Amrah sat in mid air, naked. “We failed again." The Blue Angel commander had skin the color of a summer sky, a bald elongated head, huge almond eyes and a tiny nose, he bore little resemblance to his human son. Behind him, the unobstructed view of Varga, the golden planet, filled the transparent hull of the galactic vessel.

"Where could they possibly hide? Seven years of searching and nothing to show for it!" Michael brushed a wavy strand away from his face as he paced the ovoid chamber. His alien father’s calm behavior still frazzled his nerves at times. "How can thousands of ships and millions of warriors disappear without a trace?"

“It is a vast universe, my son, and it expands as we speak." Amrah’s musical voice had a calming power. “I suspect them close, shielded from our psychic scanners. They once hid that way for thousands of years."

Michael dropped onto a nonexistent chair, set his booted feet up on a nonexistent table, slammed a fist in his hand over the sheepskin vest and stared at his jeans. Because he felt vulnerable naked, he’d never adopted the local fashion. He took a deep breath and let it flow out. “The damned snakes could be watching us right now, laughing at our inadequacies.”

Nothing ever seemed to upset Amrah. “Or devising new weapons to destroy both our races...”

“Doesn't that bother you a bit?" Despite his enhanced faculties, Michael had trouble controlling his emotions. He’d never stop being a country boy from Arkansas with a hot temper and a rambunctious past.

"We will find them, my son, they can’t hide forever.“ Amrah looked up at a subtle vibration. “Almost time for the ceremony." An indulgent smile played on the thin lips.

Michael had learned to cherish that smile. He knew how much the gentle alien loved his barbaric son. “I better get ready." He rose.

"Your mother and I are very proud of you." Amrah hesitated. "My people feel fortunate to count you as one of their Archangels."

"So they should." His father's lack of emotional display could drive Michael crazy. “After all, I died in the ordeal!"

"But, you had to die, Son, as the prophecy predicted, so the evil could die with you, at least for a time. Don't you like your new body better than the old one? Pride shone in Amrah's huge eyes at his feat of genetic engineering.

"Looks the same but everything feels more intense. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Even after a few years, it can be hard to handle sometimes. Random memories of previous lives pop up like it was yesterday, and I don’t always know what to do with them." Michael felt the ship’s faint humming. A soft glow pulsated on the bulkhead.

"So, maybe you can understand why we seek peace and quiet on our home world, my son." Amrah's eyes swirled with various shades of blue.

"But I want to feel alive! I need new experiences, adventures. What good is nearimmortality if life isn’t worth living?" Michael tried to soften his tone. "Your planet reminds me of a monastery, with clean empty rooms, eerie music, sweet perfume, pure beings. Your people pray or meditate seven times a day, for Pete’s sake! God, I resent such an organized life! There's more than just a generation gap between us, and I'm afraid it'll take a few thousand years to bridge it."

"We have plenty of time, Son." Amrah looked unruffled. “But remember that exceptional longevity doesn’t make you immune to violent death."

“I know." The thought left Michael unsettled. The life he used to enjoy could easily kill him even now.

"See you at the ceremony." Amrah smiled then vanished.

Michael teleported to his quarters, where Veronica waited.

"Welcome home, my Archangel!" Veronica kissed him lightly on the nose. She was tall, but not as tall as Michael, and she had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him. Auburn hair brushed his cheek and her green eyes sparkled with gaiety. Except for the loose hair, she looked like a ballerina in white flowing silks.

Nothing ever affected her good spirits. Veronica's vibrancy added to her allure... She was the most beautiful woman he had ever wanted, and God, how he wanted her! A few years earlier, he would have seized the moment and made passionate love to her. Today, he felt weighted by responsibilities. Knowledge had a way of killing spontaneity.

"Don't regret it," Veronica chided, picking up his train of thoughts. "I love you more now than I did then. I thank Amrah in my heart every day for the transformation that made you so lovable." She hugged him dropped a feather kiss on his lips.

Michael snorted. Their linked minds allowed no secrets between them. "I guess, I was some piece of work. I’ve often wondered how you could take it, my drinking, fighting, and carousing all night... I mean, I wasn't exactly a nice guy."

"That was a lifetime ago, Michael, in another world. I understand now why you acted that way." The slight frown on Veronica’s face quickly faded. "Now, you better get ready for the ceremony. Archangelhood doesn’t call to duty every day. Are you going to appear with wings, Earth-style? This is very formal, you know, you can't wear jeans."

"Well, I’ll stand out, as usual. After all, I'm a barbarian upstart from an underdeveloped planet. How about this?" As he spoke, Michael transformed into a luminous being of liquid silver, in full body armor, with majestic wings, flaming sword in hand. He made his cobalt eyes and turquoise aura radiate strength and righteousness.

Veronica laughed but approved. "For the first time, I find you very conventional, dear. I like it though, my knight in shining armor. Go get’em, Tiger!" She patted his rear and chuckled.

"Are you coming?" Michael asked, although he already knew.

"I wouldn't miss it for the entire cosmos." Veronica smiled mischievously.