He was on Ex-Galactic Teshin, one born outside the galaxy, usually in the upper halo of it. In Eleran's case, he was born on a world near the L 14 satellite galaxy, nearly 80,000 light-years from the Teshin Legacy.

Eleran had moved to Aliba, the capital world of the Legacy, when he was 11. His parents both had been diplomats. They had traveled much and were at home with aliens, mainly the white-furred Ghe-lia from the L 14 Galaxy.

But tragedy struck when Eleran was 17. During latest Asikiwa war, an Asikiwa heavy cruiser crashed in the City Quarter of Aliba Fortress, destroying most of the city in a firestorm.

Eleran had been in precollege on distant Seytis when it happened. Both of his parents were killed and Eleran was booted out of precollege when nobody was any longer paying its bill.

Eleran was an exceptionally smart guy. He spoke 14 languages and understood alien cultures. He applied for and got accepted into the Protector Corps.

He passed all courses exceptionally and was assigned as a negotiator for an arbitration outfit.

That went along well until one day 22 years ago, when an arbitration between former Farmers Alliance officials became ugly and gunfire erupted.

Eleran opened fire with his wave gun and killed 3 of them, taking a shot to his right hip area. Badly injured, he failed to protect the arbitrator.

Eleran was brought up on charges of failure in his duty. It didn't matter that he could not do it, he was Ex-Gal scum as far as the Legacy Court was concerned. He was sentanced to 25 years in prison and stripped of all official titles and any future work in the Legacy.

Some of the worst tortures if the Eldda Prison were inflicted on Cristalian prisoners. Eleran was put amongst them, suffering cruelties also inflicted on a young female hacker he met named Kela.

They were often tied together in the cold water pool for nights at a time.

Kela grew to like him for his strength and his company.

He last saw her when she was released 3 years before he was. She promised to meet him again but he would have o find her first.

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Eleran was released and not given any far for the shuttle to the main city. It was dark and raining.He wore only his prison jumpsuit, a sickeningly yellow color.

Soaked to the bone and catching a cold, Eleran began walking down a concrete road that had seen better days. He had to jump over rifts and nearly got run over twice by hover cars, having to dive face down onto the broken concrete street.

The local suns were coming up when he came to a small store that sold refreshments. The proprietor run him off before he could ask for a drink and a towel to dry off.

Eleran was tired and frighteningly sick now. He had to stop and huddled under a bridge, freezing, to rest, which he didn't.

He was rousted up after falling asleep by a patrol enforcer, who took pity on him, taking him to a shelter, where he was given medicine and dry, clean, new clothing.

It was here that Eleran learned that his parents had left him a fortune and left him thier house on Hemrra, where he was born.

That was way too far away to go off to.

Eleran was relieved, using his new fortune to get him some new clothing and gear and a computer.

He used a Ghe-lia computer, its bizarre language protection enough for him against authorities who would have him leave the Legacy on the next ship out.

He put his belongings in a leather knapsack and obtained a ticket on a flight to Telfia, a friendly station run by the Commonwealth.

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On the huge orbital station around the ugly brown world, Eleran recieved a bizarre message on his public comm address.

It said: Eleran, I wave watched your misfortunes, unable to help you. I understand that you will be released into an awful and hostile world. I have scrabbled enough for you to find you way home. Enclosed in this message is 412,000 Authority bills, stolen, of course. You do not need to worry about paying me back. I don't need anything. Hope I see you again, Kee.

Kee was an old friend of Eleran's mother. She was Ghe-lia, from Hemrra also. She lost most of her family to the Asikiwa and the rest to rogue Teshin bandits, who valued thier white pelts.

Eleran was astonished. He had not seen her in over 40 years.

He had the money converted to Teshin money and put it with his fortune. He set up in a cafe on Telfia's observatory deck, looking out over a huge ACDF warcruiser being serviced below. He had never seen a ship so big up close.

Eleran ran a search on Kela but was interrupted by a large Protector in patrol armor.

"You, scum, you are not yet out of the Legacy," he said, his voice digitized by his suit.

Eleran snarled. "I am on Commonwealth territory, fool. Step back or suffer."

The Protector snarled and bought his neurostunner stick to bear.

"Hey!," a soft voice yelled.

Eleran turned to see an Arci-te female wearing a grey cloak and holding a very modern Commonwealth made plasmic weapon in her hand just like a police officer would.

"Put it down and walk away or get shot," she said.

The Protector grumbled and walked away suddenly.

Eleran was suprised. Few protectors would walk away from a challenge.

The female came to him. "Hi, I'm Eladia. You?"

He smiled. "Eleran."

Eladia sat down at his table across from him. "It's nice to meet you Eleran. Any enemy of the Protectors is a friend of mine."

He nodded. "I agree."

She saw his computer screen and its picture of Kela. "Oh? You know Kela?"

Eleran nodded. "I'm looking for her. She was a... friend, in the Teshin prison."

Eladia raised an eyebrow. "What kind of friend."

He scoffed. "Not one like you are imagining, I'm afraid.We were often confined together. I don't know why she was even in there, to tell the truth."

She sweetly smiled. "I know where she is. I stay wih her now. Met her on Si-Kera a week ago. She went off to Riefan to do something for some ACDF officer."

Eleran was shocked. "You can take me to her?"

She nodded. "Yup, but first, tell me about yourself."

He told her about his family and home and thier deaths, prison and how he got here.

Eladia was fascinated with him. "I've never met a guy like you. You know, we live on a ship, a biotech ship, built by Sikorans."

He smiled. "I'm sure that's interesting."

"It is. Hey, if you want to come wih me, pack up now, we're leaving for Tiat Si soon."

Eleran was shocked. "But...Tiat Si was..."

Eladia nodded. "Yes. it was. I haven't been back since they rebuilt it. I hope it's different now. C'mon. It's been a while since I last traveled wih a guy."

He closed his computer and put it in his knapsack and got up.

"That's all you got?," she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, why?"

She shook her head, smiling. "I'll heve to get you some things." She took his hand and led him to a clothing store.

Eleran needed clothing and didn't know what was the style out here. She helped him choose conservative clothing and all manner of warm clothing.

She even got him a couple of cases to carry them in and saved him a lot of money.

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Eladia explined to him about Kela. What she was, what her life would be like as she matured.

Eleran nodded. He had known about that because Kela told him long ago. He told her that he was also cold in that way due to injuries given to him by the prison.

She felt sorry for him but offered to help him regain some feelings. She was honest and appealing and Eleran accepted her offer.

They boarded a flight to Tiat Si a few hours later and things for Eleran would never be the same.

� 9 March 2004 Gregory Thompson