Saehressa returned to her cabin, her mind full of happy thoughts. A long time elapsed from the last time events of a day left her smiling so at its conclusion.

Retiring for the night gave her the first serious down time since Jahrae’s exciting revelation earlier in the day, and Saehressa decided a quick and soothing shower, along with her usual bedtime hygienic ritual, would come first. Thereafter, Aailhra would draw her interest and concentration, and finally bed.

Her body cleansed and readied for bed, Saehressa searched out the myriad of candles brought aboard for her nightly Aailhra sessions, placing four like wide but stubby candles upon her dresser, and then setting each of them alight.

In the resulting flickering amber glow, Saehressa stood straight and tall, her 1.84-metre frame reflecting a practised lifetime of seriousness and dedication to her task. Her hands moved upward and came together palm to palm, with fingers such that no gaps existed – a classic and timeless human approach to prayer.

Saehressa closed her eyes, exhaled sharply and breathed in deeply but slowly, and then silently began a prayer of thankfulness. The prayer segued into an invitation to all those connected through the spiritual and who wished to engage in Aailhra, to feel free to join with her in sending healing energy to whatever destination they were inclined to choose.

Her opening prayer done, Saehressa pulled her hands away from their mutual prayer-pinnacle, now raising them separately but with palms extended, again silently working with her mind’s concentration; this time, she called upon the symbols sacred to Aailhra, channelling their healing energy about her new living space. “Love and light, love and light” repeated through her mind in repetition rotation with the various symbols she chose to invoke, her body now slowly pivoting to send the energy to all corners of the suite.

Upon first entering her room after boarding, Saehressa found an Aailhra table set up for her. She intended to bring her own aboard, but those charged with seeing to her supplies assured her there would be such tables available on board ship. Now with prayers and room clearing done, she raised her body onto the table, stretching out upon her back, and relaxed.

She began softly chanting the symbols anew, this time with her hands wrapping the crown of her head, fingers extended but closed side to side, and the tips of her middle fingers touching. After a few minutes, she shifted positioning to one hand on her chest, one to her throat, and finally ending this segment with both hands resting on her abdomen.

Self-treating finished, Saehressa moved to send distant healing energy to all of her family and friends. Energy flowed to the spiritual, to Mrevan and to Cshrehyi, and finally toward llhaesa.

She took particular care with llhaesa, searching for clues to where to send the energy flowing into her body, coursing through, and redirected out her hands. Her senses guided her, and so Saehressa sent healing energy across space, across time to her daughter-in-need.

The session ended, Saehressa’s eyes opened, her torso moved upright, and then she slowly slid off the table. Her first stop was the bath for one final call before bed. Minutes later, she settled into her new bed, one that would be hers for the duration of this trip, however long. Thoughts quickly flooded her consciousness, her senses now well tuned to the mother and daughter connection.

Llhaesa was lost 14 years before to a vicious man who saw himself as a potential dictator. He brutally raped llhaesa – and Saehressa watched every bit of that recording – before disposing of her by mysterious means. Now, now, it appeared there was no disposal, only ostracising of some form to a place unknown. Where? One of 140 worlds, and it was their assignment to find the right one and bring llhaesa home.

Other thoughts came to mind, thoughts of dreams – not just Saehressa’s dreams, but also those of Jahrae. One dream in particular left her analysing and pondering, a dream of trees, a dream of llhaesa at the point of a tree.

This dream came to Jahrae years before, and in retrospect, Saehressa felt the dream carried substance and significance. Llhaesa was out there somewhere, and llhaesa practised Aailhra as faithfully as Saehressa. Undoubtedly, healing energy flowed this way from llhaesa, again focusing senses toward awareness.

Her thoughts broke with the calling of a soft rap upon her suite door. Saehressa called out ‘one moment,’ while rising and grabbing her robe in one motion. Walking toward the door and working the keypad, the door slid open to reveal Jahrae’s always welcome and smiling face. “Mind if I bother you for a few moments?”

“Of course not, come on in Jahrae!”

Jahrae carried a portable interface, and she quickly handed it to Saehressa. Saehressa scrolled down through the information, and then looked up at Jahrae. “I was just lying in bed thinking on llhaesa practising Aailhra, and taking care to be aware of her sendings.

Do you remember your tree-dream, way back in the aftermath of llhaesa’s loss? You were still recovering then, and you could not wait to tell me.”

Jahrae nodded, the dream coming back into her mind. “Llhaesa was 40ish in the dream; I was in my late 30s. We were standing next to a sizeable arlkhala tree, back together after so very long…” Jahrae trailed off, her mind thinking on yet another dream, evidently simultaneously with her mother in law. Her voice rose slightly, reflecting an increase in excitement.

“In another dream the day before, I dreamt of the Arlkhala Constellation… at the point of which was llhaesa.”

Saehressa nodded enthusiastically, the two dreams now re-associated after so many years. Jahrae continued on. “There were children in the second dream, mum. Llhaesa was chatting with children.” She looked straight into the eyes of Saehressa; the two sensing there was a significant connection here, given what lie on the interface.

The interface information – what started this foray into Jahrae’s past dreams – was from Chief of Government Gl’nsiel. Investigators were making headway in the newly discovered secret sub-floors of the old government tower in downtown Arrhazon.

On this day, they discovered records of the mysterious machinery, records that mentioned llhaesa as the only human to experience whatever it was this machine did. It also gave names of those involved in its development and operation, and investigators were fanning out to find these individuals. Further, there was mention of a subsequent and apparently connected secret mission.

Already in custody was Vreloran G’jessa, apparently the machine operator, and Vreloran was sharing all he knew even as they read this report.

Gl’nsiel was hopeful they would uncover the destination fairly soon.

“Jahrae, do you recall the name of the star atop the Arlkhala Constellation?” Saehressa knew the answer, and a smiled betrayed this fact to Jahrae.

“No, but you know! What is it?” Jahrae sensed Saehressa felt this might be a key element, such was the playful expression on her face – somewhat how Jahrae was with the information on llhaesa, while the remainder still thought this a recovery mission.

“It is on our list of the 140, thought the most remote. Think about it, Jahrae. An irrational leader goes to all this trouble to rid the world of his nemesis – your wife, my daughter. If you are going to place her on another world, would you choose a close in world where we have contact, or a more remote world where there is none?” Saehressa not only rationalised, but her Aailhra senses roared to life. She was on the right track; she could feel this pointed them in the proper direction.

“The star is Arrkarhara.”

“Arrkarhara is 50 light years distant. It will take months to traverse that distance. If it proves wrong, we severely set back our search. Saehressa, I am new to, but dedicated in, following Aailhra. I will look there as you for guidance.

We will wait a week before setting course in that direction. In that time, we give the investigators time to uncover something significant.”