Chapter 1

The last thing I remember hearing, before my world went black, is a great boom that seems to be rushing at me. Then nothing for the longest time When I do finally wake, it is in a meadow, with the noon day sun glaring down on me. The meadow is lush and green with blue skies and fluffy white clouds floating by. I am in too much shock to much more that lay there.

Universe, why am I still alive? I ask but receive no reply.

And a bigger shock still is that this place, it looks like my home. A home I didn't think I would ever see again. Because the last time I was on Earth, it was being blown up. I don't take the time to dwell on in. I am still reeling from the fact that I am alive. It is all too much to take in.

Try as I might, to come up with an answer I cannot. I am definitely not on any of the cluster worlds. All the evidence seems to point to me being on Earth. Just lying here and taking in the sights and sounds I become aware that this place even smells like Earth, with the sharp scents of loam and pine. I want to lay here all afternoon, categorizing all the different things that I have missed in my 15 years away. It is so hard to believe I am on Earth; that I almost miss the sounds of dogs barking and baying in the distance.

In hearing them I realize I am going to have to get up and start looking for the people of this place. With a strained sigh I heave myself up and take a quick inventory. One sword, check, cyber ware still working, check. Hair still green. But I find I am overly tired; whatever it was that blew me here, seems to have sapped much of my strength. I feel as weak as a kitten. I have no reserves.

But back to the dogs. Dogs are good; they usually mean civilization, as they are the domestic guards and companions to men. I remember all this as head towards the sounds of the hounds. They are coming from the nearby wooded area.

As I listen to them I realize, they sound less happy than dogs out on a romp, and more like they are on a hunt. I slow my pace a bit, as I do not want to be caught by a bunch of happy-go-lucky hunters and shot by accident.

The closer I get the more I concerned I am, till I hear the sounds change again. This time it sounds like they have found their prey, but the prey is fighting back.

I ghost closer, hoping to see what is fighting the dogs. There are grunts and whimpers from the dogs and then a cry that sounds very human.

From my hiding spot, I can see the dogs. It is the weirdest pack I have ever seen. There are big dogs, Mastiffs and a Saint Bernard, and medium ones, some Collies and Golden Retrievers, and even some small lap dogs. It is such a mixed bag that I quickly realize this is not a hunting crew, no master of hounds would have a crew like this. No, this is a pack of feral dogs. They don't have some master of hounds driving the whip, so I don't have to worry about humans, or maybe I do, as the dogs have converged on a man.

He is most definitely human, same as me. A biped with one set of upper appendages; hair on the top of his head and he is moving like I would had I been fighting the dogs.

While I am standing here categorizing the man in front of me, he takes another bite to his leg. It looks like he has taken a few dogs out with the bow and arrows on his back, but right now he has pulled out two really big knives and is slashing at anything that gets close.

I can tell this is will not enoughbecause he has taken a couple of bites on the leg already and if the dogs keep on as they are, he will be down soon.

Before I can even think about it, I act. Raising my hands to my mouth to make the beast of doom noise.

"Hurrruw!!" I bellow for all that I am worth.