• Anandera and Stephanie reached the contol room, but by the time they had examined the vents they found nothing.
    "See?" Stephanie said with a smile. "Nothing in the vents."
    Anandera was unconvinced.
    "I know I heard something, " she finally said. "I do not just hear things. Let us check the area for someone unfamiliar."
    Stephanie sighed and pointed out the buttons that switched the cameras. She took one side while Anandera took the other and they searched all of the rooms in that sector. Suddenly, Stephnie let out a horrified scream. Anandera rushed to the screen she was looking at only to see it go dark. However, she did get a glimpse of Dananian's face in the background; it gave her an ill feeling and the slightest hint of death twinged in the air. Frantically she grabbed Stephanie's shoulders.
    "What did you see?!" Anandera asked, trying not to scream. "That was my husband! Tell me what you saw!"
    Steaphanie could not speak. She was still covering her mouth, her eyes wide in horror.
    "He...there was...alot of blood..." she stammered, shaking her head. Anandera let go, almost shoving her, and ran out of the control room to her own. She could see a trail of blood leading out of the door. Turning the corner into her room she suddenly froze in the doorway. She held both hands on her mouth to keep from screaming as she slowly stumbled to Dananian's side. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, but she did not want it to be true. The smells, the sensation, the heaviness all screamed that he was dead, but she did not want to believe it. She fell on her knees at his side. She tried to touch his face, but pulled away.
    "Da-Dananian?" she said, her voice almost a squeek. She took her hands away from her mouth and touched his neck. It was broken. No pulse. No breath. No heartbeat. Nothing. Her chest heaved, her heart felt like lead in her chest. She collapsed onto his chest and gripped it tight, trying her best to keep her composure, to keep from exploding in rage and sorrow. She screamed, a loud and angusihed scream that could be heard throughout the castle. Silver flame rose from her body. Slowly, that rage and sorrow was seeping out, spilling a heaviness into the air. Her wings broke through the robe, engulfed in flame. She continued to scream until everyone was crowded around the entrance of the room. Tallie and Xavier pushed through the door, but only Tallie was able to approach her without being weighed down by the energy she was emitting. He put a hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away. Even he could give her no comfort.
    "Who?" she said through her sobbing. She sat up enough to straighten his head and close his eyes. Her hand trailed down his cheek. "Who could have done this to you when you have done nothing to deserve it?"
    She sobbed on his chest as everyone stared, unable to say anything comforting.
    "Earth, " she said with disgust. "Only someone from that wreched little ball of mud could have done this to you..."
    She turned and glared at Stephanie. Though she did not intend to project her anger at the girl, she could not help how she was feeling or who she directed it to. Her eyes burned through Stephanie.
    "What did he look like?" she demanded harshly. "Who killed him so that I may drain him of his last breath the way he...."
    She paused to look at Dananian once more, then collapsed on his chest again, sobbing uncontrollably. Everyone looked at the wide-eyed Stephanie questioningly.
    "He...he had....short blonde hair...i think, blue eyes...and this scar above his left eye, " she stammered. "He...blew the camera up before I could see what he was wearing, but...."
    Her eyes darted to the side.
    "It looked as though his clothes bore the MRI logo...no mistake, " she said.
    "He....is going to pay....very dearly for this, " Anandera said through her sobs. "You never...cross me this way....and live. Only Earthlings....could think to...take an innocent life...he will pay...HE WILL PAY!"
    Tallie reached over her wings and grabbed her by her shoulders, pulling her away from Dananian. She clutched at his body, trying desperately to stay as she was, but Tallie had always been physically stronger than her, so his will overpowered her own. He sat on the floor, holding her against his chest by clasping his hands together around her shoulders. She clawed frantically at his arms, drawing blood, but still he held her. She jerked frantically, crying, sobbing, reaching out for Dananian, but still Tallie held her tight. She would not understand at that time, but this hurt him just as much, if not more. The one he loved most was hurting in an unimaginable way, leaving him unable to comfort her. All he could do was hold her against her will until she stopped fighting. Her head fell back onto his chest, her face red and tear-stained.
    "Why, Tallie?" she asked, her voice small and almost child-like. "Why will you not just let me go to his side. Maybe there's something I..."
    "No, " Tallie said. "If I let you go, you anger will boil over and harm not just yourself, but everyone here. Did you not see how you glared at that girl. She had done nothing and you shot her a glance that would kill if it could. Calm down. You can do nothing but hurt everyone in this state."
    He placed the first two fingers of his right hand on her forehead, on the moon of her birthmark.
    "Sleep, love, " he whispered in her ear. "Save your fight for the morning light. Sleep."
    "Ta...llie..." she said as she fell asleep. She went limp in his arms and the flame that surrounded her body and engulfed her wings disappeeared, lifting the heavy aura in the room. Tallie picked Anandera up, fumbling around the wings. He walked toward the door.
    "Take care of this while I lay her in my room, " Tallie said to Xavier as he exited the room.
    Xavier nodded and entered the room. Tallie took her into his room just two doors down and lay her down on his bed. He pulled her bloody robe off and tossed it out the door to be burned. It was no good anyway. Luckily, the clothes benath were still clean and in one piece. He covered her with his blanket, kissing her on the forehead, before he left the room to join the others again. He quietly shut the door and walked back to the other room. Xavier had done a good enough job cleaning everything up. He approched and kneeled down.
    "I have to stay here with her, " Tallie said. "It is my duty and..."
    "You do not have to say anything else, " Xavier said, looking at Tallie with a half smile. "We all know how you feel about her. Forget your duty for now and just...be there. She needs you more than ever now..."
    Xavier placed his hand on Tallie's shoulder and squeezed. They stood up and looked around, anything to avoid looking at Dananian.
    "He's my brother, " Xavier finally said, his voice cracking a bit. "I will take him back to Sheshosha and have him prepared for the burial ritual by the time you guys return."
    "That would be best, " Tallie said, unsure of wheather Anandera could perform the ritual on her own husband. "She should not have to see this when she wakes up, so go quickly. The spare ship capsule is in the emergency box on the ship."
    Xavier nodded, picked his brother up carefully, and walked out of the room to the ship area.