight. Blood trickled down his left nostril as he concentrated on the mechanism. Al barely felt anything else other than the molecular configuration of the mechanism. Once the gears and the individual parts moved, The Gate began to shift.

The gears rotated at an increasingly faster pace, until Al could open his eyes. At that point there was a massive clicking sound that signified the lock was no longer a hindrance. Soon, the power behind the mechanism was undone and The Gate slowly ground open until they were afforded a way in. Al saw massive energy flowing from within the tower. He knew it would contain many secrets, but he was only after one particular item. It was the item that the book in his possession had spoken about. Al turned towards Sairai and smiled at him. "That's how I plan on opening the thing. Let's get inside, I doubt we're the only ones here." Al activate a power flight, and flew into the obsidian tower.

WC=415
Alberdyne WC=2,847

Watching the other man open the giant gate using what appeared to be only the power of his mind would have impressed the young Changeling, if he had known what the hell it was the other being was actually doing. As it was, it looked no different than him just opening the lock with his psychic powers, a feat that most Changelings were already more than capable of. Sairai shrugged his shoulders, a slight frown on his face.

As the man flew into the tower, Sairai followed on foot, content for now to walk and take in the scenery. “Opening that door was hardly as impressive as I thought it was going to be,” he complained under his breath as he followed the Kanassan. Once inside the tower, he began looking around, noticing a distinct lack of ceilings, just a series of narrow walkways with no rails up high above. It was almost as if this was specifically meant to play tricks on the mind, to force people to use powers that most did not have.

Sairai floated up to the second level, which was only made known by a single, strange walkway. There were curves and odd angles. The thing actually looked like it was designed specifically to mess with the mind of the person walking upon it. Sairai had to shake his head to clear the double vision filling his sight. “I’m going to have to be careful. Perhaps flying really was the best way to go.”

Sighing, Sairai levitated above the narrow walkway and looked down. He could sense almost no living energy from within, other than that of the moderately powerful Xeno racing through the place as though his very life depended on it. He shook his head and followed suit, increasing his own speed to catch up with the man.

“You do realize there’s nothing here, right, at least nothing living that I can tell, right?” he asked as he began to catch up. His eyes narrowed slightly as he beheld the back of the other person’s head. There was something off about this guy. He wasn’t interested in fighting and seemed downright obsessed with this artifact he had come to take for his own. If Sairai were a betting Changeling, which he used to be, he’d put money that this Kanassan would sell his own parents for this item.

That wasn’t something the Changeling foresaw happening, but something was definitely off about this person’s ambitions. They didn’t seem to gravitate toward the right reasons, but more toward the being’s own selfish purposes.

Of course, Sairai could only wonder what those purposes were.

WC: 438
TWC: 1,893

Al knew where he was going. Even if his companion did not, the madness of that tower made sense to the young Kanassan. He had read the grimoire he had stolen and was aware of the secrets of the tower. Al heard Sairai speaking the entire time and that brought a smile to his face. Remaining quiet, Al knew the complexity of the lock that held the gate intact, Sairai did not. The very nature of that place was chaos itself, a sentient creature that watched their every move. The walls have eyes. Al thought vaguely to himself as he moved to the right room. At least, the room that the grimoire had spoken of. I've come this far and I know what to look for. The grimoire was very specific. Al flew, keeping himself a few inches off the ground at all times.

"The floor is not safe." Al said to Sairai. "We're almost at the chamber I need." Al came across a chamber on the first floor that seemed fortified. The room was about five hundred by five hundred square feet. It seemed to be the central vault in the tower. Somehow, Al had expected there to be heavy security but was disappointed when there wasn't. Seeing the special kiosk where he guessed his ore sample was being kept, Al smiled. "There it is." The kiosk was shaped in the exact configuration that the book had describe, somehow, everything he had gone through seemed worth it. He would acquire a rare substance that would set him apart from his Father. Al was desperate to forge his own destiny, and he would pay just about any price. Looking at the kiosk, he saw that it was one large machine created by the ancient Kanassans. It was technology left hundreds of years ago by his ancestors for future generations to find. Al felt it in his heart that he was doing the right thing.

Flying towards the central kiosk, Al, kept his face serious.

His eyes darted from place to place and was on the look out for defense mechanisms.

If the machine was present in this tower, then it was likely that others would be waiting.

Al wanted the freely-growing substance. He did not to put Sairai in danger though. As he looked at the substance for a moment, he could feel a tremendous power radiating from it. The power made Al's eyes light up.

"Come here Sairai. It should be safe once I disarm the defense measures." Al said. He knew he did not want to take all of the ore, only a sample of it. It was a rare material that the grimoire spoke of in the oldest legends. As a substance, the name was simply Kanassa bound Metal. He would have to remove the security measures before he could retrieve a sample of the material. Al flew towards the kiosk and was surprised to find two panels placed in such a configuration that they represented Kanassan-born hands. Al recognized those hand configurations right away and smiled. His ancestors were a clever lot. He took a deep breath and placed both of his hands on the two panels. Once he did that, he released his command of Ki Control, and allowed his power to flare out. Immediately, the kiosk came alive with glowing lights, panels began to move. Al could almost feel the heartbeat of the mechanical monstrosity in his skull. The heartbeat was a foreign sound and was like the timed beating of a computer's processor unit. Tick, tick, tick, a computer would count off one's and zero's with precise mathematical care. Al respected the technology of the ancients. As he manipulated the device something mysterious happened, something that the book had not prepared himself for.

"What do you think you are doing, boy?" Came a very familiar sounding voice, and the presence filled the room quite suddenly.

Al immediately knew who it was. "Father!" He yelled, anger rising. Al turned towards Sairai. "If he is here, that means that we will be interrupted for certain. Then all will be for naught. I just need a sample of the ore, then we can escape this place!" Al was explaining. He turned his attention to his Father. "You won't stop me this time!" Al growled, and was all too familiar with the sensation that followed next. Michael released a psychokinetic attack that flared out from his mind. Immediately, the resonance of Michael Cormyr's power reacted with Alberdyne's. The tower began to vibrate. Al could feel Michael in his mind. The feeling was like a drill trying to bore out of his skull. A powerful vibration echoed in the back of his mind, but Al did not cower in the face of his Father. Al had stood up to Michael's tactics before and lived, he would do it again. I can't fail now, I'm too close, it's within reach! "Argh!" Al yelled and pushed through the psionic weight in his head. His nose was bleeding and his skull ached. He manipulated the device like an expert, and finally...

WC=864
Alberdyne WC=3,711

Sairai watched with idle curiosity, floating above the floor with his legs crossed one over the other, as the young man continued to head toward that thing in the middle of the room. Seriously, what is with this guy? he wondered. He didn’t even think it was possible for his curiosity to be brought any higher, but unfortunately for him, it was.

“What are you doing here, boy?” shot through the room as what Sairai could only call a radiant being walked into the room.

“Father!” was the reply.

Of course, this caused the Changeling’s jaw to go slack. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... What in the bloody hell have I managed to get myself involved in this time?”

The man who had been called Father turned and looked at the Changeling with a curious expression. “You mean, you don’t know. What’s a Changeling doing here, anyway?”

The young man looked at the decidedly older being and raised a single brow. “Well, I was supposed to be using this astral crystal to find someone to spar with. I found... your son, I guess. I followed him through this strange gate and he promised to spar me just as soon as he finished some kind of errand in here. I merely offered to follow him.”

The man looked him up and down, almost as if sensing out his energy and said, “You don’t seem like most of your kind. Where do you hail from?”

“Earth, actually. I’ve made my home there ever since leaving the PTO to pursue my own purposes,” the younger man responded, looking up into the being’s eyes. There was something so inherently good about the man, easily likable, to the point where Sairai was almost mystified by the being’s very presence. It was no wonder his new friend hated his father with such a passion. The man’s very ki signature was flawless and impossibly strong.

“Earth... Never heard of it, but am I to assume that means you have no ill will toward Kanassa?”

“I’ve heard of Kanassa and the PTO’s failure there when I was being trained as an officer, but no. I had no particular ill will toward your people. I’m a peaceful man by nature, actually. However, I enjoy sparring, and I will fight for something I believe in. Blindly conquering and selling planets is not something I believe in.”

The man looked into his eyes, as if searching his soul, and took a couple of steps back. “I can hardly believe it. There’s not a single lie in what you just said to me. You’re... you’re the first Changeling I’ve ever seen who actually told the truth about something like that. You must be the black sheep of your race.”

Muttering under his breath, the Changeling replied, “You have no idea.”

“I’d love to continue talking to you, but I must deal with my son now.” The man said, his eyes turning back toward his son.

WC: 493
TWC: 2,386