It was a brief battle. The crew members weren't trained fighters and were no match for Sora's guards. They surrendered after a few were killed. The guards escorted the mutinous crew to Jejliard. He waited for them in the conference room. He could still feel the influence of the tea and sat in one of the oak chairs. The room looked bare without the table Widhbo had taken. Jejliard sensed the ship was unhappy with him,

"I can do this without your help," he told Sora. "Watch and learn. Why do you never speak to me?" The Sora didn't answer him. She never did. Jejliard wondered if he was delusional. No. Widhbo had confirmed what was happening. Sora was real. Sora was alive.

Jejliard greeted the prisoners. He was a natural diplomat and eloquent speaker. Still, it was difficult to alleviate the obvious discomfort of the situation.

"I'm sorry this had to ever come about. If you were unhappy here, you simply had to say so. I would have gladly arranged to take you back to Beldora. I just couldn't let you take the transports without first arranging to have them returned to the ship."

The crew had been expecting a much harsher reception and though nerves were on edge, Jejliard's words were soothing.

"As you know, the war has begun. It's not safe on Beldora. Those who left on the first transport will most likely die before they can find suitable shelter from the aftermath of radiation." He continued with true emotion in his voice. "We've all lost someone we love over these recent days. I've lost my son, and many good friends."

He stopped to retrieve a list of those killed in the shootout with the guards or escaped Sora on the first transport. He displayed the names with their picture on the wall behind him. Crew members were visibly moved and cried out upon seeing the familiar faces.

"Here's the difference between life on Sora and Beldora," Jejliard said. He motioned toward the door and to the everyone's amazement those who had just been listed filed in to join them.

"On Sora, life never ends."

* * *

"No grudges. Everyone is regenerated with a clean slate," Jejliard said watching the families and friends unite. Jejliard could tell the tea was wearing off. The pull of the Sora was penetrating his psyche. He needed another infusion of tea before Sora took him over again. He jumped to his feet.

"Who's with me now?" he shouted across the room. "A show of hands."

Hands began to go up one at a time until it was unanimous.

"Welcome back," Jejliard said. "I trust everyone will get back to normal and attend to your duties. I have work to do."

He headed toward Widhbo's office where the tea had been moved. He had brought a few plants with him and hoped to grow more on the ship. If it could be done using hydroponics he might be able to keep Sora under control.

A guard caught up with him before he reached the office. "Sir, two supply pods just took off. We found security footage in the hanger showing Halston Medantos and the Raemolles were on board on of the pods. Three crew members on the other."

"The fools think they have a chance. They are mistaken," Jejliard assured him. "It's too late. I've modeled the radiation path since the time of the first explosion. There's been a second one. The pod will have to fly straight through it to reach their homes on Novaland."

"Maybe they're not going home," the guard said. "They could land on another continent."

"So, you think there's a chance. Do you want to leave the Sora too?" Jejliard asked, irritation breaking through as the tea was leaving his system. "Because my offer still stands. I'll allow anyone who wishes to leave to take the remaining transport. It's damaged so you will not survive when the cabin depressurizes, not to mention your pilot just left."

"No...no. I was just informing you. The pods might make it and I thought you would want to know," the guard answered.

Jejliard was struggling for control with every breath. "I am quite aware of everything which happens on this ship. Get everyone back to work. There are repairs to be made and I want anyone trained in hydroponics to meet me in the greenhouse." Jejliard was back in control of himself, for the moment. "You see?" He challenged the Sora. "I'm still in charge"

He went to Widhbo's office and poured a cup of his tea. He downed it in a couple of swallows. It was good to feel it coursing through his body and prayed the plants he brought would thrive.

He sat back to wait until he was firmly back in control. He must have dozed off. Jejliard awakened to find Nova standing beside him. He gave the big cat an affectionate pat. "It's good to see you again, Nova, but I was actually hoping to find Widhbo. Have you seen him?"

Nova looked up and snarled. "You're welcome to his company I've had quite enough of him."

Jejliard was able to hear Nova for the first time. "Nova?"

"Yes. I can talk. Surprised? Really?"

Widhbo separated from Nova and regained his own form as Jejliard watched.

"Now that you can walk again, I'm more than happy to take my leave of you," Widhbo said.

Jejliard was caught off guard and for a moment and said nothing. He was doubting his sanity again. Hearing Nova’s words Jejliard realized he really hadn't known the real Nova.

Widbho read his thoughts. “You'll have to excuse his manners. Nova is hung over and in a bad mood,” Widhbo volunteered. “Kalara wine causes the worst headaches. I can still feel my head throbbing. He is mad at me for waking him up to say goodbye to everyone. I should probably mention that I blocked you from talking with Nova until now.”

"You kept me from talking to Nova, but not Tajlon?" Jejliard asked. "And let me think Tajlon was making it all up?"

"I made an executive decision. It worked out better that way," Widhbo replied. "Trust me on this one."

"I have no choice but to trust you, Widhbo," Jejliard replied with all sincerity. Widhbo was the only consistent thing in his world now, his one link to sanity.

"Why were looking for me?" Widhbo asked.

“I want your help cultivating the tea. As long as I drink it, I'm rational. I'm me."

"You could have stayed on Beldora. Remained mortal and sane,” Widhbo said.

"I much preferred my mortal life on Beldora. I wish I'd never left there, " Jejliard said.

“Well, I like being here,” Nova said. “I'm immortal now, right?”

Widhbo pecked at the leopard’s hide and drew a drop of blood. Nova flinched and snarled.

"Just checking your program,” Widhbo said. “Feeling irritable, are we?”

“You have always irritated me,” Nova complained. He rubbed a paw over the wound and licked up to blood.

“Let Nova be,” Jejliard said. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Widhbo turned to Jejliard and flapped his wings noisily. “You should know. You the one who caused all our problems. You know, death, destruction, banishment...”

“Your ship is our problem,” Jejliard countered. “I was fine until the Sora decided it wanted to become me. To use me for its own purposes.”

"Sorry. I'm in a peckish mood, Jejliard. Nothing ever goes as planned," Widhbo said. "I have to second guess everything around here."

"What’s going on? What did I miss?" Nova asked.

“I think you may be in danger, Nova,” Jejliard said.

Nova looked at him through narrowed eyes and tilted his head. “I’m listening…”

“The Sora isn’t just a ship,” Jejliard began. He didn’t know if Nova would understand.

“He’s not as empty headed as he acts,” Widhbo said and turned to Nova. “The Sora is alive and trying to manifest itself in this dimension through Jejliard. This ship is really an interdimensional creature which I stole from the ancients. Apparently they are the only ones who can control the creatures."

“Another bird brain idea of yours, Widhbo?”

“I wasn’t a bird then.”

“Any idiot should have known better that to steal from the ancients,” Nova said. "Who are the ancients exactly?

“Let me remind you that you were just a feral life form on a small planet until I came along.”

Nova ignored the insult. “Why was the real Tajlon here?”

“How did you know that?” Jejliard asked.

“I can tell a program from a living creature. Scent, no scent. It's a leopard thing," Nova said smugly. “I was not at all surprised when he returned to Beldora. He wants to be with Soshe after all.”

“I made Tajlon come with us,” Jejliard said. “He hadn’t uploaded, and I didn’t want to lose him. I couldn’t accept being immortal and leaving my son behind to die.”

“It should be his choice,” Nova said. “What are you both not telling me? Why did the guards try to kill the and stop the transports from leaving?”

“The Sora tried to stop them. All the guards were programs generated by Sora. She controls them.” Jejliard explained. “Tajlon’s been upset with me ever since I forced him to leave Beldora when we dropped Soshe off. He refused to upload then, or I would have let him stay. Fortunate really. I didn’t know at the time Sora was obsessed with obtaining access to the files on our chips. It doesn’t have Tajlon’s. Sora tried to prevent him from leaving and was willing to kill him if necessary to get to his chip.”

“It already has my file. Why isn’t the ship trying to take me over?” Nova asked.

Widhbo let out a loud cackle. “I guess you’re not prime real estate.”

“Maybe it’s the Kalara wine,” Jejliard said. “This doesn't leave this room but know that the ship doesn’t have any power over me as long as I drink Theopian tea."

"Hmm," Widhbo said. "I hate to divulge a trade secret, but they blend in some leaves of your precious tea when making their specialty wine. That must be it"

"Then I need some more wine," Nova said. He bared his teeth and gave a little snarl. "Keep me in wine if you don't want Sora killing off crew members one by one. Think of all the chaos I could cause."

"It only contains a small amount of tea. I would take a lot of wine to equal just one cup of the tea," Widhbo said.

"Then I'll need a lot of wine."

* * *

Widhbo popped in to see Jejliard, who had requested to see him. Jejliard was sitting at the King's Table in Widhbo's office, effectively Jejliard's office now. "I'm conserving the ship's energy reserves. We're getting ready for the big leap to light speed. All the programs will have to hibernate soon anyway. I don't know why you want to bring someone out of storage now. It's just a bother."

"It's important to me. I need to speak to someone I know and trust, Widhbo," Jejliard said. "No offense."

"You may regenerate one person. That's all," Widhbo said. "And I'm not offended. I don't trust you either."

"So I have to choose."

"No. You have a time sensitive privilege do so. Pick, or I'll pick for you."

"You can be so annoying!" Jejliard said. His nerves were frayed at best and Widhbo's antics were getting to him. "Hal. I choose Hal."

"Your wish is my command," Widhbo quipped and teleported away.

Hal's program knocked on his door a few minutes later.

"That was fast." Jejliard said. He got up and embraced his old friend. It was strange to know he was touching a program. It felt real, even the heat signature was simulated. Jejliard looked him over, searching for any clue which might show the truth of it. His face was stern as he scrutinized Hal.

"Hey, I forgot the password?" Hal said. "Jejliard, it's me."

"Yeah, sorry. I know. It's just... a lot's happened since you uploaded." Jejliard filled Hal in on all the grizzly details of events on the Sora.

"So, I'm down there right now in a nuclear cloud trying to storm the NORC bunker with the Raemolles?"

"Correct."

"And we've lost all contact with the pod and the transport?"

"Yes. No transmissions are getting through," Jejliard replied. "I'm sorry, Hal. It was selfish of me to regenerate you. I wanted someone to talk to who'd understand. You know me better than anyone."

"I'd be mad if you hadn't," Hal said. "We've been together through every adventure I can imagine, but if you made all of this up to impress me, you can stop now."

Jejliard laughed. It was good to have Hal at his side, no matter the outcome

***.

After repairs to the ship were completed, they left Beldora's orbit and propelled the Sora into deep space heading for the Dezba star system which had several promising stars with planetary bodies, many of which might sustain life. Even at light speed it would take a decade or more to get there.

Widhbo installed the community game park units and recruited Greyla to help design game worlds which simulated locations on Beldora. She had adapted well to her new world inside the magiton unit, punctuated by Widhbo's occasional visits.

Crew personas could enter the game parks for recreation. They soon became very popular hangouts and living crew members became a little jealous. Most actually looked forward to their next life when Sora would bring them back as a program. Widhbo enjoyed his role of game master and kept everyone entertained with his latest pastimes. Even the Sora seemed to be amused and distracted. Life on the ship settled down. Days went by, then weeks.

Jejliard stayed in his office most of the time and conserved his limited supply of tea. He ventured out on the ship daily to make an appearance and spend time with Hal. Programs such as Hal's couldn't enter Widhbo's office due to the cage which blocked all connection with the ship's power grid. Hal shadowed Widhbo and learned as much as he could about the ship's programming and operation.

Nova, still formed in the flesh, had the run of the place and often slept by Jejliard's side. Nova had shared almost every waking hour of Tajlon's life. Jejliard became very close to the leopard and enjoyed this last bond to his son. Nova entertained him with tales of childhood adventures and pranks he'd helped Tajlon get away with.

Beyond their peaceful routine, Jejliard didn't trust Sora. He could feel her lurking beyond the calm, waiting for him to make a mistake. Jejliard wasted no time assigning workers to the task of growing more tea. Nova refused the tea in favor of wine. The supply was not going to last long.

"What are we do with you when the wine runs out, Nova?" Jejliard asked. "It will be a long time before the grapes are ready for harvest."

"Terminate this program and I'll move in with Greyla," Nova replied. "Widhbo tells me she has a very sweet set up."

"You should take a lesson from Hal. Learn to program instead of sleeping all the time. "

"I like sleeping," Nova said. "I suppose I could learn to program a hammock."

"How ambitious," Jejliard chided.

"It is. Never could get the hang of it. I'd like to design a hammock I couldn't spill out of."

Widhbo was eavesdropping and joined in. "Leopards don't belong in hammocks. It would be total waste of time." he said. "But that sounds perfect for you, Nova."