"They call me Lehigh. I bring sad tidings for Wyngs. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Sure. He's right through that door, loading up a breakfast tray. What's the...?" But the Framloy had already moved on in his smooth way, and disappeared through the indicated door. "Now what the hell's going down," muttered Wayne to himself?"

From beyond the door came a sudden clatter and a cry that the Captain couldn't make out. He started to move towards it, but it broke open with a bang, and Wyngs strode out, his face a grim visage.

"Wyngs, what the hell...," asked the Captain, but again he was ignored as Wyngs walked swiftly from the cafeteria. He turned to the Framloy who had followed Wyngs from the inner room.

"Mind telling me what is going on," he asked? The Framloy turned to him slowly.

"Lehigh brought great sadness. Arbela has died in an accident."

"Shit, no!"

"You and your people are invited to drop in at any time during the 300 Suns Festival of Sadness. It is 300 suns because it has been that long since a Framloy died. It begin on the day of her death."

"How did she die," asked Wayne?

"The story will be told every day at the Festival. There will be no more sadness here." The Framloy moved toward the exit, then turned to face the Captain. "This is most fascinating. I'm a young one, and this is my first trip off the homeworld. I thank you for your hospitality." He bowed low. The Captain generally thought of the Framloy as male, but the truth was they were sexless until their time to mate came. Then they could assume either sex, something which was determined by factors in their nearby environment as they went to mate. If one of a pair of Framloy was furthest towards a gender, then the other would automatically assume the other sex.

Suddenly, the building began to shake, and a roar filled the room. As the sound died away, the Captain knew that Wyngs had left for Denise, the Framloy world. He nodded to the Framloy and the latter turned and departed.

****

On Denise's world, Captain Wayne turned to his host. "I'm sorry, Lehigh. We must depart tonight. We cannot go through that again tomorrow."

"I understand," replied the Framloy. "The life song seems to effect you Earthlings very strongly."

"That is an understatement," said Wayne. "We've had our guts torn from us." He tried not to think about how he had lived Arbela's life in the three hours the song was sung planet-wide. The Framloy were empaths, and their signals had swamped the Earther's thought processes. He looked over to where Glenn was still supporting his wife, Melody. Her face was ashen. The rest of the group wasn't in much better shape. The life song was to be sung daily for the next 280 days. There would be no more Earthers here during that period.

"I'm sorry you missed Wyngs. He listened for three days, then departed," said Lehigh.

"Three days! How could he have taken it!" The Captain shook his head, thinking that three days would have driven him mad.

"Goodbye friend." He took the Framloy's thin hand, held it for a moment, then followed the Earther's party out.

****

The sharp crack of a sonic boom rolled away to pass over the distant mountains like thunder, as the silver ship appeared high in the dark, oily looking skies of the planet. It came down swiftly, in a curving arc to land beside an equally dark and oily looking lake. For a long time it just sat there, its hull cooling with a series of pops and cracks as the heated, expanded metal shrank to its normal state.

One could see now that the ship was old - battered and dented from traveling countless light years between hundreds of planets. Soon it was silent - almost cooled to the temperature of the surrounding air.

There was a humming, and the side of the ship opened, a gangplank folding down to rest on the black sands before the lake. A man appeared in the opening.

Dressed in black, his lean body seemed a match for the planet itself. He stood there a long time, gazing upon the bleak landscape relieved only by snowcapped mountains in the distance. But even the mountains were surrounded by dingy, gray clouds. He spoke aloud.

"I christen thee, Blacklock. Here, Wyngs, will spend his days until he dies. A bit of flotsom, blown between the worlds." He grinned wryly. He was sure he would spend a lot of time talking to himself in the years ahead. Striding down to the water's edge, he knelt and looked into the dark waters that reflected the greasy sky. For the ten thousandth time his thoughts went to his queen. Why did she have to die?

He shook his head and looked up at the far mountains. Maybe like Chan, who gave up life among men to pine for his bride with white hair, he should make it quick - climb to the top of an icey mountain, kneel, and let himself be frozen into immobility by the freezing winds. There he could well kneel for a thousand years. But it really made little difference. His life had ended long ago.

He shook himself and stood up. Maybe later he would entertain such thoughts. Now he was hungry, and the thought of a fresh cup of black coffee sounded good. He turned, and slowly made his way back to the ship, a dark figure on a dark, empty planet, trudging across dark dreary sands.

Arbela as Charmaine

Wyngs was surprised, when he came down the gangplank in the morning, to see the other ship resting alongside the dark lake about a mile away, but realized he should have expected it. Inside his insulated craft he would not have heard the ship descending during the night without his sensors turned on, and they hadn't been turned on in years.

He could see the gangplank was down, and he searched for his visitor, spotting him coming around a house-sized rock about a half mile away. Going back inside, he brought out a small folding table and a couple of chairs. On the table he set a couple of cups and a small replicator. Thumbing the dials he waited a moment, then reached inside to pull out a coffee pot steaming with hot coffee. He poured a cup and sat back sipping, waiting for his visitor.

Captain Wayne came trudging up, and with a sigh fell into the empty chair.

"I'm ready for rejuvenation. I've sadly let these muscles deterioate to the point of pure flab." He looked across the table at Wyngs. "You look like shit."

"Sokay. I still look better than you. How ya doing, other then letting yourself go to fat?"

Wayne shrugged. "Little point in eating right when all you have to do is climb into a bio tank and sleep for a week to correct it. And you - you look like you are way overdue. This place isn't healthy." He looked up into the gray, oily sky and shuddered. "Reminds me of that world we were trapped on for 40 years - with nothing but slimey Nroats to eat the whole time."

"So how's everyone doing back home?"

"Just fine," answered the Captain. "Glenn and Melody remarried again - I think that's over 20 times now. Arden lost a leg to a prac attack on Thermongerath, but that was a couple of years ago. Nasty bastards. I can't stand to look at pracs. Let me think..." He poured himself a cup of coffee, and sat back sipping on it. "Ah, yes. Denise fell in love with a groundling who didn't make the grade for being let into the society, and she moved Earthside to be with him. She won't be back until he dies of old age. She's pretty hung up on him. I hope she doesn't die of old age first. I'm sure she will want to age with him."

"How's your Natalie doing?"

"Just fine. She still treats me like some kind of god-like hero. The rest of the family is doing great. No deaths in the nine years since you left. It has been a while since we've gone that long." Wayne sipped at his coffee. "Don't you think nine years is enough to mourn? It's time to come home, doncha think?"

Wyngs shook his head."I had Arbela's life burned into my brain at the 300 days festival. For me, she died yesterday. I can't go on without her, and this is where it ends."

"Bullshit. You've so much to live for. We have entire universes at our feet for as long as we want to live. How can you throw that away? I don't understand?"

"You don't understand. All of your universes together do not equal one Arbela. They are nothing but dead ashes without her."

"No, I don't understand. She, it, was just a shape-shifting Framloy, for Christ's sake. They don't even have males and females - they're all unisex. What's the attraction?"

"I've tried to tell you before, but no one seemed to listen. I'll try one more time, then you'll finish your coffee and leave." Wyngs poured a fresh cup of coffee, shifted in his chair, and crossed his legs. He looked out across the lake. "Arbela was sent to keep an eye on me. You know the story. The Framloy were fearful of me after I had Onson's strange nodules replicated onto my spine by Melanie. For a long time, this Framloy was little more than a silent observer, but at that time we were unaware they were empaths. I thought nothing of screwing a date with the Framloy sitting in the next room. But I didn't know she was soaking everything up like a sponge. Then one night..."

****

Charmaine looked down at Wyngs sitting on the bed, his back against the wall, the cigarette hanging from his fingers. She finished buttoning her blouse, as he pursed his lips and threw her a kiss. She was sated, yet filled with regret. Wyngs would never make a commitment. He was kindly, but it could have just as well been any other woman on Rhaggen Station here sexing with him. She sighed. She had told herself she would never come to him again, but here she was. She kneeled on the bed so she could kiss him goodby, pushing a strand of black hair from his eyes.

"See you later, okay hon?" she asked.

"Of course. Sleep well." He squeezed a breast. "I'll see you tomorrow." He watched as she picked up her bag, pursed her lips at him, and went out the door, closing it behind her.

In the outer room the Framloy was sitting there gazing at a telly, but the screen was dark.

"Hello. Are you sleeping?" Charmaine enjoyed talking to the Framloy. It seemed as if just talking to the creatures made ones troubles melt away. The Framloy shook itself. "I'm sorry, you were sleeping."

"No," replied the thin creature in its singsong voice. It got to it's feet and looked down at the woman. "I was just lost in thought. It is very nice to see you again, Charmeen." The woman grinned and put her hand on the Framloys thin arm.

"You also, Arbela. Now go back to sleep." With a swirl of her skirt, she was gone, and the Framloy stood staring at the closed door.

Wyngs threw the cigarette into the waste disposal unit disguised as an ash tray, and reaching up, turned off the light. He lay there in the dark, thinking about the woman who had just left. Better for her to just end it. He knew she wanted more, but he also knew it was not in him to give it to her. He sighed. Charmaine was a good woman and deserved better. As he was about to roll over onto his side, the door suddenly opened, and a flood of light from the other room washed away the darkness.

At first, he thought the Framloy must have come in, but than he saw it was Charmaine silhouetted against the light. "Forget something, honey?" He reached up and turned on the lamp. Charmaine closed the door and came over to the side of the bed and looked down at him. She had a curious expression on her face - almost fearful.

"Char, what's the matter?" The woman did not answer. Instead, she took off her sweater, then reached back and unhooked her bra. Wyngs grinned. "Honey, I'm not sure I have another go in me." She said nothing, but worked off her skirt and panties and slid into the bed alongside him. She lay there on her back for a minute as Wyngs, head on hand, looked down at her in puzzlement. Her eyes were closed.

"Charmaine, speak to me. What's going on?" As he spoke her eyes slowly opened and looked into his. Her eyes were black as night and in them he saw an incredible yearning. Then he realized that he was not just seeing it - he was feeling it. He felt a warmth stealing over his body, and was hardly aware when he had slipped between her legs and entered her. He knew something was not right, but he did not care. His emotions flowed to her and hers to him, then his came back added to hers. It was a continued rising, unbelievable crescendo of raw feeling - of love such as couldn't possibly exist. Then there was a nova explosion of pure joy and Wyngs cried out like an animal - unable to contain himself.

Suddenly he was aware that sunlight was streaming through the window. Arbela was crying and caressing the side of his face. He realized the love making had gone on for hours. "What's the matter...Arbela?"

"You know?"

"Of course. I've known most of the night. Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying for all the times I wanted to come to you and didn't. All those wasted times." Wyngs bent down and laid kisses over her tears.

"But sweetheart, we have an eternity of times ahead of us." She moaned at his words and slid her arms about his neck. Holding her, Wyngs knew that what had been missing had now been found.

****

"The Framloy realize that to keep their identity, they must limit their contact with humans. And now you know why they will only allow limited diplomatic contact and rarely visit with us." Wayne shook himself, aware that Wyngs was still speaking. He was still thinking of Arbela, and wondering if a little of that empathy hadn't rubbed off onto the speaker. "And it wouldn't be good for the human race either. After Arbela there has never been any urge on my part for a human partner. It would be like you screwing a knothole." He looked at the Captain. "Arbela is the only Framloy to shift into human form. Once she did that, she found the sensation of human femaleness to be irresistable. That's what she communicated back to her people."

After Wyngs finished speaking, he went back to staring across the lake - his eyes lost in the past. The Captain was staring at the ground, slowly rotating his coffee cup between his hands. The tableau held for long minutes, each lost in their thoughts. Then Wyngs shook himself back to the present.

"I have a request to make, Wayne, in accordance with the bylaws."

The Captain looked up. "Anything you wish."

"I know when I'm gone, you'll duplicate me from the data banks. But it is my right, telling you before my death, that I can request whatever save I want."

Wayne nodded. "That is true."

"I don't want my latest save brought back. He will think Arbela still lives, and just die again. In fact, I want you to go all the way back to Onson's first save, and bring him back."

The Captain whistled. "Wooeee. That's a long time back, Wyngs. Onson hadn't even built Rhaggen Station yet."

"I know, but he'll make the adjustment okay. I don't want any other part of Wyngs to exist again."

"It shall be done." Wayne tossed off the last bit of coffee and stood up. "Goodbye, bro." Wyngs held out his hand, but the Captain threw his arms about his brother and held him for a long moment.

"No one will bother you further." Turning, he begin the long walk back to his ship. At the gangplank, he stopped and waved an arm at the distant Wyngs, then he disappeared inside.

****

Watching the planet recede below him, Wayne spoke aloud, "I'm sorry, Bro, but this is not the end of it." Then he threw the ship into hyperspace and Blacklock disappeared.