Clean and dressed in his knight's uniform, Urim was ready and waiting to face the king and council. He paced in front of the council's chambers too nervous to sit. Finally, a young warrior in training came to usher him inside. The faces of the group appeared stern and forbidding.

King Siefer called the court to attention and addressed Urim, “You are here to answer questions about the war between the knights in your command and a species you have referred to as the Pura. We have never dealt with this species; although records show they have communicated with a world we do have dealings with: Earth. The records call them a reclusive race and describe them as delicate and childlike. Is this true?"

Urim answered, "They are indeed delicate and childlike in appearance. They are a bluish-white, have large innocent-seeming eyes, and speak only with their minds. The human female, Josephine, called their way of communicating telepathy. However, their appearance is deceiving."

A councilman asked, "In what way were you deceived? Are they poisonous, extremely strong, brutal, or did they control your mind with this telepathy?"

"The Pura are not strong, and they did not control my mind, but they are brutal. At least their leader was. Their intelligence is beyond any I have encountered. The Pura do not fight with their own bodies. They control an army with computers,” Urim explained.

The king retorted, "Explain what you mean, I have never seen an army that could be controlled by computers."

Urim collected his thoughts and began, “Our first encounter was with huge machines that were terraforming the planet. They were controlled by handheld computers. The Pura used them to run over our equipment. I tried to stop them by knocking the controllers from the Puras' hands. My sword accidentally cut the creatures. Their leader, Ixia, brought out five gigantic battlebots, metal machines that contained weaponry, to protect them and supposedly frighten us off the planet. While we were devising a way to defeat them and trying to negotiate with the Pura, Ixia sent for a more effective army. I was warned by the human. A spacecraft dropped one thousand mechanical armored men, known as androids. They were armed with long-range weapons. Some of the weapons were guns, but others were called lasers. These shot out a beam of light that could slice through a warrior. You will see such wounds on the knights as well as the human's back. These mechanical men did not bleed, feel pain, or suffer from dehydration or starvation, nor did they require rest. Even beheaded, they continued to fight. "

The councilman asked, "These were controlled by computers? Can you draw us a picture of these mechanical men and the weapon?"

"I can draw the androids, and I can show you the weapons. We have many on board the ship. We took them off the severed arms of the army to use in rescuing Josephine. Without them, we would have perished," Urim added.

The council ordered guards to board the ship and bring back the weapons for their inspection. Then they said, "It is this human that we must speak of now. You had already conceded the loss of the planet and lost many knights, yet you risked the rest of the warriors to rescue this woman. Why do something so foolish? It is against all of your training."

Urim replied, "Josephine risked her own life more than once to warn us of the Pura leader's treacherous plans. He imprisoned her to keep her from doing it again. She escaped and sought protection from me. I gave it to her gladly. In turn, she cared for our wounded. She was taken from our ship, while under my protection. She was to be executed for treason by the Pura. Though Ixia told her this, she went willingly to save the lives of wounded knights. My conscious would not let me leave her behind. I was going alone. I told the knights to leave without me. They refused."

King Siefer asked, "Do you care for this woman? Is she so important to you that you would risk your life for hers?"

"Yes, I care for her, and I would risk anything to protect her. But, we also owed her for all the times she risked hers to bring us information. The knights will testify to that, just ask them."

The king smiled, "We already have. It seems they do not want you punished or Josephine harmed. However, we cannot let this event go without some form of penalty. You will return to training for a refresher course. There will be no command assignments for you in the next year. You will not be allowed to see Josephine until after she has been questioned and her status as a refugee has been confirmed. We have been given notice by the queen that Josephine will be applying for asylum on Milisaria very soon. If you or she break the rules and see one another, you could both be exiled. Is that understood?"

"Yes, King Siefer. I understand the consequences."

Josephine was healing quickly. Alexis and Valeri kept her wound clean and after a week pronounced it free from infection. Her leg had returned to its normal color. Now, only her heart ached. Queen Destiney had relayed the results of Urim's trial to her. She felt it so unfair to not be allowed to see Urim. Alexis, Valeri, Rixi, and even Queen Destiney visited with her often. They were kind and good company, but strangers. It was Urim she longed for. She had made her request to be processed as a refugee and was waiting to be granted a meeting with the council. The faster she got through the questioning, the sooner she would get to be with Urim.

Valeri brought good news. Josephine would be granted a council meeting that very afternoon. If it went well, she would be given her own quarters near the lab. The rooms were small, but private. Valeri also brought her some clothing. It was a skintight bodysuit that resembled the style of the one she had worn on the uninhabited planet. This one, however, was made from a soft, breathable fabric of sky blue rather than rubber. It had no oxygen tube attached. She helped Josephine wash her hair and curl it. It had grown since leaving Earth and hung in red waves past her hips. The suit clung to every curve, enhancing the muscles she had gained on her expedition.

Valeri explained, "We want you to look feminine and irresistible to the council. It will make them see why Urim went back to save you and harder for them to refuse you asylum. What man can resist a beautiful woman?"

"I hope you're right. Can I see Urim after this?" Josephine asked.

Valeri sighed, "No, not yet. The questioning is only the beginning. The council and the king will discuss what they learn from you, give you an assignment, watch how well you perform it and how you get along with others, then decide whether you will be an asset to Milisaria. It will be a while before you and Urim can be reunited. If you try to see him, it will not only jeopardize your chance of getting refugee status. It could get you both exiled. Don't forget that. He's been warned as well."

Josephine answered, "Fine, I'll be patient. It's not like I've been locked in a dungeon. Everyone is very kind to me. I'm ready for the questions. Let's just hope the answers don't make anyone mad."

She was able to walk, though slowly and with a limp, alongside Valeri to the council chambers. The hallways in the capital that circled downward floor after floor reminded her of those in the Milisarian spaceship. She supposed the ships had been built to resemble the capital on purpose. It would give reassurance to those far from home. The huge open area at the bottom was filled with Milisarians, young and old, having a meal. Valeri explained, "This is where everyone usually eats, although you can bring food to your quarters. We like to mingle and visit with friends. This space is also used for announcements, city meetings, and elections. It is the preferred gathering place. You'll be able to make friends here after your meeting."

The guard at the council room doors greeted them and ushered them inside immediately. King Siefer stood tall before the councilmen's table and said, "Welcome, Josephine. Do not be nervous. We are quite nice once you get to know us. Valeri may stay if it makes you more comfortable."

"I would appreciate it. You're an intimidating bunch of men," Josephine replied.

The council laughed at her joke, and it broke the tension that had filled the room. The king motioned for her to be seated and said, "We have been told that your leg is not completely healed. Usually, we would ask you to remain standing. We are making an exception for your injury. We ask you only that you tell the truth, answer only the questions asked, and show us respect as the leaders of Milisaria. It is our understanding that you seek asylum here in the capital. You do not wish to return to your homeworld of Earth. The questions we ask today will aid us in assessing your true intentions and whether you will bring a benefit to our community. So, to begin, I will ask for your full name and occupation on Earth."

"My name is Josephine Landers. I am a nurse."

The council asked, "How long have you been a nurse? Why did you leave Earth?"

Josephine replied, "I have been a nurse for seven years. I left Earth to seek redemption for a mistake I made six years ago. I was a nurse in the alien experimental labs, where Ohber and others were taken after they had been kidnapped. It was my job to care for them after the scientists did their experiments. I have carried the guilt for my part in it for all these years. When I learned that aliens were seeking a medical professional to care for their sick as they readied a planet for their species, I volunteered. I felt it would be penance for what I had done."

King Siefer confronted her, "What did you do? Did you torture our knights?"

Before Josephine could answer, Valeri surprised everyone by speaking up. "I know it's not my place to answer that, but I can vouch for Josephine. She tortured no one. The nurses gave pain medication, cleaned and dressed wounds, and provided food for the captives. They had no knowledge of the kidnappings. Ohber will tell you the same if you ask. On Earth, they were exonerated of wrongdoing. It is Josephine's kind heart that punishes her. She felt she should have seen what I did, but she wasn't aware of some of the paperwork I had access to."

"Thank you for speaking up in my defense," Josephine replied. "I still should have listened to the aliens and not seen them as lesser beings. For that, I am truly ashamed."

The king stated, "It is a mistake that can easily be forgiven. We all have looked upon other species and thought them less intelligent. It is a downfall we all must rectify. How did you come to know the Pura? Had you been involved with their kind before?"

"No, I overheard some doctors talking about their request for medical aid. I asked them where to get more information. They sent me to a computer website that is set up for interplanetary cooperation. I found the request and applied. I never spoke with or saw a Pura until the day I landed on the planet."

The council inquired, "Did you swear loyalty to them or in any way aid them in fighting our knights?"

Josephine answered, "I swore loyalty to no one at first. I didn't know that the planet belonged to Milisaria until I spoke with Urim. I went to him to negotiate for peace after he accidentally cut some of the Pura. At that time, I had no idea of the viciousness Ixia would later display. Once I discovered the truth, I gave my loyalty to Urim and Milisaria. It was to them that I gave information and aid, not the Pura."

The king spoke once more. "Urim said that you went with the Pura willingly to save the wounded knights. Is that correct, and did you ask them to send Urim to rescue you?"

"That is correct. When Ixia found me in the infirmary, some of the wounded knights tried to protect me. The android killed them. Ixia made it clear he would kill the rest if I didn't go with him quietly. Too many were already dead. My life meant little when weighed against theirs." She took a deep breath and continued, "No, I didn't ask them to send Urim for me. In fact, I wanted him to take the survivors and leave. Ixia was setting a trap. He believed the knights would try to rescue me. He even tied me up and had an android use a laser to slash my back, so I would scream and draw Urim to the camp. I tried to hold back, but it was impossible."

"Alexis has reported those injuries to us. Some of the knights have cuts as well. The dead were sliced into pieces by these lasers. Urim had some of them on the ship. We have studied them and will make some of our own. We cannot be caught in a situation where the enemy has weapons we have no match for. It is our duty to gain more technology and not be left behind. Otherwise, this species will perish. The days of using only a mighty Milisarian sword are over. We will still carry them proudly as a part of our heritage, but add more deadly weapons to our arsenals,” King Siefer stated.

The council added, "Thank you for your frank honesty. We will discuss your request. In the meantime, you are to work here in the capital. You may aid in the lab, the school, or the communications center. You can eat and socialize in the main room outside these doors. However, you cannot speak to Urim. If you see him in the common area, do not approach him. It would be detrimental to you both if you disobey. You may join the Milisarians for today's meal. Go in peace."