Murelle had to go to the Stars End Spaceport to return the transport. She paid the rental fee and as she passes the Stars End Bar she decides she'd like to drink a cider before she heads home. The pneumatic door hisses as she enters and finds it empty except for one person at the bar nursing an ale. She smiles at him as she goes behind the bar and fishes a cider out of the cooler, dropping the credits owed into the till. She now looks at the other patron.

"Hello.." At once she stops and stares; her eyes go wide. The continual changing of iris colors from red, blue, green, and back to brown didn't fool her for a moment.

Astonished she cries out "Jeff?"

He politely returned her hello, then blinks. "Mure?"

"Well, this is a surprise! Jeff!"

He cringes but smiles at her. "At is actually Miles. Miles Grimm."

"A name change" Miles" Well, whatever you call yourself...This is such a great surprise!" She sets her cider on the counter she lays her hand on his arm. "Gods, it has to have been 10 years!"

"Really 10 years. Dang, I must be getting old. My God look at you."

Mure comes around the bar and sits on the stool next to him.

"You haven't changed at all! Except your eyes are different.

He takes a swig of his beer, then closes her eyes to bring back the red color she was used to. "How's this" A lot has changed though."

"Tell me. You don't seem older to me."

Miles grins. "Well, the man you knew, Capt. Jeff Gillies, was a deep cover assignment I got picked for right out of boot camp from the Colonial Marines. The back story, the DNA and other modifications were all part of the cover. Mars Security was ripe with corruption and well they were pirates. Federation couldn't do anything without hard evidence. Side effect of the modifications i had to go through. Still have the triple helix of a "Martian"

"Once I had the info, I got out and they got shut down with their higher ups, released out an airlock. I still managed to secure a bunch of tech from them before they were closed down. I even have the runabout still and my black market contacts. The cover was deep."

"You were on Earth for awhile?" Murelle asks then takes a swig of her cider.

"Alaska to be exact. "My sister is still there, along with a friend I helped out on Mars. Well a girlfriend, pseudo wife and out adopted daughter who is really ours in DNA profile." He stands and snaps a crisp salute "Senior Master Sgt Miles "Reaper" Grimm At your service." He gives Mure a wide grin.

Murelle laughs and returns the salute to her old friend.

"It's going to take time to call you Miles. I've known you as Jeff for so long. I have thought of you and wondered how you were. What brings you back here?"

Miles shrugs. "Don't know, for some reason i just felt like I had to head over here for a beer. I haven't been here since the night after the forest."

"How long have you been here on Rhy-Din?" Murelle asks.

He looks at his watch. "About 45 minutes and 3 beers."

"Well, it is good to see you. Actually, it is very timely that you showed up."

Miles tiles his head. "Oh' I knew there was a reason I felt like I had to be here."

"Your instincts have not diminished." Murelle replies.

"Yeah, neither has my love of explosions. Speaking of love, how is my unofficial god daughter, she is what 11 now?"

"Actually she just turned 12, but Gwyn is growing like a weed. She looks much like Llewyss, but has my mother's red hair. She is the pride in my life."

"I can't wait to see her again, or well for her it would be the first time. So, why is it timely I showed up?"

"Well, I returned just 5 months ago myself, going to settle in Eldicor, where Gwyn was born. It seems we didn't eradicate the creature that killed Llewyss. Though I remember we tried right after Llewyss died. It knows I'm here. It has been bothering me in my dreams. It's a dream walker and I suspect a shape shifter as well."

"Is that all?" He takes a sip of his ale. He turns to look at her, his eyes going red again. "What do you need" And when do we blow stuff up?"

Murelle laughs. Miles takes her hand in his. "After that day in the forest, while I was recovering Llew came to me, in a dream or something. I didn't understand at the time, still kind of fried from that disrupter."

Murelle's eyes go wide. "What did he say?"

"It's been awhile. Just my journey is not yet over, my path and yours will cross again, time and space have no meaning, the darkness will see light when the reaper is unleashed. Mure, I never told him who I really was. There some Indian medicine women or something beat me up with a stick. It hurt. When I woke up I had this on my wrist."

He pulls his sleeve up to show a very ancient Native American symbol for protector/Guardian.

"I showed it to one of the tribes back home. They said I was bound in life, to protect 2 others, and help them when they needed it. I was so confused at the time. So when some old lady beats you up in a dream, and you wake up with a strange tattoo, what does that mean"

Murelle was just floored by this. She watched him drain his ale. "Do you want another" I can operate the tap."

"Sure."

The ale was deftly tapped and Murelle sets the mug in front of Miles. She dropped the creds into the till. "On me. Now, this old lady, did she give you her name?" She goes back around the bar and climbs back on her stool.

"No, just beat the crap out of me, and told me to spoil her granddaughter, and teach her how to defend herself."

"It has to be my grandmother, I know it." Murelle says with a soft gasp.

"Who?"

"My grandmother, I'm sure of it. That tattoo, it's a symbol from my people. The plains people of Earth. Why she would beat you with a stick, is to see if you are of stern stuff. This shows you have no fear."

"Of what I was dreaming of before they invaded my mind." Miles just smiles. "She mumbled something about a red eyed pervert. Don't know what that was about." He tries to look innocent, but Murelle only laughed. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

"The same is for me as well. Once we get rid of this "thing" you and Gwen are coming to my place on Earth, big house, huge area of land, on the lake, skies so clear. Lots of drinking." He goes serious. "Mure, have you ever considered that this thing could be an alien we have never seen and it is attached to you for some reason, it likes your life energy or something?"

For a few moments Murelle ponders this. "I'm sure it's something I have no idea what it is. I tried to find out in the databases, but no luck. Say have you a place to stay tonight' I can bring you back to Eldicor and I'm sure they'll welcome you. I have much to show you. I went to the forest the other night and got some excellent intel. I found where that entity is."

"Sure, I'll tag along. I would like to see the intel, and visit where it lives. I can have the whole place carpet bombed from orbit, it will be molten glass in 20 seconds." Murelle watches as he pulls out a small com device and sends a message. She answers. "Well, I don't want to destroy the forest. We have to go in and kill it one on one. This forest has been around for centuries and beautiful in its own right. I know the Great Mother would be grieved."

Miles frowns. "Ok, fine, we will do it the easy way instead of the fun way."

Seriously Murelle continues. "It will not be easy Miles. I don't want to blow smoke up your shorts. You will see what I mean when I show you the intel and maps. But I think with the armies of Eldicor, and you and I we will clean out that forest."

"Plus with what i can get a hold of in the way of weapons. What type of armies does it have?"

"Elven archers, Rangers, great with the blade, Dwarves and their axes. There are also those who have special powers, including the queen and one who is name is Xenograg. It will be a hard fought battle. But I think we can pull this off. Come. Do you have any gear?"

"I can get maybe 200 Marines down here, with pulse rifles, F-Lances, incendiary devices, with the queen's permission. Umm, has she forgiven me from that little streaking incident the last time I stayed?"

"What streaking incident?" Murelle asks her curiosity now peaked.

"I was really tense the one day, you had taken Gwyn into town for some herbs and stuff, I asked around asked someone mentioned a hot spring nearby. Here I was naked as the day I was born, and some woodland critter, takes my clothes."

"Uh-oh." Murelle kind of giggles. "You were caught then huh?"

"It gets better. I get in the castle and am a minute away from my room, when I hear the voice of the maids coming; you know the 4 ditzy ones. So I run into a nearby room till they pass."

Listening, Murelle climbs off her stool, collecting her now empty cider bottle and Mile's mug. The bottle went into the recycling bin and she washes out the mug, setting it back on the shelf with the others.

"Well here I am naked and leaning up against a door when I hear a cough behind me. I turn around to see the Queen herself having lunch with some dignitaries or something. So I do that only thing I could do. Now the queen has a might good sense of humor considering. I stood tall, walked up to her bowed and kissed her hand and said "And said, Ma'am I am humbled by your hospitality for allowing me to stay here, I one day hope to return the favor and rise to your call."

By this time Murelle is laughing pretty hard.

"Someone mumble that I already was and well then, the queen blushed a bit, smiled, and said thank you and your welcome. I stopped bowing snapped a salute and walked out with as much dignity as possible right into the arms of the 3 ditzies. I ran. Don't know what happened to the other one. She didn't tell you what happened did she?"

"No! She never said a word about it. Grab your things; it's time I got back." She was still chuckling at this mind picture. She digs into her pockets and pulls out a red stone. "Don't worry, she will remember I'm sure but she has a good sense of humor. She will make you feel welcome."

She drops the stone on the ground and a portal opens to the castle courtyard, as she pulls Miles along he said "I almost didn't get away from those three maids. Did I tell you they broke into my room one night"

"No!"

"That's were those scratches came from, that I told you were from a cat. They scared me. There not still around are they?"

Murelle grinned. "I don't think so, they must have been traumatized. Come. I'm sure the queen will be pleased to see you again." Picking up the stone, the portal closed at once. "Well, welcome back to Eldicor."

Miles was welcomed cordially and was installed in one of the guest apartments.

"I live two doors down." Murelle says, "When you are ready come over and I'll show you what I found out."

Murelle left him to unpack and she went to her own rooms. Gwyn jumped up from her chair, crossed the room with a run and hugged Murelle.

"Mom! I missed you."

Murelle smiled and gave her daughter a huge hug.

"I never stop thinking about you sweetheart." She released Gwyn and crossed the room and sat in her chair with a sigh.

"I ran across a friend I knew long before I married your father. His name is Miles and he'll be here to help."

"You're talking about the forest aren't you?" Gwyn asked quietly as sat back on her little chair near the fire.

Murelle leaned forward and made full eye contact.

"Yes I am."

"Mom, I don't want you to go. It scares me. I mean...what if you get.." Her voice drops to a whisper. "killed?"

"My dear girl, it must seem scary, but it must be done. To be honest, I'm somewhat afraid myself. Miles, is a good friend and will give us strong support by getting a number of those he commands. They bring weaponry that will be of great help."

They were interrupted by a knock, Murelle got up and went to the door and opened it. Miles stood there looking a little awkward; he gave a "Hello." "Come in Miles." He steps in looking around the room and then focuses on Gwyn. "Gwyn, this is Miles." Gwyn's deep green eyes were wide she gave an almost silent;

"Hello."

He crossed the room and crouched down to look at Gwyn. "You do look like your father. I don't think you remember me. You were pretty young when I left."

Gwyn silently shook her head. She picked up a near-by doll and hugged it closed.

"But you are a pretty little thing." Miles smiled. Gwyn gave a shy smile and hid her face in her doll.

Murelle gave a chuckle. "Let's take a quick look at what I found out. I'm sure you must be tired."

She went to the table that sat in the middle of the room. There sat a small "V" shaped device, as well as the creature she brought back from the Dark Forest. The black creature had eight legs, a black exoskeleton, about eight eyes with two antennas. A tail that curled toward it's back with a shiny dart pointed out.

By this time, Gwyn had pulled up a chair to stand on to take a look at what they were talking about.

"That damn thing is heavy, it took all I could do to hoist it on the transport I was using. Here are the darts that it projects. It got me in the shoulder and it bled like crazy. See the barbs" Very effective. Here are more."

Murelle pointed at several darts on the table. Miles picked one up and carefully examined it. He gave a whistle.

"What else?" He asked.

Murelle moved over to the "V" shaped device and turned it on. The forest spread out almost the entire room. "The forest is huge, almost 800 square miles. But fortunately, we only have to focus on a fraction of it." She pushed another button and a black square outlined the area she was speaking of. "As you can see, what we encounter is confined to this area."

She pushed another button and a series of red arcs spread from one section of the back half of the forest. At the end was a huge almost red-black box that pulsated.

"Think that's the entity. We'll have our work cut out for us."

She pushed one more button. The rest of the map filled with brown figures. "It's a very old forest, filled with old fallen trees, brush and?" another push of a button and several grey figures appeared. "Cliffs and lots of caves."

She turned off the projector. "I'm sure I'll be giving a presentation, with more info. Do you want to know anything else?"