Author's Note: Characters and concepts are the creative property of Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and Sav! the World Productions.

This is a collaborative work between me and Queenbean3.

Chapter Ten: Dour Like Don Wei by MasterOfThePen

It was a new day, and Eva woke up bright and early. She emerged from her room, feeling happy and refreshed. She hadn't dreamed of Jordan, but she knew that there was only one day left before she and her companions reached Nourasia. The thought of seeing her other friend, Aikka, was enough to keep her in good spirits. She made her way to the mess hall, imagining what kind of delicious meal Koji had prepared for them this time. She was starting to think that maybe Jordan had chosen Koji more for his homemaking skills than for his ability to fight.

Everyone gathered in the mess hall and were delighted to find that Koji prepared another scrumptious breakfast, this time something more continental. There were fluffy pancakes and toast, along with bacon and eggs, and some juicy orange slices. Kratos joined them for their meal once again, and was thankful for the use of more familiar utensils. It was a much more amicable occasion than last time, though Rakesh remained rather withdrawn and Spirit merely sat in silence. Kratos made sure to sit next to Paradice, to ensure no more mischief would occur. She ate mechanically, afraid to give the Crog even the slightest excuse to throw her in the brig. Eva made small talk among her friends. All in all, she felt that with time and a little patience all her Guardians would feel comfortable with one another. She remembered her talk with Spirit yesterday, and hoped that he was right. Unless they could learn to trust one another, their group could easily become fragmented, and Canaletto would be sure to take advantage of that.

After everyone had finished with their meal, Stan and Koji stayed behind to clean up while Eva returned to her cabin. Don Wei continued to show concern for her and warned Eva not to wander the halls by herself. Though they saw little of the Crogs during their voyage, aside from Kratos and the ones in the mess hall that morning, Don could not shake the feeling of apprehension he felt around the Earth's sworn enemies.

Eva lay on the bed in her cabin and tried to while away the time. Paradice had disappeared after breakfast, and Eva was thankful for small miracles. She took the opportunity to doodle in her sketch book and make a few entries in her diary while she still had some peace and quiet. After that, she took Misha out of her cage and let her hop around on the floor. The rabbit sniffed at the luggage and crawled under the bed, investigating every inch of the room. Eva smiled at her antics, then scooped Misha into her arms and petted her soft fur. After a while, she returned the rabbit to her cage, checked to make sure she had fresh food and water, and then flopped on the bed. The next couple of hours passed with Eva staring at the ceiling and trying to think of something to do. She actually started to wish that Paradice would come back, if only to distract her from the boredom that had settled in the room like a miasma.

Finally, she could stand it no longer. I can't stay cooped up in here anymore, Eva thought. I'd rather take my chances with the Crogs than stay in here another second. She opened the door and peeked down both hallways. Empty. She stepped into the corridor as the door slid shut behind her. Eva wandered around, not sure where to go, just as long as she was far away from her cabin. Maybe she would check on Rakesh again and continue their conversation from yesterday. It seemed that each time she spoke with him, he would drop yet another enigmatic remark that she could not begin to comprehend.

Eva passed by one of the many round windows that resembled a porthole on a seafaring ship. She gazed past her reflection into the black depths of space. The ship was cruising to the next jump point, and she could clearly see the planetary systems drifting by. Clusters of stars glittered like a string of diamonds and planets glowed softly like huge marbles laid out on a sheet of black velvet. Eva gazed at it all in wonder. There was a large red planet with several moons. One of them was hidden within the planet's shadow and was reduced to a brown crescent. It reminded Eva of the crescent moon tattooed on her mother's right cheek.

Before Eva realized what she was doing, she began to sing. It was a lullaby her mother sang whenever Eva was frightened or had trouble going to sleep. It had been so long since her mother sang that song, but Eva remembered every word, and the melody came as easily to her as if she had heard it yesterday.

Hush, my Little Star, there is nothing for you to fear
I will be the shining moon to guide you through the night
Hush, my Little Star, I'll hold you close and dry away your tears
Close your eyes and dream sweet things until the sun sheds its light

Say good-bye to yesterday, the past you've left behind
Your troubles, they shall fade away, like clouds after the rain
And you shall learn of miracles, when two hearts are entwined
If I should ever leave this world, my love for you will still remain

Sleep, my Little Star, and remember those summer days
We spent beneath the starlit sky chasing fireflies
Sleep, my Little Star, under the moon's watchful gaze
Dream your dreams of happier days until sunrise

In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me
Hands spread above your head, reaching for the sky
And if you promise to always remember this melody
One day you'll get your wings, and then you too will fly

Dream, my Little Star, dream of clouds snowy white
Gliding sliver across the moon as you spread your wings
Dream, my Little Star, fly towards your star shining bright
Leave behind yesterday and see what tomorrow brings

Turn your gaze toward the horizon, take it as your sign
To unfurl your fledgling wings and fly toward distant lands
And know that someday you'll get your chance to shine
You can grasp the shining tomorrow in your own two hands

Hush, Little Star, close your eyes
Sleep, Little Star, sleep the night away
Dream, Little Star, dream of skies so blue
Someday your shining tomorrow will come

Unknown to Eva, a huge figure had been listening to her song. Kratos had been making his daily rounds of the ship, but as soon as the first soft notes reached his ears, he stood completely still, mesmerized by the sound of Eva's voice. He had never heard anything like it, and a strange feeling of calm stole over him. Emotions that he could not name welled inside of him, and his ears twitched forward to better listen to the enchanting song.

Eva remained oblivious to his presence as she held out the final note, bringing the song to an end. She turned and saw Kratos staring at her, his eyes no longer narrowed and his ears drooping slightly.

"Oh, Kratos," Eva said, blushing a little. "I didn't see you there ..."

Kratos's ears quickly perked up and he straightened, a soldier standing at attention once more. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but could I ask what it was you were doing just then?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"That sound, with your voice," Kratos said. "I've heard nothing like it before."

"Oh! It's called 'singing'." Eva cocked her head to one side in confusion. "You don't have songs on your homeworld?"

"No, not like that. My people have little interest in such things." He stepped forward, but his bearing no longer seemed menacing to Eva. He stood next to her in front of the window. Eva's head just barely came to his elbow. She craned her neck to stare at Kratos's face, but his expression was unreadable as he gazed at the stars.

"That's terrible," Eva said, unable to imagine life without her Diskman. "You've never heard a song before? You do have music, right?"

"Marches, war anthems, all things that prepare soldiers for war. But we have nothing that sounds quite so ... peaceful." His tone had lost its harsh edge and had become almost wistful. Eva smiled at the change in the Crog's voice.

"It's called a 'lullaby'. My mother used to sing it to me when I was small, to help me sleep at night."

Kratos gave a loud grunt. "Strange. How curious you humans are."

"Hm. You're one to talk!" Eva put her hands on her hips and grinned. "To us humans, you're the weird ones. How can you think of nothing but war and violence? Doesn't that get boring after a while?"

The Crog shrugged his huge shoulders, his armor creaking with the motion. "I suppose not. War is all we live for. Conflict gives meaning to our existence. Yet during my exile, I had plenty of time to ponder such questions."

"And did you find any answers?"

The two figures stood before the window in silence, each of them looking at the stars. Eva was beginning to think that maybe she had offended Kratos and was about to apologize when his deep voice broke the silence.

"I cannot say for certain." His yellow eyes had narrowed pensively. "Without war, my life seemed empty. I had no purpose or direction, until the Avatar called upon me to defend you."

"Jordan ..." Eva's eyes dropped to her sneakers. She clutched at the dog tags beneath her shirt. "Jordan used to be a soldier in the military once, just like you."

The Crog flinched, ears perking up in surprise. "Was he? But then why would he not destroy me?" His huge hand formed a fist at his side. "He and I should be enemies!"

Eva reached out to touch Kratos's fist and smiled at him. "Because despite his role as a soldier, Jordan was always a very kind and gentle person. He never attacked anyone without good reason, and in reality ... I think he hated war. He lost his grandfather to the war between humans and Crogs long ago."

Kratos turned and glared out the window. "That is even more reason for him to hate the Crogs. With his power he could easily wipe out the entire Imperium! Why has he not done so already? It would be easy, like stepping on an anthill."

Eva was becoming worried by the Crog's change in mood. Maybe Don was right; maybe the Crogs couldn't be trusted. But then why would Jordan choose Kratos to become her Guardian? Jordan had expressed so much hatred toward the Crogs during the Great Race of Oban, so why did he trust them now? There had to be a good reason for it, Eva was sure of it.

"Becoming the Avatar," Eva said, "has changed him a great deal. Jordan told me that the Creator's have taught him much about his duties as Avatar, and I don't think he wants to abuse the powers he's been given. Besides, I don't think that all Crogs are evil. Maybe they just don't know any better."

Kratos focused on his own reflection. Eva was relieved to see his fist unclench. "That could be true. All my life I was trained for combat and taught that strength and power were the most important things. But surely there must be more to life than this!"

"There is." Kratos turned to stare at the tiny Earth girl. Her red eyes were full of hope. "On Earth, we do our best to try and maintain peace, protecting our own interests without hurting the interests of others. I can't tell you what your purpose in life is ... No one ever really knows that, I think, but I'm sure you'll be able to discover that on your own, someday!"

"For now I will concentrate on my current mission and serve the Avatar," Kratos said. "Perhaps if I serve him well, then some of the honor I lost will be restored."

"I wouldn't doubt it. I know that someday, you'll get your chance to shine."

Kratos stepped away from the window and bowed before the human girl. "I must take my leave of you, Miss Eva. In a few more hours, we will reach the final jump point, and then Nourasia will be only a short distance away."

"That's great. I can't wait until we get there. Aikka will be so happy to see that I've kept my promise to visit his kingdom."

"I notified his highness of our expected time of arrival. It seems he has been preparing the palace for the past few days. I hope that we will receive a warm welcome."

"Nourasians are well-known for their hospitality," Eva said with a wink. "Aikka won't let me down, I just know it. Well, I'd better let you go. Catch you later big guy." Then Eva did something that Kratos could never have expected: she wrapped her arms around his middle, even though her arms were too short to fully encircle his waist. Then she quickly trotted off, and waved to him. "See ya!"

Kratos stood in utter shock for a few moments, unable to comprehend why the Earth girl would perform such a strange gesture. He stared at her retreating form with wide eyes and scratched his head.

"These humans ... so peculiar."

Eva was glad she had the chance to chat with Kratos like that. She still couldn't understand why Jordan would choose a Crog warship to escort her to Nourasia, especially since the two nations were bitter enemies. But if Kratos was any indication of what a "good" Crog was like, then maybe there was hope for peace between humans, Nourasians, and Crogs. She knew it was a bit too optimistic, but it was something nice to think about.

She strolled leisurely down the halls toward her friends' cabins. Maybe she could convince Stan and Koji to come exploring with her. They didn't like the idea of being confined to their cabins anymore than she did, and she could tell that their fear of the Crogs was slowly giving way to their desire to examine some of the most advanced alien technology in the known galaxy. If the mechanics possessed one weakness, it was their enthusiasm for machines. The prospect of sneaking down to the engine room for a quick peek would be an opportunity too good to pass up.

Confident that the mechanics would agree to her plan, she hurried toward their cabin. Footsteps were approaching, and Eva slowed down to avoid running into anyone. The footsteps were accompanied by the sound of whistling. It was a soft and peaceful tune. Eva froze in mid-step, her eyes growing wider. It was the same exact melody as her mother's lullaby. The only other person who knew that song was Don Wei, but he never sang it, not after Maya's death.

Eva stood rooted to the spot as Rakesh approached, still whistling that lovely tune. His hands were clasped behind his back, a small smile on his face, and he seemed oblivious of his surroundings. Eva's jaw dropped; she stared at Rakesh blankly. His silver eyes alighted on her and he stopped in mid-note. The smile faded as he stared at Eva, unsure of what to do. They both stood facing one another as the silence stretched out between them.

After what felt like an eternity, Eva spoke in a shaky voice. "Rakesh ... Where did you learn that song?"

Rakesh stared down at his black slippers, thinking of the best way to answer. Finally, he said, "Someone very special taught me that song long ago."

Eva clenched her fists, her red eyes boring into him. "It was my mom, wasn't it?"

There was a long pause. "Yes. It was Maya who taught me that song, and she in turn was taught by her mother. Lavanya used to sing that song to us when we were children."

"You were ... but that means ..." Her eyes widened, her mind beginning to comprehend the meaning of his words. She stood unmoving as a statue. Rakesh approached carefully; one misstep, and she might flee from him, like a deer before the hunter. The Lunarian was only inches away, and still Eva did not move.

Rakesh said, "Your mother, Maya, was not from Earth ..."

Eva shook her head. "No ... no, it's not true!"

"Maya was a Lunarian, and my childhood friend." He raised his head and saw the look of disbelief in Eva's eyes. "You need further proof, I see. Here." He reached inside the collar of his robes and removed the pendant that he always wore next to his heart. He took Eva's wrist, drew her hand toward him, and dropped the pendant into her palm. "Think of your mother as you hold this pendant."

Eva stared at the pendant for a moment. It was an oval-shaped piece of blue crystal, polished smooth, and suspended from a silver chain. She thought of her mother, of her long pink hair and gentle eyes, the crescent moon tattooed on her cheek, and the sound of her voice as she called Eva's name. In her mind, she could clearly see Maya in her star-racing uniform, the pink goggles on her head, her arms opened wide, waiting for Eva to rush into them.

As soon as Eva held that memory in her mind, the pendant hovered a few inches above her palm. The pendant began to shine with pale blue light as a holographic image flickered into life. The image displayed two children sitting in a field of yellow flowers and smiling at one another. One was a boy with white hair and silver eyes. He was dressed in azure robes, a smaller and simplified version of the robes Rakesh wore now. The girl had long pink hair and red eyes, and she wore a white sun dress that billowed outward as she knelt upon the grass. There were flowers in her hair, and she held a bundle of them in her arms.

Eva continued to stare at the image of the smiling girl in shock. Though she never saw any pictures of her mother as a child, that warm and gentle smile was unmistakable.

"It can't be ..." Eva said, the hand holding the pendant was trembling. "There's no way. There's just no way ..."

"That is a picture of myself and Maya when we were young," Rakesh said. "We were very close, and I promised that I would always watch over her and protect her." He bowed his head once more, his face solemn.

Eva closed her hand over the pendant; the image winked out and the light faded away. She stared at the floor, a lump forming in her throat.

"Eva," Rakesh said. "I know that this must come as quite a shock to you, but everything I have said is true. I know I failed to protect your mother, but I promise that I shall protect you, her daughter, even at the cost of my own life." He reached forward to cup her cheek in his hand.

As soon as Rakesh's fingertips brushed her cheek, Eva swatted his hand aside and backed away. She glared at him through tearful eyes. Rakesh drew his hand back, surprised. This was not the reaction he had expected.

"Stay away from me!" The pendant fell to the floor with a clatter and Eva fled down the corridor.

"Eva!" He stretched his arm toward her, but she was already gone. He let his arm drop to his side and noticed the pendant on the floor. He picked it up and examined it carefully, checking for any cracks that might have formed. Satisfied with its condition, he placed it around his neck once more and walked down the corridor that Eva had taken.

Eva kept running, her thoughts racing along with her. Rakesh was lying; he had to be lying. Maya was a human, not some alien from another world. If Maya were really an alien, she would have told Eva, or told her husband, at the very least. There were never any secrets between mother and daughter. She could feel the tears springing to her eyes, making her vision go blurry. She didn't care where she ran, just as long as she was as far from Rakesh as possible.

Heedless of her surroundings, Eva was unaware of Don Wei as he stood in the middle of the hall, startled to see Eva running toward him, clearly upset. She crashed into him, her fingers clinging to his shirt front, and buried her face in his chest.

"Eva!" Don grasped his daughter by the arms. "What's going on? Why are you crying?"

"Dad ..." She clung to him, the one thing that seemed real to Eva in her confused state. She sobbed into his shoulder, her entire body trembling with unrestrained emotions.

Don wrapped his arms around her and held her close, rocking her gently back and forth and making soothing noises of comfort in her ear. She couldn't speak, and he had no idea what could have upset her so much. His only thought was to calm her down and make her feel safe. He raised his head and saw Rakesh approaching them, his face an unreadable mask. He slowed in his approach when he saw Eva huddled in her father's arms. Don glared at the white-haired man, realizing that he must be the cause of Eva's discomfort.

"Eva ..." Rakesh said softly.

Don's hold on Eva tightened, and he pulled her away from Rakesh. "Don't come any closer. What have you done to my daughter?"

Rakesh was offended by the mere suggestion that he might hurt Eva, emotionally or otherwise. His eyes narrowed. "I did nothing wrong. I merely revealed to her the truth about her mother, but I fear that the shock was too great for her to bear."

Don released Eva and stomped toward the white-haired man. "What truth? What are you talking about? You know nothing about Maya!"

"You are the one who knew nothing of your own wife! Did she ever once speak to you about her home, her family, her life before she met you?"

"That's not important right now!" He jabbed a finger at Rakesh. "You obviously can't be trusted! Whatever you told Eva was enough to prove it!"

Rakesh clenched his teeth and took a deep breath through his nose. He could feel the anger bubbling beneath the surface of his mind. With practiced restraint, he managed to keep his voice calm and level. "Your wife was not a human; she was a Lunarian. She and I were childhood friends. If you need further proof, then I shall give it to you."

"What? You're out of your mind! If that were true Maya would have told me."

Eva closed her eyes, her shoulders hunched as she held herself. "Stop yelling! Both of you! You're making it all worse!"

Rakesh strode forward, silver eyes blazing. "I know you, Don Wei! You drove Maya to her death and abandoned your only daughter in that hellish prison you saw fit to call a boarding school, never once sparing a thought for her well-being!"

Don recoiled as if he had been physically struck. His black eyes widened in shock, his hands hung limply at his sides. Eva trembled with hurt and anger. Why did Rakesh have to dredge up those painful memories? She and her father had reconciled long ago and had finally put the past behind them. She felt like an old wound had been torn open in her heart. She ran from them, the tears flowing hot and bitter down her cheeks.

"Now look what you've done!" Don glared at Rakesh. He turned to chase after his daughter. "Eva! Come back!"

Rakesh stood alone once more. He closed his eyes, put a hand to his head. This was not how he imagined his long awaited reunion with Eva would be like. Why did that insufferable man have to ruin everything? He took a few deep breaths and calmly followed after them. Somehow, he would make them see the truth.

Spirit sat on the edge of the bed, deep in meditation. Rakesh had left him alone hours ago, but Spirit did not mind the solitude. It gave him time to think about things. But his thoughts had become distracted by a strong ripple of emotions. Someone was approaching his cabin, full of pain and sadness, like a wounded animal left to die. He stood and opened the door. Just as he stepped into the hall, someone barreled into him with enough force to knock him to the ground. Spirit rubbed at his head and noticed Eva sprawled on the ground, tears glistening on her cheeks. He could feel her sorrow and anger flowing toward him in waves.

Spirit leaned toward her and touched her shoulder. Are you all right?

Eva stared at him, as if seeing him for the very first time. Her face was red and streaked with tears. The lump in her throat had grown too big for her to swallow, her shoulders shook as she began to cry again. Without standing, Spirit drew the sobbing girl against his chest and held her gently, the tears soaking his coat front. He didn't mind. The white mask which served as a face emerged once more, the tiny turquoise eyes fixed upon Eva.

Spirit's ears pricked up at the sound of footsteps, but he could sense the person's fear and worry before he ever heard his approach. He looked up to see Don Wei hurry toward them and skid to a halt. His face was livid, and Spirit could feel the cold waves of hate aimed directly at him. Rakesh showed up a few moments later, calm and collected as ever.

Don stared down at the monster clutching his daughter, and his entire body trembling in rage. He marched forward, hands balled into fists, and said, "Get your hands off her!"

Don Wei's hatred was unlike anything Spirit had ever felt before, the only thing that came close to it was during his race against Eva. Spirit grew cold beneath Don's black glare, and he drew Eva closer to him, his shoulders hunched and his back turned toward the angry human. He squinted his eyes shut and awaited the impending blows, determined to protect Eva from her father's rage, even if it meant shielding her with his own body. Eva clung even tighter, her fingers buried in the fabric of Spirit's coat.

Rakesh clapped Don on the shoulder. "Calm yourself; can't you see that you are terrifying your own daughter?"

Don whirled around. "You stay out of this! That thing murdered my wife, and now it wants my only child!"

"Spirit did not murder Maya. He tried to save her life the day of her crash." Rakesh raised his arm, his finger leveled at Don Wei's chest. "The only one responsible for Maya's death was you."

Something snapped inside Don Wei. He could feel it, like a vein bursting open, and all his hate and anger flowed into his right hand. He swung and hit Rakesh in the face with a vicious right hook, the force of which caused Rakesh to stagger and slam into the wall. He leaned heavily on his shoulder, gingerly touched his lip, held his bloodstained fingertips to his eyes. Don was only slightly surprised to see that Rakesh's blood was as red as any human's. What surprised him more was that fact that Rakesh grinned at him and laughed, as if Don were the butt of some joke. Rakesh staggered forward and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.

"Look at yourself," Rakesh said. His words had become daggers, and he wielded them with the same finesse as a practiced swordsman. "Pathetic. You break down so easily, it's no wonder you were such an unfit parent."

Don was appalled by the sheer insolence in Rakesh's tone. Don knew that he had made a terrible mistake that no amount of penance could ever erase. He had spent everyday of the past year making up for lost time, trying to put the past behind him while looking forward to the future, hand in hand with his daughter. And now this stranger, this interloper, dared to accuse him of being a failure as a father.

"Shut your mouth!" Don's fist was still clenched, the knuckles cut and bleeding, ready to strike again. "What do you know about parenting? You have no idea what I've suffered!"

"I cannot fathom why Maya would fall in love with such a weak and pathetic creature." Rakesh took immense pleasure in seeing the pained look in Don's eyes as his words stabbed into his heart. "She deserved better. She sacrificed everything for you, everything for your sake. And in that way, she also sealed her fate and doomed herself to die as a mortal woman." He grinned as he gave the dagger in Don's heart another cruel twist. "And you shamed her sacrifice by throwing away the only link to your beloved wife: your own daughter, Eva!"

A clear but trembling voice cut through the air. "Rakesh ... that's enough."

The Lunarian gazed past Don and saw Eva slowly stand. Don turned toward his daughter, his quarrel with Rakesh forgotten, for the moment. She rubbed the sleeve of her pink jacket across her eyes, her cheeks flushed, and sniffed a little. She stared at both men, her face carefully composed, but her eyes still glistened with moisture.

"Eva ..." Rakesh had been so absorbed in his argument with Don that he had completely forgotten about her. Spirit got to his feet and stood protectively behind her.

"I don't know if what you told me about Mom is true." Eva paused as her voice hitched. "But this isn't what she would have wanted."

Rakesh bowed his head in shame. "Forgive me, Eva. I know the truth can be painful, but if you would only listen-"

"I need some time alone now." She clutched at the dog tags beneath her shirt, drawing strength from them. "Just please, don't fight anymore. It makes everything worse."

"I understand. I will take my leave. Please, get some rest."

Father and daughter looked at one another, not knowing what to say. Don unclenched his fist and watched as Eva turned her back on him and entered her cabin, the door closing shut with a note of finality. Rakesh gave Don one final, solemn look before walking past and entered his cabin. That left Don alone with Spirit; he gave the Fihlz a hard look, but remained silent. Don turned on his heel and stalked toward his own cabin while rubbing at his injured hand.

Spirit gazed at Don Wei's retreating back. He wanted to reach forward and touch him, to show him the truth of Maya's death, but there was still too much anger in the human's heart. Spirit shook his head sadly and followed Rakesh into the cabin.

Don entered his room and practically collapsed on the edge of the bed. He was glad that Rick was absent. He couldn't bring himself to talk to him about what had happened, not yet. Rick would find out eventually; he was always good at sensing Don's moods and temper. Don leaned forward, his hands hanging between his knees and stared solemnly at the wedding band. He lifted his hand and watched as the light reflected off the golden ring. He was surprised to see a droplet of water splash on the back of his hand, and he realized that he was crying. Don covered his face with both hands and wept.

Meanwhile, Eva sat on her bed with the jewelry box she received for her birthday placed on her knees. She ran a hand over the worn surface and slowly opened the latch. She pulled out the old photo from the time her family had went to the park and got ice cream. Eva held it reverently in both hands and studied the three smiling figures, as if she could somehow discover the answers to these new questions burning in her mind.

Mom, she thought. I wish you were here with me ...

As she looked at Maya's face, so full of life and hope, she felt the tears sliding down her cheeks once more, and hastily returned the photo to its box. She buried her face in the pillow and cried herself to sleep.