Planet Bexmotfzor- Approximately Eleven Years Ago

  A loud claxon sounds. Within the glass cylinder, a thin portal of whirling energy appears. Tendrils of orange, blue, and purple energy rope from the top of the glass cylinder to the bottom. Eventually, the energy portal becomes a solid column, nearly filling the entire glass tube.

  "We've established jump capacity," a small lizard scientist exclaims, the blue metallic scales on his face lighting up with glee. "I'm plotting the destination now. Final countdown. Commencing in five...four...three...two...and--"

  Xol never hears the final number counted out. The energy of the portal envelopes his body and he is drawn out of the tube--and into forever.

  -

  -

  Unknown time and place...For now

  Xol slowly opens his eyes. The blazing sun's rays beat steadily down upon him, threatening to roast the weary traveler within his own scaly skin. Even for a reptile-beast, the heat emanating from the sun is painfully excruciating. Sitting up on the scorching sand, Xol quickly removes his traveler's jacket.

  "Where the hell did they send me?" Xol questions aloud, peering all around him. "And when? This place looks like it's completely uninhabited. What in the freaking hell?"

  Xol, in his disbelief, climbs unsteadily to his feet. In the distance, the jump portal is still open. Ropes of purple, amber, and orange energy crisscross each other in a tangled frenzy--a solid column of plasma and open void visible against the desert landscape. Xol rubs one hand across his chin.

  Why would those bungling idiots leave the jump portal activated for so long? Portals aren't cheap to maintain. They'd better not even try to bill him for the extra activation time. Hmph. Maybe the jump scientists are having trouble closing it? Being a scientist doesn't exclude a person from being a complete imbecile. Or maybe, they can't. In which case, does he dare attempt to go back through? Jump portals usually only go one way. Or so, he's heard.

  Xol drapes his traveler's jacket over his head, in order to create a barrier between himself and the sun's white-hot rays. The negligible drop in temperature is a welcome gift. Thank goodness for traveler's jackets.

  Unlike a typical jacket, a traveler's jacket is designed to adjust to the needs of the individual wearer. If Xol had found himself on a frigid world, the jacket would've grown warm to accommodate his reptilian need for heat. However, on this desert planet, obtaining warmth is not a problem. It is the problem. Xol's jacket gradually grows cool to the touch, a fine mist wafting down onto his scaly face.

  With a loud sigh, Xol turns to and fro, assessing his environment. He stomps one foot angrily in the sand, stirring up a small group of translucent insects--which quickly scurry away. The presence of the small beetles further incenses Xol. He screams up at the sun, which is threatening to boil him alive.

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  "What is this? Why would they send me here?" Xol yells, louder than he has ever yelled before. "It was that silly Fjik scientist. I just know it! This is her idea of a sick joke. Payback. That's what this is. Payback. For what?!? I didn't make the damn rules. I didn't forbid her from partaking in portal jump travel. Why is she punishing me? Is this what happens to every citizen? Is this what we're all paying millions of Wexxer tokens for? This is outrageous! It's crazy! If I ever get back there...She won't have to contend with the Terran Council. That slithering scientist will have to contend with me! Argh!"

  "Do you have to be so loud?" a feminine voice says from not far away.

  Xol looks everywhere, turning in a full circle. He finds no one. Peeking from underneath his jacket shade, Xol blinks rapidly.

  "Who's there? Who spoke to me?" Xol demands in a loud voice, his expression stern.

  "I'm down here," the voice says.

  Xol glances down at his feet. Less than five feet away, the sand begins to shift. A female figure rises up out of the sand. She shakes herself free of debris and meets Xol's gaze. Xol stands motionless, staring at his female companion with overt suspicion.

  "Who the hell are you?" Xol asks, his tone bitter. "And why are you dressed like a traveler? Did they abandon you on this forsaken world as well? Damn scientists!"

  "No. I mean, I don't think I was abandoned. I don't remember. Well...Not much. I arrived here at the same moment you did. Did you not see me?"

  "See you?" Xol questions incredulously. "See you where? I traveled alone. You couldn't have arrived the same time I did. Unless...There was a second portal activated at the same time. In which case...Maybe we did arrive at the same time. The scientists were having a bit of trouble. Maybe your portal was interfering with mine? Maybe that's why we both ended up here? The wires got crossed or something. Damn! What a mess!"

  "I don't remember much," the female traveler continues, as if not hearing Xol at all. "I remember there was a rather large scientist in the jump room. A Fjik lizard. She was very angry. I'm not sure if she was angry at me. She kept talking about forbidden portal jumps...And her poor daughter. She seemed very bitter. I wonder if she did something to my portal coordinates? Altered them? Maybe that's why I was sent here. I'm not supposed to be here at all."

  Xol remains completely silent. He studies his counterpart very carefully. The female traveler notices Xol's peculiar staring and tilts her head to one side.

  "Is something the matter? Why are you staring at me like that?"

  Xol still refuses to speak. He steps closer to his female companion, placing both hands on either side of her face.

  "Oh...My...Gosh!" Xol mutters, his brow dipping low. "This can't be."

  "What? What can't be?" the other traveler exclaims, anxiety in her voice. "What's wrong? Do I have something on my face? A Dridjakt Bug? I hate those. Get it off of me, please."

  "No. It's not that," Xol answers. "It's nothing like that. What did you say your name is again?"

  "Koda...I think," the female says, scratching her scaly head. "I'm not sure. That's the name I keep hearing repeated in my head. Koda. Yes, Koda. I think my name is Koda."

  "As is mine," Xol says with a sigh. "My name is Xol Koda. I am from the planet Bexmotfzor."

  "Oh, that's nice," Koda says. "Nice to meet you, Xol Koda! Funny coincidence, huh? Meeting someone with the same name. Haha."

  "Uh-huh," Xol replies, clicking his tongue sarcastically. "Except, there's one problem with that."

  "Really? What's that?" Koda asks, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

  "I have no family," Xol says. "No wife, no children, no surviving relations. You're not just anyone to me. You...Are me."

  "Huh?" Koda gasps. "No way."

  "Yes...Way!" Xol huffs, his mouth twisted into a scornful grimace. "Damn scientists!"