“What do you mean ‘I’m not alone’?” Canard tilted his head, his eyes revealing the precipice of joy.
“I ran your info through the records room, and it gave me several anomalies that matched your description.” Rina pulled out a sheet of pictures. “You recognize these guys?”
“That’s my team!” Canard perked up immensely. “…Wait…”
“They’re alive.” Rina chuckled. “Don’t worry. They’re safe too.”
“Thank the Stars.” Canard sighed. “When can I see them?”
“Uh…” Rina and Lani exchanged a glance.
“I can go see them… right?” Canard raised an eyebrow.
“Not… right now.” Rina bit her lip. “You have to meet with a couple of people first, then they’ll decide.”
“You can’t decide for them?” Canard furrowed his brow.
“We might have screwed up the Fates by pulling you out of limbo.” Rina hugged the rest of the file. “The Council and the Seers want to make sure that we don’t make any more ripples in space-time.”
“All right.” Canard’s shoulders slumped slightly as he handed back the page. “What do I do in the meantime?”
“Get some more rest.” Lani rose. “…Is it okay if Frigidian looks after you while we’re gone?”
“As long as he doesn’t surprise me like that again.” Canard nodded.
“I’ll make sure he knocks.” Lani patted Canard’s hand as the two left.

As the door clicked shut, Canard rubbed the bridge of his beak. “Great…”

Outside, Lani and Rina headed back towards the council chambers.
“He’s going to have a cow when I tell him about the contract.” Lani reverted back to human form.
“No… he’ll be okay.” Rina patted the other goddess’ shoulder. “He’s strong. I know that he’ll understand.”
“I hope so… I don’t want to repeat what happened with the other emissary.” Lani sighed.

Down in the council chambers, the entire Hell Council had convened.
“As soon as Lani and Rina get here, we’ll begin.” Hades organized the papers on his section of the giant mahogany table.
“Do they really need to be here for the judging of one soul?” Satan started.
“Yes.” Enma levelled a look at the dark-haired god. “Lani pulled him out of limbo. He’s not from our planet, and therefore, is comfortably within their jurisdiction. They need to be here.”
“Whatever.” Satan slumped down in his seat.
“I’m surprised you even came, little one.” Hel looked over at the fallen angel. “I thought you had a sector to run.”
“I do. That’s why I want this over as soon as possible.” Satan straightened. “I left a bunch of new imps down in the Forest of the Suicides. I’d rather not see a glade of whittled firewood when I get back.”
“Fair enough.” Hades nodded.
“Thanks for waiting.” Lani started, as she and Rina entered the massive room and found chairs.
“You’d better have a story for us, Lani.” Hades drummed his fingers on the desk.
“Well, it turns out that he’s from halfway across the galaxy and we have no idea how to get him home.” Lani started. “However, the good news is some of his people have landed in America. They’re safe and accessible.”
“…Define accessible.” Ereshkigal raised an eyebrow.

Rina pulled up a press release and video on her laptop, turning it so the council could see the Mighty Ducks beginning their careers. “Ridiculously accessible.”
“Hockey playing alien ducks.” Anubis shook his head. “… That just sounds weird.”
“However, it’s true.” Lani shrugged. “We could take him back to them tomorrow.”
“We are not an intergalactic delivery service.” Shiva levelled a glance at the goddess.
“I know that.” Lani nodded. “I was about to offer him a contract when Rina came to get me.”
“A contract?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you had access to contracts.”
“That’s not the point.” Lani rolled her eyes. “I want to take him home, and I know that none of you will let me do it straight out, so I’m going to offer him a contract as my emissary for a couple of years. I’ll see if I can pull some strings from down here and get the whole group off this rock.”
“Is it just the birds?” Nergal asked.
“No.” Rina pulled up some police reports concerning Dragaunus and his crew. “There’s a saurian tyrant from another planet here too. He was the one that tossed Canard into limbo in the first place.”
“Can he be ‘dealt’ with?” Mictlanteuhtli asked.
“Not like that.” Lani started. “Unless you want us to screw up more of the Fates’ work.”
Mictlanteuhtli propped his chin up in his hands as he slouched forward onto the desk and stared at a wall. “…never get to have a good massacre anymore…”
“All right.” Enma stood. “Lani, take him to see the Fates. Convince him to take the contract, and work on getting him back to his people. I want it donequietly.”
“It’ll be like he never left.” Lani bowed and turned to leave.

Back in the infirmary, Frigidian knocked on the door with his tail as balanced a tray and some paperwork.
“Enter.” Canard called from the other side.
“It’s me, man.” Frigidian pulled the door handle down with his tail and pushed it open with his hip. “I brought you some stuff.”
“Stuff?” Canard raised an eyebrow as he wriggled into a sitting position.
“Minestrone soup and paperwork, to be precise.” ‘Dian chuckled. “Hey… I wanted to ask you… you tweaked out a little harder than most people when they see me. Is there something I should know?”
“You’re not Saurian, are you?” Canard cautiously asked as the Ice god set down the tray.
“Nope. One hundred percent Draconian.” Frigidian shook his head. “…Though, I am partially the reason the dinosaurs died out…”

“I see.” Canard nodded. “Well, long story short… my planet is currently in the middle of a war with a race of creatures that look just like you.”
“Understandably, then, my presence would be awkward…” ‘Dian nodded. “Okay, I’m level with that. Though… I think you can take some small comfort that I’m vegetarian. I don’t eat anything with a face.”
“Disturbing as that sounds… I think I’ll be all right.” Canard started eating the soup as ‘Dian put on a pair of glasses and started sorting through the paperwork.
“…Shut up and eat your soup.” Frigidian shot a sidelong glance as he heard the avian chuckle.
“What?” Canard asked. “You’re not thrilled that I’m feeling better?”
“Not if you’re gonna mock the specs.” Frigidian shook his head grimly, a smile breaking out moments later.
“Well, then you can suffer for my good health.” Canard laughed.
“I’ll do that.” Frigidian chuckled as he clicked open a pen and laid the back of his free hand on Canard’s forehead.

“Are you seriously taking an accurate temperature like that?” Canard looked up at the scaled hand.
“Yes.” Frigidian wrote down some numbers. “My skin is thermally sensitive.” Frigidian moved his hand to show Canard that the scales that had made contact with the avian had lightened. “That, and we’re out of oral thermometers.”
“…That’s quite useful then.” Canard nodded.

“Hey, guys…” Lani came into the room. “Good to see you two getting along.”
“Hi, Lani.” Canard started. “How did the meeting go?”
“Well, I have good news, and bad news… and news that will probably piss you off just a bit.” Lani smiled nervously.
“Let’s hear it.” Canard gave the empty soup tray to Frigidian.
“I get to take you home…” Lani started.
“Awesome!” Canard brightened up.
“…but first, I have to take you to see the Fates so they can help us figure out how to do it as smoothly as possible.” Lani continued.
“Okay, let’s go.” Canard nodded.
“It’s not that easy.” The air goddess paused momentarily. “You need to sign a contract with me.”
“…Come again?” Canard’s mood deflated substantially.
“Because we’re using Hell Council resources to get you reunited with your friends, you have to serve for a set period of time to pay them back.” Lani toed the floor. “It’s standard procedure, really.”
“I…” Canard’s eyes searched Lani and Frigidian’s faces as he pondered what the goddess had just said. “Have to… serve… Hell… to go home?”
“I didn’t sayHell.” Lani corrected the avian. “You have to serve me.”