NOTHING TO GUARD

In the deepest reaches of space, far from any inhabited planet or moon, a secret council was being held. For the first time in several decades, the solitary creatures were being called for assembly to decide the fate of their race.

One by one, they appeared at the asteroid cluster, making their way to the central rock, the one with no atmosphere but just enough gravity to keep the smaller rocks moving in place around it. Seated on this asteroid were five strange humanoid creatures, each with long silvery white hair tied in high ponytails and white skin. Their eyes varied in colour from the deepest orange to icy blue, and their long shark-like tails echoed the tint of their eyes. They were each wrapped in a black cloak and wore tight fitting shirts to protect their human upper torsos. These mer-people of space were the Guardians, defying their own solitary nature to meet in a large group.

The eldest Guardian rose from his place on the asteroid, hovering above where he once sat. He swished his tail impatiently as the telepathic chatter of the younger Guardians died down and all eyes focused on him. His yellow eyes flashed, and he began the council.

My friends, he began, speaking in the telepathic manner of the Guardians, our race is in danger. For countless millennia, we have served as the galaxy's protectors, keeping space free of any who sought to harm another, yet our peace is being shattered by the planet-dwellers who dare reach for the stars. We are known to them, no longer just through folk lore, but in their reality.

It is the fault of that misfit, Gyana, a rash Guardian spoke up from the crowd. Had she not boarded that planet-dweller's ship, we would still be safe!

The crowd roared in agreement, and the elder sighed. His great granddaughter had been exiled from their race for her curiosity and he still missed her presence at these rare meetings. He held up his hands and the crowd quieted.

It is true that Gyana was the one who revealed herself to the planet-dwellers, the yellow eyes elder began, but that would have happened eventually. Is there anyone among us who can say they have never almost been seen when helping a ship in distress?

The crowd said nothing, faint murmurs echoing through their collective minds. The elder smiled to himself in triumph - a small one to be sure, but a victory nonetheless.

I propose a mission of surveillance, the elder spoke up, finally bringing home his point. We are known to them, but they remain a mystery to us. Gyana has friends in the planet-dweller organization called the UPP. This UPP has a school where they send their hatchlings to learn and grow. I propose we send one of our own hatchlings to gather what information they can.

That is madness! a female Guardian in the crowd cried out. Why corrupt our young with the nonsense of the planet-dwellers? You propose the end of our race!

Patience, the elder said with a smile. You will see the wisdom of my words.

The yellow eyed elder motioned with his hand for a young Guardian to come to the asteroid. She did as she was bid, her purple hair streaming out behind her. As she turned to face the crowd, they gasped and the elder smiled. One by one, the Guardians agreed with his choice. The elder turned to the young Guardian and put his hands on her shoulders.

You know what you must do, he said.

She nodded once and disappeared. Their council at an end, the Guardians broke up, each one gliding off to their designated sectors for another few decades of solitary life.

Admiral Harlan Band sat at his desk, loaded down with paperwork. As he glanced up at the mounds, he briefly toyed with the idea of making a new course at Starcademy called "Admiral's Assistant" or something. Anything for him to be rid of the infinite supply of paper and compupads.

It had been about three months since Catalina's frantic call, begging him to send someone to Yensid to help her rescue Suzee. His hands had been tied, all his personnel assigned elsewhere, so he had had no choice but to send Suni and her friends. They had proven themselves reliable in both the Kaesar war and when dealing with the attempt on Radu's life. Although he loathed to take them from school right when they were writing exams, he had been assured by their teachers that the tests would be rewritten.

"No more missing school for those three," he muttered to himself. "Next thing you know, they'll be in the space cases class."

A smile played across his face as he thought of the 'special' class for misfit cadets, the one where he had met his closest friends. They had proven to everyone they could rise to the challenge, and Harlan was certain that Suni, Tethys, and Atreus were more than capable of making up for lost time.

A beeping from his computer screen told Harlan that he had an incoming call. He rolled his eyes and said a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, begging that it was not some diplomatic hotshot calling in a favour. He tapped a key and an image of space appeared on the screen. He frowned, recognizing the image as one from a surveillance satellite orbiting Earth. How had the satellite been patched through to his private line?

"Hello?" Harlan said in confusion.

"Admiral Harlan Band of the UPP," a young girl's voice said, although he could not see a face.

"Yes?" Harlan replied.

The image on the screen moved and Harlan gasped. Floating in space in front of the satellite's surveillance camera was a Guardian. She had long, purple hair in a high ponytail and golden eyes. Her tail was a purplish-blue and a black and gold cloak trailed from her shoulders.

"I am Alyna," she said. "On behalf of the Guardian Council, I am requesting to be immediately enrolled in your Starcademy."

Suni groaned and buried her face in her hands. Her compupad slid from limp fingers and landed on the cafeteria table with a clatter. Beside her, Tethys retrieved the compupad, her green eyes scanning the message across the screen.

"Oh dear," she murmured as she handed Suni's midterm marks back. "At least you haven't failed yet."

Atreus snatched the compupad away before Suni could take it and laughed. Suni raised her head enough to glare at her Andromedan friend.

"Look at this," Atreus continued. "Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent, conditional pass."

"I told you I was bad at shuttle repair," Suni snapped. She grabbed the compupad with Atreus' marks before he could react.

"Give that back!" Atreus protested.

Suni's eyes widened. "You got a conditional pass in Diplomatic Relations? Why didn't you ask me for help?"

Atreus took back his compupad. "I didn't have a chance. I was too busy helping someone fix a repulsor lift."

Tethys was comparing Suni's and Atreus' compupads together while her two friends argued. She shook her head.

"We've each four excellents and one conditional," she reported. "We just need to work on our weaknesses, that's all."

"What was your conditional, Tethys?" Suni asked, taking her friend's compupad. Her eyes widened and she giggled, handing the pad to Atreus.

"StarDog Heroes?" Atreus read. "Even after meeting Commander Goddard himself?"

Tethys grabbed her compupad. "The teacher didn't exactly agree with my version of the Christa story," she said haughtily.

Suni and Atreus laughed. Apparently Tethys had included their own adventure into the past in her exam - the one period of history that was not marked down in any books. The Neptunian princess primly folded her napkin and picked up a piece of fruit.

"If you must know, I panicked. I couldn't remember half the stuff they taught us," she popped the fruit into her mouth.

"Yeah," Suni agreed. "That's my excuse, too."

"Mine too," Atreus added.

Tethys looked like she would say something more, her eyes flashing angrily, but the anger melted from her face and she smiled. A bell sounded and the cafeteria cleared, lunch over. The trio rose, still smiling, waved good bye to each other and headed off to their afternoon classes.

Later that afternoon, they were all in their final class of the day - the only class they had together - StarDog Command Training. Tethys and Atreus disliked the class; all it was was learning about StarDog regulations and protocols, but Suni adored it.

The trio sat in the middle of the classroom at the same long, bench-like desk. Suni would always eagerly raise her hand when a question was asked, while Atreus hid behind his compupad and Tethys inspected her manicure. Today, however, their teacher was late and murmured rumors ran through the class like wildfire.

"What's going on?" Suni asked impatiently.

Atreus shook his head slowly as he tried to sort out the various bits of conversation.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "Everyone is saying something different."

Suni pouted. "I hate when no one tells me what's going on."

Tethys opened her mouth to reply when the door to the classroom slid open and their teacher walked in. He stood near the doorway, staring at the cadets until they quieted down.

"We have a new student joining us today," he announced with a smile. "Her name is Alyna. I hope you will all make her feel welcome here at Starcademy."

The door to the classroom opened again and a young girl wrapped in a black and gold cloak stepped inside. She had long purple hair which trailed down her back from a high ponytail and wore purplish-blue pants. Her eyes were golden and her skin was pale with a faint dusting of bluish fur on it. Her ears were pointed and she looked extremely uncomfortable.

"There's a seat up there, next to Suni Ianni," the teacher told her gently, pointing to Suni.

Alyna dipped her head in thanks and walked slowly and carefully to the seat. Once she had made herself comfortable, the teacher began the day's lesson.

"Hi," Suni whispered.

Alyna turned to look at her, large eyes unblinking. "Hello."

"No talking, Suni," the teacher scolded.

Suni guiltily turned her attention back to the lesson, but she kept glancing at Alyna. She had never seen a creature like this. The girl sat still and unblinking, like a statue. What puzzled Suni even more was that the girl's chest didn't move! It was as if she wasn't breathing! As much as she enjoyed the class, Suni could hardly wait for it to be over so she could question the mysterious Alyna further.

"Alyna!" Suni called.

The new girl turned around to stare expressionlessly at Suni and her friends. Atreus and Tethys hung back a few steps, cowed by Alyna's unblinking stare. Suni, however, seemed not to notice and didn't stop until she stood right next to the girl.

"Suni Ianni," Alyna said the name slowly, as if she had never spoken aloud before.

"Where are you going?" Suni asked.

Alyna frowned. "We have no more classes today, correct?"
Suni nodded.

"Then I will rest until tomorrow," Alyna finished.

The purple haired girl started to move away, but Suni followed her. Atreus and Tethys came as well, but remained behind them.

"Why not come hang out with us?" Suni suggested.

"Hang out?" Alyna repeated, obviously confused.

"Sit with us," Atreus supplied helpfully. "Talk."

Alyna nodded in understanding. "That is a good idea. I will join you, Suni Ianni."

Suni smiled. "Great! Let's go to the 'sphere."

"Are you crazy?" Catalina demanded.

Harlan winced, wishing he had kept Rosie on the phone long enough to calm Catalina down. The Saturnian was livid and Harlan could almost see her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for his explanation.

"I couldn't say no," Harlan protested. "Anyone from the UPP is permitted to enroll in Starcademy."

Catalina rolled her eyes. "In case you haven't realized, Admiral, the Guardians are not part of the UPP."

"It was a good will gesture," Harlan said. "Maybe they'll join us."

"Or maybe they'll destroy us," Cat snapped. "Honestly, Harlan. We know almost nothing about their race! They could be dangerous."

"Gyana wasn't dangerous," Harlan objected.

"Gyana was exiled," Cat reminded him, "maybe because she was gentle."

Harlan sat up straighter in his chair, pulling rank on his old friend. "I'm sorry if you disagree, Ambassador, but it's my decision to make. Alyna stays."

Cat's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fine then, Admiral. If anything happens, it'll be your responsibility."

Harlan almost shrank back at her words. He remembered his first brief stint as a captain onboard the Christa. The ship had nearly been destroyed by the Spung and the white circle had reappeared, whisking them back to where it had originally dropped them off.

"I put her in classes with Suni, Tethys, and Atreus," Harlan said, more to make himself feel better than Catalina. "They'll watch out for her. Trust me, Cat."

Catalina said nothing but turned off her screen. As the image went black, Harlan wondered if he had made the right choice after all.

Alyna looked around at the plant life in the biosphere with childlike wonderment. They walked all over the park, the strange new girl questioning them about their surroundings. Tethys gladly answered all of her questions, thrilled to have someone interested in botany to talk to. Alyna would pause to touch a flower petal and smiled at its softness, only to turn and prick her finger on a thorn and cry out at the sudden pain. Atreus observed this all silently, wondering what kind of a planet Alyna had grown up on.

Finally, they arrived at the tree where they usually sat. With little more than an hour left until dinner, the small ground of four settled on the grass. Alyna plucked a blade, twirling it between two fingers.

"So," Suni began, "where are you from, Alyna? I've never seen your race before."

Alyna blinked in surprise and dropped the blade of grass. "I thought all your kind knew of my people. It is one of the reasons I am here."

Suni, Tethys, and Atreus all shook their heads.

"I must confess, your races are all foreign to me as well," Alyna said, carefully twisting the conversation away from herself.

Atreus frowned. "Nice try. You answer our question, then we'll answer yours."

Alyna dipped her head. "As you wish. I am a Guardian."

"I'm half Mercurian, half Uranusian," Suni said brightly. She pointed to each of her friends in turn. "Tethys is Neptunian and Atreus is Andromedan."

"And you are friend with Admiral Harlan Band?" Alyna asked.

Suni nodded. "He's our uncle. Well, not by blood, but our parents have been friends since they were our ages, so he's family to us."

"What about you?" Atreus asked. "What brings you to Starcademy halfway through the year?"

"I wish to become more familiar with different cultures," Alyna replied. "I was unable to attend until now."

"Why?" Atreus pressed.

"Atreus," Suni hissed, shooting him a dirty look.

"I had - family business to attend to," Alyna replied smoothly.

They talked until the bell rang, signaling the end of their free time and the beginning of dinner. The foursome rose, and Atreus and Tethys started to leave. The Neptunian held Atreus's arm to stop him when she realized that neither Alyna nor Suni followed.

"Come on," Atreus whined. "I'm hungry!"
"Aren't you coming?" Suni asked Alyna, ignoring her Andromedan friend.

The Guardian smiled and shook her head. "I will rest now, thank you. Enjoy your meals and I will see you tomorrow."

Grudgingly, Suni turned to follow her friend. She took a few steps before spinning around to implore Alyna to join them. When she once again faced the tree, the purple haired Guardian had vanished.

Alyna glanced over her shoulder and into the biosphere. Although she was far away in space, she almost thought she could see Suni's pink head through the thick glass that protected the cadets from space. With a faint smile, Alyna glided further away from the school and waited patiently.

I have been waiting, Alyna, a voice said in her mind.

Alyna dipped her head, aware that the speaker could not see her. I apologize for my tardiness, she replied.

How was your first day among the planet-dwellers?

Elder, Alyna said, your plan is working perfectly. I have much to tell you tonight.

Petunia Wharncliffe, principal of Starcademy and retired StarDog, hummed to herself as she walked down the long hall to her office. Her arms were heavily laden with books and papers, and she tried to shift her bundle into one arm to fish for her keys. As she neared her office door, a few papers escaped and flew to the floor. Petunia sighed, blowing a stray lock of pink hair out of her eyes, and reminded herself to return to pick them up later. Her hand, which fumbled around in her pocket, finally closed around her keys and she pulled them free triumphantly. Readjusting her papers once again, she reached her office door and gasped in shock. The door was already open.

Petunia slowly deposited her papers on the floor and peeked inside her office. When she realized that no one was there, she straightened and let her eyes take in the damage.

Her desk drawers were open and their contents overturned onto her desk. Her normally locked filing cabinets had been spilled over the floor, papers and student records covering her office like a rug. Her computer was on, but she knew it would take her a few minutes to figure out exactly which files had been stolen.

Gingerly, Petunia made her way to her phone and punched in a sequence of numbers. The face of a man appeared on her screen - old but still tough.

"Principal Wharncliffe," he said gruffly. "A little early to be making calls."

"Bad new, Chief," Petunia told her security officer. "I'm reporting a break-in and possibly a robbery."

Rumors about the break-in were already circling around Starcademy by breakfast the next morning - scarcely three hours after the crime had been discovered. Suni, Tethys, and Atreus sat at their table eating, the Andromedan quieter than usual as he concentrated on filtering out the excess noises.

"What do you think happened?" Suni asked her friend as she slurped down her third helping of oatmeal.

"Space pirate," Tethys replied with a straight face, daintily peeling the skin of her fruit.

Suni giggled and Tethys's face cracked into a smile.

"What's the most popular rumor, Atreus?" Tethys asked.

The Andromedan stared blankly at his untouched food. His friends watched him in concern. Suni playfully catapulted a bit of oatmeal from her spoon at him, ignoring Tethys's disapproving frown.

"Atreus?" Tethys repeated.

He shook his head and forced a smile on his face. Looking around the cafeteria, he asked, "Where's Alyna?"

"Maybe she's not hungry," Suni said.

"She didn't eat last night either," Tethys remarked.

The bell rang and the Starcademy cadets dutifully marched out of the cafeteria to their morning classes. Suni and Tethys waved good bye to Atreus until they would meet again for Study Hall, and headed to their classes. Atreus watched them go and hoped the whispered rumors about Alyna never reached Suni's ears.

As Atreus rounded the final corner to his first class of the day, he was surprised to see Alyna standing there waiting for him. He had not heard her approach, but had to admit that his mind had been elsewhere. Did the new cadet have an alibi for last night? Could the girl Suni had so eagerly befriended be a thief?

The Guardian looked strange in her gray uniform. She still wore her black and gold cloak, and Atreus saw her purple and blue pants peeking out from beneath the hem of her uniform. She looked very uncomfortable as well, pulling on her shirt sleeves as if she had never worn clothing before.

"Good morning," Atreus greeted her.

Alyna blinked and dipped her head in greeting. "Hello."

"Are you in my Alien Cultures class?" Atreus asked, pointing to the door.

Alyna smiled. "Yes. How fortunate that I already know someone."

Atreus forced a smile. He would be nice to the Guardian for Suni's sake, but something about her made his skin crawl.

"Shall we go in?" the Andromedan headed for the door, not pausing to see if the Guardian followed or not.

Suni grabbed her helmet from the room she shared with Tethys and headed to the turbo lift. Her excitement bubbled inside her, threatening to overflow as she sped toward the docking bays. She might be horrible at repairing shuttles, but flying them was a different story. Once a week, she used her spare period to practice her flying in hopes of getting her pilot license, or maybe even joining the elite Air Strikers.

The doors of the turbo lift slid open and, as Suni stepped out, she nearly collided with Alyna. The purple haired girl stepped back, dipping her head in apology.

"What are you doing down here?" Suni asked.

The lower decks of Starcademy, containing the docking bays, were ordinarily off limits to cadets unless they had a pass. Suni's pass was deep in the pocket of her flight suit, along with the access codes for the old fighter she flew.

"I have a spare hour," Alyna explained calmly. "I am exploring. Why are you here, Suni Ianni?"

Suni held up her helmet. "Practicing. You wanna come?"

Alyna smiled and nodded. Suni returned the grin and the two girls headed down the corridor to the docking bay.

"All systems go," Suni reported. "Decompressing airlock and opening outside doors."

Alyna sat behind Suni in the passenger's chair while the pink girl eased the small shuttle into the air. Before them, the two large doors leading into space slowly opened and Suni guided the craft down the launch tube.

"Yee haw!" Suni cried happily as they shot into space.

The Mercurian/Uranusian tried to thrill Alyna with her stunts, but the purple haired girl seemed more interested in the inside of the shuttle. She watched carefully as Suni skillfully manipulated the controls to make the ship do her bidding.

"You're supposed to be watching the stars," Suni said.

"I am fascinated with how you are flying. This is my first time in a shuttle," Alyna said with a smile. "This type of shuttle, I mean."

Suni grinned. "Hang on. I'll show you what this old ship can do!"

Suni whooped with delight as her craft did barrel rolls, loop-the-loops, and high speed turns. Alyna remained quiet throughout the ride with a tight lipped smile on her face. The pink skinned girl was puzzled; she would have thought someone who had rarely been in a shuttle would enjoy the ride.

"Look over there," Suni said as she flew behind the school.

The end of their hour was rapidly approaching and Suni was circling closer to Starcademy to prepare to dock.

A strange ship hovered close to the school, with a boarding deck stretched from it to the school. The ship bore no insignia or registration numbers, and resembled a grey box floating in space.

"Peculiar," Alyna commented. "I have never seen a ship like that before."

"Me neither," Suni replied, although she wondered how many ships Alyna could possibly have seen.

As Suni brought her own craft closer, the box-like ship seemed to spring into life. Still attacked to Starcademy, the ship turned on them and compartments in the hull slipped open.

"What's it doing?" Suni wondered.

Her answer came quicker than expected when a sudden burst of laser fire hit her ship. The old, unshielded shuttle was suddenly ablaze with warning lights.

"It's firing on us!" Suni gasped. "We're completely unarmed!"

"Can we run?" Alyna asked.

Suni tried to move her ship, but when she nudged the controls, it caused a chain reaction of red lights to ignite on her console. The grey ship looked like it was preparing to finish them off.

"Keep trying," Alyna said. "I'll hold off the attack."

Before Suni could ask how, the Guardian had vanished from the shuttle and reappeared in space. Suni gasped as Alyna's legs merged into a single long, shark-like tail. The ship fired again and Alyna placed herself directly in the line of fire.

"Look out!" Suni shouted, knowing well her friend could not hear her.

Alyna made a wide sweeping motion with her arms, and the laser bolts veered to either side of Suni's ship. The Mercurian/Uranusian gasped in amazement, then tore her eyes from the scene outside to concentrate on fixing her ship. She racked her brain for her lesson in rerouting non-essential power to jumpstart the shuttle, wishing Atreus was with her. Suni peeked outside again and saw Alyna valiantly deflecting the laser fire.

Connect the blue with the green under the control panel, Alyna's voice came into her mind.

Suni blinked in surprise but did as she was told, using a small spark from her finger to fuse the connection. The engine sputtered to life and Suni smiled, feeling very proud of her accomplishment. She glanced outside, waiting for Alyna to join her.

Go! the Guardian spoke urgently in her mind.

Suni sped off, looking behind every once in a while to see if her friend followed. As she rounded the corner of Starcademy, the last thing she saw was Alyna still deflecting the laser fire. Suni circled to hover just outside the docking bay, hoping the school would shield her from any more attacks.

"That was quite the adventure," Alyna remarked.

Nearly jumping out of her skin, Suni turned and saw the Guardian sitting behind her in the passenger's chair. A quick glance down revealed the tail had split once more into legs.

"I am sorry to have frightened you," Alyna said, "but it was quite necessary in order to save you."

"Th-thanks," Suni stammered. "How - what - when - "

Alyna held up her hand to ward off Suni's questions, and smiled. "Let us return to class. I will speak to you later. I have but one request."

"What?" Suni asked.

"Do not tell anyone what you have seen about me," Alyna replied.

Suni nodded, still in shock from their narrow escape. As she began the docking procedure, she knew that Alyna would not be able to answer the questions that nagged at her the most. What was that strange ship and why was it at Starcademy?

At 1630 hours, when Suni and her friends usually headed to the biosphere to relax after school, Alyna waved the pink skinned girl aside. Suni took a step to join her, but was halted by Atreus's hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"With Alyna," Suni replied. "Don't worry, I'll meet you guys at dinner. Same time, same place as usual."

"You sure you don't want us to come?" Tethys asked.

Suni smiled and nodded. Still frowning, Atreus released his friend and watched her disappear down the hall with the purple haired guardian.

"I don't trust her," Atreus mumbled.

Tethys nodded. "Neither do I, and would you look at her clothes? How awful!"

Atreus shot his friend a dirty look for making light of the situation. The Neptunian princess smiled sheepishly.

"No sense standing around here," Tethys remarked. "Come on, let's go to the 'sphere."

Atreus allowed himself to be pulled down the hall in the opposite direction Suni had gone. Something was definitely amiss with the Guardian, and he didn't want Suni to get hurt.

"It's not that I think she's a bad person," Atreus said. "She just gives me the creeps."

Tethys pulled herself up onto her elbows from where she lay on the grass to stare at her friend. The two of them were still lounging around in the biosphere, patiently waiting for the bell to sound the beginning of dinner. The 'sphere wasn't very full, and so Atreus and Tethys had a certain amount of privacy.

"She give an Andromedan the creeps?" Tethys repeated.

Atreus shrugged. "She's just so - different."

"Like Radu was when he first came here?"
Atreus reddened. "Point taken."

Tethys stretched and sat up in one fluid motion. Absently running her fingers through her long, green hair, she regarded her friend thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean, though," she said. "Maybe if we did some research on her species, we realize she's just like us."

Atreus grinned. "Trust you to suggest school work during our free time."

"Would you rather go over today's Diplomatic Relations lecture?" Tethys inquired.

Atreus leapt to his feet. "Come on, let's get researching!"

The Neptunian smiled and laughed. "Nothing like a little motivation."

The two of them headed down the path toward the exit. Atreus went first and stopped dead in the hall, causing Tethys to crash into his back.

"Hey!" the princess objected.

"I saw her!" Atreus hissed. "She just went around the corner."

"No way," Tethys replied. "She's with Suni."

"Who else in Starcademy wears a black and gold cloak?" Atreus demanded. "Come on, let's follow her."

Grabbing his friends hand, Atreus pulled Tethys down the hall. The Neptunian followed wordlessly, wondering where Suni was if Alyna was with them.

The cloaked figure rounded another corner and disappeared as the turbo lift doors slammed shut. Atreus paused in the hallway, listening to the lift as it moved. Tethys stood behind her friend, his hand still holding hers, and waited.

"The lift is heading down," Atreus said. "Third level, I think."

Tethys pushed the button to retrieve the lift, assuming that Atreus would want to continue the chase.

"What's on the third level?" Tethys asked. "Isn't that off limits to cadets?"

"Apparently no one told Alyna that," Atreus said.

The lift doors slid open and they stepped inside. As they neared the third level, Atreus once again listened for sounds of the Guardian. The doors opened onto the third level and he was in hot pursuit before Tethys could utter a word.

The princess followed as fast as she could, slamming into Atreus's back again as he skidded to a halt in front of one of the corridors. Tethys peered around his shoulder and saw the entire hall was a mess of papers, and that one of the doors lining the hall had been opened.

"The hall of records," Tethys murmured. "Who would want to steal something here?"

"I don't know," Atreus said, "but we better inform Principal Wharncliffe."

Atreus, Tethys, Suni, and Alyna stood outside Principal Wharncliffe's office. They had already presented their cases, Atreus speaking out against Alyna while Suni defended her. Tethys and Alyna had remained mostly silent throughout the trial, speaking when only asked a direct question. Tethys had taken the opportunity to observe the Guardian, and she found that there was indeed something about her that seemed out of place.

The door opened and Principal Wharncliffe stepped out with Chief Security Officer Rolf Damish behind her. Suni glared at Atreus, and the Andromedan did his best to ignore her hurtful looks. After all, hadn't he been doing all this to protect her?

"We've reached a decision," Ms Wharncliffe said. "Since there is no hard evidence against Alyna, we have no choice but to issue a warning. Alyna, you will stay away from the lower levels and remain in your room outside of class time."

Alyna's face paled. "But, Principal Wharncliffe - "

"No objections," the principal said sternly. "You are fortunate to be getting off this lightly."

"You don't understand," Suni spoke up.

"Miss Ianni, after your colourful commentary earlier, I'm inclined to place the same restrictions on you!" Ms Wharncliffe snapped.

Suni quieted, but kept glaring at Atreus.

"Now, you've nearly missed dinner, but if you hurry maybe cook will have something left for you to eat tonight. Dismissed."

The four cadets saluted and headed down the hall. Atreus and Tethys lead the way, with Suni and Alyna a few feet behind them. They were speaking quietly to themselves, but Atreus forced himself not to listen. The last thing he needed was for Suni to accuse him of eavesdropping as well.

Atreus yawned and draped his towel over his shoulder. He headed back to his room, which he shared with another Andromedan, from the washrooms. As he turned to open his door, his sensitive hearing picked up a conversation a few doors down that chilled him to the bone.

"They don't suspect a thing," a young cadet was saying.

"Excellent," a strangely familiar voice replied. "We have all the information we need from this place. You know what to do next."

"Yes, Master," the cadet said. "Leave it to me. You won't be disappointed."

"We will soon have what we need, my young friend," the familiar voice continued.

Atreus shivered and entered his room, closing the door firmly behind him and burying himself under his blanket. His roommate was already sleeping, Atreus could tell by his slow breathing and heart rate, but sleep would not come as easily for Atreus. The hauntingly familiar voice that the cadet had called Master nagged at him. He had heard that voice somewhere before.

What is your progress, Alyna?

I am learning more every day, Elder, Alyna replied from the depths of space. I am also learning about strange relationship ties planet-dwellers seem to have with each other. When an outsider threatens these ties, the planet-dweller responds with hostility.

That is noted, the elder replied. Keep gathering as much information as you can, any way you can.

Alyna dipped her head, although the elder could not see her, and disappeared from space.

Atreus tried not to look at Alyna as they sat next to each other in their Diplomatic Relations course the next day. Even though Principal Wharncliffe had not believed Alyna had stolen the school records, Atreus had seen her with his own eyes. The mystery now was why would the Guardian want student records?

Atreus sighed and wished he could talk to Suni about it. The pink skinned girl was always better at figuring out these puzzles than he was. After all, hadn't she deciphered the clues pointing to Radu's would-be assassins? But Suni wasn't speaking to him right now, nor could he blame her. He had stood up against his dearest friend, hoping that she could see the error of her ways, but she had stubbornly refused to back down. At least she still spoke with Tethys, who had artfully remained guilt free after the accusations. Atreus supposed it was for the best, since the two girls shared a room together.

"We have a special treat today, class," the teacher announced. She smiled at her students, flicking her long orange hair over her shoulder. "We're going on a tour of the UPP Headquarters on Earth this afternoon."

Out of the corner of his eye, Atreus saw a young Neptunian cadet sit a little straighter. Just like the best students in the class to be eager for extra work, Atreus thought.

"I realize you each have two more classes today," the teacher continued, "but I have arranged for you all to stay with me until dinner at 1830 hours."

The class groaned, hating to stay in school through their free time, but relieved to be missing two classes. The teacher frowned prettily.

"Come, come," she chided. "Yours is the only class I’m taking right now. If your tour goes well, the other classes will follow. Be a little more enthusiastic, please."

The Neptunian a few seats away from Atreus gave a smile and a little clap. The teacher smiled up at him in thanks.

"Take your compupads and follow me," she instructed. "Your each to write a composition on diplomatic tact after our tour. If you're lucky, we may even meet the Admiral himself."

Atreus noted that Alyna seemed to brighten at the idea. He wondered if Harlan would be the Guardian's next target, or even if his uncle knew the girl was here at Starcademy. Vowing to keep his eye on Alyna, Atreus rose from his seat to follow the others out of the classroom.

The UPP Headquarters on Earth was an enormous complex situated over the Pacific ocean. Many smaller sea-cities existed all over the planet, compensating for the overcrowded conditions on land. Atreus had only been to Earth once before, and by Alyna's apparent nervousness, this was her first time on the planet.

The tour began with the lower levels of the headquarters, their teacher carefully explaining how every person contributed to the overall diplomacy of the UPP. Atreus found his mind wandering as he tried to pay attention to his teacher. Most of all, he focused on Alyna.

The Guardian was standing off to one side, in front of the overeager Neptunian boy he had noticed in class earlier. She seemed anxious for some reason, her heart beating fast and her breathing short and shallow. Atreus noted that she hid it well; he could not see her chest moving at all to keep up with her rapid breath.

The Neptunian put up his hand to interrupt the teacher's lecture. She smiled at him, permitting him to speak.

"Ms Eros," he said, and Atreus thought he heard a touch of panic in the young cadet's voice. "When will we be visiting the upper offices?"

Ms Eros's smile broadened. "Eager to speak with the Admiral, Nylph?" she joked.

The Neptunian known as Nylph blushed. "No, Ma'am."

"Then please be patient. We'll be there shortly."

Nylph quieted and Atreus returned his attention to Alyna. He wondered if he would have a chance to speak with his Uncle Harlan about the recent robberies, and about the strange Guardian who had infiltrated the school.

Admiral Harlan Band adjusted the collar of his uniform and smiled at himself in his mirror. He was preparing to meet the Diplomatic Relations class which had descended from Starcademy to tour the Headquarters, a rare treat. With another glance at the piles of work behind him on his desk, Harlan again thought about coaxing a few cadets into becoming his assistants.

"Here's the class list you requested, sir," an aide said, handing a compupad to the Admiral.

Harlan thanked him and glanced over the list. Quite a few of the cadets were Earthers, a few Mercurians, a Neptunian, his nephew Atreus and -

"Alyna?" Harlan gasped.

He wondered how Ms Eros had managed to persuade the Guardian to descend to a planet. He knew that Guardians disliked the oppressive atmosphere of planets. Did Alyna object, or come to Earth like the other cadets to avoid ridicule? Harlan grimaced at the thought, thinking back to how he had teased Radu mercilessly merely because he was an Andromedan. Well, if Alyna was here, then good for her.

"When will the class arrive?" Harlan called to his aide.

The aide - a young Venusian woman - double checked her compupad before answering.

"They are scheduled to meet you at 1600 hours," she replied. "After their break."

Harlan nodded. "Well, since I seem to have a spare half hour, maybe I'll go down to the cafeteria and speak with my nephew. Maybe answer some questions, if the class has any yet."

"Very good, sir," his aide replied. "Shall I assign you an escort?"

Harlan shook his head. "If I'm not safe here, then where will I be safe?"

Without waiting for an answer, he left his office.

Atreus sat at the opposite end of the cafeteria, facing Alyna and watching her closely. The Guardian did not eat, but sat docilely while her classmates at their snacks. The first part of the tour had been long and boring, Ms Eros commenting on every aspect of UPP diplomacy in the lower ranks. She had stopped people to speak to them for a few minutes and neither the teacher, nor the cadets, were impressed by anything their guest speakers said.

Behind him, Atreus heard the cafeteria door slide open and footsteps heading in his direction. He heard a few cadets gasp under their breathes, but did not take his eyes off Alyna until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Atreus slowly turned around to look up into the happy, twinkling eyes of his uncle.

"Admiral, sir!" he said with a salute.

"At ease," Harlan replied, rolling his eyes. "I know we're both in uniform, but until the end of the break, can't I just be Uncle Harlan?"

Atreus smiled. "Always, uncle. There is actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

Harlan's eyebrows lifted in interest as Atreus outlined what had been happening at Starcademy. He left out his accusations of Alyna for now, preferring to tied all the strings together at the end and let his uncle draw his own conclusions.

Before Atreus could tell his uncle about Alyna, a troop of armed StarDogs marched into the cafeteria, surrounding the group of cadets. Harlan leapt to his feet, his eyes searching out the captain of the troop to figure out what was going on. Atreus's eyes automatically scanned for Alyna, and he was surprised to see her missing.

"What is the meaning of this?" Harlan demanded.

"Admiral, sir, there's been an incident," the captain said with a salute. "We're here to assure your safety."

"What kind of incident?" Harlan asked.

"Your office, sir," the captain reported. "It's been ransacked."

The tour cut short, Atreus found himself and his classmates being herded onto the nearest shuttle back to Starcademy. He also noticed that neither Alyna, nor Nylph, were among those heading back to school. He was about to alert Ms Eros when the green skinned Neptunian appeared at the end of the line with Alyna a step behind him.

Seated in the shuttle, Atreus found himself next to Nylph. Alyna was at the back, hidden in shadow as she sat with her cloak wrapped around her. Atreus leaned over to speak with the Neptunian.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

Nylph jerked as if he had been struck and his eyes darted back and forth warily. "What do you mean?" he replied.

"I saw you coming back with Alyna, and I know she disappeared right before the Admiral's office was robbed," Atreus explained. "You went and found her, right?"

Nylph relaxed slightly. Atreus glanced back at Alyna, and found that she was staring right at him.

"Yeah," Nylph said. "I found her after she ransacked the Admiral's office."

Atreus smiled in triumph. "That's all I needed to know. Thanks."

Suni paced back and forth across the room she shared with Tethys. The princess lay on her bed, her head propped up by one hand while the other hand flipped through a magazine. The pink skinned girl was fuming, muttering under her breath and waving her hands in the air.

"Of all the arrogant, jealous, self centered idiots!" Suni exclaimed. "He accused Alyna of breaking into the Admiral's office? When it was Uncle Harlan who admitted her in the first place?"

Tethys raised her eyes to watch her friend. "Calm down, Suni. You'll end up shorting out."

"I can't calm down," Suni snapped. "What does Atreus have against Alyna? Just because she's different?"

"No," Tethys said slowly, "I think it's because strange things started happening right after she showed up."

Suni turned on her friend. "Are you taking his side?"

Tethys held up her hands in surrender. "I'm staying neutral in this. I'm not losing you and Atreus over something so trivial!"

"There must be some way to prove that Alyna didn't do it," Suni mused, slowing her pacing to think.

"Are you absolutely sure Alyna is innocent?" Tethys asked.

Suni sat down on her bed, facing Tethys. The Neptunian pulled herself into a sitting position to face her friend eye to eye. Suni licked her lips and lowered her voice.

"If I tell you this, you have to swear not to tell anyone else," Suni said quietly. "Alyna told me it in confidence, but I think it will prove her innocence."

Tethys nodded, eyes wide with curiousity. Quickly, Suni began to tell her friend what Alyna had told her that night not so long ago.

"They know, Master."

"Then you must do what is necessary."

"Yes, Master. It shall be done, for the good of the planet!"

Atreus woke with a start, sitting upright in bed. He inhaled sharply, then clamped a hand over his mouth so the gasp would not wake his roommate. He had heard something strange, a conversation not far away, or had it been a dream?

Rising, Atreus slipped on his robe and slippers and quietly left his room. He headed for the washroom to splash some water on his face, make himself forget the threatening words he had overheard.

As he turned the corner, he heard someone walking behind him. Strange, but not unheard of at this time of night; obviously another cadet who felt the call of nature. As the footsteps drew closer, coming faster, Atreus felt the urge to flee. He took a few quick steps and swung open the washroom door only to be face to face with a yilith blossom.

The fragrance from the yellow plant quickly did its work, and Atreus found himself growing lightheaded and weak. He posed no threat to the person who finally caught up to him, and bound his hands behind his back. With the yilith blossom firmly pinned to his robe, Atreus was barely conscious as someone dragged him out of the washroom and down the hall.

"Please, awake!"

Suni moaned in her sleep and cracked open her eyes. A person with purple hair and pale skin was standing above her, frantically shaking her shoulder.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Suni mumbled, pulling herself upright. "Whazza matter?"

Alyna had gone to Tethys's side, shaking the princess until her eyes snapped open and she nearly screamed. Pushing Alyna away, Tethys sat up and glared at the intruder.

"How did you get in here?" Tethys demanded. "The door is locked."

"Remember our conversation last night?" Suni reminded her friend. "Guardians can teleport."

Tethys's mouth formed a silent "oh", and Alyna turned to the Mercurian/Uranusian. The Guardian's eyes were wide with fright and betrayal.

"You promised me, Suni Ianni, you would not tell anyone!" Alyna said.

"I had to," Suni replied. "It was the only way I could convince Tethys you weren't ransacking the school."

Alyna nodded. "More importantly, your Atreus-friend is missing. He was taken by the true thief."

Tethys gasped in alarm, now fully awake. Suni leapt to her feet.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"I am a Guardian," Alyna replied. "It is my duty to protect space and all its inhabitants, whether they like me or not."

"You were spying?" Tethys exclaimed, already half dressed.

"Not spying, observing, as is my duty," Alyna explained. "We must hurry! Atreus is in danger. They have drugged him with a strange yellow flower."

"Yilith!" Tethys gasped. "I hope they haven't given him too much!"

As Suni pulled on her shirt and grabbed a flashlight, Tethys and Alyna were already out the door. Stubborn Atreus, Suni thought. What kind of a mess has he got himself into this time?

Atreus moaned and opened his eyes. His head reeled with the poisonous gas of the yilith plant and his muscles felt like jelly. He was chained to a post deep in the bowels of Starcademy, in a room he had never entered before. Judging by the noise, Atreus winced at the thought, they were near the massive furnace that heated the school.

Raising his head, Atreus saw that the entire metal room where he was being held was decorated with yilith plants. No wonder his head was swimming! He wondered how long he had been down here, whether or not anyone had missed him.

"Awake, are you?"

Atreus blinked to clear his fuzzy vision and saw the Neptunian from his Diplomatic Relations class standing in front of him. The Neptunian was wearing his Starcademy uniform and smiling down at his captive.

"Nylph," Atreus said, his voice sounding sluggish. "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of any snags in my path," Nylph replied. "You are too close to discovering the truth, Atreus. The Master and I can't have you ruining our plans."

"Plans? For what?"

"Freedom for my people, what else?" Nylph replied.

Atreus shook his head in confusion. "Aren't you Neptunian? Your people are free."

"Not while that false Queen Clito has beguiled our King, making him become one with her," Nylph spat at Clito's name.

Atreus thought he heard a gasp and a shushing sound coming from somewhere behind him, but could not be sure through his throbbing head. Was the yilith plant capable of causing hallucinations? He would have to remember to ask Tethys later, if he survived.

"What does Neptune have to do with the school records?" Atreus asked.

"A fee, nothing more," Nylph replied. "I deliver the records to my Master, and he makes sure that the kingdom of Poseidonae becomes purified and rules Neptune, as it should."

Atreus couldn't for the life of him think of Neptune's history. The yilith plant was making his vision waver dangerously between real and imaginary. What were the prolonged effects of this strange plant on an Andromedan? Couldn't be good, he guessed.

"Who is this Master?" Atreus asked, hoping to keep the deranged Neptunian patriot talking.

"A true Neptunian, like me," Nylph replied proudly. "He believes that Poseidonae should rule, and is willing to help my cause to make it so."

"You want the war to start again?"

Atreus swore he heard the question, but wasn't sure if he was the one who asked it. Lifting his head (he hadn't realized it had slumped to his chest), Atreus saw Tethys standing beside him. Was it really Tethys, or some delusion? Must be real, because Nylph was staring at her too.

"You want thousands more to die because my father married my mother?" Tethys cried. "You want to restore the carnage after all these years of peace?"

"Princess," Nylph spat. "I knew you wouldn't understand. You're corrupted with Atlantican blood!"

"But I am also Poseidonian," Tethys reminded him. "There are hundreds like me, born out of a united planet. Will you condemn us all to death in your perfect world, even if we are only half 'corrupt', as you put it?"

Nylph bit his lip unsure of how to reply. Tethys stared him down, and Atreus felt like cheering his friend on, suddenly giddy from the yilith pollen. He felt something around his wrists and twisted his head to see Suni crouched behind him.

"Pull them apart, Atreus," she hissed. "They're not strong. You're stronger!"

Atreus smiled and laughed, thinking of the weak links that kept him tied to the post. He could snap them! They were like those strange spaghetti noodles Uncle Harlan had fed him once. Weak and wibbly, like his muscles.

"Come on, Atreus!" Suni prodded. "Pull!"

Taking a deep breath, and wishing he hadn't as the yilith pollen was sucked into his lungs, Atreus ripped apart the chains that bound him. Nylph turned, gaping in outrage as Atreus stared dumbly at his now-free wrists.

"A trick!" Nylph screamed, drawing a blaster out from his belt and aiming it at Tethys.

"Tethys!" Suni cried, running away from Atreus to force her friend clear.

Nylph fired twice - once at Tethys, the other time at Atreus. Time slowed as the two bolts made their way to their targets. Suni collided with Tethys, pushing the princess away from the blast. It instead struck Suni in the abdomen, and she fell to the metal ground with a thud.

The second bolt sped toward Atreus, who regarded his incoming fate with a drug induced smile. From out of the shadows, Alyna appeared, placing herself between the bolt and Atreus. Screwing her face up in concentration, Alyna made a sweeping motion with her arms and the bolt inched off course, harmlessly hitting the pole behind Atreus.

In the next instant, time regained speed as Alyna used the chain Atreus had been tied in to wrap up Nylph. Tethys knelt on the floor next to Suni, sobbing. The door to the room slid open and four security officers marched in. As they took in the sight, Alyna calmly explained what had happened, and Suni and Atreus were taken to the medlab.

Suni opened her eyes and found herself lying face down, staring at herself. Her body lay on a white medlab bed with medics rushing around her. She could see the charred skin around her side where she had taken the blaster bolt for Tethys.

"Not again," she sighed.

"You are a handful, you know," a new voice said.

Suni flipped over and saw a young Mercurian hovering nearby. She smiled in spite of her situation and drifted over to him. Mattar, friend of her parents and now her Guarding Spirit, smiled.

"I should have chosen a less worrisome charge," Mattar continued. "Someone who doesn't charge Kaesar warriors, jump around through time, take on rogue Andromedans, and get shot by deranged Neptunians."

"Cut it out, Mattar," Suni said. "I'm having a rough night."

Mattar smiled at her. "It's not your time yet, you know."

Suni smiled back. "Thank you. That's a relief to hear, but at least I can spend the awkward waiting time with you."

Atreus sputtered and coughed as a thick, cold liquid was forced down his throat. He licked his lips and tried to turn his head as the cup was returned to his mouth. He found himself too weak to move, and suffered patiently as the mixture slid into his stomach. Surprisingly, he felt much better.

He cracked open his eyes and saw that he was in the medlab. A look to the right revealed Suni in a bed next to his, her pink skin paler than usual and several machines hooked up to her. To his left, he saw Alyna standing in the corner.

His mind swam with visions of his encounter with Nylph. The words were slurred and the pictures hazy, but he did recall the Guardian sending the laser bolt away from him. How she managed to do that, he didn't think he'd ever know.

"You are alive," Alyna remarked.

Atreus blinked and smiled. "Thank you," he rasped.

"What for?" Alyna asked.

"For saving me, even after I'd been such a jerk to you."

Alyna dipped her head. "I understand your reasoning, I think. You were afraid of the unknown, and believed that since I arrived at the same time as the robberies, the two must be connected."

Atreus raised an eyebrow and Alyna smiled at him.

"Tethys explained it to me," Alyna confessed. "I hope that we can start again, Atreus, and maybe be friends."

Atreus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a fit of coughing. Alyna gently lay a hand on his chest, and it glowed blue for a few moments. Atreus inhaled and found his breathing was more clear, and his mind as well.

"What did you do?" Atreus whispered.

"Guardians are mysterious creatures," Alyna replied with a wink. "There will always be much you do not know about me. The rest, you will learn with time."

Atreus nodded and Alyna took a step away from his bed. While the Andromedan watched, the Guardian wrapped her cloak around herself and vanished.

In the space around Starcademy, Alyna prepared herself to send her report. The elders were more receptive than usual tonight, she noticed. No doubt because of the disturbance she had caused by moving air waves instead of solar waves.

Your report, please, the elder replied, and Alyna knew it to be her great-great-grandfather, the one with the yellow eyes.

I have learned much by living among the planet-dwellers, Alyna said. Their ways are strange, but not unlike our own. I believe we may continue to exist as we do now, but be wary for emotions such as jealousy, hatred, and pride. These are difficult for planet-dwellers to control.

Good job, Alyna, the elder said happily. We have gained much information about the planet-dwellers. You may return to your sector of space now.

Elders, Alyna said slowly. I have not had a sector of space to guard for a long time. I had nothing to guard, until now. I beg you to allow me to remain with the planet-dwellers, learn more of their customs and cultures. I have made friends who will help me understand their ways, while they learn about ours.

The elders were silent. Alyna feared that, like her mother, she would be cast aside from the Guardian council. She had committed no crime other than fulfilling the wishes of the Elders, but somehow, she may have lost her way.

You may remain, Alyna, the elders said at last. Consider this area of space to be yours. You will protect its inhabitants at all costs, and continue to make reports to us.

Alyna dipped her head as she felt the elders' presence fading. A place of her own to guard! Friends with whom she could speak, not the solitary life that she had known before.

With an excited flick of her tail, Alyna headed back to Starcademy, her new home.