We hurried back to my room hoping we didn’t draw to much notice and Orlan started to place some opaque phials on the bed. He began his long winded explanation of the effects of each liquid until I lost patience and whispered to Rygel.

“Enough of the dren Rygel, I just want to know what to take and when.”

Rygel sighed and whirred towards Orlan on his thronesled and in turn whispered something to him.

The physician looked a little coloured and shot me a look that I’d normally feel threatened by if it hadn’t come from a talking toad with half sized limbs. I tried to stifle a giggle; maybe upsetting a doctor about to give me mind altering drugs wasn’t the best strategy.

He raised his voice “As I was saying, the first phial contains a liquid that will give you a feeling of euphoria and well being, it should not make you act out of character however you may suffer a few side affects after its effects have worn off, slight paranoia, edginess nothing to worry about. “

“Let me be the judge of that shorty, how long will the drug last” I could hardly afford to be any more paranoid about being back on my home world.

Orlan wagged his stumpy fingers, “one dose should be sufficient for a solar day, if you find yourself in a position where you have to take another dose then only take one more, any more than that could lead to chronic side effects”.

He moved to the pale blue bottle, “This as I previously explained mimics the physical effects of mind cleansing on the brain, you won’t feel anything but if you were to be tested then this will be close enough to fool them. I’ve added it to into a harmless beverage so should it be discovered will not raise suspicion.”

The Hynerian was looking proud of himself but I was becoming more anxious, “close enough” was a risky prospect. I would rather die than be back in the hands of the Nebari government, after I had escaped cycles ago from their dominating clutches I’d had a couple of close calls, Salis had intended to have me permanently mind cleansed, altering my brain so I’d lose my personality for ever, I’d be nothing more than a shell.

That’s when I first met Rygel and my other friends on Moya, they were almost like family but not all of us survived, my stomach lurched as I recalled the sweet beautiful Zhaan and my brave D’Argo. I snapped back to Orlan’s ramblings after he made a pointed cough.

“The black phial will counter the effects of these drugs should you have any adverse affects.”

“You mean like the paranoia” I wasn’t sure I was going to like his answer.

Orlan moved closer to me puffing his chest to try to raise his diminutive stature. “There have been other effects in the past, very rare but you may experience a short term loss of mobility, as I said very rare, hardly heard of.”

I turned to Rygel “Loss of mobility! I can’t afford to collapse with those conformist freaks around me, Rygel you know what they’d do to me.”

Rygel didn’t argue, he didn’t offer the usual sarcasm but instead bore the saddest gaze.

“Chiana, I know you want to do this and you won’t rest until you have but do you think I’m happy that you are going back their voluntarily. This is the best chance you have, Orlan is the best medic I know, if you want to go ahead then you know the risks, it’s all I can do.”

I spread my arms across the window and looked out at the crowds, Rygel was right, I didn’t have to go back but if I didn’t how long would it take me to find Neri again, would he even be alive in another few cycles and I needed to see Neri more than ever. I couldn’t blame Orlan; it was my choice to do this.


Rygel had sent his bodyguard out for refreshments, although it was never a pleasant sight watching Hynerians cram copious amounts of food into their stumpy little bodies I knew it was necessary or all I’d hear for the next few arns would be complaints about their rumbling stomachs.

I’d contacted Kornol the pilot of the Fraylian vessel and filled him in on the Tardek complication. He had sounded a little more jumpy than he had on the ship and told me that we would have to get the shipment tonight. I arranged that we would meet up in five arns at the docking area.

Orlan remained behind while we made our way to meet Feschlik at the Blue Aura. Rygel had dressed his bodyguard in some of his robes, for the purposes of tonight they would masquerade as cousins.

This time as we entered we were met straight away by Feschlik’s thugs and led to a door at the back of the ground floor. They paid little attention to the Hynerians as they were barely knee height to a Sebacian.

Feschlik however walked over to inspect the Hynerians as soon as we entered his den. I had been expecting a dark little room with the usual gaudy décor that you see at the back of most clubs, I couldn’t have been more wrong.