There was no one on Earth or on the Zalian spacecraft hidden behind the planet’s moon that he could consult for advice. But there was one thing he could do. He could review his destiny to determine whether a mistake had been made. The Zalian seers rarely made mistakes, but it had happened before. Certainly his grandmother’s abduction and mating with his grandfather had to have been a mistake, though never acknowledged. He wanted to continue pursuing Allie, but his courtship was not unfolding as smoothly as the other destined events of his life. A dangerous error seemed the likely explanation, and there was only one way to find out. He retrieved his briefcase from the closet and snapped it open. Beside his communicator lay a small black bag, of a material similar to something Earthlings called velvet. He removed it, and slid its contents into his hand. The gray crystal lay dark and cool in his palm, a memento of the most important day of his life, the day on which the seers foretold his destiny.
