Valeri shoved the computer aside and turned to address the nurse. "You want me to follow you to the observation room? You mean I finally get to catch a glimpse of the subjects? Lead on. I've wasted enough time logging data and sorting mail." She jumped off the stool, straightened her lab coat, and ran her fingers through the tangles in her long hair. She hadn't bothered pulling it back. No one around here took her seriously anyway. She might as well be herself and relax.

The nurse led Valeri through the complicated twists and turns of the lab facilities. She used her handprints to gain access to the restricted area that Valeri had never been allowed to enter. They went through two more doors that required number codes for entry and finally stopped in front of a wall of darkened windows. The nurse touched a series of buttons, and the first window lit up.

Valeri's first sight of the alien made her gasp. She was simply gorgeous. Her femininity was quite evident. Her voluptuous curves rivaled those of any movie star. The ebony, marble-like skin shone in the bright lights. As Valeri watched, a lightning storm raced over the female's body. So, this was the alien from Voltuni. Her silver hair hung in waves past her tiny waist. It swung back and forth as the female paced the small room. Valeri didn't blame her for pacing. The only furniture was a metal bed and chair. They both would be uncomfortable to sit on.

The nurse spoke up, "I know the room looks stark, but we tried to make it homey at first. She had a lovely bed and comfortable chairs. There was a wooden table for meals and even a television. The pillows and soft bedding were the first to go up in flames. After the next experiment, she set the wooden table on fire and zapped the television. She's only been here for six months and has destroyed dozens of televisions and beds. The metal bed and chair she now has are the only things she hasn't tried to burn."

Valeri was saddened by the beautiful alien's situation. The things a human found comforting clearly made the female upset, so she destroyed them. "What about energy? I read that the Voltunis drew their electrical energy from the planet in order to survive. Where does she get it now?"

The nurse pointed to the floor of the Voltuni's room. "Watch the floor as she walks." With each step, the floor lit up with bolts of lightning. "We can control the amount of energy she gets through this console. If she begins to get feisty, we lower the energy, and she settles down. She is very stubborn, and we have learned very little in the time she has been with us."

The Voltuni's window darkened, and the next lit up. The soft, kind face of an Arkani male filled the window. He was peering out of his room with a lost expression. He was tall and thin. Valeri had expected the thinness, but the height was a surprise. She had imagined the intelligent Arkani to be small in stature. His wings were delicate and iridescent. His room was at least a more comfortable place than the Voltuni's. It was painted a pale blue and had a large hammock style bed. There were rugs of soft wool, a table and chairs, and a television mounted on the wall. A shelf of books stood beside the bed. One thick book was face down on the hammock. The Arkani apparently preferred reading over watching television. On the table were several dishes. Some contained a paste that Valeri assumed was the nutritional choice of the Arkani, yet others held more human choices. The noodles, salad, and chocolate cake were untouched.

The nurse noticed Valeri's frown and said, "We keep trying to find something he will eat, but so far nothing appeals to him. He eats only a little of the nutritional paste each day. The scientists believe it is his gentle way of protesting against captivity. He has been with us for two years. During that time, he has been a model subject, very cooperative. He even gave us the formulas for many medications."

Valeri felt that his willingness to give so much information should have warranted his release. She would have to ask, or maybe beg for his freedom. He didn't look well, and she doubted he would last too much longer on such little food.

She turned to the third window as it cleared. At first glance, Valeri saw nothing except a pool-sized glass container of dampened sand. Then the sand began to move. A beige lizard of human proportions rose from its depths. It walked on two legs to the television and turned it on. He sat down on the sand and watched a Godzilla movie as his tongue darted in and out of the sandpit. He seemed to be laughing at the movie and shaking his head in disgust.

The nurse explained, "The Reptilarians find human perceptions of large lizards to be quite amusing. He is especially fond of making jokes about Godzilla. He really gets a kick out of the actor's mouths being out of sync with the soundtrack and what he refers to as the monster's pathetic roar. It's harmless, so I indulge him whenever possible. I think his sense of humor is what keeps the experiments from destroying him."

The man in the last window took Valeri's breath away. The Milisarian Knight was magnificent. His height and muscularity were in perfect proportion. His long black hair was so shiny it made her think of silk. The angles of his face were beautiful to behold and his eyes of the deepest gray shone with a fierce determination. He was dressed in tight black denim pants and a t-shirt that clung to his magnificent chest. Extra openings had been made to accommodate the second pair of muscle-bound arms. He was much younger than the knights Valeri had previously met. He appeared ready to do battle and yet Valeri sensed that he was not well. There was a slight tinge of gray to his skin that shouldn't be there. His room looked like any single man's dwelling. The large bed was unmade, a stack of dirty laundry was in the corner, and the television was tuned to a war drama. Of course, he was a warrior; she didn't expect him to be watching cartoons. He turned to the camera and stared unblinking. He knew they were watching. She felt that he could see straight into her soul.

A door in the wall of the knight's room slid open. One of the scientists gestured for the knight to come with him. The warrior snarled but obediently left the room. Valeri guessed it was experiment time. The nurse acknowledged her unasked question and said, "I am to take you in for today's experiments. You will be helping with the Arkani male."

Valeri was sent through a series of decontamination pods and dressed in a white protective suit before she was let into the actual lab arena. The scientists didn't want their experiments to be tainted with any germs Valeri might bring into the unit. She was given a small handheld computer to keep her notes in and led to the Arkani's station. He reached out to shake her hand as he said, "Welcome. You are new. I am pleased to see such a lovely young face. I am called Akeila."

Valeri held the soft, gentle hand in hers and replied, "I am Valeri Cavanaugh. I understand you have been very helpful to us. Thank you for your generosity with the medicinal formulas."

Akeila replied, "Ah, I had high hopes that the information would free me. It did not, yet I am glad it was a help to someone. According to your name, I would assume you to be part of Mr. Reginald's family line. You look much kinder than he."

"I am his daughter. I hope that in some way I can make these experiments more palatable for you." Valeri leaned closer and whispered, "You have done enough, and I agree you should be allowed to go home soon. I will do what I can to hurry it along." Before Akeila could answer, the scientist arrived.

"Miss Cavanaugh, would you please take a vial of blood from the subject? I wish to see what antibodies are at work." As Valeri picked up a syringe, the scientist pushed Akeila down on the gurney. He never spoke a word to the Arkani as he ran the x-ray machine over its body. Satisfied with what he saw, the scientist went to a walk-in refrigerator and shuffled through the vials inside. He mumbled, "What disease shall we give you today? Yes, I definitely think it's time for the big one." He grabbed a vial and returned. "You may do the honors of giving the injection. It will be my little gesture of welcoming you to the real project." He handed the vial to Valeri and said, "A third of the contents should do it."

Valeri obediently filled a syringe with the liquid. She caught the shadow of fear that crossed Akeila's eyes when she brought it to his gurney. She put a gentle hand on his brow and mouthed, "I'm sorry." He nodded his understanding and Valeri injected the fluid.

She turned to the scientist and asked, "What was in the vial? Akeila seemed afraid."

The man stated, "You really shouldn't refer to them by name. It will only make it harder when we lose them. This specimen has overcome many diseases and given us endless data on how to combat them. He overcame the cold virus in minutes, the flu in hours, and such things as measles within days. Other illnesses have taken weeks, but he always defeats them. We are learning quite a lot from him. You just gave him the biggest challenge yet: cancer."

Valeri hid the shock well. She knew the scientist would laugh in her face and gladly kick her out if she showed any emotion. He didn't want her here, and this was a test. She would pass it for Akeila's sake. She needed to be here to see him through the pain and sickness. Thank goodness, the nurses were so kind. They would take care of him and see to his comfort. She prayed that these experiments were worth it. It was all about saving lives, wasn't it?

As they wheeled the gurney away, Akeila stroked her arm. In his intelligent eyes, she saw forgiveness. He knew that none of this was her fault. His bravery was astonishing. She fought back the tears and turned away. The scene across the room drew her gaze. The Milisarian and the Voltuni were attached to brain wave monitors. As she watched, the Voltuni woman was instructed to touch the warrior. He jolted as her electric current entered his body. Sweat poured from him, yet he did not yell out. More voltage was sent into the woman, causing her brain waves to dance with the pain. She transferred the extra voltage to the Milisarian, and his body bounced off the table. He still didn't scream. The voltage was raised once again, but the Voltuni woman released the warrior and lashed out at the scientist. She fell to the floor in convulsions. After donning thick rubber gloves, the nurse gave her an injection. It must have been a sedative. Her body stilled and was carried away. The silent nurse went with her.

The Milisarian was detached from all the wires and left alone. He was very still. Valeri assumed he was unconscious. They were the only ones left in the room, so she decided to take a closer look. As she drew closer, she realized his gurney was much larger than normal. It would have to be considering his size. Its steel frame was far sturdier than the others, obviously made especially for his weight. Her eyes drifted over his magnificent body. When she reached his face, she found his eyes were open and shooting daggers at her. Although she felt the need to run away, Valeri held her ground. He spoke, "I admire your courage. We are alone. I could kill you with one hand, yet here you stand. Perhaps you think that I will not touch you out of self-preservation. It is true that they would kill me for harming you, but do not let it make you feel safe. I have no desire to live this way. Killing me would be a kindness."

Valeri swallowed down her fear and asked, "Is there anything I can get for you? Would you like some water?"

"Do not try to deceive me with kind offers. I heard your name. You are the daughter of our prison master. He is evil and cruel. His tainted blood runs through your veins. You do not care about any of us. Leave me be." He turned his head away.

Valeri was quietly defiant. She stated, "My name doesn't define who I am. I hate the pain I see in all of your eyes, but I am told this research will save millions of lives. I truly don't enjoy what I saw today. It is just a necessary evil."

"Necessary to who? Not me and surely not to the Arkani you gave cancer. They probably have discovered a cure for it on their planet already. Why torture such a gentle, intelligent old man with diseases? He would gladly help you find a cure if his people don't have one."

"You know Akeila?" Valeri asked.

The knight scoffed, "Know him? Not really. We have been in some of the same torturous experiments. He likes to talk. It helps him deal with the sicknesses. He has a gentle soul, and I try to help him when I can."

"That would make you kind as well," replied Valeri. "You called him an old man. How old is he?"

The Milisarian actually laughed when he said, "I am not sure. He says he is older than he should be, yet not as old as he could be. My guess would be about one hundred fifty of your Earth years. He says I am just a child."

Valeri wanted to know more. How old was the Milisarian? How long could an Arkani live? Before she could ask, the scientists came back. They were not happy to see her with the Milisarian but were appeased when he pretended to be unconscious. He was keeping her out of trouble with his actions. Why?