"Tahn, you are?"

It is not every day that a green-skinned alien wearing a white robe shows up at your front door in the dark of night... actually never before. It spoke with a tinny intonation through some sort of handheld language translator device.

I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms. Technically our species were at peace, but it was my world, the seventh planet of the Sqia'lon system, that suffered the disastrous first contact. The T'cal were not welcomed back here. People I cared about died from their aggressive actions.

Before I could tell the alien what black hole it could stick itself into, along with the starship it rode in on, it said, "Of you, Althea needs."

That changed everything.

If there was anyone worthy to be called 'Redeemer of the Universe', it would be this humble woman. By some combination of special ability and T'cal technology, she saved both of our races from the ravages of the Soul Blight, a consciousness decimating disease that came from what she called 'rips in the fabric of the universe'. On the brink of a desolate death, she saved me too.

It was I that delivered her to the T'cal. Even though this was by her request, still guilt gripped my heart. I have waited for over a year for her safe return and, until today, knew nothing of her fate. Now, there was a faint glimmer of hope.

My eyes widened. "What of her? Is she well?"

The alien just motioned me to follow. "Now, come."

Hurrying me along, my host refused to discuss any further details. The mention of her name was enough to convince me to go, despite the risk of subterfuge. To her, I owed everything. And further, although I dare not presume her feelings, my heart yearned for her.

I really wished my garden had not been mistaken for a starship landing site. The vessel that crushed my vegetables was relatively small for a spaceship, only about twenty meters long. Jet black with sleek curves, it was almost a work of art, especially compared to the boxy troop carriers the T'cal utilized with their initial contact, err... invasion. Likely, this ship was not military. It must be capable of silent flight since I hadn't heard it land.

I yelped as I hit my head on the doorframe, a reminder that the T'cal stood shorter than us. They were actually more like us than not. Outward appearances differed somewhat: they being stockier, with dull green skin colors, fewer fingers, flattened bald heads, and wide mouths that seemed to be in a perpetual grin. But like us, they were bipedal, with two arms and two eyes. In our earlier conflict we discovered they had a similar mix of internal organs, but with some strange electronic implants. The real surprise was the presence of DNA.

Another T'cal wearing some sort of loose grey uniform made brief eye contact with me then turned back to a series of display panels. Presumably, this one was the pilot. I sat down in a short reclining chair next to the white-robed T'cal. The lift-off and ascent felt incredibly smooth. I felt a nervous twinge of uncertain destiny as we left my homeworld behind.

I needed some answers. "Where are we going?"

The T'cal handed me the device that translated the groans, warbles, and chirps that made up their language. "To Tyr-Cal, our home planet. There Althea be."

I narrowed my eyes, but I doubt an alien could read facial expressions. "Who are you, what is Althea's state, and why am I here?"

The T'cal thought for a moment, closing his dark eyes then opening them. "I will explain. Sen-al of the Du-hon clan, I am. Within my clan, the Sacred Writings are held. The prophecy of the Tanencha sy Tyrin, the World Redeemer, the Writings had foretold. With us Althea served, the sickness of consciousness ended, and the prophecy fulfilled. Among our clan, most honored Althea be. Our very existence, indebted we be."

Sen-al paused. The translator, and presumably the T'cal themselves, tended to put verbs at the end of sentences. That slowed down my understanding. Sen-al and the Du-hon clan must be religious and adhered to some form of ancient teachings. That they honored Althea warmed me. I motioned to continue.

"Also in the prophecy, secrets of the Universe the Tanencha sy Tyrin would reveal. Of this, all of T'Cal much anticipates. But from us, Althea was taken. Captors, the Mar-avar Clan be. Of the military, they are. For their power and greed, the secrets they seek. For Althea, we fear. We must rescue."

I glared at Sen-al. "I do not care about the secrets, only to Althea's well being."

"To her safety, we agree. To you, Althea trusts and cares. By our strategy, only another human may rescue. For that, Tahn, your purpose be. Danger, there will be. Do you accept?"

"I accept!"

Sen-al widened his mouth into a smile. At least, I think it was a smile.

Like most others, I had mistakenly assumed the T'Cal to be monolithic, that they all thought and acted the same. But like us, they were a collection of unique tribes and individuals, even if I did not recognize the differences. Apparently, rival clans had their own agendas and each vied for power and influence to carry them out. But to me, all that mattered was Althea.

The T'Cal homeworld seemed similar to my own from a distance, with seas of blue surrounding mottled lands, all overlaid with wisps of white clouds. Two moons, rather than three, circled the world like guards on patrol. From the distance, I could just make out the glints of spaceports in orbit. On closer approach, a difference stood out. The dark half of the planet glittered with an uncountable number of tiny lights. This world looked like a collection of vast cities, and by comparison, mine was a rural backwater.

The sleek starship bypassed the spaceports and descended to the surface. I did not detect anything like a landing permission. Given my presence and the nature of our purpose, perhaps they did not ask.

As we approached one of the overwhelmingly large cities, I could make out an eclectic mix of architectural styles. Clusters of beveled skyscrapers towered over shorter artistically rounded structures with ornate spires, these surrounded by plots of plain boxy buildings. While there seemed no consensus in geometry, everything was laid out in organized grids. Precious few open green spaces existed. Perhaps the T'Cal did not place as much value on public parks.

We landed in a small courtyard by one of the rounded buildings. With a motion, Sen-al said, "To Tyr-Cal, welcome!"

The historic aspect of this struck me. I became only the second human to set foot on the T'Cal homeworld. Althea was the first. But I will soon become the first to carry out a covert mission here.

Three other T'Cal, also wearing white robes like Sen-al, whisked me over to some sort of hovercar. In no time, we rushed along mostly empty streets, levitated on a cushion of air. With no time taken for a tour, we sped so fast that the street-side details appeared as a blur.

Sen-al held up what looked like a silver baton. Twisting the base, a small green light blinked. "Now activated." Pointing the device at the floor, Sen-al made a hand motion as if squeezing a pair of indentations. "Once to stun. Twice may kill."

I understood the implication. The baton was placed in my hands. It seemed to have weight of purpose beyond its true mass.

I paused, then asked, "What is the plan?"

"Electrical pulse will detonate. All T'Cal will deactivate." Sen-al touched his head. "Only human shall function. To Althea, you go rescue. Time limited, quickly you must go." A small rectangular fob appeared before me. "Coded key, this be."

I memorized a map shown to me on some sort of tablet viewer. The plan appeared to be simple enough. Some kind of EMP would stun any nearby T'Cal, presumably through the implanted electronic devices they relied on. Then I would rush in, find Althea, and bring her out. Although, in my experience, nothing ever goes as planned.

We stopped in some sort of alley behind a large rectangular white building with no windows. Two T'Cal wearing black tunics and helmets stood guard on either side of a non-descript door. Two of Sen-al's companions got out of the hovercar and promptly shot the guards with a bright pulse from the stun batons they held, or whatever they were called. The guards crumpled to the ground. Pressing another key fob against a small lighted panel, they opened the door and threw in a large cylindrical object, the EMP I presumed.

"Now time go." Sen-al stepped up on a curb to touch his forehead to mine. "For Althea!"

"For Althea!"

After a near-deafening buzz, Sen-al and his companions shuddered and collapsed, stunned but not unconscious. That was my cue.

I ran in the door but hit my head again on a doorframe that was designed for the shorter T'Cal. Not a good start...

I recovered quickly and ran down a brightly lit hallway. Three other guards laid trembling on the floor. I pushed through an unlocked doorway, remembering to duck my head this time, and took a left at the next junction. So far, so good.

I passed a series of offices and labs while mentally storing waypoint images for my return. If the map was right, the door that imprisoned Althea was just ahead. A T'Cal before it wearing a light blue smock struggled to rise, so I gave him a pulse from my stun baton for good measure. My heart soared as I bent down to peer in a small window in the door. There she was! Althea appeared to be asleep, curled up on a thin mattress atop a solid bench. Like just about everything else here, the entire room was a bright white color.

I held my key fob up against the panel. Nothing happened. Again, nothing. Rage boiled up within my core. I pounded on the panel then yanked on the door. I had not come this close to her to be thwarted!

Awakened by the pounding, Althea peaked out the window. Her eyes widened and a huge smile erupted on her face. I held up my key fob and shrugged. She pointed towards the blue-clad T'Cal on the floor. I rolled the being over and rifled through its pockets, finally finding a similar fob. This one worked. The door clicked open.

Althea fell into my arms. I felt her tears roll onto my neck. She sobbed, "Tahn, you came for me..."

My eyes watered as well. "I missed you." I pulled back to arm's length. "What say you we leave this place?"

She nodded, then staggered, reaching out for my arm. "Yes, but I am so weak."

I scooped her up in my arms and pulled her to my chest. "I have you, my Lady of Worlds."

She nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck and whispered, "That, you do."

She seemed so light. Her cheeks had hollowed and her copper skin had lost its luster compared to our meeting a year ago. Her long dark hair was now cut short. The burn scar that ran from one eye down her cheek still marked her, a reminder of her suffering during the initial T'Cal invasion. But to me, she was the most beautiful creature in all the universe.

Carrying her, I retraced my steps in a run. The T'Cal along the way began to stir. Two of the guards at the last door groggily rose before us and lifted some sort of rifle weapon. I skidded to a stop. Althea gritted her teeth as she took the initiative, drawing the stun baton out of my pocket and, in quick succession, downing both guards.

Safely now in one of the rounded dwellings far away from her imprisonment, Althea bent down to touch her forehead against that of Sen-al. This may be the T'Cal cultural equivalent of a hug. She spoke in the T'Cal language, my translator said, "Friend, to you I thank. Your risk to rescue, honor to me it gives."

Sen-al widened his mouth. "To the Tanencha sy Tyrin, and the one named Althea, a great debt all T'Cal owe."

We gathered before a large low round table with Sen-al and many of his clan, all wearing white robes. Sitting cross-legged on cushions, we passed around large bowls heaped with what looked like bread and fruit. It was surprisingly tasty.

Small shallow bowls containing an oatmeal-like paste were placed before Althea and me. She explained, "Additional nutrition needed by our human bodies... The Mar-avar clan did not understand this. If you had not rescued me, I might have soon died of malnutrition."

"What did they want of you?"

She paused as she chewed a bite of the dark bread. The T'Cal around the table listened intently to our conversation through interpreter devices. "Status and power. Status from possessing the Tanencha sy Tyrin, and power from the secret foretold in the prophecies."

"So what is this secret of the universe? And don't you dare say 'forty-two'."

She grinned at the classic literature reference, one that the T'Cal would not understand. "The Mar-avar would have been very disappointed." She spread her arms. "My dear friends, I would share what I know and believe. Consciousness is fundamental to the cosmos, an integral part of reality. This consciousness preceded the universe and guided its formation, as it does yet today. Several cycles ago the universe called me. Why me? I know not. A sickness infected it, what we called the Soul Blight. With the assistance of T'Cal technology, I repaired the fabric of reality like a seamstress mends a cloak. This sickness, the Oblivion, opposes consciousness like darkness opposes the light.

She squeezed my hand and looked into my eyes. "The fabric of reality is so elegantly beautiful! In it, if you will, God sang to me. Our cultures share this: as technology advanced, religion faded. True be it that much evil was done in the name of the Creator and it failed as a substitute for science. But let it again find its proper place. The Secret of Tanencha sy Tyrin is simply that the Universe is alive, and it sings of joy. All we need do is embrace it."

Sen-al spoke. "Althea, your purpose be complete. You to your home, we will return."

Althea shook her head. "Not yet complete. I would address the T'Cal Confederate Council. All must hear the secret. The wrongs of the Mar-avar clan and those like them must not stand."

"To you would they listen?"

"Not as Althea, but as the Tanencha sy Tyrin, my words will they hear."