Alba had Shea take her up to their quarters. When it became apparent she was too weak to walk, he carried her up. "What can I do, Alba?" He laid her on their bed and sat down stroking her forehead. "Anything...please, just tell me?" "Nothing," she gasped. Her breathing was labored and she kept wincing in pain. "I...I have to heal myself. Just...just go." "I don't want to go." Alba had come to mean everything to Shea and the thought he might lose her tore at his soul. "Please, Shea.... Please." He finally did, when her breathing evened out a little and it seemed the pains were becoming less and less. He found himself shaking as he closed the door, wondering what just happened with the moons and what were the implications for all of them and those below. Back down on the bridge, Chuck informed him that the smaller moon was stabilizing and wasn't going to blow up or 'anything like that'. As Shea began to answer him, time seemed to warp in upon itself and everything froze. Alba screamed as a spectre of Dunmar appeared perched on the end of the bed like some great, dark carrion-bird, and the chamber filled with terrible laughter and hissing. He waggled his tongue at her as he tossed the Orb up and down in his left hand. The once flawless crystal was shattered internally, glowing with a sick red light that illuminated Dunmar's dark complexion with an eerie bloody glow. "Missing something, are we?" He laughed again, throwing his head back, then levelling his gaze at her again he continued to taunt her. "I do believe I've broken it! Pity, but I don't think YOU really need this little bauble to do what you can do." He tossed it behind him and the sickening thud of shattering crystal was heard. "Oh dear, look what I've done now. I tried to do this the easy way, Alba. You know, going through all the proper channels and protocols but your father, nor your brother would have a listen to me. So, I decided to take matters into my own capable hands," he hissed. "As you can see - I've succeeded in accomplishing what niceties failed to realize! No point in trying to land in Torna Blas. I believe our precious goddess leveled it for me. So, you and your heh...your knight in shinging armor best get his mount down as soon as possible, so we can finalize things. I'll see you soon, my beautiful Alba." He faded away to the sound of more sinister laughter. Back on the bridge, Shea felt as if he'd just snapped out of a serious case of nodding off. Over their years together, Alba had woven a bond between them that circumvented normal senses and states of consciousness. He'd allowed her to do it because it was a 'marriage' between their spirits for her, and because he loved her. His eyes flew wide open and he turned, fairly flying back up the stairs to the crew quarters. He'd seen everything that had just happened, through her consciousness. Bellana looked over at Chuck, her brow furled. "Ummmm...??? What just happened?" "A time warp?" Chuck said. "You okay? I dunno. I'm not even sure it happened...and yet - SOMEthing weird just happened. Guess we have to wait until Shea comes back - if he even knows." "I think he does," Bellana whispered. "They got that 'thing' between 'em, you know." ***** The bad guy.... Every story needs one, or it's boring! ;) Thank you so much for stopping by my gallery dear friends and for your comments on "Hail to Ra!". I didn't even realize it was my 600th post as I don't really pay that much attention to things like that. Dunmar's skin is actually pretty much jet black, but he has a red light in there that is coloring him. Guess you could call him a 'space-vampire-drow'. Enjoy your weekend! Ray