Selene Gaudreau sat at the table that Bodhi Sitama had led her to and looked at the simple fare laid out. She smiled. "Thank you for inviting me." she said.

"You seek something here. What is it?" he asked politely, offering her a glass of chilled papallo juice.

"This humble one asks to be allowed to learn the meaning of these words, and how they might lead her to understanding the Essence."

Another man who'd just entered moved close to her. "I won't get on my knees in front of the Bohdi....nudge nudge say no more."

Selene looked at the man who'd just nudged her. "I don't believe we've met..." She noticed the Lt's pips on his uniform. "Sir. Midshipman Selene Gaudreau."

"Hello. I am Lt. Kit Fenric, former Lord of Brandek on the World of Greymirror, current Operations officer USS James TipTree Jr. and apprentice to "The Bodhi", Midshipman Selene."

"Worry not, Selene. He is simply my...baggage handler." He turned to Fenric, "Unlike your wretched self, this fine girl knows how to bestow proper respect unto her teacher--not like certain gross, ungrateful eaters of dead cows. There is a definite glint of promise in her eyes."

"So the old "Blade Beam" still works...huh master." Fenric sneered.

And then, before the Lieutenant could finish a sarcastic smile at his self-believed wit, he began to tremble, speechless, as he felt his throat constrict. The Bodhi stood impassively.

"Impertinent one, you will find that much more works than that. Your time would be better spent setting a good example for Arthur and Selene than wallowing in disrespect." Sitama said evenly.

With that, Fenric's airways opened and he bent over gasping for air. "You are expected to attend the first training session with the others later this week so we may purge you of whatever bad habits you undoubtedly picked up lo these many years. Now go to the station and bring back 50 kilograms of Chong Ju rice."

Selene watched in surprise as the Lt began gasping. She wondered for a moment if she should summon assistance, then discarded that idea almost at once. The Bodhi doubtless had some higher purpose here.

Then suddenly there was yet another man in the room, a pale man clad in black. He looked at the others and shook his head. "My God what have I started here?"

"God cannot save you now!" Sitama snapped at the pale man.

"My, but you Psi-Lords are very brave with your words these days." the pale man replied. "Is this how one would address a Temporal Watcher? I think not! Your pathetic belief in the greatest power source in the universe grows old with us. You watch yourself. Or things could go bad!"

Sitama looked the pale man over. "How typical is the hubristic bravado of those who serve the Shadow Side. Temporal Watchers....self-appointed guardians of time, indeed. Merely a veiled excuse to plunder history's riches from a side unseen by most. With the Essence as my ally I have nought to fear. You will find I am unlike any Psi-Lord you have ever encountered, Mr. Bishop."

"The Essence? Oh... You mean the Source. I believe it is very pathetic to find beings such as yourself who worships a powerfield." 'Bishop' answered. "It must be like old world primitives who once worshiped the sun as it rose every day. The Source is meant to be used as the ultimate power, not worshiped as a God by children. But then the Psi-Lords have often acted like children. You seem most upset because we Temporal Watchers have the heart to do what you fear to do. Sigh..." with a glance to Selene, "Little child, go away and play with your toys. Perhaps when your people have grown you might learn to understand why we do what we do."

"For years I have wondered what the purpose was for my my having been brought to this quadrant, now at last, I see. Call it what you will, but the universal power of the Essence is within all of us and it is our choice whether to ignore it or actively seek its benefits." responded the Bodhi.

"Contrary to your narrow-minded Guardian beliefs, we do not revere it as a god, merely as an extension of all life -- a life which you, too, share whether you choose to accept it or not -- that should be nurtured and used to enrich existence while ultimately bringing about cosmic harmony. It is not meant to be some crude weapon with which to dominate others. Yet sadly, so many misguided beings exist who choose to sulk in the dark with their grandiose dreams of conquest." Bishop replied.

"While I am not as extremist as some of my overly pious brethren, I still believe that the Essence can be a great unifier to bring all life together; if only more would open their spirits to the reality beyond this mere material world which the Guardians hold so dear. The Guardians are also like children: children with loaded phasers, and consequently more apt to cause damage through their own irresponsibility. It is never too late to change, Mr. Bishop. Let me guide you."

"A child who would seek to guide not only myself but my people's very way of life. My dear Bodhi you may have come from another quadrant of the galaxy. But my people have seen the very birth and the death of the universe itself. We have not only understood everything about this one galaxy but all galaxies. We have seen life in such ways that you could never understand it. And you would seek to change and guide me? The Temporal Watchers are beyound such little things as good and evil. We, simply put, just are. The Source enhances our world. It has raised and united our races and given us the power to be the supreme masters of all time and space."

Selene observes the exchange between Bodhi Sitama and the pale man, and looks at Lt Kit Fenric. "Do you have any idea what this is all about?"

"It is the standard long winded debate about whose theological/Mystical view is correct. It could go on for days. Want to get a drink at the station?"

"I'd like to, Lt." Selene begins to reply, but just then, Sitama speaks to Bishop again.

"The future is never set in stone, Mr. Bishop, no matter who you are. All you've seen are possibilities. If you understood everything in the universe, why are you not its supreme rulers already?"

"Ahh," Bishop replied, "but you see that's where the whole picture falls into place. The Temporal Watchers once ruled over everything once a long time ago. Until Lothos came as you might do well to learn about. Lothos in his dark ways used the Source in an evil way that all but disrupted the greater picture. In the aftermath of those events we settled to only watch and learn from events and stay ahead of them. Thus in many ways we are those who rule."

Sitama nodded. "Our legends speak of an evil one. The Source of Shadows, the Lurker Eternal, he who bestowed the Ebon Curse. Yes, Lothos is not unknown to us, Mr. Bishop. Were it not for Rashaman, first of the Psi-Lords, life as we know it would have ceased millennia ago. Bear in mind though, all Watchers can, themselves be watched."

"We have seen life in such ways that you could never understand it. And you would seek to change and guide me? The Temporal Watchers are beyond such little things as good and evil. We, simply put, just are. The Source enhances our world. It had raised and united our races and given us the power to be the supreme masters of all time and space." Bishop retorted.

"If you believe you just are," Sitama responded, "then you are too static to rise above it. Unlike some, Psi-Lords never force beings to their will. I merely offer you the choice to grow better, beyond yourself. Your last statement proves you are not totally lost."

Selene was still confused. "This humble one seeks only to understand what is occurring here. Who is this Bishop, and what is the nature of the conflict (for such it seems to be) between you?"

At that point, the other Midshipman, Omank, stood up. "This whole argument is ridiculous! Who cares if it's called the Essence or the Source!? It's all the same thing! And, it seems to me, a "lowly" human, that you two should be higher than this! To fight over a stupid name and what you do with it! If its use doesn't endanger any other lives, then don't bother arguing! But, for all we know, it does anytime anyone uses it! If you draw on the Essence or Source or whatever, then it would have to remove the Essence or Source from somebody to be used, and that being would die! So, stop using it if these are the consequences! Maybe that would end this pointless fight!"

"Oh my dear mister Omank you must understand something. This is not an argument. It's more like one massive on going debate that has gone on for countless centuries. The Psi-Lords and the Temporal Watchers are two sides of the same coin. As for someone dying when the Source is used... Life creates the Source it surrounds us and builds us and makes us grow as it grows. It's a symbiont that needs us as much as we need it. Death would weaken the field and therefore has no purpose." Bishop said coldly.

"It also seems to me that this is some sort of religious prejudice on the parts of both peoples, and I am sure that all of you should be above it, unless you are not really such a higher form of life like you think. You are acting just like the Q, both of you. Arrogant and you have a "High-and-Mighty" complex. Maybe the "common" beings that don't use these powers or don't understand them actually have a better grasp on what it really means to live, since we don't use some mystical energy field to keep us immortal. We know we're going to die, but we don't know when or how. You can enter the next plane anytime you want, or never enter it at all. And really, I am more than a little annoyed at all of this right now. Think about that."

"Arthur, none of us is immortal, though there are a race or two who come very close. A strong relationship with the Essence can give one a better grasp, however, in governing one's life. Even the Q are subject to the Essence, perhaps more than any of us--they just don't wish to admit it for they are more egotistical than the Guardians. I will freely admit that many of my bretheren think themselves the sole keys to truth, but they are equally at fault. No extreme is a good thing. Overcome your human annoyances and focus on going beyond them."

Omank glowered, but then Selene interposed, hoping to calm him by keeping the subject on something else Sitama had said. "It is difficult to conceive of the Q as being subject to anything, given the abilities that are apparently natural to them. Would the Bodhi care to clarify how the Essence pertains to them?" she asked.

"To answer all of your questions now would be to pour an ocean into a glass. You will learn all you seek...in time." Sitama replied.

Bishop ignored her for now and turned to Omank. "Little Mortal, that is very brave of you to say that." Bishop sneered. "Also seeing as how with ease I could move back to a point in the past and erase your very life from the face of the universe. However if I went about removing everyone who upset me, the universe would be a 'very' empty place after all. However I find that I am not willing to let something as primitive as yourself speak to me in such a way. I belive you will find your life as you have known it is about to become a very complex and difficult thing in the future. Of course should you wish to say you're sorry I shall overlook this. Otherwise, I have something very nasty in mind."

Omank wasn't impressed. "All I'm saying is I'm getting a bit annoyed at this argument. I would also now think that a higher form of life such as you would be willing to consider other points of view on things. Your way is not always the right way. Perhaps Master Sitama is correct in some matters, whereas you are correct in others. If a puny mortal can see the logic in that, how come it doesn't seem to be so obvious to the ones who actually weald this power? But why should I apologize for stating the obvious fact that you might be abusing your power to make beings believe that your way is the only correct way possible. Why not allow other forms of belief to take hold on something that you know and use? Jesus Christ created Christianity, but it was based on Judaism. I just happen to think that if most of the mortal races could put aside difference in religious belief, then why cannot the ones who have been here for millennia more? And it would be a very obvious abuse of your power that would also likely be highly immoral if you were to get rid of me and my family somewhere on the timestream for my giving facts that should be obvious to both the Psi-Lords and the Temporal Watchers with their vaunted powers. Now, Master Sitama, I haven't heard from you on matters since I started saying what I felt was going on between you peoples. What do you have to say about all this? Or are you, a Psi-Lord, with all your vaunted powers, afraid that Bishop might exact some form of retribution on you for saying anything in my support or against him? What is it? I, frankly, am sick of so-called higher beings claiming we are uncivilized savages when they cannot even do something as simple as put religious prejudices aside which the puny savage mortals have done just that!"

Selene reached over to Omank and put a hand on his arm, wanting only to defuse this situation before it got out of hand. "Mr Omank, there are clearly some higher issues involved here which we are not enlightened enough to understand. It might not be a good idea to interfere without knowledge of what you do."

Omank started to say something, but before he could, Sitama raised a hand. "I believe this young man has made his decision, Mr. Bishop. I ask neither him nor the others to worship anything. I wish them merely to become aware."

Selene looked to each of the others present, then turns back to Sitama. "That is what I wish, if the Bodhi will allow it. But might I ask, who is this..Bishop? Is he another of your kind? He feels different somehow, I cannot sense him in the way I do others."

Bishop stared icily at Omank and Selene. "Enemies are obvious. Beware your friends, Arthur." He did not speak to her, but that cold stare never wavered.

Sitama continued. "Your training, and that of my other Acolytes (including my ungrateful foundling) shall begin later this week."

"I am prepared," Selene said quietly.

Sitama then turned to Omank, who still stood there, defiant, as if daring either one of them to resume the debate. "You must learn patience, Arthur. That was a key Guardian characteristic: they are easily excitable when in the presence my Kind. Some time I shall tell you about the relationship between the Psi-Lords and the Guardians. I do not doubt Mr. Bishop will recount his version as well. In the wrong hands, the Essence could be diastrous for all of creation."

"I would like to hear this also, if it is permitted to ask that is." Selene said softly.

"Before you speak, you must first listen to the natural silence." Sitama instructed her.

"I will listen. but what am I hearing?"

"You expect too much too soon, Selene. Be patient." Sitama held up a hand to quiet her, then turned to Omank. "Arthur, whatever you have heard of Psi-Lord powers is purely hearsay. You have not seen us nor really even experiences us or the Watchers. You call us higher beings, this is not so, nor do we claim to be. Despite Mr. Bishop's protestations, neither is he nor the Watchers. Our peoples are merely in closer contact with the Essence, something that everyone has the potential to be. Neither the Psi-Lords nor the Watchers are a religion, we are simply civilizations who discovered and actualized the Essence in similar yet varying ways. The Psi-Lords force nobody to their will. In fact, we have been the defenders of the weak and the oppressed for millennia. I fear no retribution from Mr. Bishop any more than he fears it from me. We are simply of differing philosophies based on different teachings and backgrounds of the same foundation. Whether you agree or not is your free choice. Have I once called you an uncivilized savage or made you feel less than human? Many Psi-Lords are human as are many Watchers."

Selene couldn't keep from asking more questions. There was so much she didn't understand and wanted to. "So then exactly what is the difference? You speak of the dangers should the Essence fall into the wrong hands. If these Watchers are not the wrong hands then what are they? And who would the wrong hands be?"

"The wrong hands are those who follow the Shadow Path of the Essence. They are the ones who misuse its power for selfish purposes: conquest, dominion, material self-gratification. It is somewhat like a surgeon using his talents to operate in hopes of saving a life versus using it falsely on a person who really does't need it simply to obtain ill-gotten reward from them by making them believe it was necessary."

Bishop had had enough of Selene's questions. He looked at her and with a smile said, "Pain my child."

Selene fell to the floor in great wracks of burning pain which faded after a few moments.

"One should learn not to get too close to fires. They can burn people." Bishop turned back to Bodhi.

She lay there just trying to get past the echoes of the pain, though it had faded the effects were still with her. Perhaps...perhaps a full human would not have been so affected, but her Deltan heritage with its heightened physical and empathic senses had in this instance made her more vulnerable to whatever this Bishop had done.

The Bodhi's hand instinctively flew to the blade beam at his side as he quickly glanced to his pupil. The pain in her face eased and he saw she was not otherwise harmed. Kit Fenric, having happened by at that time on his way to his duty station, felt a powerful vibration unlike he'd ever known come from his teacher. The force of it nearly pushed him backwards. He looked to Sitama whose face appeared to color in vibrant anger. He could tell the Bodhi was furious, a sight he'd never seen in all the years they'd known each other.

Sitama strode to the pale, black-clad man, their faces mere inches away. "In decades I have never struck in anger, Bishop. But if you ever harm a defenseless novice in my presence again, I will show you such pain as even Lothos cannot conceive."

Bishop cocked an eyebrow, an almost curious expression on his face. "Such are not the ways of your kind, old fool."

"Perhaps that is why I am not still with them. Now begone from here, lest I change my mind."

"I leave because I choose to, not because anyone orders me, Psi-Lord. But rest assured, I will be back. Long after your bones are dust I will remain."

Sitama quickly retuned to his fallen pupil. Already Fenric was cradling her head, having called for a medical team. "That's a Watcher?" Sitama frowned sadly.

"Yes. They only get worse from there." Fenric gave no great consideration to the fact that this was the first time since he'd joined the Tiptree that his old Master had spoken civilly to him. "Now do you understand why it is vital to train, to become strong in the Essence? This poor child had no defense whatsoever."

"I felt something was wrong. Usually I go to my station from a different corridor," said Fenric. "But something made me come this way for some reason."

"Then perhaps there is hope for you yet."

She gazed up at Fenric and Sitama, still too weakened by the reaction to try moving just yet.

"M-master.." she tried to speak. "what, what happened...the pain, I've never...who is he?"

"He is one of the reasons the Psi-Lords exist. Now hush, child, and rest. I will tell you more later."

Bishop shook his head. "Merely one who knows something. You see its like this. I have been doing a great deal of looking beyond the boundary."

"The boundary," The Bodhi snapped, standing up, "It is forbidden for the Watchers to cross that."

Bishop sighed, "Yes it is," he said, not bothering to look at the Psi-Lord, "But I have learned that something out there is watching us all."

"Master what is the boundary?" Fenric asked.

"A point in the far far future which the Psi-Lords and Temporal Watchers are forbiden to enter," The Bodhi said looking at Bishop, "Only it seems Bishop has crossed it."

"You do not understand," Bishop snapped, "You told me you had heard of the legends of Lothos."

"Lothos is dead."

Bishop chuckled, "Yes, he seemed very dead. His body had been torn apart and destroyed. However I have learned that beyond the boundary, Lothos has over the endless billions of years rebuilt himself. He will soon make a move against both time and space and reshape the flow of history so it fits his picture of it."

"And I am just supposed to believe this?" the Bodhi asked.

"No," Bishop said, "I expect you to do something about it. After all it was the Psi-Lords who claimed to have stopped him. It seems your people fell short of the goal." A dark smile crossed Bishops and in a flash of bright white light, Bishop, The Bodhi, Fenric, Selene, The Cathedral, and the USS Tiptree vanished from time and space moving towards a point in time where none had seen before.

"Why don't you step inside the Cathedral...if you dare?" Bishop invited. "I have something to show you."

Fenric looked up at him, his face darkening with anger. If there was one thing Kit hated, it was violence against women. In his world of Greymirror they were either warriors or ladies and neither was treated like the other. As if the Bodhi coould read his thoughts, Sitama reached over to gently touch his pupil's shoulder.

"Stay with Selene," he said. "I will go." Sitama rose, hand still near his bladebeam, and followed the pale man into the small, humming box nearby. Fenric mused for a moment that it was odd how the two men could fit in such a cramped space.

Sitama strode into the time and space capsule called the Cathedral, paying no heed to the fact that its expansive Gothic interior was impossibly larger than its tiny appearance. Bishop turned to him, hoping to catch the classic expression that all non-Watchers had upon entering his ship. Sitama's face was expressionless. An amused look crssed the pale man's smooth face. "Oh, aren't you the jaded one. No puzzled looks at this miracle of technology?"

"Dimensional transcendentality may be overwhelming to some, but not the enlightened." Sitama expressed.

Bishop's eyebrows actually rose. "Hmmm...interesting. Very interesting indeed, even for a Psi-Lord. You are indeed a rare fellow, my dear Bodhi." His voice inflected the last word with venom.

"I'm not here for your amusement Watcher, now what is it you need to show me?"

"Logan, onscreen. Status report."

The viewscreen above a large glowing translucent column activated and as the men looked on. "Approaching coordinates 000.07 by 0110 from Event One, Bishop."

"Excellent," said the pale man. "Do you have any concept of extratemporal coordination, Psi-Lord?" Sitama merely furrowed his brow in distaste. "Never mind, I shall simply tell you.. We are at a point just beyond the Boundary of time and space, the so-called 'Forbidden Zone' where Lothos makes his home in preparation for his return."

Sitama looked at the screen as swirling rid and orange gaseous spirals moved in glowing patterns amid a field of entire blackness. There were no stars, no planets, no astral bodies that any had ever seen. They were all beyond space as most people knew it, in fact, they were beyond time itself.

"And a giant kaleidoscope on your screen is supposed to convince me that Lothos is still alive? I can't say as I'm terribly impressed," said the Bodhi.

"That mega-atomic fireball you see rapidly growing is merely his Herald--a precursor of the power that is behind it. Even my scanner is not powerful enough to see Lothos, but he is coming, stronger than ever and his power will cleanse all the refuse that eternity has excreted for all these years, including your pathetic kind."

"Lothos was defeated once, he can be again."

"There is no possible chance of that old fool!" Bishop laughed. "Who will stop him, the Psi-Lords? Rashaman is dead! All that remain are a few effete followers with their heads in the clouds dreaming of a peace that will never be."

"In all things there is balance, Bishop. Lothos cannot destroy without upsetting the balance of the cosmos and reality will not allow itself to be uneven for long."

"With Lothos' return, there shall come a new Reality and we shall be its masters!"

"Nothing lasts forever, Bishop, especially what was not meant to be in the first place."

So far this was not working the way he had wished it to. His plan had been to push The Bodhi into moving against Lothos. After all it would do him no good to move against Lothos.

Some time ago Bishop had learned in his own future he would become Lothos. It was with this vision of the future that he knew he had to move against in some fasion. The thought of all that would be destroyed by his own hand the lives that would be destroyed because of him chilled his own soul. The very thought that something would drive him to become this being in the first place was both terrifing and scared him very much.

Still if his plan worked as he knew it must then there was a chance that Lothos could be stopped. Still that ment Bishop must one against play the darker side of his own being more than he liked too. When he reached out and pushed the young woman her had known it would hurt he very much, but in no way would he damage her or take her life.

And try as he might he found he still had a very hard time justifing his actions. Bishop looked over at The Bodhi the image of swirling red and orange gaseous spirals danced between the two men.

"Tell me," Bishop said walking over to antique chair and sitting down, "Do you believe that you have what it takes to stop Lothos?"

************

Meanwhile, back aboard the Tiptree...

A few minutes later, she came awake to find herself lying on the floor of Sitama's quarters, Fenric kneeling beside her, her head in his lap. "Fenric...?" she turned her head slightly. The echoing of the pain had faded, though she still felt somewhat weak.

The pale man, the Watcher, was gone--but so was Sitama. What could this mean?

"Fenric--excuse me, Lcdr--" she tried to sit up. "I'm sorry I know I shouldn't be...!"

Had her nature affected him while she was unconscious? If so she had a lot to apologize for. But first--

"I'm all right, I think--where's the Bodhi?"

"Relax Selene" replied Kit. "The Bodhi has asked me to take care of you while he travels in the Cathedral with Bishop. Everything will be fine, so rest and recover from Bishop's little demonstration"

Kit gently placed his hands on Selene's temples and whispered `sleep'. As she began to drift off she heard him whisper one last thing.

"You can call me Kit"

* * *

Some time later...

She woke up to find herself in her quarters, in her own bed. How had she gotten here? the last thing she remembered was being in Sitama's quarters after the 'Watcher' had attacked her.

Then she sensed someone close by. She opened her eyes.

Fenric was sitting beside her bed, apparently waiting for her to wake up.

She smiled. "Thanks--" at least that answered the question of how she'd gotten back here. She'd been about to say 'Fenric' then remembered half hearing something just before she'd fallen asleep earlier. "Kit."

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"A lot better." she replied. "Thanks for getting me back here. I'm sorry to be so much trouble." She glanced over to the chronometer, then looked back to Fenric. "It's been almost -six hours-??" She shook her head in surprise. "What that Watcher did must've hit me even harder than I'd thought. Even if I'd expected it--which I didn't--I'm not sure I could've handled it." She sighed. "I still don't understand why I couldn't sense anything from him."

She looked at Fenric again and managed a smile. "I'm all right, really. I'm just worried about the Bodhi--what was that you said about a--I couldn't have heard you correctly, Cathedral?"

"The Bodhi explained the Temporal Watcher's Cathedral device to me along time ago when I first trained with him", replied Kit. "Temporal Watchers, like Bishop, use the devices to travel through time, space and even universes. They are very powerful devices."

Selene nodded and glanced out the viewport..."I was going to take you up on that trip to DS27....but..." she gestured outside. "I don't think we're in `Kansas' anymore."

Fenric looked and sighed as he saw the different space outside. Bishop must have done something, who only knew what. He wondered what was in store for them all now.

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