Cosmic clouds, like their atmospheric cousins, are dense. Unlike the water-laden variety, they are composed of energy-laden particles that under the right circumstances can collide in a series of deadly nuclear explosions. For that reason, even the most seasoned pilots will avoid them at all costs.

Sometimes, they don't have a choice.

The forward viewscreen is useless. The ship might as well be in a glass of milk. Lord OrinTi looked at the little man at the helm. "You're sure?"

The man nodded without looking away from the antique compass.

Orin's regular captain moved to his side. "We can't do this," he whispered.

Orin looked at the forward viewscreen. The Clouds of Deatg are supposed to be impassible.... But they said that about the asteroid fields. The Pontenz got through and almost destroyed us. "We have no choice, KilTi. If he's right, we will have everything we need to get our revenge."

"If he's wrong, we'll be dead."

Further conversation ceased when the ship's interior lights flickered. Bolts of energy snaked across the screen in a vivid display of power. Orin swallowed the lump of fear that threatened to choke him. Turn back. Get out of here! He looked down at the NAV screen. His fear inched higher when it showed nothing. The cloud's energy was rendering his sensors useless. The planet that had been there a moment before was gone. His warship was gone.

The Clouds of Deatg. Is this where I die? Anger replaced his fear. "Bable! You lied!" He glared. "You're leading us to our death."

The little man chuckled.

KilTi drew his weapon and aimed it at the pilot's temple. "You may have killed us all, old man, but you'll die first."

Bable's golden eyes glittered under his bushy brows. "The fleet." He waved his hand toward the screen.

KilTi stared in stunned disbelief. There, floating amid the electrical storm, was a sea of Thrux warships ... lost for fifteen years. He tried to count them, but it was impossible. There were too many. In fact, the fleet took up such a large expanse of space that the furthest ships--those at the limit of the viewscreen sensors--were drifting in and out of view.

The little man gave them a smug look. "I told you so. Even the mighty Pontenz will not willingly fly into the Clouds of Deatg. I doubt if they even know there's an eye--a little spot of heaven in the middle of hell. Believe me, sirs, in the center of this storm, you're as safe as you'd be in your momma's arms."

Orin didn't hear the man. He was staring slack jawed at the viewscreen. This was a secret force the late Lord A'wren had constructed. Why didn't he use it? Why did he hide it away? Orin frowned. He remembered how the people had been afraid of the Pontenz. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, with technology the Thrux had never seen. The crews had been reluctant to go to war with an enemy they knew nothing about. Some deserted. Others refused to obey orders. In the end, A'wren didn't have anyone to man this huge fleet. His frown slowly changed to a grin. But I do. He looked at the viewscreen. Mine.... They are all mine. Twelve hundred warships. When I add those to my current fleet, I will have all the force I need to exact our revenge. He turned back to the old pilot. "Did you plot the course into our ship's navigation computer, Bable?"

"Of course."

"How many have you told about this?"

Bable folded his arms over his ample stomach. "Lord A'wren was a very secretive man. He gave me very specific orders on what I should do with the crews I hired to put the ships here. The navigation computers on the shuttles taking them home were evidently defective." He looked up at the viewscreen. "They're still out there, you know. Lost somewhere in the Clouds of Deatg.... At least their corpses are." He glanced back at the Thrux admiral and smiled. "Me? I've kept this secret for all these years. I was saving the information for someone who could pay well."

"So, while searching for someone of wealth, you never divulged the secret? ... Or even part of it?"

The old pilot shook his head. "Not even a hint." He pointed at the viewscreen. "What would their value be if the Pontenz knew of their existence?"

Orin nodded his head and smiled. Then his eyes slid to KilTi. "Pay the man."

Bable's eyes widened in shock an instant before the blast tore through his skull.

Rahne helped her mother walk to the living room. "You shouldn't be up, Mother."

"I'm feeling much better, and I don't want to be in bed when your father gets home." Jade sighed. "I wanted to so much to go with him, but I couldn't. I was so sick before he left." She smiled at her daughter. "Now that he's coming home, I don't want him finding me in the same state."

Rahne nodded, a worried frown on her face. She started to cover her mother with a quilt, but gave up when Jade refused.

"I'm not an invalid, Rahne."

Rahne sighed and sat beside her mother. She tried hard not to show her worry, but it was getting harder each day. Jade had always been a bundle of energy, but--in the last three months--she had steadily declined. What worried Rahne even more was that the doctors couldn't find the cause. Her grandmother, the Empress, had brought in experts from around the universe, but all had shaken their heads in puzzlement. They kept insisting they needed more tests, but none of the tests helped. They had wanted to visit her today as well. Some scholar had discovered some new possibility in an ancient tome. A 'test' used by the ancient shamans on Basseen. Her mother had refused to let the doctors visit when she heard Rahul was going to be home.

Jade saw the worry on her daughter's face and tried to change the subject. "When are Anthony and Shawn due home?"

"I speak to Anthony every day. He wanted to come home last week, but they have a battery of tests. I told him I would keep them updated on how you were feeling."

"I miss them. I didn't realize it would be so hard having them go to military school."

"Personally, I enjoy the peace and quiet. Those two are always causing a riot."

Jade smiled softly, very proud of her two sons. "They are boys--brothers who are being raised to be warriors. It's hard to keep them quiet." She reached out to touch Rahne's cheek. "I wish Mary had lived to see what a beautiful woman you grew into."

"I remember her. She used to sit me in her lap and tell me how you stayed with her when you thought Father was dead ... and the Garovoks were attacking Earth."

Jade sighed sleepily. "If it wasn't for her, I would never have been reunited with your father. She named you, you know.... "Her voice drifted off.

KilTi pulled the body out of the pilot's seat and sat at the controls. He deftly turned the ship and began retracing their course, heading back to the Thrux homeworld. "You know, it will take a while to train enough crews to man that many ships.

Orin nodded. "I'm not so worried about the time as I am about being detected. The Pontenz have eyes everywhere. They may not know about this fleet, but they will question why we are training so many crews."

The pilot nodded. "Perhaps we could have a rash of resignations. We always have pilots leaving the fleet to go into business for themselves. Those freight companies pay a lot better than we do. We could shuttle those crews to the secret fleet and train their replacements. Surely that wouldn't raise any Pontenz eyebrows."

"Good idea. We'll use it. In the meantime, it's time we put our agents to work. Contact Pontenzia first. We'll shake them up at home. By the time they figure out what's going on, I'll have the GarThrVyk alliance well in hand."

"If I read the messages correctly, there's no need. Our people were anxious, and it has already started--at least on the Pontenz homeworld."

"Wonderful!" He slapped KilTi on the shoulder. "It has finally begun, and now that we've found the missing armada, we will be victorious."

The ever-practical KilTi shook his head. "There's a long way to go yet, Sire. A'wren made the mistake of underestimating the Pontenz.... And we all know how that came out in the end."

Orin sat back while KilTi navigated back out of the Cloud. The Thrux borders are about to expand. Finally, I'll be able to show that sham empire the true power of the Thrux.

The Pontenz will be destroyed.

After Jade fell asleep, Rahne tiptoed out to the patio. Tears blurred her vision, and she slumped into the nearest chair.

"Rahne?"

She looked up, startled. "Father!" She sprung up and threw herself into his arms.

Rahul caught her. "What is wrong?"

Rahne tried to control her sobs. She looked up at him. He had gray in his blue-black hair, but he was still very much a warrior.... This huge man--her father--had always made everything right. As a child, she had heard from others about the battles her father had fought. They'd told her how he'd defeated a rogue Admiral and saved Earth, where her mother had lived.... But to her--as a child--he was her father, not a warrior or an admiral.

He was the man who would scoop her up and toss her high into the air. More important, he was the man who always caught her. She'd sit on his lap and feel the warmth of his love. He'd tend to her childhood injuries with a tenderness that none of his men believed he had--except for Duran.

Sometimes, it seemed that there was nothing he couldn't do, but this wasn't one of those times. He was a powerful warrior, but Rahne also realized that he was not a god. When it came to her mother's illness, he was as helpless as she was.

Rahul sighed heavily. His shoulders slumped. "She is not better?"

Rahne shook her head.

Rahul kissed her forehead and walked past her. He stopped at the door and looked at Jade. She has always been thin, now she looks frail. He frowned. She is only forty-two. That is far too young for her strength to leave her like it has. He felt grief well up inside of him as he walked to her chair. Then he crouched down in front of her and brushed a strand of hair off her face. Even ill, she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

It had been nineteen years since they met. He was there representing the Empress in their efforts to bring Earth into the Pontenz Empire. Jade had been accidentally transported to his ship. At first, she thought he was the enemy. She had met him head on, with fear, but with a stubborn pride that had won his heart.

Jade stirred and opened her eyes. "Rahul?"

"I am here, Mate."

Jade sat up and smiled brightly. "I'm better now. I will be able to go with you next time."

Rahul leaned forward and kissed her. "What do the doctors say?"

Jade's smile faded. "I don't want to talk to them anymore, Rahul. They only poke, prod and run painful tests. I'm tired of them."

"I want you well, Mate. We still have a universe to explore together, remember? There is still much I want to show you.... We have new horizons to reach for--together."

Jade looked at him sadly. "Will you stay?"

"Yes, Mate. I have taken a leave of absence to be with you until you are well."

"Where's Rahne?"

"She is outside." He gently slid his arms under her legs and behind her back, then began to lift her into an embrace.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "I'm not sure I will be able to greet you quite as warmly as I usually do. Not today.... But hold me, Rahul." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I know you were only gone a week, but it seemed so much longer. I've missed you."

Rahul carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. "I'm much too tired to enjoy your body today anyway," he lied. "But don't think you are off the hook." He removed his uniform and lay down beside her. "When I recover from this trip, I intend to tie you to this bed and use you until you beg me to stop."

Jade snuggled against him. "Promise?"

He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "Guaranteed."

Jade let out a small gasp and stopped breathing.

The trip to the clinic was a blur in Rahul's mind. He remembered the staff taking Jade from his arms and disappearing into a treatment room. Then the shock wore off. Rahul and Rahne were condemned to pace the waiting room. Rahul had annoyed the nurses in the reception area enough that they had finally escorted them to the room and told both husband and daughter to stay there.

He was not used to being ordered. He had been an Admiral for nineteen years and being told what to do by someone barely his daughter's age made him fume. He finally quit his pacing and stood at the window. There, his hands clasped behind his back, he waited.

Rahne walked to him. "Maybe they will find out what's wrong this time."

His eyes lifted to the sky. "We, the Pontenz, are the most powerful race in the universe. Many have stood against us in the past, and all have fallen. We have ships that can cross the universe in a week. We can teletransport from a ship to a cave deep within a planet. We can mend broken bones in an instant. There is nothing we can't do.... "He looked at her. "Why ... why is this happening?"

She rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know, Father. They have to figure it out."

Rahul turned sharply when a doctor entered. "You had better have some news for me.... Good news!"

The doctor sat and waited while Rahul and Rahne took the chairs next to him. "We have run every test we have, and a few experimental ones as well. The results have been negative. We have decided that there is only one possibility remaining that would explain such a rapid deterioration in your wife's condition, Admiral."

"Well, spit it out!"

Rahne put her hand on her father's arm. "Be calm, Father. You are scaring the doctor. Please let him speak."

Rahul nodded and gently patted his daughter's hand. After taking several deep breaths, he seemed more in control of his anger. "I am sorry, Doctor. Please continue."

"It is my belief she has been poisoned."

Rahul looked at him blankly for a moment. "Poisoned? It has taken you three months to come up with poisoned?" His recent calm left him. "What the hell kind of poison? When? How?"

"We were not looking for poison at first. We assumed it was a female problem ... perhaps something common to Earthlings. We scoured the database we received from Earth. When those options ran out, we started testing for anything and everything. It has been several weeks of taking many shots in the dark. Now we feel it is apparently a poison that does not remain in the bloodstream. Instead, it seems to settle in an organ. In her case, it is the heart."

"Then giver her the antidote."

"It is too late. I would guess she received the poison about six months ago. Since then, it has been deteriorating the heart muscles. Now, there is not much muscle tissue left. Very soon, her heart will stop altogether.

The doctor began to reach for Rahul's hand to comfort him, then realized how dangerous that might be for his own health and well being. "As to the 'how' of it? Without knowing the specific poison used, we cannot be sure how it happened. It could have been in something she ate or drank. My personal guess is that this was not an accident. Someone could have injected her with the toxin. Assassins are very good at things like that."

Rahne's face paled. It hadn't crossed her mind that that this could have been an attack on her mother's life. When the doctor said poison, she naturally assumed it was something Jade had taken or touched accidentally. "Who would be trying to murder her? Why? She has never harmed anyone in her life!"

The doctor shrugged. "I am a doctor, Miss Debar. I only see the results and try to heal the victims. I cannot pretend to know why people do such horrible things to each other."

"...And you cannot give her an antidote?"

The doctor looked down at the floor and sighed. "There is none. As I said before, the problem is no longer the poison. It is what the poison has done to her body."

Rahul rose and gripped the doctor's shirt. He jerked him to his feet and ended the motion with the small doctor being suspended in midair. "That's ridiculous. Now go back in there and save her ... or find someone else who might be competent enough to do it!"

"Sir, let me go! There is no antidote! There is no known treatment to rejuvenate heart muscles.... There is nothing more that we can do for your wife except ensure that her last days are spent without discomfort."

Rahne leapt up. "What about a heart transplant?"

The doctor straightened his robe when Rahul dropped him. "It would be risky in her current weakened condition. I doubt if she would survive the surgery."

Rahul was having difficulty controlling the rage caused by his feeling of being utterly helpless. "There has to be something you can do. Put her in the regenerator."

The doctor shook his head. "The poison is still there. The regenerator would only speed it up."

"How long?"

"We are not sure. Could be two or three months--perhaps six. It is hard to be accurate, since we do not know what we are dealing with. We want to run more tests on her."

Rahul looked out the window. "No."

"Sir?"

"No more tests. I will not allow her last months to be filled with pain. I will take her to the Limma sector. The monks there have medical knowledge beyond your textbooks. If they can help her, fine. If not, we will spend her last days where she has always loved to be--in space with me."

Rahne watched her father walk out of the waiting room and knew where he was going. Mother needs him now--more than she ever has.... And he needs to be with her. She looked at the doctor. "He loves her very much."

He nodded. "It is obvious how much he cares for her." He stared out the window for a few moments. "He is right, you know. His way is best. I'm sorry, Miss Debar, but if your mother were to remain on Pontenzia, we would only be grasping at straws. I really doubt the monks can do anything, but far be it from me to stand in the way if your father wants to try alternative treatments." He turned away from the window. "The most important thing right now is that he is taking her to a place where she will be happy."

Rahne tried to smile, but when she felt tears starting, she fled the hospital.

Rahne was torn. Her father had invited her along on the trip, but she couldn't force herself to go. It was bad enough watching her mother slowly die before her eyes on Pontenzia. At least she could get away from the house and take a walk.... Or she could visit her Grandmother. It would be different on the ship. The quarters were cramped and there would be no escape. I could not take that! I would spend every minute checking for a pulse and wondering if the next breath would be her last.

She looked at her parents. They were talking with some of the shuttle crewmembers. I also think they'd rather be alone. All Father can think of right now is her. It's only right that they spend their last days together without distraction. Rahne finally decided she was glad she had lied to her parents that she would like to go, but she had made a previous commitment to a visit to Earth with some of her friends.

Jade hugged Rahne. "Then we will see you in a couple of months. Enjoy your trip to Earth." She stepped back and gave her daughter a weak smile. "I had hoped to go with you when you went there for the first time ... to show you where I grew up, but Rahul wants to check out some ancient ruins in the Limma sector." She looked deeply into Rahne's eyes, feeling a little guilty for not feeling well enough to travel to Earth with her. "I will miss you."

Rahne forced herself to smile. Her mother had positively bloomed when Rahul had told her they were going on a trip. That had pleased Rahne. "I will miss you too.... I may hold off the trip for now and go when you get back. I would hate to miss the guided tour." She laughed. "Besides, I'm sure Grandmother will love it if I stayed here. That way she can continue trying to talk me into choosing a mate."

Jade laughed along with her. "You're too young for a mate. Enjoy life, Rahne. See the universe while you can. Once you're married, the male will try to keep you barefoot and pregnant ... while he's off exploring new horizons."

Rahul walked to them "Why is it I never hear any protests from you, Mate, while I am in the process of giving you a child. It is only when you are with others that you complain about being barefoot." He laughed and kissed Rahne's forehead, just as he always did. "Do not let my mother rush you, Rahne. Wait and find the one that claims your heart. You will know when you find him." He put his arm around Jade. "Just as your mother and I did."

Rahne smiled. I just hope I can be as lucky to be so deeply in love when I find my mate. "Don't worry, Father. Grandmother has already showed me most of her selections. She's going to have to do a lot better than that before I find an interesting one."

Rahul laughed and then looked at Jade. "It's time to go."

Rahne watched the shuttle until it vanished out of sight. She finally sighed and turned to the two guards that had been assigned to her. Rahne didn't like the idea of having them follow her everywhere. She wanted some time to herself--to be alone so she could deal with her grief.... But after all of the talk about assassins and poisoning, she'd been unable to talk her grandmother out of it. The Empress had insisted that Rahne have protection at all times, and had also sent four guards to watch over her brothers at Bhaja--where they attended the Pontenz Military Academy.

Rahne turned away from the guards and glared at the crowds that always filled the spaceport. People passing through on their way to other planets. Families on vacation, laughing and happy. Lovers too involved with each other to even notice what planet they were on. All the happiness around her made her feel worse.

She wanted to scream and tell them to stop laughing--that her mother was not coming back. Someone had killed her. She wanted to tell them that the person who had done it had shown no mercy. They had not arranged a quick death, but a slow, painful one. Their poison was gradually eating away at the beautiful, warm woman's most prized possession--her heart. It was a coward's attack, one meant to demoralize the family and weaken her father, the Admiral. Perhaps their real goal in attacking our family is to destroy me, since I am to be the next Empress.

One of the guards spoke into an unseen communicator, then came to her side. "The Empress wishes to speak with you."

Rahne didn't want to listen to another lecture or be given a pep talk. I love my grandmother dearly, but right now all I want is to be left alone. "I need to go to the washroom." She walked away without waiting for them.

Inside the restroom, she locked the door and leaned against it for a minute. The world seemed to be closing in around her. I need air. She walked to the frosted glass window and pushed it open. Unfortunately, the only air available was hot and filled with dust generated by the ships lifting off. She stared--unseeing--at the traffic.

A crash made her jump, startling her out of her brooding. Rahne watched a man yell at cargo droid that had spilled its load. When they disappeared into the terminal, her eyes strayed to the dark interior of the ship they had been loading. Impulsively, she opened the window further and slipped out. Running across the tarmac to the ship, she ducked inside and crawled behind the crates. When the hatch was slammed shut a few moments later, she curled up in a ball and allowed herself to collapse into the tears that she had been holding back.

She barely noticed the ship's movements, the drop in temperature, or the thinning air.