Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, DC Comics does. This is done strictly for fun and I'm not making any money for it so I hope DC doesn't sue me!


From The Future To The Past OR Never Say Never!

A Tale of the Legion of Super-Heroes

by CGISPERT

Cast: Legionnaires M'Onel (Lar Gand/Valor), Braniac 5.1 (Querl Dox), U(Tasmia Mallor), Apparition (Tinya Wazzo Nah/Phase), Ultra Boy (Jo Nah), Sister Andromeda (Laurel Gand)

Non-Legionnaire cast: Tenzil Kem, R. J. Brande, Wilmena Wazzo, Leland McCauley III, Workforce, Vril Dox, Lobo, Hu Krinn, Ewa Krinn, Pol Krinn, Dyrvd Marnozz

Here's the set up so far:
After the Blight's defeat, the U.P. in general and Earth in particular have turned against the Legion. And M'Onel's about to learn that things are going to get a lot worse (for him at least) before they get better!

I want to thank Dannell for all her help and encouragement!

--------------------

Legion H.Q.(what's left of it): Tenzil watched as M'Onel entered the dining hall. Well, he's NOT looking very happy, thought Tenz as M'Onel walked toward him. "Hey Lar what can I get for you today?"

Lar shrugged. "An idea on how to help Tasmia come to terms with being blighted would be good, Tenz."

So you still haven't gotten her to talk it out?" asked Tenz.

"Gods know I've tried, Tenz, just about ALL of the Legionnaires have tried, but she just sits there crying and bites our heads off for our efforts!"

Tenz shook his head, "Just give her time, Lar.

Lar ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know Tenz, but I just wish she'd talk to SOMEBODY about it and get it in perspective, then maybe we can get with our lives!" Just then R. J. Brande walked into the room. "Ah just the Legionnaire I've been looking for! Lar we need to talk."

"Yes, sir Mr. Brande?" R. J. and Lar both look uncomfortable, each knowing that Lar was NOT going to like what he was about to hear.

"Well, lad as we all know the U.P. and to a lesser extent the A.P. are going to hell in a hand basket. Both alliances are in danger of falling apart, what with the recent troubles. The races of the U.P. especially need a rallying point. And unfortunately, the Legion no longer fills the bill.

Lar looked away from R. J. "I'm not sure what that has to do with me, sir."

Brande sadly shook his head "Yes you do Lar, as Valor you would be the PERFECT rallying point for the U.P. and even the A.P. After all on MOST of the worlds of both groups, you are a figure of worship practically deified!" Lar grimaced and turned his back to Brande saying over his shoulder:"Maybe I WAS VALOR but that's NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, remember? The then ruling council of the U.P. made me SWEAR TO NEVER admit to having been Valor, that's why I'm M'Onel now! In fact if I HADN'T AGREED to the secret I'D STILL BE IN THE STASIS ZONE!!!!! Now, simply because it would make things a little easier for the powers that be, you want me to destroy the life I've made for myself!" Lar shook his head "NO, BLAST IT, IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!" Brande puts his hand on Lar's shoulder, "No Lar it's not fair to you, but it IS the best and fastest way to ensure the continued existence of the U.P.!" Brande replied, "At least think about it, son, that's all I ask, just think about it." Lar sighed and hung his head. "Alright sir, I'll think about it."


Legion H.Q. commissary: "Tenz I want the biggest hot fudge sundae with every variety of chocolate you've got."

"OK Lar, you've got it."

As Tenz is making Lar's sundae, Apparition and Ultra Boy enter the room.

"WOW, Lar," exclaims Tinya,"you really ARE depressed over Umbra!" Lar looked over his shoulder. "Tinya, you're only half right, it's more than that." Jo chimes in: "Would it have anything to do with why R. J. Brande just walked past us looking at least as depressed as you look, Lar?" Lar laughs bitterly: "Yes, Jo, that's the rest of it all right."

"Here's your sundae, Lar, hope it helps, glad it's your problem and not mine!" Tenz said.

"All right that's it," exclaims Tinya. "Since you seem to know so much about Lar's problem, Tenz, fill us in while Lar eats his ice cream!"

Jo nods in agreement. "Yeah, Tenz what's the story?" Tenz lifts his hands and exclaims, "Alright,I'll talk! To make a long story short, Mr. Brande wants Lar to be Valor again! He (Brande) thinks Lar'd be the perfect rallying point to keep the U.P. and A.P. intact".

Jo and Tinya are both staring open mouthed at Lar. "Oh, Lar, I'm so sorry," Tinya says as she pats him on the shoulder. Jo playfully slaps Lar on the back, "I've got to agree with Tenz, pal, better you than me!"

Lar swallows and grimaces: "Yeah, Jo, I'm really happy about this," Lar says sarcastically. Tinya puts her hand to her mouth. "Oh my gosh, Lar, haven't you been dating Umbra?"

Lar lowers his head in his hands. "Oh, no I've got to tell Tasmia! In her current frame of mind I'm as good as dead!"

Jo clasps Lar on the shoulder. "Why do you say that Lar?"

Lar glares at Jo. "Well let's see: 1. She's an emotional basket case at the moment; 2. We've been dating for over 6 months; 3. It's been nearly 2 years since she joined the Legion; 4. She'll more than likely take the position that I should have told her the truth about my past, oh I don't know at least 4 months ago!"

Jo lifts his hands placatingly. "Hey I'm on your side pal. But I'm sure once you explain it all and she's had time to calm down, she'll come around!"

Lar puts his chin in his hands. "Gods, I hope you're right, Jo; I don't want to lose her!"

"Oh Mistress, Lar! You love her don't you?" gasps Tinya.

Lar nods sadly. "Yes, Tinya, I do, but she doesn't feel the same way about me. Not yet anyway, and if she takes this news the wrong way,she never will!"

Lar finishes his sundae. "Blast it all, there's got to be another way to keep the U.P. and A.P. together. I don't want to deal with being Valor again, not in this century! I'll never have a nanosecond's peace from the sprocking Valorists!"

Tenz, Tinya and Jo looked at Lar helplessly. They all knew Lar was right. He'd never be able to show his face in public again without possibly causing a riot. It took Triad Orange nearly 3 weeks to stop kneeling at Lar's feet every time they were in the same room. They knew he hated the idea of being a religious icon, but they also knew that Mr. Brande was right.

As Valor, Lar would be the perfect rallying point for the U.P. and even the A.P.

Finally Jo asked the question on all their minds. "Well, Lar, what are you going to do? Do you have an alternative to Mr. Brande's plan?"

Lar rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want to do it, Jo, but I can't think of an alternative."

Tinya's face brightened. "Lar, have you talked to Brainy or Laurel about this yet?"

Lar shook his head. "No, I haven't, Tinya, and I'm not going to. Brainy's not my idea of a good adviser in this instance. Neither is Laurel, she's a Valorist for the God's sake!"

Tinya laughs. "Yes, I can see where she'd be more than happy to have Valor back. And Brainy's social skills do leave a lot to be desired!"

Everyone laughs, even Lar.

"Well, the sundae was great, Tenz. And I thank you all for your moral support. Gods know I'm going to need all the support you can give me in the years to come!"

The others become solemn at Lar's words.

"You're going to go along with Brande's plan, aren't you, Lar?" Tinya says as she wipes a tear from her cheek.

"Yes, Tinya, Gods help me I am!" exclaims Lar.

Lar stands and walks toward the exit; over his shoulder he says, "But I'm going to tell Tasmia the whole story before I give Brande his answer."

He waves to the others. "Wish me luck, my friends, 'cause I'm going to need it! All the luck I can get!

Each of the three left in the room glance at each other and after Lar.

Together they say, "Best of luck Lar, because you deserve it, especially with Tasmia!"

Lar hears them as he walks down the hall. "Thank you, my friends," he whispers to himself.


  Legion H.Q. Umbra's quarters:

Tasmia sits on a floating chair, looking at a sunset whose beauty seems almost obscene when compared to the devastated cityscape its waning light still shows all too clearly.

She thinks to herself, "My fellow Legionnaires are lucky, once the sun sets at least they can't see the devastation those of us who were blighted helped to wreak upon this city. Small wonder the people hate us now. Though it's not fair that even the Legionnaires who were not blighted have also had to bear the brunt of the wrath of the Blight's victims!

Her thoughts are interrupted by the buzzing of the door intercom."GO AWAY, WHOEVER YOU ARE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" she shouts into the intercom.

Through the intercom comes a voice she knows well. "Tasmia, let me in please I have to tell you something important!"

Tasmia opens the door. "Oh very well M'Onel, we both know you could easily get in here no matter what I do."

Lar enters the room and clears his throat nervously "I'd never force my way in here, Tasmia, but I really need to tell you this!"

Tasmia flounces back to her chair and gesture for Lar to take the chair across form hers. "So what's the emergency, Lar, not another lecture on how I'm not coping with being blighted as well as Jo and the others who were also blighted have?"

Lar looks out the window. "No, Tasmia, that's not it." Tasmia grimaced. "WHAT IS IT THEN?"

Lar looks uncomfortable. "Well, before I tell you I have to ask that you not interrupt, that you wait until I'm finished to ask any questions, and I promise I'll answer all of your questions then, all right?" Tasmia nods her assent.

"Thank you, my love." Lar thought to himself, and prayed that she'd understand and forgive his previous silence. He raked his hand through his hair.

"Gods, I'm not sure were to start. Guess I better start at the beginning.

"My real name as you know is Lar Gand. I was born on Daxam my date of birth by Earth's calendar is March 27, 1978." Tasmia's jaw drops and she gasps.

Lar lifts his hand. "Yes, I was born in the 20th century, not the 30th. I'm chronologically 1,021 years old. Back then my code-name was Valor. I contracted a fatal dose of lead poisoning, and Superboy saved me by projecting me into another dimension.

"From there I could see and hear everything that was happening in this dimension, but I was an immaterial phantom." Lar suppressed a shudder caused by the memories.

"I'll never understand how my relatively short superhero career in the 20th century got blown so out of proportion that I'm considered a veritable God on so many worlds, but that's the way it is.

"Any way, about a year before you joined, I managed to get a telepathic message to Saturn Girl, poor kid at first she thought she was losing her mind! But I finally convinced her I wasn't a figment of her imagination or symptom of mental illness!

"Once she convinced the other Legionnaires, they informed the U.P. ruling council that they were going to free me from that living Hell! That's when things got dicey. The council was afraid of the reaction to the news that Valor was alive; guess they thought the so-called Gandian world would all go crazy at the news. The short version is: unless I and the current (at the time) membership of the Legion swore to keep my past as Valor a secret, I was to be LEFT IN THE STASIS ZONE! We all took the oath obviously," said Lar trying to smile. "The only reason I'm telling you this now is that, well with the current situation, R. J. Brande is going to reveal to the fact that I'm Valor to the whole of the U.P. and A.P. I wanted you to hear this from me, Tasmia, not from a story on the holo-news." Lar stands and walks over to her. "So what more do you want to know, Tasmia?"

Tasmia slowly turns her head to look up at Lar. "BY MY ANCESTORS! VALOR! I'VE BEEN DATING VALOR! AND THE ONLY REASON YOU'VE TOLD ME IS YOU'RE ABOUT TO TELL THE WHOLE SPROCKING GALAXY!!!"

Lar winced, but said nothing feeling it was better to let her get it all out, he nodded his head to her.

"Tell me something, Valor, if Brande wasn't going to make this PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, would we be having this little chat? Or would you have kept up the pretense of being Andromeda's cousin?

"HELLFIRE, ARE YOU EVEN RELATED TO HER AT ALL?"

Lar kneels on the floor at her feet. "I've wanted to tell you before now, Tasmia, you and all the others who joined the Legion after me. But that's one legend about me that's true, my word is my bond, once I give it I keep it, NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES!

"I've been meaning to ask permission from the U.P. council to tell you and the others, but some crisis or other kept coming up. As for my pretense of being Laurel's cousin, well Gand is a fairly common family name on Daxam and we've never tried to have any genetic testing done to verify it one way or the other.

"But if we are related I'd either be her Uncle with more greats in front of the Uncle than I care to remember or her cousin so many times removed I wouldn't even hazard a guess."

Lar takes Tasmia's hand. "So I guess the main question is: Where do we go from here? Or did you have more questions you want the answer to, my love?"

Tasmia stares openmouthed at him. "Wha-what did you just call me?"

Lar gently lifts her chin. "I called you my love, not the best timing for a declaration of love I know, but there you have it, I love you Tasmia Mallor! I know you don't return the feeling, yet, but I hope you will in time!"

Tasmia blushes. "What makes you think that I don't return the feeling? Did it ever occur to you that I was waiting to tell you that I love you, you great idiot? I didn't think you loved me! You certainly are good at hiding your emotions!"

Lar swept her out of the chair. "YOU LOVE ME? YOU REALLY DO? Gods, Tasmia, you don't know how badly I needed to hear that!"

Tasmia put her hand to his lips. "You do realize that I need time, both to adjust to learning that you are Valor and to come to terms with what I did while I was blighted!"

Lar kisses the palm of her hand gently. "Yes, I know that Tasmia, and I'll give you all the time you want and need. I'll do whatever I can to help you in any way I can. I know everything that has happened and what I just told you has been a shock. But I won't pressure you in any way. I just want to be there for you when need me to be.

"And I hope that when the time's right we can pick up our relationship where we left off and then go on from there. Do you think we'll be able to do that?

"OH Gods, I can't believe I just said that!!! Don't answer that last question! Gods, I meant it when I said no pressure, yet here I go and say that! Geez, you'd think I'd have learned to think before I speak! I know you aren't ready to make any decisions or commitments to me or anyone else!"

Tasmia pats him on the shoulder. "That's all right Lar, I understand, you're under a lot of pressure, and while you weren't blighted , what the Blight did to you was as bad or worse! I won't give you a definite answer on our relationship's future but I will say this: I also hope that when all this is finally behind us that we find ourselves together, but I'm so confused, Lar!

"Please just give me time to get all this in perspective. I love the man who I knew as M'Onel, but you just admitted to me that was a lie!! I need time, Lar, to heal and to get to know you all over again!"

Lar nods sadly. "Very well, Tasmia. Take all the time you need; I'll be here for you in whatever way you need or want me to be! Hey, if I learned anything in the Stasis zone, it was how to wait!

"But you do need time to absorb and adjust to the fact that I was and unfortunately am about to once again be Valor!"

Tasmia arches an eyebrow. "Unfortunately?"


  Legion HQ M'Onel's quarters:

Lar is seated at his holo-vid-phone console, having a conversation with R. J. Brande.

R. J.: "I'm sorry that you're having to do this Lar, but it will be all right."

Lar: "For the U.P. and A.P.'s sakes I hope so, sir. You should know, sir, that I've already told Umbra. I couldn't let her find out through a holo-news report!"

R. J.: "Ahh, so that's the way the wind's blowing eh son? Good for you both, I certainly understand why you'd do that."

Lar: "Well, sir, the wind's direction is now a little in doubt."

R. J.: "Eer, yes I guess it was quite a shock, and she still hasn't recovered from being blighted has she?"

Lar: "Yes, it was quite a shock and no, she has a long way to go before she puts the Blight and what the bastiches did to her and all of us behind her!"

R. J.: "Well, give her my best, won't you?"

Lar: "Yes, sir, I'll do that."

R. J.: "Now let's get down to business, shall we?"

Lar: "I guess so, sir. When are you going to make the announcement?"

R. J.: "You don't really want to do this, do you, Lar?"

Lar: "No, sir, I don't, but I don't really have a choice now, do I?"

R. J.: "I'm very sorry, Lar, but no, I don't see that you have a choice, not if the U.P. and A.P. are going to survive! I wish you did have a choice, but for the good of the galaxy I can't let you continue living the lie of M'Onel! The galaxy needs Valor to survive!

Lar, angrily: "I know that! But I don't have to like it! Or be happy about it!"

R. J., soothingly: "Yes, I realize that, son. But with time we'll all recover from the accursed Blight! And hopefully someday your life will get back to where it was before this sorry state of things."

Lar, sarcastically: "Rriigghhtt, if that actually happens the shock mightkill me! You and I both know that my life will never get back to there, not after the Valorists learn their Lord Valor is alive and well!"

R. J., sadly: "All I can do is say again how sorry I am for this, lad. Especially since I am at least partially responsible. But I think that the sooner we announce Valor's return, the better!"

Lar, glumly: "Yes, sir, might as well get it over with!"

R. J.: "Buck up, my boy! It's a revival, not a funeral, after all!"

Lar, wryly: "That depends on your point of view, sir. It may be Valor's revival, but it'salso M'Onel's funeral! Also the funeral of any chance I'll ever have for a normal life!"

R. J.: "Uumm, I suppose it is, at that! I have to make the arrangements with the holo-news networks. Then I'll tell you when and where you'll have to be for the news conference. That's all right with you, isn't it?"

Lar: "Well, you can do it any way you want, but I won't be there. After we end this call I have some arrangements to make."

R. J.: "Arrangements?"

Lar: "Yes, I'm leaving Earth. I'm going to get Laurel and together she and I are going to gather food, medicinal supplies, etc., and distribute it to the blighted worlds! Until the U.P. Council allows the stargate network to be repaired and reactivated, Laurel and I can transport the needed supplies through space fasterthan the various star ships! Besides on the blighted worlds none of the spaceports are operational!"

R. J.: "If that's the way you want to do this, son, very well. You're right, of course. Those supplies are desperately needed! And at least this way you won't have to deal with the initial public reaction. With any luck by the time you return to Earth, all the hoopla will have begun to die down, at least a little!"

Lar chuckles: "Yes, sir, my thoughts exactly! Though I'm not going to count on it!"

R. J.: "Smart lad! I think we've reached a consensus, and you have more important things to do than listen to the ramblings of an old man! So I'll wish you well and hope your mercy mission goes well! Hope to see you again soon lad. Best of luck (R. J. winks) and I hope you and Umbra work out the way I know you want it to!"

Lar smiles: "Yes, sir! Thank you for understanding why I can't be at the news conference. I do hope it goes well for you. Farewell, sir."

R. J.: "Yes, farewell, son!"

Lar dials the Cargg embassy.

A male appears: "Good afternoon, you have reached the Carggian embassy. My name is Chuluor Taigo, how ma-- Sweet Valor! Oh M'Onel! I never realized...you look enough like Lord Valor to be his twin! How may I be of service, sir?"

Lar wryly thinks, "Valor's twin. Gods if you only knew!" Aloud he says: "Yes, I'm often told that. But I'm calling to arrange the purchase of blankets, clothes, etc., I'll pay of course. The amount of merchandise will be huge. Several million blankets and several billion articles of clothing, all sizes. Who do I need to speak to?"

Chuluor: "Ah, you are going to give these things to the poor wretches on the blighted worlds? I will transfer your call to Asst. Ambassador Arlenu Durgne at once, sir."

A man appears: "Arlenu Durgne here, how ma-- Glory of Valor! Ah, of course, M'Onel, Great Valor yo--you look like you are Valor incarnate! (Lar grimaces thinking: "Gods help me! Give me the strength to cope, because I'm definitely going to need it!")

Lar, wryly: "Yes, so I've been told, but I'm calling to arrange the purchase of blankets, clothing, etc. I'll be glad to pay of course. The first shipment would be for several million blankets, and several billion articles of clothing all sizes and age groups."

Arlenu: "Yes, of course. But if this is for the blighted worlds, I doubt if our merchants will accept your credits!"

Lar: "That's as may be, sir. But I am willing to pay!"

Arlenu: "As you say, but I believe I know my Carggite brethren, and I would be shocked if any merchant or manufacturer accepted you credits! It would be a sacrilege, a crime against Valor andhis teachings!"

Lar thinks, "What SPROCKING teachings! I don't remember teaching the original colonists any moral, ethical or religious lessons! Gods help me I'll never understand the Valorists!"

Aloud Lar says: "Far be it from me to insult anyone, but I will pay for the merchandise. If any of the suppliers will allow it."

Arlenu: "I will, of course, relay your offer of payment, but I'd be very surprised if anyone accepts it! I will make the arrangements as soon as possible, of course."

Lar: "Thank you ,sir, I'd appreciate that very much. I'll come for the merchandise as soon as it's ready, if that's acceptable?"

Arlenu: "Yes, of course, it will take a while to gather such a large amount. Good luck in this great effort! May Valor bless you and your efforts! Good-bye, M'Onel."

Lar: "Eer, yes, Arlenu, thank you and good-bye." Lar thinks, "Gods, what am I letting myself in for? The Valorists will never give me a nanosecond's peace! I hate this and it hasn't even happened yet!"

Lar dials a number; the screen shows a computer image of a familiar young woman. Computer generated voice: [You have reached Sister Andromeda, I can't come to the videophone right now. Please leave your number and a brief message at the tone and I will return your call as soon as I can]. "BEEP"

Lar: "Laurel, it's me. I've arranged for food, blankets, clothing, so far. I need to obtain porta-lavatories, porta-sonic showers, medical equipment and supplies. By the time you call me I should have those lined up. I'm hoping that you'll be available to assist me in delivering them to Earth and the seven blighted worlds. Bye for now."

Lar thinks: "All right now, which planet manufactures and exports porta-lav/showers, and toiletries? Oh yeah, Balduur! Gods, got to deal with more SPROCKING Valorists!" Lar dials the number.

A computer holo-image appears and says: "Thank you for calling the Balduuran embassy. If you are a citizen of Balduur, press 1 now.

"If you wish to request a space passport to visit our planet, press 2.

"If you wish to speak to a sentient, press 3."

Lar grimaces and presses 3. "SPROCKING computer answering programs!"

A young woman appears: "Thank you for calling the Balduuran embassy. My name is Oritha Baldu, how may I-- Holy Valor yo--you're M'Onel the Daxamite Legionnaire, I'd heard you looked like Lord Valor, but it's an amazing resemblance!"

Lar, wryly: "Yes, so I've been told more often than I care to recall! Now who do I need to speck to about purchasing a few hundred thousand portable lavatories and sonic showers, also toiletries: personal hygiene items and such?"

Oritha: "Oh you need Asst. Director of Interstellar Commerce Balburo Ruulda. I'll transfer your call at once, sir."

Lar: "Thank you very much."

Balduro appears: "Yes, M'Onel, Oritha informed me of your request. We of Balduur will help you in any way we can! And though we appreciate your offer of payment, the sheer size of your request reveals that you're gathering supplies to ease the suffering of the poor souls on the blighted planets! For such an act of mercy, we couldn't possibly accept payment! It would go against everything we of Balduur stand for and believe to do so! "

Lar:" Yes, I understand, still I'd prefer that the suppliers be allowed to make that decision, sir."

Balduro: "Of course, but I know my fellow Balduurans, M'Onel! And I'm quite certain that none of them will want your credits!"

Lar: "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we, sir?"

Balduro: "Yes, we will. I believe I have the needed information, so I'll let you go and start making the necessary arrangements. Good-bye and good luck, M'Onel, may Valor bless this endeavor!"

Lar, wryly: "Eer, yes, of course. Thank you, Balduro, and good-bye."

Lar sighs as he dials, thinking: "Well, since I'm Valor, I certainly hope whatever Gods there be bless this endeavor, since contrary to the Valorists belief I can't!"

A receptionist appears: "Dr. Gym'll's office, who's call--ah, M'Onel, how can I help you, Legionnaire? I'm Alus Y'bgid."

Lar: "Yes, may I speck to Dr. Gym'll, please?"

Dr. Gym'll appears: "Yes, Legionnaire, what is it? I've told all the Legionnaires that those of you who were blighted are physically fine! Any psychological problems are for Dr. Ryk'rr to treat; she's the Legion's psychologist on call!"

Lar wearily: "Yes, Dr. Gym'll, but that's not why I'm calling! I was hoping you could help me purchase a few tons of medical equipment and supplies?"

Gym'll: "Oh, of course, you are going to take them to the blighted planets! Yes, yes, I'll see what I can do. Though it may prove expensive, how soon do you-- Oh, never mind, you need these things yesterday!"

Lar grins: "Yes, sir, as soon as possible."

Dr. Gym'll: "Very well, I'll make the necessary calls and arrangements! I'll call you with the information as soon as I know anything! Good-bye and good luck, Legionnaire."

Lar: "Thank you and good-bye, Dr. Gym'll." The screen goes blank.

*BUZZ* Sister Andromeda appears on the screen: "Yes, lor-- er... Lar, when and where do we meet?"

Lar: "Thank you for not calling me Lord Valor Laurel. Meet me on Braal, in the capital city in, oh, two days all right?"

Andromeda: "In Braal's capital city in two days time, m'lo-- er, Lar, farewell until we meet."

Lar: "Agreed, Laurel, thank you, farewell until then." Lar sits staring at the blank screen. *BUZZ* The door intercom interrupts Lar's musings.

Lar goes to the door: "Yes, Tinya, what can I do for you?"

Tinya enters the room, chuckling. "Sometimes I almost envy you and Jo, having such powers!"

Lar chuckles: "What you envy is the x-ray vision and super hearing, Tinya! They do come in handy I must admit!"

Tinya: "Well, your mood certainly has improved! Umbra must have taken the news better than you thought she would!"

Lar: "Yes, we still have a lot to work out though, but I'm very hopeful. But you didn't come hear to talk about that did you?"

Tinya: "Not exactly, we've been friends a long time Lar, the part of me that was Phase has considered you a friend for a thousand years!"

Lar: "That's right, must be some kind of record! What does that have to do with this?"

Tinya: "Well, Umbra came to me a little while ago, she wanted to talk about you! About what kind of person you were then as compared to now."

Lar: "I see, so what did you tell her?"

Tinya: "Nothing yet, I told her I'd have to talk to you first."

Lar groans: "How did she react to that?"

Tinya chuckles: "Not too well. She told me that you had promised to answer any and all questions! I told her I was sorry, but that you made that promise. I on the other hand had promised both you and the U.P. Council to tell no one of our shared past with the L.E.G.I.O.N. That I'd ask you and if you agreed then I'd tell her whatever she wanted to know."

Lar: "Stars, Tinya, just tell her whatever she wants to know. But try not to mention what a sprocking idiot I was about, eer, girls."

Tinya giggles: "Of course, Lar, I'll try to avoid that particular subject! But Lar, are you going to tell the rest of the members who don't know you're Valor the truth or are you going to let them learn about it with the rest of the galaxy?"

Lar groans: "Bloody Nass! I hadn't even thought about that! But they're all busy with relief efforts elsewhere on Earth, and I'm leaving Earth to gather and deliver relief supplies for the blighted worlds! I have to meet Laurel on Braal in less than forty-eight hours!"

Tinya: "Well then, I'll tell them for you. I'll call Mr. Brande and ask him when the announcement's to be made. If it's going to be so soon that I can't tell them directly, I'll use the Legion com-system. All the relief teams are composed of a mix of members who do and don't know about your past as Valor. I'll have the team members who do know tell the team members who don't. They deserve to hear it from us and not from a holo-news cast!"

Lar hugs Tinya:" Thank you my oldest friend. I'll owe you big time for this!"

Tinya, laughing and hugging back: "Yes, you will! And don't think I'll forget to collect!" They move apart, chuckling.

Lar: "Well, I guess that's it then. Bye, Tinya, take care of yourself and that husband of yours while I'm gone. I may be gone a couple of months. No way of telling how long it'll take."

Tinya: "I'll do that and keep an eye on Tasmia for you! You take care of yourself Lar, and give Laurel my best! Bye now." Tinya leaves the room.

Lar thinks while packing extra uniforms:" Time to get going, but first I need to pack enough anti-lead serum to last Laurel and I a couple of months. Then tell Tasmia I'm leaving for a while." Lar leaves to get the serum and find Umbra.


  Mission monitorboard room:

Umbra sits watching her fellow Legionnaires on the screens thinks: "No shortage of work to be done. Wonder what Lar's doing in his quarters? It's not like him to hole up in his quarters when so many are in need of help!"

Lar walks in the room: "There you are, Tasmia! Glad to see you out and about doing something. I came to tell you that I'll be gone for a while."

Tasmia starts: "Yo--you're leaving? Where are you going, when will you be back?"

Lar, reassuring: "I'm leaving to meet Laurel on Braal, from there we'll go to Winath for food, Cargg for blankets, etc., Balduur for porta-lav/showers and toiletries, and wherever Dr. Gym'll calls and tells us to go to pick up medical supplies and equipment. Then we'll take the various supplies to the seven blighted worlds and bring some back here to Earth of course."

Tasmia: "Wow, sounds like you two will be very busy! I'll miss you though."

Lar strokes her cheek: Yes very busy. I'll miss all the Legionnaires, but you most of all! I'm not trying to pressure you, but we need to talk when I get back. I think you still have some questions for me that I'll answer then, OK? Oh, Tinya told me about your, er, conversation, She'll answer any question you put to her, if she knows the answer to it."

Tasmia presses her cheek into Lar's palm: "Yes, I'll be ready to talk and have the questions figured out that I need answers to. And don't worry, I won't ask about your old girlfriends, no need to worry about them after all."

Lar lifts her chin: "Well I, er, I really should be goi..." Tasmia pulls Lar in for a kiss *MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*, break off the kiss.

Tasmia: "That's to remember me by. I know you wanted to, but you wouldn't do it soo....Bye, Lar, hurry back!"

Lar bemused: "Yes, Tasmia, thanks for the, well, just thanks. I'll be back within two months, if only to get more anti-lead serum. Bye, Tasmia, take care of yourself."

Tasmia: "Yes, I will and you do the same. Give Laurel my best."

Lar: "I will. See you later, m'luv."


  Braal Capital City:

M'Onel meets Sister Andromeda in midair.

Lar: "Thank you for coming Laurel, I really appreciate it."

Laurel: "My pleasure, m'lor-- er, Lar."

Lar: "Well, let's go to the Interstellar Commerce Authority building."

Laurel: "Is something troubling you? Is it anything I can help you with?"

Lar tells Laurel of R. J. Brande's plan.

Laurel: "I am sorry you will have to go through this, Lar. I know how uncomfortable you are with the entire situation. But it is the best and easiest way to keep the U.P. and A.P. from falling apart even further. Why, it could even lead to the two becoming one united alliance again!"

Lar: "Yes, I know that. But I don't have to like it! But I do hope the two alliances reunite! That would make it all worthwhile! To know a greater good resulted from it." They arrive at the offices of Braal's Interstellar Commerce Authority. Entering the building's foyer they come to the receptionist.

Receptionist: "Ah, Legionnaires! Asst. Ambassador Orzz made the arrangements. Hu Krinn is expecting you. I'll inform him you've arrived!"

Lar thinks: "Hu Krinn? Could he be Cosmic Boy's father I wonder?"

Hu Krinn enters the room: "Ah, M'Onel! Sister Andromeda! Good to meet you at last. My son Rokk has spoken of you often. How is he, by the way? Communications are not as reliable as they used to be. Blasted Blight sprocked up the communications relay satellites!"

Lar: "Rokk is fine, sir. He wasn't among the Legionnaires captured by the Blight. He's been helping repair the damage the Blight-caused on Earth."

Hu: "Glad to hear it. Unfortunately the cargo containers aren't ready yet. You'll both stay at my home until they are. It should only be a few days at most."

Lar: "Thank you, sir, but that's not necc..." Hu interrupts.

Hu: "Nonsense, I insist! Ewa will never let me hear the end of it if I let you two stay at a motel! We have more than enough room!" Lar and Laurel exchange a glance and shrug.

Lar: "Very well, sir. Thank you for your hospitality."

Hu: "Come along then; we'll take my air-car."

Lar and Laurel exchange smiles, saying together: "Yes, sir, lead the way!"


  Krinn household:

Hu: "Ewa, Pol, we have guests!"

Ewa: "Hu, who? Oh, M'Onel, Sister Andromeda! Is Rokk with you? He's not hurt, is he, he's all right, isn't he? Pol, come say hello to our guests!"

Lar: "Rokk's fine, Mrs. Krinn, but he's still on Earth. He's helping to repair the damage done by the Blight."

Pol: "WOW, hello, M'Onel, Sister Andromeda! Rokk's told me lots about you both. Gosh, M'Onel you look just like Valor!"

Lar rolls his eyes, smiling: "Yes, so I've been told quite often!"

Pol: "Yes, I guess you do. Do you know how to play Magno-ball?"

Lar: "No, sorry, and I don't think I'll be here long enough to learn how to play it well, but I'm willing to try if you'd like to teach me? I assume you have or know where I can get the magno-gloves non-Braalans need to play it?"

Hu: "Pol it's almost dinner time. And the Legionnaire are here on a mission not a vacation!"

Lar: "That's all right, sir. You said yourself the containers won't be ready for a few days. Though I would appreciate it if you'd find out if there's anything Laurel and I can do to help speed the construction of the containers tomorrow. But for tonight I think that Pol can give me my first Magno-ball lesson."

Ewa: "All right, but unless you brought something other than your Legion uniform to wear, you may be too busy signing autographs to learn any Magno-ball. Unless...Hu do you think some of Rokk's clothes'll fit? He and M'Onel are nearly the same size.

" Lar: "Please, my name is Lar Gand."

Laurel: "And mine is Laurel Gand."

Hu: "Well come along M'O-- er, Lar. Let's see if we can find you something else to wear. Otherwise Ewa's right! You probably won't get to have a Magno-ball lesson with the crowd that would gather if you're recognized!"

Laurel: "Mrs. Krinn, how may I be of help in preparing dinner? Or in any way I can?"

Ewa: "Nothing really, Andro-- ur, Laurel. But you can keep me company while I program the compu-chef, and we can have a nice chat. You can tell me how my boy is doing on Earth."

Pol: "I'll get the magno-gloves!"
  Municipal park Magno-ball court:

Pol: "The rules are simple, Lar. We each guard the basket on our side of the court. The robo-referee shots out three metal spheres. I try to put them in your basket. You do likewise. No physical contact allowed, that's a foul and the fouled player gets a free shot. The baskets move horizontally throughout the game. The winner is whoever gets the most baskets before the robo-ref sounds the buzzer."

Lar: "Sounds simple enough, we play a similar game back home on Daxam! Let's do it!"

One hour later: Game over!

Pol: "You won! I can't believe I lost to a rookie off-worlder!! Are you sure you've never played this before?"

Lar, placatingly: "No I haven't Pol. But as I said, we Daxamites play a similar game using six balls, and I'm a better than average Hoversesxt-ball player."

Pol: "WOW, six balls? No wonder you managed three balls so well. Think you can show me some of you Hoversesxt moves before you leave Braal? With six balls, and then three balls, maybe I can adapt some of your Hoversesxt moves to Magno-ball!"

Lar: "If I'm here long enough and I have a chance to, sure, Pol."

Pol: "Can I ask you something, Lar?"

Lar: "You can ask, but I don't promise to answer, though."

Pol: "Why's that?"

Lar: "I don't generally answer questions I feel are too personal, Pol. I try to keep my private live just that, private"

Pol: "OK, I was wondering do you have any younger siblings or are you a younger child like me?"

Lar looks away sadly: "I had a younger brother, his name was Del."

Pol: "Was? He's dead? Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried!"

Lar: "That's all right, Pol, Del was a lot like you."

Pol: "Really, well, you're a lot like Rokk!"

Lar: "Thank you, that's high praise indeed."

Pol: "We better get head home, Mom'll be wondering what's taking us so long."

Lar: "Let's go then, mustn't keep you Mom waiting!"


  Krinn dining room:

Ewa: "So how did the lesson go, Pol? Did you boys enjoy yourselves? Pol, you didn't beat him too badly, did you?"

Pol: "No, Mom, he beat me by two points!"

Ewa: "Well, Lar, you must be a fast learner! Pol's reigning district champion, just as Rokk was, and I'm sure he'll be world champion someday!"

Lar chuckles: "Yes, ma'am, I'm a fast learner, but as I told Pol we have a similar game back home on Daxam! I'm a better than average Hoversesxt player."

Laurel snorts: "Don't be modest, Lar! You're the reigning Hoversesxt ball champion!"

Ewa: "Of your home district, Lar?"

Lar blushes: "Eer, no, ma'am, I'm planetary champion, I didn't realize how similar the two games are!"

Pol: "Hey, by how many points do you usually win, Lar?"

Lar: "Oh six points usually, Pol, you're my toughest opponent yet!"

Pol: "Great! Now I don't mind losing. Mom, they use six balls on Daxam, not three like here!"

Ewa: "Indeed! No wonder you found Magno-ball easy, Lar! I would imagine six balls are a lot to control, especially using magno-gloves."

Lar: "Yes, ma'am, it is indeed."

Hu: "You should get some pointers from Lar, Pol. Maybe learn a new stratagem, eh? The world championship tournament is only two months away!"

Pol: "Yes, sir, Lar already said he'd give me some pointers, didn't you, Lar?"

Lar: "Sure did, Pol, and we'll do it right after dinner, if it's all right with your parents."

Hu and Ewa nod and say: "Yes, of course, you boys go have fun."

Ewa: "So Lar, Laurel, how are your families back on Daxam?" Lar and Laurel look saddened.

Ewa: "Did I say something wrong?"

Lar: "No, ma'am, but we don't have any family back home, not that we know of anyway."

Pol: "Lar had a little brother but he died."

Ewa: "Valor! Ooh, what was I thinking, I'm so sorry!"

Laurel: That's quite all right ma'am, you had no way of knowing.

Ewa: "Pol! How did you know about Lar's brother?"

Pol: "I asked him and he told me, Mommy."

Hu: "That's all right, Ewa, I'm sure Lar and Laurelboth realize you meant no hurt by asking after their families! If I may ask, are you related to each other? I think I heard that you're cousins, but you don't look like you could be. At least I've heard that Daxamites have unusually strong familial resemblances."

Lar: "That's true up to a point, sir. If you saw a picture of any of my forefathers at my age, you'd think you were looking at me! But the familial resemblances are along strict gender lines: father to son, mother to daughter. All the males in a family resemble each other, and the same is true for the females in the family, but brothers and sisters generally don't resemble each other."

Laurel: "That's right; I look like my mother and her mother and, well, you get the idea. And if I ever have a daughter, she'll look like me at the corresponding age."

Ewa: "Ohh, I thought you're a nun. At least that's what I heard?"

Laurel blushes: "I'm only a novice, and well, I'm not positive I want to take final vows!"

Lar: "Really, Laurel? I thought you said you're happier since you joined the order?"

Laurel: "I was, I mean I am, but I've been working with orphans on Durla. And I've realized that I would love to have a child of my own someday. And I'll never do that if I take final vows!"

Lar: "Than think long and hard before you make a final decision, Laurel. I'll support whatever you decide to do!"

Laurel: "I know you will and I thank for that. Hmm, you know, I think we should have the genetic tests done to find out once and for all exactly what our familial relationship is, if we have one at all that is."

Lar: "Sure, Laurel, when we're done delivering the relief supplies the blighted worlds, I'll do the tests myself in the multi-lab at Legion HQ."

Ewa: "Well, I hope you find that you are related! Then you'll be a family together!"

Lar and Laurel, together: "We are a family already, ma'am."

Hu: "Of course you are! The test will simply confirm a blood tie to the emotional one you two obviously share already!"

Lar: "Right you are, sir."

Pol: "Can we go play some ball now?"

Lar: "Sure, Pol, if it's OK with you sir ma'am?"

Hu and Ewa: "Go along, boys, have fun."

Laurel: "I'll clear the table and clean the kitchen area for you, ma'am."

Ewa: "You may help me, Laurel, but you are a guest! Not a robo-maid! You aren't doing it all!"

Lar and Laurel disappear from their seats, as does everything on the table. Clattering sounds form the kitchen area. Lar and laurel reappear in their seats.

Lar and Laurel, together: "Dishes are cleaned and stored. Kitchen area is cleaned, leftovers are stored."

Ewa: "Goodness I've never seen such speed!"

Lar: "Ready to go, Pol? What time do you want him home, ma'am?"

Ewa: "No later than seven, Lar. It's a school day tomorrow. Pol, is your homework done? It is then make it eight-thirty, Lar."

Lar: "Eight-thirty it is. Let's go, Pol. You want to come along, Laurel?"

Laurel: "No, thank you, I think I'll meditate for a while. That always helps me think, and I must make my final decision soon. My novitiate period ends in less than three months."

Lar: "OK, Laurel, see you later."

Next morning at the offices of Marnozz Manufacturing Inc. A young man approaches Hu, Lar, and Laurel as they wait in the lobby.

Young man: "Hello, Hu, Legionnaires. I'm Dyrvd Marnozz; my father owns the company. He's at the main manufacturing plant. Twenty of the twenty-four initial shipment you ordered are ready, M'Onel, the remaining four will be ready tomorrow. Then we'll start manufacturing the remaining sixty containers you ordered. That will be satisfactory, won't it?"

Lar: "Yes that will be fine, Dyrvd, now about the bill?"

Dyrvd: "My father said to tell you that he wishes he could just give you the containers, M'Onel, but, well, the company needs the credits! The total bill is 1.5 million credits before taxes, 2 million credits after taxes."

Lar: "That will be fine, Dyrvd." Lar reaches into his belt pouch for his compu-pad, he enters some information into the comu-pad. "All right Dyrvd, what bank do I transfer the credits to?"

Dyrvd: "The Braal branch of the Pan-galaxy Bank, M'Onel." Lar enters the bank name into the compu-pad.

Lar: "All right, Dyrvd, transfer is entered, press your thumb to the pad, please. OK, Dyrvd. Transfer complete, your company is paid in full. Is that all that you needed, Dyrvd?"

Dyrvd: "Yes, all business is completed, M'Onel. My father and I wish we could have forgone the payment for the containers, but we couldn't. We wish you the best of luck in your endeavor, Legionnaires."

Laurel: "Thank you, Dyrvd, and good-bye."

Lar: "Yes, good-bye and thank you, Dyrvd."

Hu: "Give my regards to your father, Dyrvd, good-bye."


  Krinn household:

Pol: "Mom, they're back! What's for lunch?"

Ewa: "Elvabird salad sandwiches, Pol. Go wash your hands, then set the table."

Pol: "Mom, can Lar and I play Magno-ball after lunch?"

Ewa: "No, Pol, you have to get back to school. After school, if your homework is done, before dinner you can ask Lar. If he wishes, then you may play Magno-ball." Hu, Lar, and Laurel enter the room.

Hu: "Well, we have them until tomorrow, Ewa, then they'll be leaving."

Ewa: "So soon, but they just got here!"

Hu: "Ewa, they're on a mission, not a vacation, but it has been enjoyable having them here!"

Lar: "We've enjoyed our stay, sir, but we really must be leave tomorrow.

Laurel: "Yes, we must."

Pol: Lar, we're gonna play Magno-ball after dinner though, aren't we? Please!"

Lar: "Sure, Pol, after your homework is done for sure!"


Lar and Laurel alight in front of the capital. Lar is having a hard time maintaining a calm demeanor. The fact that statues of Valor stand in front of nearly every building. And offerings of food, drink, flowers, etc., are piled at the feet of every one of them, is very upsetting to him.

Lar to Laurel via telepathic plug: "Well, this is more than likely my last visit here! No way am I showing my face here, once Brande reveals I'm Valor!" Laurel answers: "Now, now, don't say that! Winath is soo beautiful, it would be a shame to deny yourself the pleasure of seeing it again!"

Aloud Lar says, "We'll see. But we're here to pick up food for the blighted worlds, not sight seeing! There's the Dept. of Commerce building, let's go." When they enter the building they go to the receptionists:

Receptionists: "Hello, Legionnaires, how may we help you? I'm Grayama Valoratz. I'm Garitha Valoratz. Asst. Ambassador Boranzz informed us of your request. Agricultural Ministers Luc and Laroz Ranzz will be with you in a moment." Lar and Laurel nod and wait wondering if the men are, perhaps related to their friends Garth and Ayla Ranzz.

The Ranzzes enter the room. One extends his hand to Lar saying, "Hello, M'Onel, I'm Luc Ranzz, how are my children, Garth and Ayla? The communications network hasn't been very reliable of late, blasted Blight!" Laroz chimes in: "Yes, Luc, I'm sure the Legionnaires are well aware of the problems the Blight have caused."

Luc: "Yes, well, the needed food supplies are still being gathered. It'll take another day or two before you'll be able to leave Winath with them. Perla has your rooms ready at out house." Lar: "Thank you, sir. That will be fine. Garth and Ayla are fine, sir. Ayla was blighted, but all the formerly blighted Legionnaires have been given a clean bill of physical health by the finest doctors on Earth. Garth was captured by the Blight, but he wasn't blighted or physically harmed."

Luc: "That's good to hear, but I get the impression you're not telling me everything. Are they all right psychologically? I noticed you said physically harmed, but what about their psyches?"

Lar: "Sir, you'd have to ask them that. The battle with the Blight has left psychological scars on all of us. And each of us will have to work through it in our own way."

Luc: "Yes, of course. Well, follow me, Legionnaires. Ranzz taxi service is ready to serve you both."


  Ranzz family plantation main house:

Luc and Laroz lead Lar and Laurel into the entry foyer of their home. Their wives await them. Luc takes his wife's hand. "Legionnaires, may I present my wife Perla..." Laroz: "...and her twin, my wife Purvelua." Lar and Laurel: "Hello, pleased to meet you both." Perla: "Welcome to our home, Legionnaires. M'Onel, I can't believe how much you resemble Lord Valor, blessed be his name! Garth and Ayla have told us so much about the Legionnaires! Where are they? They didn't come with you? They're all right, aren't they?"

Lar assures the worried mother her children are both well and hard at work on Earth. Two sets of twins run into the room. Purvelua says, "Children, come say hello to our guests. Legionnaires, our sons Graron and Grayum, our daughters Larrissa and Lyrela." The children gasp at Lar. "Valor it's Valor!"

Laroz: "No, children, this is your cousins' fellow Legionnaire, M'Onel; he just looks like Valor!" Lar smiles wryly: "Eer, yes, so I've been told." The boys, who are the elder of the pair of twins, bow to Lar. Graron: "Hello, sir, I'm Graron the firstborn." Grayum: "By less than four SPROCKING minutes!" Laroz, angrily: "Grayum! I've told you before, you will not use such language, not at your age, you won't! After your twentieth birthday you may use that word if the situation warrants it. But you will never use such language in the presence of ladies. Especially not in front of your mother, aunt, cousin, and sisters!!" Grayum: "Yes, father, I'm sorry!"

The girl to Lar's left steps forward and bows to Lar saying: "Hi, I'm Larissa, I'm the first daughter, our birthday is in three days." Laurel: "How old will you and your sister be, sweetie?" "We'll be nine and she's only two minutes older than me!" Lyrela interjects, "And Grayum and Graron'll be eleven on the tenth next month! Will you be here for our birthday feast?" Lar: "Well, we may be here for your and Larissa's feast but I doubt it, so I'll wish you both an early Happy Birthday right now!"

Perla: "Well, dinner's ready. I hope you like roasted boar, zebra carrots, sweet yams, rosehoney pineapple pie, fruit salad, Venusian cheese and souma fruit. Come along before it gets cold!" Purvelua: "Children, go wash your hands."

Lar: "Sounds good, ma'am." Luc: "My wife and sister by marriage are the two finest cooks on Winath, Legionnaires, I hope you brought your appetites." Laurel: "Yes, sir, we did." The children return; Graron asks if they can go swimming after dinner. Loraz: "Yes, we can all take a swim after dinner. You will join us, won't you, Legionnaires?" Lar and Laurel agree. Lar: "Sounds like fun, sir." Laurel: "I'd like to, but I didn't bring a bathing suit." Graron: "What's a bathing suit? Do Daxamites wear clothes to go swimming?" Lar wryly: "Yes, Graron, we rarely don't have clothes on. It may be because Daxam's climate isn't quite as balmy as yours here on Winath, though." Perla cuts in: "Don't worry, we have spare bathing suits for guests."

In the Ranzz dining room, everyone's having dessert. Perla: "Well, if you want, Luc, show the Legionnaires to their room while Purvelua, the children, Laroz and I clear the table. Then we'll all meet at the lake." Lar and Laurel disappear, as do the dinner remnants. Seconds later Lar and Laurel reappear in their seats. Laurel: "Everything is done that needed doing, ma'am."

Luc gasps: "By Valor! What speed! come along, Legionnaires, I'll show you to your rooms. You'll find spare bathing suits there. I'll wait in the living room and show you to the lake." In the room Lar's staying in he holds the bathing suit thinking: "This is a bathing suit here, eh? Gods, it's a Band-Aid with a glandular condition! The suit's smaller than my underwear, for the Gods sake! How can the Winathites be so prim and proper in speech and etiquette and yet think nothing of cavorting naked? Hmm, I wonder how Laurel's bathing suit will compare to this itty bitty thing? Good thing Laurel's temperament is so much calmer these days! She'd have brought the house down in the bad old days!"

Lar leaves his room wearing his uniform pants, sans belt, tunic, cape, boots, and armbands. He buzzes Laurel's door intercom. Laurel comes to the door saying: "I'll never understand Winathites! This isn't a bathing suit! It's a couple of ropes with a few strategically placed knots!" Lar laughs: "I know, mine was just as bad! I think the Winathites, as they used to say on Earth, skinny dip in the raw! Winathites are nudists at heart!" Laurel gasps: "Nude? They're going to be naked!!" Laurel, blushing furiously, gasps: "Sweet Valor! I'm sorry, Lar, I can't do that! I mean I'm still a nun, for the love of Valor! Oh, er, sorry again, Lar!"

Lar, wryly: "That's all right, Laurel. You're a VALORIST after all, I'm not, though. But I'm just as, er, less than thrilled with the suits as you are. I'm going to swim in my underwear and I suggest you do the same, one thing's for certain, we'll be better covered than if we wore the suits!" They leave and go to find Luc. When they find Luc they see he's naked. Laurel, via telepathic plug: "SWEET VALOR, I'm going to die of embarrassment before this is over!" Lar answers: "No, you won't! You just keep looking directly in their eyes and picture them dressed in Daxamite style bathing suits! Or as they were dressed for dinner."

Luc sees them: "Ahh, there you are! You didn't like the suits?" Lar glances at Laurel: "Well, sir, they were, eer, too small, so we'll make do. And my name is Lar Gand, not Legionnaire." "And mine is Laurel Gand." "All right, Lar, Laurel, follow me; the others are waiting for us at the lake." They arrive at the lake. Everyone is swimming and having fun. Lar and Laurel are the only ones clothed.


  Next morning:

Luc: "If you'd like, I'll take you on a tour of the plantation. You'll see for yourselves the variety of vegetables we will be providing you with to help the blighted worlds. I know you left the containers at the spaceport. I took the liberty of arranging for the adaptation of half of them as refrigeration units. Some of the produce needs to be kept refrigerated at all times. We've also arranged for dairy products, meat, poultry, and eggs from a dairy plantation in Ornazt Province." Lar: "Thank you, sir. Now who do I need to talk to about terms of payment for all of this?"

Luc: "Why no one, Lar. We of Winath will not profit from such a catastrophe! It would be a sacrilege to profit from this! We will not do it!"

Lar, placatingly: "Very well, sir! I just had to offer payment, I couldn't simply take the food! It's not mine to take after all!" Luc: "Yes, that's understandable. But the containers are being loaded even as we speak. The loading should be done in two days time! But I hope you and Laurel will stay for my nieces' birthday feast. By the time the feast is over the containers should be fully loaded."

Lar: "Of course, sir. Do the twins receive gifts at the feast? Because if so then Laurel and I have some shopping to do." Luc: "Yes, gifts are given at the feast but you don't..." Lar interrupts: "Yes we do, we will not be the only ones at the feast without a gift for the girls! But, umm, can you give us any suggestions? What do you think Larrissa and Lyrela would like?"


  Deep space in route to the Sol system:

Lar and Laurel each carry twelve cargo containers full of food. Lar, via telepathic plug: "How're you doing, Laurel? These things may be weightless, but their sheer bulk and mass make this an awkward situation. Gods, at least once Brande makes the announcement I can use the Pilgrim IV!" Laurel: "Pilgrim IV? What's that?"

Lar: "My ship, Laurel. I left her in storage back home on Daxam. She's an old freighter the Science Council gave me back in the twentieth century. She's got more than enough cargo storage to hold all of this. And warp-drive engines, also hyper-space drive. Much faster than we can go lugging these containers."

Laurel: "Well, then, why don't you call Brande? Can you summon Pilgrim IV from here or would you have to go to Daxam to get it?" Lar: "Risa could bring her to us." Laurel: "Who or what is Risa?"

Lar: "Risa is my Deluxe Model 7000AIC computer, programmed to obey only me, though blasted thing only obeys if it wants to." Laurel: "I've never heard of those?" Lar: "No reason you would. Stopped production of that series in the twenty-second century. Risa's the only one left. Risa managed my inheritance from the day my mother died. Gods, I couldn't believe the size of the estate when I got out of the Zone!"

Laurel: "Indeed, Leland McCauley will have a fit! Once you go public as Valor and the size of your fortune gets out! Any chance he'll ever have a larger fortune than you?" Lar: "I guess it's possible, but I kinda doubt it. Even Risa can't give an exact total amount for value of all my holdings. Last time I tried to add it all up, the calculator I was using blew its circuits!" Laurel: "What do you mean by holdings?" Lar: "Well, companies on nearly every planet in both the U.P. and the A.P., several houses, apartment complexes, shopping malls, etc. scattered across the galaxy; hmm, I think I own a couple of planetoids, mines on a dozen worlds and asteroids, part ownership of Nullport, Science Asteroid, and Paradise Planet, a few ranches/farms on Winath and Rimbor, oh, yes, a few Publishing companies and Holo-vision networks, Artworks, rare objects d'art, coins, etc. The Gods alone know my exact net worth, because I certainly don't!"

Laurel: "Well, you better prepare yourself, you're about to become the most eligible bachelor in the galaxy!" Lar: "Ahh, well, I'll survive, I'm sure. 'Course I'm not available, even if I am a bachelor!" Laurel: "So who's the lucky lady? Do I know her?" Lar: "Yes, you've meet her. Her name's..." Laurel interrupts:" UMBRA?!! You're talking about Umbra?"

Lar, angrily:" Yes, Laurel, UMBRA! You've got a problem with that? I thought you'd gotten over that WHITE TRIANGLE RACIST GARBAGE!!" Laurel, placatingly:" Yes, I have Lar, it's just well a surprise. Her personality, what I've seen of it, I didn't think you'd... I'm putting this badly aren't I?!"

Lar chuckles: "Yes, you are. That's all right, Laurel. Let's just say she shows me a different side of her personality and I LOVE HER Laurel, so don't make the mistake of making me choose between the two of you. Because, Laurel, I'm sorry, but you'd lose!!"

Laurel: "Understood, Lar, as long as she makes you happy and doesn't cause you pain! If she hurts you she'll answer to me, though! But I'll do my best to be friends with her for your sake. Oh, Lar, what are you going to do? I mean there are still members of the White Triangle at large!"

Lar, grimly: "Great, Laurel, I thought I was the pessimistic one? I'll handle it when and if I have to, Laurel. But I won't let any harm come to Tasmia! The Gods have mercy on the one who hurts her because I'll have NONE!!"

Laurel: "Nor will I, Lar, nor will I! Lar, I, I'm leaving the order. Do you think the Legion'll have me back?" Lar: "If that's what you truly want, Laurel. What helped you make up your mind?" Laurel: "Well, the look on the girls' faces when we gave them the jewelry we made for them. I realized just how badly I wanted to see such a look on the face of my son or daughter someday."

Lar: "Yes, it was a pleasure wasn't it?" Laurel: "Yes, but Lar, won't it be dangerous for Tasmia to even try to bear your child? Oh Gods, even mating, Lar, can you control your strength during, er, you know?!" Lar: "I'm not sure, Laurel, but I'll find a way! Oh, and YOU should be thinking about the same things, though for you conception will be the problematic area, and of course not hurting your bedmate."

Laurel: "Yes, that's true. Oh Gods, the SPROCKING law I forgot about that! We're both going to have to prove we're sexually active with partners or register at a Stress Control Center!" Lar snorts: "STRESS CONTROL CENTER! At least the Terrans are honest about it, call it what it is, Laurel, A WHOREHOUSE! Blast it I thought they'd taken that law off the books on Daxam! It's RIDICULOUS!"

Laurel: "Maybe so, but it's the law for all Daxamites over twenty-one! Oh, Lar, what am I going to do? I don't want to go to a S.C.C. But I don't want anyone that way, not yet! At least you have Tasmia!" Lar: "Uhh, Laurel, Tasmia and I, er, haven't, er, you know. And it's going to be a while before we do. She's still coping with being blighted and learning I was Valor and waiting so long to tell her hasn't helped matters any!"

Laurel: "Oh, yes, I see, well, in that case, er, maybe you and I, I mean just to satisfy the letter of the law, I mean I know you turn twenty-one next month, and I turn twenty-one four months later and we could... OOOhhh I'm really SPROCKING this up aren't I?!!"

Lar, kindly: "Yes, Laurel, I do understand what you're suggesting. I, er, I'm not the type for a one-night stand normally, but if I remember right our choices are to find our own partners or be drugged at the S.C.C. on our twenty-first birthdays. Soo, if you haven't meet someone before my birthday and Tasmia and I aren't, er, you know, and if it's all right with Tasmia, which given the Talokite attitude about sex, it should be, we'll, er, you know, just before my birthday. On the other hand, if Tasmia and I have consummated our relationship, well, if you haven't found someone before your birthday, well, I'll, er, you know."

Laurel, happily: "OOhh, thank you, Lar!! I don't want to be injected with that SPROCKING drug!! And I'll, er, try and find someone else in the meantime, if you and Tasmia, er, you know." Lar: "You're welcome, Laurel."


  Deep space en route to Braal:

Lar, via telepathic plug: "Well, the food certainly went fast! Gods, we're going to have to get some more, but that'll have to wait. From Braal, we'll head to Balduur, OK, Laurel?" Laurel: "Yes, that's fine. When you talked to Mr. Brande did he say if we can use Pilgrim IV? That would make this whole business a lot easier!"

Lar: "Well, something weird is going on, Laurel. According to Mr. Brande, Meta, the Daxamite member of McCauley Workforce, is claiming that he's Valor! I contacted Risa, the Pilgrim IV will meet us on Braal. I also have Risa, er, investigating Meta. By the time we're finished delivering the relief supplies, there'll be a dossier on Meta waiting in my quarters. For now I'm going to, as they used to say on Earth, give him enough rope to hang himself!"

Laurel: "But why would the U.P. Council allow an impostor to claim he's Valor?! It makes no sense!" Lar: "Well, for one thing, they don't want to, er, admit how they know good and well Meta isn't Valor. They'd have to admit to keeping this secret all these years! Though if Meta doesn't have an, er, agenda other than to help people, I'm really tempted to let him stay as Valor! It would certainly make my life a lot easier!"

Laurel: "Yes, it would, but you must be absolutely certain that Meta is only trying to help! As Valor the damage he could do is incalculable! Most of all we must be sure that Meta is neither a White Triangle member nor like minded with them!"

Lar: "You've got that right! But with the Pilgrim IV, we'll be finished with the relief deliveries long before Meta can do any major damage, and I can always prove beyond doubt that I AM VALOR!" Laurel: "Ahh, Lar, I hope so, I dearly hope so for all our sakes!"

Approaching Pilgrim IV in Braal orbit, Lar and Laurel enter through the ship's airlock.

Feminine computer voice speaks via the ships intercom system: "Hello, Lar, it certainly took you long enough to summon us! I've contacted Marnozz Manufacturing Inc. They had twenty-four more containers ready, I transported them into cargo bay one." Lar: "Thanks, Risa. Set course for Balduur. Contact the Balduuran and get the necessary information to expedite our picking up the merchandise. Also transfer the necessary funds to the suppliers."

Risa: "I already did that. No transfer of funds was needed, the Balduuran became quite irate when I asked for the bill. Said something about not wanting to profit from the catastrophic events." Lar: "All right, Risa. Contact Dr. Gym'll and get the information he has for me."

Risa, smugly: "Already did that, too. We need to go to Naltor for the medical supplies and equipment. Contacted Naltor, the stuff's ready to go. The bill is minimal, less than half the fair market value. Naltoran ruling council seemed embarrassed to be charging anything at all."

Laurel, amused: "Gods, Lar, you said that Risa was, er, amazingly independent but I never thought that it was this independent!" Lar, laughing: "Ho, this is nothing, Laurel. Wait'll Risa decides to interfere in my social life! Risa thinks it can run my life better than I can!"

Risa, smugly: "In point of fact I can, Lar. By the way I'm designing a special damping field bed for you. It'll block yellow sun rays, thereby nullifying your powers. You won't have any powers in the bed. You turn twenty-one next month, the Sexual Activity for Stress Control law is still in force on Daxam, so we need to find you a bedmate ASAP!"

Laurel collapses laughing: "HAHAHAHAH, ohhohh, Lar, how have you managed to restrain yourself from recycling it into a trash compactor or something?!!" Lar, ruefully: "Ohh, I have been tempted to, more time than I can count!! Risa, why a damping field bed, just out of curiosity?"

Risa, chidingly: "Now, Lar, you know you have a distinct preference for exotic females, and almost never a Daxamite! But full-powered it would be dangerous for the female or less than totally satisfying for you. You would have to hold back with the female for fear of causing her harm with your super-strength! The damping field will insure the safety of the female, and your complete pleasure and satisfaction in the sexual act!"

Lar's face turns scarlet: "Risa!!!" Laurel laughs so hard her chair flips over, from the floor she gasps: "Oohhh oohh, Lar, this is priceless!!" Lar, irritably: "Give me a break, Laurel, it's not that funny!! Oh, Risa, make it two damping field beds! Laurel's twenty-first birthday is in five Earth months. And look for a male for her will you? You do prefer males, Laurel? I've already found my lady thank you."

Risa: "Very well, Lar. Laurel, what do you like in a man? Or would you prefer a female? What are your preferences?" Laurel stops laughing: "Ohh, that's all right, Risa!! I'll find my own man!!!! I'll take the damping field bed though, just in case!" Lar laughs long and hard: "Forget it, Laurel!! Risa will not be deterred! Risa have you learned anything about Meta yet?"

Risa: "Still working on that, Lar. He's done his best to erase his past. But I'll ferret out the information you want, never fear!" Lar: "Very good, Risa. Keep on it. Ohh, and contact Cargg and make the necessary arrangements with them. Find out from Balduur, Naltor and Cargg how much each of them has for us, then figure out if the Pilgrim's cargo holds can hold it all at once. With the Meta situation I want to finish this relief effort and get back to Earth as soon as possible!"

Risa: "Yes, Lar, consider it done. But ships sensors are picking up a ship, two weak life signs, five hundred kliks off the starboard bow." Lar: "Put the image on the viewscreen, please."

On the screen a derelict ship appears. Painted on its tail is a L.E.G.I.O.N. insignia. Lar, musing: "Well, well, feel like going over there with me, Laurel?" Laurel: "Sure, let's go see who's in there!"

Aboard the L.E.G.I.O.N. vessel Lar and Laurel have found two cold sleep stasis pods. Lar is not happy when he sees the pods' occupants!

Lar, angrily: "HELL AND DAMNATION!!! OF ALL THE PEOPLE I KNEW, WHY, OH GODS, DO YOU DO THIS?!! VRIL DOX AND LOBO, ALIVE!! GODS, HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH BECAUSE OF VRIL SPROCKING DOX!!!!!"

Laurel bemusedly: "But Lar I thought you and Dox were at least friends! That's what the history tapes say." Lar ruefully: "Laurel with a friend like Vril Dox, I don't need enemies!! And we both know you can't believe everything you read in the history tapes! I wasn't accidentally exposed to lead Laurel. Vril DID IT ON PURPOSE! And he did it BEFORE he knew whether or not his anti-lead serum would work! And that's just the first of the dirty tricks he pulled on me!"

Laurel: "OK, so what do we do with them? We could simply leave them here?" Lar: "Don't tempt me, Laurel!" Lar uses his com-link: "Risa, transport the life forms to the Med-bay, DON'T revive them!! I can't deal with either of them at the moment, especially Lobo!!" Risa over Lar's com-link: "Very well, Lar. I'll keep them in cold sleep until you tell me otherwise!"

Lar: "That's fine, Risa! We're on our way back to the Pilgrim, but Risa, connect with the ship's computer and download all information in it." Risa: "Yes, Lar, at once. Lar, the answer to your earlier orders is everything is ready on Balduur, Cargg and Naltor! And there's more than enough room in the cargo holds to handle all of the relief supplies from all three worlds!"

Lar: "Great, Risa, be prepared to go to hyper-warp drive as soon as Laurel and I are back on board the Pilgrim!"


  Lar goes to the Med-bay to make certain Vril Dox and Lobo are secure. Leaving, Lar says: "Risa, plot the fastest course to Balduur, Cargg, Naltor, and Winath. Contact Luc Ranzz, ask him if Winath has another load of food ready. If they don't contact the Dept. of Agri-exports on the planet Grath, and make arrangements to acquire the food there." Risa replies: "Consider it done, Lar."

Lar finds Laurel in the ship's Mess hall. Lar: "We're headed for Balduur, then Cargg, Naltor and either Winath or Grath." Laurel: "Why Grath?" Lar: "If Winath doesn't have the quantities of food we need, Grath is the next closest Agri-world. Our two guests are tucked away in the Med-bay. Gods, what is going to happen when I revive them? GEES, Lobo will go on a rampage when he finds out his precious fishes are extinct!" Laurel: "Fishes? What were they?" Lar, musingly: "Come to the holo-deck with me, it's easier to show you than to tell you."

Lar and Laurel leave the room and head for the holo-deck. At the entrance Lar orders: "Risa, search zoological memory bank for space dolphins AKA fishes and create the pod circa 1999. Risa: "Hologram ready, Lar." Lar and Laurel enter the holo-deck. Laurel: "Oohh, they're beautiful, Lar, so graceful. But why the giant floating force cage?" Lar: "That was Vril's doing. He has, or rather, had, a binding contract with Lobo. Lobo did whatever Vril told him to, in exchange Vril guaranteed the comfort and safety of the fishes!"

Laurel: "Well, what happened, you said they're extinct! But that force cage looks like it should have kept them safe!" Lar: "It did until the mid-twenty-fifth century. The mechanisms of the force field generators wore out; unfortunately for the fishes, the breakdown occurred when the pod was in the heart of Khund territory! Gods, what a slaughter! The blasted Khund gunners enjoyed blasting the fishes to atoms! The fishes afforded the Khunds great target practice, much better than shooting space debris!"

Laurel, sympathetically: "Oohh, Lar, you--you were there, weren't you, I mean in the stasis zone, watching." Lar, sadly: "Yes, I was." Laurel: "What will Lobo do to Vril when you finally revive them?" Lar: "I'm afraid to even try to guess, he took great delight in living up to the translation of his name!" Laurel: "And that is?"

Lar: "If I remember right: He who feasts on your entrails with extreme relish, as you watch. But I could be wrong, it's an old Khundish dialect." Laurel: "Stars, sounds gruesome indeed. I take it you and he were, umm, less than friends?" Lar laughs bitterly: "Couldn't have been any less, he used to call me Large Gland, I called him a homicidal lunatic, when I was being nice!"

Laurel, laughing: "Sounds like you two had a real mutual dislike association going!" Lar laughs: "To be precise we HATED each other Laurel, and I can only assume we'll pick up were we left off!" Laurel: "Ooohh, Lar, you poor thing! You're going to have a really rough time for the next six months or so!" Lar, ruefully: "Tell me about it. Revealing I'm Valor, and now lucky me Vril Dox and Lobo back in my life!! I'd wonder what else could go wrong, but the thought terrifies me!"

Laurel: "Uumm, yes, I'm sure from your point of view, things couldn't get much worse!" Lar: "Yes, indeed. I don't even want to think about how things could get any worse than they already are! And if they do get any worse I don't want to know about it until it happens!"

Laurel, laughing: "Yes, I feel the same way. But I devoutly hope that the worst is behind us, at least for a few months!" Lar: "Yes, just long enough to get this Blight mess straightened out, and maybe have some peace and quiet for a while!"

Risa interrupts: "Lar, I did as you ordered. Winath has another load of food. I've programmed the course."

Aboard the Pilgrim IV, en route back to Earth. Lar and Laurel are relaxing. Lar's in the shower trying to wash the stench from his skin. Lar thinks: "Gods, did the Blight have to do such a thorough job of plugging up the sewer systems of all seven planets?! I'll never forget the stench!! Or the sights of the remains, Gods, so many millions of bones!

"Will we ever identify all of them? May their souls find peace in the afterlife they believed in! Just hope the other Legionnaires have already cleared out Earth's sewer system! If I never see the inside of a sewer again I'll die a HAPPY MAN!"

Laurel is in the Mess hall, eating lunch, and writing her letter of resignation from the Sisters of the Eternal Cosmos, using her Brande Omni-pad she writes: 'Dear Reverend Mother: It is my wish to resign from the sisterhood. I have, after much soul searching, prayer, fasting and meditation decided not to take final vows. You were right Rev. Mother, my guilt over my involvement with the White Triangle was the driving force behind my desire to join, and not a true religious calling. Thank Valor, I realized it before I took final vows! If you or the sisterhood ever need me, you have only to call, and I will be there for you. You can reach me at Legion headquarters on Earth. At least I hope to rejoin them, if they will have me. Sincerely Laurel Gand (Andromeda)'

Lar enters the room. Laurel teases: "Ahh, you smell much better now, Lar." He growls: "Very funny ,I don't recall you being of any help in the sewers!" Laurel apologetically:" No I didn't go into the sewers! I couldn't Lar, I have to return the habit's to the sisterhood, and the smell would never get out of them if I'd gone in there!"

Lar apologizes: "I know Laurel. Hell, I burned my uniforms, and nearly scrubbed two layers of skin off! But at least it's over! The sewer and power systems of all the blighted worlds are cleaned out and running again! We've done a lot in the last six weeks!"

Laurel: "So we have, do you think the rest of the Legion has done the same for Earth?" Lar, ruefully: "Please, Gods, let them have at least finished in the sewers! I don't think I can face going into another sewer system for as long as I live! Or at least not for a year or two."

Lar goes to the CompuServe and dials his order. He comes back to the table with a combo pizza, chocolate milkshake, and cheese puffs. Laurel, warily: "You're not really going to eat that are you?" Lar grins: "Yes, do you want some?" Laurel shudders: "No, thanks, I've already eaten."

Risa interrupts: "Excuse me, Lar. We're about to come out of warp, we've reached the Sol system. The Earth space authority wants me to identify the Pilgrim IV. I've identified us as a Legion craft. We have landing clearance for Legion HQ. Lar: "Great, Risa, take us in!"


  LegionHQ commissary:

The entire Legion is celebrating M'Onel and Andromeda's successful mission and Andromeda's return to full legion membership.

*KRAKABOOM!!!* Live Wire causes a thunderclap. Garth: "Now that I have everyone's attention I want to propose a toast, raise your glasses everyone: To the Legion and the future!! We came through Hell and we're stronger for it! All answer: "THE LEGION AND THE FUTURE!!

  Later after the celebration is over in Umbra's quarter's:

Lar and Tasmia are having their talk. Lar has answered all of her questions, and is now trying to explain the situation concerning Daxam's law on sexual activity as an aid to the citizenry in stress control.

Tasmia: "Ancestors. You and Laurel are required to prove you are sexually active by your twenty-first birthdays? I realize Laurel has left the sisterhood, but, um, who could you know breech her, ugh, I mean, she's never shown any interest in anyone male or female!"

Lar, wryly: "Wweell, that's what I, er, need to speak to you about, Gods, how do I put this? My twenty-first birthday is only four days away and you and I, er, we aren't, er..." Tasmia interrupts: "YOU, she wants you to, ooohhh, well if it's HER you want and not me..." Tasmia starts crying... "I--I w-won't stand in your way if ...if you love Laurel now..." Lar, agitated: "Gods, NO, Tasmia, that's not it! It's just that, well, you're not ready for us to take that step in our relationship. And I can't take the drug Tasmia, I--I had a cousin who was given the drug. I don't want to end up a Stress control worker like he did !!"

Tasmia, soothingly:"SSHHH, Lar, I'm sorry! I'm being selfish, I mean you have to do whatever it take to keep both you and Laurel from taking that sprocking drug!! But we are talking one time only right? You and Laurel only have to mate once to satisfy the law? You don't have to bed each other on a regular basis will you? I can handle once, but I don't think I could handle more than that! I LOVE YOU LAR, but I won't be part of a harem!

Lar laughs and hugs her gently: "One time only, but I'll look forward to the time when it's the two of us, and if it weren't for this SPROCKING law it wouldn't happen at all! I LOVE YOU TASMIA, it's you I want, not Laurel. Gods, I'm not even sure, um, forget it!"

Tasmia giggles: "Well, Lar, when the time comes, close your eyes and pretend it's me!" Lar, ruefully: "That'll work, but it's not fair, not to you, not to me and especially not to Laurel! Blast it, her first time should be with someone who loves her the right way and wants her that way, and I don't!"

Tasmia, placatingly: "No, it's not fair, but unfortunately it's the way it has to be, though, um, I'm willing to, er, do it for your twenty-first birthday and then if Laurel hasn't found her own lover, then you and she can, well, you know!"

Lar laughs and hugs her gently: "Yes, Tasmia, I know. Gods, what did I do to deserve you? You're the best part of my life! You know that, don't you?" Tasmia, smugly: "Yes, I am, aren't I! And you are the best part of MY life as well!!"

*BUZZ* Risa's voice comes over the intercom: "Lar, the test results show you and Laurel are related. Congratulations, cousin-fifty-times removed!" Lar, ruefully: "Thanks, Risa, inform Laurel of the results, please." Risa: "Already did. Oh, and Lar, the new bed is in your quarters and ready for action!" Lar bellows: "ENOUGH RISA!!"

Tasmia, mildly: "New bed?" Lar blushes furiously: "Yes, Risa took it upon itself to design a damping field bed for me, it's supposed to neutralize the yellow sun rays that give me my powers!" Tasmia, brightly: "Really? Well, seems a shame to let it go to waste."

Tasmia stands, tugging Lar's hand as she heads out the door: "Let's go try it out!"


The End