My Funny Amazing Story!!!!!

(This is proof that boredom is a bad thing)

Told You Aliens Were Real

My Name is Zariana. Zara for short. For the first 18 years of my life I was under the impression that I was human. Biggest mistake I've ever made. I lived on Earth, a small, hospitable, but mostly backwater planet. The people of this planet had no idea people like me existed and wouldn’t for 200 more years. I know what you’re thinking: “Run! She’s an alien!” Well technically no I’m not thank you very much. I’m what you’d call...a half-breed. My mom was the human one. My human name is Mackinzie Paschall. Humans called me Max for short. I thought I was just your average high school senior. I lived and went to school in a small town called Paradise.

My whole life changed about that time once I discovered my powers. Humans would call me a psychic or a mind reader. To my kind, psychics were known as Starscreamers. People of the mind reading ability would take on that as a last name. Believe me, "psychics" may be everywhere on Earth, but true psychics (Starscreamers) were RARE. Were talking one-in-a-trillion, or 1 out of fifty solar systems (and by the way, there are about 600 systems). That’s about 12 starscreamers total. The only problem: They’re not all in the same time stream.

It didn’t used to be that way. Yes, we travel at lightspeed, through wormholes, yada yada yada. Well one day, in the Mellican system, some idiot knocked his stream navigator out of its consol. (Crappy ship, right?) Well the hyper-space frequency got tuned wrong and this idiot ended up going back a few thousand years and sinking Atlantis. (Atlantis sinking is the reason Earth is a back water planet. If he hadn’t done that Earth would’ve been one of the 20 core planets.) Needless to say, time travel was now possible. So Starscreamers were now in the time stream and could convene with each other, no matter when time period they were living in.

My family's origins are based on the planet Corallius, which is medium sized and about halfway across the Inter-galactic universe. The residents of this particular planet are what you would call "cat" people or to simplify it...humans that also display feline qualities such as ears, tails, claws, fangs, and they can easily turn full cat in a heart beat (a werecat in otherwords). When on two legs, they are hairless like humans, but they posses the ears, claws/fangs and tail of their second self. The only difference is the skin color of full blooded Corallians is the same color and/or print as their fur, so for some that have spots or stripes or whatnot...it kinda looks like they have tattoos. What my difference is, (remember, im not full blooded) is I have normal colored pale human skin and my hair is a kind of chocolate brown. I have no tail and my ears are round like humans. For the most part...you wouldnt know i was different because I look exactly like a normal human girl.

Well, there’s been this war going on with the outer planets and the core planets. The Skallens lead the outer planets. They are hard to describe so....think Lord Voldemort with yellow snake eyes, fangs, and a forked tongue. Not to mention the tiny scales they have instead of skin. It looks like normal skin until they touch you. Then you can tell their hand is really smooth and has a green tint like all Skallens.

Well one day, a Skallen enforcer was torturing a Starscreamer and right before he died, the Starscreamer told of a prophecy about a child born on Corallias that would cause the Skallens to lose the war. The enforcer (named Tarius) immediately took a squad of fighters to find the child. (coughmecough) What he did not know that a core planet spy overheard the prophecy and alerted a group of stealth fighters so they could sneak in and get me first. This group was lead by Alexos, a teen resident from Tias, which is the moon of the core planet Herra. They found my family and spirited me away to my mother’s home planet 500 years in the past, leaving me to grow up as a "normal" human until my destiny called.

Part One: Earth

Chapter One: What the Heck?

“I am sooo bored!” I moaned as I thumped my head against the table. “I hate semester tests! I know it means not long before Christmas and I’m bored out of my skull!”

“Max, were all bored. Trust me, your not alone in your suffering.” Morgen said, surprisingly, with a straight face.

“You’re having fun making fun of me, aren’t you?” I mumbled, narrowing my eyes at her.

She glanced over and added, “You know if you keep your eyes that way long enough, they’ll stay that way.”

Startled, I laughed. “I suppose your right. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m STILL bored.”

“True, but at least now I’m entertained.” Morgen finished.

I huffed and, getting up from the table, I went outside. Huh, the sky‘s got funny colors in it today.’ I thought as I inspected the weather. I had been noticing strange things like that lately. For some strange reason, my eye sight had sharpened amazingly. I could smell everything, hear everything, and all the sudden, scooting around the upperclassmen and not getting smushed, or jumping high off the ground had gotten freakishly easy. I even walked a lot more gracefully. (No more falling!) It was really strange. Even my canines and nails had started getting longer and sharper. I could also sense things that hadn’t happened. All in all, I was freaking myself out.

Suddenly I had the impression that a "jet" was somehow appearing out of nowhere. I couldn’t see it, and I knew it wasn’t a jet, but somehow, I knew it was there. And somehow I knew it had landed in the parking lot behind the new gym. So, creeping cautiously around the corner, I ran straight at the, uh, ship? Yeah that’s what it was. I knew right where it was and didn’t run into it but crouched under where I knew the door would come down. Sure enough my freaky new sixth sense was right and I was right behind the exit with a perfect view of the exit ramp. I could hear a voice and after a minute, understood what it was saying.

“Right, so I gotta find Zarianna and get her out of this place before Tarius notices we disappeared from the battle. You know his ship will be targeting ours so the minute we get back go into evasive maneuvers. What’s this place called again?”

“Paradise High School. It’s a training academy for the mind.” The lower voice resounded with an echo.

“Right. Hopefully I can get in and out of here quickly. Do I still look human?” The other voice must have nodded because footsteps clanked down the ramp and a minute later a black-haired boy stepped off the ramp and it closed behind him. There was a hum as the ship lifted off again. The boy started towards the school and I crept along behind him. I noticed a knife hanging from his waist and darted forward to slip it carefully out of its loop. Brandishing the knife I followed him a few steps more but he seemed to realize he was being followed and whirled around grabbing for the knife that was no longer at his waist. I eyed hid warily. He had blue eyes and a fierce expression on his face.

“Who are you and why are you here?” I demanded, stepping forward a step. “I saw your ship, heard you talking, and I know you’re here to kidnap someone, but you might as well turn around and go back wherever you came from and you won’t get hurt.” He stared at me a minute longer, then a slow smile spread across his face.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you care? I’m not the one you’re here for and I’ve never heard of anybody named Zariana at this school so why don’t you just turn around and start walking?”

He looked at me for a moment then jumped forward faster than any human, and twisted the knife in my hand, jerking it away as he did. The next thing I knew my hands were pinned behind my back and the knife was to my neck. What was weirder was when he growled right next to my ear and I responded with a very convincing cat hiss. Kind like the ones you hear traded between a dog and a cornered cat.

Out of the corner of my eye his face broke into a huge smile. Suddenly he whirled my around and hugged me tightly, whispering, “Hecko Zariana. Long time no see.” I jerked away form him and took a fighting stance.

“Who are you and what the heck are talking about?!” He continued to smile.

“My name is Alexos, and I am the captain of the ship Misery. You saw it when it landed. Have you seen any of the others? There were other people left here with you. Your pack you could call it.”

Others? Pack? You’re crazy!” I ran the other direction, cutting around the side of the building. Pulling out my cell, I pressed 5 hoping that the person at the other end would pick up. I held my breath, and turned in mid run, checked to see if I was being followed.

“Hello? What’s u-“

“Never mind that Briar. Meet me on the roof. Now.” I could hear muffled curses and complaints as he immediately complied. “Were going to need a diversion. Get Travis.”

“Dang.” Coming close to the building, I grabbed onto a drain pipe and climbed easily onto the roof. Finding a comfortable spot on the roof, I settled down to wait.

*In the cafeteria…*

“Alright, who’s got cash?” Briar asked.

“Who’s got cash? You’re asking us? You’re the one with the job! You pay him!” Someone claimed.

“Fine, fine.” Holding in a sigh, he turned to Travis and asked, “Okay, how much?”

Travis thought for a moment. “30.”

“30?! For one diversion you want $30?” Briar asked VERY loudly.

“Fine.” Muttering under his breath, Briar pulled out his wallet. “All I got is a 100.”

Travis snatched it and tucked it into his pocket. “That will work.”

Briar looked like he was about to kill him but Ashley said, ”I know that’s not what you wanted, but nobody can make change and we don’t have any other money.” Grumbling, Briar nods.

“Okay. Get ready to run.” Travis leaned over and mumbled to the group. He picked up his chili dog and turned to Zac and yelling, “FOOD FIGHT!” he threw it right into his face and it splattered all over his football jersey. Roaring, Zac threw his tray at Travis but of course, he ducked and it hit the person behind him. Suddenly echoes of ‘FOOD FIGHT!’ resounded around the room.

*On the roof…*

We all met back up minutes later.

“Hey! You’re not the one who had to pay $100 for one guy to start ONE freakin food fight!” Briar popped off.

“Oh shut up.”

One by one my friends climbed out of the shaft. And they were covered in…food?

“Okay I’ll bite. What happened?”

“I paid Travis $100 to start a food fight and we kind of got caught in the middle of it.”

“$100?”

“These bums didn’t have any money and all I had was a $100. The original price was supposed to be 30 dollars… So what’s the emergency?”

I quickly filled them in on the situation.

“So let me get this strait. Some guy gets out of a ship, is talking about kidnapping someone, tells you he knows you and calls you Zariana, and tells you that you have a pack?”

“Pretty much yeah.” Poor Krysta looked so confused right then I just had to laugh. “Krys, I’ll explain later ok?”

She smiled and nodded, turning to watch the birds that fluttered over head.

Since I had found the hidden ladder freshman year, the roof had become our unofficial hangout. We had never skipped school to come up here before so I wondered if they swore Travis to secrecy. Sheepish grins crossed everyone’s face when I asked. My eyes widened. “You mean to tell me you paid Travis Barnett, who’s dad is our principal, $100 to create a distraction and you DIDN’T SWEAR HIM TO SECRECY?!?!”

“If we say no are you still going to yell?” Cristie asked tentively. The sudden question had everyone cracking up.

“Well he probably ratted us out by now so we might as well go face the music.” All nodding their agreement we went back down. What we didn’t see was the black haired boy watching from the edge of the roof. We had to get the stuff we left and had almost made it into the school when Mr. Mac caught us.

“Well crap.” We all mumbled.

“Where were you? Your teachers didn’t report you missing and I wouldn’t have known if Travis hadn’t told me after I caught him. Seems he wanted to share the blame. So tell me, where were you?”

Being a smart aleck, Briar asked, “Mr.Mac, do you have proof that we were out of class other than Travis’ word? And the word of a trouble maker at that. Tsk tsk, sir you should believe in truthful student more than a trouble maker. Unless you’re not a good judge of character and unfit for your job? Oh it would be terrible if this was brought before the school board, wouldn’t it, Mr. Mac?”

We all were trying to hold back laughs at Briar’s really good pop off remark that had probably saved our skins.

Mr. Mac’s face was an interesting shade of purple-red by now and he turned and stormed into his office.

“You are one scary person you know that?” I said with a shiver.

Travis asked in a sly voice, “So, where did you guys go anyway?”

Without missing a beat Ashley said, “I’M HORMONAL AND I WANTED SOME TATER TOTS OKAY?!?! IS IT ALRIGHT WITH YOU IF I WANT SOME FREAKIN’ TATER TOTS?!?!”

Travis practically fell out of his seat nodding and trying to get as far away from her as he could at the same time. We quickly escaped while we had the chance.

“Umm, all I have to say is, that’s some scary anger, Ashley.”

“Sorry but I didn’t want him to ask a bunch of questions and find out where our hangout is.” Then she mumbled to herself, “Even though that would be pretty sweet.”

We left the building and were about to step out from under the overhang when I felt something strange yet familiar buzz at the edges of my scenes. Without warning that weird guy dropped from on top of the overhang and landed behind me.

“You again? Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Anyone who didn’t know me would have thought I was afraid. My friends could tell by my clenching fists I was just waiting for him to make a mistake so I could deck this guy.

I moved and he growled. At his growl I felt something hit the top of my head but it was a smothered, distant feeling. He looked at my friends. “So you have found your pack. Hmm, lets see… the tall one is the bear, the dark haired girl is the other cat with a .. monkey form? Okkkaaay, the red head is the ferret, the blonde one must be the mouse, the black haired boy is the eagle, and the other one is the wolf. Jeez, when’s the last time a wolf was on our side? Anyways. We need to get you guys off this planet as soon as possible. Someone might detect the time rift trail. So, who’s ready to go to outer space?”

An elephant could have just jumped over the school, Krysta could have scored a genius rating on an I.Q. test, and the moon could have just crashed into Earth a foot away from where we stood and we could not have been more shocked. You could probably put a full grown grapefruit in each of our mouths. That’s have far down our chins had dropped.

“Are you mental?”

“What you don’t believe me? You should be proud, wolf. We are fighting for a just cause and Zara here is the key to winning the war. What are your names?” Silence met his questions. He pointed to us in turn. “Bear! You first.”

“My name is Briar.”

“Wolf?”

“Jake.”

“Eagle?”

“Joe.”

“Ferret?”

“Krysta.”

“Mouse?”

“Cristie.”

“Cat with monkey?”

The trash can to the right of the door sneezed.

“Who’s there?” Ashley stepped out from where she had been hiding behind the trash can. His mouth dropped open. “Good grief. A dragon child is one of your pack Zara? Tarius is gonna freak with a capital F! He thought he killed all the dragons, but lo and behold the Halflings he sought so hard to destroy are gonna be the ones to kick his butt. Oh the irony!” I hissed. “You know, if I took that shielding off you it wouldn’t suppress your powers.”

“How do we know all this nonsense you’ve been spouting isn’t a big hoax? Where’s your proof?”

Alexos just smiled. “If you want answers, come with me.” He turned and walked toward the parking lot talking into his watch. “Nigel I got company. All eight of them. Land the ship.” I looked up and towards the north sensing something coming. “Good Zara. Even though you’re still wearing the shielding, your powers are beginning to break through. You would have broke through and exposed yourself if I hadn’t come.” I ignored him.

The ship landed and the ramp once again dropped. This time, though, the ramp was occupied by more than just Alexos. Now WE were going aboard an alien ship. I was pretty sure I wasn’t bored anymore. This ship was a LOT bigger on the inside than it looked. Alexos noticed our stares. He shrugged. “It’s simple Matter Compression. This ship has three times the area you’d think it does.” He walked into what looked like a technician area. Gadgets and tools of every kind lined the walls and covered surfaces all over the room.

“Oooh look at all the shiny stuff!” Everybody just rolled their eyes at Krys. Even Ashley looked a little mesmerized, but hey, she was a dragon, according to Alexos.

“Okay Zariana. Your shield first.”

“Will it hurt?”

“Maybe a little. You’ve been wearing it a long time.”

“Just do it then.” He picked up a device that looked like a remote and put it against the back of my neck. He pressed a button and a faint chirping was heard.

“Thought so. It’s barley functional. Ready?” All I could was nod. He pressed another button and slowly began pulling it away from my neck. It kind of felt like pulling hair out by the roots. “Almost and done.”

I don’t think anybody in that room heard him. The minute the chip lost contact with my neck, my human ears disappeared and leopard spotted cat ears appeared on top of my head. My hair now had golden streaks running through it. Claws and fangs grew to replace my nails and canines then lengthened and sharpened. My eyes felt pinched for a moment and I glanced at a shiny piece of equipment to discover they were cat’s eyes. I felt a swishing movement and turned to see a leopard spotted tail coming from my lower waist line. Trying to make the mood lighter, I joked “Well, good thing I like low rider jeans or this tail could get uncomfortable.”

I heard Krysta’s shaky voice behind me. “Guess we know he’s not lying huh?”

“Do we all look like that?” I was surprised to hear Jake.

“Hey!” I protested. “I don’t look that bad! Besides I like the tail. The ears I’m gonna have to get used to.” Morgen stepped forward and touched one of my ears, making it flick.

Turning to Alexos she asked, “Do we all have a hidden form?” When he nodded she said, “Okay then, Do me next.” He repeated the procedure and Morgen transformed.

She was a cat like me but she had darker fur of all one color, like a mountain lion. She had more bulky strength for pouncing while I had been made for speed and quick attacks. Her hair also turned lighter till it was only a few shades lighter then her ears and tail which both had white tips. Her eyes changed like mine. Suddenly everyone couldn’t wait to see their forms.

Briar’s skin darkened until it looked as though he had a nice tan, even as he grew claws and sharp teeth. I heard Morgen wonder out loud, “You think he has a little tail?”

Joe developed talons instead of claws and said that his eyesight had improved greatly. He also had a ridge of feathers from his forehead to his neck. It reminded me of a Mohawk

Jake got ears like us except they were wider at the bottom and grey. His claws and fangs and a big bushy tail.

Krysta did grow a silky, but bushy tail along with reddish brown ferret ears. She had smaller fangs and claws.

Cristie’s nose flatted and turned pink. She grew tiny but sharp claws along with a little tail. She had tiny, but cute white ears.

Ashley’s transformation was the most surprising. She grew claws and fangs which most of us expected, but no tail, which confused us. What we did not expect were the blackish purple dragon wings that unfurled from her back. She didn’t have scales but her skin was harder which would make it harder to hurt her. If you looked closely you could see a faint scale pattern on her arm. Her eyes turned yellowish and had a black slit across it like a reptile’s.

“You know if someone pulls my tail it’ll probably be the last thing they ever do.” I replied. Morgen nodded her agreement. I thought I heard one of the boys mutter, ‘Note to self: don’t pull the girl’s tails.’ My tail kept flicking and I discovered I could move it. That was good because it was longer and thinner than everyone else’s and could touch the floor. Ashley was giggling like she had too much Valium.

“Oooh, I always wanted wings. Now it turns out I had some the whole time!” She dissolved into hysterical giggles.

“You have an actual animal form too. You can go full dragon, wolf, eagle, leopard, whatever. But no going full dragon in my ship; you’ll be at least 10 feet long and my ship’s not THAT big. But all that can wait till later. Why you don’t you go test out your powers and skills so you can learn your boundaries.”

CHapter 2: Goofballs don't make good superheroes

“So this is what happens when you complain about being bored.”

“Hey how was I supposed to know we were really aliens?” Retaliation is not my strong suite.

Ashley was staring thoughtfully at the wall. “So as of right now we A.) Know that we are aliens B.) Are being hunted by some guy named Tarius and C.) Apparently have an animal form. Did I miss anything?”

“Wow it sounds so weird when you say it that way.” Briar remarked.

I shot Briar a glare. Then, jumping up, I announced to my band of not very merry men, “Well, he said test out our powers and nobody is behind the gym. Who’s for it?” At everyone’s nod we immediately set out, avoiding the perilous danger of being caught by a teacher. Arriving at the open grassy space thing, we were met by none other than the blue bird of happiness (not) Alexos. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Waiting for you guys to work up the courage to test your powers. What else?”

“Well”, started Ashley, “You could be daydreaming.”

“Or bird watching.”

“Or studying the hole in the ozone layer and its effects on the planet’s inhabitants.” Krysta spurted. We were sheck shocked.

“Did Krysta just say something SMART???” Everyone nodded. To Alexos’s amusement we all began immediately running in circles saying, “It’s the end of the world! Armageddon! Krysta said something smart, were all going to die!!!”

“So I’m guessing that doesn’t happen often, hence the ‘world’s gonna end thing’?” he guessed.

“Hey I can pay attention in Biology too ya know!” Krysta shouted.

“You’re the ferret. Do you remember anything from your home planet?” Alexos suddenly asked Krysta.

Krysta looked at Alexos strangely. “I’m the youngest. Why would I remember something when everybody else doesn’t?”

“That’s not entirely true. You could remember anything.”

“Well I still don’t remember. Why do you ask?”

“You came from a very powerful family on your planet. Your parents had an agreement with another powerful family to link the two through their two first born children with a betrothal. You are technically still engaged to him.”

Silence. Then, “WHAT?!?!?!” I just had to get the story behind this.

“You mean al this time Krys has been engaged and didn’t even know?”

“Well, yes. Have you ever had trouble being attracted to other people? Discovered you have no interest in every one else?”

“Wait you know why?”

“Yes. You imprinted on your betrothed as he did on you. You knew you had a soul mate already, you just didn’t know where. Naturally your heart wouldn’t accept anyone else.”

By this time I was fighting back happy tears. “You mean *sniffle* that Krysta’s heart always knew she would see her true love again? That’s the sweetest love story I ever heard! Boy meets girl, its love at first sight, boy and girl get engaged, boy and girl get separated because of very evil man, girl waits for the day she’ll see her true love again! Oh I can’t stand it anymore! Wahahahahahah!!!” Ashley was forced to pull a very emotional me out of the conversation. Faint sounds of “But its so sweeeeet!!!” were heard as I was dragged away onto the ship. The rest of the group trailed behind.

“So you’re trying to say she’s still engaged, right?” Briar asked. Alexos just nodded, looking tired of explaining.

Suddenly a voice came out of nowhere. “Alexos, I’m picking up another alien based signature in the Academy. It is barley concealed like Miss Starscreamer and her groups were. There may be another refugee or it could be one of Tarius’ men following our trail.”

“NO!!! Not the voices again! Stop talking to me! I’m not crazy and your not real!” I frantically shouted.

“Zariana, you’re yelling at the intercom.” Alexos said with a sigh.

“Oh, so I’m not crazy?”

He breathed a heavy sigh. “Just my luck. The only hope for the universe and she just has to be insane.”

“Hey! I resent that!”

Briar snickered. “But you didn’t deny it.”

“If you do not promptly shut your mouth, I will use my claws to tear it off. *sweetly* Understand?”

Alexos sweat dropped nervously. “So she’s crazy AND has a mean streak? Tarius won’t know what hit him.”

I glared at him. “If you don’t stop insulting me, YOU won’t know what hit you.”

“Ahem.” Ashley interrupted with a look of concern. It was obvious to me that she knew a fight was about to break out and she didn’t think it was me who was going to get hurt. “Lets stop this bickering before Max, I mean Zariana, looses her temper and hurts somebody.”

“Yeah. And you’re right, we should start using our real names. Say Nekana, how did I know you thought I would hurt Alexos?”

Alexos smiled. “The same way you knew her name was Nekana. I never said what it was.”

Ashley was bouncing up and down. “So my real name’s Nekana?” He nodded.

“Zara, do you know the rest of our names?” Morgen asked almost shyly.

“I won’t know till I try. Do want me to try?” She nodded.

“Zariana, when you focus your powers, put one hand out in front of you, fingers outstretched if you’re trying something on you r friends because their minds are more open to you and you won’t have to try hard. But if you are in battle and want to force your way into someone’s mind, hold your hand with your palm facing out.”

“Thanks Alexos, I was wondering what to do.

I turned to face Morgen fingers outstretched like he had told me. I had a sudden feeling of a beam of light stretching from my fingers towards Morgen’s mind. Unknown to me a faint glow surrounded me. Within seconds I had it. My voice came out at a whisper.

“Morena. Your name is Morena.” I opened my eyes to reveal the tears that threatened to spill over. “I saw your parents in your memories. It was with your name. I watched the love shining in their faces as they decided what it would be. An older woman, I think it was your grandmother, wanted to name you Kanewa. It means sweet child. I heard her say it.” Alexos was nodding.

“Kanewa was your grandmother’s name. I knew her as a child. She was a key leader in the Rebellion for a while until she was killed in an ambush during one of the raids.”

“Wow, this is really for real isn’t it?” Krysta asked.

“You’re just now figuring this out? All of us turning into aliens didn’t convince you but THIS did? Oh never mind, you’re hopeless. Who else wants me to try and retrieve their memories?”

“I’ll go next.” Briar volunteered. I concentrated but didn’t have as much success as I had with Morena.

“I’ve got a name but not much else. Just sort of flashes and stuff like that. Your name is Serza. I know it means great bear but that’s pretty much it.” We all looked to Alexos for answers.

“Well, this is how it works. A Starscreamer is born when physic energy produced by the time stream builds up generation after generation and is finally released into a descendant somewhere down the line. This used to take a long time until that idiot invented time travel. Now if you spend any time in the time stream, it builds up faster. Zariana was already going to be one but just an average powered one. But spending 18 years in the time stream has made her much more powerful. Now, these more powerful Starscreamers give off physic radiation that can only be absorbed by people who are close to the soon to be born Starscreamer. Zara was able to get more information from Morena because one of her grandchildren would have been a Starscreamer and most of the physic energy is contained inside her. Serza on the other hand had a few more generations to go. Also it is harder for girls to read boys. Do you see?”

“So the more physic energy they have inside and can absorb from me, the easier it is on me?” He nodded.

For the first time since all this had happened Jake and Joe joined the conversation. “So,” Joe asked, “the more she can read the more powerful we are?” He nodded.

For the first time since all this had happened Jake and Joe joined the conversation. “So,” Joe asked, “the more she can read the more powerful we are?” He nodded.

“Exactly.”

I snorted. “Girl- shmurl, I’m gonna see all I can see.”

Oooh! Oooh! Do me next!” Ashley was practically jumping up and down. I shrugged and once again stretched out my hand. It started glowing a faint gold and this time I saw it. Focusing on Ashley, I saw her begin to glow too except a faint purple instead.

What’s taking so long?

Hey, this is hard you know! We both immediately jumped as if shocked. We started saying sentences at the same time.

“Ladies!” Alexos cut in, “It is obvious that Ashley was the closest to being a Starscreamer and has the same traits. Let me guess, you talked to each other mind-to-mind?”

We said at the same time, “Not intentionally.”

“Enough. We’ll try to read the other minds later, but for now we better go find Nigel.

As If saying his name was the magic word, the voice started talking again but this time I knew it wasn’t in my head. Or was it?...

“When I informed of our mystery guest that was your cue to actually do something instead of standing around talking. Just in case you didn’t figure that out as you so obviously haven’t.”

“Oh no.” I moaned, “Its another Briar! The world couldn’t even take one and now there’s TWO!?!?” And of course Briar just HAD to have a comeback.

“Quiet, Empress of Drama Queens speaks.”

“Oh, ha, ha, really funny.”

Cristie butted in saying, “Well I thought it was.” And for this comment she was awarded my patented ‘Say anything else and you run the risk of being tossed off a very high cliff’ glare. Before she could say anything else Alexos interrupted the conversation.

“We’re here.” And indeed we were. We had come to a large sliding door, you know, the kind you see on Star Trek. Alexos pressed a button to the right of the panel and the door whisked open.

Inside were large computer banks and navigational charts. At the largest was a very large purple dinosaur.

“Ahhhh! It’s Barney! Quick, shoot him!” Krysta screamed. The dinosaur turned around. Half-moon spectacles perched on it’s nose.

“Excuse me, but do I look like I am covered in green spots? No? Then keep your mouth shut, however hard it may be for your species.” My had shot out, palm facing out as my anger sparked.

“Yes, excuse you.” With a flick of my power I made Nigel Armstrong start to sing the Barney theme song. Which in my opinion did not fit this very rude alien. Everyone was shocked and didn’t seem to be able to speak, except for Nekana of course.

“Zariana! That’s not nice!”

“Oh sorry. Did you want to help?” She looked like she was going to yell then suddenly became thoughtful.

“Well he was being rude.” She stretched out her hand like mine and Nigel began to dance too. Alexos was not as eager to help.

“Nekana! Zariana! This is not acceptable behavior. Especially from a Starscreamer!” I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Well then he shouldn’t have insulted me.” Nekana was smiling.

“I did it just for fun.” Alexos tried so hard not to laugh but against the unfailing wit of Nekana, he was no match. Alas the proud captain dissolved into girlish tears and peals of laughter. Both smiling, Nekana and I released Nigel from our hold.

“Well,” I started, “At least now we now how to invade someone’s mind in the battle position.”

“Yes,” agreed Nekana, “A most educational event.” Cristie started smiling.

I can’t believe you guys said that with a strait face.” I laughed.

“Well if it helps, we were laughing on the inside.”

“Ohh, is that what that was?” Morena asked.

“What was?” Krysta questioned.

“That loud laughing. I could hear Zariana and Nekana laughing but nobody seemed to notice so I kept it to myself.” Cristie frowned.

“I heard it too.”

“I heard faint laughing.” Serza agreed. “Not loud like you guys but just normal, ya know?” Alexos nodded.

“Remember how I said you all had a degree of physic ability? Well that was it in effect. Nekana and Zariana laughing together telepathically and you guys heard them.”

“So,” Serza said, “We can eavesdrop on their conversations if we try?”

“Yes, just like they can block you if they try.”

Hmm this could be fun huh Zara?

Oh yeah.

“Oooh! I heard Nekana said Zara! Didn’t get the rest though.” Nekana and I exchanged a look.

Major fun.

“Hey no fair they said something and I couldn’t hear!” Morena pouted.

Wanna help me find out the rest of the names Zariana?

Sure. I’ll take Krysta and you handle Cristie. Ok?

Deal. Ready..

Set…

GO!!!!

At the same time Nekana and I spun to face our people and after a minute exchanged a smile.

“Done Nekana?”

“Yep. You?”

“Of course.”

“So Nekana, do you think we should tell them?”

“I don’t know Zariana, maybe we should torture them first.”

“Alexxxooossss!!” Krysta whined. “I don’t like this they can plot and we won’t know what their doing!!”

“Oh alright. Let’s tell them Zariana.” I nodded and turned towards Marcus and Krysta.

“Krysta your name is Nanook. Happy now Nanook?” Ashley turned towards and Cristie.

“Cristie your name is Heleeka. She said with a smile.

“Oooh, my name’s so pretty!” Nanook was giggling.

“Mine too!” Heleeka agreed.

“I think we can all agree who has the prettiest name” Alexos laughed.

“Yeah, ME!!!”I shouted.

Everyone started laughing except Nekana, who chose that exact moment to read Alexos mind.

‘Well she guessed right’ She immediately grinned evilly.