The council members glared at each other across the table.  The discussion was now four days old and no nearer a decision than at the beginning.  Half the council members felt it their duty to send a delegation to earth to observe how the earthers adapted to the resurgence of the magic flow.  The other half declared the silly earthlings had gotten into the mess by themselves, so they could just get out of it the same way. 

            Mordoc, High Lord of the Mayans spoke.  "Enough of this.  We can accomplish nothing until the Elvin delegation arrives.  Meeting adjourned."

            Both factions began protesting.  Neither was willing to trust the decision to the capricious nature of the Elves.

            "We don't have time to wait."  said Gonzo, the representative of the Dwarves.  "Besides which, we have no idea how much longer it will take them to get here.  Where are they anyway?"

            "The messenger said they were unavoidably delayed, but that they would arrive within five days.  That's all I know." said Mordoc.  "I'll send for you all the minute they arrive, but we might as well take a break and let tempers cool until they get here."

            The council members left the meeting chamber grumbling.  Not even the Leprechauns wanted the decision made by the Elves.  The other council members resented the superior attitude of the Elves.  This combined with what most of the delegates felt was just blind good luck on the part of the elves seemed to keep them out of trouble no matter what they did.

                                                           **************************

            Mordoc looked up from his lunch as the door to his chamber opened.

            "My Lord, the Elvin delegation has arrived.  They went directly to the council chamber and sent me to find you.  Their High Lord said it was urgent."

            "On my way."  Mordoc said as he took a last drink of wine.

His long strides carried him quickly to the council chamber where the Elvin delegation waited.

            "What's the hurry?" he asked.  "You're already four days late, it couldn't wait until after lunch?"

            "I'm afraid not Mordoc."  said the Elvin High Lord. "We've been to earth."

            "What?  Why?"

            "We figured the only way to get a true picture of the situation was to see it for ourselves."

            "The council members should hear this.  Triffon, have the council assembled." he said to the servant standing by the door.

            "Yes My Lord." the man said as he slipped outside the door.

            Mordoc poured them each a glass of wine as they waited, and they took their places at the council table.

            The council members were still grumbling as they filed slowly back into the chamber. 

            "It's about time you got here."  said the Druid High Lord testily as he sat down.  "What, pray tell did you find so much more important than the council?"

                        "We decided to investigate the situation more thoroughly than any of the rest of you bothered with."  Replied the Elvin Lord.  "We've been to Earth."

            While the council members absorbed the impact of this information, the Elvin High Lord continued.

            "The situation is far worse than we suspected.  Their technology has developed to a dangerous level.  They completely ignore the natural orders of balance and harmony, and they use their technology to force nature into unnatural channels.  Unfortunately, this problem will not be restricted to earth for long.  They have even damaged the atmosphere surrounding their planet.  If this doesn't stop, their destructiveness will threaten the entire galaxy."

            "You give them too much credit, as usual." said Hecate.

            "Not this time I'm afraid.  Are you aware they now have space travel?"

            "Surely you jest." said Morgan Le Fey.

            "Granted it's still in its infancy, but they can travel to other planets.  This puts the entire galaxy in danger."

            "How can those fools have gotten so far without  understanding natural laws?"  asked Mordoc.

            "I don't know my Lord, but they have managed somehow."

            Mordoc rose and addressed the council.  "This puts the situation in a new light.  We have no alternative but to help them if we can.  I suggest we put it to a vote."

            Despite the reservations still held by some of the council members, the vote was unanimous.  They must send a delegation to earth.  The problem must be solved before it could threaten any of the other planets in the galaxy.

            After the vote, the discussion turned to the question of who to send and what to do once they got to earth.

            "Merlin never left, you know," said Morgan.

            Mordoc turned to her "No, I didn't know.  Why did he stay?"

            "He said it was his home.  He wanted to stay as long as possible; the old fool said he was comfortable." Mordoc knew Morgan and Merlin had a history.

            "Do you think he'd help us?" he asked her.

            "Who knows what that old coot is liable to do" she replied.

            "Well, I guess our next decision then is who to send."  Mordoc said.

            The Elvin High Lord stood.

            "If I may suggest Milord, one of our trackers might be best, if we are to find Merlin."

            A chorus of protests greeted his suggestion.  Mordoc held his hand up for silence.

            "You may have a point there Elthanias."

            At the renewed outbreak of protests, Mordoc again held up his hand for silence.

            "The politics of the situation are beside the point." Mordoc said.  "The fact remains that not only are the elves the best trackers, they are the only ones who can consistently control and use wild magic, and that's what they will be dealing with.  Magic has just returned to this planet.  The people there have no idea how to channel or control it, and then too, there's the possibility our emissary may not find Merlin.  He could be anywhere by now.  If that happens, no one else we could send has any hope of finding or making a focus that will bring the magic under control."

            Despite their grumbling, the assembled lords knew the truth in Mordoc's words.   

            "In that case, Elthanias, who do you have in mind?"

            "Well, one of our best trackers is also one of our strongest mages.  There's only one problem."

            "What's that?"  Mordoc asked.

            "He's a Dark Elf."

            The assembled group considered the implications of that statement.  The Dark Elves were considered rebels at best.  What they were considered at worst, no one wanted to think about.

            "Do you think we can rely on him?"  Mordoc asked.

            "It's hard to tell with that lot."  Elthanias replied.  "However, he has been in service to our council for five years and has so far proven effective, even if his methods aren’t always predictable."

            "Well, at this point,” Mordoc said, “I don't see that we have much choice.  We need the best there is, and if he's it, I guess we'll have to take a chance on him."

                                                                 CHAPTER ONE

            Mick stood before the council, no emotion evident in his dark eyes

            “I work alone.”  Just a statement of fact; no room for argument.

            “But, but” the elder delegate of the dwarves sputtered.  “This is far too important to even consider sending only one man.”

            “Calm down Lord Delfin.” Mordoc responded.  “Mick, please understand.  Since the earthers have space travel, the galactic council is naturally concerned.  They’re sending a delegate whether we want them to or not.  The only real question is whether or not we have any idea what their delegate is doing.  The only way we can know that is if we send you as a team.  The Galactic council just wants to know whether they should destroy the planet before things get out of hand.  We’d like to avoid that.  We still have a few of our own down there who didn’t leave with the rest of us, and I for one don’t want to see their homes and families destroyed simply because the galactic council got nervous about something  that can be fixed.  After this many years, there would be no way to track down all their descendants before the galactic council acted.  We’re asking a favor.  Please take their delegate with you.  We need to know what the council plans, so we can pull out those of our people we can get to if the need arises.”

            “I just hate it when you do this to me Mordoc.”  Mick pretended not to see the bare upturn of Mordoc’s lips before his face was all seriousness again.  They both knew Mordoc had won.  Mick would take the delegate with him.

                        ****************************************************************************

            Lisé tucked the last knife in her wrist sheath and stashed the last of her gear in her pack.  She had heard rumors that the delegate from M’coun hadn’t been pleased with the idea of a partner.   Well, it wouldn’t have been her first choice either, but if that’s what the councils wanted, they’d just have to make do.  If the rest of his reputation held any truth, she figured, he’d probably be even less happy when he met Myst, but life sucks and then you die.  Where she went, Myst went, so he’d just have to live with that too. 

            Myst jumped up on the bunk and lay down, stretching the entire length of the bed and knocking Lise´’s pack off on the floor.

            “Myst!  Watch what you’re doing! Shrink down if you’re going to lie up there!”  Lisé used both hands to push against the big cat, with little effect.   Myst obligingly shrunk to about half his former size. 

“Thanks.”  She said as she retrieved the pack from the floor.

Where are we headed?  Myst’s voice seemed to echo in Lise’s mind.

“Earth,” she replied.  ”The energy lines have returned and they’re not ready for it.”

 © 2005