"A more private area has been prepared for us. Please follow me."

Jafra and the party from earth followed as Larek swept Tess with him through a series of hallways and into a large room. He strode over to the oval table, seated Tess next to him with great formality and waved his hand toward the other chairs, a silent suggestion that they seat themselves. After a moment's pause, Max sat at the head of the table.

"How much do you know about the current situation?" Larek asked.

Jafra intervened. "I have not had time to adequately brief his Highness. The flight was not very long."

Impatiently, Larek got up and paced the room. "You may think it is simply a walk in and take it. You could not be more wrong! Kivar is a vicious animal and - like all such beasts - is merely more dangerous as his reign deteriorates. The battle is not over and each of you is in serious danger. Do not forget that!"

Max said, reasonably, "We are unlikely to lose sight of that, Larek.... These last years on earth have held danger also...."

Larek spun and said intensely, "Not like this! Kivar was a galaxy away then. Only those he sent went to earth.... He is far more deadly!"

"Look," Michael interposed. "I really think we can handle the truth. What do we need to do to bring him down?"

Jafra smiled coldly. "Magic." The room grew silent.

"Wait a minute," Liz broke the quiet. "Doesn't Kivar have as much magic as anyone else here? Anyway, isn't most of your 'magic' merely a more advanced science than we have on earth?"

Jafra turned to her. "Not entirely, your Highness. Some of it is. Some of it is a far more efficient use of energy than you have learned. But some of it.... Some of it is what you would certainly have to call Magic."

"Oh." Liz looked at Maria. Maria shrugged.

"Do you already have a plan... or is that part of what this session is all about?" Max wanted to move on.

Larek looked at Jafra, who glanced at Isabel, then looked away. Isabel caught the look. "What?"

"Well," Jafra started. "You must remember, my dear, that Kivar does not know that the part of you that betrayed us is dead."

"Maybe not," said Isabel. "But he also has no reason to think that I - either one of us - could be in this galaxy."

"Well," Larek said, "Actually...."

"No!" Max exclaimed. "Don't tell us that you set Isabel up as bait without so much as letting us know that you were doing it!"

"There should be no real danger to her.... Your Highness, Kivar still LOVES the memory of the divine Velandra...." Jafra broke off as Max got up and approached him menacingly.

"So much so that SHE ALSO died with us!"

Jafra looked down. "That was believed to be an accident.... At the last moment, Velandra returned to the palace while it was under attack. Perhaps she felt some sense of guilt at the thought of allowing Rath to die while thinking she was with Kivar.... Surely she thought she could join him afterward...."

Isabel spoke softly. "Perhaps Kivar let her die because she WASN'T with him...." No one corrected her use of the third person.

Larek spoke intensely. "It doesn't MATTER. He wants her back!"

"No." Max shook his head. "We think of something else."

"But plans are already in place for Kivar to kidnap her. SHE will be our agent inside his walls...."

Max shouted, "NO!"

Isabel got up. "I always thought this sounded too easy. I am, after all, in some way responsible for the situation. Also, as it turns out," she raised an eyebrow at Tess and Larek, Max and Liz, and Maria and Michael. "I am the most expendable.... I'll do it."

Michael looked at Max. "Looks like you've been outvoted, Maxwell." He turned to Larek. "What do we do?"

Larek smiled coldly. "We let him take her and wait for her report. No one knows how much support he still has because the palace has been closed for years.... Whenever someone thinks Kivar may be weakening and launches an attack, he has always had enough strength to ruthlessly crush the opposition."

"Then tell me," Max said softly, "What makes you think this time is an exception? Why should my sister risk her life?"

"Messages stopped going to earth. For a while he was frantic to find you. Then you communicated with your mother and his agents tracked you down. As you know, his offer at the summit, made by Nicholas on Kivar's behalf, was an elaborate hoax. You defeated his forces there, your Highness. He never reinforced his forces here. He was so sure that your death was the final key."

Max met Michael's look squarely. "As soon as you are in, Isabel," he turned to look at her, "You need to dreamwalk either Michael or me."

"Before or after Kivar ravishes me?" she inquired sweetly.

"I really don't think you need to be expecting THAT, my dear," said Jafra. "It has been some time and he would want to get reacquainted before making love, I am sure."

Isabel did not look at all reassured and the entire group glanced around uneasily. "Don't worry," Isabel finally said. "If there is anything I am perfectly good at, it's saying 'No'... not to mention 'Not right now.'"

Isabel turned to Larek. "So... What should I expect?"

His reply was direct and brief. "He has your vibration. He could pull you to him at any time."

Isabel nodded. No sooner had she taken a step away than she vanished. Max took a step in her direction before a choked cry from Maria made him turn to see that Liz also was gone. Angrily, he turned to a visibly startled Larek.

***

Liz found herself in a room with soft, dark walls, no windows, and a bed. A small light burned near the bed. Out of the darkness a man's voice spoke, "Make yourself comfortable, your Highness. We shall meet later."

***