Sitting in a dim corner at the opposite end of the transport's rear compartment was Krom. Instant relief and unexpected joy filled Skylar at the sight of his lost companion.

"Krom!" he cried, "where did you come from? How did you get here? What happened to you?"

The questions spilled out of Skylar's mouth like water from a fountain. Krom held up his hand for Skylar to pause. A trace of a smile touched his lips. Evidently he was amused—if not pleased—by Skylar's concern.

"I am glad to see you, too, Skylar," he said. "As to what happened to me, suffice it to say that when I met with Lord Denovyn and learned of Morvath's presence in the capital house, I didn't dare return to you for fear that Morvath's spies would follow me. With Denovyn's aid I managed to stay hidden. But I simply couldn't risk rejoining you while Morvath remained in Arsolon."

"It is well, then, that we were caught," said Skylar. "Otherwise, we would have certainly left you. Lasseter fully intended to."

"As he should have. Would that Morvath had never set eyes on you and that the whole of you were safely journeying to Allega at this very moment. We'll have no cause for celebration until we're off this planet."

They reached the port within a few short minutes. Lasseter scouted out the area before deeming it safe for the companions to exit the transport. Attempting to appear inconspicuous, the companions casually filed out of the transport. Endrick took the lead, guiding the companions across a plaza busy with incoming and outgoing traffic, under a short covered walkway, and into the port's hangar.

By no means an expansive hangar, it housed but a dozen planet hoppers and just a few larger crafts.

They strode past the ranks of smaller ships, making their way toward the opposite side of the hangar. They soon came to the crafts built for speed and longer journeys through space. The first of those was a craft as black as a moonless night, with cockpit windows shaped like the slit eyes of a snake. Skylar had no doubt as to what master this ship served. Beside it, in stark contrast, sat the sleek, silver form of a ship that could only have been the Star Hawk. It bore majestic wings and a short hooked nose, just like a hawk's. It exuded confidence and prowess of flight. Skylar felt a thrill at having a chance to ride in such a craft.

But Endrick did not stop at the Star Hawk.

Puzzled, Skylar turned to Krom. "Is that not Lord Denovyn's ship?"

"I believe it is."

"Are we not boarding it, then?"

"Denovyn's offer was very generous. Endrick knows, however, that accepting will only bring more trouble for Denovyn. Lord Denovyn has already risked much for our sake—for your sake."

Disappointed, Skylar merely nodded. Flying in the Star Hawk might be grand, but he accepted the wisdom of this decision. Too many had already suffered for his sake.

They soon came to the ship Endrick had hired the night before. At the sight of it, Skylar's confidence fell. The Luna, as it was called, looked about as clunky and awkward as a flying moon. In size it was sufficient to carry a sizable load, but it looked less likely to reach its destination than the smallest planet hopper.

A broad-shouldered man with a large round gut sat on a stool near the shuttle's open hatch. Evidently he was the pilot. He recognized Endrick.

"I expected you an hour ago," he grumbled.

"Our apologies, Captain," said Endrick, sounding far from apologetic, "but some friends of ours threw us an unexpected farewell party."

All the more irritated, the captain of the Luna only grunted in reply.

"We appreciate your patience," added Krom with greater sincerity. "We were unavoidably detained. Time presses us greatly. May we embark at once?"

The captain crammed an old leather cap onto his bald head and laboriously stood up.

"A' right masters, we embark."

The interior of the Luna was in as poor disrepair as the outside, if not worse.

"Do you honestly believe this ship can make it to Allega?" whispered Skylar to Endrick.

"No, but Grüny Sykes, our cranky captain, does."

Within minutes the Luna was taxiing out of the hangar and onto a launch pad. Every bolt and piece of metal rattled as the captain ignited the ship's main thrusters. Skylar gripped his seat. The entire ship shook as if it would fall to pieces at any moment. Skylar clenched his teeth to prevent them from rattling as the Luna convulsed into the air and rocketed toward Fenorra's stratosphere.

After what felt like hours, Skylar released his grip on his seat and massaged his hands. His jaw and neck muscles relaxed. The Luna had escaped Fenorra's atmosphere and now glided smoothly through space, away from Morvath.

Endrick slapped Skylar on the back.

"And you doubted she could do it..."

"Yes, I still do," replied Skylar, breathing normally again. "We still have to get there and descend through the planet's atmosphere."

"Descending? I've no doubt the Luna can descend through anything. Staying in one piece...now that's another matter."

"That's enough, you two," said Krom. "The ship will hold. In the meantime, let's not be too lighthearted. Until we're on Allega, under Lord Rowvan's protection, we still have need of vigilance."

The pair nodded and grew quiet.

Skylar's thoughts turned to another matter, one that had been swirling in the back of his mind since his interview with Morvath. A tightness clenched his stomach. He must speak now. If he waited any longer it would likely be too late. He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth to speak.

"I don't want to go to Allega," he said softly. "I want to go to Haladras."

A slight groan of impatience escaped Krom's mouth.

"I thought we settled this matter. You can't go back to Haladras. You have no protection there. Did you not learn anything from Fenorra? You're fortunate to be alive and out of Morvath's clutches."

Skylar did not allow himself to grow angry, but continued emphatically, "Morvath told me he's planning to go to Haladras."

"All the more reason for us to stay our current course."

"He said he'd heard of civil unrest among the people. He mentioned military intervention. There was menace in his eyes when he said it. I fear...I fear he'll harm my people, perhaps those I care about most."

Krom looked at him with something akin to compassion.

"But don't you see, my boy, it's a trap? A way to get to you? He'll do whatever he can to have you."

"I thought of that. But I can't let him hurt anyone else for my sake. Especially not Haladrians."

"He'll do it too," added Lasseter. "You know he will, old friend. Morvath failed to break Skylar's will during that interview. Now he'll try to do it by breaking Haladras."

"We can't stop it, though," cried Krom, "Not unless Skylar gives himself up. And that cannot be. Give him the whole empire forever if that. Besides, Morvath is too cunning to do something as reckless as blatantly attacking Haladras. That would incite true rebellion."

"All I know," replied Skylar, "is that I felt a cold fear when he spoke of Haladras. He means to do them harm—I know it."

"He was only trying to weaken your will. The further away from Haladras and Morvath you are, the safer you and everyone will be."

"You don't know that," insisted Skylar, "You weren't there. You didn't hear the casualness in his voice while seeing his eyes flame with hatred. He means to work evil."

Krom did not immediately respond, but stared back at Skylar, contemplating.

"You are both correct," said Lasseter after a time. "Morvath will go to Haladras—of that I feel confident. That he intends evil, there can be no question. But in what form? Skylar may have ignited Morvath's interest in Haladras. He cannot have failed to recognize its strategic importance. The empire's dependence on Haladrian-exported teryleum has grown exponentially in the past five years. Lord Rowvan is the only force standing between Tarus and a complete iron-fisted regime. If Tarus seizes Haladras and cuts off exportation of teryleum to Allega, Rowvan will be hard pressed to sustain a lengthy campaign, should war break out."

There was that word again: war. The very sound of it knotted Skylar's stomach. War and death were all the same in his mind. He had seen enough of death.

"What are you suggesting, then?" said Krom.

"Simply that we listen to the boy."

"To what end?"

"To raise a rebellion. To fight for Haladras."

"You mean to die for Haladras. It's suicide. Haladras cannot stand against the empire."

"It won't be the empire. Morvath will not be expecting a resistance. He will not bring an entire army of soldiers."

Krom considered it for a moment, every feature in his face disliking the idea.

"And why not go to Allega first? We could petition Rowvan's aid in behalf of Haladras."

"There may not be enough time. It will take two days to travel there from our current position, another three from Allega to Haladras. We'll need as much time as we can get to raise an army."

"Yes," agreed Skylar, "we must warn viceroy Aberforce as soon as possible."

Krom frowned and looked from Lasseter to Skylar.

"And this is your desire, Skylar?"

"I have no wish to fight. But I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to Haladras. My heart tells me that this is what I should do."

Shaking his head, Krom stood up and turned his back on the companions. He gazed out into space through one of the windows. After several minutes, he spoke, with his back still turned, his voice low and subdued.

"It is a hard decision. I cannot see the answer clearly."

He turned around, his face looked ten years older.

"The greatest safety for you lies in Allega. Yet to go there may ultimately lead to ruin. To go to Haladras...I fear nothing good will come of it. Indeed, all may be lost on Haladras. And yet, my heart is likewise turned toward Haladras. It is a course I tremble to take."

He went silent again, brooding, fighting inside for the answer.

"The burden of choice is too great for me. Let it be as you desire. We go to Haladras."

"To Haladras," echoed Lasseter.

"Well," interjected Endrick, "seeing that no one cares about my opinion on the matter, I'll just go inform Grüny about the change of plans. Maybe he can talk some sense into the lot of you."

After berating Endrick severely with oaths and curses, the captain of the Luna agreed to change their destination to Haladras. He had little reason not to. Haladras was half the distance and Endrick had offered to still pay the original fee for their travel to Allega.

* * *

The Haladrian sun bore down on the companions the moment they stepped off the Luna. It threatened to bake them alive as they strode across the steel grated deck in their thick paqua-hair cloaks. After nearly a fortnight exposed to the colder climates of Quoryn and Fenorra, Skylar felt as though Haladras had grown hotter in his absence. Of course, the heavy cloak did not help matters. Krom had forbidden him from letting anyone know of his presence of Haladras until he deemed it necessary.

The Luna had docked at the far end of Cloud Harbor, generally reserved for small, private ships. Few dock hands were working at that end of the deck. None which Skylar recognized. Yet as they made their way toward the port's main terminal and offices, he saw more and more dock hands, many whom he knew. He suddenly felt glad for the hood that hid his face. For years he'd worked at the docks. It was as much home to him as any place. Yet now he felt a stranger to it, that he didn't belong. The thrill and excitement the docks once gave him had vanished. They belonged to a different Skylar. One whose world and hopes were as small as Haladras itself. Something inside him yearned to be that Skylar, yet he knew it could never be so.

Still, he looked about him as much as he could and still appear discreet. He hoped to see Kindor. If he couldn't speak to him, at least he could see that he was well.

They passed the main hangar. The doors were open and Skylar saw the Supernova, Captain Arturo's convoy ship, inside. A spark of hope flickered at the sight of it. Captain Arturo must be on Haladras. The venerated captain might prove a vital ally in their cause. Then a sound reached Skylar's ears which seemed to come from a dream and brought a smile to his lips.

Rasbus.

The iron-lunged harbor master barked out orders in rapid-fire succession to a few unfortunate dock hands. Skylar did not look up to see him. He feared to. What would Rasbus say to him? Rasbus had given Skylar a second chance. And then Skylar had vanished from off the planet. No doubt Rasbus felt Skylar had betrayed his trust.

With a degree of relief and sadness, Skylar climbed into a transport Endrick had hired, and watched as the port disappeared in a cloud of dust as they sped off into the desert.

To Skylar's disappointment, the companions did not go to Kaladra—to his home in the Gorge.

"I want you out of sight, for the time being," Krom had said. "If all goes well, every soul on Haladras will know you're here before long. And you'll wish you could hide beneath that cloak when they do."

They went instead to Lasseter's hidden dwelling place in the desert and began planning. There was still the question of how to rally the people of Haladras against the empire that remained to be answered.

"I fear," said Lasseter, "that we cannot take this directly to Aberforce. For many years I've watched him. A just and wise leader he can be. But he is more a coward than he shows. He'll not stand against Tarus. We need to find a way of calling an emergency council meeting without going directly to Aberforce."

"I say we disguise Krom as Morvath," said Endrick. "All we'd need to find is an evil black ship and a frightened minion or two."

Krom said, ignoring Endrick's comment, "Are you certain we could not persuade Aberforce? Even if we brought him Prince Korbyn?"

Lasseter shook his head. "Aberforce must remain unadvised as long as possible. For I fear, in the end, he will prove our enemy."

"Can we not call a clandestine assemblage of this council you speak of?" said Krom.

"Possibly. But the Council members would cry treason if the viceroy were not present. And we would need messengers to send to each of the colonies. Which we don't have. We need someone else, someone with power and influence here."

It was then that Skylar suddenly remembered seeing the Supernova in the port's hangar. That was the answer.

"Captain Arturo," he said slowly.

Krom and Lasseter looked at him quizzically.

"He has as much influence as Aberforce himself, probably more," continued Skylar. "We'll have him call the Council together. The viceroy will not deny him."

Krom looked from Skylar to Lasseter.

"Is this true? Can this captain help us?"

No answer escaped Lasseter's mouth. But an intimation of a smile showed in his green eyes as he faintly nodded his head.

They counseled a few moments more, Lasseter and Skylar giving Krom suggestions on how to find the celebrated captain. Krom had decided that he would seek out Arturo alone, while the other companions remained in hiding. Secretly, Skylar wondered how Krom, a complete stranger to Arturo, planned to persuade the captain to help them. More likely than anything, Arturo would take Krom for a lunatic, an escapee from an asylum, and send for a doctor, or soldiers. Krom acted confident, however. Nor did Lasseter gainsay his old companion. Skylar insisted on going along.

"He might remember me, at least," said Skylar. "I did help save his ship."

Krom would hear none of it.

With no more preparation that that, Krom was gone, leaving the others with naught to do but wait and hope.