Chapter 4

Most everyone in the room looks shocked, except for the old man. He just nods and looks sad.

"I believe we should talk," he says in that same calm tone in which he has answered my earlier questions. "I am called Melville, I am the leader here."

"Oh." comes my genius reply. "I think I need to sit down now." I say as my knees unlocked and I slide bonelessly to the floor, Saber tries to catch me, but it is the nice young man from earlier who ends up with me in a puddle on the floor.

"Do you need medical attention?" he asks me again.

I would have laughed at him but I don't have the energy for more than a halfhearted chuckle.

"You really need to stop asking me that," I finally answer him. "I am fine, just ran out of steam, it has been a long day for me."

"Oh with that explosion and moving through time and space thing, right?" he asks in amusement.

"You got it." I am surprised that he remembers that much.

"I am called Saul." He gets a blank look from me. "You should know my name, seeing as you are sitting in my lap," he adds.

"Ah, it is nice to meet you Saul," I say as I stare into his pretty brown eyes. I realize that I am slurring my word in my tiredness.

"I see you're not up to this task, right now." says Melville.

"Oh, I am fine, the mind works, I am just tired. Why don't you pull up a slab and tell me your troubles." I pat the floor next to me.

"I guess this is as good as any place." Melville says as he slowly lowers himself down to the cold concrete floor.

"As I said earlier, I am called Melville. This is Saber and this is Socrates." He points to another man who has joined us. "And you have already met Saul."

I nod a greeting to each.

"Your parents really did not like you, or is there an explanation for the funky names?" I jump right in with my first thought.

I jump subjects again as Melville opens his mouth to answer. I realize I am pulling these good people off track. "Belay that," I wave my hand to cut him off. "Just give me the run down of your problems. You can explain the names later I assume?"

It takes Melville a moment to compose his thoughts, but I am not prepared for his first statement.

"We are dying," Melville states plainly. There is an intake of breath from those around us.

His statement is obviously a surprise to more people than just me.

"Everyone does, so unless you are immortal, please back track," I say in a flippant tone.

"By the ancestors, lady, have you no respect or tact?" Saber sounds incensed by my lack of formality.

"I am a professional negotiator, I will have you know," I snap back at him. "It has just been a long day for me."

"What, with all the travel through space and time, " he replies sarcastically.

"And the explosion," Saul adds.

"I was hoping to forget that," I wince at the memory "But, yes a very big explosion." I sigh to myself.

"Children," Melville breaks in quietly, but with a great deal of authority. "Saber, I am still capable of defending my honor. If, I feel I need to," he gently rebuffed the giant. "Speed and an outside view, might be what we need now."

He turned back to me, and my lap buddy.

"Saul would you get our guest some water. I am sure that she needs some after the journey she has been on. She must be thirsty."

"Of course, Melville" Saul is surprised by the request, but was willing to comply. With a little maneuvering he is able to get up. And I am capable of sitting up on my own now.