Several days had passed since Quagga dropped me off on Serendipity. I had hoped to spend more time with the zebra-woman, but her psychological condition prohibited it. Plus, I think she was still a little miffed that I had forced myself on her that first night . . .

A small, habitable world on the edge of the void, Serendipity was aptly named. Only lightly populated, the frontier outpost still had a bustling starport; mainly for the export of the minerals and lumber the colony produced. The majority of the inhabitants were a green, four-armed, bipedal species called the Veebles. A simple and honest, hard-working folk.

After trading the rest of the cystals from my pod (I'd gladly shared them with Quagga in payment for my ride) for spacefaring currency and room and board at a local hostel, I spent the first couple of days hanging around the spaceport pub, listening in on the conversations of transport crews. I'd built up a bit of a picture of this new galaxy I found myself in. Apparently it teemed with alien species, many of which were not so friendly. I decided to spend some time familiarizing myself with my new body before I ventured forth into the greater universe.

Thus, I began to wander the wooded hills around the little settlement, running, jumping, climbing; testing my limits. I was stronger and more agile than I remembered and nearly tireless. Even sprinting full speed for hours on end didn't phase me. I also found my focus and precision much improved, allowing me to flow through my combat routines with ease, striking with speed and precision. I could fell one of the great trees of the forest with but a single blow - a feat that caused some excitement among the local lumberjacks who used vibro-saws to cut through the exceptionally hard wood.

I was out for my daily excursion when destiny presented the newest twist in my tale. It seemed someone new had come to Serendipity and we were fated to meet among the wooded hills . . .

Considering I was already about as lost as a Noc'taul considered possible I figured another stop wouldn't hurt. And so I had landed on a small, hospitable planet not too far from where my ship was dumped out of a hyperspace jump that had dragged me who knows where in the galaxy. The planet's name was Serendipity, a sparsely populated frontier colony for exporting the lumber and minerals they produced. The majority of the inhabitants were a green, four-armed, bi-pedal species called the Veebles.

As I left the spaceport, conversing with several of the Veebles in an attempt to gain information about their planet and the surrounding star sector, I was directed back toward the spaceport pub for some of the lumberjacks had mentioned that a few transport crew members were still around. But as I turned back toward the port I heard the roar of engines leaving and knew they were already gone. Hoping for better luck next time I stepped away from the group of Veebles, flapping my wings to rise quickly into the air as I turned my attention towards the nearby deep forests. In no hurry to return to her ship I quickly looked down to make sure her Map-Com Uplink was strapped safely in the pouch on my thigh before speeding off on a low course, barely above the tree tops, with a swift flap of my wings.

Little did I know that I wasn't the only traveler on Serendipity and would soon come upon a fated meeting on the wooded green hills...

I felt the new arrival long before I heard or saw her. I turned my gaze heavenward just as she flew into view. As had happened before, I knew just where to look. My enhanced vision gave me a good view of the low flying bird-woman. She was quite a sight! Her dazzling white hair and plumage shone in the sun, forming a halo to complete her almost angelic appearance. Each flap of her wings caused her chest to heave and jiggle enticingly. Oh, I had a newfound appreciation for breasts after my time with Quagga, but I was a little (pleasantly) surprised to see the structures on an avian species.

On a whim, I adjusted my heading to follow the tiny flying girl. I was curious about her species and not a little attracted by her beauty. It had been a few days and things were getting a little uncomfortable in the groin area. Though my ground speed was impressive, I rapidly fell behind the little beauty, having to dodge trees and leap over obstacles often.

Flying as swiftly as I was I payed little attention to the noise of the forest below me as I made my way toward my destination...the center of the forest. Starting a map from the perfect center of a forest may be near impossible for a land based species but I was not limited to only the firm earth. With a superior viewpoint from the sky I easily found the forest's deepest point, a soft grassy hill surrounded by a thick line of trees so tightly packed together it was a wonder of nature that they even still had room to grow, and quickly dropped my speed to come to a stop perching on a treelimb nearly eye level with the top of the hill in the middle of the secluded glade.

Pulling my Map Uplink out of its pouch with a minor usage of my power and raising it to eye level. An onlooker would see what appeared to be a small computer floating in midair with extremely detailed design work seemingly inputting itself as I stood staring at it, my chest heaving breasts jiggling slightly, and rested from the minor exercise the rapid flight provided. Consumed in my work as I was I payed little attention to the noise of the forest around me until I heard something rapidly approaching the glade from the forest floor below me.

With the loud approach warranting at least minor caution I looked downwards towards the forest floor peeking through the leafy cover to see what sort of being would appear below me...

It took a little while, but I found my way through the ever-thickening forest. I slowed as I approached her position, as I didn't want to burst from the tree-line like some rabid velorn (*a hunting lizard roughly analogous to a dog*). Soon enough, I pushed into the clearing, the dull metallic sheen of my scales likely betraying the artificial nature of my body.

As before, I knew right where to find the lovely bird-maiden. I stopped at a fair distance, looking up at her even as she looked down at me. A long moment passed like that (closer to 6.7 seconds, but it felt longer to me). Well, I had caught up to her, now what? How does one approach a young bird-woman? I decided on a simple, friendly gesture.

"Hello!" I called, waving. The word came out in her native tongue, my Maker-technology scanners able to determine her species even if I couldn't.

After a little while the sounds of rapid approach slowed replaced by the sounds of brush rattling and sticks breaking as whatever was coming approached below my position in the trees. And soon enough I saw what had come as it stepped into the clearing. It was a scaled creature, a metallic sheen to its scales betraying an odd body to say the least, and was quite big; enormous even to someone my size. As it stopped a fair distance away from me looking up at me even as I looked down at it I was slightly less worried, perhaps it was friendly?

But even as it called "Hello!" to me; in my native language no less; I hesitated before anwsering as I took a position ready to fly away if need be before I smiled down at it as I responded with a "Hello!" of my own. My friendly smile left the opportunity for further conversation open but even so I remained wary of such an enormous creature. Really if I somehow offended it...it seemed like it catch me in a second with that huge body.

The way she shifted as though ready to flee, it was obvious that I made her nervous, but her smile was so beautiful and friendly . . . I was taken aback for a moment at how easily I interpreted her facial expression. It was something I hadn't thought of in my time with Quagga or among the Veebles. How could I possibly know the expressions of these aliens? It seemed my translation matrix extended to body language as well.

I slowly moved a step or two closer to the base of the tree she was in. I hoped that wouldn't spook her, but I wouldn't have been surprised if it did. After all, she was just over half my height. For a moment, I wondered about my ulterior motives. Would I even fit? But that was a worry for later.

"My name is Vorgamnon and I am new to this . . ." what? Time? Galaxy? Universe? My sentence trailed off as I pondered. Everything was still so new to me.

My body tensed as he stepped closer to the base of the tree I was in; one step, then two; I was nearly ready to spring into the air until it started speaking again. It introduced itself as "Vorgamnon". "Sounds like a male name to me." I thought to myself quietly before growing curious at the pause in his speech. "New to what? If you don't mind my asking. I'm new to this planet, this whole side of the galaxy even so I'm not sure if I could be of any help to you." I paused for a moment after my little speech realizing I had forgotten to introduce myself "By the way, my name is Sarahla."

With a conversation started I had calmed down enough to not seem so spooked and I hoped that would be enough. I mean if he had wanted to harm me he would have done it already right? The question asked I focused the gaze of my striking blue eyes on what I could only assume was its head. It probably was but I mean other races I had met so far Vorgamnnon was the furthest thing from what I would consider normal.

I laughed slightly, her question mirrored my internal dialogue so closely. Still, how to explain? I wasn't entirely sure what had happened myself. "I was just trying to work that out myself. It's a bit of a long story, but where - or maybe when - I come from the galaxy was much different than here - or now."

"Sarahla," I repeated. A pretty name for a pretty girl. I was glad to see she had calmed a bit. I really meant her no harm. Of course, she might feel differently once my eventual advances began. Still, I couldn't do anything to her if I couldn't catch her. I wondered if I could talk her out of the tree.

"I don't really need help, exactly, I am just curious. There were no people like you where I come from . . . And you're just so beautiful . . . Do you think you could come down so we could talk more comfortably?"

I cocked my head slightly as Vorgamnon tried to explain his story to me, an obviously curious expression, as I said "I don't get it. What does it matter if its not the same? You're not dead, so can't you adjust to things as you learn about them?" I felt that what I was saying was obvious but some would likely see it as the pretty words of a child. After all many find changing to be hard so who knows if this giant felt the same?

"You don't need..." I started to say but was cut off by the unexpected compliment. A perplexed expression on my face I spread my wings flapping slightly as I glided down off the tree coming to land on Vorgamnon's shoulder. Peeking around to look him in the face I asked "Me, beautiful? Are you sure about that? Because in terms of my people i'm a runt for my age."

Her words had a certain childish wisdom to them. Though I couldn't say for certain that I wasn't actually dead. Well, parts of me weren't at least, so . . . But I didn't have much time to ponder as she suddenly glided down to my shoulder. That had been easier than I thought. And such close contact was not what I had expected. It sent a little thrill through me so have her perched on my shoulder like that. Once again I wondered about the compatibility of our vastly different sizes.

"Of course," I answered her questions. "I don't know anything about the norms of your species, but to me you are as lovely as one of the servants of the Celestial Serpent come to guide my spirit home." I craned my neck sideways to look at Sarahla, my green eyes glowing softly. Her tiny weight hardly registered on my systems, but I was more than aware of her presence, as indicated by a slight shift in pressure behind my codpiece.

"But you say you are far from home, too?" I asked. Though I longed to touch her and stroke her lovely feathers, I held back, still curious about her origins. "What brings you to this little world of Serendipity?"

I was a little happy at the compliment although I didn't understand the reference in his metaphor. I had never really been praised seriously before while on my planet. Sure the younger ones thought I was pretty until they found out I was older then them but no one my age considered me to be an adult due to my size. I was well treated nonetheless but more as a daughter then as a potential mate.

Drawing myself out of my thoughts I anwsered his question with "Very far from home actually. My ship was caught in the hyperspace jump of one of those big merchant ships and dragged out to who knows where." I obviously sounded frustrated by the situation, a cute pouting expression on my face, and I looked down at my ankle as I anwsered his next question with "Why I'm here? I was planning to get some star charts or information about the area from the spaceport but everyone who might have known anything useful has left already so that was out. Now I'm here professionally, as i'm a mapmaker you see, to be able to bring something back to my people if I every find my way home."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, sincerely, for I knew well what it was like to be away from one's home. But true to her philosophy, she seemed to be adapting and moving on. "I wish I could help you find your way home, but I have only limited knowledge of this galaxy myself."

I suppressed a smile at the thought of a lost map-maker. I couldn't help put find it amusing, but I didn't want to offend her, so I kept it to to myself. "I might be able to help with something closer, though; I have explored the area between here and the settlement extensively. If I might see your mapping device?"

"Thank you for your concern." I told him before nodding forward slightly in an informal bow. Such a motion was a courtesy I was taught to give to those who worried about me. It was one of the things I kept doing even though I was away from my planet. When Vorgamnon told me that he had limited knowledge of this galaxy himself my eyes widened slightly in surprise and I said "That's surprising to hear. You look like you would be the type that traveled a lot."

I was thinking of how long I should continue to stay and chat with Vorgamnon when he offered his help with my work with this area. Thinking it over for a bit I used my power to pull my mapping device out of its pouch and said "That could be helpful. I had only just managed a sketch of the terrain when you came to talk to me." Even as I continued to speak I moved the device over in front of Vorgamnon's face before pushing a button on it. When it was pushed a 3D recreation of the landscape around them appeared, Well-drawn but lacking the minute details, and I said "I have the terrain down pretty well. But someone who's been here a while would be helpful for getting the details in."

"I suppose I have traveled a lot." I laughed lightly. "It's just that my latest 'travels' took place while I was asleep and left me in a galaxy much different than the one I remember."

I watched with amazement as the little mapping computer floated in front of my face. What a gift - to be able to move things without touching them! The device itself was also quite extraordinary; perhaps even a match for Drakken technology. I didn't try to take hold of the tiny device, lest I damage it with my brutish claws, but I did hold a hand up under it so Sarahla could set it down if necessary. I didn't know the extent of her powers, after all.

"That's really quite something," I remarked, meaning her power as well as the device and the information already displayed. "You did all that in the time it took me to get here?" The glow of my eyes changed subtly as I examined the mapping computer. Though it was certainly of quality make and a high degree of technology, It took little more than an instant for my Maker scanners to decode its workings. Then it was but a simple matter for me to transfer my knowledge to it - every rock, bush and tree I had seen in the area, limited only by the power of the machine receiving the information. I filled in a good ten mile radius around the town in intricate detail, with precise elevations and gradients as well as local names for various landmarks. And all without touching the device!

"I hope that helps a little," I said, looking back up at the lovely little cartographer.