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 Eight: Safe Like Sul by MasterOfThePen

Sul had fallen unconscious once the Avatar escaped through the portal. Canaletto had drained nearly every last bit of his life force; he was dying. Salvation, it seemed, had come too late for him, but at least it came. Better to die free than to remain imprisoned in that hellish dimension, forsaken and forgotten.

Sul descended into darkness once more, but he was no longer afraid. There were no evil shadows here, no spiderwebs to ensnare him. Only peaceful repose. In the distance, a light was shining, a golden beacon in the sea of darkness. Sul reached forward, feeling an intense desire to hold that light in his hand, to cup it close to his heart and become one with the light. With outstretched fingers, Sul grasped for the golden light, and felt himself being pulled forward into a strong but gentle embrace ...

The three black eyes opened slowly. His surroundings remained elusive, out of focus, save for a soft light glowing at his side. Someone raised his head from the pillow, and Sul felt something pressed against his lips. Cool water slid down his throat, but he could only manage a few mouthfuls before he closed his eyes and returned to the warm and inviting darkness once more.

The sun streamed through the glassless windows of the Avatar's Temple, and Sul awoke. He had not slept so peacefully in almost a year. He could not remember if he had really slept at all while Canaletto held him captive. Asleep or awake, he had constantly been surrounded by shadows. The monk sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings. He was sitting upon a simple cot within one of the many modules that hovered beside the Avatar's Temple. He heard water running in the distance and saw a table in the middle of the room with a bowl of fruit.

Sul rose, attempting to float toward the table, but quickly fell to his knees, not expecting gravity to take over. Shakily, he stood and leaned heavily against the wall. This was certainly unexpected. He took a tentative step forward and nearly lost his balance. It had been many centuries since he needed to move by physical means, and it was not easy to remember something as prosaic as walking. After a few false starts and a bit of stumbling, Sul managed to reach the table in one piece. He raised one hand and willed the nearest piece of fruit to float toward him. Nothing happened. Closing his eyes, Sul concentrated with all his might, his brow covered in sweat with the exertion. It was like trying to lift a hundred pound weight after one's muscles had atrophied. The monk opened his eyes and saw the apple shift forward a little and then fall from the bowl. It rolled slowly forward, by merit of momentum and not Sul's telekinetic abilities, and fell off the edge of the table. Sul stared at the apple and heaved a sigh.

"Perfect. Now it's bruised." The monk picked up the apple and brushed it off.

Unknown to him, the Avatar had been watching the entire scene from the doorway. He couldn't help but smile a little at Sul's difficulties. He decided it was time to announce himself, "Well, it's good to see you're finally awake."

Sul turned, showing the barest hint of surprise. "Hmm. I hope you plan to explain why you set me free. I am unable to read minds at the moment."

"So you haven't regained your powers yet?" The Avatar said and floated into the room. "Don't worry, they'll come back, in time. As for setting you free, you have Satis to thank for that. Until now, I thought you had died during the race."

"Canaletto dislikes all those who would interfere with his plans. Which brings me to my next question; how did you become the one to gain the Avatar's power? It completely defies all the laws of Fate."

"Well, it's a long story," the Avatar said. "You might want to sit down for it."

Sul nodded and sat on the cot once more. He took a bite of the apple and listened intently as the Avatar explained to him all the events which took place after Canaletto had imprisoned the magician.

"And so I became the Avatar in Eva's place," Jordan said. "Unfortunately, as you already know, Canaletto's spirit survived somehow, and now he's after Eva and King Aikka. He's going to try and reclaim the powers of the Avatar."

Sul stared at him, the apple core clutched in his hand. "I see. So that is why you released me from his lair." He gave a knowing smile. "You need me."

"To put it bluntly, yes."

"What for? You are the Avatar; your powers are beyond the scope of human comprehension. What use do you have with the likes of me, a magician bereft of his powers?"

"That may be, but I've learned from the Creators that I must be careful not to interfere too much in the affairs of the universe. That is why I am gathering Guardians to protect Eva and Aikka."

"I see." Sul's eyes narrowed slightly. "You only wish to use me in your own plans. I am to become your tool in your battle against Canaletto. You are no different from him."

The Avatar shook his head. "You have it all wrong. I'm asking for your help. Would you be willing to become one of Eva's Guardians?"

Sul had grown bored of being an all-powerful magician long ago. If there is one thing that plagues immortals, it is the tedium of living each day without surprises. Perhaps serving the newly-appointed Avatar would offer respite from his monotonous existence.

The monk shrugged. "I suppose. There is nothing else left for me to do now. Becoming the Avatar's servant is far better than being Canaletto's slave."

"Thanks, Sul," The Avatar said with a relieved smile. "Sorry I didn't come to your aid sooner. I'm still getting used to my powers. If I had known you were imprisoned all this time, I would have set you free before Canaletto drained you."

"I will recover. But I will never have the strength I once did. The curse he placed on me is absolute. Not even you have the power to break it."

"I know that. But you will still be quite powerful, even if you are no longer the master of time and space. Now, I have sent five Guardians to look after Eva, but Aikka only has two at the moment. I need you to go to Nourasia and look after him, that is, once you've recuperated."

An amused grin played on Sul's face. "I am to protect the traitorous prince, eh? What a strange twist of fate. Is this your idea of a joke, Lord Avatar?"

"This is no joke. I don't know why Canaletto is after Aikka, but we must not let him fall into the Old Crow's hands. Aikka has changed a great deal since the race, and I'm sure he regrets attacking you."

"His Crog 'allies' pressured him to do it, no doubt. Still, the look on his face when I arrive will be amusing. Are there any other surprises of which you'd like to inform me?"

The Avatar placed a hand on his chin. "Well ... I guess you should know that Aikka's other Guardians are the Inna sisters: Ning and Skun. I hope that's not a problem."

The grin never left Sul's face. "Not at all. I look forward to their reactions when I 'return from the dead.'"

"Nice to see you've got a sense of humor. Just try not to scare Aikka too much. We need him alive and in good health. Now, here's what's going to happen once I send you to Nourasia ..."

The Avatar told Sul of his plans and explained what would happen once he reached Nourasia.

"So now former enemies must work together for the greater good," Sul said. "This could result either in great success or a terrible disaster, and for once I cannot see which one will occur. It is most unsettling."

"Yes." The Avatar bowed his head. "I have not yet developed my foresight, so I cannot see what the outcome of this battle will be. Nevertheless, we must succeed. If we don't, then the universe will cease to exist." The Avatar's face took on a solemn expression and his hand clenched at his side. "I won't let the Old Crow have his way. I promised the Creators that I would look after the universe and take care of it. I won't let them down."

"That is not all that troubles me. I remember that you were never meant to become the Avatar. By doing so, you altered the course of destiny in a way that has never been done. That could lead to an even greater catastrophe."

"Even so, I have to do whatever it takes to stop Canaletto. Eva has suffered enough at his hands. I won't let him hurt my children ever again."

Sul stared at the Avatar, his face an impassive mask. "Your feelings for the girl may be Canaletto's greatest weapon against you. He is a master of manipulating all things, even emotions."

"Do you doubt me?" Jordan gave him a wry grin. "Even though Canaletto wove and unwove the fabric of time to bring Eva to him, he never once considered that the love of her partner would set her free. Canaletto relies too much on fate. There is no such thing as destiny; it's the choices we make in the here and now that shape the future."

Sul's mouth had formed a hard line. Here he was, an immortal who had lived for millennium untold, being lectured by a human child, a mere infant compared to him. Even though this child was the Avatar, he had only held that position for the span of a year, a mere drop in the vast river of time. His eyes had just recently been opened to the vastness of the universe, and he thinks he knows the secrets behind the forces that manipulate his very existence?

"You still have much to learn, young Avatar," Sul said. "Destiny is real and a more powerful force than you know. Sometimes it is possible to alter it, though, as you and I have both demonstrated, but Canaletto has done that for far longer than either of us."

The Avatar shook his head. "You're starting to sound like the Old Crow. I think that humans create their own destiny. Maybe that's why I became the Avatar." Jordan turned toward the doorway. "But for now, you must rest. You're still quite weak and need to regain your strength. I have ... other matters that I must attend to."

"Very well, then. I will do as you say. But I am finding it very difficult to trust in an uncertain future."

The Avatar glanced at Sul over his shoulder. "Well, now you know how the rest of us feel. But you shouldn't fear uncertainty. After all, the future is what you make of it."

Sul thought he saw a glimmer of amusement in the Avatar's golden eyes before he vanished in a haze of golden sparkles. Sul stood, discarded the apple core, and picked another piece of fruit from the bowl. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. This arrangement was going to be difficult, he could tell. The monk had lived for so long, he had forgotten his own age. He had traveled the breadth of the universe, seeing many things, and learning much more. His powers had once rivaled those of the Avatar himself. Now he was no longer the master of time, space, and even the course of destiny; he was servant to a deified child with absolutely no concept of the forces that were at work in the universe. The monk smiled as he took another bite. Change is change, for better or worse. At least he would be entertained, for a while, anyway.

A semblance of normalcy had finally been restored. The excitement of the morning had faded away once Kratos threatened to confine Paradice to the brig if she disturbed her roommate anymore. She muttered childish obscenities the whole time while cleaning up the mess she made and shot Eva dirty looks. The human girl only glanced at her and grinned. Eva was laying on her belly on the bed, updating her diary. She wanted to record every exciting moment of her journey. An hour passed, and the passengers were summoned to the mess hall for breakfast, but nothing could prepare them for the meal they were presented with.

They were each served a tin bowl filled with some gray pasty substance reminiscent of gruel or porridge. Eva took her spoon and scooped some up, watching the sticky goop slide off her spoon and fall into the bowl with a sickening plop. Everyone just stared at the so-called food. Even Rakesh, who had been so calm and sure of himself before, looked into his bowl with a mixture of shock and disgust. Kratos carried a large bowl of his own and sat down at the head of the table. The other Crogs were seated at a nearby table and were eating in absolute silence. Everyone stared at Kratos as he picked up a spoon and dipped it into the gray goo.

"Eat," he said. "You won't get another meal for four hours."

"What is this stuff?" Eva asked. She took another spoonful, turned the spoon upside down and waited to see how long it would take for the sticky substance to fall.

"A specially formulated mixture of sodium, carbohydrates, protein, and calories," Kratos said. He took a bite of the grayish substance and swallowed. "It is fortified with all the necessary nutrients needed for survival."

"It looks more like cement." Eva poked at her food with the spoon some more.

Don sniffed it suspiciously. "How can we be sure this is even food?"

Stan watched as Kratos ate while everyone else just stared at their bowls.

"Aw, come on!" Stan said. "If he's eatin' it, it can't be that bad." In a bout of machismo, he heaped a huge mouthful onto his spoon. "You're just a bunch of chickens." He chomped down, chewed on it a bit, and swallowed. He shuddered, his face twisted in a grimace.

Rick watched the mechanic with an arched eyebrow. "Well? How is it?"

Stan sat there for a few minutes as sweat beaded on his forehead and his tanned complexion turned a lovely shade of green.

"Uhhhh..." Stan leaned forward, hands clutching the table. "I think I'm gonna be sick..." He pushed himself from the table, hand clapped over his mouth, and rushed toward the nearest restroom to be violently ill. As soon as Stan dashed down the hall, everyone simultaneously pushed their bowls away.

Rush pounded his fists on the table, causing the tin bowls to clatter. "I knew it! The food is poisoned. You can't trust a Crog, that's what I always say."

"I assure you, the food is not poisoned, Byrussian," Kratos returned the pointed look with a yellow-eyed glare. "No one is forcing you to eat, though if you wish to maintain your strength, then you had better do so."

"Maybe their food just isn't good for us humans," Eva said. "There's a lot of things that aren't safe for us to eat."

"Um ... Mr. Kratos, sir?" Koji said. "Uh, if you don't mind, would I be allowed to use your kitchen, please?"

The huge alien stared at Koji from across the table. "What for?"

Koji hunched his shoulders beneath the stare. "Um ... W-well," his voice was barely a squeak. "I'd like to make something that we could eat ... Not to say your food is poisoned or anything! I mean, it's just that I don't think we could survive on this stuff ..."

"Your food is not tainted. It is the same as what all Crog warriors eat to build our strength. If you cannot stomach it then it's no wonder you humans are all so frail."

"S-sorry," Koji was quivering all over now. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything. But could I please cook something for my friends to eat? I'll make enough for you, too, if you want."

Kratos snorted at the pale human in disdain. "If Miss Eva wishes it then you are free to do as you like." Koji looked expectantly at Eva.

She nodded at him. "Go ahead. And make some for Kratos, too. Maybe he'll like it."

Koji leaped from his seat and smiled. "Oh sure! Just let me get my things and I'll whip up something in no time. I just hope that Stan is still alive by the time I'm done." And with that, the young man hurried away.

"That reminds me," Don said, "someone should go check on him. The poor man didn't look well at all." His gaze fell on Rick as he said this.

"You're talking to me, aren't you?" The ex-pilot said. "Fine, I'll see how Mr. Tough Guy is doing. Hope the sick bay has something that won't make him worse." He pushed himself from the table and walked down the hall where Stan had gone.

In about half an hour, the table was laden with huge pot of white rice and all kinds of steamed vegetables. Sashimi and pickled plums were set on saucers along with bottles of soy sauce. There were even sushi rolls all laid out on pretty dishes and green tea served in fine china. And for dessert, sticky rice cakes filled with red bean paste. Everyone stared in awe at the veritable feast that had been laid out for them. Koji stood before the table wearing a white apron and a satisfied grin on his face.

Don gaped at the food in complete amazement. "Koji, where did you find the ingredients for all this? Don't tell me the Crogs had Earth food in their galley!"

"Well, when you told us we were leaving Earth on a long trip, I packed whatever food and cooking utensils that I could carry. Stan said it was a stupid idea, but I knew the rice-steamer would come in handy." Koji adjusted his glasses triumphantly.

"Do I smell fish?" Paradice said, her mouth watering at the sight of the sashimi and sushi.

Eva grabbed the nearest bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks. "Awesome! Chow time!"

"I hope you like it," Koji said. "It's a bit of a rush job, and I had to improvise a little, but hopefully no one will die of food poisoning!"

"That's good news," Rick said. "Isn't it, Stan?" He grinned at the mechanic.

Stan growled and noticed the smug look on Koji's face. He sighed, defeated. "All right, all right! You were right and I was wrong. Bringing the rice-streamer wasn't a stupid idea ..." He grabbed a bowl and started eating.

Paradice picked up a piece of raw fish and popped it in her mouth, crying tears of joy. "At last, real food. This is the happiest day of my thirteen-year-old life!"

Eva was shoveling huge mouthfuls of rice and picking out vegetables from the dozens of bowls in the center of the small group. Spirit stared at his bowl as if he had no idea what to do with it. Rakesh had some trouble getting used to the chopsticks, but after watching the others, and with a little practice, he managed to get the hang of it. Rush and Kratos were having a difficult time manipulating the tiny utensils.

"This is a joke, right?" Kratos glared at the pair of toothpicks the humans saw fit to call eating utensils. "Are you mocking me?"

"N-no!" Koji said. "I didn't mean- I just forgot-"

Rush growled as he attempted to pick up even a single grain of rice. "What is the meaning of this? I'll starve before I get one mouthful!" He gave up on the effort, grabbed the bowl and simply dumped the rice into his mouth.

"I've had enough of this!" There was a loud snap as the chopsticks broke between Kratos's fingers. He tossed them aside, picked up his bowl, and shoved the food into his mouth in one gulp. Spirit continued to just stare at the food before him while Rush and Kratos grabbed whatever bowls and plates were closest to them and devoured their contents.

Koji smiled, proud of his work, but when his gaze fell upon Spirit, he felt disappointed. "Why aren't you eating, Spirit? Don't you like it?"

Spirit raised his head, his face devoid of any expression. He touched Rakesh on the arm, and the Lunarian glanced at him before saying, "He says that he lacks a mouth and the necessary organs needed for proper digestion. He apologizes if he has offended you."

Koji's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Ah, n-no! Not at all. I didn't realize, that is—"

Rakesh looked to Spirit again and then back to Koji. "It's quite all right. You didn't know. He says that it looks very pretty, though."

"Thank you," Koji said with a shy smile, his cheeks tinted pink. "My mom taught me everything I know about cooking."

Paradice had been using her claws to eat with and saw the sashimi on Spirit's plate was left untouched. "You gonna eat that fish?" Spirit shook his head. "Yay!" She snatched it up and ate happily.

Rakesh continued to stare at his chopsticks in fascination. "Such strange customs you humans have."

"We have these in some countries on Earth," Eva said. "Their food is really popular."

"I see." Rakesh took a small bite of sushi. "Small and compact, but nutritious and quite filling. A perfect balance of form and function. And what do you call this food?"

"On Earth we call it 'sushi.'"

"Sushi ..." His chopsticks hovered over his plate and selected another piece. He popped it into his mouth with a small smile. "Delicious, and aesthetically pleasing, both to the eye and to the palate. Truly, a work of art."

Koji was blushing furiously and was trying to hide behind his tea cup. "It was nothing ..."

"Don't be so modest," Eva said, leaning forward in earnest. "I've tried making it before, and it's not easy. You've got skills!" She gave him a thumbs-up.

"I love it!" Paradice continued to pick food from Spirit's plate. "It's all sea food!"

Rick was quite satisfied with the meal, too. "Well, meat is meat, regardless where it comes from." He grabbed a piece of tuna and munched on it. "I remember the first time Don took me out for Japanese cuisine. He made fun of me for not breaking the chopsticks properly."

"Really?" Eva said. "I didn't know there was a wrong way to do it."

"Sure, you know those wooden chopsticks they give you? They're stuck together, so you gotta break them apart before you can use them. If you don't do it just right, one piece will be bigger than the other, and that's means you'll have a bad meal. I must have went through about a hundred of them before I finally got the hang of it."

Eva turned to see Kratos and Rush scarfing down plate after plate of food with their bare hands. "They don't seem to be having any problems." She tried to stifle a giggle as they both laid a hand on the huge pot of rice and glared at one another.

Rakesh frowned at them. "Hnn ... Savages."

"Meow!" Paradice said, her tail twitching angrily. "Save some for the rest of us, you pigs!" She spied a piece of salmon on Rick's plate and snatched it up.

"Hey! That's mine, you little thief!" Rick's chopsticks darted forward to block the cat-girl's paw. Her eyes narrowed, but a devious idea came to her that instant.

"Myaah!" Paradice pointed in the opposite direction. "Look over there! A lady in a bikini!"

"Don't think I'll fall for a lame trick like that," Rick said.

Stan's head immediately whipped around. "Oh! Where? Where?"

Paradice took the opportunity to steal some sushi from the mechanic's plate. "Hehehe! Sucker!" Stan continued to stare at nothing for a few seconds before coming to the realization that there were no bikini-clad women on board a Crog warship. He looked at his plate and noticed half of his food was missing.

"You little brat! You tricked me!"

"Id washn't me," Paradice said. She had stuffed about six rolls in her mouth all at once. Stan stared at her, his mouth agape, and dropped his plate.

"That's it! You're dead meat!" He lunged forward. The cat-girl sprang out of the way and bounced off his head.

"Nice try, slow poke! Myahaha!"

"Why you little-" Just as Stan was about to lunge again, Koji grabbed his shoulder.

"It's okay," the younger mechanics said. "I can make more, if you want. There's plenty for everyone."

Paradice suddenly popped up next to Koji and grabbed his arm. ""Hurray! You just became my new favorite human." She nuzzled her face against his shoulder and purred. Koji arched an eyebrow and gently pushed her away.

"Well, they say that food brings people together," Koji said. "I mean, now that we're all Eva's Guardians, we should learn to get along with one another, right?"

Eva looked at each of her Guardians in turn. Rush and Kratos were giving each other dirty looks as they continued to devour whatever food was within reach. Paradice made silly faces at Stan, who growled at her in reply. Spirit just stared blankly ahead, while Rick tried his best to ignore Paradice's prankish behavior. Rakesh gave a sidelong glance at Don and smiled that irritatingly know-it-all kind of smile. Don's eyes narrowed at him from across the table, and he returned his gaze to his cup of tea.

Eva sighed. "This is going to be a long trip..."

Koji hung his head in despair. "A really long trip ..."

Meanwhile, a wicked idea was being processed inside Paradice's TV-shaped head. She picked up a sushi roll and threw it toward Rick. "Food fight!" The piece of raw fish landed in his long black hair.

One eyebrow twitched violently as the sushi slowly slid onto his forehead. "Nobody touches my hair. Nobody!" He grabbed a piece of sushi and threw it at her.

Paradice, with her enhanced reflexes, dodged easily. It sailed across the table and smacked Kratos in the face instead. Rush burst out laughing when he saw the piece of sushi stuck to the Crog's forehead like a miniature bull's eye. Kratos growled, took a bowl of streaming rice and smashed it onto Rush's head. Rush roared as rice and shards of ceramic fell into his beard and the two begin to scuffle, sending more food flying in different directions.

Eva ducked out of the way as a pickled plum nearly nailed her. "Guys! Stop it!"

She crouched down and covered her head with her hands. Without a word, Spirit rose and stood before Eva, silent and unmoving as a stone pillar. Some sticky rice cakes splattered against his trench coat, but he seemed not to care. Stan and Rick lunged and dove for the mischievous cat-girl as she pranced across the table, scattering food and dishes every which way. Don Wei had resumed his angry race-manager role and was pointing and yelling at Paradice to "stop this foolish behavior at once," but his commands fell on deaf ears. Koji stuttered a few half-sentences, attempting to restore order through words rather than violence.

"Wait a minute ..." he said, his voice barely audible over the yelling and screaming. "Please don't ... If you would ... Don't waste perfectly good-" He gasped as a saucer of soy sauce was overturned onto his white Polo shirt. He stared at the dark stain in utter horror. "No! This will never come out!"

Eva peeked out from behind the safety of Spirit's imposing form to see Paradice running circles around the table, picking up food and popping it into her mouth, or throwing it at Stan and Rick. They chased her from opposite sides of the table, but just as they were about to converge on their prey, she leaped out of the way and the two men crashed into one another.

"Watch where you're going!" Stan sat on the floor and rubbed at his head.

"Take your own advice!" Rick shot back.

Eva didn't realize that Paradice had snuck up behind her until a bowl of rice was dumped on her head. "Argh! You little brat!"

The cat-girl laughed hysterically and bounced away to grab more food.

"Everyone, stop this!" Don Wei said, a vein working in his forehead. "That's my good china, and you're breaking it. Young lady," he pointed at Paradice. "I order you to drop that rice cake right this instant."

She grinned wickedly. "If you say so." Don's eyebrows knit as the sticky pastry flew toward him and stuck to his forehead. His hands clenched at his side. His only consolation was that the other Crogs had left the mess hall before this embarrassing turn of events had begun.

During the entire time, Rakesh had sat quietly eating his meal, his brows furrowed in anger. Finally, he could stand it no longer. He carefully set his unfinished food aside, laid his chopsticks down, then stood. His clear voice rang across the table. "All right, this debacle must cease immediately!"

Spirit continued to stand before Eva, his entire front plastered in sticky rice and other assortments of food. Stan and Rick were still chasing after Paradice while Koji sat on the floor with his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Rush had managed to pin Kratos to the floor and was pulling on his long ears, shouting, "This is for Byrrus!" Don Wei was still screaming his lungs out while Eva peeked from behind Spirit every now and then, adding her own shouts to the tumult.

Rakesh closed his eyes. Silver light extended from his back in the shape of wings, the light faded away to reveal his mechanical wings. They snapped outward sharply, the screech of glass sliding against glass echoed throughout the hall.

"That's enough, all of you!" Rakesh said, his silver eyes blazing.

Everyone froze in place and stared at him, covered in food. Stan gulped audibly. He had nearly been decapitated when Rakesh had snapped his wings open. Those long shards of pale blue glass looked like they could slice a man to ribbons.

"You are all acting like children," Rakesh said. "You are supposed to be Eva's Guardians, are you not?" He folded his wings, arms crossed over his chest. "You must remain ever vigilant, prepared to defend her with your very lives where ever and whenever danger may strike. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Stan pointed at Paradice. "She started it!"

Kratos growled and shoved Rush off. He brushed some stray grains of rice from his gray uniform and stood, casting his shadow across the entire table. Yellow eyes locked onto silver as Rakesh stared at him defiantly, the light gleaming from the polished metal and glass of his wings. Eva peeked out from behind Spirit once more and watched the confrontation between the Crog and the Lunarian. Everyone held their breath.

"I assure you, Lunarian, that I am always prepared to defend Miss Eva, with my very life, if necessary. Do you think I am unaware of the danger we all willingly placed ourselves in by accompanying her?"

"Sometimes I wonder." Rakesh glanced at the others.

Kratos did not like the Lunarian's tone. He stepped forward until he was mere inches from the white-haired man. Rakesh had to crane his neck to stare into the Crog's eyes. "Do not think for one moment that you are any more qualified than the rest of us to protect Miss Eva. Or have you forgotten that the Avatar himself personally chose each of us based on various skills and merits?"

Rakesh frowned slightly, his wings flared open a bit, but he held his tongue.

"As for the rest of you," Kratos turned his attention to the others. "I do not tolerate such undisciplined behavior aboard my ship. As long as you are my passengers, you will obey my rules. I expect no less from my men, and you are no different. If you do not like the way I run my ship, you can float home."

Everyone averted their eyes. They felt ashamed of the mess they had made. While everyone was distracted with their feelings of guilt, Paradice tip-toed further and further from the crowd. She didn't get very far; like a striking snake, Kratos's huge hand shot forward and grabbed the cat-girl. She squealed in surprise, unable to fathom how such a massive creature could move so fast.

Kratos's yellow eyes narrowed, his ears twitched in irritation. "As for you, little trouble-maker, it seems you have yet to learn your lesson from this morning. Cause anymore mischief, and I'll confine you to the brig until we reach Oban, is that understood?"

"Nyah ..." the cat-girl's eyes grew wide as saucers. The thought of eating nothing but that disgusting slop, and being stuck in a dark cell with no video games for who knew how long, was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Okay, okay! I promise I'll be a good girl from now on. Cross my heart."

She smiled innocently at him. Kratos grunted and opened his fist. Paradice dropped to the ground and landed painfully on her backside.

"Now, clean this mess up," Kratos said. "When you are finished, you may leave your soiled clothing outside your rooms to be laundered. I'll be on the bridge. We'll be approaching the next jump point very soon." And with those last words, the Crog left.

Everyone set themselves to picking up broken dishes and wiping up food and soy sauce. They glared at Paradice and she kept her distance, but did her fair share of work. Rakesh stood apart from the others, his wings glowing with silver light as they retracted into his shoulders. He simply watched while the others cleaned up, his eyes narrowed slightly. He did not like the Crog's attitude, not at all, and he did not appreciate being a made a fool in front of the one person he had sworn to protect.

"Hey!" Rick called to the white-haired man. "You gonna just stand there or what? Give us a hand, will you?"

Rakesh turned his face away. "I refuse. I did not participate in that fiasco, and I will not clean up after it." He turned on his heel and stalked off. Stan threw his rag on the ground and made a rude gesture behind the Lunarian's back. Even Don was becoming annoyed with Rakesh's aloof behavior.

"That guy is really starting to get on my nerves," Stan said. He picked up the rag and rubbed furiously at the table.

"He's just mad because he got served a big helping of humble pie," Rick said. He chuckled and gave Stan a high-five.

"Serves him right," Stan said. "Acting like he's so much better than the rest of us. Who does he think he is, anyway?"

Eva had remained silent as she picked up broken pieces of flatware. "You know, I've been wondering the same thing. He just kinda showed up out of nowhere and said he would protect me with his life."

"Where ever he came from, he obviously lacks proper social skills," Don said. "He has the uncanny ability to annoy me to no end."

Eva thought back to their harrowing flight to the spaceport and Rakesh's barely audible mention of her mother. It had been bothering her ever since they left Earth, but she hadn't had the opportunity to investigate the matter thoroughly.

"Dad," she said softly. "Did he say anything to you about Mom?"

Don nearly dropped the plate he had been holding. "No. Why do you ask?"

"He mentioned her before, like he knew her." Eva was hardly aware of what she was doing and nearly cut herself on a broken bowl. "I don't know if it means anything, but it's kind of strange."

Don was growing uncomfortable with all this talk regarding his deceased wife, especially in regards to the aloof stranger who always managed to rub him the wrong way. As if having her murderer as one of Eva's Guardian's wasn't bad enough. He gave a sidelong glance toward the silent Fihlz who was busy picking grains of rice from his coat.

"Perhaps you were mistaken," Don said. "Rakesh is not from Earth. How could he possibly know anything about Maya?"

"Who knows?" Eva said. "Maybe he saw her in the Interplanetary Playoffs?" She cast her eyes downward. Spirit seemed to sense her uneasiness and turned toward her. Eva hadn't formally apologized to him for attempting to kill him during the Great Race of Oban. She had been convinced that Spirit had murdered her mother, but in truth, he had tried to save Maya. It took a near fatal crash of her own to make her see the truth.

"Just forget about that jerk-off," Stan said. "He's not even helpin' us clean up." He scrubbed furiously at the table with the rag.

Eva dropped her rag, fists clenched. She was getting fed up with everyone bad-mouthing her Guardian. They didn't even know anything about Rakesh; what right did they have to judge him? "I won't forget about him! We're all on the same team here, we should be trying to get along!"

"Well, he sure ain't making it easy, that's for sure," Stan said.

She rounded on the red-haired mechanic. "Jordan didn't say it would be easy. You guys can stay here and clean up your mess, I'm gonna go talk to Rakesh and work things out."

Rick and Stan exchanged looks. Koji watched Eva worriedly as she hurried down the hall. Don stepped forward, about to protest, but Eva was already gone. He put a hand to his head and sighed, feeling another migraine coming on.

Eva wandered down the halls, not really quite sure where she was going. Koji had the right idea, at least: they were supposed to be fighting against Canaletto, not each other. Why couldn't the others see that? She became lost in her thoughts once more. Out of all her Guardians thus far, only Rakesh and Kratos were strangers. After rescuing Misha, Kratos definitely earned plenty of brownie points in his favor, but Rakesh was still quite the mystery. He seemed uninterested in everyone but her. Not only that, he mentioned her mother ...

Eva was awakened from her reverie when she noticed Rakesh staring through a window with a pensive look on his face. He was completely oblivious to her presence. She took a few quiet steps closer, afraid to disturb him. Rakesh bowed his head slightly and put his hand to the window, as if there were something out there he longed to reach for. He stared past his reflection at the stars winking in the darkness.

Maya, he thought. You were always much better at making friends than I. But I will try to understand these people, for your sake, and for hers ...

Eva stepped forward, cleared her throat. "Um, Rakesh? Are you okay?"

Rakesh turned his head and smiled serenely at her. That smile seemed so familiar. It was the same kind of smile her father gave her when she got an A on her math test, or when he finally came home after a long day at work and she would rush into his waiting arms and hug his neck; a smile full of warmth and unconditional love. The thought of Rakesh giving her such a smile made Eva's cheeks turn pink.

"Yes, I am fine," he said. "Please, forgive me. I did not wish for you to see me in such a state back there."

"That's all right, I don't blame you," she smiled shyly back at him. "Those guys can act pretty dumb sometimes."

Rakesh moved from the window and stood before her. "I apologize if I caused you to worry, but I fear that your friends are not taking their role as Guardians very seriously. It is ... unnerving, to say the least."

"They're good guys. I think Jordan sent them to me for a reason. You'll see; everything will be okay in the end."

"I sincerely hope so, for your sake. Most of them are not warriors, not like myself. I have been trained since birth to protect others."

"Really?" Eva asked. This was a rare occurrence, hearing Rakesh volunteer information about himself. "Where are you from? I don't think I've met anyone from your planet before."

"I am from a world called Lunaria. It is a relatively small planet, very far from your galaxy. It was once a veritable paradise, surrounded by nine moons. We Lunarians draw our strength from the moon through the use of our wings."

"So that's where your cool powers come from! How did you meet the Avatar, then?"

His smile faded and his expression was solemn. "I fear we did not meet under the best circumstances. He freed me from a spell of imprisonment cast on me many years ago by the Old Crow. Since then, I have entered into his service, and offered to become one of your Guardians."

"Okay, that makes sense." Eva frowned slightly in confusion. "But how did you know about me?"

Eva felt herself blushing again when she saw that gentle smile that seemed reserved only for her. She looked into his silver eyes, no longer cold and hard, but full of warmth. She stared at her feet and fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

"I know you, Eva," Rakesh said. He reached forward, his fingers about to brush the star-shaped tattoo on her cheek, but he hesitated and placed his hand on her shoulder instead. "I have known you since before you were born."

Her head whipped upward. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Rakesh was about to speak further, but just then Don Wei rounded the corner, calling for Eva. The two men stared at one another, and Don felt his body stiffen, as if he had stumbled onto something inappropriate between his daughter and the white-haired man. Rakesh quickly removed his hand and drew away from Eva.

"Dad!" Eva said happily upon seeing him. Don strode forward and interposed himself between Rakesh and his daughter.

"Eva! There you are." He placed both hands on her shoulders. "I've been looking all over for you. I was worried sick, young lady. You know you shouldn't wander about on your own!"

"Dad, I'm fine! I've just been talking with Rakesh."

"It's all right," Rakesh said. He was pleased to see Don Wei's annoyed look. "I was just about to leave anyway."

At that moment, a Crog voice crackled over the intercom: We are preparing to fold into hyperspace. Please, remain seated at this time.

"Uh-oh," Eva said. "We better head back to our rooms. Hope Misha doesn't get freaked out again."

Don turned toward the direction of their cabins. "That's a good ide-"

The ship lurched suddenly. Before the three passengers could do anything, time slowed down to a crawl. Eva had the distinct impression that she was falling inside herself as the ship made the jump through hyperspace. The stars were reduced to white streaks outside the window, but everything inside the ship was moving so slowly. She saw her dad's surprised face as he appeared to be floating in midair. In reality, he had stumbled and was falling to the ground at a snail's pace. In a matter of seconds, it was over. Time caught up with them, and Don's back slammed against the wall. He slid to the floor, his spine aching. Eva had somehow fallen backward into Rakesh's waiting arms. She turned her head to see his worried face.

"Are you all right, Little Star?" he said.

Eva blinked, feeling somewhat dazed. "Huh? W-what happened?"

"Do you feel ill?" Rakesh helped the girl to her feet. "Some people experience nausea not unlike seasickness when making a hyperspace jump." Don groaned, sat up, and rubbed at his back.

"I ... I think I'm okay." She heard her father groaning and let out a small gasp when she saw him sprawled on the floor. "Oh! Dad! Are you all right?"

"I'll live ... Those Crogs should give us a bit more warning, though." He winced a little as a fresh spasm of pain shot up his spine. He was getting too old for all of this. Eva hurried toward him and knelt by his side.

"Are you hurt?" Eva touched his knee. "Do you need any aspirin? You've still got that medi-kit, right?"

Rakesh watched as Eva helped her father to stand, making no move to assist them. It was slow work, and the older man grunted in pain, but she stood near him and offered her shoulder for support. Eva stared into her father's pain-filled face, her red eyes brimming with concern for his well-being. Rakesh felt his eyes narrow and his heart grow cold with jealousy as he stared at the other man.

"Don't worry about me, Eva," Don said. "I just need to lie down for a bit." He looked up and saw a pair of silver eyes boring into him. He blinked, and Rakesh was smiling pleasantly once more. Don wondered if perhaps he imagined the earlier look.

"I shall take my leave of you now." Rakesh bowed deeply before Eva. "If you wish to speak with me further, you may find me in my cabin. My door is always open to you, Eva."

"Um, thanks, Rakesh. I'll remember that." And with that, the white-haired man turned and disappeared down the hall.

Don shot Rakesh a sour look behind his back. "I think we should all lay low for a while. I want to avoid any more trouble with the Crogs. Perhaps it's best if we just stay in our cabins for the rest of the trip."

"What? Are you kidding, Dad? We can't just stay cooped up like that for two more days! Haven't you heard of cabin fever?"

"It's only for two days, not two weeks. It would be in our best interest not to cause trouble with the Earth's would-be invaders. I still don't fully trust them, and I'd rather not take any chances."

"Dad, we just ate breakfast with them. If they were going to hurt us they would have done it by now. Besides, I like Kratos." She grinned. "He's not so bad, for a Crog."

Don closed his eyes and put his fingers to temple, as if his head hurt him. "Please, Eva, could you at least agree not to wander around by yourself anymore? It would give me peace of mind."

"Okay, okay, I'll take one of the guys with me next time if it'll make you feel better."

"As long as it's one of the members of the Earth Team, that's fine." Don's gaze traveled down the hall where Rakesh had gone. "I don't quite trust some of the others ..."

"Why not?" Eva said. Then she remembered Paradice and her pranks, Kratos and Rush in a fist-fight, and Spirit ... "Never mind, don't answer that."

Don sighed in relief, grateful for this small bit of cooperation from his headstrong daughter. "I'm going to lie down for a bit. It's been a long day, and it's only noon."

"Okay, I'll look for somebody else to keep me company. Try not to worry so much." She winked and flashed him a small smile.

"Now you know I can't do that: it's my job to worry about you." He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Eva patted him gently on the back. He released her and held her at arm's length. "Now, promise me you'll stay out of trouble."

"I'll try," Eva said with a laugh. "No promises there, though."

"And one more thing," Don's face became serious. "Be careful around Rakesh. I can't shake the feeling that there's something not right with him."

"Whatever you say, Dad." Eva kissed him on the cheek and hurried down the hall. "Get some rest, and I hope you feel better. See ya!"

Don Wei watched his daughter disappear down the hall and heaved a sigh. The day had barely begun and already he wanted it to be over.