The storm was almost over Jhalan decided as heard the sound of the fire rain on the rusty tin roof of the shack soften. He began to wonder what he was doing on this barren rock anyway. Did he really need the credits or were they just a way of keeping score like Ilutan had always said? Well at least this task was simple, take the package, wait on the rock for the pickup, collect the cash and bring it back for your payment. Jhalan had considered not bothering with the last step but the Thalir Tak that he was working for wasn't someone you tried to cheat.

Once the storm had ended, Jhalan ventured out of his crude shack and looked up to see the Den freighter coming in for the rendezvous. The aie beneath the ship warped his view as the vessel came down. The vast empty silence of the wasteland was suddenly re-emphasised as the pilot disengaged the engines and the ship landed a short distance away.

A glowing outline appeared on the hull of the Den vessel around the hatch just before it opened. The walkway extended out to the sandy ground and three individuals appeared from the ship and proceeded down. Jhalan could barely believe what he was seeing. Two of the visitors were Den warriors, as expected, their metal mouths glinting in the hot light of the twin suns, but With them was a Phalan! Jhalan has only seen their pictures in the databases back on the ship, he'd never expected to see one face to face. Jhalan felt his heart begin to race as the three approached his lonely shelter.

The giant Den flanked the Phalan as they approached. It was obivous to Jhalan who was in charge simply from the way they walked. As a "solver of problems", as Ilutan used to call their profession, it was important to be able to judge a situation based on many factors. He couldn't however get any feeling from the Phalan at all, his steady solemn stride didn't give away anything. Damn it, that Tak scum hadn't said anything about a Phalan. It would have cost him more if he had.

"You are from Opin Hoste?" the Phalan asked in a strangely soft voice.

Jhalan nodded, "Yes, and you are the recipient of the delivery?" the words he'd been told to speak to identify the intended target.

The Phalan nodded, "I will recieve it." completing the code words. "Where is the gem?" the Phalan asked.

"Credits first, package later." Jhalan replied curtly.

The Phalan looked down, and spoke quietly, "There has been a change of plans. You will give me the gem, and we shall both leave."

Jhalan started "That wasn't the agreement.." but stopped short as he saw the Den raise their blasters. "Ok, Ok, no need to get techy!". Jhalan reached slowly into a box behind him and took out what appeared to be a green gem, about the size of the fist. "What is this thing anyway?".

"That is none of your concern, now deliver your package." the Phalan replied.

Jhalan was thinking fast now. He moved slowly to hand the gem to the Phalan but at the last moment slipped and dropped the gem to the ground. All three of his visitors looked down for a split second and that was enough. Jhalan's hands dropped to his sides, pulling his twin pistols from their holsters. A moment later the two Den were on the ground with smoking wounds in their throats. "Now, about that payment" Jhalan said with a smirk.

His grin quickly faded as he looked at the Phalan, whose skin had started to glow a dull yellow. He had already retrieved the gem from the ground and was now staring directly at Jhalan. Jhalan raised his pistol but felt a sudden force hit him in the chest. Jhalan's body flew back into the shelter which came crumbling down around him. He heard the Phalan's void, "I have it, Master." Then his world went black.

When Jhalan came around he was covered in debris. The freighter had gone as had the Phalan and the gem. Who had the Phalan been talking to? He couldn't even guess, but what was more troubling was the thought of explaining this to Opin Hoste.