---    Ambassador.

"But you two don't know each other," the dragon began, "T'kRusa of Clan Sh'kStah, may I introduce.."

"Shannon Oroyo, daughter of Lucia Oroyo, rightful heiress to the Oroyo Trading Guild," finished the Krysh Ambassador.

The dragon stood with his mouth still hanging open.  "I did not tell her that," he finally said.

"I normally would not grant an audience with an Oroyo, but I acquiesced as a favor to you," she said inclining her head to the dragon.

"I renounced any claim to the family decades ago," interjected Shannon.

"A wise choice, if all I have heard is true," replied T'kRusa, turning to Shannon, "Yet you kept the name?"

"Changing my name would not change who I am," Shannon replied.

"Nor your body," added the Krysh.

"I am not my body.  My body is only a shell," said Shannon.

The ambassador appeared to like that answer.  Her mandibles rearranging themselves into what looked remarkably like a toothy grin.  Shannon certainly hoped it was a grin.

Turning back to the dragon, and lifting her second pair of arms in a questioning gesture, she asked, "What brings you to the embassy today?"

"Strangely enough, she does," the dragon replied pointing back to Shannon.

The Krysh turned her head to face Shannon, her body remaining in the questioning posture.

"It is my hope that you can help me find two others who may have sought refuge from the Oroyo within your walls," said Shannon, "Two who have changed their names."

"Two hiding from the Oroyo, now being sought by an Oroyo?" asked T'kRusa, the grin disappearing from her face and her hands closing into fists.

"Wymera Oroyo is dead, and the trading guild has collapsed.  The danger they hid from is no more," said Shannon.

"We have heard rumor of the matriarch's death.  You know this of a certainty?" asked the ambassador.

"I do," confirmed Shannon, nodding her head. "I was there."

The Krysh turned her head to the dragon, for confirmation.  The dragon nodded.  "And how do you know of the danger from which they hide?"

"Because I helped hide them from it," said Shannon.

The ambassador was still eyeing Shannon with skepticism.

Shannon then detailed the steps she took to get them to a safe location, and the precautions she took to prevent discovery.  Including how she instructed them not to tell her what their new names were, or what their destination was.  

"I cannot even be sure that they came here," said Shannon, "I only know that I included this embassy as one of the places I considered safe for them to hide in."

The ambassador's hands relaxed and she began tapping on her data pad with the other pair.

"With my grandmother's death, I believe that they and I are finally free of our family's shadow," said Shannon.

"It certainly will make many other people's lives more interesting," replied the ambassador.

"For the better, I hope," said Shannon.

T'kRusa finished tapping on her tablet. "Two mephitine matching your description did indeed arrive here seeking asylum, at a time consistent to your story.  I have requested that they be brought up to the atrium."

Shannon exhaled with relief and leaned against the dragon. "Thank you."


---    Merlin


The lift doors opened and a Raccan page stepped out, followed by an adult female mephitine and her young daughter.  The little girl was also wearing one of the antenna laden caps.  T'kRusa dismissed the page, and beckoned the two skunks forward.

As they approached, the little girl dashed forward a few paces, bowed low and clicked her claws on the floor.

"And who taught you to do that?" T'kRusa asked with surprise.

The dragon turned away, stifling laughter. "Not me," he chortled.

The little girl gasped, having been so excited to meet the ambassador that she had failed to notice the dragon standing there.  She immediately ran to the ambassador and tried to hide behind one of her legs.

"Merissa!" her mother shouted.

Shannon's eyebrows jumped.

"It is alright.  She is no trouble," said T'kRusa as she squatted down next to the child, now peering over her knee.  "Did the big old dragon scare you?"

"Old?" huffed the dragon.

"Why don't you go show that dragon that he doesn't frighten you as long as I am here."

The little girl took a few halting steps toward the dragon, then stood on her tip toes and gave him her best angry face.

The dragon raised his eye ridges, glanced at T'kRusa and back to the girl, then knelt down to the ground as well, and reached into his bag.  "Actually, I believe I have something for you, but you will have to come take it," he said, playfully challenging her.

Pulling his closed fist from the bag, he held it out toward the little girl, and waited.

Merissa looked at the offered hand, then at her mother who looked worried, then back at the ambassador who nodded and waived her on.  She shuffled her feet a couple times then became visibly confident and strode the last few steps right to the dragon's hand, then looked up.

The dragon tilted his head, then inclined it toward his closed hand.  The little girl reached out and grasped one of the dragons taloned fingers in both hands.  Leaning back she pried it out and away from his palm.  After she had repeated this with two other fingers, the dragon relaxed his hand and unfolded the remaining three.  The little girl squealed, her feet dancing in place.  

Miranda could not see, her view blocked by her daughters body, and began to walk forward with concern.  "Merissa?"

The little girl spun to face her mother, her hands hugging something close to her chest, still keening in excitement.

"What is it, honey?"

She thrust both hands skyward in triumph.  "Merlin!" the little girl shouted.

Clasped in her hands was a small hand sewn orange fox doll.


---    Reunion


Miranda gasped in shock, and took a step back looking at the dragon. "But, how?  Who?"

The dragon remained kneeling as Merissa danced about in front of him with glee.  "I found it.  A long, long way from here," he said, "Under a gravestone."

"I.. umm..," Miranda stammered.

Shannon stepped forward. "I'm sorry.  I couldn't bring myself to burn it," she said wiping tears, "I'm so glad you chose to keep her real name."

Miranda just shook her head, even more confused. "Who are you?"

"Perhaps some introductions are in order," said Dro.  "My name is Crwydro Amddifad, and I am with Internal Security.  My friends call me Dro."  Then he gestured to the teenager standing next to him. "And while you certainly do not recognize her like this, you have met Shannon before."

Miranda continued to shake her head in disbelief.

"You might remember, the first time we met, you tried to shoot me in the face," Shannon said with a smirk.

"But you were..," Miranda started, pointing at Shannon, looking her up and down.

"I was older, yes."

"How?" she finally blurted.

"I died... again."

"Perhaps, we should all retire to a more comfortable location?" suggested Tk'Rusa.

"Sounds good," said the dragon, as he stood with an ecstatic Merissa balanced on his arm.

"Yes, I think I need to sit down," agreed Miranda, still overwhelmed.

---

Tk'Rusa led the group a short distance down one of the many paths branching away from the center of the domed garden.  The path opened into a secluded glen, complete with a large stone table, surrounded by smaller mushroom shaped stone stools topped with cushions.

Young children in antenna topped caps began filing in and out, serving water and fresh fruits from platters.  Shannon and Miranda each took a seat at the table, while Tk'Rusa and the dragon, sat on the ground next to one of the stone stools, having 'tea' with Merissa and Merlin.

Shannon went into great detail explaining to Miranda everything that happened after they had parted company at the landing pad.  Burning all evidence of Merissa's existence, hiding the doll under Dolan's gravestone, and the arrival of Weston and his team a few months later.

"I never imagined that Weston would travel out into the fringe, to retrieve his son himself," said Shannon, "He recognized me almost immediately."  

"How did he know you weren't me?" asked Miranda "He had never met me before."

"He and I had crossed paths before, and besides..," said Shannon pointing to her forehead. "The real Miranda wouldn't have the Oroyo family stripes, but I do... er, did.  Once he saw that, he recognized me, and at that point, I had no choice.  I blew the place to bits with me in it.  Then I claimed his tail."  

"Ahem?" injected the dragon, who continued to play with Merissa, and act as if he weren't listening to every word.

"Ok..  Technically HE claimed Weston's tail for me."

Miranda shuddered, "I've always hated that custom."

"If it had been anyone but Weston, I would not have bothered, but he had threatened to take my tail on a number of occasions in the past.  He would always make a big show of it, like he was going to avenge some ancient wrong I had done," said Shannon thoughtfully.  "He thought he finally had me this time, all alone in the wilderness.  I guess taking his tail was just my last chance to spit in his eye."

Both women sat in silence for a long time.

"So if you ever return, out of curiosity, or to visit Dolan, you wont find anything left of the house," said Shannon finally. "But you will find a second grave containing my body, with your name on it.  Miranda Uwuru is officially dead."

"I am still having a hard time with some of this," replied Miranda.  "Even though I know your history, and the fact you are sitting here in front of me, in another body."

"I can appreciate that," said Shannon, nodding. "It still catches me off guard every time I look in a mirror."

"I think that Dolan would approve," said Miranda, sniffling and wiping her eyes.  "Knowing that his big sister was buried next to him, yet still alive somewhere.  I think that would make him happy.  Does that sound weird?"

"Actually, I like the sound of it as well," smiled Shannon, "I'm sure Dolan would prefer it to having you buried there.  He would be happier knowing that you weren't the one who died."