The Meeting

Mikala had been in a meeting with her fellow Spacelord, Ba’laironshantinlavydalar, at the Timekeeper’s palace. The palace was a neutral place where Spacelords and Starlords could meet to discuss whatever they needed to. The Timekeeper is an ancient being who records the history of the Universe and keeps time travelling as it should. He also exists as an impassive judge to any feuds that Spacelords and Starlords may have with one another.

The Timekeeper’s palace is a strange sort of place as it never looks the same: its shape seems to evolve as though the palace were alive. The reason for this fluidity of its structure is that the palace may be called on to host any number and any manner of creatures.

For Mikala’s meeting with Ba’laironshantinlavydalar, the palace was shaped like a large garden with a spectacular view of the stars; this seemed a strange choice to Mikala, as although this form could quite easily house Ba’laironshantinlavydalar’s bulk, it was quite clearly at odds with his body shape. For Ba’laironshantinlavydalar was a Lavydalar, a being with a body much like an elasmosaurus and the head of a dragon. His scales glinted silver in the starlight as he attempted to pull himself forward with his powerful pectoral fins; he gave up after a moment, preferring to settle into place on the path. The gravity of the palace, while perfect for Mikala, was too strong for the large swimmer to move about comfortably.

To Ba’laironshantinlavydalar’s eyes, Mikala appeard to also be a Lavydalar, with pale gold scales and beautiful eyes whose colour reminded him of the sea on his world. But he knew that Mikala was not of his race, as there can be only one Starlord or Spacelord per race.

A Starlord is an immortal being who is responsible for his or her race’s survival. The Starlord is bound to the planet his or her race exists on; he or she can alter their planet with but a thought and a command, called a Rule.

A Spacelord, on the other hand, is an immortal being whose race has found a way to travel the stars. A Spacelord is therefore not bound to one particular planet, and their Rules can affect the entire Universe.

“I think the more important question, Mikala, is why do the humans have a Spacelord?” Ba’laironshantinlavydalar rumbled. His tail flicked, the only sign of his agitation, but he was able to stop the shark-like fins from damaging the flower bed beside the path they were standing on. “I thought the humans only had a Starlord, as they have not yet travelled the stars.”

“So did I!” Mikala snapped, realizing she was the source of the other Spacelord’s agitation. “The humans have had a Starlord for over two thousand years. How was I to know that after the old one died they would get a Spacelord?”

The two were silent for a moment, out of respect for the dead. Starlords and Spacelords, being immortal, do not just die.

“Well,” Ba’laironshantinlavydalar finally rumbled, breaking the akward silence, “we now have a problem. The Earth has an untrained Spacelord. Had we known, the Spacelords of the galaxy could have taught him about his future role, and prepared him. But now he has been subjected to thirty years of humankind’s heathenism.”

His ventral fins, much like a betta’s except they had evolved a thumb-like appendage and so are capable of fine manipulation, gestured at the other Spacelord.

“I know, it was my responsibility, as the Earth falls under my jurisdiction,” she snapped bitterly. Mikala took a deep breath to calm herself. “It was my responsibility to train this Lubic. So I guess now it is my responsibility to go and try to fix whatever damage has already been done.”